From 2001 – Present Day
The North Beach community has always valued academic excellence. The administration, staff, and students have built this reputation using a high-performing model of effective programs, consistent classroom practices, and early intervention and remediation for struggling learners.
Many families have selected North Beach based on the programs and history of achievement. In the 2003-04, 2004-05, and 2006-07 school years, North Beach ranked among the top 4 performing schools in the district based on reading, math, and writing scores. However, the recent two years of performance of the school on the WASL highlights an alarming trend. North Beach has seen a significant drop in student achievement scores and has dropped to last place in comparison to schools with similar demographics While the district and state have been making continual but gradual gains in the percent of students meeting academic standards, North Beach has been slipping. Table 1 below summarizes the percent of 4th grade students meeting academic standards at NBE and for the district. 4th grade is the benchmark grade for WASL in elementary school.
Key Findings:
- Reading is the highest scoring subject for NBE 4th grade students, yet North Beach is only 6% above district average.
- In the last 2 years, NBE reading scores have dropped over 10% relative to the district average.Mathematics, once the claim to fame for North Beach, has experienced a precipitous drop in the last 2 years of nearly 20%.
- Writing scores show some promise in the most current year testing results, but still represent a 9-year low when compared with the district average.
Table 1 – 4th Grade WASL Scores for North Beach, Seattle District, and the Difference
Click table to view larger image
While an assessment should not be used as an absolute judge of success or failure, the continuity of a standardized test like the WASL provides a valuable tool to benchmark progress. It is important to consider the performance trend of an individual school, but also critical to monitor demographics and ensure that comparable peer schools are used for analysis. Table 2 below lists the 21 schools in Seattle with a free/reduced lunch population equal to or less than 20%. The key concern shown by these data is that while North Beach is nominally centered in the socio-economic group with a 10% free/reduced lunch population, it is outperformed in all three subject areas by 15 schools, and in two of the three subject areas by 5 schools (shown in bold). Of 21 non-disadvantaged schools, North Beach ranks last.
Key Findings:
- Of 21 schools, North Beach has the lowest reading score
- In math, NBE ranks 19th
- For writing, NBE is 16th
Table 2 – 4th Grade WASL Scores and Demographics for all Seattle Schools (21 total) with 20% or Less Free and Reduced Lunch Population
Click table to view larger image
Getting Back on Track
While elementary school is the first leg of a child’s educational journey, it is often identified as the most critical. The building blocks put in place in the K-5 grades form the basis for all future schooling, including content knowledge and application, attitudes towards learning, and study habits to name a few. Students not meeting academic standards in one or more subjects in 4th grade are at a significantly higher risk of not passing in 7th and 10th grade as well, and are more likely to drop out of high school.
The formula for academic success, especially in elementary school, is not a great mystery. The key challenge is to keep focused on, and implement the shared vision for, student excellence. There are many opinions ranging across the educational spectrum, but critical review of research around successful schools reveal a set of common characteristics that schools should strive for.
Successful school characteristics include:
- Empirically proven research-based curricula and teaching methods
- Comprehensive use of the state academic standards as goals for student learning, guideposts for teaching, and tools for professional development
- Use of frequent assessment as a diagnostic tool for identifying strengths and weaknesses and improving performance
- Standards-based professional development that emphasizes subject matter
- Strong and consistent discipline policies that emphasize sanctions and rewards
- Increased flexibility to use available funding and a reduction in bureaucratic rules
Excerpted from “They Have Overcome”, US Department of Education website
It is a critical time for transparency and accountability at North Beach. Everybody needs to recognize that we have a problem, and agree on the solutions and timeframe to resolve that problem. Leadership is considered to be one of the most valuable components of any institution or organization and needs to maintain focus on a shared goal. The teachers represent the heart, the engine of North Beach, and must be provided with the tools, time, and oversight to be successful. The parent community has to be supportive, and in return deserves honest and regular communications from the school. Finally, the students need to recognize that their education is both a privilege and their number one priority.
