Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Middle School ReformMiddle School Reformin Montgomery in Montgomery
County Public SchoolsCounty Public Schools
Linda FerrellLinda Ferrell DirectorDirector
Middle School Instruction Middle School Instruction and Achievementand Achievement
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Presentation Outcomes
By the end of the presentation, participants
will have:
Gained an understanding of the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Middle School Reform planning and implementation processes
Heard about the essential components of the Middle School Reform comprehensive plan
Received information on the progress of the plan
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
MCPS-at-a GlanceMCPS-at-a Glance
MCPSMCPS
200 Schools130 elementary38 middle25 high7 special/alternative education
137,667 students22.9% African Am..3% Am. Indian15.2% Asian21.5% Hispanic40.1% White
Spec. Ed: 11.3%ESOL: 11.7%FARMS: 25.8%Ever FARMS: 38.4%Mobility: 15.7%
MCPS Middle SchoolsMCPS Middle Schools
38 schools
30,760 students22.7% African Am..3% Am. Indian15.1% Asian21.3% Hispanic40.6% White
Spec. Ed: 12.2%ESOL: 5.9%FARMS: 25.9%Ever FARMS: 38.4%Mobility: 13.4%
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
What are the activities that middle school students engage in during the hours of 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.?
Think about what our adolescent learners are doing between 4:00p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
List the activities on your handout.
Now share them with someone sitting next to you.
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
What skills do middle school
students need to prepare for the 21st century?
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
MCPS believes our middle MCPS believes our middle schools must…schools must…
Be prepared to use the same 21st century tools in the classrooms that students use daily
Look beyond state expectations Look beyond state expectations and standardsand standardsPrepare students to compete and succeed in a global economyBring what we teachwhat we teach and how how we teachwe teach into the 21st century!
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
MCPS Middle School Reform Process
ElementaryElementaryReformReform
20042004MiddleMiddleSchool School ReformReform
High High School School
InitiativesInitiatives
19991999MCPSMCPS
ReformReform
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Challenges faced by Challenges faced by MCPS Middle SchoolsMCPS Middle Schools
Significant achievement gap
Inconsistent implementation of Inconsistent implementation of curriculum and formative assessmentscurriculum and formative assessments
Elective course offerings differed from school to school
Lack of rigorous instructionLack of rigorous instruction
Concerns with writing instruction
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Challenges faced by Challenges faced by MCPS Middle SchoolsMCPS Middle Schools
After school/summer programs lacked quality and varied in offerings
Grouping practices variedGrouping practices varied
Certification concerns with middle school staff
Parent involvement decreasedParent involvement decreased
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
The Middle School Program Review The Middle School Program Review (AKA: THE 2004 AUDIT)(AKA: THE 2004 AUDIT)
External examination of all middle schools
14 commendations and 32 recommendations 14 commendations and 32 recommendations categorized into 4 categoriescategorized into 4 categories
Standardize processes for curriculum and program implementation
Focus supports and services to ensure Focus supports and services to ensure students meet standards and proficiencystudents meet standards and proficiency
Focus supports and services to ensure effective teaching and learning
Examine schedules, course offerings and Examine schedules, course offerings and program/course accessprogram/course access
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Middle School Reform Steering Committee
Revise Policy IEB, Middle School Education
Develop a comprehensive plan that:
• Is rigorous and challenging• Improves teaching and learning• Promotes continuous school
improvement• Ensures preparation for rigorous
high school standards• Focuses on eliminating the
achievement gap
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
MCPS Middle School Planning Process
Pre-ReformPre-ReformResourcesResourcesIn PlaceIn Place
20052005
Revised Revised Policy Policy
2005-20062005-2006Steering Steering
Committee &Committee &7 Project Teams7 Project Teams
2006-20072006-2007
Developed Developed Middle School Middle School Reform PlanReform Plan
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Implementation PlanImplementation PlanBegan in 2007-2008Began in 2007-2008
Original Plan
Phase 1: 5 schools
Phase 2: 10 schools
Phase 3: 23 schools
Current Plan
Phase 1: 5 schools
Phase 2: 10 schools6 full implementation
4 partial implementation
Phase 3: 10 schools
Phase 4: TBD pending budget
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
GOALS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORMGOALS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORM
Goal I:Goal I: Ensure effective leadership leadership that promotes shared ownership for student and staff success and establishes a culture of high expectations.
Goal 2:Goal 2: Engage all students in effective and differentiated instructioninstructional practices using a rigorous , standards based curriculumcurriculum and challenging assessmentsassessments.
Goal 3:Goal 3: Provide extended learning extended learning opportunitiesopportunities that engage and motivate students to achieve at higher levels.
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
GOALS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORMGOALS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORM
Goal 4:Goal 4: Implement organizational organizational structuresstructures that maximize time for teaching and learning, cultivate positive relationships, and promote increased student achievement.
Goal 5:Goal 5: Ensure that middle school staffmiddle school staff has the knowledge, skill, and content expertise to meet the learning and developmental needs of middle school students.
Goal 6:Goal 6: Engage parents and the parents and the communitycommunity as partners to promote school and student success.
