Columbia High School Academic Placement Recommendations

Brian G. Osborne, Ed.D. Superintendent 973-762-5600 X1820 bosborne@somsd.k12.nj.us To: Members, Board of Education From: Brian G. Osborne, Superintendent Re: Proposed changes to academic placement at CHS Date: January 18, 2012 Columbia High School Academic Placement Recommendations The vision of the South Orange-Maplewood School District (SOMSD) is to be the topperforming diverse suburban school district in the nation. The mission is to prepare each and every student, regardless of demographic or socioeconomic background, for postsecondary educational success. This requires a high school program that reflects high standards and where all students are prepared to be ready for college level coursework without remediation when they graduate. Given Columbia High School s (CHS s) record of preparing a large proportion of students for postsecondary success and an increasing proportion of students to be accepted at competitive colleges, the proposals recommended here maintain most of the current structure of CHS. As explained below, this proposal recommends reducing the number of groups in social studies, ninth grade biology, and English Language Arts (ELA) electives only. While it is an overall expectation that, as elementary and middle school improvements lead to increasingly well prepared students entering CHS, more students are placed into honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, there are no proposed changes to any other subjects and no proposed changes to AP offerings or to criteria for AP classes. In ELA, there are slight changes to criteria for academic placement intended to ensure that students who demonstrate proficiency are placed accordingly. In addition to the changes in academic placement recommended here, during the 2012-2013 academic year, a building-based committee would be established to examine the International Baccalaureate (IB) and its feasibility at the high school level. More specifically, the research would examine links to the middle school proposal and the feasibility of the Middle Years Programme (MYP) extending to the 10 th grade year. The principal would chair the research project, and in collaboration with content supervisors and teachers, make recommendations to the superintendent during the 2013-14 school year. At that time, should there be a determination to proceed with extending MYP, the committee would continue and investigate the feasibility of introducing the Diploma Programme in the 11 th and 12 th grades as an addition to the current AP course offerings. It is not contemplated at this time that IB would replace AP courses. 1

Historical context The subject of academic placement and class configuration at Columbia High School (CHS) has been ongoing for decades. There have been a number of studies and reports that have informed the proposed change. What follows is a brief summary of those investigations. In February, 1993, the South Orange and Maplewood Committee on Grouping for Instructional Purposes submitted a report to the superintendent of schools. Their work, which spanned a two year period, examined grouping practices within the district, excellence, equity, and curriculum and instruction. More specifically, inequitable practices regarding racial minorities, males at the high school, females at one of the middle schools, and students who are new to the district were carefully studied. The committee recommended that the district adopt driving principles including high standards for all students, equal access for all students to the knowledge we value most, and the removal of any institutional obstacles to equity and excellence. More specifically, the committee recommended that grouping by achievement will continue; however, there will be no tracking. Students will have access by choice to any achievement level offered within a particular course and/or program. In March 2007, CHS participated in the Accreditation for Growth (AFG) Protocol through the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The AFG is a procedure that challenges schools to examine their preferred futures; develop learning objectives that are directly linked to student performance results; and construct an action plan, or vehicle that will accomplish these goals. It is within this context that CHS began focusing on postsecondary success for all students, moving the goal from wanting students to graduate, to wanting them to get into the colleges of their choices, complete programs in higher education, and be well- positioned for future career goals. The AFG process resulted in formal objectives aligned to postsecondary success, such as increasing the percentage of students scoring advanced proficient on state tests and the percentage of students participating successfully in AP courses. As a result, the high school administration, content supervisors, and teachers began moving more explicitly toward building a college going culture and meeting performance goals aligned to postsecondary success. According to the 2010 AFG benchmarks, student performance results reveal slight HSPA increases, or improvement patterns in mathematics and more significant increases in language arts. Moreover, as of 2010, participation in AP courses had increased significantly. In the 2007-2008 school year, CHS underwent a Collaborative Assessment and Planning for Achievement (CAPA) review, commissioned by the New Jersey Department of Education. The 2007-2008 visit resulted in recommendations that called for CHS to implement common assessments and analyze performance; add a third assistant principal and undergo formal leadership development; monitor curriculum implementation more frequently through formal classroom walkthroughs; include special needs students to the maximum extent possible; and provide training to staff in cultural competence. The reviewers commented that there was an unusually high degree of stratification due to the high number of levels when compared with other successful comprehensive high schools, and recommended that reviews be undertaken to determine ways to reduce the number of levels. 2