Please take this information to heart. Collectively, we can do better and the kids deserve no less.
Rick Burke & Linh-Co Nguyen
This is great information - thanks for posting this! What are all the schools in our cluster doing to improve that we are not?
ReplyDeleteSeems like the MAP testing will be a much better tool to track learning than the WASL because the results will be immediately available and it will be given to the kids 3x a year. Will the results be posted on the SOURCE?
Would it help to have more parents volunteering in the classrooms -- on a regular, dependable basis to help students who require more attention in learning the basic skills?
ReplyDeleteMore parents in the classrooms during grades K-3 might help to provide a better foundation for kids that would pay off in grades 4 and 5.
Also, can the 4th and 5th grade teachers use volunteers to come in and provide one-on-one or one-on-a-few tutoring and coaching for reading, writing, and math?
Homework clubs might work for some, but I know that many kids are fairly tightly scheduled in their afterschool hours.
Can we point parents to the Math and Stuff store and encourage them to buy specific texts to have at home to help their kids?
Hard to see what the answer might be, but Linh-Co and Rick have gotten us off to a good start by their analysis of WASL.
- Grant
Post Script: The easiest way I found to post thsi comment was to simply choose "Anonymous" from the drop down list box after typing the comment. Then you can sign your name -- or not.
It seems the evidence shows that there has been a significant dropoff in the school scores in the past two years since Ms Bowers has taken over as principal. Has anyone who has been involved with the school for a longer period seen a marked difference in the approach to testing or the curriculum as a whole that might have caused the change? What factors are absent from the school's past?
ReplyDeleteThanks all for the feedback, both on-blog and offline. Keep putting forth your ideas about how the North Beach community can come together around this situation. We like the idea of requesting that MAP scores and history be shared with parents after each of the 3 tests this year. Teachers also should have more time with their near-grade-level colleagues to plan and collaborate. Finally and most important, every parent should advocate for their student in a respectful and well-informed manner. There should be no mystery about education. This isn't a sausage factory, these are our kids.
ReplyDelete-Rick
I have to admit, I was surprised by these test scores and rankings...especially because I think the teachers are top-notch, there is a lot of parent support, and my children are challenged and engaged. I suppose there could be a number of contributing factors: new Superintendent, new Principal, budget cuts, larger classes, etc., but these don't tell us why schools with similar demographics haven't seen the same level of decline. This definitely merits further research and discussion...maybe more information can be found on the SPS site; I'll check there and report back if I find anything noteworthy.
ReplyDeleteIt seems obvious to expect that we all (parents and staff) have to be accountable, but how we measure accountability is a big challenge. Perhaps new benchmarks/milestones should be discussed? (Benchmarks that are specific to North Beach, not the district.)
Another thing to look at, as mentioned in a previous comment, is feedback from people (namely staff) who have been at North Beach for more than five years...what do they think is contributing to the lower test scores and how would they change things?
-Joanne H.
These numbers are of course concerning, but it's critical to know all the variables. I have no idea how a principal affects teaching quality, but of course Ms. Bowers could be a factor. Maybe she is not as focused on academic achievement as previous principals and that trickles down? Other factors to consider are:
ReplyDelete-who were the 4th grade teachers during all these years? Did they change?
-similarly, did the curriculum/approach change during this time period, even if the teachers did not?
-how much did class size vary across these given years?
-how much did economic make up (% free lunch) and special ed population vary across these years?
-what year did the school start using Saxon?
Really the teachers themselves need to be a part of this conversation; they, as well as families and admins. who have been here all along are the ones who can speak to changes in the school/teaching environment that have resulted in increasingly lackluster scores.
Hopefully Bowers and the teachers and parents can have open conversations about this, since we are all wanting the best for the students. Defensiveness and finger-pointing will do no one any good. Time to roll up the shirtsleeves and get to work improving!
