Action PlanGoal: The goal of this action research is for the advancement of the economically disadvantaged students of my school in the area of math. The students will benefit with higher math grades, greater confidence in their math skills, and therefore the opportunity to enroll in higher level math classes. Higher level math classes could lead to more career opportunities than they may have otherwise had. The school and teachers will benefit from student improvement, higher standardized test scores and possibly a higher school rating. Parents and the community will benefit with higher achieving, better educated members.

Action Steps(s): Person(s) Responsible:

Timeline: Start/End

Needed Resources Evaluation

Identify our economically disadvantaged (ED) students for the 2010 – 2011 school year.

Head Counselor, Assistant Principal, Cheryl Scott

August, 2010 - September, 2010

List of students on free and reduced lunches, Child Nutrition Services

Completed list, disaggregated by grade level, SPED vs. regular students, and by subgroups

Assessment instrument – list of students

Analyze quantitative data such as AEIS and TAKS scores broken down by objective; analyze INOVA data for future predictions of performance

Head Counselor, Assistant Principal, Cheryl Scott

October, 2010 – December, 2010

AEIS Reports for past 5 years from TEA Website;

Individual math TAKS scores per student since 7th

grade from counseling office; INOVA data from Assistant Principal

Determine list of ED students that have failed any or all of math TAKS tests since 7th grade; chart any noticeable trends both individually and as a group for past and future predictions

Assessment instrument – charts and/or graphs of trends by group and for individuals

Analyze qualitative research - Survey ED students that are at risk of failing their math class and/or their TAKS test; interview a random sample for deeper

Math faculty, Cheryl Scott

Complete by end of January, 2011

Constructed survey asking possible questions such as how students feel about math, what types of teaching works best for them in a math classroom,

Compile results of survey and match to student’s quantitative data

Assessment

understanding of the survey

list of any positive math experiences they have had, ask what can we do to help them in math

instrument – compilation of individual student data, organized in personalized folders

Research literature for pre-existing knowledge about this subject

Cheryl Scott Ongoing from August, 2010 – January, 2011

Internet, Library, Principal, Associate Principal

Determine ideas about successful or unsuccessful methods that have been used at other schools;

what do the experts say to do or not do

Assessment instrument – decision as to what we need to do on our campus based on the research data and the individual data of our students

Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J. (2010). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps from analysis to action. Larchmont, NY: Eye On Education.

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)