In January 2008, the district created an Academic Placement Criteria document to address the need for greater consistency and transparency in how level placement recommendations were made and what the criteria were for each placement in each grade. The document was widely circulated and posted on the district website, and provided a common reference point for governing academic placement decisions. In Fall 2009, the district began tracking the college matriculation, persistence, and degree attainment rates of graduates of CHS using data from the National Student Clearing House (NSCH), which enables school district administrators to access the Clearinghouse's records on over 100 million students, which represent postsecondary enrollments and achievements nationwide. They maintain these records on behalf of the more than 3,300 colleges and universities that enroll 17 million students (92% of total U.S. enrollment in higher education). These institutions have authorized the Clearinghouse to provide this information to school districts in order to help them improve their educational programs. The data from the class of 2004 revealed that approximately 77% of graduates matriculated to college within two years and approximately 46% earned a college degree within 6 years. The district analyzed the data to find correlations between earning a college degree and K-12 performance, finding that one of the significant correlations was with level placement. The district again reviewed NSCH data in the Fall of 2011, which revealed that college going rates had increased steadily and substantially since 2004, with 88% of the class of 2010 matriculating to college within two years of leaving high school, and an increased proportion of students going to competitive colleges. During the 2009-2010 school year, the high school subcommittee of the SOMSD Equity and Excellent Committee, worked within the context of a larger task force to review student performance data, patterns of growth, and demographic trends. With emphases on instruction, upward mobility and informational transparency, the high school committee carefully examined the needs of a diverse student population and leveling trends that were based on a system that had been in place for more than ten years. To that end, the committee made the several recommendations to support instructional mobility and student learning at the high school level: Administer the PSAT for all 10 th and 11 th grade students to provide students with the opportunity to take this College Board assessment and for the results to determine college readiness and moving students to higher level classes. Expand Step-Up Programs over the summer to prepare students for high level classes. (Currently offer programs in ELA, math, and science. A biology program is proposed for the summer of 2012.) Increase the number of mixed-level sections. Expand the Bridge to Success Program from 8 th grade to the beginning of 10 th grade Add specific supports for struggling students such as online opportunities for credit recovery; READ 180; targeted use of the conference period; formalized Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS); and increased parent meetings with assistant principals and counselors. In 2011-2012, level-up middle level 9 th grade social studies and science classes by consolidating from 3 to 2 levels. 3

During the 2010-2011 academic year, the high school administration, in collaboration with constituent groups, developed the CHS Five-Year Strategic Plan. This plan identifies Driving Principles for Teaching and Learning. With an emphasis on closing the academic achievement gap, the strategic plan implemented initiatives in stronger performance appraisals, including observations and evaluations aligned to the Framework for Teaching. The strategic plan also created a level up ninth pilot program in ELA, Social Studies, and Science, wherein one section of each subject has students recommended for a level two course included in a level three course. Additionally, elective courses for ELA and social studies are all multi-level, heterogeneously grouped and open to all students. The reviews and investigations have reflected the high levels of quality education and academic attainment achieved by most CHS students, and at the same time raised concerns that not all students are being adequately prepared for college and career. In addition, this has been a focal point of discussion among teaching staff, department heads and the administration. Reflecting on this background, it is clear that the discussion regarding equity and excellence within the district has permeated Columbia High School for decades. The discourse is not new. Rather, it builds upon previous research projects and protocols, which identified similar thematic strands such as: high standards and learning expectations, upward instructional mobility and access to rigorous coursework, multiple and benchmark assessments, recognition of the diversity among learners, support for struggling students, and job embedded professional development. In the past few years, much progress has been made. CHS has created a college-going culture, strengthened instructional leadership, overhauled the way that teachers are evaluated, increased monitoring of instruction through supervisory walkthroughs, enhanced professional development, implemented professional learning communities, increased guidance and administrative support to struggling students, added or expanded programs such as Bridge to Success and summer Step-Up courses, updated curriculum, improved home-school communication through the use of PowerSchool, based educational decisions on data analyzed from newly developed and implemented common midterm and final assessments, and improved the use of technology in instruction. Measureable results have demonstrated incremental improvements and success on several important measures: AP participation rates have increased over the past four years HSPA scores are at their highest, with the smallest gaps with the DFG and the smallest gaps between black and white scores since the tests began Suspension rates have been reduced by more than half over the past four years College going rates have increased over 11 percentage points, from 77% of students matriculating within two years of graduation in 2004 to 88% in 2010 In addition, experiments with various class configurations have included classes with more heterogeneous grouping and open enrollment through the use of multi-leveled courses. Based on our experience, we feel confident that what we are proposing would preserve academic excellence for our most academically advanced students, open opportunities for additional students to lay a strong foundation for their future academic success, and provide needed support for students struggling to attain mastery. 4

