January 5, 2016
Curiosity – a key
ingredient to better schools
We
celebrate curiosity in our students. Their curiosity and wonder provides much
of the joy for those of us who teach. We depend on it. Even for our jaded juniors and seniors, thank
God, it’s still there.
Education
leaders would be wise to show more of this quality. A good classroom taps into a young person’s
willingness to explore and be a “tireless investigator.” A good school district
needs this too.
I
wonder if a lack of curiosity is the key difference behind the progress, or
lack of same, over the past ten years in two neighboring school districts,
Denver Public Schools and Aurora. Both
led by folks quite new to K-12 education, Michael Bennet and Tom Boasberg in
DPS, John Barry and Rico Munn in Aurora.
One advantage of being new to the public education system: fresh
eyes. A disadvantage: so much to
learn.
|
“Arthur Conan
Doyle was a curious and tireless investigator his entire life.” (DMNS)
|
To
learn, we must be curious. It was a joy
to feel the sense of wonder in the kids buzzing through the Sherlock Homes
exhibit recently at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Eager to solve the mystery. Before it closes later this month, I encourage
school board members, superintendents, and district administrators to go. They too might be inspired by the enthusiasm
of the boys and girls. “Look!” “I don’t see….” “But what about…?” “Hey, I found
it!”
Sherlock tackles the curious case
of the school district that ….
It
is not a joy—it is deeply disappointing—to hear education leaders sound
disinterested in what else might be working. I can’t learn from reports by outside groups—what do they know of our
efforts? I can’t learn from other districts similar to mine. I can’t learn from the PARCC results.
|
If Not Now Coalition[1]
Rise Colorado, Together Colorado, A+ Denver, Colorado Succeeds,
Colorado Children's Campaign, Urban Land Conservancy, Fax Aurora, Stapleton
Foundation, Education Reform Now, Mango House, Human Pope Foundation, Ardas
Family Medicine, Project Worthmore, Focus Points, ACAD, Colorado African
Organization, and Latinos for Education Reform.
|
I. Oct. 7 - If Not Now report on Aurora Public
Schools – Sherlock would ask: what is working in DPS?
In
October a report, If Not Now:
Transforming Aurora Public Schools, backed by the If Not Now Coalition, included
a striking contrast in the recent performance of DPS versus Aurora. The comparison seemed valid given the similar
socio-economic makeup of the two districts (see box, below). This was not a comparison between Aurora and
Boulder (20% FRL), or between Aurora and Cheyenne Mountain 12 (less than 15%
FRL). The analysis compared APS with its
next-door-neighbor to the west, where overall poor results for decades have
been the focus of many reform efforts.
Enough similarities, one would think, to cause a curious school leader—with
increased urgency, now, with APS in its
|
Similar socio-economic makeup on DPS and APS –
2014[2]
|
||
|
|
% minority
|
% Free & reduced lunch
|
|
Aurora Public Schools
|
82.25
|
69.42
|
|
Denver Public Schools
|
77.96
|
69.77
|
4th
straight year Accredited on Priority Improvement—to
note the progress in Denver and say: what can we learn from the school district
next door?
Instead, this is what we heard:
Colorado Public Radio, Oct. 7, 2015
“Dismayed By
Struggling Aurora Public Schools, A New Coalition Demands Change”
Audio: CPR's Jo Ann Allen Speaks With Education Reporter
Jenny Brundin
The 40,000 students in Aurora Public Schools score among
the worst in Colorado on state tests. About half don’t graduate from high
school, and fewer than one in 10 make it all the way through college….
How is the district responding to this report?
Superintendent
Rico Munn, who (has) been on the job for just two years, doesn’t dispute the
data. In fact, the district released its own updated strategic plan this week
that said the "longstanding failure must come to an end."
"We’ve
got a long way to go," said Superintendent Munn. "We don’t
hide from that fact we try to take a very aggressive stance around building our
capacity around what is some very difficult reform work."
The coalition report spends some time comparing Aurora to
Denver. Are their schools demographically similar?
Yes,
and it shows Denver’s students outperforming Aurora’s. Looking at math
scores from 2010-14 for example, Denver’s went up 17 percentage points while
Aurora’s went down 7 percentage points.
But Denver has
had an intensive reform plan underway for many years already, with millions of
dollars in foundation money supporting that effort.
What’s
Aurora’s response to (the report’s recommendations)?
Munn said
he thinks the report has a tone that the district should adopt Denver’s
strategic plan.
"What
works for Denver, works great for Denver and it may or not make any sense for a
whole host of reasons that are specific to our district," he said…. He says
the district has already drawn on lots of national expertise to help craft a
reform plan.
