Stipluation Magnet Schools Evaluation Report

STIPULATION MAGNET SCHOOLS EVALUATION REPORT 2008-2009 Prepared by Dr. Jeanne Dreyfus Evaluation Consultant For The Magnet Review Committee April, 2010 Stipulation Magnet Schools Evaluation Report 2008-2009 Introduction. In the late I 980's, the Little Rock School district established six Stipulation magnet schools for the purpose of furthering student diversity and academic excellence. The schools, four elementary and two secondary, created all-school programs around specialty subjects or instructional approaches that educational leaders believed would resonate within the community and attract children of all ethnic/racial groupings. This report focuses on the 2008-2009 school year and examines three aspects of these schools -stakeholders' perceptions of their efficacy, student diversity, and academic achievement. It is organized into three sections: background and school descriptions, evaluation design and research questions, and evaluation findings. A. Background of Magnet Schools. The six Stipulation schools reviewed in this evaluation are magnet schools. In principle, magnet schools differ from schools that have 'stand-alone' magnet programs in that the magnet theme and mission are at the core of what these schools are about. Whatever advances the core advances the schools
whatever deters it, diminishes them. A.1. School Descriptions. As magnet schools, each of the six offered its students a unique education. During 2008-2009, the schools educated 3,781 students, or about 15% of the district's student population. Their student bodies reflected Little Rock's differing socio-economic levels, races and ethnic groupings. The chart below provides details. Percent Non- Schools Magnet Theme 2008-2009 Qualifying for African- African- Population Free/Reduced American American Meals 1 Students Students Booker Elementary (K-5) Arts 592 64% 56% 44% Carver Elementary (K-5) Math and Science 479 57% 57% 43% Gibbs Elementary (K-5) International Studies 302 39% 55% 45% and Foreign Languages Williams Elementary (K-5) Traditional (Core 444 38% 52% 48% Subject Studies) Mann Middle School (6-8) Arts and Science 851 46% 51% 49% Parkview High School (9-12) Arts and Science 1113 33% 52% 48% 1 Data are from 2008. At varying levels, the schools integrated their magnet themes into other parts of their curriculum. Arts magnets not only taught art as a subject in itself, but used it as a learning and assessment tool, too. Students studying science, for example, were called upon to demonstrate their learned knowledge through detailed, accurate and sophjsticated drawings as were students in these same magnets asked to do so in other subjects they were studying. International Studies students brought research skills learned in their magnet emphasis to their science and language arts classes and students in the Traditional Magnet were asked to go well beyond conventional tasks that characterize most core subject studies. These six Stipulation schools had strong stakeholder support in 2008-2009. School performances and activities were always well attended and volunteers donated more than 160,000 hours of work across the six schools. The number of hours volunteers put in at the schools ranged from ten to eighty hours per student. (Little Rock School District website. Volunteers in Public Schools. Home Page, 2009.) Three of the schools, Booker, Carver and Mann Middle School, all had more than 30,000 hours each of donated help alone. Volunteers worked in the outdoor-garden classrooms some of the schools maintained and used for science lessons. They also helped in school libraries, computer labs, classrooms, offices and at various school activities. B. Evaluation Design. The evaluator investigated and answered the following three questions: How do stakeholders perceive their Stipulation magnet schools? Do the Stipulation magnet schools educate a diverse student population? Have the Stipulation magnet schools been effective in improving students' academic achievement? Two of the three questions focused on student diversity and academic excellence because they are key components of the Stipulation schools' mission. The remaining query investigated stakeholders' "take" on, and experience with, their magnet schools and programs. Findings were based on the evaluator's analysis of(a) data from 917 surveys, (b) document reviews, (c) school volunteer hours, (d) a few interviews, (e) student demographics from the last five years, and (f) benchmark exam results in literacy and mathematics, by gender and combined populations across four sub-groups from 2005-2009. C. Evaluation Findings Research Question 1: How do stakeholders perceive their Stipulation magnet schools? Finding 1. Surveyed stakeholders consistently indicated that their Stipulation magnet schools were providing a quality education, addressing student needs, and offering richer and more rigorous programs than were the district's regular public schools. Overview. Respondents on surveys across the six schools were positive and highly supportive of their Stipulation magnet schools. In particular, the 262 surveyed parents were firm in their belief that their magnet schools