A JOINT REPORT

School Administration and Leadership & Curriculum, Instruction and Innovation

MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF FREDERICK COUNTY

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

Moving Forward

in the Middle

Administration, Curriculum, Technology & Support of Schools Division (ACTSS)

________________

Page 2 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

BACKGROUND Over the past several years, Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) middle schools

transitioned away from Maryland School Assessment Program performance standards to the more rigorous Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards (MCCRS). The MCCRS were developed to prepare students for success in college and the world of work they will experience in their future. Middle schools have successfully implemented the following changes to improve student achievement and support the MCCRS:

During the 2012-2013 School Year, FCPS:

Implemented new disciplinary literacy standards in all content areas and introduced additional MCCRS elements in English Language Arts, mathematics, and STEM

Piloted new (no-fault) teacher and principal evaluation systems that include evidence of student growth in selected schools—the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) issued teacher and principal evaluation requirements for adoption during the 2013-2014 school year

Initiated professional learning opportunities to ensure successful integration of the new standards in instruction and assessment

Adopted and introduced Salient 5 Instructional Framework Formed a committee to review the current middle school

schedule and to explore other middle school schedule options Implemented a Highly Able Learner program (HAL) in grade

six

During the 2013-2014 School Year, FCPS:

Implemented the new middle school seven-period schedule aligned with MCCRS

Was awarded a Digital Learning grant by MSDE which afforded increased Digital Learning opportunities for all middle school students

Implemented the HAL program in grade seven Participated in field tests of new state assessments that reflected the new standards Introduced new STEM standards designed to develop problem-solvers, innovators and inventors who are

self-reliant logical thinkers Provided professional learning opportunities to ensure successful integration of the new standards in

instruction and assessment Piloted grade eight English/language arts and science Digital Learning Units in selected middle schools Further refined teacher and principal evaluation systems Piloted Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in selected schools Developed a Technology NOW plan to increase the number of digital devices available in middle schools

for instructional purposes

During the 2014-2015 School Year, FCPS is:

Administering new state assessments Implementing the HAL program in grade eight Expanding BYOD opportunities to all middle schools Implementing Digital Learning Units in grade eight English/language arts and science at all middle schools Deploying digital devices to all middle schools as detailed in the Technology NOW plan Applying a second awarded Digital Learning grant Continuing to refine and implement the teacher and principal evaluation systems Providing professional development opportunities designed to promote technological expression and

delivery ensuring successful integration of the new standards in instruction and assessment

It is clear that we must begin students’ preparation for college and careers in middle school—by fostering academic achievement, supporting parent involvement, and providing postsecondary planning support. With students more immediately and directly connected to and affected by different cultures, economics, political systems and world events, we must instill in them as responsiveness to change, an ability to collaborate, a capacity for creative thinking and nimble problem-solving, and a willingness to be active managers of their own lifelong learning.

-Wimberly and Noeth, (2005). College Readiness Begins in Middle School:

ACT Policy Report, ACT.

Page 3 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

FCPS’ newly updated middle school curriculum written by FCPS middle school teachers has been aligned to the MCCRS and offers students a foundation in essential knowledge and skills that will ensure them a competitive advantage in tomorrow's global community. FCPS’ curriculum engages students to think strategically, solve problems, innovate, collaborate, communicate effectively, and achieve goals.

Advancing Student Learning through the Seven-period Schedule A major component of the middle school transition to MCCRS was the transition to the seven-period schedule in August, 2013. The advantages of the new schedule are: Increased flexibility with grouping students in response to their

performance data Increased continuity of instruction by having all core content areas

meet daily Additional instructional time in science and social studies Ability to remediate and extend student learning daily Additional time for staff to collaborate in professional learning

communities to develop a trans-disciplinary focus, analyze student data, and share best practices for continuous improvement—this includes a continuing focus on helping staff utilize the Salient 5 Instructional Framework

Time within each school day for students to receive explicit and specific mathematics and reading interventions

Opportunities for students to experience a full range of course offerings in all schools based on course and/or staff availability

Meet current contractual agreements with FCPS staff The seven-period schedule allows students to participate in seven 47-minute periods and one 30-minute Extended Learning Time. Course selections include the following: English/language arts Mathematics Science Social Studies Physical Education/Health Visual and Performing Arts Career and Technology Education Other classes vary based on the interests and students’ academic needs

