Middle School Committee Recommendations

January 14, 2019

Presented to the Shoreline School Board by: Brian Schultz, Assistant Superintendent Anzara Miller, Director of Professional Practice

Committee Purpose & Charge

Committee Charge

The Middle School Committee will develop recommendations to the Superintendent regarding:

1.  Program offerings, instructional delivery models and supports that provide open access to rigorous coursework and best meet the needs of ALL students.

a.  Elective offerings

b.  Content specialists vs. generalists in certain content areas

c.  Content blocking

d.  Honors

2.  Schedules and configurations to support program offerings.

a.  Class period configurations

b.  Daily class schedule

Considerations of Committee

In making recommendations the Committee will be asked to reflect on and align with information such as:

●  Recommendations from the 2016 Instructional Program Planning Committee regarding instructional priorities;

●  The District’s Race and Equity Policy; ●  The Instructional Strategic Plan; ●  Special education review report; ●  Honors theme summaries; ●  Secondary Highly Capable Committee recommendation; ●  Best practices in instruction for middle school students; ●  Best practices to meet middle school students’ social-emotional needs; ●  Standards alignment and requirements; ●  Opportunities for students to gain credits to help them meet the 24-credit graduation

requirements; ●  Other

Co-Chairs: Anzara Miller, Director of Professional Practice & Brian Schultz, Assistant Superintendent

Committee Members

Bammert, Tess - KEL behavior tech Brandon-Felder, Tanisha - Director of Equity & Family Engagement Chamberlin, Megan - PW 6th grade Cruz, Diana - KEL special ed teacher Drammeh, Saihou - Cascade K-8/EIN parent Fredrickson, Julie - K-6 STEM TOSA Fritz, Nyla - EIN Principal Gallagher, Dan - CTE Director Harrington, Andy - LFP 6th grade Hiatt, Heather - KEL Principal Holsten, Andie - EIN math teacher Hoskins, Wayne - HT 6th grade/dean Irwin, Scott - Director of Secondary Student Services Kim, Nara - EIN/SW student

Lane, Mariko - EIN music teacher Lucas, Weston - SC Assistant Principal McMaster, Shannon - EIN parent Nunes, Elizabeth - RC Principal Paulhamus, Lauren - EIN counselor Perez, Melba - KEL student Petersen, Cathy - KEL ELA teacher Rozema, Leann - KEL music teacher Simpson, Pam - KEL math teacher Soares, Sarah - KEL Spanish teacher Stevens, Maria - Director of Teaching & Learning Thurber, Mary - EIN science teacher Valder, Jeff - EIN behavior tech Warren, Dan - LFP/SC parent Zwack, Kathryn - EIN psychologist

●  Committee meetings, 2-3 hours: ○  September 20 ○  October 4 ○  October 18 ○  November 1 ○  November 8 ○  November 15 ○  November 29 ○  December 6

●  Determined a consensus of 85% for recommendations to move forward.

Committee Details

Committee Process Race & Equity Policy

Data Research Discussion

Recommendations

Race & Equity Policy 0150

The Committee reviewed the entire Race & Equity Policy 0150 - highlighting the following areas: ●  The Shoreline School District acknowledges that institutional racism exists within

public school systems and is committed to working until race is no longer a predictor of overall student outcomes.

●  The District will prioritize eliminating racial disparity and disproportionality in all aspects of our educational system.

●  The School Board shall charge and hold the Superintendent accountable for taking steps to implement the goals of this policy including enacting the following:

○  Provide additional and equitable resources both inside and outside the classroom to support the success, well-being, and belonging of all students, particularly students of color.

Data Considered

●  Who are our kids? ●  Who is taking honors? ●  Who is not taking honors? ●  Is there disproportionality in enrollment between

honors and standard classes?