"So we are doing a lot of work around
identifying, naming and replicating really good practices. We just may not be
doing it in a way that Denver does," Munn said.
The above are excerpts from the full
article, available at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/dismayed-struggling-aurora-public-schools-new-coalition-demands-change#sthash.K0ITAj1M.4Q6ITfyb.dpuf (Bold
mine)
Two points. 1) In its 26 pages, the If
Not Now report makes no mention of the Denver strategic plan.
2) Among the report’s 8 recommendations, #4 states: “Build exemplar new
schools – including replications of high performing schools such as charters –
that quickly serve as exemplars of success within the district “ (see Addendum A for the full
recommendation). I add a few facts here that might inform that suggestion. Over
the past decade Denver Public Schools closed a number of low-performing schools
and opened many new charters. The 2014 Donnell-Kay Foundation report: Beyond Averages: School Quality in Denver
Public Schools, made a persuasive case connecting overall improved academic
performance in DPS to this strategy. According to the Colorado Department of
Education, DPS has authorized 52 charter schools; Aurora has authorized six.[3] Over
a span of three years, 2010-11 to 2012-13, DPS opened 17 charters, Aurora just
one. (Three other charters operate inside APS, authorized by the Charter School
Institute.)
II. Oct. 27 - Innovation Zone for APS – Sherlock
would investigate innovation schools in DPS
The proposal for an Innovation Zone in APS for the endangered Aurora
Central High (5th straight year on Priority
Improvement) and several of its feeder schools shows a willingness on the part
of the central office to begin to consider some rethinking regarding district
control and school governance. But does
it look next door for advice? (DPS has
40 of the 63 innovation schools in the state.[4] To
date APS has none.) Plenty of Denver’s innovation schools, after all, have not made progress. A three-year study of 19 DPS Innovation
schools should raise red flags for Aurora. Much to learn from there![5]
When Superintendent Munn moderated a Community Conversation on October
27 to explain the goals of the Innovation Zone, who was on the panel touting
the benefits for its innovation schools?
The chief education officer of the Falcon
school district, Peter Hilts. OK, Falcon
has the second highest number of innovation school in the state (10); but it
has what, exactly, in common with
APS? (see Addendum B) Sherlock Holmes would have been far more
curious about the Denver story. DPS can
be a great learning lab to any district (APS, Adams 14, Mapleton, Sheridan,
etc.) eager to benefit from the successes
and failures in the state’s capital city.
But Aurora … curious? Hey, we do things our way!
III. Dec. 11 - PARCC scores
in Aurora – Sherlock would take out his magnifying glass to see if ….
Six weeks later, when the PARCC results were published, one did not
expect APS leaders to be pleased. But were they curious? Any information there to learn from? School-by-school data to dig into?
Chalkbeat Colorado - Aurora: ‘We
know we need to do better.’
Of the state’s top 20 districts, the troubled Aurora Public Schools
district posted the lowest scores on the PARCC tests: 20 percent of
students met or exceeded expectations in language arts, and just 12 percent met
those marks in math.
With 18 schools considered failing by the state and
the district’s accreditation hanging in the balance, the inner-ring suburban
district has come under greater scrutiny as of late.
Superintendent Rico Munn, two years into the job,
is urging patience as the district hopes to see results from reforms that
include reallocating more than $10 million dollars to schools, changing how it
recruits and retains principals, and creating a turnaround leadership team.
Munn called the district’s PARCC scores
“unacceptable.” … “We know we need to do better. We know we can do better. We
are looking at this as the new baseline data set we can grow from.” Munn said
of the data on Aurora schools in turnaround status: “I didn’t learn anything. We know our schools that have the most
significant challenges. This didn’t give me any new information about that.”
http://co.chalkbeat.org/2015/12/11/parcc-data-provides-glimpse-at-school-and-district-performance-but-low-participation-clouds-picture/#.VnxPUBUrLIV (Bold mine.)[6]
Well, APS school board members might be eager to find out for
themselves. They might recall their
response to the district’s grim results in 2013-14, presented on Aug. 19, 2014.
My notes from that meeting have one board member say: “These numbers are very
discouraging, very disturbing.” Another asks: “How do we explain a decline so
we don’t repeat this process?” (The official minutes of that meeting, per
usual, do not include such quotes: see Addendum
C). They will be curious: any better
in 2014-15? With new assessments, so
difficult to compare … exactly why it’s worth a closer look.
Inquisitive board members
will surely ask about schools “on the accountability clock” during Munn’s second year as superintendent. Especially
the results at Aurora Central High School, the focus of the district’s plan for
an Innovation Zone. In 2013 APS won a
three-year federal Tiered Intervention Grant worth $2.5 million to support the
school’s transformation (http://www.cde.state.co.us/fedprograms/tigaurorabudget); roughly $1.8 of that was
to have been spent by the start of this school year. Progress?
