WASL AND BEYOND
 
What has worked in your district or others?

Student Motivation

Strong Relationships and Caring (7 comments)

Personalized education approach Smaller class size

Smaller learning communities

Strong, positive relationships developed through a sense of community pride.

Developing a system of caring...restructuring how we approach/teach each subject and those who are directly affected by our efforts.

Connecting with students

High expectations and build solid relationships with students so those students have more of a reason to attend.

Advisories like Navigation

Get to Know Student Needs (9 comments)

Helping teachers learn to focus on learning and gathering evidence of student learning has helped both the teachers and the students. Having teacher advisors who follow students for three years in Middle School, and four years in High School has increased student ownership of learning and meeting goals.

Reviewing the WASL data on seniors has caused a clarified focus on the real needs of learners.

Daily advisory periods, focused interventions for L1 and L2 students.

Staff development that utilizes the learning community model wherein teachers focus on common assessments --opportunities for teachers to have common "team" planning time to discuss students and their progress or lack thereof and devise strategies for interdisciplinary coordination of instruction; --common planning or "team" time wherein teachers can confer about students who are struggling and devise strategies for reaching these students.

Having a "WASL Dean" who was tasked solely with tracking students and pulling together teams to interact with the student and family. In my current district this is added to an assistant principal's job that is just not doable. Being more prescriptive than comprehensive in what we offer students.

Teachers who spend the time analyzing why an individual student is not succeeding and looking for ways to help the student overcome his/her obstacles.

Individually addressing student needs in a meaningful way

Time provided for staff to meet and discuss students including retreats

Focusing on changing the culture from an adult-centered to a student-centered one. We aren't there yet but we are making progress. Focused collaboration time for staff during the school day - utilizing DuFour's four questions: What do want our students to know? How do we know if they've learned it? What do we do if they haven't learned it? What do we do if they have learned it?

Build a Culture of Confidence (9 Comments)

I can't say enough about how important it has been for our teachers, building principals, district administrator, and school board to all have a vision of helping our students achieve. While there has been much debate about the WASL and NCLB, for and against, the shared vision of helping our kids meet the standards has been the single most important work that has helped our students. I wish I could say we have met or exceeded the state standards in all areas, but I can honestly say that is what the majority of our students and staff are focused every day.

Pomeroy has had a tradition of high expectations for students. We have implemented school reforms in a way that has strengthened that culture.

Willingness to work with students, provide after school programs and not giving up on students.

We know that all students can be successful. It is a matter of focus, commitment, problem solving, time and building relationships and sensitivity to the whole person.

Providing a junior internship program for all students gives our students an opportunity to understand what they are learning in school has application to the real world. The senior seminar class, which is a year long class and is structure to transition students to the next level. Our emphasis as a high school for each teacher to be a reading teacher.

Willingness to work with students, provide after school programs and not giving up on students.

Students can articulate what they are to know and do

Not blaming children for not achieving, but rather looking to ourselves to find new strategies.

We are gaining ground with PAS classes BECAUSE we are working concurrently on the COE. Kids see growth in building a portfolio.

Incentives (3 Comments)

Appropriate incentives for doing well.

Creative incentives for students.

Tying scores to improved semester grades as an incentive. No student's grades are lowered, but can be raised by 5% at the end of the 1st semester.

Professional Development

Collaboration (22 Comments)

Teacher collaboration which has focused attention more acutely on student achievement

TEACHERS IN PLC'S, ENGAGED IN IMPROVING STUDENT LEARNING.

Release days, LID days, readjusted teacher day to provide collaboration time

PLC's

Creating time for professional learning communities.

Developing a systems model for Professional Learning Communities at each school and building in collaboration time for grade level teams.

Teachers collaborating working toward one goal. They are willing to set aside their union biases in order to do what is best for kids.

Collaborative professional development

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COLLABORATION TIME USING STUDENT ASSESSMENT INFO!

Time provided for staff to meet and discuss students including retreats,

Strong collaboration within the school and at the district level with building administrators

Creating PLC's throughout system

Professional Learning Communities, best

Staff development that utilizes the learning community model wherein teachers focus on common assessments --opportunities for teachers to have common "team"
planning time to discuss students and their progress or lack thereof and devise strategies for interdisciplinary coordination of instruction; --common planning or "team" time wherein teachers can confer about students who are struggling and devise strategies for reaching these students.