I agree that it is necessary to determine why there has been such a decline in just a few years. Teacher input is critical as well. I personally don't feel very strongly towards these tests, although I understand that they do provide some sort of a measure for parents/teachers/district, etc. I believe, however, that teacher input, report cards, are a much more accurate depiction of how our kids are really doing. I know from personal experience that I CONSISTENTLY scored "below average" on every aspect of the state testing throughout my entire elementary school years (referred to as the C.A.T. back then). I, however, did just fine in the classroom, and managed to be in honors classes all through middle school and private high school (where the grading system and curriculum was much more challenging in comparison to seattle public schools at that time). I'm sure there are many factors involved in why the scores have dropped (most of which have already been posted). Larger class sizes, I believe, play a significant role, and the fact that there seems to always be a small handful of students in each classroom that are very disruptive to the rest. The teachers have their hands tied regarding discipline and how they can deal with these issues- all of which affect the learning and productive time taught in the classrooms.
ReplyDeleteDuring the past two years, most of the others schools that have not seen drops in math scores have adopted Everyday Math, this is not a "fuzy" math curriculum as many viewed TERC Investigations to be. Many schools that have been using this curriculum have had great success and I wonder if it is time to give up the battle on Saxon Math.
ReplyDeleteRather than tossing out Saxon that easily, we would need to find out WHEN those schools adopted Everday Math (I think it was just the year before last) and if it was tied to higher scores. It's important to look at the timing and variables before just making reactionary changes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the poster who said they take the test scores with a grain of salt; the WASL, as we know, is a flawed instrument. Now that our kids will be tested more frequently and more importantly, with a NATIONALLY NORMED test, we can plan from here. Very dangerous to make dramatic changes here and there, without information and insight. God knows the district has done that 100x over, zig-zagging everywhere with the "new" new policy every year.
Teacher input is critical here. I hope that many teachers come to the PTA meeting tonight. It is, after all, the Parent TEACHER Association. They are a major player in all these decisions and we need their input. They are the ones who are with the kids every day, teaching them, testing them, interacting them. Why are the teachers so silent in these larger discussions? I hope it changes, because they have valuable info and perspectives.
Folks:
ReplyDeleteI think Rick’s overall concern is sincere and all of us parents need to help not only our children, but participate actively to help all of the students at North Beach Elementary in whatever way we can.
Obviously there are many many parents at NB that hold a belief that the public school system can be the best education for their children … the democratic ideal is alive and well … and acted upon.
-However-
The presentation of the numbers could lead one to lay the blame for deceasing test scores solely on the Principal, and in this case, Ms. Bowers.
Please don’t do this.
If she is to solely take the blame for that then we can be grateful that she has also been responsible for an overall decrease in sunspot activity (table below).
If the test score numbers are a concern, and I believe they are, then this presents us with a great opportunity to come together and act on all of our students’ behalf.
All the very best,
-Patrick
Year Principal Sunspot Activity
00-01 Hayes 123.3
01-02 123.3
02-03 109.4
03-04 65.9
04-05 Morningstar 43.3
05-06 30.2
06-07 James 15.4
07-08 Bowers 7.9
08-09 2.4
what is sunspot activity?
ReplyDeleteThere is no need for mockery, Patrick, especially when linking principals to school academic achievement is common, not random, as you suggest. Right or wrong, principals are the leaders of their building and school community and are praised when there are successes and are blamed when there are problems. Oftentimes they are in fact, not entirely responsible for either success or failurs, but welcome to something called leadership and accountability. No need for a withhunt now, but people are rightly concerned that Ms. Bowers has sunnily misrepresented the facts in her letter to the school, then recanted in her letter yesterday when she got wind of this blog. We need an honest, upfront leader. And I believe she can be that person. Let's go forward and improve things!