provided rigorous, rich and robust programs. In addition, in a number of different ways, many expressed the belief that their Stipulation magnet schools were the reason that the district could compete with private schools in the city. A few of their survey comments follow: "We intended to send her to private school, but the reputation of this magnet school changed our minds. It's been one of the best decisions we've made." (magnet parent) "I want to give my son an exceptional learning environment that would challenge him to do more than the bare minimum." (magnet parent) "I love my magnet program because I learn a lot and have a lot of fun. I like that my magnet teachers take the time to help me whenever I need help." (magnet student) "I am a product of the magnet school. I believe it truly made a difference for (me) in college, and, after, gave me an advantage in my career." (magnet parent) "(My magnet classes) are awesome. Sometimes, we even get to do a lot of things. We play insterments (sic), we have drama, band, piano, orchestra, and Advanced Orchestra groups. I love this school and the people that are in this school." (magnet student) "My Magnet School ... provides a basic skills curriculum utilizing the latest technology where each child can become a high achiever, responsible citizen, critical thinker and motivated lifelong learner." (magnet staff member) Students. Of the 496 students who gave input into whether they agreed with the statement, "/ am getting a good education," a full 82% of them affirmed that the statement was "very true, " for them, with the remaining 18% indicating that it was "somewhat true." (Only one student wrote that the statement was "not true.") Teachers. Additionally, of the 157 Stipulation magnet school teachers who provided survey input, 91 % selected "strongly agree" or "agree" to the statement that said they believed their schools' magnet curriculum and classes were meeting the "academic needs of African-American students." Furthermore, 97.5% of these same respondents selected "strongly agreed" or "agree" to the declaration,"/ believe our magnet program is one of the main reasons why students come to our school. " Finding 2. A sample of I 04 parents who have children in a Stipulation magnet school indicated that, if their school no longer had a magnet program, they would not continue to send them to the school. Of those, sixty-seven percent declared that they would enroll them in a private school, a charter school, or home school them instead. Importance of Stipulation magnet schools. When asked if they would continue to send their child to their Stipulation magnet school if their magnet program no longer existed, 49% of parents (176) with children in one of the four elementary schools said, "yes," they would, while 51 % said that "no", they would not. Data from a smaller sample of parents (43) with children in the two Stipulation secondary schools provided an opposing opinion with 51 % saying that they would continue to send their child to the same school, while 49% said, "no" they would not. The survey also solicited further infonnation from those who answered "no" to the above question by asking them where they would send their child if their current school was no longer a magnet school. The largest percentage of parents, 38%, wrote down "private school" and many named which one. The second most common answer, 22% of respondents, stated that they would send them to a "Charter School," again often naming which one. The following chart provides further details. Parents Perceptions N= 104 "Would you continue to have your child attend the school if it no longer had a magnet program? If "No, "where would you send your child to school?" Percent of sampled parents who indicated what way they would educate their children if there were no magnet program at their current Stipulation school. Private School 38% Charter School 22% Regular Public School 20% Another Magnet School 13% Home School 7% Question 2: Do the Stipulation magnet schools educate a diverse student population? Since their inception, the Stipulation magnet schools have played an important role in attracting substantial numbers of students of differing racial and ethnic backgrounds to public schools. With a goal of promoting educational excellence and offering specialized all-school curriculum programs, the Stipulation schools are able to give parents and students with special interests and talents a number of educational choices. Finding 3. Although there have been challenges over the years, data support the finding that the six Stipulation magnet schools continue to educate diverse student populations. This is particularly true when the schools' diversity data are compared to the Little Rock School district's enrollment data. Subgroups. Although this report deals with the larger African-American and non-African American subgroups, the evaluator is aware of the changes in make-up of the non-African-American subgroup. This is especially true for Hispanic children, a small but increasing ethnic group being educated by the district. However, it is the comparison of the Stipulation magnet schools' diversity data with that of the district's that illustrates a level of success within the former schools. For example, in 2008-2009, the four major non-Stipulation district high schools - Central, J.A. Fair, Hall, and McClellan had respective African-American student enrollments of55%2, 88%, 80%, and 2 Although Central High School is not a Stipulation magnet school, it does offer a strong embedded magnet program. 