Archived Information

Assessment/Accountability
School and District Accountability and Assistance

Panel Report
Compass School Candidate Review
Clyde F. Brown Elementary School - Millis 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 30, 2002 site visit review of the Clyde Brown Elementary School in Millis, 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 Clyde Brown Elementary School review is provided in Appendix A. A detailed schedule of the panel's activities is provided in Appendix B.

Clyde F. Brown Elementary School Profile

Clyde F. Brown Elementary School is one of three schools, and the only elementary school in the Millis Public Schools. The school serves grades Pre-K through grade 4. The school enrolled approximately 619 students in 2001, and the school reported that 94% of the student enrollment was 94% White, 3% Asian, 1% Black, and 1% Hispanic. Nine percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch as compared to the state average of 25%. No students were reported for whom English is not the first language (FLNE), and no students were reported as limited English proficient (LEP). The school qualifies for Title I Targeted Assistance.

The school attendance rate for 2000 was 95.9, exceeding both the district rate (94.5) and state (93.9). This attendance rate has remained steady since 1998. There were no in- or out-of-school suspensions reported for 2000. The 2000 retention rate was 2.3 and increase of 1.9 from the preceding year. The three-year retention rate is 1.0.

Staffing

Clyde F. Brown Elementary School's staff includes one principal, one shared librarian, one nurse, one psychologist, and 37 teachers. Waivers have been extended to the nurse and one grade two teacher who is serving as a permanent substitute for a teacher on maternity leave. Of the entire staff, 20 hold multiple certifications and 28 have Master's Degrees. Ten teachers have worked in the school more than 15 years, and 22 teachers have worked in the school five years or less, although some represent a wide range of teaching experience.

MCAS Results

Clyde F. Brown Elementary School "Met" improvement expectations in Grade 4 ELA and "Exceeded" improvement expectations in Mathematics, for Cycle 1 (1998 - 2000), and the overall improvement rating was "Exceeded."

The percentage of students in the Failing/Warning category between 1998 and 2001 in Grade 4 ELA decreased from 12% to 1%, an improvement of 10 percentage points and from 30% to 18% in Mathematics, an improvement of 12 percentage points. Clyde F. Brown Elementary School has demonstrated overall improvement between 1998 and 2001 with the percentage of students scoring in the Proficient and Advanced Categories increasing from 18% to 58% in ELA and from 22% to 42% in Mathematics, exceeding the state average for both ELA and Mathematics.

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 Clyde F. Brown Elementary School in Millis is using a number of improvement initiatives that could be replicated in other schools with similar profiles. The primary initiative is the democratic shared leadership decision-making process that is used at the school to interpret disaggregated data, to come to consensus on the identification of student needs, and to determine the interventions to be adopted to remedy weaknesses. Secondly, certain of the instructional interventions that the school has adopted could be disseminated and replicated.

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

The improvement initiatives cited in the Compass School application as having the most positive impact on student performance were (1) analysis of test results to inform curriculum development and improvement of instruction, (2) curriculum alignment, (3) remediation for at-risk students, and (4) professional development. This information was substantiated through focus groups, interviews and meeting with the school council. The resounding themes were working with data, curriculum development and professional development.

The Brown Elementary staff has demonstrated effective practices in disaggregating and using MCAS and other diagnostic and achievement data and using that analysis to inform curriculum development, improvement of instruction, and alignment with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Teachers and the principal described the process in detail using common terms during focus groups with the Review Panel.

In terms of process, teachers and specialists at every grade level in this 624 student PK-4 school review test data in reading and math to discover student strengths and weaknesses. They then come to consensus to plan school-wide instruction that addresses the areas needing improvement. Data examined includes both MCAS and other diagnostic and achievement data such as the Metropolitan, DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) and Gates-MacGinitie Tests (depending on grade level). The staff also aligns instruction with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks on an ongoing basis. Grade level teacher teams meet weekly to continue this "work in progress" during common planning time.

An organizational structure has been established that allows for ongoing review and revision of the English language arts and mathematics curricula. Staff interviews and an interview with the district's Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Professional Development indicated that this structure consists of a curriculum and assessment committee and several curriculum subcommittees composed of one person from each grade who reports back to their respective grade level teams. These groups are: portfolio, literacy, report card, technology, professional development and mentoring (to bring new staff on board) subcommittees. The school's specialists (physical education, art, music, and library) also meet as a team to plan ways to coordinate their instructional programs with the academic needs of the students as revealed in the analysis of test results. This year, the specialists are stressing math skills and vocabulary to the extent possible in their specialty areas. As required by special education law, there is also a Student Teacher Assistance Team to identify at-risk students who may need accommodation plans to help them meet the requirements of the curriculum. Students who are at risk of failure are served by Title I and special education staff, the Wilson Reading Program is used for reading support. Expectations are that these students, with accommodation, will also achieve at high levels.