Social Studies: Middle School Honors vs. Standard Enrollment by Race, Fall 2018

Honors Social

Studies

●  American Indian/Native ●  Asian ●  Black African American ●  Hispanic ●  Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific

Islander ●  Two or more races ●  White

Standard Social

Studies

Race: Social Studies Classes Honors # Standard #

American Indian/Native 1% 4 1% 4

Asian 13% 82 12% 81

Black African American 5% 30 8% 53

Hispanic 9% 58 18% 117

Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0% 0 1% 5

Two or more races 13% 85 11% 71

White 59% 376 49% 323

Total 100% 635 100% 654

English Language Arts: Middle School Honors vs. Standard Enrollment by Race, Fall 2018

Honors ELA

●  American Indian/Native ●  Asian ●  Black African American ●  Hispanic ●  Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific

Islander ●  Two or more races ●  White

Standard ELA

Race: ELA Classes Honors # Standard #

American Indian/Native 1% 3 1% 6

Asian 13% 78 14% 98

Black African American 5% 30 8% 60

Hispanic 8% 46 19% 136 Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0% 1 1% 6

Two or more races 13% 76 11% 82

White 60% 365 46% 329

Total 100% 599 100% 717

46%

14%

19%

Science: Middle School Honors vs. Standard Enrollment by Race, Fall 2018

Honors Science

●  American Indian/Native ●  Asian ●  Black African American ●  Hispanic ●  Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific

Islander ●  Two or more races ●  White

Standard Science

Race: Science Classes Honors # Standard #

American Indian/Native 0% 2 1% 6

Asian 14% 105 11% 58

Black African American 5% 40 8% 44

Hispanic 10% 75 19% 100 Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0% 1 1% 4

Two or more races 11% 87 13% 69

White 60% 451 47% 248

Total 100% 761 100% 529

Distribution of Special Education Students in Middle School Honors vs. Standard Enrollment Fall 2018

Percentage of all students receiving special education services

Percent of special education students in standard classes

Percent of special education students in honors classes

Middle School Honors vs. Standard Enrollment, based on socio-economic status, Fall 2018

Percentage of all students identified as low Income

Percentage of low income students in honors classes

Percentage of low income students in standard classes

Race & Equity ●  Five Strategies for Advancing Racial Equity in Public Education (6 page blog post)

Social Emotional Needs ●  Chapter out of Best Schools, by Thomas Armstrong. A little dated, but good insight into the specific

developmental needs of middle schoolers along with developmentally appropriate practices for schools. (12 pages) Middle Schools: Social, Emotional, and Metacognitive Growth

●  A brief look at the impact of mental health issues on students. Speaks to the need for strong community partnerships to meet the mental health needs. (12 pages) Mental Health Needs

●  Pulls out specific characteristics of adolescents. (5 pages) The Young Adolescent Learner

●  A research study on the importance of comprehensive transition programs. A little heavy on the statistical side, but good information. (12 pages) Importance of Transition

Research Considered

General Middle School Model ●  A relatively recent report researched and written for a school district. Offers some clear best practices to

accommodate the unique needs of middle schoolers. Teaming and focusing on purposeful, robust transition programs (elementary to middle and middle to high) are highlighted. (33 pages) Best Practices

●  Middle School Concept (3 page blog post) Middle School Concept

●  Ten best practices for middle schools. A focus on identifying at-risk students and high quality guidance and advisement. (36 page report) Ten Best Practices

Schedules and Configurations ●  Designing Middle School Schedules - guiding questions and schedule options (ppt presentation- 73 slides) ●  Block Scheduling and Team Teaching (21 page report) Implementing Block Scheduling ●  Middle School Electives (2 page blog)

Research Considered

Research Considered

Adolescent Brain ●  John Medina is interviewed by Arik Korman on his book Attack of the Teenage Brain (42 minute podcast)

●  John Medina -review of Attack of the Teenage Brain (2 page blog post)

●  Habits of Mind (1 page)

Highly Capable/Honors ●  (HC) Talented and Gifted in the Middle Schools (4 pages)