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Goal & Selected Recommended ActionsGoal & Selected Recommended Actions
Goal 1: Leadership & Professional Goal 1: Leadership & Professional DevelopmentDevelopment
Build shared leadershipBuild shared leadership
Professional Learning Communities Professional Learning Communities InstituteInstituteSchool Leadership Team InstituteSchool Leadership Team InstituteSummer TrainingSummer Training
Adolescent learnerAdolescent learnerRigorous instructionRigorous instructionCollaborationCollaboration
Middle principal internshipMiddle principal internship
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Goal 1: LeadershipGoal 1: Leadership & Professional & ProfessionalDevelopmentDevelopment
Build content expertise to Build content expertise to increase student achievementincrease student achievement
Accelerated Enriched Instruction (AEI) Accelerated Enriched Instruction (AEI) Literacy CoachLiteracy Coach
Accelerated Enriched Instruction (AEI) Accelerated Enriched Instruction (AEI) Mathematics CoachMathematics Coach
Restructured positions of team leaders Restructured positions of team leaders and department resource teachersand department resource teachers
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Goal 2: Curriculum Instruction & Goal 2: Curriculum Instruction & AssessmentAssessment
Engage all students in effective Engage all students in effective and differentiated instructional and differentiated instructional practicespractices
Formative and benchmark Formative and benchmark assessmentsassessmentsTechnology tool to monitor student Technology tool to monitor student and school dataand school dataInnovative classroom technologyInnovative classroom technologyRigorous core and elective coursesRigorous core and elective coursesSummer Training topics Summer Training topics
Adolescent learnerAdolescent learnerRigorous instructionRigorous instruction
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Goal 3: Extended Learning Goal 3: Extended Learning OpportunitiesOpportunities
Engage students in innovative Engage students in innovative extended Learning Opportunities (ELO)extended Learning Opportunities (ELO)
Redesigned after school and summer Redesigned after school and summer courses to be authentic, product-based, courses to be authentic, product-based, engaging and collaborative engaging and collaborative opportunitiesopportunities
Lights, Camera Literacy! coursesLights, Camera Literacy! courses
ELO coordinator ELO coordinator
Enhance monitoring tools and Enhance monitoring tools and processesprocesses
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Goal 4: Organizational StructuresGoal 4: Organizational Structures
Implement structures to support Implement structures to support increased student achievementincreased student achievement
Collaborative planning process Collaborative planning process Cohort collaborative work timeCohort collaborative work timeGuidelines for developing master Guidelines for developing master schedulesschedulesAdditional counselorsAdditional counselorsHours-based staffing to support inclusionHours-based staffing to support inclusionAdditional hours for instructional data Additional hours for instructional data assistantsassistants
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Goal 5: High-quality staffGoal 5: High-quality staff
Recruit, hire, and train staff highly Recruit, hire, and train staff highly skilled in meeting the unique needs of skilled in meeting the unique needs of middle school studentsmiddle school students
Middle School classroom teacher job Middle School classroom teacher job description drafteddescription draftedResearch-based professional Research-based professional development for human resource staff development for human resource staff focused on adolescent learnerfocused on adolescent learnerRecruitment focused on teachers with Recruitment focused on teachers with specialized backgrounds in middle specialized backgrounds in middle schoolschool
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Goal 6: Parent & Community Engagement Goal 6: Parent & Community Engagement & Communication& Communication
Engage parents/community to Engage parents/community to support students’ academic support students’ academic successsuccess
Parent Academy SessionsParent Academy Sessions
Study CirclesStudy Circles
School and parent multi-lingual School and parent multi-lingual resourcesresources
Effective cross-cultural communication Effective cross-cultural communication training for stafftraining for staff
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
How do you measure success?How do you measure success?
Year 1 (FY 2008): Implementation studyYear 1 (FY 2008): Implementation studyMid-year evaluation – implemented with a Mid-year evaluation – implemented with a high degree of fidelityhigh degree of fidelity
Final Evaluation – determines initial impact Final Evaluation – determines initial impact Data points (targets) to measure impactData points (targets) to measure impact
Baseline dataBaseline data
Year 2 (FY 2009): Year 2 (FY 2009): Continue implementation with 10 additional Continue implementation with 10 additional schoolsschools
Analyze performance data and targetsAnalyze performance data and targets
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
It’s the right model, and it’s worth it!It’s the right model, and it’s worth it!
Oscar – Grade 6; first year in USA; Oscar – Grade 6; first year in USA; presenting to the Board of Educationpresenting to the Board of Education
Summer program teacher – reflecting on Summer program teacher – reflecting on the progress of a students with special the progress of a students with special needsneeds
38 year veteran teacher – I have never 38 year veteran teacher – I have never been so excited about teaching in all of been so excited about teaching in all of my years!my years!
Phase I Principal – The changes in my Phase I Principal – The changes in my staff and the results of our scores are staff and the results of our scores are because of our middle school reform because of our middle school reform initiative!initiative!
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Questions & Evaluation
Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland
Contact InformationContact Information
Linda FerrellLinda Ferrell301-517-5007301-517-5007