montgomery county public schools, maryland middle school reform in montgomery county public schools...

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


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


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%


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.


What skills do middle school

students need to prepare for the 21st century?


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!


MCPS Middle School Reform Process

ElementaryElementaryReformReform

20042004MiddleMiddleSchool School ReformReform

High High School School

InitiativesInitiatives

19991999MCPSMCPS

ReformReform


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


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


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


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


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


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


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.


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.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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!


Questions & Evaluation


Contact InformationContact Information

Linda FerrellLinda Ferrell301-517-5007301-517-5007

[email protected][email protected]

montgomery county public schools, maryland middle school reform in montgomery county public schools...

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