IMPROVING EDUCATION

“The path of least resistance and least trouble is a mental rut already made. It requires troublesome work to undertake the alteration of old beliefs. ”

-John Dewey

Outside factors causing change

• Danville factors leading to change– Ever changing student learning needs– Academic performance– Growing global society– Competition for students– State and federal legislature

Meaningful Solutions

For the last 3 years Danville teachers and administration have been working towards finding solutions for the growing challenges of DCSC.• Researching meaningful solutions

• Educational Research• Local Solutions

• Board Direction

• National Solutions

DCSC Vision• Are provided the best learning environment, allowing to

maximize their potential• Are provided with engaging, flexible learning options• Are allowed to advance at their own pace• Have access to a dynamic, dedicated staff, as well as

maintained facilities• Are engaged in meaningful work, utilizing 21st century skills• Have a clear understanding of expectations• Master their content instead of gaining credit for seat time• Engage in work tailored to their individual goals, needs, and

interests

• John Dewey• Benjamin Bloom• Madeline Hunter• John Goodlad• Carleton W. Washburne• Helen Parkhurst• Paulo Friere• Robert Marzano• Richard DeLorenzo• Bea McGarvey• Michael Fullan• Andy Hargreaves• Thomas Guskey• John Hattie

Educational Research

Educational ResearchBloom’s Taxonomy

Educational Research

Unit A Formative Assessment A

Enrichment Activities

Remediation Formative Assessment B

Unit B

Students have two options:1. Immediate mastery, gain enrichment2. Non-mastery, get remediation, reassess and move on to

next unit.

Bloom’s Mastery Learning Instructional Process

Educational Research

• Anania (1981, 1983) and Burke (1983) • Guskey (1985) • Kulik (1990)• DeLorenzo (2009)

Local Research/Influences

• Danville Community School Corporation(Danville, IN)

• Goshen Community School (Goshen, IN)

• Garrett-Keyser-Butler School Corporation(Garrett, IN)

• Monroe Community School Corporation(Bloomington, IN)

Before Algebra that Works

2006 2007 20080%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%76

%

77% 83

%

19%

18%

16%

ISTEPECA Pilot

*Data courtesy of the IDOE

Algebra that Works

2009 2010 2011 20120%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%10

0%

96%

97%

95%

93%

69% 77

%

90%

88%

90% 10

0%

FebruaryMayNovember

*Data courtesy of the IDOE

National Research/Influences

• Adams County School District 50(Denver, CO)

• Chugach School District(Chugach, AL)

• Lindsay Unified School District (Lindsay, CA)

• Taylor County School District (Campbellsville, KY)

•Iowa

•Pennsylvania

•Maine

•New Hampshire

School Districts Implementing the MCL

Approach

States Moving Towards a MCL Approach

2008-2009

• Danville Board of Education initiates change through a directive to the Superintendent

• Mastery Learning introduced at Danville High School through the Algebra That Works program.

Putting the Research to Work

2009-2010• Administrators and teachers attend a presentation by Rick DeLorenzo

author of Delivering on the Promise: The Education Revolution (DeLorenzo, Battino, Schreiber, & Gaddy Carrio, 2009) at the National Quality Schools Coalition where he presented about the success in Chugach, Alaska

• IASP/ISBA presentation on the results of Algebra that Works by teachers, administrators, and Board of Education member

• A grading scale committee is assembled in Danville- parents, teachers and community members talk about how informative our grades are and inquire about different grading practices (A-B-try again, etc.)

• Race to the Top money is put out by the US Department of Education and Danville staff meets to talk about whether Indiana should apply. We decide as a district we are not interested in Race to the Top but begin to imagine change in our schools and what we could do locally to make these visions a reality.

