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The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 1
CASE STUDY:
WHEELING HIGH SCHOOL
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 1
About The Case Study
This case study is one of a series of case studies produced for
The STEM Schools Project. The purpose of the STEM
Schools Project is to document promising practices in high
schools and middle schools that are providing students a
STEM-rich experience, drawing upon a high quality
implementation of Project Lead The Way's Pathway To
Engineering and/or Biomedical Sciences programs.
The Meeder Consulting Group conducted the site visits, wrote
the case studies and final report, and is managing all aspects
of The STEM Schools Project. The project is funded through
generous support from the Kern Family Foundation based in
Waukesha, Wisconsin (www.kffdn.org).
From information collected during each of the nine site visits,
the authors prepared detailed, reader-friendly reports
describing the schools’ accomplishments, approach to STEM
learning, and school improvement strategies. The case
studies organize material into three overarching themes
related to how schools use PLTW to spur STEM-related
learning emerged:
� Create an Exceptional PLTW Implementation,
� Develop a School-wide STEM Culture, and
� Implement Related School Improvement
Strategies.
In addition to the case studies, a Final Report will be released
that synthesizes key findings from all the case studies and
places them in the larger context of STEM education reform.
For more information about the STEM Schools Project, visit
www.meederconsulting.com
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 2
Part i. introduction and overview Summary The leadership team and instructional faculty at Wheeling High School (WHS) in
Wheeling, Illinois, strive to equip all students, regardless of their education level or
area of study, with a solid foundation of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics) knowledge. To support this STEM–for-All approach, learning
activities at WHS are driven by the school-wide goal of “preparing students to
think critically and solve complex problems, adapt to new technologies, and
communicate effectively to a variety of audiences – all skills required to succeed in
a global 21st century economy.” Using an inquiry-based approach to instruction,
teachers help students learn how to solve problems through investigation and
how to purposefully link their learning across multiple disciplines. They teach and
reinforce STEM-related skills, such as problem solving, teamwork, technology, and
communication, in a broader context in all classes.
School Profile Established in 1964, Wheeling High School (WHS) is a STEM-focused,
comprehensive public high school located in Wheeling, Illinois. Wheeling is a
suburban community located 28 miles northwest of downtown Chicago and has
approximately 40,000 residents. WHS offers a full academic curriculum to students
from the Township High School District 214 (SD 214), and as of the 2011–2012
school year, approximately 1,900 students attended grades nine through 12 at
WHS. The leadership team includes a principal, two assistant principals, and two
associate principals. There are also two deans of students, five division heads, and
140 instructors at WHS.
SD 214 oversees curriculum approval and instruction across high schools in the
district. The school district, a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award1
recipient, serves 12,236 secondary students and includes five other high schools in
addition to WHS.
The student population at WHS is ethnically diverse. Approximately 40 percent of
students are white, 49 percent are Hispanic, 2.5 percent are black, six percent are
Asian, and 2.5 percent are American Indian or Pacific Islander. Approximately 38
percent of the students are identified as economically disadvantaged, and 16
percent of the students receive special education services.
Synopsis of Project Lead the Way Implementation In the summer of 2004, with the support of Bradley University and the Kern Family
Foundation, the first career technical education (CTE) instructor from Wheeling
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 3
High School received Project Lead the Way (PLTW) training for the Pathway To
Engineering (PTE) program. That fall, WHS introduced its first PLTW course,
Introduction to Engineering Design (IED).
With rapidly increasing enrollment, PLTW is one of WHS’s most successful
programs. In all four courses in the PLTW sequence, WHS students are offered the
unique blend of an engineering education and real-world application.
With the arrival of Principal Dr. Lazaro Lopez in 2007, the WHS leadership and
faculty began exploring how to create a STEM culture that would intentionally
impact all students.
This push toward STEM began in 2007 after Dr. Lopez conducted interviews with
each teacher and building administrator in the school, trying to identify the
school’s strengths. After observing the school’s strong math and technology
programs, school leadership determined the school should be built around a
STEM philosophy.
In the fall of 2010, the school leadership officially unveiled its philosophy of STEM
instruction and adopted the moniker of a STEM school. This coincided with WHS
being identified as a national STEM partner school by the National Consortium for
Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology
(NCSSSMST). NCSSSMST has the goal of fostering, supporting, and advancing
the efforts of specialized schools whose primary purpose is to attract and
academically prepare students for leadership in mathematics, science, and
technology and currently partners with only 100 schools across the nation. This
recognition as an Institutional Member validated the work at WHS and encouraged
the leadership to continue in their efforts to ensure the STEM philosophy reaches
all students.
Also in 2010, WHS introduced a school-wide inquiry model framework to drive
instruction and teach students how to approach a problem and work through it.
Internally created by a WHS leadership team of teachers and administrators, this
model was named “QUEST.”
According to the leadership team, students trained in STEM literacy and skills are
better equipped to succeed in the real world. Dr. Lopez further noted, “Every
student has a future. Our overarching philosophy is helping each student identify
an interest and reach his or her full potential, prepared for success in the 21st
century.”
The table below provides enrollment information for PLTW at Wheeling High
School.
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 4
Project Lead the Way Enrollment
PLTW Courses Offered Number of Students Enrolled
2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012
Introduction to
Engineering Design 33 91 67 66
Computer Integrated
Manufacturing 11 18 32 19
Civil Engineering and
Architecture 0 20 25 21
Principles of Engineering 2 14 17 17
Aerospace Engineering 3 0 0 0
Source: Wheeling High School, May 2012.
The STEM Continuum Model The working theory of the STEM Schools Project is that there is a natural
continuum of integration and connection of STEM education occurring in schools
that use Project Lead the Way’s Gateway to Technology (middle schools) or PTE
and/or Biomedical Sciences (BMS) programs (high schools). In some schools, PTE
and BMS are offered as sequences of courses that offer an excellent learning
experience to students, but the courses stand alone and do not connect to other
courses that fall under the STEM umbrella. In some schools, teachers—on a case-
by-case basis and through individual initiative—inculcate some of the project-
based and inquiry-based approaches of PLTW courses into the math and science
courses that they teach. Alternatively, they may informally collaborate with
colleagues in other content areas to create a smattering of integrated or linked
curriculum units. Further along the continuum are schools that are actively and
intentionally creating integrated and connected learning between STEM courses,
and in some cases with other courses such as English Language Arts and the
Social Sciences. In these schools, teachers are actively and consistently
collaborating with the support of administrative team members.
