Key Challenge #3: Meeting Needs of Students in Academic Gaps-

Our largest academic gaps in literacy (ELA) and math are between students who make up our special education and FARMS populations whose scores on the annual state assessments are below the averages of other student groups.

2017-18 PARCC Data

2017-18 PARCC Administration	PLD 4 & 5  All Students	PLD 4 & 5 FARMS Students	PLD 4 & 5  SPED Students	PLD 4 & 5 SPED and FARMS  Students
ELA	47% (473 students)	14% (64 students)	Less than 1% (3 students)	0% (0 students)
MATH	43% (438 students)	11% (49 students)	1%  (6 students)	Less than 1 % (1 student)

Many of our students performing in the academic gaps lack the foundational knowledge and skills to excel on the rigorous PARCC tests. Many of the IEP plans indicate that students are reading and computing several grade levels behind which poses a challenge to both students and teachers.  Additionally, many students in the gap lack the stamina and test-taking skills necessary to be successful on a challenging assessment. As a faculty, we will continue to differentiate instruction to provide students with the support they need to be successful meeting academic standards. As we receive more technology, we will provide students with more opportunities to practice writing and taking assessments on the computer. The more practice students receive, the more comfortable they will be with the online format before they are assessed on the standardized test. We will also ensure that in-class assessments and questioning are aligned to the Quarterlies (which are aligned to PARCC) so that student grades and assessment scores are clear predictors of how successful a student will perform on the PARCC assessments. 

Key Challenge #2: Attendance 

Chronic absences are a problem at the middle school level. Students with anxiety issues or little support at home struggle to come to school on a consistent basis. In each grade level 15 or more students are chronically absent, missing more than 10% of the school year (18 or more days). Chronic absences not only impact academic readiness and performance, but it also impacts our overall school performance on the state’s ESSA indicators.  Illness, mental health needs, and family needs contribute to the number of students who are chronically absent as do community events, appointments, family vacations, and other academic and extra-curricular opportunities.

Student attendance is critical for student achievement and success.  Every additional absence creates gaps in instruction, as each day of instruction builds upon previous lessons.  Students who are frequently absent have difficulty maintaining the same level of academic progress as their classmates who are consistently present for instruction.  

It is the responsibility of our entire student services team – administrators, counselors, Pupil Personnel Worker, School Psychologist, and others – to provide support for students and the families of students who present attendance related concerns.  Our team meets regularly to identify our students who need support and to implement those supports. We will work with those individual students and families to discover the root cause of student absences and create plans to improve attendance, such as check-in with counselors, phone calls to families and attendance groups. 

           

Key Challenge #1: Discipline- Disproportionate Referrals

Although students who qualify for Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) only account for  23% of our population, FARMS referrals made up 47% of all of the referrals administered. A total of  65% of the discipline referrals earned by FARMS students were in the “disrespect/insubordination” category. Students with disabilities (SPED students) make up 13% of the school’s total population, but accounted for 29% of the referrals. Students with disabilities in Special Education (SPED) received 59 % of the discipline referrals in the “disrespect/insubordination” category. Additionally, 52% of the discipline referrals from our students who are identified as both FARMS and SPED student groups were in the “disrespect/insubordination” category.

The disproportionate number of referrals that SPED and FARMS students earn is a complex issue. Many of our FARMS and SPED students come to us with trauma from their home lives that they are unable to “appropriately” cope with in school. Additionally, some students who have more responsibilities at home than the typical adolescent may not demonstrate the same respect for adults as some of our more advantaged students. Many of our students have leadership roles in their family and may feel equal to adults, which can lead to power struggles in school.  

We will continue to provide our staff with relevant professional development opportunities to better understand students living with trauma. Professional development around relationship building may be necessary to encourage teachers to use positive language and strategies with our students who exhibit more challenging behaviors. We will begin to implement restorative practices and community building circles to help teachers and students create better connections with one another. In addition, a renewed focus on a school-wide use of CHAMPS to teach and reinforce expectations and behaviors is essential.   

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