2010-2011• Danville administrators are asked to begin researching education processes that lead to great

success in other districts. Small groups of principals and teachers visit Lindsay, California and Adams 50, Colorado to see the work they have done in customized learning firsthand

• A steering committee consisting of Board of Education members, administrators, teachers, parents, and community members is established

• A vision statement is written by the steering committee and is approved by the Board of Education

• Administrators continue to research customized learning and aspects of our vision- book studies are held on:

– Delivering the Promise (DeLarenzo)– Drive (Pink)– Focus (Schmoker)– Inevitable (McGarvey)

• Re-design teams are established to be led by two teachers in the district• Bea McGarvey visits for two days with staff K-12 and staff are introduced to the re-design team

structure

• Co-chairs of each committee attended the administrator summer retreat to begin working on a vision for our district and each individual team. These co-chairs invited staff to join them in their efforts and begin to meet and discuss steps. All district staff are encouraged to join a redesign team to ensure voices at all levels and content areas are represented.

DCSC Vision• Are provided the best learning environment, allowing to maximize their

potential• Are provided with engaging, flexible learning options• Are allowed to advance at their own pace• Have access to a dynamic, dedicated staff, as well as maintained

facilities• Are engaged in meaningful work, utilizing 21st century skills• Have a clear understanding of expectations• Master their content instead of gaining credit for seat time• Engage in work tailored to their individual goals, needs, and interests

Our Vision and Our Reality

Where we want to be…

Where we are…

2011-2012• The connection team made up of administrators and all teacher co-chairs meets to begin

proposing and approving all changes. After passing through this committee decisions go through the steering committee and then the Danville Board of Education.

• Proficiency Scales were written for all grade levels and subjects K-12• Dr. Ward and principals held PTO/PSS/Institute meetings to inform parents of Customized

Learning and the current progress• Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction visits Danville to discuss Customized Learning

and applaud the efforts thus far. He discusses the option of waivers to get around state requirements. We ask if he would record a message to our staff and he asks to return and speak to them in person opening day in August

• Board of Education approves moving forward with pilots and current re-design team efforts• Pilots are developed in each grade level by teacher volunteers. They work during the

summer to prepare for the upcoming school year

• Parents of students at North, South and the Middle School are asked to send in a form to sign up to be in a pilot class. 100% students placed in these classrooms volunteer and there are waiting lists at each building for interested students. Students at the High School are scheduled in a pilot class and 100% of students have the option to opt out of this class into a traditional class.

2012-2013• Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction travels to Danville for our opening day

with staff to share his thoughts on our efforts stating, "I believe the direction you are moving, first of all, is incredibly consistent with the direction the state is moving. What you are doing is what we hope every school corporation in the state does.”

• Standards-Based Progress reports are developed for K-2• Curriculum mapping to the new Common Core State Standards takes place for K-8

English/Language Arts and Mathematics• Two pilot parent meetings are held at each building• Two pilot parent surveys are given to collect feedback and make needed

adjustments• Community presentations are given at Kiwanis, Rotary and Chamber of Commerce

Meetings• Pilot teachers meet throughout the year to discuss strategies for improvement and

success stories

2012-2013• Indiana Superintendent of Public instruction, Glenda Ritz, during the Workforce and

Education Summit states that she is all about “Individualizing things for students. That needs to happen to do the best and have the best opportunities they can have.” She feels “we must go beyond course requirements and accelerate individual learning.” She continues “I want individualized learning….that is how we will get kids in our STEM occupations.” Superintendent Ritz reiterates that we must “get rid of barriers to accelerate students.”

• Administrators and pilot teachers visit Taylor County, Kentucky to observe their system of customized learning

• Bea McGarvey returns and delivers presentations to the administrative team, a community meeting open to the public, and two teacher sessions. IN Department of Education staff plan to attend but cannot due to weather. Interest from other districts is high and the community meeting is recorded

• IN Department of Education puts out a grant to all schools to aid in one of three things: digital content, flexible scheduling, and Customized Learning as they know these things are inevitable in Indiana school districts in the future

• Continued contact with other school districts in and outside Indiana who have implemented Customized Learning or are in the process of moving that direction in the near future (Monroe County, Goshen, Plymouth, Garret Keiser-Butler, Taylor County, many Maine schools, IN Department of Education, etc.)