Promising Data While it is too early to see significant trends in data since the implementation of the seven-period schedule, science MSA results from 2014 reveal a slight increase (.1%) of students scoring proficient/advanced and a 1.5% increase in students performing at the advanced level. This is important because the science MSA is still aligned to the FCPS curriculum and will continue to be given in eighth grade. In addition, daily attendance data increased slightly from 94.96% in 2013 to 95.04% in 2014, both above the state benchmark of 94%. Another data point that shows promise is in the area of interventions. At the mid-year check of Read 180 (reading intervention data) in spring 2014, nine of our 13 middle schools exceeded their previous year’s performance for “approximate year’s growth.” This is a direct result of the new schedule allowing daily intervention instruction. While middle schools experienced an overall increase in suspensions during the first year of the new schedule, the number of suspensions for both August and September of the 2015 school year reflect the rates returning to levels prior to the implementation of the seven-period schedule.

Page 4 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

*School year began a week earlier (more school days in August, 2013) and first year implementation of seven-period schedule.

Engaging Students through the Salient 5: Technological Expression & Delivery In addition to new curriculum, performance standards and a new schedule, FCPS has identified five research-based teaching practices that increase rigor and encourage student success in all content areas. These practices have been labeled the Salient 5 Instructional Practices and include: Verbal Discourse, Questioning, Collaborative Practice, Common Formative Assessments and Technological Expression and Delivery. While all five of these practices are important, professional learning at the middle school level during the current school year is focused on increasing Technological Expression and Delivery by staff to fully utilize the newly created Digital Learning environments and devices now available in each school.

In the fall of 2013, FCPS received a $670,000 Digital Learning grant from the MSDE. As a result of this grant, approximately 1,200 digital devices were deployed in middle schools during June 2014. In addition, Digital Learning Units in eighth grade English and science were developed by FCPS teachers that are being implemented during the 2014-15 school year. Additional devices have been deployed in middle schools this school year as part of the Technology NOW initiative allowing an almost 1:1 student-to-device ratio at the middle school level.

School Year

# of Suspensions August

# of Suspensions September

2012-13 1 42

2013-14* 33* 89

2014-15 9 49

MIDDLE SCHOOLS 2013 Digital Learning Grant Devices

Deployed in 8th Grade 2014 Technology NOW

Devices Deployed

New Market Middle School 90 150

Brunswick Middle School 90 150

Gov. Thomas Johnson Middle School 90 150

Crestwood Middle School 90 150

Thurmont Middle School 90 150

Oakdale Middle School 90 180

Ballenger Creek Middle School 90 180

Middletown Middle School 90 180

Walkersville Middle School 90 180

Windsor Knolls Middle School 90 180

Monocacy Middle School 90 210

Urbana Middle School 90 210

West Frederick Middle School 90 210

Heather Ridge 10 30

Frederick Classical (no 8th grade) 10

Monocacy Valley (no 8th grade) 10

Technology Services 0 130

TOTAL 1180 2440

Devices Deployed

During 2014

Page 5 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Later this school year, FCPS will deploy handheld digital devices in middle schools, as part of the Technology NOW initiative, to support the ability to capture student produced artifacts that can be shared online. Also, FCPS was recently informed that it has been awarded another Digital Learning grant from the MSDE for the amount of $500,000 to expand on the Digital Learning Units created last year. These funds will be used by summer 2015. The new digital devices are providing opportunities for students to access the newly adopted Google Apps for Education (GAFE), a free set of collaborative, web-based applications used for creating and sharing documents, presentations, spreadsheets, forms, drawings, calendars, and websites. GAFE provides an ideal platform for doing individual and collaborative digital work and will eventually provide students and parents with access to FCPS digital content anywhere, anytime, on any digital device!

Supporting Staff through Professional Learning As staff implement the changes to the middle school program, effective professional learning is critically important to the growth and success of the day-to-day performance of educators and the students they serve. Consequently, professional learning this year is focused on providing all school–based staff with learning opportunities designed to advance the use of technological expression and delivery at each school. This year, the Educator Effectiveness Academies are providing time and strategies for staff to: ► Explore online curricula and resources ► Increase comfort and proficiency when using digital devices

in the classroom ► Utilize Google Apps for Education ► Promote Digital Citizenship to maintain a safe and secure

Digital Learning environment

In addition, during the October 17, 2014 Strengthening Professional Practice: An Educational Symposium, special middle school strands were developed to support middle school staff in utilizing the new devices. Each participant brought a Chromebook to the training and they were encouraged to use it.