Creating professional learning communities of teachers within our school to work with each other to collectively improve the quality of teaching.

Professional learning communities.

Intentional learning, teachers buying in, quality professional development.

Task oriented teacher collaboration and professional development.

Teaming.

Clearly defined School Improvement processes that rely on professional learning community structures and ample district support.

PLC's.

Collaboration time.

Instructional Practice (26 Comments)

Investment in professional development. The goal is to change teachers practice.

Providing training for teachers in Improving Instructional Practices. Began as voluntary and is evolving to how we do busy.

By beginning as a voluntary training opportunity, we have evolved to a critical mass of retrained staff and it will become required as embedded training. We have linked it to our Pro Cert (5 year program for new teachers) program.

Improving teaching practice through embedded quality and collaborative professional development

Professional development for teachers that is fairly narrow and focused

Good professional development for teachers who are willing to work with struggling students.

Best practices such as those described by Marzano and Gusky and Stiggens.

Figuring out ways to offer high support and high expectations. In the places we achieve this, it works.

Open Honest Conversations Opportunities for risk taking and doing it different.

Teachers collaborating with teachers - in and out of the district.

Focused collaboration time for staff during the school day

Focusing on changing the culture from an adult-centered to a student-centered one. We aren't there yet but we are making progress. Focused collaboration time for staff during the school day - utilizing DuFour's four questions: What do want our students to know? How do we know if they've learned it? What do we do if they haven't learned it? What do we do if they have learned it?

Creating professional learning communities of teachers within our school to work with each other to collectively improve the quality of teaching.

Best practice instruction, research based curricula and hard work with lots of love and targeted instruction.

Math scores have increased due to extensive teacher training, and providing a program that blends CTE thinking with Math skills. Consistent program, willingness to work with students, provide after school programs and not giving up on students.

Heavy investment in professional development in reading, writing and math;

Embedded interactive PD at grade level or subject area, data driven teaching,

In math, high school teachers are learning to teach math gaps in innumeracy similar to literacy gaps in adult learners. We too often simply do more of the same, slower and louder, and then can't figure out why it doesn't work. There is little support for this kind of instruction.

Focusing on continued growth and professional development of teachers, rather than on the looming penalties related to graduation standards, the uniform stair steps, and AYP.

Providing quality ongoing, job-embedded professional development.

Improving instruction and ensuring that teachers know strategically how to intervene and help students who struggle.

-Learning walks

Best practice instruction, research based curricula and hard work with lots of love and targeted instruction.

Focus on instructional improvement, alignment of instruction, curriculum, etc. with State GLES and by grade level and content areas in the District

Imbedded Professional Development using an Instructional Coach Model

We have seen our initial improvements through intentional review of what we are doing and making changes at the instructional level.

Formal school improvement processes in each school that involve staff in the improvement of instruction.

Focused Professional Development  (8 Comments)

District level focused training in areas of need to provide consistency and support across the district.

Training for administrators and teachers - common language & consistent practice across the district.

Intentional professional development.

Focused and intentional staff development.

Intensive focused professional development.

Focused instruction and curriculum has worked well. Professional development at all levels has worked well but we need much more financial support and much more in the way of support through the ESD level and not OSPI.

Developing more "district" norms for core academic areas, have a common language about teaching practices and curriculum based assessments to measure growth in smaller increments.

Focused instruction to the content standards and high expectations.

Instructional Coaches (7 Comments)

We need funding for instructional coaches.

Building based coaches in literacy and math.

Math coaches hold promise.

Intensive staff development combined with well trained coaches.

Instructional coaches.

Coaching or coaches are working well and to that end we should increase I-728 dollars.

Literacy and math coaches in secondary schools.

Administrative Training (6 Comments)

Principal professional development in content areas.

Professional development for teachers and principals.

Providing professional development to teachers and principals that make a difference.

Leadership-focus for long haul.

Strong building leadership.

Expecting our building principals to be instructional leaders (not managers) who 1. Listen to the parents, students and teachers in terms of their needs, 2. intentionally drive resources to build capacity, and 3. Hold teachers and students accountable for meeting the next levels of success, has kept us moving forward on increasingly meeting standards.

Professional Development (8 Comments)

We have worked hard not to overemphasize the test, but to provide quality instruction. Up until the WASL became a graduation requirement, students were not stressed out by the test, and our students performed well.