Variation of Bloom’s Model

Unit A Formative Assessment A Enrichment Activities

RemediationFormative

Assessment B

Unit B

Students have three options:1. Immediate mastery, move on to next unit.2. Immediate mastery, gain enrichment.3. Non-mastery, get remediation, reassess and move on to

next unit.

Development of the MCL PilotsThe goal of creating the pilot’s was to identify the most

successful practices and strategies for MCL and DCSC.

• Each building developed variations of structures based on teacher input, collaboration and research collected.

• Once pilot classes were developed parents and students were provided the opportunity to volunteer.

• Current DCSC Pilot Demographics:• SES: 19.1%• M/F: 53.5% and 49.4%• SpEd: 6.3%• Minority: 2.5%

What the pilot teachers are saying about learning… • North Elementary• South Elementary• Middle School• High School

Moving Forward: MCL Pilots

North Elementary:• Kindergarten (2), 1st Grade (2), 2ND Grade

(2)• Operates as two different teams

North Elementary

Kindergarten

K-Pilot 1st Grade 1st Pilot 2nd Grade

2nd Pilot0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%56

%

70% 77

% 85%

85% 94

%

90%

90%

90%

92%

87% 10

0%

Assessment AAssessment B

(DIBELS)

North Elementary

1st Grade 1st Pilot 2nd Grade 2nd Pilot0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%91

% 94%

62%

84%

85% 90

%

74%

96%

Assessment AAssessment B

(TRC)

Moving Forward: MCL Pilots

South Elementary:• 3rd and 4th Grade Mixed Classroom (5)

South Elementary

3rd Grade 3rd Pilot 4th Grade 4th Pilot0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%63

%

77% 85

% 93%

80%

90%

80% 89

%

84% 89

%

81%

95%

Assessment AAssessment BAssessment C

(Acuity)

South Elementary

3rd Grade 3rd Pilot 4th Grade 4th Pilot0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%15

%

39%

73% 79

%

38%

74%

84%

84%

68%

78%

78%

91%

Aug.Oct.Jan.

(Scholastic Math Inventory)

Moving Forward: MCL Pilots

Middle School: • 5th Grade Math (2), 6th Grade Math (2), 7th

Grade Science, 8th Grade Science

Middle School

5th Grade 5th Pilot 6th Grade 6th Pilot0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%82

%

93%

86%

98%

86%

96%

87%

100%

89% 97

%

81%

97%

Assessment AAssessment BAssessment C

(Acuity)

Middle School

5th Grade 5th Pilot 6th Grade 6th Pilot0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%51

%

74%

48%

78%

68%

88%

67%

91%

Aug.Dec.

(Scholastic Math Inventory at the 35th percentile)

Middle School

7th Science 7th Pilot 8th Science 8th Pilot0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%77

% 82%

80% 91

%

Assessment Scores

Assessment Scores

(Science Assessments)

Moving Forward: MCL Pilots

High School:• Spanish 2, Honors Chemistry, Peer

Tutoring/Early Literacy

High School

Spanish 2 Honors Chem Early Literacy0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%74

%

87%

0%

71%

96%

100%

20112012

(% of Students Above 80%)

As we move forward…

• We must understand that mastery learning is an essential component for MCL.

• Our work must now focus on overcoming the industrial age structural barriers of education.

• Continue to develop a growth mindset.

What’s Next• We are recommending tonight that

you approve for us to continue pursuing our school district’s vision. We are requesting that we continue the piloting of Mass Customized Learning. We would increase the size of our pilots, based upon need and interests, while still having traditional structured classrooms available.

2013-2014• Recommendation Continued:

This will allow us to problem solve additional areas of concerns and collect additional data for analysis. Prior to full implementation we want to make sure that all students can be successful. Prior to a determination of whether or not this can be accomplished, further study and analysis is necessary.

2013-2014• Recommendation Continued:

Many infrastructure processes will need to be reviewed and solutions to challenges developed.