Littleton Public Schools Littleton, MA

1. Littleton Public SchoolsLittleton, MA 2011 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and Accountability Status Determinations Report to School Committee Geri Lyn Ajemian, Director of Curriculum Jane Hall, Principal of Russell Street School Mark Branco, Principal of Littleton Middle School October 20th, 2011

2. What is AYP? • AYP stands for Adequate Yearly Progress • Means progress towards 100% of students achieving proficiency by 2014. • Measures progress against specific expectations each year.

3. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) determinations are a tool for assessing the progress of our climb to higher levels of student achievement. • Issued every year • Separate ELA & Math • Students in aggregate and eight subgroups • Special Education • Limited English Proficiency • Low Income • African American / black • Hispanic • Asian • Native American • White 1993 Education Reform Act State Accountability System 2014 NCLB Goal-All Students Reach Proficiency Federal Accountability System

4. Adequate Yearly Progress – Facts • AYP reports show progress toward having all students reach grade level proficiency by the year 2014 – the principal goal of NCLB. • AYP determinations are issued separately for English Language arts/reading and Mathematics. • For each subject there are multiple AYP determinations - for all students (the aggregate) and for student groups. Students are counted in each group to which they belong. • District AYP determinations are based on three grade spans: grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. Positive results for all groups in any grade-span yields a positive AYP determination. • Schools and districts that do not make AYP for two or more consecutive years in the same subject are assigned an Accountability Status designation: identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. • The Accountability Status defines a required course of action schools and districts must follow to improve student performance.

5. Composite Performance Index (CPI) • The CPI is: • a metric used to measure school and district performance and improvement; • a 100-point index that combines the scores of students who participate in standard MCAS ELA and mathematics tests, and those who participate in the MCAS-Alt.

6. Sample CPI Calculation Multiply the number of points by the number of students at each performance level, then divide the total number of points by the total number of students

7. How AYP is Calculated: A + (B or C) + D = Affirmative AYP Determination

8. State Performance Targets, 2002-2014 (Composite Performance Index)

9. A + (B or C) + D = Affirmative AYP Determination

10. 2011 Improvement Target Calculation 100 – 2010 CPI _________________________________________________________ Number of remaining years until the year 2014 (4) An improvement target for a given subject is calculated by subtracting the district, school, or group’s 2010 (baseline) CPI from 100 (the ultimate CPI goal), and dividing the difference by the number of remaining years until the year 2014, including the current year. For 2011 that number is 4. The improvement target is expressed as a range. An “error band” surrounds the target number. Error bands range from 2.5 to 4.5, depending on size of group; 2.5 is typical.

11. Improvement Rating Categories Met NCLB Goal Improved with a margin of error of 100 percent proficiency Above Target Improved above target range On Target Improved within target range Improved Below Target Improve above 2010 CPI (the baseline) but below the target range No Change Gain was equivalent to baseline plus or minus the target range Declined Gain was below the baseline and below the target range

12. Littleton Schools – 2011Aggregate English Language Arts CPIs State Target = 95.1

13. Littleton Schools – 2011Aggregate Mathematics CPIs State Target = 92.2

15. Accountability Report Structure

16. from Littleton High School 2011 Accountability Data (Summary view)

17. from Littleton Middle School 2011 Accountability Data (Summary view)

19. from Russell Street School 2011 Accountability Data (Summary view)

20. Federal NCLB Accountability Status - Schools

21. 2011 Accountability The Statewide Context • According to 2011 AYP determinations, 1,404 schools (82%) and 354 districts (91%) did not make AYP in 2011. • 1,089 schools (64%) were identified for Improvement Status, Corrective Action or Restructuring in 2011 an increase from 971 schools (56%) in 2010.

22. Framework for District Accountability and Assistance http://www.doe.mass.edu/sda/framework/default.html

23. State Accountability and Assistance Levels

24. State Accountability and Assistance Levels * As of September 13, 2011, the Commissioner has not yet made the decision to identify a new cohort of Level 4 schools. As a consequence, no new Level 4 schools or districts will be identified in the data that will be released to the public early the week of September 19, 2011.

25. Relationship between State and Federal Accountability Requirements for Schools (Level 1)

26. Middle School Improvement EffortsMath Lab • A comparison of 2010 & 2011 MCAS performance data for the 81 students in the FY11 Math lab program reveals: • the scores of 41% of math lab participants went up • 19% maintained equivalent scores as in 2010 • 60% of math lab participants maintained or improved their MCAS scores • Moving Towards Proficiency • 5 students went from the Warning to the Needs Improvement Performance Level • 11 students progressed from the Warning or Needs Improvement Performance Levels to Proficient • This was the first year of implementation with the program starting December 1st. We anticipate even greater success rates on the 2012 MCAS.

27. Middle School Improvement EffortsMoving Forward in Mathematics • Math Lab • Full year of math lab classes • New 6 day rotation schedule that provides two consecutive lab classes • Practice with the new Buckle Down MCAS preparation materials and explicit / systematic instruction driven by the GMADE and MCAS data • School-wide progress monitoring • Grade level end-of-unit assessments • MCAS • GMADE administered to all students twice a year • Implementation of new school-wide program supported by new textbooks published by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill • Aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, incorporating the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics • Leveled classes in grades 7 and 8 • Implementation of Co-Teaching Model • Model is in place • PD has started • Staff Changes

28. Middle School Improvement EffortsMoving Forward in ELA • Last Year • Members of the English/Language Arts and Special Education teams attended a workshop on teaching and assessing MCAS Open Response questions and answers. They, in turn, provided LMS staff with training in a specific instructional methodology and grading rubric to standardize our practices in all disciplines across all grade levels. • With input from the staff, these “trainers” designed classroom posters to be used in all subject areas to develop school-wide consistency. • This Year • Posters were distributed the first month of school. • ELA team will lead staff through the process of embedding quality Open Response questions in all content area assessments. • ELA team will lead staff through a review of the information presented last year. • Implementation of Co-Teaching Model • Model is in place • PD has started

29. Russell Street Improvement Efforts Professional Development • Literacy – IDEAL Consulting • Response to Intervention (RtI) • Tiered instructional model • Using data to make instructional decisions • Strategies for answering Open Response MCAS questions Instruction & Intervention • Development of “MCAS Math Plan for Improvement” • Tiered Instruction - (RtI) in Literacy • Grade Level Data Team Meetings – 3 times / year • Frequent progress monitoring • Small group, targeted instruction

30. Russell Street Improvement Efforts Increased Resources • Instructional materials for Tiers 2 & 3 reading intervention • Math Intervention Specialist (.4) to work with students not achieving Proficiency on MCAS • Updated edition of Everyday Mathematics • Aligns with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) • Includes 6-year access to on-line technology suite • Increased classroom technology (LCD Projectors, interactive white boards) • Instructional software: Lexia, Symphony Math • SMART Notebook software for ELA, Math, & Science • Utilized with SMART boards • Consists of curriculum titles & interactive lessons that correlate to CCSS

31. Where to Go for More Information http://www.doe.mass.edu/sda/ayp/2011/default.html • The guidance document titled 2011-12 Massachusetts School & District Accountability and Assistance Levels & Required Actions outlines the planning, communication, and fiscal requirements associated with a school or district’s federal NCLB Accountability Status and/or state Accountability and Assistance Level. • For more information about the accountability designations that are annually assigned to Massachusetts districts and schools and information in understanding 2011 district and school accountability reports, please refer to the School Leaders’ Guide to the 2011 Accountability Reports and the 2011 Glossary of Accountability Reporting Terms.