Title I Schoolwide Plan for

Written/Revised during theSchool Year:

August 15, 2011-12August 25, 2011-12

Principal’s Signature

Title I Schoolwide Plan

Planning Committee Members for:Date of Committee Meeting:Name of School ___Clay Elementary____________________

NAME POSITION/ROLE/PARENT SIGNATURE

Florence S. Williams Principal

Cynthia L. Winter Assistant Principal

Danielle Hickerson Academic Coach

Susan Parker Teacher/Kindergarten

Ellen Mason Teacher/First Grade

Beverly Smith Teacher/Second Grade

Cherita Pugh Teacher/Third Grade

Jacqueline Crawford Teacher/Fourth Grade

Monica Holmes Teacher/Fifth Grade

Elbonie Metcalfe Teacher/Special Education

Nan Bowen Teacher/ESOL

Joanne Zarczynski Paraprofessional/ Instructional

Monique Shaw-Spencer Guidance Counselor

Diana Vazquez Paraprofessional/Parent Facilitator

Monica Delancy Parent/PTA Vice President

Table of Contents Pages

1. Comprehensive Needs AssessmentA. Participation of Individuals……………………………………………B. Instruments, Procedures, or Processes…………………………………C. The Needs of Homeless, Neglected, and Migrant Children……………D. Current Achievement Data……………………………………………..E. Information about All Students………………………………………...F. Data, Conclusions………………………………………………………G. Measurable Goals/Benchmarks………………………………………...

2. Schoolwide Reform Strategies That Are Scientifically ResearchedA. Schoolwide Reform Strategies That Provide Opportunities For All

Children………………………………………………………………..B. Effective Means of Raising Student Achievement…………………….C. Effective Instructional Methods That Increase Learning Time………...D. Address the Needs of All Children……………………………………..

3. Instruction by Highly Qualified Professional StaffA. Strategies to Attract Highly Qualified Teachers……………………….B. School Status of Highly Qualified Teachers…………………………...

4. Professional Development For StaffA. Include Teachers, Principals, Paraprofessionals, and Others…………B. Aligned Professional Development with the State’s Academic

Content…………………………………………………………………C. Professional Development Activities that Address the Root Causes…..D. Include Teachers in Professional Development Activities Regarding

the Use of Academic Assessments……………………………………..E. Schools Yearly Professional Development Schedule………………….

5. Strategies to Increase Parental InvolvementA. Involved Parents in the Planning of the Comprehensive Schoolwide

Program………………………………………………………………...B. Parent Involvement Policy and Parent Compact………………………

6. Plans for Assisting Preschool Children in the Transition From Early Childhood Programs and/or Students Entering Middle School or High School………………….

7. Measures to Include Teachers in the Decisions Regarding the Use of Assessment……………………………………………………………………..

8. Coordination and Integration of Federal, State, and Local Services and Programs

A. List of State and Local Educational Agency Programs and Other Federal Programs that will be Included………………………………

B. Description of How Resources from Title I and Other Sources will be Used……………………………………………………………………

C. Plan Developed in Coordination with Other Programs………………..

9. Activities to Ensure that Students who Experience Difficulty Mastering Standards shall be Provided with Effective , Timely Assistance

A. Measures to Ensure that Students’ Difficulties are Identified on a Timely Basis……………………………………………………………

B. Periodic Training for Teachers in the Identification of Difficulties……C. Teacher-Parent Conferences……………………………………………

10. Description of how Individual Student Assessment Results will be Provided to Parents……………………………………………………………………….

11. Provisions for the Collection and Disaggregation of data…………………….

12. Provisions to Ensure the Disaggregated Assessment Results are Valid and Reliable…………………………………………………………………………

13. Provisions for Public Reporting of Disaggregated Data………………………

14. Plan Developed During a One-Year Period…………………………………...

15. Plan Developed with the Involvement of the Community to be Served………

16. Plan Available to the LEA, Parents, and the Public…………………………...

17. Plan Translated………………………………………………………………...

18. Plan is Subject to the School Improvement Provisions of Section 1116 ……...

1. Comprehensive Needs Assessment of the entire school that addresses all academic areas and other factors that may affect achievement.