WE TRY TO IGNORE WASL SCORES AND JUST CONCENTRATE ON GOOD TEACHING.

Professional development.

Professional development.

More training for math teachers at grades 4-8.

Additional training for teachers.

Increased weekly professional development time weekly 90 minutes with Increased targeted training based on school based data.

Powerful Teaching and Learning Model

Put Best Teachers With Neediest Students (4 Comments)

Customized teaching of under achieving students. Maintaining high standards combined with strong support has lifted under performing poor students over time.

Put our best teachers in with the neediest students.

Intentional classes that prepare students for the WASL and put our best teachers in those rooms.

Extra help....better teacher quality to help in interventions.

Replace Poor Teachers (5 Comments)

Replacing poor teachers with effective ones.

Hire the best, fire the rest.

Encouraging reluctant teachers to join the team or move on.

Holding teachers accountable for clear targets tied to rigorous expectations aligned to the GLEs.

Flexibility in teacher contracts.

Better Teacher Preparation (3 Comments)

Stronger teachers.

Better trained teachers.

I am concerned though that we are seeing many new teachers with limited capacity to deal with the present. They need help.

Alignment of …

Alignment of … (21 Comments)

Connecting with students and focusing curriculum, instruction, and professional development all toward the same goal, increased student learning.

Aligning instruction with the GLE's. Formative assessments to identify areas of need.

Improving teaching practice through embedded quality and collaborative professional development Alignment of curriculum Creating PLC's throughout system.

As much clarity on the standards as possible, matched with assessments.

I can't say enough about how important it has been for our teachers, building principals, district administrator, and school board to all have a vision of helping our students achieve. While there has been much debate about the WASL and NCLB, for and against, the shared vision of helping our kids meet the standards has been the single most important work that has helped our students. I wish I could say we have met or exceeded the state standards in all areas, but I can honestly say that is what the majority of our students and staff are focused every day.

-Tiered systems of support and enhancement -Learning walks - holding teachers accountable for clear targets tied to rigorous expectations aligned to the GLEs -evidence of student learning on the targets; students can articulate what they are to know and do.

Focused instruction to the content standards and high expectations. Not blaming children for not achieving, but rather looking to ourselves to find new strategies.

Intentional curriculum alignment: content, instruction and assessment. caring staff and a supportive community.

A consistent focus on improvement. Improving instruction and ensuring that teachers know strategically how to intervene and help students who struggle. High
expectations and build solid relationships with students so those students have more of a reason to attend.

Knowing precisely what issues students struggle with. Alignment of resources (choose from state options) to match and best support learning. Time for teachers to tutor students outside the student day.

Alignment, teaming, avoiding knee jerk reactions to NCLB, leadership and teaching retention over time, district-wide fall and spring writing assessment, excellent mentoring program, focusing on students.

Curriculum alignment. Maintaining the instructional focus for several years at a time. Literacy and math coaches in secondary schools.

Professional development for teachers and principals, Professional learning communities, best practice instruction, research based curricula and hard work with lots of love and targeted instruction.

Clearly understanding data and how that drives instruction.

Strong building leadership/ collaboration time/ quality assessments (MAP)/ transfers and re-assignments.

Data-driven instructional decisions 1 on 1 and/or small group individual student assistance.

Expecting our building principals to be instructional leaders (not managers) who 1. Listen to the parents, students and teachers in terms of their needs, 2.

Intentionally drive resources to build capacity, and 3. Hold teachers and students accountable for meeting the next levels of success, has kept us moving forward on increasingly meeting standards.

Allocating resources in a way aligned with the characteristics of high performing districts and the meta-research. School improvement plans that are incorporated as a way of framing professional discussion rather than a document that sits on a shelf in the principal's office.

Greater Time on Task, Plus Classes, Math plus another course, focus on instructional improvement, alignment of instruction, curriculum, etc. with State GLES and by grade level and content areas in the district.

Stay the course, vertical and horizontal alignment of curriculum, professional development, and encouraging reluctant teachers to join the team or move on.

Focus on quality teachers working with a quality, district curriculum with frequent, standardized measures or progress.

Assessments

Use data to address needs (9 Comments)

We are gaining ground with PAS classes BECAUSE we are working concurrently on the COE. Kids see growth in building a portfolio.

