Where Do We Stand Today ?

2. Where Do We Stand Today ? By all measures, Forsyth County Schools are excellent... among the best. The challenge of Forsyth County Schools is to move from being among the best to being THE BEST.

3. Where Do We Stand Today ? 2006-08 Georgia SAT Total

4. Where Do We Stand Today ?2006-08 Metro SAT Total

5. Where Do We Want to Be ? All students will be prepared fully for success after high school. All college-bound students will be prepared fully for superior performance on the SAT / ACT and for the opportunity to attend the college university of first choice. All college-bound students will be prepared fully for success in college.

6. Where Do We Want to Be ? If FCS students gained… 1%16 points =1566 2%31 points =1581 3%47 points =1597 4%62 points =1612 5%78 points =1628

7. How Will We Get There ? • Implement SAT 2400 recommendations in five key areas: • Academic Rigor in Curriculum & Instruction • SAT / ACT Test Preparation Opportunities • Advisement & Guidance Programs • School & Student Incentives • Stakeholder Communication

8. CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION • Increase the level of academic rigor in every K-12 classroom in Forsyth County Schools through focused professional learning and collaboration. • Define academic rigor K-12 for all classrooms & content areas. • Increase academic rigor by increasing the quantity & quality of AP/IB and advanced content course offerings across FCS 6-12. • Provide 6-12 professional learning for teachers in areas of vertical teaming and teaching critical thinking / problem solving strategies. • Develop process / plan for incorporating critical thinking / problem solving, academic vocabulary & reading comprehension, and student application of knowledge into all K-12 classrooms.

9. CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION • Increase the level of academic rigor in every K-12 classroom in Forsyth County Schools through focused professional learning and professional collaboration. • Provide 6-12 professional learning for teachers to improve use of national (PSAT, PLAN, etc.), state & district standardized assessment data to inform classroom instruction. • Implement 6-12 vertical teams (ex. Math) to increase academic rigor by embedding “college readiness standards” into FCS curriculum along with the GPS & QCC. • Develop process / plan for incorporating critical thinking / problem solving, academic vocabulary, reading comprehension, and student application of knowledge into all K-12 classrooms.

10. SAT / ACT PREP • Offer comprehensive, district-wide SAT / ACT Prep opportunities to Forsyth County students. • Provide all Forsyth County students access to SAT / ACT Prep opportunities outside of the school day (College Board SAT Prep Course). • Offer SAT/ACT Prep in the standard high school curriculum district-wide.

11. ADVISEMENT & GUIDANCE • Improve the quantity, quality & timing of information provided to students and parents related to post-secondary options through guidance counseling and academic advisement programs. • Implement a revised 6-12 assessment plan (incorporating PLAN, PSAT in grades 9-12). • Provide 6-12 professional learning for teachers to use & explain testing data to students & parents. (Georgia DOE PSAT Workshop). • Develop an improved 6-12 counseling plan for improved post-secondary planning by students & families (Georgia 411). • Include post-secondary planning as part of 6-12 academic advisement program (Teachers As Advisors).

12. STUDENT & SCHOOL INCENTIVES • Develop programs that will provide incentives & recognition to students and schools for high achievement and improvement. • Develop district-wide scholarship & recognition program for students showing greatest improvement in SAT. • Develop programs where successful high schools students mentor & advise 6-8 students to prepare them for high school success and post-secondary planning. • Develop a classroom program rewarding students for participation in SAT Question of the Day in every core high school classroom (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies). • Design on-going recognition programs at all high schools for students (pep rallies, T shirts, etc.) • Design FCS “Academic Trophy” process to reward schools for achievement & improvement in SAT / ACT scores.

13. COMMUNICATIONS • Develop a district-wide communication plan that effectively targets our stakeholder audiences: • Students • Parents • School System Staff • Community • And uses varied resources (print, electronic, mail, DVD) to reach all school system stakeholders with accurate, timely, and relevant post-secondary planning information on an ongoing basis.

14. How Will We Measure Progress? “It’s more than just SAT scores…” Using data collection & analysis tools including performance data stored in Infinite Campus, the R4 Digital Dashboard, and Class Profiles to track FCS progress through -- standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, PSAT, PLAN, etc.) -- student course & program enrollment data -- student classroom performance -- student attendance & extra-curricular involvement -- student HS grad rate, college admissions & scholarship awards data -- stakeholder perception data (ex-survey)

15. What Do We Do Next ? Engage district, school, community & business leadership in implementing all recommendations. Coordinate SAT 2400 recommendations with other improvement & planning efforts (ex— FCS Strategic Planning, HS Improvement, MS Improvement, Teachers As Advisors Program & Guidance, R4 Digital Dashboard Implementation, ANGEL Learning & Technology initiatives). For areas requiring expenditure of funds (ex-SAT Prep, Professional Learning) continue exploring service providers, vendors & plan for funding.

16. Where Can I Go To Learn More? SAT 2400 Challenge Webpage