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 5
The STEM continuum includes the following groupings of strategies:
• Create an Exceptional PLTW Implementation,
• Develop a School-wide STEM Culture, and
• Implement Related School Improvement Strategies.
The remainder of this case study is organized around these groupings, although
not every strategy in the continuum will be observed in every case study. If the
strategy was not observed during the site visit or subsequent interviews, this fact
is noted but should not be construed to reflect negatively on the school that is
profiled.
Part ii. Strategies
1. create an exceptional PLTW
implementation In the fall of 2011, the SME Education Foundation (an institution committed to
changing the future of manufacturing education and addressing the shortage of
manufacturing and technical talent in the United States) recognized WHS as a
PRIME School for its PLTW program. This prestigious award includes $15,000 for
program improvement and scholarship and mentorship opportunities for
outstanding students. Several factors contributing to this high level of PLTW
recognition are explored below.
1.1 Building Readiness and Support for PLTW Implementation In 2003, SD 214 leadership evaluated what its six high schools offered in terms of
STEM education. After identifying a lack of cohesive STEM programming, SD 214
leadership decided to implement the PLTW Pathway to Engineering (PTE) program
at four of its high schools.
At that time, Illinois was not a PLTW state, and no schools in the state offered
PLTW, so SD 214 leadership and WHS instructors visited schools in Indiana to
observe and learn about the engineering program. Later in the 2004–2005 school
year, Illinois became a PLTW state with the University of Illinois as the lead
postsecondary institution. That same year, WHS introduced its first PLTW course,
Introduction to Engineering Design (IED).
After introducing IED, WHS implemented Civil Engineering and Architecture (CEA)
and Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) in the fall of 2005 and Principles of
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 6
Engineering (POE) in 2006. Typically, POE follows IED in the recommended
sequence of courses and is taken during the sophomore year. However, WHS
instructors determined students would perform better taking POE during their
junior or senior year because the math and science taught in other upper-level
academic courses closely match the principles taught in POE. Currently, students
in POE are performing better than other students in their upper-level academic
courses as well as excelling in their POE studies.
Although these efforts were readily approved by SD 214, there was no district-
wide implementation plan guiding the process. Rather, WHS leadership developed
its own three-year implementation and fundraising plan. With help from the Kern
Family Foundation to cover the cost of teacher training for PLTW and provide
additional funds to support equipment purchases, WHS leadership phased in the
PLTW program over a three-year period. While doing this, the foundation did not
stipulate a timeframe or the number of PLTW courses to be rolled out, instead
allowing the school to follow its plan.
Planning also includes a careful attention to the physical facility supporting the
program. In 2009, WHS renovated its technology wing. With input from the
Tooling and Manufacturing Association and manufacturing partners, technology
instructors designed a state-of-the-art prototyping fabrication lab to provide
students with a competitive edge in postsecondary work or degree programs. This
lab provides training with a computer numerical control (CNC) machine
(commonly used in machining), a prototype rapid printer, a robotic workstation, a
surface grinder, a plasma cutter, and a welding booth. Students also receive
training on precision machining technology and advanced architecture software.
1.2 Select and Support a Strong PLTW Instructional Team At WHS, both CTE and academic content area instructors teach the PLTW courses.
1.3 Set Goals for Program Enrollment Although WHS does not offer the full spectrum of PTE courses (as of 2011, it offers
four courses), it does house the largest PLTW program in the district and
enrollment is increasing each year. From 2008 to 2011, enrollment in IED doubled
from 33 to 66 students with overall enrollment in PLTW at 150 students—not
including the 100 students enrolled in the Gateway to Technology (GTT) middle
school program. This program is particularly notable because SD 214 has no
control over the middle school that sends students to WHS to participate in GTT.
Thus, WHS leadership funds this program out of the school’s budget.
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 7
Student participation in other PLTW courses is also rapidly increasing. Instructors
and faculty largely attribute the rapid growth to the fact PLTW courses offer
contextual, hands-on learning that is often not available in traditional math and
science courses.
Despite a lack of formal goals regarding PLTW enrollment and offered courses,
WHS focuses on exposing every student to the program so they can access the
program if interested. The principal says he would like to see overall participation
in the sixth to 12th grade program grow from the current 300 students to an
enrollment of 500.
Ultimately, WHS does not focus on targets for enrollment in specific STEM
programs. Rather, the focus lies primarily on ensuring STEM-related instruction
happens in every single course at WHS. As Dr. Lopez noted, “Whether it is PLTW,
nursing, or graphic arts, I just want every student to participate in a career
pathway, to get them engaged with their future and excited about their school
experience. Our goal is they won’t be able to avoid developing STEM skills
regardless their course selection. Every student will be exposed to these 21st
century skills no matter what pathway they are on.”
1.4 Reach Out to Prospective PLTW Students
Informal Student-to-Student Marketing
WHS does some light marketing within the school, but the faculty finds that
current PLTW students provide the best marketing when they share their positive
learning experiences and excitement for projects with non-PLTW students.
WHS Offering of Gateway to Technology in an After-School Format
More formalized and targeted recruitment for PLTW grew significantly in the last
five years. Dr. Lopez indicated that the intent is to “take what was then a couple of
classes and make it into a full program of study.”
To do this, the WHS team adopted the PLTW GTT program to provide pre-
engineering courses for sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students. This after-
school program, taught at WHS in three 12-week sessions, uses WHS funds to
provide up to 125 junior high students, including those with special needs, access
to an early STEM education. In 2010, the program consisted of 75 percent boys
and 25 percent girls.
Summer STEM Camp
WHS leadership strives to create an avenue for all students—especially those who
are considered “at risk”—to pursue STEM studies as early as possible. STEM
recruitment and education for area school-aged children begins as early as first
grade with the STEM Summer Camp at WHS. During the week-long camp,
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 8
students in first through eighth grades experience the fun and excitement of STEM
through a variety of hands-on experiences such as “Grossology,” “Sportistics”,
Fun with Food, and Crave the Wave.