ReplyDeleteA caution about over emphasis on only two data sets (FL lunch and WASL). A spot-check of neighborhood census data (http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Research/Population_Demographics/Census_2000_Data/Data_Maps_for_Locally_Defined_Areas/DPDS_007014.asp) reveals telling information -- granted from the 2000 Census. Median family income in Bryant-Ravenna is $10,000 over NB. The educational attainment rates (BA, MA and Phd) are significantly lower in NB. Our socio-economic profile is LOWER than those neighborhoods compared in the charts on this site.
ReplyDeleteHas the water been tested in the neighborhoods? The Puget Sound is polluted, what is going on in our part of the cluster?
ReplyDeleteOne of the hardest things for administrators to do, even though they think they "remember" how to be a classroom teacher, is to understand--fully--the teachers' positions in today's schools.
ReplyDeleteBut even before I was a principal, I had long declared that ALL administrators should have to work for one full semester with "regular education" classrooms (at least half-days) every five years, in order to have their certificates renewed. They had to be held personally accountable for test scores and grades and respond to parents' questions about failures, just as I did as a teacher. They had to look in the kids' faces everyday and express real concern over real issues about "their kids." If they could not do that, they should not be given a renewed "education" certificate.
When I left North Beach in 2004 under doctor's orders to "work fewer hours," I began to teach math half days at Ballard High School. I had been out of the classroom for 10 years. It was one of the best--and worst--things that ever happened to me. I was stunned to see, up close and personal, the differences among high school students in their values (which they had learned from "us") and their knowledge base and skills (or lack thereof). I was even more stunned to see the garbage that teachers had to wade through each day from administrative directives while trying to teach many less-than-interested students with sorely-lacking academic abilities. I was chagrined to realize how much I hadn't understood as a principal.
I had thought if I were really competent in curriculum issues--aware of those things that were said by education leaders to "work," knowing those things that really DID work (often called common sense and wisdom through living life in the "real" world), and being willing to buck the system to get to use the methods for my particular students, I was doing my job. At the same time, I knew I had to listen to my staff and parents AND students. Many times I really did listen. As a teacher back in the classroom, however, I realized that I could have been better at tuning into the real words that individuals in all of these groups were, and were not, saying to me.
Make no mistake. Being a school principal is one of the hardest jobs in the world. Being a good, productive teacher is a tough job because you are closer to the children and you see and hear their "quiet lives--or disruptive ones--of learning desperation" on a daily basis. It's the parents, though, who end up living with the effects of any "system" on their child. They will have to face the results of that system's program on their child for decades--not just the 13 years the child has to survive in an education community. They may not learn until it's too late that results really do matter every single year of a child's limited learning time. If those in charge of the children do not understand that time is not only money, but the essence of learning opportunities, they need to seek other employment.
This is, therefore, one value that I did solidify regarding the field of education: If we waste a child's learning time with adult issues over control and power plays and incompetence, we are, at the very least, professionally negligent. At the most, there should be a special place in Hell for people who affect a child's life with such shallow perceptions of their job.
Niki Hayes,
North Beach Principal, 2000-2004
Perhaps the latest staff survey showing a marked decline in the professional climate of our school. www.seattleschools.org/area/siso/test/staffsurv/2009/259.pdf
ReplyDeleteThe staff is clearing becoming frustrated and aren't being listened to.
I believe the overall climate of the school has changed over the past year...this could partly be due to the above comment, and possibly the fact that we, as families, have been under added "stress" due to the economy and the overall uncertainties as a nation that we're all dealing with. I think our kids are under stress as well, especially the older ones who may have a bit of sense as to what's going on (could affect those test scores!) We as families and staff are advocates for our kids, as it should be. I don't believe, however, that we need to be in our teachers/staff faces at every moment of the day...it can be very counter-productive and does take away from the quality time that our kids need. I don't think we need to point fingers at this moment...My thought is to give it a year, analyze the results then, and do the research as to the "whys", if necessary. Is accountability important across the board...yes. Are we going to achieve perfection...no. We also need to realize that we do need to ask questions and bring important issues to the table when necessary,however, we do not need to continue to feed into a climate where we're accusing others of not meeting the every needs of our children. I believe they do want what's best for our kids, and it is an everyday struggle/challenge for them having to answer to so many people, while dealing with the bureaucracy itself of a public school system- all the while trying to get their jobs done.