A. We have developed our schoolwide plan with the participation of individuals who will

carry out the comprehensive schoolwide/school improvement program plan. Those persons involved were members of our Strategic Planning Team which is composed of our grade level and department team leaders, a parent and the school administrative team. The Strategic Planning Team met and the administrators presented the school

assessment, parent survey and discipline data to the group. We compared the assessment data from the 2010-11 school year with the previous year and studied our assessment, parent survey and discipline targets. We discussed the targets, determined if we met them and brainstormed reasons for meeting or not meeting our targets.

B. We have used the following instruments, procedures, or processes to obtain this information: We developed our schoolwide plan with the participation of individuals who will carry out the comprehensive schoolwide/school improvement program plan. Those persons involved were members of our Strategic Planning Team which is composed of our grade level and department team leaders, a PTA representative and the school administrative team. The initial brainstorming session began with the entire staff, in grade level or department teams, answering questions in a storyboarding format (What hinders student learning? What can we control or not control? ) The administrative team presented student data comparing two years (2010 and 2011) student assessment data. Again the entire staff, in grade level or department groups, identified our weaknesses and strengths. Based on those strengths and weaknesses the staff wrote possible schoolwide goals for the 2011-12 school year. The next step is to convene the Strategic Planning Team to review the suggestions from the staff along with the results of the parent. We will discuss the findings from the staff and utilize their suggestions to develop our schoolwide plan for the 2011-12 school year.

C. We have no migrant students however our students that are identified as homeless are usually living with a friend, family or in extended stay facilities. The school district provides support for those families by providing transportation when needed and the students qualify for the free lunch program. Our attendance clerk monitors the needs of these students and reports her findings to the district office personnel.

D. We have reflected current achievement data that will help the school understand the subjects and skills in which teaching and learning need to be improved. For example we have compiled the data into a PowerPoint presentation for staff review and discussion, and we will present to parents in scheduled meetings or as needed on an individual basis.

E. We have based our plan on information about all students in the school and identified students and groups of students who are not yet achieving to the State Academic content standards and the State student academic achievement standard. Although we did not make Adequate Yearly Progress some of our students groups did make incremental improvements on the CRCT. When reviewing the data our staff realized reasons for the lack of progress in the other student groups. Our student data is as follows:

Economically disadvantaged – These students did improve from last school year. Their scores in reading/ELA were 2011-82.50% compared to 2010-82.08% meeting and exceeding the standard. Although our economically

disadvantaged students met the standard in math for the 2011 school year they did not demonstrated improvement from 2010 to 2011. Their percentage of students meeting the standard in math in 2011 was 77.80% but in 2010 there were 79.25% if these students meeting or exceeding the standard.

Students from Major racial and ethnic groups are Black students and Hispanic students. The Black students improved in reading but math was a struggle for them. There percentage of student meeting and exceeding the standard in reading/ELA was in 2011-78.04% and 2010-82.43%. Their math percentages were as follows: 2011-68.4% and 2010-74.32%. In our brainstorming session we discussed reasons for this decline and what we need to do. The main strategy we will utilize to correct this problem is more small group support for these student in the classroom. The support will attempt to fill in the learning gaps these students experience. Our Hispanic student group has consistently made improvements over the past two-three years. In reading/ELA 2011-87.20% and 2010-83.67% of the students met or exceeded the standard. In math 2011-86.6% and 2010-82.93% of the students meeting or exceeding the standard.

Our Students with disabilities have not been a student group for our school in the past, but we have always struggled with getting them to meet the standard. In our brainstorming session teachers expressed their concern for even administering a test at this academic level to many of these students. We have seen some improvement in their performance from 2010 to 2011 and this is partly the result of the CRCT-M. The reading/ELA results for these students are as follows: 2011-59.40% and 2010-44.44%. Their math percentages are as follows: 2011-56.20% and 2010-44.44%.

Students with limited English proficiency have consistently made progress over the past two-three years. In reading/ELA 2011-81.40% and 2010-78.95% of the students have met or exceeded the standard. In math 2011-81.1% and 2010-79.58% met or exceeded the standard.

