Archived Information

Assessment/Accountability
School and District Accountability and Assistance

Panel Report
Compass School Candidate Review
Bentley Elementary School-Salem Public Schools

Introduction

The Program

The Exemplary Schools Program is one part of the Massachusetts School and District Accountability System. The purpose of the Exemplary Schools Program is to recognize and celebrate improvement in Massachusetts' schools, and to disseminate information and encourage networking and sharing of ideas, effective practices, and models for success. The program is intended to provide a means for the schools to share their expertise with other schools in the state.

Based on the School Performance and Improvement Ratings issued in January 2001, and continued and/or significant improvement on the 2001 MCAS test results, the Department identified 175 schools that exceeded their expectations for improvement. These schools were invited to apply for consideration as candidates to serve as 2002 Commonwealth Compass Schools. Of the 84 schools who chose to apply by submitting information on the initiatives they have undertaken to improve student performance that they think have had the most positive impact on their results, seven high schools, eight elementary schools, and three middle schools were selected as finalists and scheduled for an on-site review to determine their willingness and capacity to serve. Data and information gathered from the applications and the review process of these schools will be published in a report this fall.

Schools selected to serve as 2002 Commonwealth Compass Schools will receive special recognition and a $10,000 grant to support the participation of their administrators and staff in information sharing and dissemination activities over the next year.

The Report

This report summarizes the findings and analyses of the visiting team based on their April 24, 2002 site visit review of the Bentley Elementary School in Salem, MA. The report will assist the Commissioner in determining which schools from among those visited will be designated to serve as Compass Schools in the state's new Exemplary Schools Program.

The review panel evaluated data and written information on the school's performance and improvement efforts, including the school's application to serve as a Compass School. The panel then visited the school to meet with school leaders, staff, parents and students and visit classrooms in order to answer the following two key questions:

1. Is this school using effective improvement initiatives that could be replicated in other similarly profiled schools?
2. Are the conditions in place for this school to serve as a model of effective practices and successful improvement initiatives?

The panel's responses to these two questions frame the report. In the process of answering these questions, the report focuses primarily on the initiatives that the school identified in its application as having had the most positive impact on student performance.

The findings and conclusions presented here are the product of analysis, discussion, and observation, and are based on the evidence made available to the panel before and during their visit. A list of panel members who participated in the Bentley School review is provided in Appendix A. A detailed schedule of the panel's activities is provided in Appendix B.

Bentley School Profile

The Bentley School is a Pre K-5 school serving 580 students. In 2001, 61% of the student body was white, 38% % Hispanic, 2 % Black, and 1% Asian. Twenty percent of the students are enrolled as Limited English Proficient. Twenty-three percent of the students receive Special Education services; and 36% of the students have a language other than English as their first (FLNE). Fifty-one percent of Bentley students are eligible to receive free and reduced price lunch, and the school has a Title I school-wide program.

Enrollment at grades K-5 has declined to 390 this year from 449 last year due to smaller K-1 class sizes throughout the district, and enrollment across the demographic and socioeconomic subgroups has remained stable over the last four years. In 2001, 72% (51) of the 4th graders taking the MCAS tests reported attending the Bentley School since 1st grade, with 10% (7) entered in Grade 2.

The school also houses the district's Early Childhood Center and the Reading Recovery program.

Staffing

Bentley has a full time staff of 37 teachers, a principal and an assistant principal for a student-teacher ratio of 16:1. Two guidance counselors, a nurse and psychologist round out the staff. With the exception of two bilingual teachers and a science teacher, all are certified in the areas in which they are teaching. Twenty-eight of the teachers also hold a master's degree.

The staff consists of a range of teaching experience: eight of the staff have been teaching at the school for over 10 years, and eight have been teaching three years or less, five have been teaching for over 20 years. A number of the teachers are bilingual.