We need to confront the reality of how students perform and not work of myths or beliefs. To help us create momentum we need to be looking at student growth toward a standard.

We have a staff member who really digs into the data and is able to work with staff in developing plans to improve what we do and how we do it.

Alternative Assessments Targeted Remediation..

Clearly understanding data and how that drives instruction.

Clear data on progress toward graduation.

Clearly understanding data and how that drives instruction.

Using assessment data to pin-point individual students' skill deficits.

Having a "WASL Dean" who was tasked solely with tracking students and pulling together teams to interact with the student and family. In my current district this is added to an assistant principal's job that is just not doable. Being more prescriptive than comprehensive in what we offer students.

Common Assessments (3 comments)

Common formative & summative assessments.

Common Assessments.

Common WASL type assessments given quarterly at grades K-8.

Teach to the WASL  (3 Comments)

Expose educators to the WASL test and item specifications, design of test items and help professionals understand how students are expected to demonstrate their learning on that assessment.

Teaching to the WASL exam with specific courses designed to teach skills that are tested.

State developed resources such as the segmented WASL course work has helped. We are too small to develop remedial materials and too poor to buy things that might not work.

Formative Diagnostic Assessments  (3 Comments)

DIBELS.

Formative assessments to identify areas of need.

Using MAP and WASL data to identify students for targeted before/after school remediation programs and providing transportation and breakfast for those students.

Interventions

Side by Side Acceleration Courses  (7 Comments)

Side by side courses at the high school level. Students take a math course and also have another class period to pre-teach concepts, re-teach, etc.

AVID Support classes in math, English and science taught by the same teacher as the on-grade section Cognitive Tutor.

AVID is promising.

Link core math (algebra) with math support class for students in need. Similar to what you described Everett does. Targeted interventions done in very small teacher to student ratio during the day.

More time with students in need. Better trained teachers. Doubling up classes for math for struggling students.

Companion classes at the secondary level in both literacy and mathematics.

Plus Classes, Math plus another course.

Tutoring … Added classes … More time  (22 Comments)

Time for teachers to tutor students outside the student day.

PAS math and literacy classes built into the students' school day. Using MAP and WASL data to identify students for targeted before/after school remediation programs and providing transportation and breakfast for those students.

Being small allows for truly customized teaching of under achieving students. Maintaining high standards combined with strong support has lifted under performing poor students over time.

We have created extended learning opportunities through after school tutoring and 5-6 weeks of additional instruction through our K-12 summer school program.
lots of individual attention through homework centers.

Students may receive help in math or any other subject while other students participate in other activities --after school tutorial opportunities.

A change back to a 6 period day with more time in core content areas.

Identifying and focusing on the students needing the most help! We are on the right track.

Extra help....better teacher quality to help in interventions.

District wide effort to help "each" student be successful.

Willingness to work with students, provide after school programs and not giving up on students.

One on One tutoring.

Title I remediation classes LAP classes PAS mentoring.

Requiring 3 credits of high school level math (one in the senior year).

Increased learning time (on task time) for students.

Increase the amount of time spent in reading and math for students who struggle.

More and different instruction for those who need it. This needs better funding from the state.

Summer-school math classes, Grades 6-11, for those students needing more help in mastering their math concepts and skills. The District pays for the teachers and materials.

Flexible scheduling Summer school.

Summer programs and supplemental programs.

Identifying the tier 2, tier 3 students by name and providing extended learning opportunities.

Greater Time on Task.

Start in Early Grades  (5 Comments)

Early interventions are the best. We are closing the gap in the elementariness.

Additional learning time scheduled into the school day (opportunity periods) for elementary and middle school students;

90/90/60 Early Intervention Helping students become readers K-3.

Remediation reading problems at the middle school level.

The Phonguage program and other literacy programs for the primary school, with the idea that promoting early literacy promotes excellence for all of education.

Alternative Programs (3 Comments)

Alternative high school program options (students attend school full time in a self contained program with a service learning component --credit retrieval options (students may obtain missing credits after school, during the school day, during the summer via computer) --GED preparation program (students may obtain morning or afternoon sessions).

Strengthening our alternative high school has been a great benefit in our district. We need more funding from the state to allow small, rural districts to run strong alternative programs at the middle and high school level.

Drop-out retrieval program - paid for out of a workforce development grant.

Individualized Plans  (2 Comments)

Individualized learning plans.