1.5 Reach Out to Local Businesses to Gain and Sustain Support In 2004, Wheeling PLTW coordinators formed an advisory committee in response
to the requirements of the PLTW certification process. Made up of approximately
ten members from area manufacturing and machining companies and
postsecondary institutions, the advisory committee informs WHS and its PLTW
instructors about what skills and education students need to be successful in
STEM-related jobs upon graduation. Additionally, nearly all companies
represented on the committee offer students the opportunity to shadow or intern
at their facility.
The PLTW faculty describes the advisory committee’s role as “transformative.”
Knowing that students needed to have some hands-on machining experience in
the classroom, the committee successfully recommended and advocated for
establishing an advanced manufacturing/machining program to complement
PLTW.
In addition to engaging the PLTW advisory committee, the WHS leadership team
regularly opens the school’s doors to members from the community and
surrounding schools to exhibit its PLTW and STEM programs. In November 2009,
with sponsorship from the Kern Family Foundation, WHS hosted its first PLTW
Showcase. Administrators, teachers, and counselors from 31 area high schools
spent the day at WHS to tour its PLTW facilities, meet with current faculty and
students, and learn about the PLTW PTE program.
Later, in February 2010, WHS hosted 20 area manufacturers for a tour of its new
prototyping fabrication lab. Visitors received an overview of the school’s PTE,
architecture, and advanced manufacturing programs. As a result of the meeting,
the Wheeling Industrial Network was formed to support the expansion and
development of high-tech manufacturing and partner with secondary education in
preparation of students choosing a career pathway in high-skilled manufacturing.
In addition to providing guidance to and advising the WHS faculty and teachers on
how to best offer students a current and progressive STEM education, many
businesses throughout the community offer STEM students the opportunity to
intern with their company. In fact, because of the advanced level of technology
education students receive at WHS, area companies regularly seek out current
students and graduates for internships and jobs. According to a member from the
PLTW Advisory Board, “These kids are equipped with the technology needed to hit
the ground running. A precision mindset is required for the new kind of
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 9
engineering and manufacturing and these [WHS] students have that.” To further
connect students with their studies, administrators team up with local STEM
industry partners to offer internship opportunities to PLTW students.
For example, Northrop Grumman selects two students each year to work
alongside project engineers, conduct product design, and present findings to
company engineers and executives. These students also receive a $5,000 college
scholarship if they choose to pursue STEM studies. Other area manufacturing
companies, Swiss Precision, Iverson & Company, and Numerical Precision, also
host several WHS interns each year. These companies often seek WHS students
for postsecondary employment immediately after graduation because these
students exhibit the skills needed to succeed in the workplace.
As one industry partner observed, “These [WHS] students have hard, transferrable
skills. The curriculum at WHS seems to match the needs of what companies are
searching for. When students enter these internships, they are able to work pretty
quickly—they don’t require tons of training. This is the best kind of employee and
this is why we want to hire them.”
2. develop a school-wide STEM
culture 2.1 Establish Shared Guiding Principles for STEM Learning Under this strategy of establishing shared guiding principles for STEM Learning
are three related, but distinct sub-strategies: Define STEM Education, Define
STEM Literacy, and Develop District-Wide Vision for STEM Learning.
2.1.1 Define STEM Education Dr. Lopez arrived at WHS in 2007, three years after the PLTW implementation.
Although he recognized the great potential of PLTW, he was immediately struck by
the increasing need to provide STEM-focused learning to all students, not just
gifted or “techie” kids. Prior to Dr. Lopez’s arrival, WHS offered a few STEM-
related courses but lacked an embedded STEM philosophy and culture. The
previous course offerings did not include the inquiry-based approach WHS
leadership was working to establish. Despite a lack of cohesive STEM
programming, as mentioned earlier, Dr. Lopez determined that some of the great
strengths at WHS lay in math and technology. As a result, the WHS team began to
redesign the school’s culture and create what they call a “STEM-for-All”
atmosphere.
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 10
To bring this atmosphere to life, the teachers evaluated how STEM skills were
being integrated into each course offered within the walls of WHS. On the basis of
the skills outlined by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), teachers aligned
STEM-related skills content within their courses and highlighted reading materials
with related STEM content. The P21 skills framework provided teachers with a tool
to use in adapting these STEM skills to, and aligning them with, their curriculum.
Because becoming a STEM school was a new concept at WHS, the leadership
team works to provide consistent and varying types of professional development
to the teachers. The school administration operates under the belief that equipping
and familiarizing all teachers—not just teachers in math, science, and technology—
with STEM skills is crucial to the school’s mission to provide an integrated STEM-
for-All approach.
The school leadership team also developed a teaching framework, called QUEST
(see header 3.2.2 “Implement Inquiry-based and Project-based Learning
Strategies” for details), to access and drive critical thinking through student
inquiry by engaging all students in authentic research, regardless of the content
area. Implemented in 2010, the QUEST framework is used by teachers all over the
school as a scalable model for how to drive inquiry-based learning. The WHS goal
is for every student to receive STEM-related content no matter what they choose
to study. Regardless of whether a student participates in a traditional STEM course
or a non-traditional STEM course, the STEM-skill set is embedded and relevant to
the student’s individual school experience.
The WHS team stresses that the STEM-for-All approach is not an effort to create a
CTE program for students who will not attend a four-year college but rather that it
is meant to expose students to the skill set STEM has to offer in all content areas,
regardless of a student’s postsecondary path. While still dependent on a student’s
ability and interest level, the initiative equips all students to pursue a variety of
options ranging from college-credit–bearing courses to entry-level certifications.
The initiative also supports continued professional development on the part of
staff.
Exerting Leadership in STEM
In addition to developing a STEM culture within Wheeling, the school’s leaders are
providing leadership to regional and national conversations about STEM
education. In August 2010, WHS hosted a STEM-for-All Conference during which
discussions centered on preparing students at all ability levels for 21st-century
postsecondary opportunities. Conference highlights include keynote addresses by
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 11
the Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council Executive Director and an MIT
Robotics Engineer on rebuilding the middle class through high-tech
manufacturing. Over 350 educators, local leaders, and community members
attended the conference.