This information was confirmed by the narrative contained in the School Leadership Report as well as interviews with teachers, parents, the principal, the superintendent and the Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Professional Development. Classroom observations also showed alignment of instruction with the Massachusetts Frameworks. Teachers repeatedly stated in the survey that aligning the curriculum with the Frameworks has had a positive impact on student performance.

The teacher and parent focus groups as well as individual teacher and administrator interviewsdemonstrated a shared understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. For example, when the school's grade level teams examined initial MCAS results, they determined that in English Language Arts, poetry was one of the areas of weakness. In 4th grade Math tests, geometry was discovered to be a deficiency. In both cases, units of instruction appropriate to each grade level have been introduced, beginning with the lowest grades. In writing, teachers determined that students needed to improve performance on the long composition. In an effort to improve student writing on the long composition, instruction begins in kindergarten where children are expected to write or dictate a single sentence. In grade 1 the requirement is one paragraph; in grade 2 children write two paragraphs; and in grades 3 and 4 the expectation is that students will write five paragraphs containing topic sentences and details. The underlying philosophy is that all the staff takes ownership for instruction for all students and that instructional sequences must begin early and be developed through all classrooms and in all the grades. This includes the one classroom per grade Spanish immersion program where academic expectations are identical to those in the other classes and whose teachers participate in the grade level teams.

One result of the staff's focus on curriculum development has been the implementation of a comprehensive literacy program, which is cited in the Compass application as a key reason for success. The school profile states that commitment of school, district and community resources to literacy has had a significant impact on student performance in English Language Arts over the past three years. Staff members, after aligning the curriculum with the Massachusetts frameworks, researched, evaluated and implemented several new programs and practices, including Junior Great Books, the Wilson Language Program, OOPS (for proofreading skills), DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) and daily writing. Materials were purchased and additional classroom time (now 90 minutes daily) devoted to ELA along with accompanying professional development. This year, the latest addition to the literacy arsenal of the school has been the implementation of Guided Reading in first grade with teacher training at Lesley University. The purchase of new materials was funded by a three-year Literacy Grant that has supported several of the school's literacy improvements. The staff plans to expand the Guided Reading methodology to kindergarten and second grade next year. At-risk students receive additional remedial support through Title I and Academic Support Programs. Students are expected to read for 15 minutes each night at home. Parents need to initial students' at-home reading logs to show that their children have completed this task.

This year, the continued analysis of student achievement data and revision of curriculum has resulted in an increased emphasis on math and spelling. A Family Math Night, held for grade 3 and 4 students and their parents, provided a number of challenging math games and activities for families to share. Many hands-on math activities have been developed and math instructional time was increased to one hour daily, with an additional 20-minute cumulative review several times a week. A teacher focus group discussed the spelling program Cast-A-Spell which has been initiated by some teachers and will be expanded in the 2002-2003 school year.

Portfolios of student work are kept and updated. These portfolios are used to help teachers report student progress to parents. Parents interviewed indicated that the individual conferences they have with teachers reviewing their children's portfolios were extremely informative both in terms of reporting progress and noting areas for improvement. Parents also cited the open communication they have with the school's staff and administration as well as the family literacy and math evenings as school benefits.

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

The improvement initiative at the Brown Elementary School began after the initial MCAS administration, which was cited by several as a "wake-up" call to the district. The structure of the grade level and curriculum teams was developed by the K-12 Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Professional Development for this small suburban district. After learning the results of the first MCAS tests in 1998, the staff decided that more consistent curriculum was needed both within and across grade levels. With the guidance of the Director, the grade level teams began the process of data analysis and alignment of the school's curriculum with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and increasing expectations for each grade level. Benchmarks and goals were established for each grade, PK-4, in English language arts, math, science, social studies, the arts and physical education. This material was distributed, along with the school's mission statement, to parents and community. This guide is in the process of revision to keep it up-to-date. Although the Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Professional Development provides substantial curricular guidance to the school, the principal serves a leadership role to a strongly committed faculty in distributing resources equitably across grades, scheduling common planning time, and promoting parental involvement. He is leading the process of updating the 2002-2003 School Improvement Plan, which will include one literacy and one numeracy goal for each grade level. There is also an MCAS Strategy Notebook, developed in 1999, that is undergoing revision.

