Archived Information

Assessment/Accountability
School and District Accountability and Assistance

Panel Report
Compass School Candidate Review
Uxbridge High School, Uxbridge 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 May 1, 2002 site visit review of the Uxbridge High School. 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 Uxbridge High School review is provided in Appendix A. A detailed schedule of the panel's activities is provided in Appendix B.

School Profile

Uxbridge High School is one of four public schools in Uxbridge and the only school serving grades 9-12. Enrollment has been relatively stable, changing 6% or less between 1998 and 2001. In 2001, the school enrolled 529 students, of whom 98 % are White, 1% Hispanic and .6% Asian and .2% Black. The percentage of students classified as low-income as reported on the School Profile is 13%; for the three previous years reported it has remained at 6%. One percent of the students speak a first language other than English (FLNE) and none is classified as limited English proficient (LEP).

Over the last four years, the attendance rate has fluctuated between 95.4 in 1999 and 93.4 in 2000. Attendance rates for 1998 and 1999 are approximately 1% higher than state averages and .5% lower for 2000. In 2000, the average number of days absent was 11.9, a higher figure (+2 days) than previous reported years and .6% higher than the state average. The school has not retained any students in the years reported for any grade.

Uxbridge High School's suspension rate has been consistently and, in some cases, markedly higher than the state average. In 2000, the school handed out 78 out-of-school and 218 in-school suspensions. The corresponding suspension rates, 16.2% (out-of-school) and 45.2% (in-school), are well above state averages. A closer examination of the suspension rates indicates that the highest number of suspensions occurred in-school in grades 9 and 10. In that year, 64.4% of 9th grade and 59.0% of 10th grade students received suspensions. There were no exclusions reported at the school or in the district between 1998 and 2000.

The Programs and Services report indicates that 58 students (11%) receive special education services that include: a substantially separate pre-vocational program, small group instruction in English and math, and small group and in-class academic support. Four students are enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, and 35 regular and special education students receive academic support in small group classes.

Staffing

The staff of Uxbridge High School includes the Principal, one assistant principal, four guidance counselors, one librarian and 45 full-time teachers, eight of whom also serve as curriculum/instructional leaders. Twenty-six teachers (58%) hold advanced degrees and all except one teacher on waiver in foreign language are certified to teach in their subject area, and 16 (36%) hold certifications in more than one area. Just under 50% of the teaching staff have been at the school for five years or less while 27% have served for 20 years or more. Thirty-eight percent of the instructional staff is veteran with 20 or more years of teaching service. Just over one-third of the school's teachers came into the profession within the last five years.

MCAS Results

Uxbridge High School's baseline (1998) score placed it in performance category 4 ("Low"), requiring an improvement of 3-5 points at the end of cycle one. The school "Met" the improvement expectation in each subject area as well as the overall target, improving its average baseline score by 4.2 points.

MCAS data for 1998-2001 shows that as the rate of Failure on English Language Arts decreased, the percentage of students scoring in Proficient/Advanced increased. With the exception of the 2000 ELA score (in which Failure increased 4%), there has been a steady and consistent reduction in Failure from 24% in 1998 to 12% in 2001. Scores in Proficient/Advanced improved from 39% (in both 1998 and 1999) to 54% in 2001. In Mathematics, the percentage of students scoring in Proficient & Advanced has shown steady increase in each of the four years reported. Failure rates in math between 1998 and 2001 decreased at approximately the same pace and degree as Proficient/Advanced showed improvement: beginning in 1998, the math Failure rate decreased from 51%, to 48%, to 39% and to 15% in 2001 as Proficient & Advanced increased from 14%, to 23%, to 40%, and to 50% in 2001.

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?

Uxbridge High School is using effective improvement initiatives that could be replicated in other schools with a similar profile. The school has identified initiatives that focus on standards-based instruction, team building, and school climate as having the most significant effect on student performance. Complementing the school's implementation of its improvement initiatives, the superintendent and the school's principal share similar philosophies and a close working relationship that has proven beneficial to the quality of the school's improvement efforts. The planned improvement initiatives were developed through an inclusive process that involved district leadership, school leadership, strong teacher input, and the support of parents and the community.