90% (versus 45%, 12%, 20%, I 0% non-African Americans.) This compares to the one Stipulation magnet high school which had a student population that consisted of52% African-Americans and 48% non-African Americans. Although it is a common practice in reports to present historical data in consecutive years to highlight trends, the chart below is intended for a different purpose. Since the six Stipulation schools have also experienced racial/ethnic fluctuations in the somewhat recent past, the chart below displays some of these swings over time. Stipulation Magnet Schools Racial/Ethnic Distributions School African-American Students Non-African American Students '03-'04 '06-'07 '08-'09 '03-'04 '06-'07 '08-'09 Elementary Schools Booker 55% 52% 56% 45% 48% 44% Carver 54% 54% 57% 46% 46% 43% Gibbs 52% 54% 55% 48% 46% 45% Williams 52% 51% 52% 48% 49% 48% Middle School Horace Mann 50% 50% 51% 50% 49% 49% High School Parkview 51% 50% 52% 49% 50% 48% Question 3: Have the Stipulation magnet schools been effective in improving students' academic achievement? Background. The most commonly used yardstick to measure student achievement has been standardized test scores, in particular those generated from the Benchmark exams. Part of the Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment and Accountability Program (ACTAAP), the Benchmark exams are criterion-referenced tests that measure the degree to which students have mastered the state's math and literacy content standards. The goal is for all students to achieve "proficiency" or better at each grade level. This section of the report presents the Benchmark Exam data for the six Stipulation magnet schools and the evaluator's findings. It presents three years of literacy and mathematics results by school, by combined populations, and three subgroups - African-American and Caucasian students3, and the economically disadvantaged. Finding 4. Despite recent fluctuations, the overall trend in Benchmark Exam data for the six Stipulation magnet schools is positive. However, the schools will have to be diligent in not only maintaining the upward momentum they have established with some of their student subgroups, but also must be assiduously steadfast in helping those who are at-risk. 3 The official data source the evaluator used organized test results into African-American, Caucasian, and Hispanic ethnic/racial subgroups. However, the sample of Hispanics had no reported results
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Elementary 12.7 16.7 27 11.4 Strong Narrowing -- Math Mann Middle 27.3 20.7 26 25 Narrowed Gaps Parkview HS 22.2 21.6 18.6 26.5 Narrowed/Increased Gap *Numbers in bold indicate the lowest percentage point gap. Adequate Yearly Progress Status. Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB), schools' combined populations and six designated subgroups must meet literacy and mathematics Adequate Yearly Progress (A YP) targets every year. Schools are held accountable for every group and subgroup that has more than 40 students and "if any one of these groups fails to make A YP in mathematics or in literacy, the entire school is considered not to have made A YP". The six subgroups include African-American, Caucasian and Hispanic students, the economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, and English-language learners. If a school does not meet A YP targets for two consecutive years, it is put on the School Improvement (SJ) List (ArkansasEd.org, January, 2008), where progressively demanding actions are required to remediate the problem. The chart below displays recent and future Annual Expected Performance targets that schools must meet in literacy and mathematics. These ever-increasing goals will continue to challenge schools until 2013- 2014, when NCLB requires that all students be proficient in both subjects. For school year 2009-2010, 70% of all students and subgroups must be proficient in math and literacy. That is a 12% increase over the previous year. Adequate Yearly Progress Annual Expected Performances Percent of Students Who Must Be Proficient or Above Year K-5 K-5 6-8 6-8 9-12 9-12 ( Startine: Point) Math Literacy Math Literacy Math Literacy 2007-2008 55.00% 56.80% 46.83% 51.40% 46.90% 51.63% 2008-2009 62.50% 64.00% 55.69% 59.50% 55.75% 56.69% 2009-2010 70.00% 71.20% 64.55% 67.60% 64.60% 67.75% Amended by State, February 15, 2007 School Improvement Standing. In 2008-2009, four of the six schools "met standards" in literacy and mathematics and were not placed on the "Needs Improvement" list, while the remaining two were placed on Year I School Improvement (SI- I) for not meeting literacy standards (Booker), and mathematics and literacy standards (Mann Middle School.) (Normessasweb.uark.edu/schoolperformance/ website.4) See chart below for detai Is. School AYP Status Comments Met Standards