Last spring less than 10% of
freshmen met expectations in English. Good grief!* Actually, a glance at the 2015 PARCC scores
in English at three of Aurora’s four
big high schools invites a host of questions. Such as: At this rate, how many seniors will be college ready…? (*Even before
seeing the PARCC results at Aurora Central, a warning from CDE: see http://co.chalkbeat.org/2015/12/03/state-to-aurora-bold-actions-needed-at-central-to-win-support-for-innovation-plan/#.VoVkwRUrLIU)
PARCC - ELA - 2015 –
3 high schools - % meet expectations
|
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
Average 9-11
|
|
State
|
37.8
|
37.4
|
39.9
|
38.4
|
|
DPS
|
34.3
|
31
|
35.6
|
33.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
APS
|
21.3%
|
22.6%
|
22.7%
|
22.2
|
|
Hinkley
|
19.6
|
20.0
|
18.8
|
19.5
|
|
Gateway
|
14.5
|
19.4
|
21.1
|
18.3
|
|
Aurora Central
|
<10%
|
17.6
|
19.8
|
15.8
|
APS board members will be equally curious
about the performance for students in the early grades.
5 (of the 13) APS elementary
or K-8 schools on Priority Improvement
or Turnaround
|
|
Rating on state’s School Performance Framework
2014 (same for 2015)
|
PARCC
results – grades 3-5 - % meeting expectations
2015
ELA MATH
|
|||||
|
|
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
STATE
of Colorado
|
|
38.2%
|
41.7%
|
40.5%
|
36.7%
|
30.2%
|
30.1%
|
|
Aurora Public Schools
|
|
18.4%
|
20.6%
|
18.8%
|
15.5%
|
12.2%
|
11.2%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boston K-8*
|
4th
straight year on Priority Improvement
|
<10%
|
8.7%
|
<11%
|
5.8%
|
<11%
|
<11%
|
|
Fletcher Community School
|
3 of
last 5 years on Turnaround Plan
|
<7%
|
5.3%
|
6.4%
|
<7%
|
<7%
|
3.8
|
|
Paris Elementary*
|
4 of
last 5 years on Priority Improvement
|
<7%
|
<8%
|
<9%
|
<7%
|
<8%
|
<9%
|
|
Sable Elementary
|
Last 2
years on
Priority Improvement
|
11.6%
|
20.6%
|
8.3%
|
<6%
|
<8%
|
5.6%
|
|
Wheeling Elementary
|
4 of
last 5 years on Priority Improvement
|
5.3%
|
10.2%
|
11.9%
|
<6%
|
6.8%
|
<6%
|
*Schools likely to be part of the
district’s proposed Innovation Zone.
In only one of
these five schools, in one grade, on one test (Sable Elementary, 4th
grade, ELA) were more than 12% of the students meeting expectations. Huge consequences, of course, for the middle
schools….
Dramatic improvement
of an urban school district is often called a “Herculean task.” But brains, not brawn, is needed here—hence I
look to Sherlock Holmes as my fictional hero.
To solve this curious case, we must investigate what is working for
students like ours, explore all that is possible, and ask—and ask again: what can
we learn—even from our next door neighbor…. That, to quote Sherlock, is elementary.
Another View
is a newsletter by Peter Huidekoper.
Comments are welcome. 303-757-1225 - peterhdkpr@gmail.com
Addendum A – from If Not Now report – Recommendation #4
4. Build exemplar new schools – including
replications of high performing schools such as charters – that quickly serve
as exemplars of success within the district.
The district’s current plans to improve
student achievement look at the district or network level: the current
Innovation Zone approach structures committees to look at Aurora Central and
its feeder schools. While the Zone Action Committee and Zone Design Committee
are meeting this year, they must finalize much of their work before School
Design Committees start engaging in the redesign process. The district should
push for and prioritize more immediate conversations about school-level
solutions and designs.
A successful school can serve as both a proof
point and a beacon: if one school in APS can improve outcomes for all its
students, then every school in APS can improve outcomes for all its students.
The district needs schools that deploy programming, supports, and instruction
that drive student achievement outcomes.
Different school models, including high-quality charter schools,
are an important tool that the district should use in tandem with other efforts
to improve achievement across the entire district. For example, charters can
help serve the growing student population in Aurora, can more easily innovate
and tailor instruction to focus on immigrants, refugees, English language
learners, students who are significantly behind grade level, students with
disabilities, or students who are gifted and talented.