Proposed Changes to English Language Arts The proposed changes to ELA build on the recent curriculum rewrite that has aligned all of the ELA courses with rigorous standards that reflect college readiness. This proposal largely preserves the current number of groupings while minimizing the possibility of incorrect placement, increasing support for students that need it the most, and providing more students with an honors level experience in the elective courses. The issue of incorrect placement is addressed by ensuring that any ninth grade student who demonstrates proficiency by scoring 206 or higher on the 8 th grade NJASK would be placed in either a regular college preparatory or honors English I 9 th grade class. This change would eliminate the possibility of teacher recommendation down leveling a student who has demonstrated proficiency. Trend data analysis projects that this will affect approximately 5% of the 9 th grade placements. Increased support for students that need it the most would be provided through an English I class taught as a double period class. The curriculum and expectations for the doubleperiod class would be at the college preparatory level, with students receiving the additional time they need to meet defined grade level learning outcomes to put them on a path to have the choice to succeed in a four year college when they graduate. Teachers who have demonstrated both a strong grasp of the content as well as a strong ability to motivate students would teach these sections. For the few students with the most difficulty with reading comprehension, the proposal maintains the current Read 180 class, a double-period intensive reading program. The proposed course sequence offers a class at each grade level for students in need of additional support, including new students who arrive at CHS behind grade level, and an accompanying required supplemental class to provide additional time building literacy skills. It should be noted that the number of students requiring such supplemental coursework has decreased significantly in recent years and, concurrently, that the proportion of students graduating after passing the HSPA has begun to approximate 100%. It is therefore anticipated that the number of students requiring the English III with required supplemental English or the English Essentials class would be small. Providing more students with an honors level experience would be accomplished by converting the existing electives, which are currently all heterogeneously grouped and open to all students, from multi-level courses to honors courses. That is, the common expectation for learning and student performance would be set at the current honors level for all students. This proposed change would not alter the current composition of the elective classes; rather, it would raise the expectations for performance of all students in the course. Additionally, should the middle school transformation proposal be approved, there would be a small group of eighth grade students who would qualify to take ninth grade ELA while in eighth grade, and would therefore take tenth grade ELA as ninth graders. 5

The following outlines the current and proposed structure of ELA courses: Current 9 th grade. Read 180, English I level 2, English I level 3, or English I level 4. 10th grade. English II level 2, English II Level 3, or English II Level 4. 11th grade. American Lit Level 2, a multi-level elective course, or AP English Language. 12th grade. English Essentials Level 2, a multi-level elective course, or AP English Literature. 11th and 12th grades. There are 12 elective courses. All of them are heterogeneously grouped multi-level courses and open to all 11 th and 12 th grade students who are not placed in American Lit Level 2 (11 th graders) or English Essentials Level 2 (12 th grade). 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. Supplemental English courses are in addition to the English Language Arts course. Academic Placement is governed by the Academic Level Placement document. Proposed 9th grade. Read 180, English I double period, English I, English I Honors. 10th grade. English II plus supplemental, English II, English II Honors. 11th grade. American Lit plus supplemental, an elective course, or AP English Language. 12th grade. English Essentials plus supplemental, an elective course, or AP English Literature. All elective classes taught and graded at Honors level. Changes to criteria 9 th grade students who score above 205 on the NJASK 8 would not be placed in either Read 180 or English I with double period. 11 th and 12 th grade electives would be honors and open to all students not placed in American Lit plus supplemental (11 th grade) or English Essentials plus supplemental (12 th grade). Other criteria remain the same. This proposal does not entail changes to the weighting of grades for the various ELA courses. All electives would be taught as well as weighted at the honors level. 6

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS PROPOSAL Year 1 (9 th ) Year 2 (10 th ) Year 3 (11 th ) Year 4 (12 th ) READ 180 -NJASK8 -Below grade level ENGLISH I Double Period -NJASK8 (205 or below) and ENGLISH II plus Sup 10 -NJASK8 (205 or below) and based on placement document ENGLISH III plus Sup 11 -NJASK8 --PSAT results based on placement document ENGLISH ESSENTIALS plus Sup 12 -HSPA results ENGLISH I -NJASK8 (206 or higher) or based on placement document ENGLISH II based on placement document ELECTIVES Honors - Teacher rec based on placement document ELECTIVES Honors - Teacher rec based on placement document ENGLISH I Honors -B- in Gr. 8 Level 4 or A in Level 3 OR -Step-Up Program for Level 3 B- or higher ENGLISH II Honors based on placement document -A- in English I OR -B- in English I Honors AP LANGUAGE & COMP. (11 th ) -AP Qualifying Exam OR -A in Honors 10 AP LITERATURE & COMP. (12 TH ) -AP Qualifying Exam OR -A in Elective or -B in AP Lang 7