In February 2012, Wheeling High School was selected as the model school by
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to provide the keynote presentation for the launching
of the state’s STEM Pathways Initiative. This new state initiative is designed to
support college and career readiness for all students through local programs that
empower students to explore academic and career interests and the development
of learning exchanges that bridge public–private partnerships.
2.1.2 Define STEM Literacy Through its “STEM-for-All” approach, the WHS faculty emphasizes that regardless
of a student’s educational focus, he or she should receive an embedded STEM-
related skill set that is taught and reinforced in all courses throughout the school.
WHS teachers are expected to pursue the school-wide goal of “preparing students
to think critically and solve complex problems, adapt to new technologies, and
communicate effectively to a variety of audiences – all skills required to succeed in
a global 21st century economy.” Instructors teach and reinforce skills related to
STEM, such as problem solving, teamwork, technology, and communication, in a
broader context in all classes.
In accordance with the skills outlined by P21, every student is expected to develop
the following STEM skills:
• Problem Solving,
• Teamwork,
• Technology, and
• Communication.
To accomplish this, WHS incorporates all subject areas in an interdisciplinary
approach, training students to transfer and apply knowledge and skills across the
curricular spectrum rather than isolating each subject area. The STEM skills such
as problem solving, teamwork, technology, and communication are purposely
taught and reinforced throughout curricula, allowing students to practice these
STEM skills within a broader context.
Teachers also consistently reinforce STEM literacy by embedding the QUEST
model in their classrooms. The WHS leadership team challenges teachers to
provide students with an inquiry-based experience in their course, regardless of
the topic. To meet this challenge, teachers regularly collaborate with their
professional learning team (PLT – a group of teachers in the same subject area) to
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 12
brainstorm how an authentic research experience can occur. School leadership
also regularly meets with the heads of each PLT to further explore how to cultivate
STEM literacy across all disciplines.
Increased Science and Math Requirements
WHS leadership increased its course offerings and student requirements for math
and science. School leadership created this new policy in an effort to strengthen
students’ STEM studies. Before the focus on STEM, not every student took three
years of science because SD 214 only mandates that students take two years of the
subject. As of 2008, WHS leadership began to counsel students and sequence
courses with the expectation that all would enroll in three years of science.
2.1.3 Develop District-wide Vision for STEM Learning Although DS 214 readily supports the holistic approach to STEM at WHS, a district-
level mission for PLTW and STEM learning is not currently in place at all school
campuses. However, there is interest in sharing the QUEST model at other district
high schools. Dr. Lopez noted that although district-level support has been
consistent and strong throughout WHS’s transition to becoming a STEM school,
the STEM-for-All–related initiatives originated from within the WHS team.
2.2 Implement Innovative STEM Curriculum and Instruction Under this strategy of implementing innovative STEM curriculum and instruction,
there are two related, but distinct sub-strategies: Integrate STEM-Rich Instruction,
and Implement Inquiry-based and Project-based Learning Strategies.
2.2.1 Integrate STEM-rich Instruction across Math, Science, and Other
Applied STEM Programs At the time of the site visit, there was not an active level of integration across
math, science, and PLTW courses. The school leadership team acknowledged this
fact but indicated that it intends to begin creating integrated learning experiences
in the near future.
However, the leadership team indicated that, beginning with the 2010–2011 school
year, the math and science department embarked on a thorough review and
renewal of their respective curricula; this review will serve a necessary prerequisite
to effective cross-curricular integration.
Science Curriculum Renewal
During this time of transition, the science department faculty worked intensively to
connect its curriculum from one year to the next, to focus on skills that span across
the curriculum, and to build a project-based instructional approach throughout the
department.
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 13
One change the instructors made was to alter the science courses to follow a
“biology–chemistry–physics” sequence. Prior to this change, a number of students
avoided chemistry and physics courses because they were considered more
appropriate for “science” kids. As a result of this modification, all students now
must take these courses to fulfill their required science course load—taking just
biology and physical science no longer suffices. Although there is only a two-year
graduation requirement, the vast majority of students at WHS take three years of
science.
In order to engage all students—even those without an apparent aptitude for
science—the science department faculty applies the QUEST inquiry-based model
in all lessons. Teachers at WHS find that using inquiry-based instruction allows
students with varying capabilities to effectively learn the information.
Math Curriculum Renewal
Beginning in 2010, the math instructors began planning a new approach to math
curriculum and instruction that would focus on identifying a unified set of math
skills that cut across all the specific courses in the math department. The skills are
derived from college readiness standards tied to ACT assessments. The school
chooses to primarily use the college readiness standards, which are closely tied to
the Common Core standards, because they are directly tied to college entrance
exams.
This focus on skills represents a subtle but critical shift away from teaching
isolated math content to teaching a unified set of math skills that are connected
from one course to the next. By having teachers use benchmark skill assessments
developed by ACT, school leadership hopes to enhance the structural delivery of
math by pinpointing exactly how students perform at various levels of study.
This concentration works to ensure all students meet appropriate performance
levels as they progress in their studies while reducing the need for remediation.
Instructors frequently assess students and use test data to drive their instruction,
improving and modifying lessons as necessary. Instructors also look for ways to
integrate math skills into different areas of study.
Math Course-taking and Relevance
Also beginning in 2010, while there remains only a three-year requirement, the
vast majority of students remain enrolled all four years. This increased
participation is largely due to encouragement from guidance counselors and math
teachers. The math department at WHS intentionally determined to make math
more relevant to each student. According to one math instructor, “Relating math
to real-world experiences can be challenging. This is a subject that often
overwhelms a student and can result in that student falling behind.”
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 14
To support this goal of more relevance, math teachers regularly invite speakers
from other academic departments to come into math classrooms and connect
what the students are learning with a real-life example. For example, when math
students learn about geometry, an architecture instructor might bring in blueprints
from a house to demonstrate the role geometry plays in construction.
Beginning in 2010, WHS brought additional relevance to the math classroom by
partnering with Harper College to offer a dual-credit Math 101 course and allowing
students to graduate high school with a college math credit. This partnership also
resulted in offering an intensive review math course at WHS in an effort to
eliminate the need for a remedial math course for incoming freshmen at the
college level.