MCAS Results

The school "Approached" its improvement expectations for ELA and "Exceeded" expectations for improvement in mathematics in Cycle 1; and was among the most improved schools in the state from 1998 to 2001. While decreasing it warning/failure rates from 30% to 23%, the school increased the percentage of students scoring in the proficient and advanced categories in ELA from 4% in 1998 to 27% in 2001. However, there are no Hispanic students scoring in the proficient or advanced categories in either ELA or Mathematics.

The percentage of students scoring in the warning category in mathematics decreased from 45% to 28% over four years, while the percentage of students scoring in proficient and advanced increased from 1% to 14% during that same period.

Panel Reponses to the Key Questions

KEY QUESTION 1: Is this School Using Effective Improvement Initiatives that Could be Replicated in Other Similarly Profiled Schools?

The Bentley School has a clear, shared vision for increasing student achievement that includes initiatives that could be easily replicated in similarly profiled schools. The school uses the First Steps program adopted by the district as an umbrella for their improvement initiatives, especially the use of focus groups to examine instructional practice in reading and writing. The school has an established culture of using data to inform instructional practice and curricular decisions. Professional development is also targeted to support teachers in the implementation of Bentley's improvement initiatives.

A. Which improvement initiatives have had the greatest impact on student performance results?

The two initiatives that have reportedly had the greatest impact on student performance results at Bentley are the school's formation of focus groups to examine instructional practice in reading and writing, and the use of data to guide instruction.

The First Steps program is a district-wide initiative. All of the teachers at the Bentley School have attended training in the First Steps instructional components. As a result, the staff shares a common vocabulary for talking about their students' learning, including common assessments and learning standards defined in the First Steps program. In order to fully implement the First Steps literacy components, the school designated focus groups of grade level teachers who meet monthly for a two to three hour block to discuss instructional strategies and the literacy curriculum. Each group has a First Steps "tutor" who has gone through training provided by the district. The tutor sets the agenda for the meetings and serves as a facilitator and liaison between the group and the leadership of the school. The Focus Group may analyze assessment results; examine instructional strategies to improve student mastery of the literacy standards; plan cross-curricular lessons; or work on curriculum. A common way of examining instructional strategies is for teachers to share and model lessons they are doing in their classrooms for feedback from the group. The staff views the focus groups as a powerful professional development tool and some groups met twice per month on their own in addition to the regularly scheduled meetings.

The school also uses data to drive their instructional decisions. As the principal notes, "If it gets measured, it gets done." Teachers have received professional development and training in the READ assessments the school uses: DRA, Running Records, and fluency checks. They use the results of these assessments to guide their instruction following the Pathwise framework. For example, this year the teachers did a 'pilot test' of reading strategies to improve fluency using the Running Records as the assessment tool. They targeted grades 3-5 and teachers used the Running Records to assess all of their students. Each teacher then chose 3-4 students who are having difficulty in fluency, based on their performance on Running Records. Those students are receiving specific interventions; such as partner reading and modeled reading. Teachers will retest those students in June and see if there is a significant difference. If there is, then the school will do some extra training with teachers and use the interventions school-wide at the beginning of next year.

Teachers have also developed a method to keep track of students' progress on the First Steps literacy continuum. Every student has a portfolio with examples of his or her work. Along with the examples, the teachers have a copy of the standards on the literacy continuum. When a student demonstrates mastery of a particular standard, the teacher will note that in the portfolio. The teachers enter the information using a district-developed color-coded system to illustrate mastery at different points in the continuum in an organized and easily identified manner.

The school also uses MCAS data as a measure of its improvement and as a way to focus instruction. An MCAS team comprised of teachers conducts the test analysis. Pairs of teachers in each subject area (English, Math, Social Studies and Science) examine the data for their subject. Using software provided by the district and their individual expertise, the teachers review the results by test item to determine common areas of strength and weakness. The team then devises some instructional strategies to address particular weaknesses. At grade level meetings, team members present the findings of the item analysis and the suggested strategies designed to address student needs. The grade level team then adds to the ideas for instructional improvement.