Proposed changes to social studies The proposed changes to social studies are intended to increase expectations and rigor for all students. The changes place most students in courses that would be taught at the current honors level. The social studies department s experience with heterogeneously grouped multi-level classes as electives has demonstrated that the quality of classroom discourse in social studies improves when classes are grouped heterogeneously as more perspectives are introduced to the class discussion. The proposal would convert the World History course in 9 th grade to a single non-leveled course to be taken by most students and taught at the level of the current honors course. English Language Learners and students who require intensive instruction in reading comprehension would take one of two new 9 th grade courses - one for ELLs and a course called Literacy strategies through World History for students who are placed in the double period English I course. In order to better prepare students to meet the requirements of the honors course, the department proposes to run a summer course, Successful Strategies for Social Studies for students entering grades 9-11. In addition, the proposal would convert the US History 1 and US History 2 courses to honors level courses for students not taking AP US History, Literacy Strategies through U.S. History, or American History and Culture for ELLs. Students who are enrolled in the literacy strategies classes would receive instructional support though the supplemental courses that are taught in the English Department. There would be an emphasis on reading across the curriculum. The following outlines the current and proposed structure of social studies courses: Current 9 th grade. World History Level 2, World History Level 3, World History Level 4. 10th grade. American History and Culture (for English Language Learners (ELLs) year 1 of 2 year course) US History 1 Level 2, US History 1 Level 3, US History 1 Level 4, AP US History (1 st year of 2 year AP course) 11th grade. American History and Culture (for ELLs year 2 of 2 year course), US History 2 Level 2, US History 2 Level 3, US History 2 Level 4, AP US History (2 nd year of 2 year AP course), option to take additional elective or AP European History, AP Government & Politics 12th grade. electives Electives. o AP course (European History, Psychology, Government and Politics US, Government and Politics Comparative). Criteria: teacher recommendation, grades. o There are 9 multilevel courses. All of them are heterogeneously grouped and open to all 11 th and 12 th graders. 8

Proposed 9th grade. World History (for ELL), Literacy strategies through World History, World History (taught at current honors level) 10th grade. American History and Culture (for ELL year 1 of 2 year course), Literacy Strategies through U.S. History 1, US History 1 (taught at current honors level), AP US History (1 st year of 2 year AP course) 11th grade. American History and Culture (for ELL year 2 of 2 year course, US History 2 (taught at current honors level), Literacy Strategies through U.S. History 2, AP US History (2 nd year of 2 year AP course), option to take additional elective 12th grade. electives Electives. o AP course (European History, Psychology, Government and Politics US, Government and Politics Comparative). Criteria: teacher recommendation, grades. o There would be 9 Honors electives to choose from, heterogeneously grouped and open to all 11 th and 12 th graders. Changes to criteria 9 th grade students taking Read 180 or English I with double period would take Literacy strategies through World History. All other students would take World History. 10 th and 11 th grade students who do not meet criteria to take AP US History would take US History 1 (10 th grade) and US History 2 (11 th grade). 11 th and 12 th grade non-ap electives would be honors and open to all students. No changes to criteria for AP classes. World History, US History 1 and US History 2 would be taught and weighted at the honors level. Current Grade 9 (3 placements) Grade 10 (4 placements + ELL) Grade 11 (4 placements + ELL) Grade 12 Electives World History Level 2 World History Level 3 World History Level 4 U.S. History 1 Level 2 U.S. History 1 Level 3 U.S. History 1 Level 4 AP U.S. History 1 U.S. History 2 Level 2 U.S. History 2 Level 3 U.S. History 2 Level 4 AP U.S. History 2 AP electives Multilevel electives Proposed Grade 9 (2 placements + ELL) Grade 10 (3 placements + ELL) Grade 11 (3 placements + ELL) Grade 12 Electives Literacy strategies through World History World History (taught at honors) Literacy Strategies through U.S. History U.S. History 1 (taught at honors) AP U.S. History Literacy Strategies through U.S. History U.S. History 2 (taught at honors) AP U.S. History AP electives Honors level electives 9