Regardless of focus, successful charters and other new
schools are an opportunity for Aurora to find new ways of educating its
students and replicating the success in all schools. To effectively integrate
charters and other innovative school models into the district strategy there
must be strong systems and structures to support collaboration and best practice
sharing. Districts
like Denver, New York, LA, Spring Branch and Memphis have successfully coupled
charters with other school improvement strategies. (http://www.scribd.com/doc/285256624/If-Not-Now-Transforming-Aurora-Public-Schools-from-Failing-to-Great, pp 20-21.)
Addendum B –
Aurora, Denver, and Falcon
DISTRICT
DASHBOARD - SUMMARY
from
Colorado Department of Education -
http://www2.cde.state.co.us/schoolview/dish/dashboard.asp
|
|
Aurora
|
Denver
|
Falcon
|
|
Total
Enrollment (2014-15)
|
40,009
|
83,891
|
19,274
|
|
Black
|
18%
|
14%
|
6%
|
|
Hispanic
|
54%
|
57%
|
23%
|
|
White
|
18%
|
22%
|
61%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FRL
|
70%
|
70%
|
33%
|
|
ELL
%
|
41%
|
33%
|
4%
|
|
Homeless %
|
6%
|
1%
|
0%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accreditation
(2014)
|
|
|
|
|
Official DPS Accreditation Rating
|
Priority
Improvement
|
Improvement
|
Accredited
|
|
Official DPF % Points Earned
|
44.7
|
54.4
|
70.4
|
|
Year Entering Priority Improvement or
Turnaround
|
Year 4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
School
Plan Type (2014)
|
|
|
|
|
Turnaround
|
2
|
30
|
0
|
|
Priority
Improvement
|
16
|
16
|
0
|
|
Improvement
|
13
|
44
|
2
|
|
Performance
|
24
|
97
|
20
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Official
SPF Indicator % and Ratings (2014)
|
|
|
|
|
Achievement
|
27.8 – Does Not Meet
|
41.7 - Approaching
|
69.4 - Meets
|
|
Growth
|
56.0 -
Approaching
|
69.0 -
Meets
|
65.5
- Meets
|
|
Growth Gaps
|
51.7 -
Approaching
|
57.2 -
Approaching
|
53.9
- Approaching
|
|
Post-Secondary
|
37.5 - Approaching
|
43.8
- Approaching
|
82.8 - Meets
|
(Bold mine.)
Addendum C –
Excerpts from minutes of APS Board of Education meeting – Aug.
19, 2014
In 2014, the
overall APS proficient and advanced scores decreased
in reading, writing and math, one percent to two percent, compared to the
2012-13 school year. Elementary proficiency scores were stable with a .5 decrease in proficiency scores; middle
school proficiency scores decreased
3.2 percent, and high school proficiency scores were stable with a .5 percent decrease in proficiency. The district experienced declines in median
growth percentiles in 14 of 21 grade/subject areas. … (p. 10060)
(Jorgenson) asked if staff felt a sense of
urgency as a result of declines across grade levels. Youngquist expressed that
significant systemic instructional changes and shifts in professional learning
did not occur last year. He shared that the entire team feels the sense of urgency
to increase growth and develop a common understanding of growth moving forward.
He noted that the presence of directors and support staff in schools and
developing next steps is part of the strategy. Munn also acknowledged the sense
of urgency and discussed the importance of providing the right supports to
schools. (pp. 10061-62)
Drevon asked about staff reaction
to the 2013-14 data. Escárcega was surprised by declines experienced in sixth
and eighth grades. She attributed some of the variables to both new students
and teachers and emphasized the importance of providing supports to first-year
teachers. (p. 10062)
(Bold mine.)
[1] “The If Not Now Coalition is
a diverse group of nonprofits in both Aurora and around the state of Colorado
that are deeply committed to supporting the Aurora Public School District’s
dramatic improvement of public education in Aurora.” http://ifnotnowcoalition.wix.com/home
[3] Colorado Charter Schools - http://www2.cde.state.co.us/edulibdir/Colorado%20Charter%20Schools-en-us.pdf
[4] Innovation Schools Approved by State Board - http://www.cde.state.co.us/choice/innovationschoolsapprovedbystateboard
[5] http://www.scribd.com/doc/197907842/Innovation-Schools-in-DPS-Year-Three-of-an-Evaluation-Study - study conducted by the University of Colorado at
Denver, The Evaluation Center, School of Education and Human Development.
[6]Munn’s letter to the community on the “unacceptable”
APS scores struck a different note. “As a result, we are thinking differently about our work.”-
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/An-Update-from-APS-Superintendent-Rico-Munn.html?soid=1122324074286&aid=m6Rrsd9nq9w
No comments:
Post a Comment