ERIC ED534904: Clarence Edwards Middle School: Success through Transformation

2012·0.58 MB·English

by  ERIC

Clarence Edwards Middle School:
Success Through Transformation
Just a few years ago,
Boston’s
ClarenceEdwardsMiddleSchoolwasonthe
vergeofbeingshutdown.Butby2009,a
renaissanceattheEdwardsmadeitoneofthe
highestperformingandmostdesiredmiddle
schoolsinBoston,dramaticallynarrowing
andeveneliminatingacademicachievement
gapswhiledeliveringafarmorewell-rounded
educationtoitshigh-povertystudent
population.Thisisthestoryofhowtheydidit.
The Massachusetts Expanded LearningTime Initiative
In2005,theNationalCenteronTime&Learningand Theresult:aschooldaythatnolongerrevolvesaround
Massachusetts2020partneredwiththestateLegislature, theschedulesoffarmsandfactoriesbutinsteadaround
thegovernor,andtheMassachusettsDepartment theneedsoftoday’syouthandtheirfamiliesandthe
ofElementaryandSecondaryEducationandcalledon demandsoftoday’sworld.
schooldistrictsfromaroundthestatetorethinkthe
Fromthisvisioncameanewreality.Inthefallof2006,
traditional6-hour,180-dayschoolschedule.Schoolswere
10schoolsin5districtsbecamethepioneersforthefirst
challengedtodreambig—toredesigntheirschoolday
statewideinitiativetoexpandlearningtimeinthe
toenableyoungpeopletomastertheskillsnecessaryto
UnitedStates.TheMassachusettsExpandedLearning
thriveinacomplicatedandcompetitiveworld.
Time(ELT)Initiativeisacompetitivegrantprogram
Inresponse,teachers,unionleaders,community thatallowsparticipatingschoolstoredesignandexpand
organizations,administratorsandparentscametogether theirschooldayforallstudentstoadvanceacademic
inschoolsacrossthestatetodevelopanewwayof outcomes,broadenenrichmentopportunities,and
thinkingabouteducation.Theyrevieweddataand improveinstruction.Thoseschoolsdeterminedtohave
strategizedwaystoclosetheachievementgap.Theyadded thehighestqualityproposalsareawarded$1,300per
timefor,andprovidedindividualizedsupportin,core pupilperyeartosupporttheimplementationoftheir
academicsubjects;increasedenrichmentopportunities rebuiltschooldayandyear.Today,over12,000students
thathadbeenstrippedfromtheschoolday;and in22schoolsin11districtsacrossthestateattend
brainstormedabouthowteachersmightcollaborate ELTschools.
moreandfindtimetolearnfromoneanother.
President Barack Obama
“Wecannolongeraffordanacademic
calendardesignedwhenAmerica
wasanationoffarmerswhoneeded
theirchildrenat homeplowing
thelandat theendofeachday.
That calendarmayhaveoncemade
sense,but today,it putsus
at acompetitivedisadvantage."
(March2009)
J
ustafewyearsago,Boston’sClarenceEdwards HowdidtheEdwards,overthecourseofjustafew
MiddleSchoolwasonthevergeofbeingshut years,dramaticallybooststudentachievementand
down.Thelong-strugglingschoolhadamongthe transformtheschool’scultureintooneofexcellenceand
lowestmathscoresofanymiddleschoolin engagement?Theschoolisinthesamebuildingwith
thecity.Theschool’senrollmentwasdwindling manyofthesameteachers,andthedemographicsofthe
asevenneighboringfamilieschosetosendtheir studentbodyhavenotmeaningfullychanged:89%
childrenelsewhere.Facultyandstudentmorale low-income;88%minority;32%specialeducation;and
waslow,andfamilyengagementwasalmostnon-existent. 24%limitedEnglishproficiency.
LikeothermiddleschoolsinBoston,studentsleftthe
Inthefallof2006,Edwardsbecameoneofthepioneering
buildingat1:30p.m.everyday.
Massachusettspublicschoolstakingpartinthe
Butby2009,theEdwardshadrisentobecomeoneofthe ExpandedLearningTimeInitiative.ThoughtheEdwards
highestperformingmiddleschoolsinBoston,dramatically hadpreviouslytakensomeessentialreformactions,the
narrowingandeveneliminatingachievementgapsfor inflectionpointintheEdwards’dramaticturnaroundcan
itsdisadvantagedstudents.Testscoreshavesoared,with betieddirectlytothemomentitre-openeditsdoors
impressivegrowthacrosstheboardinEnglishlanguage withabrandnewschooldayrebuiltfromthegroundup
arts(ELA),mathandscienceandacrossallsubgroups toinclude300morehoursoflearningandpersonalized
ofstudents.Aschooloncestrugglingtofillitsclassrooms instructionperyear.Thestudentsandteachershave
nowhasawaitinglist.Theschool’senrichmentofferings notlookedback.
rivalthoseateliteprivateschools,includingaband,a
footballteam,andstudentapprenticeshipswithGoogle
andMIT.Theschool’sannualtheaterproduction
attractshundredsoffamiliesandcommunitymembers,
includingfifthgradersfromnearbyfeederelementary
schools,manyofwhomleavehopingtogainaslotinnext
year’sclass.