Individualized learning plans with Pass/fail interventions in support of subject specific gaps.

Intentional Instruction (17 Comments)

An ELL approach that provides support in effective strategies to classroom teachers.

Literacy interventions have been very successful. Using similar approaches in math should help us move forward.

Literacy support at the secondary level.

Intentional classes that prepare students for the WASL and put our best teachers in those rooms.

Changing instructional delivery is very difficult, particularly in math, but must happen in order to get better results.

Students in our school are all Deaf with multiple language issues. We have implemented WASL preparation class in the high school. The intent is to focus on teaching students to read prompts and write answers similar to the format used in the WASL. We are implementing this program at the middle and elementary level this year as we saw an increase in scores over the past 2 years.

Targeted assistance based on individual student needs as shown by an aligned test.

Individualized learning plans with Pass/fail interventions in support of subject specific gaps.

We have initiated "read naturally" for the 2007-2008 school year. We are excited to see if this intervention will work for students that "Did Not Meet Standard" on the WASL. We are also adding a component for math. The District purchased "Washington Problem Solving." We plan to choose the strands that student/classes need more instruction on.

Most districts are struggling with math and science. We are offering skills-based math remediation for students who have failed the WASL. What we are finding is that kids are indeed learning some math skills to catch up, but that does not automatically mean that they will pass the Math WASL. Many of them still do not pass.

Identifying students who are struggling and focusing on their learning. Truly individualizing instruction for our struggling learners.

Interventions and monitored plans for continuous improvement.

Effective reading interventions; still working on effective math interventions.

Having students in one math class at multiple levels....in other words taking students where they are and helping them to improve. The student drives the
curriculum not the textbook.

WASL Prep Classes.

Providing differentiated small group instruction to address the deficit areas.

Teaching to the test.

Change Graduation Requirements

Stay the Course  (3 Comments)

The WASL requirement has evolved to a focus on Success for All and what needs to be done to move all students forward. If we don't maintain this focus, we will have lowered expectations and the future of our learners will be in jeopardy. The data we are seeing has always been there. We are just beginning to have to really deal with it.

Holding to the commitment that high standards apply to all students and apply to all teachers.

Support the graduation requirements until rule changes occur at the state level. Late adjustments give students the impression that they will be bailed out, as opposed to working/trying harder.

System Doesn’t Work …   (4 Comments)

I am now in a very small k-6 district. I have been a superintendent in very small districts to very large for 50 years. Today's wish to be judged on a single set of tests is foolishness and not in the best interest of students. Teachers should be well trained and trusted to do right.

The system is much too complex from NCLB through OSPI. It's difficult to answer parent questions regarding school reform, when internally the system is so complex that the employees can't make sense of things. Parents expect answers from their local school employees.

Ignoring the politics of curriculum has worked well. When we were adopting math curriculum, considering the "reform curricula" along with others, one of my teachers somewhat naively called OSPI and asked why there was no review of Saxon when there were reviews of other curricula. She was literally laughed at and told that the Saxon program should not even be considered. We ended up adopting Saxon anyway. In year one, we saw an overall math achievement increase of 13 percentile points. The increases have continued in subsequent years. Now, teachers feel vindicated because of these increases and the independent study of Washington's math standards just released, which supports the strengths they saw in the Saxon program. What works is to ignore the politics of curriculum, to let local school boards, administrators, and teachers work together with parents to find the best educational options for their children. We do not need the WASL. We do not need the EALRs, now under such scathing criticism by the independent review, and we do not need a panel of experts to revamp the EALRs. We need supported and accountable local control.

What hasn't worked is: traditional "wait to fail" model, blaming students where the system has failed, crating barriers to learning, promoting a categorical approach or what I like to call "yours, mine and ours" thinking. Bottom line is: commitment beyond compliance, teaching so all students can learn, actually using data to inform instruction and not as destructive information, working in partnership with students to learn what they would work their fingers to the bone to achieve, focusing on early intervention systems so that there are no educational "surprises" (i.e., we can anticipate these needs every year, why do we look so shocked year after year?)

Parent Involvement

Parent Involvement  (5 Comments)

Parent conferences stressing WASL.

Strong family support and guidance. Educated families provide us with students who come to school ready to learn. We also have many teachers who challenge our students and seek ways to reach struggling students. Strong community support is evident.