for Math - Yes Booker Elementary SI-1 Met Standards for Literacy -- No Carver Elementary Met Standards Gibbs Elementary Met Standards Williams Elementary Met Standards Met Standards for Math - No Mann Middle School SI-1 Met Standards for Literacy - No Parkveiw HS Met Standards Both schools took formal steps in 2009-2010 to support students who needed academic help. Booker Magnet, for example, created a two hour bi-weekly after-school literacy and math support program and invited 163 students to participate. Using itemized test data, school leaders identified children in need of intervention and created small group lessons that addressed their needs and interests. The school offered transportation and a "younger siblings" support piece to those families that had multiple children in the school and were unable to make two trips to the school to ferry their children home. Of the 163 students invited, 107 regularly received this small-group intervention. For those who were unable to participate, the school also created a daily 30-minute, needs-based in-house support program. Certified teachers met with their groups, usually sets of 3-4 students, and worked on lessons and/or projects that targeted their individual needs. 4 The evaluator relied on data that were available to the public for the 2008-2009 school year. It is possible that the data used in this report was later updated to reflect appeal decisions or other factors. Booker also utilizes its Reading Recovery program to assist at-risk students. This program is an "intensive, research-based early intervention literacy program" used to help low-achieving children learn to read. It is a nationally recognized program that trains and certifies teachers in one-on-one instruction. The training teaches them how to identify and build upon a child's reading competencies and address his or her needs. A child who participates in this program may receive up to 20 weeks of intensive instruction. Horace Mann Middle School Magnet implements a three-prong remediation program for students who are designated as "Basic" or "Below Basic" in mathematics and/or literacy. It provides Mann students with small-group (ten or fewer), pull-out intervention classes during the regular school day. In addition, teachers use English and mathematics workbooks, daily, to review ACTAAP content in their core classes. To further supplement its program, the school also offers one-to-one targeted intervention in its computer lab using software programs that focus especially on math and literacy. Approximately fifty students classified as "Basic" and "Below Basic" in either math or literacy receive one hour of one-to-one tutoring in Mann's "Early Morning Tutoring" program. They also can access the First-in-Math computer program from the lab or at home, and work on content that they find challenging. This program contains numerous sequential, skill-building games that students usually find engaging. It provides users and teachers with pre- and post-test results and tracks students' proficiency levels in each content area. The test-preparation module contains problem-solving exercises in data analysis, algebra, geometry, and six other areas. The content is aligned with national and state standards and gives students practice with questions similar to those found on standardized tests. Finally, the school's Instructional Coach has trained teachers in the use of Target Teach, a datadriven computerized curriculum that is aligned with the content and testing formats of state exams. The value of this program is that it can fill in any gaps in students' regular math or English lessons and can track students' benchmark achievements as they move through the software's curricula. Thus, teachers can access the current status of their students from Target Teach files and make adjustments to their lessons in an efficient and timely manner. Research on effective interventions for those having difficulty in literacy and math support the types of intervention Booker and Mann are providing for their students. Multiple opportunities to engage in reading, writing and text analysis, or targeted math skill practice in small groups, or in one-on-one environments increase proficiency, especially if immediate feedback is built into the process. Conclusion. Since their inception, the Stipulation magnet schools have sought to promote student diversity and academic excellence. By offering parents and students an integrated curriculum based on unique and compelling themes and rigorous instruction, their hope is that the schools will provide parents and students with choices they find appealing. In 2008-2009, several of the six schools accomplished a number of their goals
however, all of the schools need to closely track and remediate the academic challenges that some of their subgroups are facing, especially with the ever-increasing A YP targets schools must grapple with in 2010.
This project was supported in part by a Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives project grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Council on Library and Information Resoources.

<dcterms_creator>Arkansas. Department of Education</dcterms_creator>