ReplyDeleteOur children will thrive, and so will their test scores, when we have staff that are supported professionally, with the absence of animosity.
Jackie
What happened at the PTA meeting last night? Was any of this discussed? I was sorry to have missed it. I totally agree with all the posts here re not pointing fingers and casting blame, but at the same time, things don't magically improve unless you put energy toward a solution. Burying your head in the sand and hoping for improvement is not the answer; gathering info and feedback is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteIt's now up to the school (Bowers and the teachers) to address the issue among themselves and report back to the parent community with their observations, thoughts, and a plan. Doesn't need to be fully hatched, but they, with Bowers at the lead, need to step up to the discussion and participate. That's the responsible thing to do. The ball is really in their court now that so many parents have spoken up about their concerns. I was impressed by Niki Hayes' post about not sacrificing valuable time on our kids' educational path with petty ego battles and defensiveness. This is about the kids, period.
One last point: I really appreciated Robin's post about income and educational attainment differences between the NB area and our "peer" school areas. Fifty percent of residents in Viewridge, Laurelhurst, etc. have graduate degrees, compared to about 25% of NB residents. Right or wrong, family income and educational attainment ALWAYS maps to student achievement.
ReplyDeleteRather than getting caught up in the minutae of scoring differentials, I would rather hear from our teachers what THEY think are good markers of progress. We should take the WASL scores with a grain of salt and instead ask: how do we as a school want to be able to meaasure our kids' learning? What have our most experienced, well-respected teachers seen that works as a measurement tool? Will the MAP be better? I would like to hear how our teachers would like to have their students measured. They are in the classroom and know best!
Anyone wanting to is welcome to sit in at the next Building Leadership Team meeting, October 13 at 3:30pm in the school library. This is the advisory body within the school building responsible for the school budget, professional development and the Continuous School Improvement Plan. The WASL scores will be a focus at this meeting. This would be a good opportunity to hear what teaching staff have to say about the scoring data.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn
I have some concerns with the slice of data that has been presented here. Among my questions is what defines a "peer school"? Looking at the list, one might conclude the criteria are affluence and racial homogeny. A bit of perspective is called for when playing with numbers.
ReplyDeleteTo wit: There are 65 elementary schools in Seattle. The list above only shows 21 schools, and it doesn't show the most important WASL metric: how many kids are passing all three parts of the test. Last year, 66% of NB fourth graders passed all three phases of the WASL. 12 Seattle elementary schools did better on this key metric of all-around performance. 51 schools did worse. 1 equalled our performance. As Seattle goes, we are a top tier school.
By comparsion, Shoreline has 10 elementary schools. Only one of these exceeded 66% of kids passing all three WASL phases.
Edmonds has 28 elementary schools. Not a single one exceeded 66%; their highest performer was Maplewood Parent Co-op at -- you guessed it -- 66%.
One last example, let's really go into the belly of the beast: Bellevue schools, best in the state, contains 28 elementaries. But only five schools beat our 66%.
I'm not saying we shouldn't strive to improve. We absolutely should. What I'm saying is we're not in crisis. We're doing well, and we need to keep that in mind while we explore strategies for optimizing our classroom performance.
A Watchdog Dad
posted by Teresa Schulz
ReplyDeleteI think to get any SOLID interpetation of these WASL scores would involve a review by a true expert in statistics. We can contemplate,guess,point fingers and feel we are the experts ourselves, but it's all a bunch of smoke if you are not comparing apples to apples in regards to these test results.
I don't want to diminish or dismiss the concern that some of you have... When it comes down to it, we all come from a place of doing the best we can for our kids.
I will say that it's very important to realize that we should be supportive and concientious of ALL the kids at the school, not just "acheivers".
