Data Driven Instruction

Madrona's Academic Achievement Plan is designed around measurable goals with action steps that lay out how we will achieve these goals. We use our achievement data to revise our plan and change necessary components. It is our goal and mission to ensure that each Madrona student receives an education that will prepare them for college and life and further that students leave their grade level ready for academic success in the next grade level.

Our plan is designed based on our belief that good schools do a few things very well:

• Use data to guide all instructional decisions – This is why we assess all students regularly so instruction can be targeted to meet their needs.
• Use time effectively and efficiently for student learning.
• Use materials consistently and appropriately across grade levels and from K-8 to support student learning across the whole school.
• Use high-quality, research-tested, teaching practices across the school.

Four times each year (September, December, February and June) students are evaluated in literacy and math using a benchmark assessment. We use the data from these assessments to look at where we are as a school and set goals, and also to tailor instruction to student needs. Benchmark data is shared with students and families on a regular basis. We actively engage students and families in academic goal setting by sharing where students are in reading and math currently, discussing what we're doing to improve achievement, how each student needs to change, how we will support each student in changing, and how each student's family can support the changes needed for success.

Teachers meet regularly in grade level teams and grade band teams (K-2, 3-5, 6-8) to discuss individual student progress and intervention strategies to ensure that no student is without significant academic growth throughout the year.

When students are identified assessment as needing extra support with a literacy or math concept, those students are referred to the "I-Team" otherwise known as the Intervention Team. Led by our math and reading specialists, this group of teachers and instructional assistants meet individually with small groups of students outside of the regular math or literacy time to help them master a specific skill. Three-week sessions of literacy and math are alternated through out the school year. While some students will receive help from the I-Team on a regular basis, most will only attend for a few sessions.

Organization of the School Year

The use of time is one of the most important ways we can support student achievement. We structure every day, week, month, and year to ensure that we "make every minute count." This applies to our purposeful daily schedule, the extended time targeted to increase reading and math achievement for all students, intervention built into the day, and summer and spring break intensives. We expect our students to participate all day long and in the extended day programs offered to them.

Our building protects the academic time in the building every morning for literacy and math instruction with no interruptions allowed. Structured schedules for literacy and math for K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 allows the principal, support staff, and instructional coaches to support student learning in classrooms all day, every day.

We also provide structured opportunities for students to receive instruction targeted to their instructional level in addition to the 90-minute reading class. Opportunities include afternoon intensive period (allows for targeted instruction for intervention, target, and enrichment students using I-Team to pull intervention students for 40 minutes of specific instruction while leaving target and enrichment students with classrooms teachers. Other interventions include extended day for reading and math (1st-8th grades), Team Read, Reading Leaders, cross grade tutoring, Treehouse, and EXCEL

Professional Development Focus

Team and staff meetings focused on academic achievement every week including looking at data, student work, planning, and K-8 curriculum articulation.

All time together will have an intensive focus on student learning through structured and purposeful analysis of data as whole staff, grade level teams, and individual teachers – How are we doing with respect to our schoolwide targets? How are we doing at each grade level? In each classroom? For each student? Next, what steps will we take to mid-course correct?

This allows us to plan for and teach every child at his/her instructional level:

Target:

Use small flexible groups with appropriately leveled materials within classrooms (guided reading, centers, etc.).

Intervention:

Use scaffolding strategies to support lower readers and create a literacy action plan for each student below standard.

Enrichment:

Create extension activities for students above grade level.