Meeting the Needs of Highly Capable Learners in the Middle Grades

●  (HC) Committing to the challenge of addressing the needs of gifted learners at the middle level (4 pages) That Was Then This is Now, Gifted in the Middle

●  (HC) Meeting the Needs of Highly Capable Learners in the Regular Classroom Differentiation for highly capable students (4 pages)

●  (HON) Honors Classes a Need for More Diversity (3 page blog post)

●  (HON) Perceptions of Teachers and Students Regarding the Middle School Honors Program (32 pages)

Research Considered

Middle School Concept This We Believe: Keys to Educating Young Adolescents, Association of Middle Level Education, the core beliefs that build a strong case for basing all decisions about middle grades education on the unique developmental needs of 10-15 year olds. ●  Introduction

●  Essential Attributes and Characteristics

○  Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

○  Leadership & Organization

○  Culture & Community

Representatives of the committee, Anzara Miller and Julie Fredrickson attended the National Middle School Conference in October.

Discussion of Research

Our discussion of the research centered around the following essential attributes and characteristics of successful middle schools and middle school students.

1.  Developmentally responsive: using the distinctive nature of young adolescents as the foundation upon which all decisions about school organization, policies, curriculum, instruction and assessment are made.

2.  Challenging: ensuring that every student learns and every member of the learning committee is held to high expectations.

3.  Empowering: providing all students with the knowledge and skills they need to take responsibility for their lives, to address life’s challenges, to function successfully at all levels of society and to be creators of knowledge.

4.  Equitable: advocating for and ensuring every student’s right to learn and providing appropriately challenging and relevant learning opportunities for every student.

Excerpted from This We Believe, AMLE, 2010

Committee Recommendations

Program Offering: Honors Recommendation

The Middle School Committee proposes that ALL middle school students take academically rigorous courses in Honors Science, Honors ELA and Honors Social Studies. ●  Teachers will receive professional development focused on but not limited to:

■  High expectations for all students

■  Culturally responsive practices

■  Recognizing implicit bias in instruction and interactions with students

■  Scaffolding curriculum for student success

■  Differentiated instruction

●  The Instruction Department will examine course delivery models for math.

●  The Instruction Department will examine scope and sequence for 6-7-8 science as 6th graders will now have access to labs and consistent science instruction.

Committee vote: 28/28 100%

Program Offerings: Electives

Middle school elective offerings allow students to exercise choice by selecting interest-based courses. Programming provides sequential courses for depth as well as stand-alone courses for exploration. Options will be challenging and developmentally appropriate, leading students toward opportunities that will enrich their lives.

●  6th graders will have the ability to take quarter-long electives from a designed menu of choices. Students may also choose a year-long elective in combination with quarter electives.

●  In addition the Committee recommends that the instrumental music program at elementary be reviewed.

Committee vote: 25/26, 96% One gift of support.

“I’d rather see 3 or 4 categories, rather than 2 to provide more exposure to different areas of potential interest.”

Schedules & Configuration Recommendation Shoreline’s middle schools will provide a core academic program for all learners that includes high quality, equitable instruction in Math, Science, English Language Arts, Social Studies, PE, Health and Advisory. A key function of our middle schools will be to address the developmental needs of the students as they transition from elementary school to high school.

●  All students will participate in developmentally responsive advisory time designed to address the unique social and emotional needs of adolescents.

●  Class and schedule configurations allow for teaming and common groupings when possible, especially at the 6th grade level, to foster caring connections between and among students and staff.

●  Students will be able to explore interests through elective offerings allowing for broad exposure and choice at 6th grade level and opportunity for greater depth at 7th and 8th.

Committee vote: 26/26 100%

Highlights

Core Classes ●  Honors English Language Arts, Honors Social Studies, Honors Science,

Math, PE and Health

Advisory Time ●  Social Emotional Learning ●  Teacher support/advocate

Electives ●  Quarter-long electives allow for more exploration ●  Year-long electives still an option

Teaming Opportunities ●  School within a school model ●  Teacher teams with same students

Thank You Questions?

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