School Configurations

1. School Configurations Recommendations from the Instructional Services Division April 2008

2. Input Sought • Members of the Instructional Division Leadership Team • Cluster Principal Leaders • Schools Pursuing Excellence Principals • Teachers’ Chat participants

3. Goals • Schools and programs are high quality and comprehensive • Engage students • Support rigor, relevance and relationships to enhance student learning • Effective use of limited resources

4. Key Questions • When is the best time to leave elementary school and go to middle school? • What are the advantages/disadvantages of the current grade configurations? • Will oldest students function as positive or negative role models? • Can academic and social needs of each grade level be met in developmentally appropriate manners at a school site? • Which grades should be grouped together in one school? • What costs are incurred with multiple configurations?

5. Research • Each community and school district considers different factors when making grade span decisions and no one grade configuration is right for all. • The most important factors contributing to high levels of student academic achievement are not related to grade span but are directly linked to campus leadership, the quality of the teaching staff, campus expectations, staff development, and quality of instructional programs and supplemental services. • Simply changing the school configuration is not enough to increase achievement. • Researchers agree that generally the quality of the school and the instruction was more important than the grade configuration in viewing academic progress of students.

6. Research (cont’d) • “Research has not provided definitive answers to the myriad possible questions about grade span, but the questions have never gone away. They are questions which arise whenever school reform, increasing or declining enrollment, or financial considerations bring about a reorganization of existing schools, the building of new schools, or consolidation of districts” • The research on the “best” grade configuration is inconclusive.” Paglin and Fager

7. In other words…. • No particular sequence of grade spans is perfect or in itself guarantees student achievement and social adjustment. • With thought and effort, effective practices can be implemented in a variety of grade configurations.

8. Realities of Current Configurations • Curriculum support • Staff Development • Combination classes • K-8 schools smaller at grades 6-8 than traditional middle schools – cannot offer as many electives with current staffing formulas • Coaching, networking support for teachers

9. Realities of Current Configurations • Multi-faceted guidance and support structures needed for middle school students not currently available at K-8s. • Differing availability of special programs • Fewer sections/classrooms per grade can increase personnel costs or result in combination classes • New configurations in some cases were a sign of general dissatisfaction with the results of the traditional middle school format of grades 6-8. • Staffing challenges for K-8s and schools with 6th grades

10. Differing Configuration “Costs” • Human Resources • Textbooks • Curriculum and Instruction • Physical Education • Counseling • Libraries • Staff Development • Facilities • Program Evaluation and Assessment • Security

11. Factors to consider Paglin and Fager • Student Travel (cost and length) • Increase/decrease of parent involvement • Number of students at each grade level (class groupings and courses offered) • Effect of school setting on achievement • Effect on whether neighborhood schools close or remain open • Number of school transitions for students • Opportunities for interaction between age groups • Influence of older students on younger students • Building design is it suitable for only a few or for several grade levels

12. Their conclusion… • Designing a school system to use a particular span of grades in individual schools will not in itself guarantee that students will learn well and be well adjusted • Race and diversity has been a factor in some school configuration decisions.

13. Middle School Supporters Say • “…there is no magic in a particular bricks and mortar configuration…it’s easy to get distracted by a ‘middle school’ vs. ‘other school’ debate…we should focus our attention on middle-grade students and their learning…rather than simply reshuffling students and schools, we must support our educators and school leaders so they can implement proven practices to advance the learning of middle grades students, regardless of a school’s grade configuration.” • Debby Kasak, National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform

14. Advantages Grade level communication of curriculum alignment is easier to facilitate 5th graders have greater opportunity for leadership in elementary schools Disadvantages Availability of space for more K-5 students could impact movement from some of our smaller schools Recommendation – K-5

15. Advantages A 3 year middle grade time frame allows the opportunity for strong, positive relationships to be built among students, teachers, counselors and administrators The 3 grade combination provides more stability to the overall program, more time exists for the development of programs, promote teacher/pupil relationships More diversified curriculum is available Transition to high school can be built into the school structure Supports the research findings which show that the youngster today enters adolescence much earlier than 50 years ago The students’ ages more nearly parallel the period of human growth and development between childhood and adolescence – ages 11 through 13 = grades 6 through 8 Pupils are grouped who are more alike than either elementary or secondary students Disadvantages Some students in grade 6 are physically immature Social pressure comes from 7th and 8th grade can be difficult for 6th graders to handle Having to adjust to so many teachers may be difficult for some students Recommendation – 6-8

16. Advantages Staff will be able to meet across campuses because of similar start and end times – more collaboration Focus can be narrowed Disadvantages Some current schools have other configurations may have fewer students impacting the availability of staffing for expansive classes Current schools with broader configurations may draw students at levels 9-12 because of additional space availability Recommendation – 9-12

17. Choice • Size of grade level cohort • Consistency of curriculum across all grade levels regardless of configuration • Increase the standards that all grade levels need to meet – do not decrease • Additional grades differing from recommended configurations require additional resources • Expectations must remain consistent for students at all campuses. • Key question: Is there room for other configurations and what impact will these configurations have on existing schools? What impact will configurations have on existing district service providers?