SIP Data and Analysis

NC School Report Card Comparing test scores from the past few years is almost impossible. In 2012-2013 the Common Core State Standards were introduced and completely changed what was taught, how it was taught, and more importantly, what was tested. Because of this, scores dropped dramatically. Making a high score for our school a 45% where it used to be an 82%. This being said, it also means that schools that were scoring in the 90th percentile, are also down to the 50th or 60th percentile. When looking at the North Carolina School Report Card, It is evident that Jamestown Elementary is below the state and the district in most areas. However, in fourth grade math, Jamestown seems to excel beyond the state scores. It's clear that the area where Jamestown struggles the most is reading. If you look at the overall scores we are 9% below the district and 11% below the state. It is the area of the greatest concern as I think it is for most schools.

What is also extremely worrying is when you take the data by subgroups. In our school as well as in the district and in the state, there is a startling discrepancy between the scores of our white students and our black students. In our school last year the white students achieved an average score of 35.3% while our black students scored on average 12.8%. Across our state, the discrepancy is even more shocking. White students on average scored 43.5% while black students on average scored 14.2%.

In addition to a discrepancy between race subgroups, we also see one between gender. At Jamestown female students scored on average 25.7% while male students scored 20.1%. Across the state, female students scored 33.5% while male students scored 30.6%. At the state level, the discrepancy is not as large as Jamestown's, but it is something to be noted.

School Improvement Plan (SIP) 2012-2014

Our school's improvement plan consists of two priority goals with two planned strategies to achieve those goals. Both of our goals are centered around our literacy deficiency which as illustrated in the NC School Report card, is our biggest area of need.

Priority Goal 1: Increase literacy proficiency for all students by increasing students' independent reading practice using authentic text.

Overall SMART Goal: By 2014 Jamestown Elementary will improve reading proficiency by 6% points from 67% to 73% as measured by end of year DRA's using standard of promotion.

Strategy 1: Implement SSR (self-selected reading) time as appropriate for each grade level.

In order to use this strategy a new schedule was to be developed that included SSR time. In addition, teachers would create leveled classroom libraries and share ideas for promoting literacy in PLC groups. As far as I am aware, in the classrooms leveled readers are available in most classrooms above the kindergarten level.

Strategy 2: Implement the use of the Accelerated Reading (AR Program to promote and motivate student independent reading.

A program called "Roadmap to Reading" was introduced at Jamestown. Based on the number of minutes read across the entire school as recorded on homework, the minutes read translated to miles traveled. We have a map located outside the library where you can see how far we have traveled across the country. There is also an AR recognition board outside the library to promote AR points. In addition, there are prizes that can be earned by students once a certain number of AR points is attained.

Review: At the end of the school year, no EOG data was available due to the reforming of the test. However, at the end of the year 61% of the students were proficient by DIBELS and 58% of students were proficient by TRC. The accuracy of AR testing was at 81.1%.

Priority Goal 2: Increase literacy proficiency by increasing use of non fiction materials

Overall SMART Goal: By 2014 Jamestown Elementary will improve reading proficiency to 6% points from 67% to 73% as meausred by the end of year DRAs using standard of promotion.

Strategy 1: All staff members will use non-fiction text in common core lesson plans.

To achieve this, the media specialist is to assist teachers in pulling nonfiction texts by unit and science and social studies are to be integrated into content areas during teacher directed reading and guided reading.

Strategy 2: All staff members will utilize non fiction materials purchased by Title I Funds.

Nonfiction materials were to be purchased for the guided reading library and added to the AR Testing.

Review: Benchmarks were put in place specifically to measure nonfiction standards.