Health & Fitness
La Presa Elementary Students And Staff Sustain School Success
La Presa Elementary sustains test score improvment for two years and exits Program Improvement status.
La Presa Elementary achieved a rank shared by only two other schools in San Diego County last year. They successfully exited the Program Improvement status mandated when a school has too many students scoring below proficient in the yearly STAR (Standardized Testing And Reporting) test.
The San Diego County Office of Education was so pleased that they asked Principal Peter Dean to present his school’s strategy to a special county-wide task force on improving testing results. In addition, La Mesa Spring Valley School District Superintendent Brian Marshall and former school board president Bill Baber hosted a special celebration for the La Presa Elementary staff in recognition of their achievement.
The NCLB (No Child Left Behind) legislation, now called ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act), was designed to force steady improvement in student achievement, most especially in demographic groups continually lagging in academic results. As part of this, starting in second grade, students in California take a yearly test to gauge proficiency in math, language, and other scholastic areas. Schools already getting special Federal Title 1 funding due to area financial hardship must demonstrate sufficient results in proficiency or be classified as a Program Improvement school. To exit this, two years of notably improved results must be sustained.
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For La Presa Elementary, a school with nearly 90% of the students participating in the Free and Reduced Lunch program, 2007-08 saw large drop in API (Academic Performance Index) scores. About only 35% of the students achieved a proficient or better score. 2008-09 was the first year in Program Improvement, but by 2010-11 they had decreased the number of children scoring below proficient to qualify for what is called the “Safe Harbor” provision of NCLB. They furthered these gains in the 2011-12 year, again achieving safe harbor status and successfully exiting them from Program Improvement. The percentages of below and far below proficient have substantially dropped since 2008 when Mr. Dean first started as principal there.
Dean noted three key approaches to achieving success:
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1) Get to know every child, customizing approach to the individual. “Name and need.”
2) Use of proven and effective intervention strategies.
3) Recognition of student achievement and celebration of this with parents.
Principal Dean worked with staff to institute a layered approach to ensuring that no children fall through a review of academic and social needs. He formed CSI or Child Success Investigator teams to do comprehensive grade by grade and then student by student reviews to identify those students requiring extra assistance and what type of assistance would be most beneficial. Progress was regularly measured and reviewed and plans adjusted when they were not meeting student needs.
Dean credits the success of the program to the unified support of his teachers and staff. He was the 6th principal at La Presa Elementary in 5 years and although the staff was working hard, they were not cohesive in approach. They improved results because they were willing to support a new approach with a focus on data and tracking student results. Instead of accepting the school’s challenges, they worked to overcome them.
Schools in Program Improvement status are expected to generate positive advances, but they additionally gain additional state and federal monies to help add resources fostering change. The principal and staff worked together to make maximum targeted use of these funds.
The school created a culture where data is a critical tool. The numbers are objective; it’s not a “gotcha” with teachers. The data is simply a way to help develop learning with the children, using the information to refine educational approaches to get better results.
One of the major focus areas has been in improving reading. Principal Dean had previously participated in a San Diego County Office of Education sponsored curriculum called Effective Reading Intervention Academy. This program only used research based strategies, many developed by noted educator Dr. Anita Archer, to improve reading results.
One of the most successful is called the Six Minute Solution. In this, students read selected passages and work with each other as partners. They test and chart fluency progression. Building skills through small and simple reading repetition, the program shifts students away from being word by word readers to becoming fluent readers who then have higher comprehension of what is read.
To incentivize further student engagement and pride in accomplishment, Dean started a “350 Club”, so named for the 350 score which indicates proficiency on the yearly standards test. Members of this club are recognized with special medals and certificates, they gain extra privileges and assemblies at school, and of equal importance, their parents are invited to school to celebrate their children’s success. While Dean noted that due to multiple job family responsibilities, many parents are unable to volunteer on campus, there is still a high level of parental support for the programs and success at school.
As an example of better parent engagement, Principal Dean noted that two years ago only about 12 students had discussed the state test result letter sent to every household with their parents, but by last year, this had grown to about 2/3rds of the students tested.
With school success there has been a snowball effect and staff morale has greatly improved. Dean stated that there are still challenges, but the teachers are very proud of the work that has been done.
Responding to a common question when test scores jump, Dean noted that while there is no teaching to the test, there is common sense instruction on how to take tests. He explained that everyone has things to do in life, sometimes we take tests, and sometimes we work on other projects. Students can be lifelong learners who gain skills both for how to take tests and work on other projects. He also indicated that while the teachers will customize and supplement as needed for students, this is always in addition to the district’s core curriculum.