B. How did the school plan their improvement initiatives and put them into practice?

The method through which the school planned their improvement initiatives and put them into practice reflects the shared leadership approach to decision-making in the school. A brief look at the history of the last five years in the school illustrates how the organizational structures were put in place in order to facilitate the implementation of improvement initiatives. The school principal was formerly the assistant principal of the Bentley. She began the process of involving staff in decision making while in this role. In the 1997-98 school year, she formed a school steering committee, comprised of staff members, to serve as a liaison between the school Site Council and the faculty at large. In 1998-99, the Salem School District adopted the literacy-based First Steps program and provided professional development around the principles of First Steps. In 1999-2000, the school applied for the Comprehensive School Reform and Design grant (CSRD) and Read Excellence grant. That same year, the principal developed a schedule that provided common planning time while maintaining the 90- minute literacy block that the teachers valued. Regular common planning time supports the work of grade level teams and increased the efficiency of team leaders by bringing the team together regularly to share instructional and management information. The team leaders meet with the principal monthly and relay any communications between the team and the principal.

After receiving the CSRD and Read Excellence grants in the spring of 2000, the school had the funds to implement its initiatives. The school wanted to construct focus groups to examine instructional practice in reading and writing around the First Steps continuum. In order to do so, the school used the CSRD money to train three initial First Steps tutors and then three more. Each tutor was then in charge of each of six focus groups, one for each grade level. Every member of the faculty belongs to a focus group and they meet monthly or bi-monthly after school for two to three hours to discuss instructional practice in reading and writing in all subject areas. The school used the Read Excellence grant money to provide additional professional development, including a graduate course offered on site, to purchase books and assessment materials, and to pay for a literacy specialist, who is also trained as a First Steps tutor. In short, the principal leads the school through constant communication with staff and parents and is able to do so due to the structures put in place at the school under her leadership.

C. Does the school think these initiatives could be successfully used in similar schools? Why?

In interviews during the site visit and in their leadership report, the Bentley School stated they would be pleased to share their initiatives with others. Teachers and the school leaders described how they would host visitors and share their experiences with them. They are especially interested in sharing the information on establishing and nurturing focus groups, which they explained could be used for a variety of purposes such as examining instructional practice, holding text-based discussions and examining data. The school is also willing to share its "nuts and bolts" experiences of what they have done to realize positive change and what they will continue to do to bring about the changes needed to help their students improve their achievement.

KEY QUESTION 2: Are the Conditions in Place for this School to Serve as a Model of Effective Practices and Successful Improvement Initiatives?

The Bentley School has a positive and welcoming atmosphere where staff members have a clear understanding and commitment to their focused improvement initiatives. All staff members articulated a common vision and outline the steps they have taken and will continue to take in the future to continue improving student achievement.

A. Do leadership and staff have a shared understanding and use a common language to describe the changes/initiatives that have led to improvements in teaching and learning?

The leadership and staff at the Bentley School have a shared vision of their improvement initiatives that all staff is able to articulate clearly and with enthusiasm. During focus groups and in interviews, the panel spoke with every member of the staff. All of the teachers demonstrated familiarity with the First Steps program and cited the role of the focus groups and the use of data to drive instruction as key components in their success. They were able to explain how each initiative works at every level: in the school as a whole, in their grade level teams and focus groups, and in their individual classrooms. During interviews with the panel, parents indicated they are also familiar with the school initiatives and, through strong communication with the school, are continually aware of their child's progress and the focus of classroom instruction.

All of the constituents used common language to describe the improvement initiatives. Everyone in the building is a member of a focus group and all staff interviewed articulated the same purpose and structure of the focus groups. New teachers remarked how the focus group gave them support in learning the expectations and goals of the school. While the core of First Steps is literacy, the emphasis is on literacy across the curriculum. The art teacher gave examples of how she uses the initiative of writing across the curriculum in her class. Students drew pictures of a time machine and the art teacher had them write stories to go with their drawing, where previously the drawing would have been the extent of the assignment. Math teachers use math journals to incorporate more writing and explanation into their curriculum.