F. The data has helped us reach conclusions regarding achievement or other related data. The major strengths we found in our programs were the dedication and

consistent staff, also the diversity of our staff was found to be strength. One of our greatest strengths is the impact of our English Learner Program. Our ELL teachers work diligently with our students and the students are making both language and academic connections which has led to the students’ increased academic performance on the state-mandated and local school assessments. We noticed strength in our reading and writing instruction as indicated by the student assessment results on the Developmental Reading Assessment and the third and fifth grade writing test. Finally, we have noticed growth in the academic performance of our students with disabilities and our discipline referrals have decreased.

The major needs we discovered were related to discipline of our African-

American boys. Although discipline referrals have decreased we have an inordinate amount of referrals for African-American boys than any other student group. Also we noticed the decline in the math and reading performance as indicate by the CRCT for our African-American students as a student group. Parent involvement has always been an area in need of improvement.

The needs we will address are the deficiencies of our African-American and Students with Disabilities in reading, math, and all student groups in writing. In addition, we will train our staff in the 6+ 1Traits Writing program. Finally we will continue our ongoing work to improve parental involvement by connecting with them through regular communication.

The specific academic needs of those students that are to be addressed in the schoolwide program will be reading/language arts and math for all students with a focus on more small group interventions for our African-American student group and writing for all students.

The ROOTCAUSE that we discovered for each of the needs were lack of small group instruction for the African-American student group. During our brainstorming session we realized that our ELL students and Special Education students were getting small group instruction from multiple certified teachers but the African-American students were not afforded that opportunity. They were getting one small group instruction session without an opportunity for remediation.

G. The measurable goals/benchmarks we have established to address the needs were

continued focus on the math benchmarks, Development Reading Assessments and writing assessments. Teachers will utilize ongoing formative assessments for learning to monitor student academic performance.

2. Schoolwide Reform Strategies that are scientifically researched based.

A. Schoolwide reform strategies that provide opportunities for all children in the school to meet or exceed Georgia’s proficient and advanced levels of student performance.

The ways in which we will address the needs of all children in the school

particularly the needs of students furthest away from demonstrating proficiency related to the State’s academic content and student academic achievement standard are:

o Evaluate and teach skills needed to improve students’ reading comprehension

o Evaluate and teach skills needed to improve students’ writing skills.o Evaluate and teach skills needed to improve students’ math skills.o Small group direct instruction in reading, writing and math.o Collaboratively planned instructional units that integrate the

curriculum and addresses different student learning styles.

o Ongoing formative assessment in reading, writing and math. o Also these students utilize programs funded through Title I such as:

Fast Math, Fraction Nation and Reading Recovery. o To give further assistance to our students we have an instructional

paraprofessional to assist with instructional technology and media center classes.

All of these strategies are consistent with the strategies under the Educate America Act of 1994.

B. Strategies are based upon effective means of raising student achievement. The data team process Small group/direct instruction Guided reading, math and writing Math talk Contacting parents monthly: by phone, face-to-face conferencing also in

writing, phone messaging and newsletters Teacher rounds and debriefing Following are examples of the SCIENTIFICALLY BASED RESEARCH

supporting our effective methods and instructional practices or strategies. o Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development,

Alexandria, VA. (2008). The Power of Formative or Summative Assessment

o Layne, Steven (2009). Igniting a Passion for Readingo Oczkus, Lori (2007). Guided Writing Practical Lessons, Powerful

Resultso Stiggins, Rick (2006). Classroom Assessment for Student Leaning,

Doing it Right—Using it Wello Good, Perry (2003). A Connected School

C. Use effective instructional methods that increase the quality and amount of learning time.

We will increase the amount and quality of learning time by offering a before/after school tutoring program to address those students who consistently fall below the standards in reading, writing, and language arts.

D. Address the needs of all children, particularly targeted populations, and address how the school will determine if such needs have been met and are consistent with improvement plans approved under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA).

We will consistently utilize formative assessments to determine if students’ are meeting the standard and small group direct instruction to address specific academic needs.

3. Highly Qualified Professional Staff.

A. Strategies to attract highly qualified teachers to high-needs schools.

We will utilize the Cobb County School District’s application data base to hire teachers. Teachers are approved for hire based on their educational background and certification from the Georgia Professional Standards. Our interview committee that is headed by the principal has made it a habit to search for teachers that are highly qualified.