Listening to Stakeholder Feedback

As part of the new schedule implementation plan, staff from the FCPS Research, Development and Accountability (RDA) department developed surveys and conducted focus groups during the 2013-14 school year to assess stakeholder feedback about the first year of implementation of the seven-period schedule. FCPS was interested in identifying challenges, successes, and best practices/lessons learned with the goal of providing recommendations that could be shared with FCPS stakeholders (e.g. leadership, administrators, and teachers/staff). The information collected supports FCPS’ commitment to developing strategies for continuous improvement and informing future decision-making.

Survey Implementation All FCPS middle school teachers/staff, as well as seventh and eighth grade students and their parents were given the opportunity to provide feedback. The survey aimed to obtain information related to each groups’ experience with the new seven-period schedule. Individual surveys were developed for each survey group and were administered via Survey Monkey® (online survey software) using the following timeline.

► October 23 – November 16, 2013: Teacher/Staff Survey ► January 21 – February 7, 2014: Parent and Student Surveys

Today’s students are the first generation to grow up surrounded by technology. The latest brain research tells us that today’s students, with a constant barrage of images and information, think and process information in ways that are fundamentally different than their predecessors. Teaching this new generation of learners in a way that is relevant and engaging provides the impetus and challenge for Technology NOW.

FCPS Technology NOW Project Plan, 2014

Page 6 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Stakeholders A total of 2,816 participants (teachers/staff, parents, and students) representing FCPS middle schools completed the surveys. Of the 13 FCPS middle schools, 1,209 students (57% were seventh graders and 43% were eighth graders); 1,009 parents representing students in seventh and eighth graders; and 598 teachers/staff completed the survey. Teacher Focus Groups Focus group sessions were conducted in May 2014 with a randomly selected sample of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade middle school teachers/staff. While the expected number of focus group participants was 26, only 16 teachers/staff participated. Three focus groups—one group of six and two groups of five—were conducted with teachers/staff. Focus group participants represented various content areas and represented 12 middle schools across FCPS. (No teachers/staff from Thurmont Middle School were present). A staff member from the RDA Department facilitated each focus group. Focus group participants were invited to share their experiences about the schedule change to obtain additional information about successes, challenges and additional support needed.

Summary of Feedback After one semester of the seven-period schedule implementation (winter 2014), over half of students surveyed (61%) liked the new schedule while 26% remained neutral and 14% disliked the new schedule. Some students commented that the seven-period schedule was easier to remember and they liked shorter classes. For the most part, teachers felt that students adapted well to the new schedule (60%).

­ “I think it is better than the schedule last year because it is not as confusing. Also, 90 minute classes you get bored but in our classes now you don’t get near as bored as you did. Also, having physical education every day is better for your health.”- Student

Half of the students (50%) completing the survey responded that having science and social studies all year would help them to learn better, 21% disagreed, and 29% reported that it didn’t matter to them. As is typical for most middle school students, they had a lot to say about homework.

­ “Some teachers go a bit overboard with homework and make what we don’t finish in class extra homework.”-Student

­ “I think the teachers need to be more aware of how much homework the other teachers are giving, because I usually get so much homework I don’t have time to just relax after school.”-Student

­ “I like having shorter periods, but teachers seem to all give homework on the same days and it is overwhelming.”-Student

While students clearly spoke to the need for coordination of homework across subject areas, 85% of the students reported their workload to be within the 75 minute expected timeframe, while 76% of parents agreed.

More than half of the students (57%) indicated that they enjoy having PE every day, 29% disagreed, and 14% did not care. While most students enjoyed having PE every day, student comments reflected the desire for more than 47 minutes for PE.

Most parents (59%) participating in the survey had a positive feeling towards the new schedule, 28% had a negative view, and 13% remained neutral towards the new schedule. Parents reported similar feelings regarding their child’s perceptions of the new schedule. In fact, some parents were in favor of adopting the schedule in high schools.

­ “The new schedule is easier to follow and enhances the learning in social studies and science. I think this has been a positive change and more in line with the schedule most parents are familiar with. Thank you.” – Parent

61% of students & 59% of parents reported liking the new schedule

Page 7 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Those who liked the new schedule thought it was better suited to the attention levels (i.e., students were not bored) and the learning ability of students. Teachers remarked about less classroom behavioral issues because of the shortened classroom period. Teachers also felt that the schedule allowed more time to work with the same students during the school year.