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

The implementation of a standards-based instructional model at Uxbridge High School has had the greatest impact on student performance results. Student results on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) have shown positive improvement in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics between 1998 and 2001. Students at Uxbridge High School scoring in the proficient and above categories were higher than the state average in 2001 in both ELA and Math. The school attributed these gains to the systematic use of standards in setting student learning goals. Teachers explained in interviews that they are analyzing student data to inform their instructional practices, changing their teaching practices to address state standards, and meeting and planning more with other teachers to maintain a consistent understanding of what students are expected to know and do. Many teachers were quoted as saying, "The standards-based instructional model is the reason for improved student performance." Students explained that they have benefited from MCAS opportunities during the summer and MCAS practice during their regular classes. Students also expressed that they know what to expect academically, and they feel prepared for college. As one student put it, "They push you beyond belief."

Supporting the standards-based instructional model initiative at Uxbridge High School are the initiatives of team building and school climate. Interviews with district leadership, school administration, and teachers consistently reveal the schools' dedication to team building, which has engaged the majority of staff in the school's improvement efforts. The principal explained that professional development days are devoted to team building before the start of school, and there are plans to include more during the school year. Building-based as well as vertical district teams are entrusted with leading improvement initiatives to enhance student performance. Principals, with their building teams, have the autonomy and authority to make decisions concerning scheduling, staffing, and allocation of resources to support student learning.

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

The decision to adopt the improvement initiatives at Uxbridge High School evolved out of a district initiative to evaluate the school's math program. The district formed K-12 teams as well as building level teams to look at the district's math program, and from this effort a model for evaluating all programs was born in the school district. Leadership explained that unsatisfactory assessment results indicated that student performance needed to improve. When the new superintendent began her leadership in Uxbridge four years ago, the goal was to raise student achievement and build positive staff morale. As the district initiative began to focus on a standards-based instructional model, teachers simultaneously began to recognize that changes in teaching strategies were needed to improve student achievement. Teachers began receiving training focused on standards-based instruction from Mass Insight to help them improve their instructional strategies in the classroom. Teachers then decided that a standards-based approach would move student learning forward by focusing teaching on identifiable content and skill goals.

The process began with the involvement of district leaders, the principal, teachers, and community members. Recognizing that the team approach would be beneficial to implementing a standardsbased instructional model, the school hired High Five, an outward-bound program to train the staff at Uxbridge in team building. Leadership at the school received the initial training with High Five, in which they also outlined the school's strengths and weaknesses. A two-day seminar was held for the staff at Uxbridge on team building. High Five returned to the school for additional training of staff. The school sent more staff to receive training and they returned to offer team building professional development for other teachers at the school. The school plans to have a two-day seminar next year to continue strengthening the team building skills that have supported their progress.

The principal explained that implementing a standards-based instructional model at Uxbridge is an ongoing process. The framework is in place and all teachers need to be trained in standards-based instructional practices. The principal reported that currently two-thirds of the teachers at the school are actually practicing standards-based instructional strategies in the classroom and one-third is actively engaged in training. The effectiveness of the school's initiatives are monitored by administrators, at faculty meetings, and by standards-based leadership teams. Leadership believes that 100% of teachers need to be trained to sustain effective implementation of a standards-based instructional model in all classrooms and the process must be continual.

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

Uxbridge High School believes that a standards-based instructional model supported by team building and a strong climate can be successfully used in similar schools. The principal articulated that teachers have ownership in what is happening at the school, and, with ownership, sustainability is possible. He also expressed that this is possible because the school's approaches are researchbased, involve teamwork, happen systemically at the elementary and middle school levels, and are based on analysis of student performance information. Further, teachers are training each other and talking the same language regarding standards and student 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 conditions at Uxbridge High School are currently in place for this school to serve as a model of effective practices and successful improvement initiatives. Leadership at the district and the school is strong, and they have identified linkages between improvement needs of the school and improvements in student performance. The staff uses a common language and displays a shared understanding to describe the school's improvement initiatives clearly and confidently. All teachers are supportive of the improvement initiatives, and a majority of those interviewed can articulate the connections between the changes in student performance and the improvement initiatives.

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?

