Reviewing data and moving forward
http://www.michronicleonline.com/articlelive/articles/2749/1/Reviewing-data-and-moving-forward/Page1.html
Dr. Connie Calloway
By Dr. Connie Calloway
Published on 05/28/2008
This is an exciting time for the Detroit Public Schools and the Detroit Board of Education. Over the next weeks and months, educators, community leaders, teachers, staff and parents will review the data to work on new educational designs to enhance rigor, relevance and relationships for our students. The format and timeline for implementation of the designs is being reviewed. With the strong support of foundations and agencies including The Skillman Foundation and United Way, we plan to have one campus ready to go for the upcoming school year.
DR. CONNIE CALLOWAY speaks with parents during a recent forum. – Andre Smith photo
This is an exciting time for the Detroit Public Schools and the Detroit Board of Education. Over the next weeks and months, educators, community leaders, teachers, staff and parents will review the data to work on new educational designs to enhance rigor, relevance and relationships for our students. The format and timeline for implementation of the designs is being reviewed. With the strong support of foundations and agencies including The Skillman Foundation and United Way, we plan to have one campus ready to go for the upcoming school year.
There is a growing discussion across Detroit surrounding a community-wide awareness and ownership of the need to create data-driven educational models which assure that our children will succeed academically and graduate with skills that will support the future growth and vitality of our city and region.
All of our principals now have complete reports on their school’s academic, demographic, student conduct, enrollment and graduation data. As an example, the data report for one of the schools we are reviewing indicates that it is a four-year high school that did not make AYP in English/Language Arts or mathematics. Its AYP history from 2004-05 to present shows that it has moved from Phase 2 to Phase 4 and its Michigan School Report Card History shows that this school has received a “D-Alert” grade in each of the three most recent years.
We’ve also created a Glossary of Terms to assure that all participants can utilize the Language of Achievement.
We must accelerate our students’ academic achievement through rigor, relevance and relationships. A more rigorous curriculum means increasing the level of challenge in our academic standards. Academic rigor is to incorporate competitive proficiency levels in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts and technology required for success beyond high school. Relevance is to better address the need of the current employment market, to better prepare DPS graduates to enter the workforce in career fields and at skill levels needed to move our city and state forward. Building sustained positive relationships between students and educators is key to increasing the graduation rate, maintaining student engagement and course completion.
Our actions will significantly move Detroit Public Schools toward the AAA Schools model where everyone is held accountable, is expected to add value, which will result in increased academic achievement for our students, thus positively impacting the communities we serve. This paradigm shift filters every school function through the lens of effective instruction, what is best for each child.
Models in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Providence and elsewhere are working and give hope for this initiative. Gov. Jennifer Gran-holm’s proposal for smaller high schools, which aims to reduce the dropout rate and requires partners in the process, creates an opportunity for Detroit to step forward to submit multiple proposals for this funding.
Please always remember the heart of instruction is what takes place in the classrooms of this district. Teaching and learning is the most important business of DPS. Please take care of the children; they are our investment in our future.
This is an exciting time for the Detroit Public Schools and the Detroit Board of Education. Over the next weeks and months, educators, community leaders, teachers, staff and parents will review the data to work on new educational designs to enhance rigor, relevance and relationships for our students. The format and timeline for implementation of the designs is being reviewed. With the strong support of foundations and agencies including The Skillman Foundation and United Way, we plan to have one campus ready to go for the upcoming school year.Detroit Public Schools and the Detroit Board of Education
DR. CONNIE CALLOWAY speaks with parents during a recent forum. – Andre Smith photo
This is an exciting time for the Detroit Public Schools and the Detroit Board of Education. Over the next weeks and months, educators, community leaders, teachers, staff and parents will review the data to work on new educational designs to enhance rigor, relevance and relationships for our students. The format and timeline for implementation of the designs is being reviewed. With the strong support of foundations and agencies including The Skillman Foundation and United Way, we plan to have one campus ready to go for the upcoming school year.
There is a growing discussion across Detroit surrounding a community-wide awareness and ownership of the need to create data-driven educational models which assure that our children will succeed academically and graduate with skills that will support the future growth and vitality of our city and region.
All of our principals now have complete reports on their school’s academic, demographic, student conduct, enrollment and graduation data. As an example, the data report for one of the schools we are reviewing indicates that it is a four-year high school that did not make AYP in English/Language Arts or mathematics. Its AYP history from 2004-05 to present shows that it has moved from Phase 2 to Phase 4 and its Michigan School Report Card History shows that this school has received a “D-Alert” grade in each of the three most recent years.
We’ve also created a Glossary of Terms to assure that all participants can utilize the Language of Achievement.
We must accelerate our students’ academic achievement through rigor, relevance and relationships. A more rigorous curriculum means increasing the level of challenge in our academic standards. Academic rigor is to incorporate competitive proficiency levels in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts and technology required for success beyond high school. Relevance is to better address the need of the current employment market, to better prepare DPS graduates to enter the workforce in career fields and at skill levels needed to move our city and state forward. Building sustained positive relationships between students and educators is key to increasing the graduation rate, maintaining student engagement and course completion.
Our actions will significantly move Detroit Public Schools toward the AAA Schools model where everyone is held accountable, is expected to add value, which will result in increased academic achievement for our students, thus positively impacting the communities we serve. This paradigm shift filters every school function through the lens of effective instruction, what is best for each child.
Models in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Providence and elsewhere are working and give hope for this initiative. Gov. Jennifer Gran-holm’s proposal for smaller high schools, which aims to reduce the dropout rate and requires partners in the process, creates an opportunity for Detroit to step forward to submit multiple proposals for this funding.
Please always remember the heart of instruction is what takes place in the classrooms of this district. Teaching and learning is the most important business of DPS. Please take care of the children; they are our investment in our future.