A new study by a team of university and think-tank researchers has come up with findings suggesting why some schools working with low-income students achieve scores as much as 250 points higher than others on the state's Academic Performance Index (API).
The study,
Similar Students, Different Results: Why Do Some Schools Do Better,
identified some key elements apparently leading to higher student achievement in the 257 schools in the survey.
In a Sacramento briefing on March 2, the researchers from EdSource, Stanford University, the University of California at Berkeley, and the American Institute for Research unveiled their major findings. Their conclusions were built on hour-long surveys administered to teachers and administrators at the schools in the middle band on the API.
Prof. Michael Kirst, of Stanford, said that more than 80%of teachers in the schools had responded. But Kirst warned that conclusions from this study cannot be extrapolated into schools at lower or higher rungs of achievement.
The study found that associated with "high performance" on the API were decisions by school leaders to:
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Prioritize student achievement, with high expectations and well-defined plans for implementation . Setting measurable goals played a key role.
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Implement a coherent, standards-based curriculum and instructional program . Teachers in the higher performing schools said they saw school-wide consistency within grades and instruction guided by academic standards. Principals in higher ranking schools said they were evaluated on their ability to improve student achievement.
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Use assessment data to improve student achievement and instruction . These schools used the data to identify teachers who needed help and to develop strategies to follow up with selected students.
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Ensure availability of instructional resources . Higher API scores correlated with schools whose teachers reported they had regular or standard credentialing and five years or more of experience. At schools with higher scores, principals reported that the district provides sufficient and up-to-date materials and supplementary help for struggling students.
Schools where principals identified themselves as managers of school improvement also earned higher APIs.
Higher-ranking schools also had principals who reported that the district focuses on meeting API and Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) federal targets, provides schools with achievement data, and evaluates principal performance and teacher practices relative to the data.
Study team representatives said the findings indicate the state should continue to promote state academic standards.
State policy-makers should also note that texts, facilities, and competent teachers are important elements, the researchers said.
Kirst said teachers are requesting more staff development and support in math, English Language Acquisition curriculum, and effective English Learner strategies. Teachers also spoke out in favor of strengthening teacher preparation and induction programs.
Principals also reported needing more training in areas including the use of test data, English Learner strategies, standards-based curriculum, and the creation of a "culture of shared accountability."
"We now have policy instruments that can penetrate the classroom door and support achievement," Kirst told reporters and education insiders during the briefing.
The full report can be found
here.