NORTHSIDE COLLEGE PREP RED QUILL AWARD 2011 Using the ACT
College & Career Readiness System to Inform Curriculum,
Instruction, and Guidance Activities Presenters: Barry Rodgers,
Principal Marina Medina, Dir. of Counseling
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NORTHSIDE AT A GLANCE Northside College Prep is one of nine
Selective Enrollment High Schools in Chicago Enrollment is 1,051
Student Diversity: Free/Reduced Lunch : 35% Students with Special
Needs: 6% 0.7% Asian24.5% Black6.6% Hawaiian or Pacific
Islander0.5% Hispanic22.5% Multiracial3% White42.2%
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Recent Achievements National Blue Ribbon Award Given to schools
that are able to demonstrate excellence and a high level of
commitment to success for all students. Ranked #16 in the nation in
the inaugural ranking of the Best High Schools for Math and Science
by US News.
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PSAE RESULTS ACT Section 2007 290 students 2008 249 students
2009 243 students 2010 297 students 2011 250 students
English28.529.429.529.330.0 Math26.928.027.328.228.1
Reading28.228.929.828.829.4 Science Reasoning 26.227.627.727.527.7
Composite27.628.628.828.629.0
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Leadership Team/Data Team Using data to inform decision making
Key Metrics for NCP % of Students Exceeding standards Student
Growth (EPAS) Focusing on subgroups Interpreting information from
data: How does this inform our practice?
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ENGLISH Course and Content Alignment: 9 th grade (Survey of
Literature) course content aligns with skills reinforced in 11 th
grade AP Language skill sets integral to success on the ACT English
assessment. 10 th grade (American Literature) focuses on literary
analysis to reinforce critical comprehension and interpretive
skills vital to success on the ACT Reading section.
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Data Analysis Grade-level teams meet bi-monthly to 1.Review
course outlines and integrate Common Core Standards 2.Analyze
EXPLORE/PLAN/ACT data 3.Develop and modify common assessments
4.Apply test item analysis to current practices 5.Share student
work and anecdotal evidence of our progress Teams constantly seek
to improve the instruction and application of key ACT concepts and
skill sets.
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Progression of a Key ACT English/Reading Concept AP
Language/British Literature: Expand Students augment their
understanding of the concept with more challenging rhetoric and
within another literary tradition Student progress is assessed on
the PSAE and AP testing process American Literature: Apply Students
trace the presence and impact of a concept across a literary
tradition Students analyze the concept more closely through formal
literary essays Survey of Literature: Introduce Students identify
the concept in a variety of literary contexts Students apply the
concept to texts and their own expository writing
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MATH The Math Department uses an Integrated Math curriculum
which is problem-solving based. The core skills and concepts
underlying the curriculum align with the standards promoted by the
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Common Core
State Standards for Mathematics recently adopted by Illinois. The
Explore/Plan/ACT tests align with these standards and the math
department uses the data from these tests to identify concepts
which need reinforcement.
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Math Strategies Warm-Up Problems The department has used item
analysis to develop warm-up problems presented at the beginning of
class. These problems focus student attention on a specific topic
or skill. These questions provide the basis for discussion making
connections to previously learned and/or forgotten concepts. These
may also be topics with which students have had difficulty.
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Explore/Plan/ACT tests are used as a resource for unit tests
and semester exams to supplement constructed response questions.
Our curriculum asks students to construct knowledge through
exploration. Assessments are usually constructed response questions
where students show their work. Students thought process is valued
and evident in their responses. Multiple choice questions provide a
snapshot of specific skills and topics without knowledge of their
understanding.
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The results of the Explore/Plan/ACT have been used to support
our belief that a problem-solving curriculum fosters critical
thinking and develops in students the ability to tackle unfamiliar
problems. Because standardized tests are usually multiple choice
format, students must be comfortable with this type of testing and
confident in their test- taking strategies. We use these test
questions to familiarize students with the process in order to
develop an approach to solving these types of questions.
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SCIENCE Physics First Course Sequence: Electives include:
Honors Earth and Space Science AP Biology AP Physics B & C AP
Chemistry AP Environmental Science Aquatic and Marine Science Note:
Beginning in 10 th grade students may register for science
electives 9 th Grade Physics 10 th Grade Chemistry 11 th Grade
Biology 12th Grade Student choice of any science elective.
