BTO SUCCESS STORY: NO EXCUSES APPROACH TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT YIELDS IMPRESSIVE RESULTS AT SEVILLA WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL

Every June, just as Arizona principals begin to receive students’ AIMS test scores from the state, Principal Kathy Davis’s home phone and cell phone begin to ring. On the other end are teachers who can’t wait to find out how their students did on the high-stakes exam.

Principal Davis has succeeded in creating a culture in which teachers not only take ownership of their students’ assessment scores, but they are excited about the role they play in them. The result is a school whose academic performance, year after year, improves and surpasses that of other surrounding schools.

Creating teacher accountability for test results is just one of the common challenges that Principal Davis addresses as a mentor of principals in the Beat the Odds School Partners program.

Phoenix’s Sevilla West Middle School, which serves grades four through eight in the Alhambra School District, faces the same socioeconomic and ethnic challenges that many Arizona schools face. Of the 1,120 students, 88 percent qualify for the federal free or reduced price lunch program, an indicator of poverty. Eighty-six percent are minority student populations — mostly Latino (72 percent Hispanic, 14 percent White, 8 percent Black, 3.5 percent Asian, 2.5 percent Native American).

Yet at Sevilla West, students are as likely to be headed to the principal’s office to announce their academic success, as any other reason. “Half the battle is to get the students to care — to inspire and motivate our kids to reach the next level,” Principal Davis observed. “Effective teaching is the other half.”

Creating a Clear Bottom Line for Each Student

Ongoing assessment plays an important role in pinpointing areas of academic need for each student, which allows teachers to help the students achieve greater success. The test data is used to establish students’ goals, or what Beat the Odds refers to as “the clear bottom line.”

Teachers work with each student to establish target scores, whether the student is lagging behind or excelling. “We set targets in all areas,” Principal Davis commented.” “We try to move everybody up one level in AIMS.”

Students are tested every eight to nine weeks on reading, math and writing, using longitudinal tests. “We expect the students to do better each time,” she said.

Teachers create spreadsheets to track each student’s scores. The spreadsheets include the student’s AIMS test score from the previous year; baseline 4Sight scores from pre-assessment tests administered the second week of school; quarterly 4Sight longitudinal assessments; Galileo benchmark assessments (three times per year); school-wide fluency and vocabulary assessments; and classroom assessments (unit tests or quizzes on specific lessons within the unit).

“At the beginning of the year, the kids review their AIMS results with their teacher and set quarterly goals,” she said. “They determine what score they want to achieve on the next test. The teacher makes sure they don’t set their goal too low or too high.”

Together, student and teacher establish an action plan to achieve the next goal. This may include a student’s commitment to attend tutoring, read 20 minutes each night or memorize something by the end of the quarter. These interventions, which also may include English language support, are included on the teacher’s spreadsheet.

 “This seems to really make a difference,” Principal Davis said. “Students know what their score is and where they need to be. They are so proud when they reach their goal. They come and tell me.”

Using Data to Drive Improvement

The rigorous process of assessing students early and often has dual benefits.
“If we find out they’ve got it, we move on and don’t waste time,” said Carrie Meyers, who has taught fourth grade at the school for the past seven years. “If they fall short, we go back and re-teach it.”

Students are grouped according to their academic needs, which allows teachers to differentiate their teaching during the school day.

The school staff works closely with new teachers so they aren’t overwhelmed by all of the data. “We plan and analyze the data together,” Meyers said. “We’re always collaborating.”

The teachers’ spreadsheets continue to serve as valuable tools after the school year has ended. The final number to be added is the year-end AIMS score. By looking at the entire year on one spreadsheet, they can easily see what worked.

During her first three years as principal of Sevilla West, Davis provided the AIMS scores to teachers when they returned to school in August. She discovered, however, that it is more effective to provide the scores to teachers over the summer.

“When they come back from summer vacation, teachers are in a different frame of mind,” Principal Davis said. “They have a new class. They’re focusing ahead.”

For the past five years, she has mailed AIMS test scores to her teachers in June so they have the summer to reflect upon the results before meeting with her in August to discuss what worked and what might work better in the future. “Half of the teachers come and get their results as soon as they are ready, instead of waiting to get them in the mail,” she said.

“I love getting it in the summer,” commented teacher Carrie Meyers. “It gives us time to reflect when we aren’t caught up in the day-to-day distractions of school.

“It’s really motivating for kids and teachers to see kids make their goals, and then set new ones and reach higher,” she added. “It helps instill the intrinsic motivation in kids so they can continue to be successful all of their lives.”

Download Student Score Spreadsheet. (Microsoft Excel Format)