­ “The schedule is a lot better than the previous one since the classes are shorter, they keep me interested longer.”

– Student

­ “The students had my class every other day last year, and now they have it for 47 minutes every day. The students are more engaged. They’re recalling what happened the day before…that is much better. I can pick them right up where they left off. There is less re-teaching on a day-to-day basis. I can implement more of a driving question each day instead of the entire week. Keeps them on pace as to what they should be doing.” – Invention and Innovation Teacher

­ “I think it is a better setup for most middle school aged kids. They benefit from daily repetition in every subject.

The shorter class period and variety of classes each day will benefit my son next year-less time to get bored, act up, etc. The constant change in instructor, learning environment, classmates, subject matter, etc. will keep him engaged.”-Parent

Parents, students, and teachers alike had much to say about the developmentally appropriate seven-period schedule. Many teachers reinforced research and expressed the following:

­ “This seven-period schedule meets middle school student’s right where they are, many are not cognitively ready for a 90-minute period. This schedule allows us as teachers to meet the curriculum standards, and students get it in ‘bite-sized’ chunks. Perhaps the biggest advantage we have to this schedule is the expansion of our matrix to move kids where needed.” –Teacher

­ “I think the 47 minute class is great for MS students! The 90 minute class time provided too much time in one class for them to be able to stay in and focus on the same content, where with 7 periods it keeps them active, alive, engaged and going, without boredom. Many students have expressed they enjoy and like this new schedule. It took about a month or so for both teachers and students to get used to, but from what I can tell in my school many have adjusted well and are adjusting their teaching to either fit the essentials in or do the ‘extras’ as outside class work or during ELT.” –Teacher

­ “The shorter classes allow me to break down assignments into smaller chunks which make it easier to assess if students are learning the material. I also have fewer behavior problems this year as there is less need to transition several times within a class with the shorter periods. Overall I feel that the shorter classes are better suited to the needs of the middle school student.” –Teacher

­ ““I like the fact that classes move at a quick pace, resulting in less transition time for the kids within a class. I feel like the kids benefit more because I can revisit a skill the next day rather than waiting for 2 days or even longer if they have a day or two off from school.” –Teacher

­ “I believe my school has adapted well with the new 7 period schedule. I think the students enjoy it because they don't feel trapped in a class for 90 minutes. The new schedule fits with the attention span of kids between the ages of 11 and 14. This change was the best thing the district could make, not just for Common Core, but for the students.” -Teacher

The attention span of the average middle school student is 10 to 12 minutes, and there is little evidence that their brains can be trained to develop a longer span. So, direction instruction should be kept to no more than this span of time. Previous wisdom held that, in the normal classroom, students learn roughly 40 percent visually, 40 percent auditorily, and 20 percent kinesthetically. Now, perhaps due to the use of computers at early ages, these young brains have formed different connections and learn less by listening and more by interactive teaching methods.

-Mining the Middle School Brain, NAESP’s Middle Matters, 2009

Page 8 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Feedback Themes In reviewing feedback from staff, students and parents several themes emerged. Staff commented on the benefits of instructing students all year, meeting needs of individual students, ELT, workload, availability of resources and planning time. While students and parents shared comments about homework and ELT. These themes, and others, are examined below.

Teachers shared about instructing students all year:

­ “In the media center I have seen many more teachers engaging students in research this year - it has been very busy. Having the entire year to work with the curriculum in Social Studies and Science is beneficial from my perspective; we don't have to rush to try to fit everything into one semester.”

­ “I love that I can see my students all year and that there are increased opportunities for trans-disciplinary activities

- especially with social studies.”

­ “For Social Studies and Science, having the students the full year instead of just a semester has allowed us to cover the material in greater depth - it has allowed us to flip the classroom more often, have more group discussions. I do not feel as rushed to cover so much material in just one class period. The 47 minute periods has allowed for more student retention of key information each day.”

While some teachers expressed concern about covering content in greater depth, some feel they are better able to accomplish this in the new schedule. Professional learning will need to continue to support teachers in developing effective lessons for the 47-minute period including opportunities for staff to share best practices. Teachers shared sentiments about being able to meet individual student needs:

­ “I feel the shorter time classes works best for my Learning for Life students in that they

are expected to work for less time and the material is presented in shorter pieces, which works better for their attention spans.”