3
Expanded LearningTime (ELT) at Edwards Middle School
LikeallELTschoolsinMassachusetts,theEdwardshasredesignedtheschooldaytoincorporate
300additionalhoursoflearningperyearforallstudentsforthreeprimarypurposes:
1. Moretimehasallowedforadifferentiated,data-driven SampleEdwardsStudent SampleEdwardsStudent
approachtoinstructionthathasresultedindramatic Schedule:WithELT Schedule:BeforeELT
academicgainsforEdwardsstudents.TheEdwardshas
increasedinstructionaltimeforallcoresubjects.Every 7:20-7:30 Homeroom 7:20-7:30 Homeroom
studentnowhasasocialstudiesandscienceblockeach
dayinadditiontofourextrahoursperweekforacademic
Block1 CoreAcademics:
supportthroughastrategytheschoolcalls“Academic
7:35-8:40 ELA Block1 CoreAcademics:
Leagues.”Usingformativeandsummativeassessment 7:35-8:55 ELA
data,studentsareplacedinleaguesbasedontheirmost
pressingacademicneeds,predominantlyinELAormath.
AcademicLeaguesfeaturesmallerclasssizesandareled
byEdwardsteacherswhoreceivecoachingandcurricular
Block2 CoreAcademics:
supportfromtheschool’sInstructionalLeadershipTeam. 8:42-9:44 Math
Teacherscloselymonitorstudents’progressthrough
Block2 CoreAcademics:
frequentassessmentsandprovideindividualizedattention 9:00-10:20 Math
tostudentsinareaswheretheyneedthemosthelp.As 9:47-10:02 Snack
studentsshowacademicprogress,theirAcademicLeague
placementisadjustedaccordingly.
2. Moretimeforteacherstocollaboratehasensuredthat Block3 UnifiedArts:
10:05-11:07 (PE,Music,Art)
allinstructionaltime,incoresubjects,academicsupport,
Block3 UnifiedArts:
andenrichment,isusedeffectively.Edwardsteachers
10:25-11:45 (PE,Music,Art)
nowmeetingrade-levelteamstwotothreetimesper
weektodiscussstudentsupportissueswhilestudents
areinspecialtyclasseslikemusic,art,andPE.Inaddition,
Block4 CoreAcademics:
Edwardsstudentsaredismissedat11:45ameveryFriday 11:10-12:12 SocialStudies 11:45-12:05 Lunch
enablingthefullfacultyandrepresentativesfrom
keypartneringorganizationstoworkonprofessional
developmentuntil2:15pm.TheFridayprofessional
developmentsessionsareplannedbytheschool’s 12:15-12:40 Lunch Block4 CoreAcademics:
Scienceor
InstructionalLeadershipTeam,withaprimaryfocuson 12:05-1:30
SocialStudies
analyzingstudentdata.Onceamonth,theFridaysession
isdevotedtoteachingdemonstrationsduringwhich
Block5 CoreAcademics:
timeEdwardsteachersmodellessonsfortheircolleagues. 12:40-1:42 Science
3.Moretimehastranslatedintorobustenrichment
programsandcommunitypartnerships,resultingin
positivechangesinstudentengagement,school
culture,andfamilyengagement.AllEdwardsstudents
Block6 Academic
participateinenrichmentprogrammingdesignedtobuild 1:45-2:45 Leagues
transferableskillsandnurturetalentsbeyondreading,
writingandarithmetic.Seventhandeighthgraderschoose
fourelectivesperyearfromamenuofoptionsincluding
swimming,Latindance,environmentalscience,and
fashiondesign.ElectivesaretaughtbyEdwardsteachers
andspecialistsfrompartneringcommunity-based Block7 Rotating
organizations.AllsixthgradersparticipateinCitizen 2:45-4:15 Elective CoreAcademics
Schools,anationalprogramthatfocusesondeveloping
AcademicSupport
21stcenturyskillslikeleadershipandoralcommunication
Enrichment
throughhands-onapprenticeshipswithprofessionals.
Attheculminationofeachsemester,Edwardsstudents
perform,demonstrate,andexhibitwhattheyhave
learnedintheirenrichmentclassesinfrontoftheschool
community.
4
Jeff Riley
FormerEdwardsprincipal,currentacademicsuperintendentforBostonMiddleandK-8Schools
“Asaschoolthathadbeenlabeledfailingandinneedofturnaround,werecognizedthatthingshadtochange.
