This communication is in response to the Our Views editorial titled "Plan's impact should be considered." (The Monroe Times, Dec. 20, 2010) Since the principal of Monroe High School, neither the Director of Instruction, nor I were contacted to share information specific to the plan being considered for our high school, it is essential that information be provided with the research and thought behind our work. The School District of Monroe is considering a plan that would change our current model at Monroe High School. The plan will be student-centered and focused on academic learning and growth for all students.
Rather than a model focused on teachers working as independent contractors, this will provide a focus and plan for the school, as well as meeting the individual learning needs of each student. The curriculum in core academic areas will be sequential based on skills that are proven to be needed for future success, whether students leave us to attend a four-year college, two-year school, the workforce, or military. The College and Career Readiness Standards (the skill framework of this plan) are the result of extensive research ACT has done on determining what skills (not content) students need in order to be successful in post-secondary education and to earn a "living wage" as adults.
A guaranteed sequence of core academic courses will be required. They will be designed to build upon the previous course. Staff is taking great effort to name the courses in a manner that will not label or stigmatize students. This will replace the current model of students being allowed to take a multitude of courses that account for the mandated core graduation requirements (four credits of English, three credits of social studies, two credits of math, and two credits of science). This still allows for a wealth of choice or elective courses for students to choose from of the current 24-credit graduation requirement.
We are well aware of the questions some may have regarding grouping or tracking. Actually, the way that students are grouped or tracked in our current model is more concerning to us than the new plan that is being considered. Currently, students track themselves by choosing easier or more rigorous courses based on less valid data than the assessment data we plan to use. The new plan will allow us to account for student's strengths and weaknesses. In our current situation, students are almost always "placed" based on their lowest performing areas. These self-esteem placements often lead to student boredom and less academic growth.
In the new plan, Explore and Plan assessment data, WKCE data, and MAP data will be used to determine skill level groupings. Currently, much weaker measures such as classroom grades, teacher recommendations, and instructors teaching the class, are weighing more heavily into student decisions on what classes they take. Multiple data points must be utilized to make sound educational decisions for our students.
This structure will allow us to make realistic growth goals for all students and we think students will actually feel a sense of accomplishment when they are appropriately challenged. All students will have access to rich and rigorous content, with skill differentiation to meet their individual learning needs. We must assure all students have access to the courses and content they need to be successful after high school. The new Common Core State Standards clearly address a more rigorous pathway that students must meet during their high school years, and this plan will work in collaboration with the new state standards.
There has not been a substantial curricular reform in our offerings in decades and we are committed to being accountable for what our students know and are able to do; however, we cannot make any guarantees with choice being the primary framework of our core curriculum. Data-based placements are becoming more common in education as the demand for accountability has increased. We cannot accept that there will be "haves" and "have nots" in our schools. We need to expect growth for every student and we need to be willing to accept the responsibility of what needs to be done when these growth goals are not met.
Change is difficult but the only way we can expect improvement is if we use the data available to make changes that we feel are in the best interests of our students as well as the adjustments needed to continually improve our instruction for programming. We can study this plan for years and the same debates exist ... sometimes you need to have the courage to take action believing better results can occur.
Other schools that have adopted a similar model have shown significant growth in student academic achievement; our students in Monroe deserve the same. Other Badger Conference Schools and schools around the state are looking to adopt a similar structure because the research behind this plan is solid and is producing positive results. We feel this is the change that needs to take place at our high school; afterall, our students in Monroe deserve the opportunity to be exposed to rich instruction that will benefit them in their future endeavors.
- Larry Brown is superintendent of the Monroe School District
Rather than a model focused on teachers working as independent contractors, this will provide a focus and plan for the school, as well as meeting the individual learning needs of each student. The curriculum in core academic areas will be sequential based on skills that are proven to be needed for future success, whether students leave us to attend a four-year college, two-year school, the workforce, or military. The College and Career Readiness Standards (the skill framework of this plan) are the result of extensive research ACT has done on determining what skills (not content) students need in order to be successful in post-secondary education and to earn a "living wage" as adults.
A guaranteed sequence of core academic courses will be required. They will be designed to build upon the previous course. Staff is taking great effort to name the courses in a manner that will not label or stigmatize students. This will replace the current model of students being allowed to take a multitude of courses that account for the mandated core graduation requirements (four credits of English, three credits of social studies, two credits of math, and two credits of science). This still allows for a wealth of choice or elective courses for students to choose from of the current 24-credit graduation requirement.
We are well aware of the questions some may have regarding grouping or tracking. Actually, the way that students are grouped or tracked in our current model is more concerning to us than the new plan that is being considered. Currently, students track themselves by choosing easier or more rigorous courses based on less valid data than the assessment data we plan to use. The new plan will allow us to account for student's strengths and weaknesses. In our current situation, students are almost always "placed" based on their lowest performing areas. These self-esteem placements often lead to student boredom and less academic growth.
In the new plan, Explore and Plan assessment data, WKCE data, and MAP data will be used to determine skill level groupings. Currently, much weaker measures such as classroom grades, teacher recommendations, and instructors teaching the class, are weighing more heavily into student decisions on what classes they take. Multiple data points must be utilized to make sound educational decisions for our students.
This structure will allow us to make realistic growth goals for all students and we think students will actually feel a sense of accomplishment when they are appropriately challenged. All students will have access to rich and rigorous content, with skill differentiation to meet their individual learning needs. We must assure all students have access to the courses and content they need to be successful after high school. The new Common Core State Standards clearly address a more rigorous pathway that students must meet during their high school years, and this plan will work in collaboration with the new state standards.
There has not been a substantial curricular reform in our offerings in decades and we are committed to being accountable for what our students know and are able to do; however, we cannot make any guarantees with choice being the primary framework of our core curriculum. Data-based placements are becoming more common in education as the demand for accountability has increased. We cannot accept that there will be "haves" and "have nots" in our schools. We need to expect growth for every student and we need to be willing to accept the responsibility of what needs to be done when these growth goals are not met.
Change is difficult but the only way we can expect improvement is if we use the data available to make changes that we feel are in the best interests of our students as well as the adjustments needed to continually improve our instruction for programming. We can study this plan for years and the same debates exist ... sometimes you need to have the courage to take action believing better results can occur.
Other schools that have adopted a similar model have shown significant growth in student academic achievement; our students in Monroe deserve the same. Other Badger Conference Schools and schools around the state are looking to adopt a similar structure because the research behind this plan is solid and is producing positive results. We feel this is the change that needs to take place at our high school; afterall, our students in Monroe deserve the opportunity to be exposed to rich instruction that will benefit them in their future endeavors.
- Larry Brown is superintendent of the Monroe School District