­ “The schedule has been well received in that it is ideal for implementing my special education goals. The greatest challenge has been in caseload; however, assistance has been provided as needed. Overall, I am very happy with the new schedule and prefer it to block scheduling both for myself and my students.”

­ “Overall, I do feel like the 7-period day has benefited students because it is easier to place them in classes that support their needs (i.e. HAL, SpEd, etc.).”

Whether scheduling for students in need of additional support or enrichment, the seven-period schedule allows more flexibility to accomplish this need. A number of teachers spoke to more purposeful and engaging lessons that have resulted from this schedule:

­ “The new 7 period schedule is awesome! It is just the right amount of time students utilize before running out of steam or becoming less interested. Students leave my class hungry for more learning every day. This is great! I also feel like I have less concepts to introduce on daily basis, but get to reinforce the concepts the very next day! I also feel like my brain is less fragmented due to the fact that I easily remember where I left off in each class. My students and I LOVE the new 47 - minute schedule!”

­ “I really enjoy the new schedule. I believe that it forces teachers to really think about the lessons they are planning. There is less ‘busy work’ and the activities in your class have to be intentional. I believe that there are some teachers who complain about the schedule because they have not adapted their teaching styles. As a math teacher I have had to go away from the traditional; warm-up, homework review, lesson, practice, exit ticket, set up for a class. Teachers who still want to have a long warm-up and detailed homework review probably are struggling with the new schedule. I have had less behavior issues in my classes this year because of the reduced time for them to get off task. I hope that the county continues this schedule in the future.”

­ “We have found the new schedule very beneficial to students in P.E. Daily physical activity and instruction is great!!”

“I feel the shorter time classes works best for my Learning for Life students…”

Page 9 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Some of the responses were neither positive nor negative in relation to the seven-period schedule, but rather an indication of the many other stresses being felt by our educators as they began to navigate this transition. Teachers reported concern for the best use of ELT Time, stress in learning a new curriculum, general accountability, implementing SLO’s, and a need for resources. Stakeholder feedback pertaining to ELT continues to be mixed. Teachers expressed some of the following thoughts:

­ “ELT time is now 30 minutes and our daily announcements have been moved to that time so after they are finished we are only left with 20 minutes to tutor students and that is not enough time.”

­ “The ELT time is not benefiting ALL individual learners. Due to all of the testing, retesting, re-teaching, the only thing I am able to accomplish is tests and retests. I very rarely get to enrich during this time.

­ “The ELT time can be beneficial, but usually the students who are needed for tutoring or more individualization are not in the classroom, but pulled by other teachers for tutoring.”

­ “We should not have ELT during delays or early dismissals. This reduces instructional time.”

­ “ELT is a waste of time. Please put this time back in to class time.”

­ “ELT is not effective because students are only seen twice every 8 days, which makes it difficult to discuss current concepts.”

FCPS middle school students reported that when they are struggling in a class, ELT is the number one time available to seek support from their teacher; 74% students indicated that this as a time they receive help, while the other options are during lunch or after school. Other activities students indicated doing during ELT included homework (65%), working on extensions (60%), and accessing extra time to work independently (59%). Over half of all parents of middle school students also concurred that ELT was a time for their child to get additional help from the teacher.

It is clear that individual schools have found varied levels of success in implementing ELT. Significant attention should be given to improving this block of instructional time. All teachers may benefit from revisiting the ELT vision and the value behind this time as it pertains to educational research, as well as learning from colleagues who are successfully using this time to benefit student learning. Some of the feedback from teachers that was negative pertained to stress caused by a change in curriculum, teacher evaluation, and general accountability to student learning. Teachers expressed the following sentiments regarding too much change all at once:

­ “I think the school was prepared for the change of the schedule, but I will be honest, there have just been too many changes, new things to learn and more responsibilities added to the teacher's workload, as well other staff & administration. It all feels like it is just too much at once.”

­ “I feel that it is hard for teachers to truly assess the impact (good and bad) of the new schedule at this point. I think it will take teachers at least a full year to see how timing plays out, as well as have time to adjust teaching strategies and management techniques. I also feel that there were so many changes this year that are stressful to teachers it is hard to say what is caused by the schedule. There are SLO"s, more implementation of Common Core, among other new initiatives.”

