1. Student Performance on State Assessments

Key Challenge #1:    Student Performance on State Assessments

In the area of Partnership for Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Math, there has been a slight increase in our African American and Special Education populations in reaching Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) 4 and 5. However, there has been a slight decrease in our Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) populations for PLDs 4 and 5 for Math. Nevertheless, our Special Education, African American, and FARMS students have not shown exponential growth in comparison to their counterparts. We will continue to work on ways to engage vulnerable students through professional development on instructional strategies which target these students, as well as the implementation of structures and supports within the school day and after-school programs.

By monitoring common assessments created through collaborative planning, quarterly county-provided assessments, and both school- and county-generated performance-based assessments, we will work toward academic growth for these students. After examining our current 7th grade students (333 students total), we want to show GROWTH from their 2017 PARCC score to their 2019 PARCC score in mathematics. Our goal is to:

• Decrease the number of students in PLD 1 by 15% and in PLD 2 by 14%
• Increase the number of students in PLD 3 by 9%, in PLD 4 by 6%, and in PLD 5
  by 25%

Examining our current 8th grade students (368 students total), we want to show GROWTH from their 2017 PARCC score to their 2019 PARCC score in English Language Arts (ELA). Our goal is to:

• Decrease the number of students in PLD 1 by 13% and in PLD 2 by 16%
• Increase the number of students in PLD 3 by 16%, in PLD 4 by 20%, in PLD 5
  by 24%.

Data from the 2016-2017 PARCC ELA and 2017-2018 Language Arts quarterly assessments indicate the need to focus on students’ written expression and reading of literature and informational texts, with a focus on students receiving Special Education and FARM services, and African American students.

• Families in Crisis (mental, physical emotional, financial)

Key Challenge #2:    Families in Crisis

• Socio-Economic Issues (employment, income levels, housing costs)
• Limited English proficiency for students and/or families
• Families in Crisis (mental, physical emotional, financial)

Many of our families at LMS experience life altering situations. In addition, employment, insufficient income levels, and affordable housing still remain a challenge. Due to these situations and experiences, many of our students have great difficulty in navigating life and school. It is not unusual for some of our students to lack the necessities needed to ensure their success in and outside of the schoolhouse due to economic implications. 

Families not only grapple with socioeconomic issues, but language barriers as well. As a school, we continuously consider how we can create a more inclusive learning environment and ameliorate language barriers. As we continue to reflect on our school’s linguistic landscape, we continue to assess what is being done to support our Limited English Proficient students and families in the Lindale community. With the support of our Bilingual Outreach Facilitator and programs like Language Link, we attempt to meet the needs of all students despite this challenge. 

All of these factors contribute to the crises many of our families experience, and in turn, directly impact our students’ school readiness. The lack of both physical and mental healthcare locally is another factor complicating the well-being of our families. The health room in our school oftentimes becomes their health clinic. We are fortunate to have a Social Worker, School Psychologist, and Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW) assigned to our building to help our families in need. Without family and home stability, these challenges will continue to be a barrier for so many of our students and families. Education is fundamental to sustainable development, it is a powerful driver of development, and one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty and improving health. Education also enables our students to be more productive members of society, to hopefully earn a better living, and enjoy a better quality of life.