Theadoptionofextratimewasthekeyfirststepinbringingaboutchange.Withoutit,wewouldhave
beenunabletomoveourschoolsoquicklyfromaplaceofunderperformancetooneofhighachievement.”
Results
TheresultsattheEdwardsareremarkable,andtheschool (cid:2)Increasedstudentenrollment:In2006,17rising6th
hasbeenheraldednationallyforitsdramaticturnaround. graderschoseEdwardsMiddleSchoolastheirfirstchoice.
SincefirstimplementingELTin2006-07,theEdwardshas In2009,250rising6thgraderschosetheEdwardsastheir
madeconsiderableprogressinELA,math,andscienceforall firstchoice,boostingenrollmenttoover500studentsand
students,asmeasuredbytheMassachusettsComprehen- resultinginthecreationofawaitinglist.
siveAssessmentSystem(MCAS).Injustthreeyears:
(cid:2)Greaterteacherempowerment:Whenasked,teachers
•TheEdwardsreducedtheachievementgapwiththe attheEdwardsrespondmuchmorefavorablythantheir
stateby80percentinELA,bytwo-thirdsinscience,and peersacrossthestatethattheyareinvolvedinthe
8thgradersnowexceedthestateproficiencyrateby school’sdecisionsaboutinstructionandaretrustedas
eightpointsinmath. professionals.
•The8thgradeELAfailurerateplummetedby75percent, (cid:2)Competitivehighschoolacceptancerates:Fourteen
whilethenumberofstudentsadvancingtothestate’s Edwardsgraduatescurrentlystudyattheprestigious,
highestlevelofachievementinmathincreasedtenfold. audition-basedBostonArtsAcademy—afellowELT
schoolandthecity’sonlypublichighschoolforvisual
•Low-income,specialeducation,limitedEnglish
andperformingarts—andtwentygraduateshave
proficiency,AfricanAmerican,andLatinostudentsmade
beenacceptedandcurrentlyattendBoston’scompetitive
extraordinarygainsattheEdwards.Eachsubgroupnow
examschools,theBostonLatinAcademyandJohnD.
exceedsthestateproficiencyrateforthatsubgroupin
O’BryantSchoolofMath&Science.
math,andfourofthefivesubgroupsoutperformthestate
averagesinELA. (cid:2)Strongerpartnerships:LeadpartnerCitizenSchools,which
previouslyserved35Edwardsstudentsperyearthrough
AsaresultoftheEdwards’success,allothermiddleschools
theiroptionalafter-schoolprogram,nowservestheentire
inBostonhavepetitionedtobecomeExpandedLearning
sixthgradeclassannually.Inrecognitionoftheirnow
TimeschoolsandtheEdwards’principalhasbeen
robustartsprogram,theschoolwasselectedtoparticipate
promotedtoacademicsuperintendentforBoston’sMiddle
intheFidelityFutureStageProgram,resultingina
andK-8Schools,chargedwithoversightof29schools
donationof$25,000worthofinstrumentsfromFidelity
inthecity.
InvestmentsandtheBostonPops.TheEdwardshasalso
LikeallELTschools,theEdwardsgaugesitssuccessthrough benefitedfrompartnershipswiththeBostonBallet,
measuresbeyondstandardizedtestscores.Otherindicators theBirdStreetCommunityCenter,MedicineWheel,and
oftheschool’srapidprogressinclude: theUrbanEcologyInstituteatBostonCollege.
8thGradeStudentsHaveClosedandNarrowedtheAchievement GapwiththeState
Math ELA
t t
n n
e e
ci ci
ofi Grade8– ofi Grade8–
r r
P Edwards P Edwards
% %
Grade8– Grade8–
State State
2006 2007 2008 2009 2006 2007 2008 2009
5
8thGradeProficiencyat theEdwards,2006-2009
Horizontal Horizontal
ELA Math
redlinesand redlinesand
figuresindicate figuresindicate
2009MCAS 2009MCAS
proficiency proficiency
percentagefor percentagefor
t stateinthat t stateinthat
n n
e category. e category.
ci ci
fi fi
o o
r r
P P
% 2006 % 2006
2009 2009
Low African Latino Special Limited Low African Latino Special Limited
Income American Education English Income American Education English
Proficiency Proficiency
Other Essential Components for Successful SchoolTransformation
WhileELThasbeenaprimarydriverofchangeandresultsattheEdwards,thereareotheressential
componentsoftheschool’sturnaround:
Strongleadership.TheBostonPublicSchoolshired Aschool-widefocusondata-driveninstruction.Data
motivatedleaderswhohadasenseofurgencytodrive informseveryinstructionaldecisionthatismadeat
changeinthebuilding.Ateamconsistingoftheprincipal, theEdwards,andteachersandadministratorshavebeen
assistantprincipal,directorofinstruction,director trainedextensivelyinitsusage.Formativeassessments
ofExpandedLearningTime,keyteacher-leaders,andthe areusedfourtofivetimesaschoolyear,anddataboards
CitizenSchoolscampusdirectormeetsregularlyto prominentlydisplayeachstudent’sprogresstoward
overseeinstructionalleadershipandimplementation proficiencyinmathandELA.
ofthenewschoolday.