Translation of information for ESL families.

Greater parental support.

Family, student support partnership WIC, Boys and Girls Club, etc.

Curriculum

More Intentional Focus on Math  (5 Comments)

Continuous enrollment in math until WASL competency attained.

All students introduced to Algebra and Geometry starting at 8th grade, following 4 years of integrated math.

More math and more training for math teachers at grades 4-8.

Special, teacher-created math.

Teaching of higher levels of mathematics at the mid-level; intensive reading intervention with ELL students in elementary schools.

Common Curriculum … Alignment (4 Comments)

Vertical and horizontal alignment of curriculum.

Eliminating all other material/subjects not covered by the WASL.

Alignment of curriculum.

Alignment of 6-12 curriculum Response to Intervention Model featuring progress monitoring of at-risk students.

Relevant, Hands on Curricula (4 Comments)

CTE-- students do better in classes they enjoy. Stay away from the university method of teaching.

Providing a program that blends CTE thinking with Math skills.

Vocational Programs that support Reading, Writing, and Math

Options CTE, ROTC.

Research Based Curricula  (3 Comments)

Solid instructional materials.

Researched based curriculums, America's Choice- Ramp-Up to Algebra.

The Phonguage program and other literacy programs for the primary school, with the idea that promoting early literacy promotes excellence for all of education.

Technology / On Line Learning  (2 Comments)

Computerized instructional learning systems such as Odyssey software.

On line alternative ed, etc.

Focus on What Works … Evidence and research based

Focus on What Works … Evidence and research based (5 Comments)

Focus limited resources of time and money on research based practices that prioritize student learning in all schools. That has to be the most important activity of the schools-not sports or local improvement of the pay for employees.

I recommend a review of Karin Chenoweth's, It's Being Done, Harvard Press 2007. We can't sell our learners short. It is our responsibility to, working together; demonstrate our professional responsibility to figure it out. We know that all students can be successful. It is a matter of focus, commitment, problem solving, time and building relationships and sensitivity to the whole person.

Clear, focused attention to the most fundamental research-based best practices: opportunity to learn, guaranteed and viable curriculum and effective instruction. We have developed and closely monitor a strict "implement as designed" expectation to prevent 600 flavors of each adopted curriculum; we have changed schedules to maximize instructional time; we have developed a set of public professional practice standards to guide on-gong professional learning for teachers within a common framework. We have invested heavily in improving content learning for our middle level teachers in mathematics---a critical grade-span for students' ultimate success in algebra. None of these focused strategies currently are emphasized statewide in any but the vaguest terms. For example, you can set collaborative goals, but if you don't have a research-based focus of change, it won't matter in terms of student learning if you achieve them (see Marzano).

This little response box feels a little bit like the philosophy test prompt in college that said, "Define god and give three examples." There are some powerful things that have worked in a correlative sense: small class size, very low turnover rate of staff, highly involved parent/community, sustainable growth, and intentional process at each building to meet student needs. What hasn't work is: traditional "wait to fail" model, blaming students where the system has failed, creating barriers to learning, promoting a categorical approach or what I like to call "yours, mine and ours" thinking. Bottom line is: commitment beyond compliance, teaching so all students can learn, actually using data to inform instruction and not as destructive information, working in partnership with students to learn what they would work their fingers to the bone to achieve, focusing on early intervention systems so that there are no educational "surprises" (i.e., we can anticipate these needs every year, why do we look so shocked ye after year?)

Allocating resources in a way aligned with the characteristics of high performing districts and the meta-research. School improvement plans that are incorporated as a way of framing professional discussion rather than a document that sits on a shelf in the principal's office.

Standards (9 Comments)

Create a standard and provide many opportunities to have help to meet the standard. Portfolio advisors.

As much clarity on the standards as possible, matched with assessments.

Having set expectations for all students has increased the pressure and helped focus our staff on what needs to be done to improve instruction for all students. But, we need to keep in mind that change takes time (a minimum of 5 years for real systemic change) and we will always need to be looking for ways to improve.

Strategic focus on core academics.

Define what is high school math?--math for the trades, math for an occupation, SAT, ACT score, or math for the university.

Continued focus on high expectations for all.

District wide focus on meeting standards at each grade level. Teachers using data to focus instruction.

High expectations + high support.

Revising curriculum to exceed state, and national standards.