STEM Capstone Project
In 2009, instructors from science, math, and engineering piloted a STEM Capstone
Project with 30 students who researched, designed, and built a wind turbine from
scratch. This project-based venture led instructors to develop other types of
scalable experiences for students. Collaboration is underway for the next STEM
project from this group.
Extracurricular STEM Activities
WHS also offers a wide spectrum of engaging, STEM-related extracurricular
activities including VEX Robotics, Battle Bots, YOUSTEM (a partnership with
Northwestern University that engages students in STEM fields through low-
barrier, hands-on exploratory challenges), a STEM Technology Club, and a
summer STEM Camp for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
2.2.2 Implement Inquiry-based and Project-based Learning Strategies In 2010, WHS introduced a school-wide inquiry model framework to drive
instruction and teach students how to approach a problem and work through it.
Internally created by the WHS leadership team, this model (named QUEST) builds
upon traditional problem-based learning by guiding students toward investigating
each and every element within a problem. QUEST comprises five elements:
• Question – Identify the purpose of the audience;
• Understand – Use available resources to plan an appropriate course of
action;
• Evidence – Collect and organize data from credible sources or experiments;
• Synthesize – Analyze results to draw conclusions and assess validity; and
• Tell – Develop product to effectively communicate research and results to
the identified audience.
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 15
By using QUEST, instructors across all classrooms in which the model is
implemented use a common framework and vocabulary and help develop
common skills among students. And whereas inquiry-based learning is often left
to the science departments, the WHS leadership team is building capacity for all
instructors to talk about it, teach it, and embed it in the culture so students become
comfortable solving problems.
To further internalize this concept, all WHS students put the framework into
practice by conducting original research based on a course-developed topic
chosen by the team of teachers. This research goes beyond a traditional research
paper and involves examining an issue from multiple angles. A past project
consisted of students conducting a real-life inquiry project with a local Japanese
grocer about the safety of food coming from Japan after the 2010 tsunami. In the
2011 school year, student teams examined issues and problems associated with
obesity.
2.3 Engage Math, Science, and PLTW Teachers in Collaborative
Planning and Instruction Collaborative planning among math, science, and PLTW instructors is teacher
driven and occurs formally during time set aside for Professional Learning
Communities and informally when a project idea arises. Some of the PLTW
teachers also teach in the core academic areas as well and, as a result,
collaboration occurs more by circumstance and less by formal planning.
2.4 Related STEM Enhancements and Reforms
Enhancing Science Facilities
In 2005, a large science addition was built. The addition has 12 classrooms and
laboratories designed to provide students with opportunities to apply their
knowledge in laboratories, which have separate areas for instruction. Instructors
note that by separating the instructional area from the lab, students remain
focused during lectures and are more readily prepared to use what they have
learned in the lab.
Technology is also the backbone of the Health Sciences pathway, which offers the
first paperless classroom at WHS and provides students in this program with a
free laptop to support their studies.
Integration of Technology
WHS leadership asserts that using multiple types of technology is one more way
to promote STEM literacy while keeping school and learning relevant to students.
To support this, WHS teachers integrate technology into every class and provide
disadvantaged students with access to the technological tools necessary to
succeed. The school has 15 computer labs, more than 450 computers, laptop
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 16
loaners, smart boards, wireless access, and media projectors in each classroom.
WHS actively prevents students from falling through the cracks regardless of their
means or access to technology. For those students without access to a computer
at home, WHS offers them a free retired desktop for permanent use.
All students are also required to have and use a TI-84+ graphing calculator. If a
student cannot purchase one, the school provides one to the student free of
charge. These calculators are changing how students learn mathematical
information as well as how instructors teach. A majority of the math courses now
use the TI Navigator System, which allows the instructor to instantly capture data
from student calculators. The system sends immediate student feedback to the
instructor, enabling them to guide instruction and monitor student problem
solving.
3. implement related school
improvement strategies 3.1 Provide Academic Support and Intervention to Enhance Student
Learning
Support ELL Students
Because WHS has a high concentration of English Language Learning (ELL)
students, WHS leadership emphasizes intensive ELL instruction so students can
improve English fluency and access the full curriculum as soon as possible (almost
all ELL students complete ELL classes by the end of 10th grade). Spanish-speaking
students entering WHS move through a series of courses that address skill
deficiencies in formal reading and writing and culminate in a capstone experience
of AP Spanish Language or AP Spanish Literature.
In 2008, WHS leadership introduced another program designed to help students
achieve beyond their own perceived ability. The AVID (Advancement Via Individual
Determination) program places underperforming freshmen in rigorous coursework
and intense tutoring to help them gain acceptance into, and be prepared for, a
four-year college. First-generation college-bound students are selected on the
basis of teacher recommendations and personal interviews. Enrollment currently
allows up to 100 students to participate, but new freshmen sections are added
each year. Participating students must enroll in AP courses by their junior year. As
an incentive, participating students receive an iPad, which is theirs to keep upon
program graduation.
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 17
Engage Minority Populations
Because WHS has a Hispanic student population of 49 percent, engaging
traditionally underrepresented groups in STEM fields remains a top priority for
school counselors. In working with this diverse population, WHS created several
initiatives to support and connect with these students. In addition to having a
bilingual counselor on staff to meet with students and parents one-on-one, school
counselors translate career pathway materials into Spanish, and WHS hosts Latino
Family Nights and career fairs.
WHS sends career fair invitations directly to the homes of its Latino families (as
opposed to sending an announcement or flyer home with students); families that
do not RSVP receive an automated Spanish-recorded phone call to remind them
about the event. WHS sends reminder postcards as well. This outreach effort is
deliberate and intended to touch parents who are not familiar with how to
navigate the school system for their children. Career fairs are important because
they provide parents with information on how to equip their students for success
and also help them feel more comfortable reaching out to the school. In 2008, the
WHS Latino Career Fair hosted more than 150 participants.