Acultureofprofessionalcollaboration.The
Buildingteachereffectiveness.Strengtheningteaching administrationestablishedcollaborativeplanningtime
wasaprioritybeforetheimplementationofELT.The forgrade-andsubject-levelteamsofteachersprior
Edwardshasbuiltahighlyeffectiveteachingforce totheimplementationofanexpandedschoolday.
throughtheuseofevaluations,anincreasedinvestment Theprofessionaldevelopmentschedulenowincludes
inprofessionaldevelopmentandcollaborativeplanning full-facultymeetingseveryFridayafternoonthat
time,andtheactiverecruitmentofoutstanding incorporatekeycommunitypartners.
neweducators.
Senator Edward Kennedy
“Therearefewmorepromisingstrategiesfor
helpingallchildrengetaheadintoday'sglobal
economythanexpandinglearningtime...The
earlyresultsoftheExpandedLearningTime
InitiativehereinMassachusettsareimpressive
andshowrealpromiseinpreparingallchildren
foralifetimeofsuccess.Ibelievewhat
we're doingwithexpandedlearningherein
Massachusettsisamodelforthenation.”
(VisittotheEdwardswithBostonMayor
ThomasM.Menino,January2008)
6
Growing Momentum for MoreTime
Educationexpertshavelongrecognizedthatexpandinglearningtimebeyondthetraditional180six-hourdaysshould
bepartofimprovingpubliceducation,butuntilrecentlytherehasbeenlittlemovementonthisimportantissue.This
ischanging.Thecurrentadministrationhasadvocatedforaredesignoftheschoolcalendartobettermeettheneeds
oftoday’sstudents;undertheguidelinesfortheAmericanRecoveryandReinvestmentAct(ARRA),unprecedentedfederal
fundsareslatedtobechanneledtoeducationandincentivizealongerschooldayandyearasastrategyforimproving
schools;andagrowingnumberofU.S.schoolshavealreadybrokenfromthetraditionalschoolcalendarandshifted
toexpandedlearningtimetoimproveeducationaloutcomes.Thesuccessoftheseschoolsinadvancingachievementfor
allstudentsiscontagiousandpromisestobeanintegralpartoftransformingpubliceducationacrossAmerica.
Nearly700schoolsacrossthecountryoperatewith
anexpandedschooldayand/oryear.
Scale:
0
1–9
10–29
30–74
75+
“WhentheEdwardsMiddleSchoolswitchedtoalongerday,
Ithought,‘great,Icanbarelystandsixandahalfhours.Who
wantstogofornine?’ButduringthefirstyearIrealizedthatELT
makesschoolmorefun.Weareabletochooseourelectives,
andwhenyouchoosewhatyouwanttodo,itmakesthedaygo
byfaster.
IfIwenthomeattwoo’clock,I’dprobablybedoingnothing.
I’dprobablysitonthecouchwithaMountainDewwatchingTV
orI’dbeoutskateboarding.ButI’dgiveupskateboarding
andMountainDewanydayoftheweektobehereatEdwards.
Nothingthatyouwoulddooutonthestreetsattwoo’clock
cancomparetowhatpeoplearedoinghereat4:30.”
Leo
,former8thgradestudentattheEdwards
Massachusetts2020andtheNationalCenteronTime
&Learning(NCTL)areaffiliatednonprofitorganizations
basedinBoston,dedicatedtoexpandinglearning
timetoeliminatetheachievementgapandprovidea
well-roundededucationforallchildren. Massachusetts
2020focusesitseffortsinMassachusettsandiscurrently
leadingthecountry’smostambitiousinitiativetorethink
whatapublicschoolmeansbyaddingsignificantly
morelearningtimetotheschooldayandyear.NCTLis
theleadingnationalorganizationfocusedontimeand
learningandhowschoolscanachievemorebyusing
expandedlearningtimewell.NCTLconductsresearch
andadvancespublicpolicyatthefederal,state,andlocal
levelsandprovidesdirecttechnicalassistancetoa
growingnumberofstates,districts,andschoolsthatseek
toexpandlearningtimetofuelgrowthandsuccess.
www.timeandlearning.org
www.mass2020.org
OneBeaconStreet,34thFloor
BostonMA02108
phone:[phone]
fax:[phone]