Assessment/Accountability
School and District Accountability and Assistance

Report of Fact Finding Review
Lucy Stone Elementary School
Boston Public Schools

Executive Summary

I Curriculum and Instruction

Low student performance at the Lucy Stone is attributed to poor quality of instructional methods and practices and inadequate attention dedicated to meeting individual student needs.

• Implementation of curriculum has been inconsistent and is a major weakness at the school. Most teachers showed inconsistent implementation of Readers'/Writers' Workshop, focusing on the format of the lesson rather than its content. The team further observed an absence of any system of program evaluation to ensure the effectiveness of the curriculum as it is implemented.

• Some teachers did not focus their instruction on the state curriculum frameworks rather focused on implementing district models such as TERC and Readers'/Writers' Workshop. MCAS analysis helped teachers realize the gaps in these curriculums and focus the content of their instruction on the state frameworks.

• Teachers reported they lack the knowledge of varying strategies for differentiating Readers'/Writers' Workshop to address the individual needs of students. Teachers expressed frustration and confusion about the range of variations in the instructional model that might serve diverse student needs. Teaching support is needed to help teachers make use of the workshop model while meeting the needs of individual student.

• The school can lessen the impact of poor curriculum implementation by effectively utilizing the ELA and math coaches provided by the district to meet the specific needs of teachers and students and expanding the use of the Massachusetts state frameworks in the classroom. Effective use of the math enrichment teacher could be a means to provide meaningful, engaging math lessons targeted to specific student learning gaps.

II School Climate

Staff morale used to be an influential factor of poor student performance, however as an outgrowth of the PIM process the school openly dealt with issues of morale and has since made great strides in creating a school culture that is built on a sense of community.

• Prior to the PIM work there was a level of negativity and divisiveness that affected teachers' morale and work. Teachers reported that they were teaching in isolation, and there was widespread unwillingness to communicate about curriculum or content weakness all of which contributed to low staff morale.

• At the time of the visit staff morale was high. Teachers welcomed our visit and feedback as a guide to moving forward. Continued efforts to incorporate whole staff in planning and decision-making at the same level as the PIM team must continue in order to maintain a sense of community, sustain staff morale and keep lines of communication open between staff.

III Organizational Structures and Management

The quality of math and ELA professional development available to the Lucy Stone staff has been insufficient to help teachers develop the deep knowledge necessary to effectively implement the math or ELA academic programs mandated by the district.

• The gradual rollout of professional development the district uses creates different 'cohorts' at Lucy Stone receiving different messages about strategies for implementation from different presenters. This makes for uneven classroom implementation. The situation worsens when you add variability in the quality and background of coaches as well as the high turnover rate among coaches.

• The principal is determined to have common professional development experiences for all staff to encourage common language, beliefs, and intentions. An additional strategy to help focus professional development needs would be for the school to conduct a thorough audit of staff learning needs; access needed resources, with a focus on maximizing current resources including district supports and the Lucy Stone Initiative grant and personnel support.

IV Leadership and Planning

The instructional leadership at Lucy Stone does not provide adequate guidance for teachers to lead to improvement in instruction. Currently no system of evaluation to ensure program effectiveness and accountability exists, making this a major weakness at the school.

• There is no systematic, formative feedback on student learning but rather feedback is provided only on teacher's adherence to the instructional model. The principal conducts infrequent classroom visits, and her goal of two visits per week is often not met.

• To support the need for instructional leadership, the principal should commit to making effective and regular use of district implementation guides and other resources to ensure teachers are addressing the content of the curriculum as well as its format. It is important she follow through with her goal and perhaps even increase her goal of classroom visits per week. Participation in ELA inquiry group cycles is encouraged to increase her knowledge of ways to use the academic program to enhance conceptual development and reduce her focus on the form of the instructional model.

• Regular and careful monitoring of the effectiveness of the work of support personnel, including the district coaches, the math enrichment teacher and the Lucy Stone community partners, is a central obligation for both the district and school leaders to guide positive change on behalf of Lucy Stone students.

Next