B. School status of highly qualified teachers to high-needs schools

Presently we have one Special Education teacher who is not highly-qualified at this time but she does have a teaching certificate. She has one part of the GACE test to take and will do that at the next administration. Once she passes that test she will be highly-qualified in her area of instruction (Mildly-Intellectually Delayed). In addition we have one supply teacher who is not highly-qualified at this moment however she has all of the requirements completed and is waiting on her university to submit her paperwork to the PSC.

4. Professional development for staff to enable all children in the school

A. We have included teachers, principals, paraprofessionals and others, if appropriate, in our staff development that addresses the reading/language arts and math performance of all students. Teachers will be trained on how to utilize the 6+1 traits writing program, math-number talks (concrete instruction on major math concepts) and teacher rounds. We will provide release time/collaborative planning days for teachers to analyze student data, plan units/lessons, observe the lesson implementation and have a debriefing session for further adjustments and implementation.

B. We have aligned professional development with the State’s academic content and student academic achievement standards for all student grades and student groups.

C. We have devoted sufficient resources to carry out effectively the professional development activities that address the root causes of academic problems. For example: money has been allocated for teacher release time and for purchasing materials needed for implementation.

D. We have included teachers in professional development activities regarding the use of academic assessments to enable them to provide information on, and to improve, the achievement of individual students and the overall instructional program in the following ways: The release time for teacher rounds, planning,

instruction and debriefing to make changes and adjustments for future implementation.

E. Schools yearly professional development schedule

2011-2012 Professional Development For:

____Clay Elementary School___Name of School

Month Core Academic Addressing Location Estimated Cost Sept. 2011-Apr. 2011

Teacher Rounds/ release timeMath, Reading/Language Arts Clay Elem. $9,500

November 8, 2011

Teaching Higher-Order Thinking and DifferentiationReading/Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science Clay Elem. $1,000

August 25 & 26, 2011 Six + 1 Writing Traits Acworth Elem. $3,500

* Travel Forms and Performance Contracts must be Completed Six Weeks in Advance!

5. Strategies to increase parental involvement

A. We have involved parents in the planning, review, and improvement of the comprehensive schoolwide program plan by including a parent representative on the Strategic Planning Team, reviewing the plan with our PTA Executive Board and School Council members. In addition we will have copies of the plan in the from office, media center and in the front lobby.

B. We have developed a parent involvement policy that:

Includes strategies to increase parental involvement (such as family literacy services)

Requires that teachers communicate with parents (face-to-face, by phone and in writing) and maintain a log for each student.

Describes how the school will provide individual student academic assessment results, including an interpretation of those results

Makes the comprehensive schoolwide program plan available to the LEA, parents, and the public (internet, newspaper, newsletters)

Compacts required-include with policy Parent involvement checklist included

6. Plans for assisting preschool children in the transition from early childhood programs to local elementary school programs and/or students entering middle school or high school

Following are our plans for assisting preschool children in the transition from early childhood programs. Also included are transition plans for students entering middle school or high school and entering from private schools plus students entering our school throughout the school year:

o Each year we connect with our local day care organization and invite them to spend a day at Clay in our Kindergarten classes. We also work closely with Communities In Schools as they implement a early learning program for our parents and young children.

o Our fifth grade guidance counselor plans a trip to Lindley for our fifth graders as a part of their transition program. Prior to our visit to Lindley their guidance counselor plans for some of our former students to visit Clay. We have a fifth grade assembly for our students to talk with those students and their counselor.

o As new students enroll in Clay during the school year some parents will request a school tour. An administrator or academic coach will walk with the parents and share school data/demographics.

7. Measures to include teachers in the decisions regarding the use of assessment to provide information on, and to improve, the performance of individual students and the overall instructional program.

Teachers are involved in the data team process. They use the curriculum maps provided by the school district to know which standards are taught each nine week period. After studying the district curriculum map the teachers meet during data team meeting to discuss which standards are taught first and for how long based on student performance on a pre-assessment (math, writing, and reading).

During the data team meeting teachers record student performance on the data sheet and decide how they are going to teach the skill and them when they will administer the common assessment (post assessment) on that skill.

After the post assessment the process starts over while keeping an eye on those students who did not master the previous skill.

8. Coordination and integration of Federal, State, and local services and programs To provide an instructional program that meets the needs of our students Clay

Elementary School receives funds from several sources, federal, state, and local school district.