In 2009, the WHS leadership team and counselors designed another initiative to
engage the Latino population—Latino Family Literacy Nights. Parents who attend
these events receive instruction in Spanish General Education Development (GED)
and English as a second language (ESL). However, to participate in the program,
parents must bring their children in the eighth grade or lower. In age-appropriate
groupings, parents and children receive family literacy education. The WHS
leadership team and faculty believe this initiative can both educate Latino families
and reduce English language remediation for future WHS students. In the first
year, close to 200 participants registered and attended the 12-week fall and spring
sessions.
Support Students Who Receive Special Education Services
WHS offers a unique, cross-curricular course CAD/Geometry Integrated program
that serves as a pathway for special education and at-risk students to access the
PLTW IED program. Geometry is taught in the context of a traditional AutoCAD
course, making the content relevant through this applied perspective.
Flexible Block Scheduling to Accommodate Student Goals
Despite increased math and science requirements, the WHS leadership team
provides students with a flexible schedule that can be adapted to meet their
specific educational needs. If necessary, WHS’s block schedule (students take both
90-minute and 45-minute courses throughout the day) will allow students to take
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 18
two years of math in one year (two semesters of 90-minute math courses). This
option provides students with the opportunity to either advance more quickly in
their studies or receive additional instruction if they are struggling to stay on pace.
3.2 Prepare Students for Postsecondary and Career Success Under this strategy of preparing students for postsecondary and career success,
there are two related, but distinct sub-strategies: Offer Career Development and
College Planning, and Offer Opportunity to Earn College Credit.
3.2.1 Offer Career Development and College Planning
Recognizing the Value of School Counselors
The WHS administration recognizes and values its school counselors as key
stakeholders in equipping students to succeed both in their high school studies
and beyond. In 2011, WHS received the Recognized American School Counselor
Association (ASCA) Model Program (RAMP) designation for its “data driven school
counseling program.” The RAMP designation, awarded to schools that align with
the criteria set in the ASCA National Model, recognizes schools that are committed
to delivering a comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program and an
exemplary educational environment.
In 2006, the WHS guidance and counseling department evaluated their current
services and offerings and identified a need to fully integrate a more complete
guidance program for all students. At the time, school counselors were only
reaching about 75 percent of students, a percentage the department deemed
unsatisfactory, especially in a school with a high population of English language
learners and economically disadvantaged students.
At the time, WHS’s unique four-by-four block schedule hindered the way
counselors delivered student services. Students were largely unavailable because
of class time or the need to schedule counseling time well in advance to gain an
appointment. To address these challenges, counselors established a different
structure for delivering their services.
Emphasizing Career Exploration
In order to reach each student entering WHS, school leadership and the counseling
department created a mandatory freshmen integration seminar offered one
morning a week beginning in the fall of 2007. These seminars, led by counselors
and administrators during the class period when WHS instructors are attending
professional learning community (PLC) meetings, focus on the successful
transition to high school, utilizing senior mentors, and exposing students to and
educating students about the connection between their career interests and
programs of study. The imperative is clear, according to Dr. Lopez, “To engage
students we can’t ask them to wait till they graduate high school to begin the rest
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 19
of their lives. It begins the moment they enter our doors.” WHS counselors believe
that career exploration is often overlooked in schools with lower-income, high-risk
student populations and are working to fill this void at WHS. To build on their
seminar experience, each freshman also meets one-on-one with a counselor and
identifies two careers to explore at a deeper level. These meetings serve a dual
purpose in that they help students identify potential postsecondary opportunities
and also provide them with emotional guidance. According to one counselor,
“Students are less likely to fall through the cracks if we can check in with them on
a regular basis.”
WHS counselors promote the idea that they are teaching, too. One counselor
remarked, “We are not sitting in our offices just doing our own thing. We are
educating these students about their future!” As part of the STEM-for-All initiative,
counselors transitioned their mantra from “helping students graduate” to “helping
students succeed beyond high school.” The school counselors adopted the
Nebraska Career Education Model (career exploration through career pathways),
which focuses on exposing students to potential careers. Counselors introduce
Career Cruising and utilize its online inventories (designed to help ninth graders
explore a broad range of options for their future) during the freshmen seminar to
help students investigate career options and relate them to coursework.
From the moment students enter the freshmen seminar, they are made aware of
career options and the expectations of the real world necessary to succeed.” The
counselors repeatedly stress that high school is not the end, but a means to the
end. WHS leadership encourage this emphasis on careers because, as stated
before, according to the Illinois Education Research Council, “students who self
identify with a specific career in mind before leaving high school are 80 percent
more likely than their counterparts to earn a certification or degree six years post
high school.”
Customized Student Schedules
Building on career exploration and education and supporting a STEM-focused
school culture led WHS counselors away from creating only four-year education
plans solely designed to meet graduation requirements. Now, beginning in the
freshman year, education plans of study consist of a pathway to postsecondary
opportunities. Counselors tailor fit each student’s educational experience on the
basis of his or her career plans. The block schedule allows all students to have a
customized schedule no matter where they are in their education. The flexible
schedule enables underperforming students to supplement their course load with
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 20
additional instructional time. For instance, a student struggling in English can take
a 90-minute English course for the entire year instead of a traditional 45-minute
course. This flexibility allows students to progress at a modified pace but
ultimately stay on track with their peers.
Student Portfolios
Counselors also help students manage Naviance, a school and career planning
software that allows students to build an electronic portfolio of everything they
have done in school as well as to manage postsecondary opportunities. Students
begin their portfolio during the sophomore year and continue to build the contents
during their junior and senior years. In their sophomore year, students use
Naviance to focus them on careers that match their interests, aptitude, and
capabilities. Students then use the information to guide career exploration and to
choose appropriate courses when planning their course schedule.
In an effort to promote career exploration and planning at home, school leadership
allows parents access to Naviance as well. WHS leadership states that parental
access encourages parents to become involved in career guidance. WHS staff
allows its alumni access to Naviance to build resumes, research postsecondary
institutions, and monitor postsecondary institution applications. The selection of
Naviance as a postsecondary tool was, in part, for the purpose of keeping with the
counselors’ mission to reach all students because Naviance is anticipated to offer a
Spanish language program in December 2012.
Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum
WHS leadership stresses the message to students that their future success directly
relates to factors such as their course selection and their commitment to academic
excellence. To equip students to succeed in these areas, WHS leadership provides
each student with opportunities to engage in a rigorous curriculum as well as the
expectation that they will participate in at least one extracurricular program. Dr.
