Ridge View Academy

1. Ridge View Academy How we, as a school community, capture data to consistently and effectively improve student achievement.

2. School Overview Ridge View Academy was opened July 2001. Watkins, CO School is a diploma based program. Current student population is 289. Free and Reduced At-Risk Over 50% Identified as Special Education

3. School Overview Ridge View Academy is an accredited Denver Public Schools High School and Division of Youth Correction facility. We serve adjudicated youth from the state of Colorado. Ridge View Academy made AYP for 2009.

4. How we capture data • Teachers / School Community • RVA is a data driven school focusing on both long term and everyday data to make key institutional decisions. • Lexile scores • Everyday classroom assessment to drive instruction

5. How we capture data • Teacher collaborative environment focused on our student’s performance in class to better the teacher’s instruction. • Orientation Teachers student performance assessment. (Math and reading progression) • How our daily lesson plan template is used to gauge student performance. This is also a key instrument for teachers to use to reflect on the effectiveness of their lesson.

6. How we capture data • RVA is a data driven school focusing on both long term and everyday data to make key institutional decisions. • Data based decision making

7. How we capture data • How can we use data to reinforce everyday student growth and achievement? • CBM (Curricular Based Measurement) • Give real time, immediate feedback to the teacher on student progress. • Verbal assessment, written assessment, student demonstration of mastery of the content. • Every teacher at RVA is expected to know and understand the essentials of CBM’s and we can collect, analyze, and then implement the “known” data

8. How we capture data • Lexile scores • Every student at RVA takes the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessment four times a year (every quarter). • This assessment and the data it provides gives the school community a continuous set of data that measures our students achievement in Math, Science, and Language Arts. • We use these scores to accurately place our students in the appropriate classes based on their individual needs.

9. Prescriptive Reading Classes • Note on Lexile score ranges: Students are placed in reading classes based on Lexile scores to the extent that these scores are consistent with academic records, individualized educational test results, classroom performance, and teacher observation.  • Where these sources are inconsistent, staff makes judgments about the most appropriate placement.  Students are assessed quarterly. 

10. Prescriptive Reading Classes • Lexile Score of 0-600 • Hours: 2 hours per day (four classes) • Class Size Limit: 15 students with no more than one class exceeding the limit. • Description: This Lexile range targets the neediest readers - those with Lexile scores less than the 2nd grade average.  Students in this class will receive intensive reading and writing instruction aimed at growing basic competency

11. Prescriptive Reading Classes • Lexile Score of 500-800 • Hours: 1 hour per day (two classes) • Class Size Limit: 15 students with no more than one class exceeding the limit • Description: Students with Lexile scores between 500 and 800 have reading levels between the 2nd and 4th grade averages.  The goal of this class is to grow reading and writing competency and teach students how to “read to learn.”

12. Prescriptive Reading Classes • Lexile Score of 600-1000 • Hours: 1 hour every other day (one class) • Class Size Limit: 25 students • Description: Students whose scores range between 600 and 1000 have reading levels between 4th and 7th.  The goal of this class is to grow reading levels to at least a 7th grade Lexile score (1000). In addition, intensive instruction in composition will be provided to both improve writing competency and reading.

13. Prescriptive Reading Classes • Lexile Score of 800 and above • Reading is taught through language arts and other content courses.  • Class Size Limit: 25 students • Description: Students having Lexile scores at or near the 7th grade reading level will engage in reading activities that are reinforced throughout the school within content areas.  Students will have access to available reading support systems and will be expected improve their reading skills as they progress through the program.  In these classes vocabulary development will also include helping students to learn to use the following strategies to improve comprehension:

14. Teacher Collaboration • Orientation Program • Brief overview • Educational Component • Educational Assessment

15. Teacher Collaboration • Read 180 • Lexile Scores • Every student is assessed in their reading ability while in Orientation. • This score is communicated to the main population teachers, assistant principal, and registrars • This score is used in the prescriptive academic placement of the student.

16. Teacher Collaboration • Math • Every student is assessed in their mathematical ability prior to progressing to main population. • This information is communicated to the main population math teacher, assistant principal, and registrars so the student can be placed in the class that best suites their academic ability.

17. Teacher Collaboration • Our daily lesson plan template is used to gauge student performance. • This is a key instrument for teachers to use to reflect on the effectiveness of their lesson. • The RVA daily lesson plan is used as a model of effective instruction in the classroom for teachers to demonstrate data reinforced and purposeful classroom instructional practices.

18. RVA Daily Lesson Plan Template

19. Lesson Plan Template • Our use of MAP scores for our implementation of RtI Student with lexile scores below 700 (ex) are identified for Tier III interventions / Students with lexile scores _____ identified for Tier II interventions / students above lexile score ______ Tier I or no identified interventions

20. Lesson Plan Template • This data is used everyday to reinforce HOW we deliver instruction, what we use to deliver instruction, and how we collect, analyze, and implement student achievement data. • Remember that we have every student complete the MAP assessment four times a year. This means that twice a semester, our teachers are collecting achievement data on our students.

21. Lesson Plan Template • Another example: • Read 180 and the use of lexile scores in everyday reading to consistently monitor the reading abilities of our students

22. D.I.T. Data Implementation Team Collect, analyze, disseminate, implement all data sources to support our continued student achievement.

23. D.I.T. • Use of the MAP scores • This focuses on the immediate use of data during testing • Each proctor is tasked with keeping all student scores from the current test, as well as, all previously completed tests. • This allows the proctors to show the students real time immediate achievement demonstrating student growth.

24. D.I.T. • Increase student achievement on testing • This has shown to boost student achievement on testing. It also allows the proctors to show the students if the went up or down on the test and allows the majority of our students to retake the test in an effort to increase their score. • Increase student buy-in and investment in the process • Students are immediately bought into the process as they can see first hand and immediately the impact of their scores.

25. D.I.T. • The long term use of data for our scheduling As a school community we can use this data to place students in academic classes that will meet their academic needs.

26. D.I.T. • How we used this data to successfully request a waiver to limit class size to 15 students which is proven to increase student achievement in the classroom environment.

27. D.I.T. • Teacher pre-test interviews with students / teacher post-test interviews with students • One week prior to each MAP testing window, each teacher is tasked to discuss the students MAP scores with the student prior to taking the test. This shows the student that, we as a school community, are invested in their continued growth on the MAP. The teachers repeat the interview with the students the week after testing discussing how the students did on the test and whether or not they meet their desired goals.

28. Key aspects that make everyday work easier Daily lesson plans Use of lexile scores Consistent communication between teachers Accuplacer testing (highlight the PS program)

29. How it is used with each stakeholder audience Parent teacher conferences • Our teachers use data to demonstrate to the parents the success of their student athletes. • Growing lexile scores. • In class assessment • Standards based instruction • Daily lesson plans • Data driven; reflection based

30. Successes/challenges School community buy-in How do we establish a data driven culture?

31. Successes/challenges • The focus is not on the INDIVIDUAL class, but on how we as education staff can work collectively to better the instruction of our students. • How does the everyday lesson plan benefit us, the average teacher? • This is a cultural shift focusing our staff on the “us” and “we” instead of “me”.