A. We receive funds from Title I (provides additional staff, teacher training, and

afterschool or before school tutoring, busses and parent involvement activities), Title II ( substitutes for teacher release time for collaborative days), Title III (ESOL program), 21st Century Learning Grant (after school staff, busses and materials for an extending day and Saturday tutoring), and the local school district (day-to-day operations-materials, teacher supplies, office supplies, custodial supplies and clinic supplies), School Focused Staff Development Funds (provides stipends for teacher/staff training, teacher release time, and materials if needed).

B. Title I funds are used to provide personnel to enhance our instructional program, students’ social and emotional needs, and to increase parental involvement. In addition we use Title I funds to purchase instructional supplies/material, professional development for the staff, activities for parents, and extended day remediation programs.

C. We coordinate the services of other community base programs such as: Communities In Schools secures community services for parent needs such as: Cobb Works for job seeking, writing resumes and interview strategies, Ameri- Group for information on medical issues and information on where to get specific medical concerns addressed, and the Austell Taskforce that provides resources and information about early learning for parents of toddlers and preschool children. In addition we have business partners who provide food for activities free or at a discounted rate.

9. Activities to ensure that students who experience difficulty mastering standards shall be provided with effective, timely assistance, which shall include:

We shall provide activities to ensure that students who experience difficulty mastering proficient or advanced levels of academic achievement standards shall be provided with effective, timely additional assistance in the form of specialized instruction through the Special Education program, Early Intervention Program, English Language Learner program, and the Extended Day Remediation program.

A. Student difficulties are identified in a timely manner through the RTI process, counseling, review of assessment data: CRCT, DRA’s, Pre- and Post- test results, Parent surveys.

B. Teachers receive regular professional development in reading, writing, math, and continuous assessment of student performance with data team meetings to analyze student data and identify problem areas.

C. We conduct regular teacher-parent conferences that detail students’ current academic performance. There are other parent meetings and workshops that engage parents in activities that teach them how to encourage reading/literacy at home. Additional resources are made available to the parents through other community agencies.

10. Description of how individual student assessment results and interpretation will be provided to parents.

The individual student assessment results and interpretation will be provided to parents during their parent conference. The 2011 CRCT results were mailed home to parents along with the students’ last report card and the testing results for Students with Disabilities will be provided in their IEP meeting because these results were made available at a later date. Also, assessment results and interpretations are provided to parents during the Response to Intervention team meetings.

11. Provisions for the collection and disaggregation of data on the achievement and assessment results of students.

The data is organized and provided by the state department of education, the school district or the local school. This data is sent to the principal and is organized by the administrative team to present to the teaching staff. Since our school is majority minority school we are looking at the academic gaps of all students. This past year we notice a gap between our Hispanic students and African American students. The Building Leadership Team will continue utilize the student data to write our goals and performance targets for next year.

12. Provisions to ensure that disaggregated assessment results for each category are valid and reliable.

When we review the CRCT data we compare it to other assessment data to assure its validity and reliability. We utilize the DRA and SRI data for reading assessment, the QRI for reading fluency data and the Math Benchmark for math mastery.

13. Provisions for public reporting of disaggregated data.

Provisions for public reporting of disaggregated data are as follows: School Website/Main Office AYP Status on the District Website/State Website (DOE) School Strategic Plan School Wide Title I Plan Parent Meetings School Council/PTA

14. This School Wide Plan was developed during a one-year period. It is revised annually.

15. Our Title I Plan was developed with the involvement of our instructional staff, Strategic Planning Team, the community to be served, and individuals who will carry out the plan including teachers, principals, staff, pupil service personnel, and parents.

16. Plan available to the LEA, parents, and the public.

Our Title I School Wide Plan is reviewed/revised annually by the Building Leadership Team, and is made available on the school website/the main office, at parent meetings and school council PTA.

17. The Title I School Wide Plan will be available in the front office, the school lobby and on the school website, in English and Spanish. All informational announcements will be sent home in both English and Spanish.

18. Our School Wide Plan is subject to the school improvement provisions of Section 1116. If our school should enter “Needs Improvement” we will complete and participate in all requirements according to state and federal guidelines.