Lopez remarked, “Experiences in a co-curricular program provide a unique
relevance to life after high school through teamwork, goal setting and a sense of
accomplishment.”
Career Pathways
WHS is continually introducing career pathways that it makes available to its
students including: Architecture & Construction, Engineering (PLTW),
Manufacturing, Health Sciences, Manufacturing, Information Technology, Business
& Finance, Communication, and Fine Arts. From as early as eighth grade, all
students are counseled to engage in a pathway and selected related coursework
toward a career goal. According to Dr. Lopez, “We want every kid that walks into
Wheeling to discover a pathway they want to follow. Even if they change their
mind later, the goal is for every student to identify a plan. According to the Illinois
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 21
Research Counsel, students who identify a career area of interest are 80% more
likely to complete a postsecondary program.” To reinforce this, rather than
completing a course selection plan based on graduation requirements, each
student now completes a program of study that has been developed for them by a
counselor.
Programs of Study
In 2008, the school introduced a “community college approach” to education with
programs of study (POS). The program is an important piece of the school’s goal
of creating an engaging and relevant educational experience for all students.
These POS, mainly in the STEM areas, consist of three components: a
postsecondary sequence of courses, an external experience, and the earning of an
industry-recognized certification or a college credit. The WHS administration
asserts that linking education to opportunities beyond high school engages
students and makes them more competitive in the job market after graduation.
Health Careers Pathway
In 2009, WHS leadership introduced the Health Careers pathway program, which is
available to students interested in pursuing studies in the health field. With access
to paperless classrooms and a state-of-the-art simulated hospital room, students
receive a first-rate education that equips them to become a Certified Nursing
Assistant and obtain an Emergency Medical Responder certification before leaving
the doors of WHS. The PLTW Biomedical sequence of courses is in the process of
being integrated into the program for the fall of 2013.
3.2.2 Offer Opportunity to Earn College Credit Since 2007, WHS has increased its Advanced Placement (AP) program from 12 to
24 courses. Students have access to the full gamut of STEM-related AP courses in
math and science, and one in three students participates in the program. In 2010,
WHS reported an 85 percent AP exam pass rate, nearly double the national
average.
WHS partners with Haper College to offer dual-credit opportunities in health
careers, accounting, and math, and future plans include nanotechnology and
manufacturing.
3.3 Focus on Professional Development, Growth, and Collaboration To address the challenge of moving WHS to a STEM-for-All philosophy, the school
is currently engaged in several important initiatives. Each of these initiatives
requires a high level of professional performance and is supported by strong
professional development (PD).
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 22
QUEST Teacher Support
Scaling a model like QUEST required a paradigm shift among instructors, and
according to Dr. Lopez, this initially created a challenge for departments such as
social studies and fine arts, whose curricula do not typically include an inquiry
model. However, instructors have embraced the challenge and are gaining
experience with and becoming comfortable with integrating the inquiry-based
elements into their current curricula. By using QUEST in every classroom, WHS
ensures that students are receiving the entire P21 skill set.
However, because QUEST is new and teachers are still learning to understand and
implement it, school leadership places a large priority on providing teachers and
faculty with both consistent and regularly offered PD. At the beginning of each
year, school leadership outlines the PD opportunities for everyone from teachers
to counselors to librarians. This PD, which focuses largely on STEM-related
activities, takes place both externally at conferences and internally at WHS. All
faculty members are required to participate in PD and learn how to integrate the
STEM philosophy into their particular discipline.
In 2011–2012, school leadership also began focusing on ways to increase efforts
around QUEST to bring those efforts back to all content areas, especially writing,
reading, and critical thinking. To support this growing focus, an assistant principal
meets every Monday with a PLT department head to discuss ways to improve and
overlap this initiative with current department initiatives and goals. School
leadership also hosts a data retreat for PLT department heads during which they
look at student achievement and restructure curricula based on needs/data. Even
at these retreats, the primary focus is on how to improve student performance
through improved skills instruction.
Special Project Collaboration
PLTW teachers regularly seek out, usually in a relatively informal manner,
opportunities to collaborate with other disciplines within the school. A PLTW
instructor remarked that “by seeking out collaboration with other subjects and
tying in multiple areas of study into what my students are learning only increases
their knowledge and understanding.” Collaborative examples include students in
the Civil Engineering and Architecture (CEA) course proposing a design for the
WHS’s new Health Careers classroom and a design for a football field renovation
complete with a concession stand. WHS staff used both designs and, in turn,
provided those students with a real-life application of knowledge.
In another course, Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM), students
manufactured and designed the drains for the indoor pool at WHS. In the past,
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 23
industry members have even asked students to manufacture design prototypes.
Instructors noted that these experiences excite the students more than traditional
school projects because the students are actually able to see their work in action.
3.4 Use Data to Make Instructional Decisions Because WHS is the most diverse school in DS 214 with multiple subgroups to
track for school improvement, WHS leadership uses data to drive all school
initiatives and programs that serve its student population. To accomplish this, the
school employs an Assessment Coordinator, a full-time staff person in charge of
school data and assessment. This staff person focuses solely on school-based
research and needs that evolve from the data. To support this effort and provide
additional context and data, DS 214 generates 40 to 50 research reports yearly.
Based on data from DS 214’s six schools, DS 214 reports are written using a
school-wide, multi-year approach but break down information to the departmental
level.
Data are managed not only at the district and administrative levels but also in
classrooms. Instructors use a tracking system, Mastery Manager, that provides
immediate and actionable student performance data. By using this system,
instructors can design and deliver immediate student intervention programs as
they monitor student test performance and monitor grades and trends. They also
receive the formative data to do their own applied research and identify areas in
need of improvement. Performance data also guide instructor collaboration in PLC
leadership meetings.
In 2007, DS 214 and WHS expanded their focus beyond Adequate Yearly Progress2
(AYP) data because they were considered too variable and impractical to drive
school improvement. DS 214 also discovered AYP data miss 50 percent of at-risk
students because AYP data track only low-income and minority students and
students with special education needs. In order to pinpoint areas in need of school
improvement, DS 214 and WHS turned their focus to tracking and using data from
the Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS), which encompasses the
ACT, standardized formative assessments, and Advanced Placement (AP)
assessments.