Students also use a common language to describe their work in school. In focus groups, students appeared to view themselves as writers and used vocabulary from the First Steps literacy guidelines to describe recent assignments as "exposition or persuasion," or, in one case, "I just wrote a process paper on making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich." Students were also clear on their expectations and explained that they write in every subject, receive homework every night that is checked, do process writing and have writing folders that contain the various drafts of their work to show their progress. While teachers and school leaders also articulated all of these classroom activities, it was particularly impressive when students were able to accurately use the language of the school's initiatives.

B. How effectively do leadership and staff articulate the connections between specific changes and improvement initiatives they have implemented, and the improvements made in teaching and learning?

When asked about the initiatives that have made the biggest difference at the school, staff and leadership all cited the focus groups and the consistent use of data to inform instruction. Teachers spoke about the differences they have seen since the implementation of the improvement initiatives. They stated these initiatives helped focus instruction on reading and writing. For example, the First Steps literacy continuum helped build articulation among the grade levels and teachers commented they have a better understanding of what is expected of their students, and thus of their teaching, at each grade level. They also spoke about writing across the curriculum and the use of student portfolios to keep track of student progress in writing. The focus on writing is evident by the numerous displays in the building where various writing projects are posted in classrooms and hallways across the entire school.

The statement made by one of the teachers, "The more I challenge them, the more they do," encapsulates the feeling that the initiatives have altered teachers' beliefs and methods of instruction. Teachers were able to cite how they changed ways in which they do things in their classroom as a result of Bentley's initiatives. Even teachers who had doubts initially said their expectations rose after students were successful. Teachers also feel that they have a support base among their colleagues in the focus groups and grade level teams. A sense of community has evolved from working together. As the principal stated, "We're not an egg crate school anymore." Teachers asserted that the support and opportunities for learning offered in the focus groups have resulted in a shift from teacher-driven to student-centered instruction.

C. Is there a school wide focus on, and sufficient investment in, continued improvement of student performance?

The school district is committed to the First Steps program as a district wide initiative. District professional development will continue to focus on literacy.

The school has a CSRD grant that funded the initial training and funds the focus groups, giving teachers stipends to attend the monthly after school focus group meetings. This is the last year of the grant, but everyone expressed a commitment to the continuation of the focus groups, with some teachers stating they would continue to meet without the stipend. The school has built a strong foundation and the structure of the team meeting already serves as another venue for the work done in the focus groups. Leadership and teachers all feel the improvement initiatives will continue after the grant ends. As one teacher expressed it, "We've already built the capacity and you can't take that away."

The focus on using data to guide instructional decisions is also part of the culture of the school and there are no expectations for this to diminish. The structures in place, such as the steering committee, the school site council, the grade level teams, the team leaders, the focus groups and the common professional development days all promote regular communication and continued discussion of data analysis and instructional focus based on that analysis.

D. Does the school appear to have the capacity to host site visits and to participate in various activities to share effective strategies and practices with other schools in the state?

The Bentley School can do an excellent job hosting future visitations. The leadership, staff, parents and students are all committed to their improvement initiatives and are each able to articulate their role in the initiatives. The physical building is extremely pleasant, bright and well maintained. There are a number of conference rooms for meetings and the staff is very friendly, polite, enthusiastic, and articulate about their work at the Bentley. The school is used to having visitors and already serves as the model classroom for Reading Recovery in the district. It is very easy to imagine how other schools could visit and learn from the Bentley. All of these factors, combined with a clear defined focus on improvement initiatives make the Bentley an excellent site for a Compass School.

E. Are there any reasons why the school should not be used as a Commonwealth Compass School?

The team found no reasons why the Bentley School should not be used as a Commonwealth Compass School and readily agreed the school has the experience, the confidence, and the performance results to serve as an excellent choice for the program.

Appendix A
Team Members

Denise Delorey, Coordinator, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Malden, MA
Janet Schulze, Consultant, SchoolWorks, Beverly, MA
Janet Baptista, Teacher, Lynn, MA
Sarah Jill Mullavey, Administrative Apprentice, Lowell, MA

Appendix B
Compass School Panel Review Visit Schedule

All activities take place at the school.