­ “I think parents don't thoroughly understand the shift in rigor and application and the work the new curriculum requires of students. The new schedule coupled with a new curriculum has caused a lot of parent concern. I do however think that the new schedule meets the needs of our student and that this year is only a learning year and that the kinks should work themselves out with more outreach to the community and practice from teachers.”

74% of students indicated that ELT is the time they receive help from

teachers.

The same daily schedule seems to provide continuity to the programs and consistency in accessing the Common Core objectives.

Page 10 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

­ “The same daily schedule seems to provide continuity to the programs and consistency in accessing the Common

Core objectives. I like the schedule – but the part that makes it harder for teachers is the increased workload. More and bigger classes, additional preps, and paperwork associated with the classroom - not to mention the increased workload of preparing and documenting SLOs, etc... Planning is filled with PLCs, SLOs, PDs, Transdisciplinary plans - none of which are bad - there is just soooo much that in order to continue to deliver quality instruction and timely feedback to students - unreasonable amounts of personal time must be utilized. Teachers have always and will always work more than the # of hours ‘on the clock’- but it feels overwhelming and again -unreasonable. Our administration is supportive - but the county changes and all the new incentives and requirements are just too much all at once. We do what teachers do best - we do our very best every day to make a difference - we care and it matters. However, we can't help but feel burdened some days rather than the enthusiasm I prefer. Thanks for asking!”

Leadership from building principals and teachers is more critical now than ever. School leadership teams must work to narrow the focus for teachers by providing meaningful professional learning and time to implement initiatives. Middle school staff that were a part of the Targeted Assistance Action Process (TAAP) expressed additional concerns related to stresses specific to their work.

­ “Additionally, we are dealing with the effects of Strand 5 status, which means more meetings and time out of the classroom”

­ “At a (strand) 5 school…we are ‘meetinged’ to DEATH!”

­ “Teachers are finding it hard this school year to effectively plan. The fact that Brunswick is a strand 4 school and all of the requirements and forced collaboration from the county level make also decreases the amount of time to plan quality lessons for students as well as differentiate.”

­ “On top of the additional duties, the TAAP process requires additional time to gather data each week to discuss student concerns which is a redundant process anyway.”

While feedback was collected in November of the 2013-14 school year, by year’s end, there was an overwhelmingly positive response from TAAP schools that went through the full year of Classroom Focused Improvement Process (CFIP) training and actually began to see how their work was connected to the existing Program Implementation Period and their general role as an educator. It was further evident that some confusion existed related to the Program Implementation Period. Some feedback from teachers included the following:

­ “Our required meetings (transdisciplinary, PD, PLC, etc.) have reduced our planning by 50% most days.”

­ “How could we have more time to prepare lessons when our time is consumed by meetings? I understand that meetings (data, teamings, curricular...) are VERY important, BUT I feel that I have less time during my contractual day to actually plan for my students.”

­ “You have increased the time for transdisciplinary, analyzing student data, meeting with PLC groups, etc. In so doing, you have decreased the time for planning engaging lessons for students.”

A very real need expressed by teachers was the need for resources to support their planning and implement- tation of appropriate lessons with the new curriculum and schedule.

­ “Teachers do not have adequate resources to teach common core standards.”

­ “We have scrambled for books for all students in social studies. If the board is making a drastic change, then financially back the change.”

­ “Why haven’t the curriculum specialists and teacher specialists worked more closely with schools to help teachers plan accordingly for 47 minute periods? All we were given last year were some lesson plan templates to help guide teachers in their planning.”

Page 11 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

The Curriculum, Instruction and Innovation (CII) department has worked with the BOE to address resource needs. In the 2014-15 school year, Go Math Grades 6-8 was approved and purchased for middle schools. In addition, middle schools will be receiving Collections, an English/language arts resource, in January. The CII department will purchase additional licenses for social studies digital texts later this year. Some of the negative themes that emerged included less overall instructional time for English/language arts and math teachers when compared to the previous schedule; being responsible for more students due to the increased number of sections teachers are assigned; concern for lab-based courses; and helping students develop a deep understanding of content in 47-minute periods. English/language arts and math teachers provided input regarding a loss of instructional time and managing more students. They indicated the following related to losing instructional time:

­ “The biggest problem for math is the HUGE loss of instructional time and the increase of assessments. Trying to get all the formative testing done in a 47 minute block is difficult.”