WHS faculty maintain that the ACT and AP assessments, which are used by the
school to drive instruction and improvement, align with the school’s philosophy to
make school relevant to students. Dr. Lopez noted, “We use ACT and AP data
because it has value to our community and our students as it relates to college
acceptance. There is a tie to these assessments and their real world.”
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 24
Compared with other SD 214 schools, the annual incoming student population at
WHS includes a larger number of at-risk students. However, because the school
uses data to drive instruction, WHS student ACT math scores rank at the top of the
district, even though the demographics of the incoming student population
indicate that scores would be far lower. To encourage a continued increase in ACT
scores and AP participation, WHS leadership requires every freshman to take the
ACT EXPLORE test. The school leadership uses these test results to predict future
student performance and to identify areas of potential weaknesses. If a student
performs below grade level in a particular area, then that student’s course
schedule will include additional class time to address that weakness and that
student will have access to a myriad of Academic Support Centers.
Ultimately, WHS faculty uses the EXPLORE test to evaluate and, if necessary,
attempt to redirect, the trajectory of future student performance—and this practice
seems to be working. Nationally, on average, ACT test scores increase 4 points
from the EXPLORE test to the ACT test. At WHS, with all students testing, the
growth rate is 6 points from the EXPLORE test to the ACT test. In 2009, WHS
students averaged an ACT score of 21.8, but in 2011, the average score rose to
22.3.
Similarly, AP participation and performance have increased significantly over the
last five years. In 2007, WHS issued 302 AP exams to 201 students, but in 2011,
participation grew to 648 exams for 432 students. In 2011, the AP exam pass rate
was 81.9 percent with a mean score of 3.56.
According to a SD 214 associate superintendent, “WHS is seeing significant results
because Laz [Dr. Lopez] and his staff don’t just count numbers. They try to figure
out what is going to make this work better. We focus on the real measures that
identify and can help with student improvement. If the measures aren’t good, they
can’t guide the students and improve instruction.”
WHS leadership ensures its data are fully representative of how students are
performing. As a result, administrators decided to exclude students not enrolled at
WHS for three consecutive years from the ACT data analysis. Dr. Lopez noted,
“There are no freebies—we just get a full representation of what the school is
doing.”
Data are also used to track at-risk students and reduce the number of D and F
grades. If a student earns a D or an F, there are as many as 30 structured and
targeted interventions running at all times in which the student can participate. As
Dr. Lopez explained, “The school finds its role is to disallow a student to choose to
fail without significant intervention.”
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 25
Part iii. data and next steps Performance Data The charts below show the average score of students on the ACT in math, English
and science, as well as the average composite scores. The last chart shows the
graduation rate from 2008 to 2010. (All data was provided by Wheeling High
School.)
Average Score of Wheeling High School Students on Math ACT
23.1 22.8 23.6
0
10
20
30
2009 2010 2011
Year
Sco
re
Average Score
Average Score of Wheeling High School Students on English ACT
21.3 20.8 22
0
10
20
30
2009 2010 2011
Year
Sco
re
Average Score
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 26
Average Score of Wheeling High School Students on Science ACT
21.3 21.2 21.6
0
10
20
30
2009 2010 2011
Year
Sco
re
Average Score
Average Score of Wheeling High School Students on ACT Composite
21.8 21.6 22.3
0
10
20
30
2009 2010 2011
Year
Sco
re
Average Score
Wheeling High School Graduation Rate, 2008 - 2010
94 94 93
0
20
40
60
80
100
2008 2009 2010Year
Per
centa
ge
of S
tuden
ts
Gra
duat
ing
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 27
Wheeling’s Next Steps The leadership team cites several goals for the faculty and students of WHS as
they continue to build on the successful foundation of providing a STEM-for-All
education. These goals include offering students additional industry-recognized
credentials, growing student awareness of and participation in programs of study,
increasing access to Advanced Placement classes, and increasing college
readiness. As these current and future efforts continue, Dr. Lopez and his team
hope to establish the groundwork for more extensive collaboration across
disciplines so that STEM-related skills are seamlessly integrated for the benefit of
all students and career pathways provide real opportunities for their futures.
Dr. Lopez also stated that he plans to integrate staff from core academic areas into
the PLTW courses as opposed to using only traditional CTE teachers. In doing this,
he hopes to expose more students to the relevance of the program and increase
interdisciplinary experiences while providing another “feeder” method to increase
program participation.
The WHS team is looking for additional STEM-related programs to implement. In
the winter of 2011, three science teachers attended a three-day conference, hosted
by the NanoProfessor Nanoscience Education Program, to determine how a
nanotechnology pathway could be applied in the high school setting, with the
ultimate goal of providing students with knowledge and experience in
nanotechnology starting their freshman year. Beginning in the fall of 2012,
nanotechnology will be integrated into the core biology, chemistry, and physics
curriculum so that all students will have a foundation of knowledge. Plans are
currently being developed for the first high school nanotechnology pathway in the
country as well as a dual-credit Introduction to Nanotechnology lab course that
will be available to upperclassmen. School leadership hopes to have a full
pathway in place within the next few years.
By 2014, WHS leadership team hopes to expand dual-enrollment offerings with
Harper College to include engineering, manufacturing, biotechnology, and
nanotechnology.
# # #
The STEM Schools Project: Wheeling High School Page | 28
The site visit was conducted on October 5–6, 2011. This case study was written by
Hans Meeder and Nichole Jackson of the Meeder Consulting Group. Site visit
coordination and follow up was provided by Dr. Lazaro Lopez, principal of
Wheeling High School.
Published June 2012. All case studies and affiliated reports for the STEM Schools
Project can be found at http://www.meederconsulting.com. © 2012, Meeder
Consulting Group, LLC.
ENDNOTES 1 The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and nonpublic elementary, middle, and high schools where students achieve at very high levels and/or where the achievement gap in narrowing. The Program sets a standard of excellence for all schools striving for the highest level of achievement. 2 Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a measurement defined by the federal No Child Left
Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public
school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results on
standardized tests.
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