Proposed changes to science The proposed changes in science seek to set grade level college preparatory expectations for all students and reduce the stigma associated with level two. In science, the proposed changes are limited to 9 th grade biology. The 10 th grade physics courses are highly dependent on prerequisite mathematics skills, and level placement into 10 th grade physics is tied to level placement in mathematics. Since no changes to mathematics groupings are proposed at this time, no changes are proposed for science beyond 9 th grade biology. An additional step up class for rising 9 th graders is planned for this summer to prepare more students to meet the prerequisites for the honors course. Current: Biology for ELL, Biology Level 2, Biology Level 3, Biology Level 4 Proposed: Biology for ELL, Biology, Biology Honors Changes to criteria: The criteria for Biology Honors would be the current Level 4 criteria. All other students would take Biology other than ELL students who would continue to take Biology for ELLs. Current (3 placements + ELL) Biology level 2 Biology level 3 Biology level 4 Proposed (2 placements + ELL) Biology Biology honors Implications These recommended changes contain implications for CHS and are therefore conditioned on completing the following related tasks during the remainder of the current school year: Review and modify Board policy as necessary, with identification of specific items requiring passage of Board of Education resolutions. Coordinate and communicate with middle school staffs, in particular eighth grade teachers and counselors responsible for completing placement recommendations for students entering grade nine. Develop a process to make adjustments to placement (i.e. use of NJASK8 scores as a compelling variable in English I). Create a schedule that accommodates a double period English I class for ninth graders who require the additional time to meet grade level expectations. Modify the course offerings guide, the district s academic placement document, and the CHS handbook. Revise the CHS school profile and effective communication to colleges and universities. Develop curriculum for English I double period that provides support for both the English I curriculum as well as the Literacy Strategies through World History curriculum. Create teacher assignments that match knowledge, skills, and disposition with student need Conduct professional development in differentiated instruction for biology and social studies teachers 10

Summary of Proposed Changes English Language Arts Provide increased support for 9 th grade students who need it most by increasing time on task through new English I as a double period class taught on grade level. Provide increased support for struggling 10 th 12 th grade students through courses with built in periods for supplemental instruction English II plus supplemental (10 th ), English III plus supplemental (11 th ) and English Essentials plus supplemental (12 th ). English I replaces English I level 3. The minimum criteria changed to NJASK8 score of 206 or higher (formerly minimum score of 226 was required) to ensure that all 9 th grade students who demonstrate proficiency on NJASK8 are placed appropriately. English II replaces English II level 3. Criteria remain the same. English I Honors and English II Honors replace English I level 4 and English II level 4. Criteria remain the same. Convert 11 th and 12 th grade non-ap electives from multilevel courses to honors level courses open to all students, taught and weighted at the honors level. Maintain existing AP course offerings and placement criteria. Social Studies Offer increased support to English Language Learners through a series of courses for ELLs, including World History for ELLs in 9 th grade, and American History and Culture for ELLs in 10 th and 11th grades. Offer increased support to students who require intensive instruction in reading comprehension through a new series of courses including Literacy Strategies through World History in 9 th grade and Literacy Strategies through US History in 10 th and 11 th grades. These students will also receive instructional support through the supplemental courses taught in the English Department. Convert 9 th grade World History into a single-level course, taught and weighted at the honors level, for all students not in ELL or Literacy Strategies courses. Convert US History 1 (10 th ) and US History 2 (11 th ) into honors level courses, taught and weighted at the honors level, for students not taking AP US History, Literacy Strategies through US History, or American History and Culture for ELLs. Convert 11 th and 12 th grade non-ap electives from multilevel courses to honors level courses open to all students, taught and weighted at the honors level. To prepare students to meet the requirements of the honors course, add a summer course, Successful Strategies for Social Studies for students entering grades 9-11 Maintain existing AP course offerings and placement criteria. Science: For 9 th grade biology, convert from 3 placements plus ELL to 2 placements plus ELL by leveling up Biology level 2 and Biology level 3 to a new grade level Biology class, and continuing a Biology Honors class using the current level 4 criteria. Create an additional step up class for rising 9 th graders for summer 2012 to prepare more students to meet the prerequisites for the honors course. No changes are proposed for science beyond 9 th grade biology. 11

Conclusion The recommendations that are contained in this document examine core content subject areas that include English language arts, social studies, and science. These proposals build on the foundational work and improved outcomes accomplished over the last several years, which have positioned us to take these next steps toward increasing access to more rigorous coursework. The proposal is designed to support CHS s ongoing success in promoting superlative academic achievement and preparing students for highly competitive colleges while also increasing access to college preparatory coursework and the level of expectations and achievement for all students. As with all programmatic changes, it would be necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of these recommendations and the implementation thereof. Student performance data, in addition to other quantifiable and qualitative data would be examined. It is important to note that the high school would be making the necessary adjustments through the evaluative process to support the rollout of these recommendations as part of the continuous improvement process that would help advance the district s mission to prepare all students to be prepared for success in college and career when they graduate. 12