­ “Language Arts and Math have lost time from previous years, yet are still expected to cover just as much as they have in the past…We all know that math is an area of great need for our students, yet time in that area has been lost. Many of our students are reading far below grade level, yet time in that area has been lost. The other content areas are now equal in time allotted for instruction, yet they are not tested in the same way as math and reading.”

In response to the ‘increased use of assessment,’ the local assessment program was adjusted for the 2014-15 school year to reduce the overall number of assessments, specifically in math. FCPS staff continues to plan for and monitor a quality local assessment program and ensure teachers utilize assessment information to target the instructional experience for students promoting a thoughtful use of instructional time. Because teachers went from instructing four sections of students to five sections, the total number of students they are responsible for increased. Teachers shared:

­ “As a middle school teacher, I am now responsible for more students. I have an increased workload by 25%! I spend more hours grading and entering grades into Pinnacle. I have more parents to contact or return emails.”

­ “For anyone that has labs or any specials we do not have enough time to get projects, work and then get cleaned up, have closure and ready to roll out for the next class coming in. It would seem like the perfect time would be 60 to 65 minutes that would allow everyone to set up labs, etc.”

­ “There is not adequate time to develop the critical thinking skills and conversations necessary to deepen the

students' understanding of science process and content.”

Page 12 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Action Steps

FCPS is committed to accelerating learning opportunities for middle school students and addressing the challenges identified by stakeholders related to the new middle school initiatives. In the spring of 2014, principals were provided feedback themes from the surveys and focus groups which served to guide the work of their leadership teams. School teams were asked to review the information and explore possible refinements to the seven-period schedule for the 2014-15 school year. Principals were afforded time during the 2014 Summer Principal Retreat to review the information below, share best practices and determine next steps to address each theme.

THEME RECOMMENDATIONS

Extended Learning Time (ELT) offers valuable time for intervention, enrichment and personalized instruction. However, based on stakeholder feedback, further professional learning is necessary to enhance the overall effectiveness of instructional time.

Establish definitive parameters to guide implementation practices at all middle schools.

Share best practices among principals and staff. Provide teachers opportunities to observe their

colleagues effectively implementing ELT.

Program Implementation Period (PIP) is a 47-minute period of time that occurs four-out-of-five days a week, providing staff with dedicated time for the following: (a) Collaboration (b) Data Analysis (c) Review of Student Work (d) Professional Learning Some staff members expressed the need to establish guidelines for the use of this time.

Establish definitive parameters and guidelines to direct use of this time at all middle schools.

Provide staff members with structures that promote teacher collaboration, data analysis, student learning objectives (SLOs), transdisciplinary planning and professional learning.

Develop PIP calendars to ensure systemic structure. Share PIP best practices among principals.

Continue support for staff in identifying effective lesson designs and maximizing instructional time during the 47-minute period

Provide structure and opportunities for staff to share best practices and observe colleagues effectively teaching in the 47-minute period.

Continue to support teachers (curriculum specialist) by identifying resources and instructional strategies.

Offer regular feedback (administrators) to staff with the aim of reinforcing the use of effective instructional strategies that maximize student engagement during the 47-minute period.

Ensure consistency in the implementation of the FCPS homework guidelines

Provide opportunities for teams to review the FCPS homework guidelines and share homework expectations.

Ensure course and grade-level expectations follow homework guidelines.

Coordinate major projects and tests to avoid student overload and ensure monitoring of assigned homework.

Develop a course and grade-level homework calendar that is online for students and parents to access.

Page 13 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

THEME RECOMMENDATIONS

Address workload challenges

Identify strategies to minimize the use of a teacher’s time to complete non-instructional tasks.

Continue to align and clarify systemic expectations to ensure teachers are engaged in tasks that are essential.

Continued provision of instructional resources

Work with curriculum and instruction to ensure resources are provided.

Deploy the following during the 2014/2015 school year: o Resources in math, English/language arts and social

studies Reevaluate science once publishers have aligned Next

Generation Science Standards (purchase will be funding dependent).

Page 14 of 14 A Joint Report from SAL & CII – Moving Forward in the Middle 11.05.14

_______________________________________________________________________________________

APPENDICES

Survey Summaries

11.05.14 MS Schedule PARENT Survey 2014_backup3

11.05.14 MS Schedule STUDENT Survey 2014_backup4

11.05.14 MS Schedule STAFF Survey 2014_backup5