Leadership and most staff at Uxbridge High School have a shared understanding and use a common language when describing the initiatives that have led to improvements in teaching and learning. All stakeholders, the principal, district leadership, parents, students, and the majority of teachers, explained in interviews how a focus on standards has led to improvements in teaching and learning. Standards were posted in the classes observed and examples of rubrics that addressed student expectations were evident in classes. The principal as well as teachers explained how the MCAS tutorials during the summer have contributed to improved student performance on MCAS.

Teachers and the principal consistently referred to "teamwork" as being a catalyst for improved changes in teaching and learning, and many teachers revealed that they have made changes in their teaching practices.

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?

School leadership and staff at Uxbridge High School effectively articulate the connections between specific changes and improvement initiatives they have implemented. Teachers expressed in interviews that, with a focus on standards, students appear to take learning more seriously and take greater ownership in their education. Teachers and the principal attribute improvements in teaching and learning to the standards-based instructional model, teaming across departments, and improved school climate. The principal explained that the establishment of more formal common planning time for teachers is a result of newly implemented improvement initiatives. Teachers and the principal express that a more consistent internal assessment structure at Uxbridge High School has also resulted from improvement initiatives at the school. For example, teachers explained that they are using rubrics to assess student writing and data from these assessments inform their instruction.

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

Uxbridge High School is sufficiently invested in continued student performance. The principal, teachers, parents, and students have demonstrated positive change that supports the school's improvement initiatives. For example, students explained in interviews how teachers show their dedication by spending their time after school helping them prepare for MCAS. Parents strongly confirm that students can get help anytime they need from teachers. While not all teachers interviewed or observed are using the standards-based instructional model, the principal is planning to use school resources to continue to train teachers on the initiative as well as provide more training with High Five on team building. Ongoing assessment and evaluation is provided by standardsbased instructional teams, composed of teachers, who evaluate and provide feedback on units developed by other teachers in the school. Some teachers are conducting item analysis of MCAS questions, particularly English teachers, to help identify student needs. While the school is focusing on student performance in many areas, the principal does recognize that work still remains to be done to get all staff on board with the new initiatives. In support of the ongoing implementation of the standards-based model at Uxbridge High School, teachers who were not yet formally trained in the practice were familiar with the initiative and clearly able to articulate its key principles.

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? Do the school leader and involved staff communicate effectively both orally and in writing how and why it carried out its strategies for improvement?

Uxbridge High School has the capacity to host site visits to share effective strategies and practices with other schools in the state. Most of the staff is enthusiastic and articulate about the school's improvement initiatives. Teachers clearly describe the changes that have occurred at the school and their positive consequences. For example, teachers reported that with the new standards-based instructional model, they have changed or adjusted their instructional practices in the classroom. Staff support also comes from more than the main core of teachers. Electives and other departments expressed their knowledge and engagement in supporting the school's improvement initiatives. The principal is very articulate in describing the detailed process of how the school's initiatives evolved and where they are currently as well as their future potential. The principal is a competent communicator and effective at making people feel welcome, which is evident from his greeting of the students at the front door of the school every morning. The school building is also well equipped and has sufficient resources in technology as well as in a large, centrally located library to host visitors. Further, throughout the building postings in classrooms and halls with information regarding the state standards provide visual confirmation that standards are a focus at Uxbridge High School.

The principal and staff effectively communicate how and why strategies for improvement are carried out. Newsletters are sent home to parents, public forums are held to inform the community, faculty meetings are held at school for teachers, and memos are circulated between staff to explain the school's efforts and enlist the support of the broader Uxbridge community.

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

There are no reasons why Uxbridge High School should not be used as a Commonwealth Compass School. Leadership and staff have a shared understanding of the school's improvement initiatives, and can articulate the connections between the changes and the improvement initiatives. The school is committed to improvement and has the capacity to share their strategies with other schools.

Appendix A
Team Members

Scott Kelley, Coordinator, MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Malden, MA
Anthony Pope, Consultant, SchoolWorks, Beverly, MA
Joseph Oliver, Headmaster, New Bedford, MA
Diedre McCarty, Administrative Apprentice, Lowell, MA

Appendix B
Compass School Panel Review Visit Schedule

All activities take place at the school.