Title – How will a focused
tutorial program increase 9th Grade ELA STAAR EOC re-takers passing
rate?
Needs Assessment – JJ Pearce had a total
of 104 students that did not pass either the Reading or Writing sections of the
ELA 9th grade EOC exam last year.
There were a total of 532 students that took the exam, with a passing
rate of 80.5% in writing and 91.2% in reading.
This is the lowest passing rate of any EOC exam.
Objectives and Vision of the action
research project. (ELCC 1.1) – Create a tutorial and pull-out program for
students that were unsuccessful on the English Language Arts STAAR 9th
grade EOC.
Review of the Literature and Action
Research Strategy –
I need to review more literature on how focused tutorials have increased
student achievement at other campuses.
The decision making process at JJ Pearce included the site based
decision making committee and the 9th grade English team. Previous before-and after-school tutorials
programs have been unsuccessful because of low attendance. In 2011 our campus instituted
a pull-out program designed to help 9th graders transition into high
school. This was based on a faculty intervention. Second semester last year, all grade level
students that were receiving below a 70% in any class were assigned that
subject’s tutorial program. The flextime
program was based on a study that was done on the national level and our campus
principal instituted the program on our campus.
(Cagle, 2013)
Cagle,
M. (2013, February 1). Interview by B.K. Kenney [Personal Interview]. Action
research done before I was hired.
Articulate the Vision (ELCC 1.2) – The focused tutorials
for our at-risk students was a section of our SOS/SOC rollout. The SOS/SOC program was designed to ensure
students were receiving added transition and instructional support. The program was articulated to the staff as
they were designing the program, but the staff was trained on how it could help
all subjects and grade levels as a professional development session before school
started.
Manage the organization (ELCC 3.1) – The Tutorials Task
Force was comprised of the principal intern, administrators, ELA department
chair, and instructional specialist. Mary
Eisenmann, Dean of Instruction and Facilities, is responsible for coordinating
busses, assigning teacher classrooms, and other building management. Bryan Kenney, Administrative Intern/Special
Education Teacher/ Head Wrestling Coach, is responsible for analyzing STAAR
data and coordinating student deficiency groups. Liz Svadlenak, English Department Chair, is
responsible for creating the curriculum and teacher training. Jordan Capetta, Instructional Specialist, is
also responsible for teacher training. Mary
Cagle, Assistant Principal of ELA, is responsible for identifying and placement
of students based on STAAR data analysis.
Manage Operations (ELCC 3.2) – Implementing the
program was easy as there was already time in our daily school’s schedule for
tutorials. The problem we had was that
many of the students who needed Reading help, also needed Writing help. We decided as a team to have the Writing tutorials
after school. We made this decision
based on the time necessary to teach and then practice a writing lesson. There was not any conflict when we explained
the program to the staff. Our ELA staff
understood that this program was necessary to help our at-risk students.
Respond to Community Interest and
Needs (ELCC 4.2) – All
9th grade students that took the 9th grade ELA EOC were
analyzed. We included those that did not
meet the standard for Writing or Reading.
Any special education students that were administered the Modified or
Alternative STAAR tests were not included in this tutorials program. The special education department has their
own tutorials curriculum for their students.
Students that receive special education or 504 services that receive accommodation,
but not modifications, were included in our program. We did not change anything in regards to
backgrounds or economic status.
