Mon Mar 26 2018, 5:30pm
WHS Room 2203
Regular Meeting

REPORTS TO THE BOARD

Teaching and Learning Report

To: Michael Green

From: Asha Riley

Date: March 21, 2018

Re: Teaching and Learning

  

Two Way Bilingual Immersion Program Update:

As we continue to develop aspects of the program and how we will implement it in Woodland, we have selected three program goals. These goals are being used to inform program design and implementation decisions.

Three Goals of the Two-Way Bilingual Immersion Program:

  • Bilingualism and Biliteracy
  • Academic Excellence
  • Unity throughout the school community fostered by respect among our diverse population of students and families.

Implementation Timeline:

  • March 23rd-25th - Staff attend WABE conference
  • March 16th - Draft of Parent Handbook completed by subgroup
  • April 9th - Kindergarten registration packets distribution begins
    • Include program information in the packets for parents (brochure)
  • April 26th - Kindergarten Kick Off Event at WPS
    • Introduce the program to incoming Kinder parents at the open house
  • May 1st - Parent Meeting for those interested in the program
  • May 11th - Applications due from parents who wish to opt into the program
  • May 31st -Run lottery to fill seats in the two classrooms from the list. Classes will be equally balanced with native speakers of each language (English and Spanish).
  • June 1st - Notify parents if their child has a seat in the program as a result of the lottery

ESSA School Update

On Thursday, OSPI released their list of schools who were identified for support under ESSA.  This is the link to their release memo. One of the key goals of ESSA is continuous improvement for schools and that all schools will use their data to inform local improvement efforts. Based on student achievement data collected from state assessments over the past three years, TEAM HS was identified for Comprehensive support, WIS and WMS were identified for Targeted Supports. The process for determining which level of support schools receive is articulated in the Washington School Improvement Framework.

What is the Washington School Improvement Framework (WSIF)?

WSIF is Washington State’s evaluation model as required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

What makes up the WSIF scores?

There are nine measures in total with Growth and Proficiency making up “a big part of the scores” for both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics.

  • Graduation rate and English Language Learner progress are “also important.”
  • There are three new School Quality and Student Success (SQSS) measures meant to help parents and families, as well as school districts, understand the overall school climate, which goes beyond academics and includes:
    • Regular attendance
    • 9th graders on track to graduation
    • Dual-Credit/Advanced-Course Opportunities

Which of Woodland’s schools were identified as needing additional support?

  • Two of Woodland’s schools were identified as having 1-2 student groups with scores falling into the “Targeted” supports category and one was identified with “Comprehensive” needs.
  • At Woodland Intermediate School, the English Language Learner (ELL) program and one demographic group were identified as Targeted.
  • At Woodland Middle School, the English Language Learner (ELL) and Special Education program were identified as Targeted.
  • TEAM High School, Woodland’s alternative high school, was identified for having a low graduation rate, however, due to the small comparable student enrollment, TEAM High is eligible for opting out of Comprehensive supports.

What is the difference between “Targeted” and “Comprehensive?”

  • Schools with three or more student groups whose WSIF scores fall below the scores for all students will qualify for Targeted supports focusing on the achievement of the student groups who need I the most to close existing opportunity gaps.
    • Schools with one or two struggling student groups may access self-directed and foundational supports.
  • Schools identified as “Comprehensive” have needs affecting the school’s entire student body.

What supports will the state provide schools?

  • Under the new support model, all schools receive access to a suite of self-directed foundational supports to help close opportunity gaps utilizing the continuous improvement model. Individual schools can review their WSIF data to find areas that may need extra attention.
  • Schools that fall into the bottom 5% statewide qualify for Comprehensive and Targeted supports. These schools will collaborate with OSPI to develop strategies to ensure student success by utilizing state-provided resources and receiving additional flexibility to provide greater assistance for their students.
  • List of Tiered Supports Available