Didn't our special education population roughly double in the last 4 years? These kids are are taking the WASL as well. This may include not only kids with learning disabilities, like my child, but autism, stress and anxitey disorders, medical conditions, undiagnosed concerns, etc. This could possibly lower the results. The kids with dyslexia/dsygraphia, etc lower the reading scores. The kids with diabilities related to math effect the math scores. The kids with anxitey disorders can't deal with taking the test and lower all the scores...........
We could go on infinitum with all the factors that MAY contibute or "skew" the results.. The fact is that every single year, your population of children is fluid and will change year to year - (and all that goes with it / socioeconomics/learning disabilities/ medical concerns/family crisis, etc etc etc)
My child is in the Spectrum program based on cognative abilities, but has a specific learning disability as well. I guarantee that my child will fail the WASL in at least one category every single time. Does that mean that this child should be included in the "blame" because of a medically diagnosed learning disability. Some folks brains just "work differently". Not better or worse, just differenly.
How much weight do we really want to give this ONE TEST? Let's keep in mind that it is just one of a myriad of ways to measure what only some would define as success.
If we are so worried about the numbers, try looking at special education. As I understand it, our Special Education teacher get's a few hundred dollars a year to spend on APPROPRIATE new programs, techniques, curriculum, etc. The appropriate program for just one kid could cost 5 times that alone. Funding material for "a free and appropriate education" as mandated by the federal government costs more than a few hundred dollars split between all the sped kids at N. Beach. Then MAYBE some of your numbers would go up if these kids had what they needed to be the best they can be. And also- CAN SOMEONE CLARIFY THIS FOR ME- IS THIS TRUE???? - doesn't the school get $$ for each special ed child, and it goes into the general school fund. If it's not used at the end of the year on the special education kids, than it justs goes toward purchasing materials for the general education population. And that for most schools it's a common practice to look forward to using those funds for GENERAL ED, NOT SPECIAL ED, at the end of the year ? WHO KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THIS?
I know that this blog was started as a way to open up dialog, but it is starting to feel very black and white and rigid.
There is SO much more to our kids as a whole, our school, and our community at large than test scores.
Compassion and respecting diversity is the cornerstone of a successul community and society.
Respectfully,
Teresa Schulz
Well, of course it was only a matter time before somebody blamed the special ed kids for North Beach's lackluster academic performances. OK. Let's look at some facts before we go down that road.
ReplyDeleteNorth Beach has a special education participation rate of 11.7%, significantly less than the district's 14.2% rate. Considering that elementary schools have a much higher percentage of special education students than secondary schools, North Beach has a very low rate of special education participation. So, nope. Special ed kids are not the students to blame for the bad WASL scores when comparing North Beach to other schools.
Now let's look at schools with both similar demographics and similar special education programs. Both John Hay elementary and Lafayette are schools with low FRL and autism inclusion programs. Lafayette has a very similar profile to North Beach and basically gets a 90% pass rate on all WASL tests for 4th graders: 91%, 88%, 91%. John Hay has a higher number of autistic students, a higher percentage of special education students, and a higher number of FRL. Yet, John Hay significantly outscores North Beach despite more challenges: 98%, 91%, 80%. (reading, math, writing). In fact, John Hay has so many disabled 4th graders (including lots of autistic students) they have enough to disaggregate by disability under federal law. The test scores for the disabled John Hay students is: 94%, 75%, 73%.
Bottom line based on data from OSPI: the average North Beach student performs slightly worse than the disabled, autistic students at John Hay.
(It is true that the average student at North Beach slightly outperforms the disabled students at John Hay, and significantly underperforms the disabled students at John Hay.)
And finally, the amount of extra money brought into the North Beach per autistic student is around $20,000. Not peanuts. The district no longer does the weighted student formula, and no longer publishes that information. So, the $20,000 figure is a rough estimate of the money given North Beach, the last time that information was available.
I meant to say:
ReplyDeleteThe average student at North Beach significantly underperforms the disabled students at John Hay in reading.
I forgot to write "in reading".