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

The Brown School staff stated in focus groups that the initiatives of working with data, development and revision of curriculum, and professional development could be duplicated in other schools because they have achieved with limited financial resources and is in effect a process for school organization and communication. In order to successfully address these initiatives, the staff emphasized the need to work collaboratively.

The staff thought that the school approach to communication, cooperation, and consistency of instruction within and across grade levels could be replicated successfully in other schools. They would, of course, share specific strategies such as the way they look at test data and student portfolios, their problem-solving and writing templates, their graphic organizers, their literacy program, and some of the ways they have brought parents into the school. In addition, they could disseminate the MCAS writing manual that has been developed for each grade level with rubrics that children are expected to use. They have also produced a Parent Academic Manual that provides good links between home and school and there is a monthly newsletter for parents. Teachers frequently share professional information with each other. For example, if one attends a course or seminar, s/he shares the knowledge gained with other members of the team including demonstration lessons and sharing of materials and resources. Other schools could benefit from learning about these implementations.

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

The Brown Elementary School could serve as a model for the effective practices and successful improvement initiatives that have evolved from the school's process of grade level and cross grade data analysis and planning. The shared leadership among teachers, the principal and the Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Professional Development has allowed for continuous improvement, and all stakeholders reflect a genuine desire to share the best practices that have been developed in the past several years.

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?

There is consistent language among staff and leadership to describe the changes that have taken place at the school. This was echoed in interviews with teachers individually and in groups, as well as in the staff survey in which the school's focus on instructional improvement based on data analysis was emphasized. School personnel, from classroom teachers to specialists have a shared understanding of the need to focus constantly on data and to provide instruction aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Although there are several new teachers, and several more expected as other teachers retire in the next several years, they are quickly integrated into the school's culture. There is a mentoring committee to help facilitate the process. Minutes are kept of meetings of the curriculum committee and subcommittees to document decisions and discussions.

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?

Teachers see direct connections between the initiatives they have implemented and the achievements of their students. They cite the shared leadership in their grade level teams, the variety of committees made up of grade level representatives who report back to grade level teams, the analysis of formal and informal test data, the new curriculum initiatives to improve literacy, their professional development opportunities, and the emphasis on vertical articulation of the curriculum through grade level benchmarks and goals, along with good home-school connections, as some of the reasons for the school's successes. There is also the clear sense that the district as a whole, including the Superintendent and the Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Professional Development, is committed to the improvement process.

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

Improvement of student performance has occurred at the Clyde F. Brown Elementary School because of the school-wide commitment to increased achievement. Although there are some anticipated budget cuts in the Millis district, given the state's fiscal situation, the superintendent believes that savings can be achieved without a detrimental impact on the school's organization, programs, and personnel. Brown School staff expects to continue the process of examining data, improving instruction and engaging in related professional development.

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 Clyde F. Brown Elementary School is proud of its achievements and looks forward to hosting visitors from other schools and districts. There is a climate of orderliness and respect in the building between staff and administration and between the adults and children. There is a Library Media Center where teams of visitors could meet for briefing with school and district personnel or where workshops and seminars could be held. Additionally, the staff would eagerly welcome visitors to classrooms for observations. A number of staff members, including the school's literacy coordinator, would be articulate presenters of the school's process for change and improvement.

Although the staff has not yet developed a dissemination plan, the school has several talented, committed and experienced staff members who have had extensive experience presenting in front of groups. This includes two past presidents of the Massachusetts Reading Association who are also leaders in the school's literacy initiatives. In addition, presentations describing the school's initiatives have already been made to parents and many teachers in the building have provided peer training for their colleagues.

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

There are no reasons why the school should not be used as a Commonwealth Compass School. It is very apparent that the Clyde F. Brown School community has a shared vision and sense of purpose to increase student achievement through implementation of effective improvement initiatives that could be replicated in both urban and suburban schools. The staff and leadership have the commitment, facilities, and energy to disseminate information about their process and practice to other educators.

Appendix A
Team Members

Dr. Karen Angello, Coordinator, Consultant, MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Malden, MA
Zita Samuels, Consultant, SchoolWorks, Beverly, MA
Maureen Wesalowski, Regional Curriculum Coordinator, Spencer, MA
Moira Holmes, Teacher, Brockton, MA
Erin Furey, Administrative Apprentice, Lowell School District, Lowell, MA

Appendix B
Compass School Panel Review Visit Schedule

All activities take place at the school.