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Science Decisions to incorporate particular strategies come out
of the Science departments informal data collection of what science
components EXPLORE/PLAN/ACT exams are assessing. Based on reviews
of student results the department has worked to reorganize the
sequence of what they are already doing and incorporate strategies
to assist students in acquiring better scientific understanding
that extends beyond exams.
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Science Strategies Focus on Graphing Freshmen regularly create
graphs to represent data collection in Physics. Graphs help
students draw relationships between variables which is especially
useful in helping garner an understanding of physics. Graphing
skills are then incorporated into sophomore chemistry and junior
biology where students continue to represent their data and analyze
data represented in graphs. Status: The science department began
utilizing this strategy six years ago when they decided to offer
only physics to freshmen.
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Incorporating Data Sets The department is working to
incorporate more data set questions into traditional content
assessments in order to familiarize students with this question
format. Based on a review of test results, the department has
identified this area as a weakness for our students. This strategy
will also help align our curriculum more successfully to the Common
Core Standards for Science Literacy. Status: This strategy is a
work in progress that began last year with some classes and
instructors having more success than others.
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Incorporating Earth Science or Environmental Science into
Existing Science Courses Our core science program does not include
an Earth Science or Environmental Science course and many of the
data sets are couched in Ecology/Earth/Environmental Science
contexts. The department has been working to incorporate Earth and
Environmental Science. In Biology classes, the Ecology unit was
moved from the last unit of the year to the first. Status: Earth
and Environmental Science applications have been incorporated for
the last several years and only last year the Ecology unit was
moved to the beginning of the year.
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Counseling Department The counseling department coordinates all
testing programs. The department incorporates activities and
strategies that address student success in our continuous effort to
meet the academic, college and career planning needs of our
students. Profile Summary Reports provide a wealth of information
for counselors.
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The College Pipeline Selective Enrollment/Peers College Prep
Curriculum Essay Writing in Classes Curriculum addresses
standardized testing Technology/Process Testing Programs that
support a college going culture Colloquium (to explore interests)
Valuable extracurricular opportunities Academic enrichment programs
Global Initiatives Teachers, Admin, Counselors, Parents Alumni
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Counseling Strategies Early Interventions: Test results are
used to insure proper course selection and planning To encourage
rigorous course selection To identify at-risk-students within our
population Example: EXPLORE, PLAN and ACT Practice Test results are
used to identify students needing additional academic support.
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Academic Support Programs School Tutoring Programs Peer
Tutoring Programs ACT Preparation courses: Kaplan courses during
the summer and during the school year Test Gear/ ACT Preparation as
part of Whats Next Illinois an online college and career
exploration program funded by Chicago Public Schools.
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The Role of Testing in the College Planning Process As early as
freshman year, students are exposed to activities that address the
role of testing in the college planning and admission process.
Efforts include the following: College and career exploration unit
as part of the Freshman Connection Program for incoming Freshmen
during the summer. Publications given to parents and students that
cover testing programs. New this year is an online Individual
Learning Plan for all freshman that includes an initial college
exploration activity with criteria for admission.
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Extended Advisory Activities Extended Advisory activities
throughout the year for all grade levels provide an avenue to
provide additional information about testing programs and college
and career planning. Test interpretation sessions Career
exploration guided lessons College panels Essay writing
workshops
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College Match and Test Results ACT scores are considered by
counselors as one of several variables in helping students identify
match institutions. Counseling efforts include the following:
College Planning Night with Juniors and their parents Individual
Family College Conferences that include information about admission
criteria. Counselors help students identify reach, target and
safety schools based on student interests, academic profile, test
results and other family considerations. Use of Naviance as a tool
to help students with college and career planning and exploration.
(Uploading EXPLORE/PLAN/ACT results and using scatter grams that
include ACT results of Northside graduates)
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Northwestern University
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College and Career Related Programs and Opportunities
Counselors use test results to help identify candidates for
academic and college related programs and opportunities. Selective
College Scholarship Programs College Fly-In Programs Academic and
Career Enrichment Programs Internship Programs College Bridge/Dual
Credit and Enrollment Programs
