Improving test scores through student online engagement in homeschooling

School Improvement Project Proposal

Improving Test Scores through Student Online Engagement

Description of the Community

In this particular district, the students are home schooled. These students are scattered all around the state and study their high school courses through the use of the internet and other technologies from the comforts and privacy of their homes. These students (and/or their parents and guardians) chose an internet-based school to complete their high school studies with an online program because many of them have had several problems with the pubic or private schools in their communities, they have had social issues or problems, some have had criminal records and backgrounds, many are teenage parents who are returning to school in an attempt to earn their high school diploma, a small percentage of the students have physical and/or mental disabilities, a few students are living in group homes or with foster families, and others are students who simply took the option of school choice and chose to attend an online high school because they feel that it would provide them with a better education at the appropriate speed to meet their unique individual needs.

The socio-economic situations of the students range from low income to middle class families. Approximately 57% of the student population is on the free and reduced lunch program. Most student come from working families with one or both of the parents working outside of the home. Approximately 8% of the students come from families whose total income exceeds $100,000 per year.

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The Work Setting

This school is an internet-based school that has been in operation for five years. The students complete all of their course assignments through the use of a computer with a high speed internet connection that is set up within their home. Some students work on a desk top computer and others work on a lap top computer. The students are sent all of their necessary school supplies such as paper, printer ink, calculators and other things through the mail via UPS from the main school office.

The curriculum is offered to the students on the computer. On the computer, the students access the Learning Management System (LMS) through a secured internet network. Through the LMS, the student's attendance, classes, work, grades, and other important school records and personal information is stored. The students are able to click on a curriculum link that will take them to their online classroom where they will find their daily activities and assignments. Through the LMS, the students are also able to communicate with teachers, school staff, and other students through the use of emails, message boards, and instant messaging.

The teachers are state certified and highly qualified according to the National No Child Left Behind Act. Similar to the students, the teachers work from desk top or lap top computers from the privacy of their own home. Teachers are located all around the state. From time to time, the school where have events where teachers and students can meet for instruction, field trips, or other important and relevant meetings.

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The Teacher's Role

The teachers at this particular school have a wide range of responsibilities. Although, they work from remote locations throughout the state, they are still required to conduct one to two daily online classes through the use of Elluminate. Elluminate is a program that allows teacher to create an online classroom that is conducive to learning. Through the use of Elluminate, teachers are able to present lessons to students through the use of a whiteboard, file sharing, and many other useful tools. Teachers are able to internet with each student individually or as a group by allowing them to participate in class communications or by answering questions.

In addition to conducting online classes, teacher also work with students individually on assignments through telephone conversations, emails, chat rooms, message boards, and postal mail. Teachers receive and grade assignments that are submitted by students and provide constructive feedback to help the student understand which questions were incorrect on the assignment. Teachers are required to have all assignments graded and returned to the student with 48 hours of submission, so that students do not fall behind in their studies while they are waiting for their work to be graded. It is the teacher's responsibility as to how they will run their own classroom. All teachers use the same curriculum, but teachers are able to develop their own assignments and create the rules, policies, and procedures for how their classroom will operate.

Teachers also perform other duties such as curriculum review, curriculum writing, counseling, and anything else requested by the school.

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Chapter II

Problem Statement

The problem to be solved in this project is the increasing issue of low or failing scores by high school students on state required standardized tests. Students are not performing up to state standards on the required standardized test that are administered annually in this district.

Problem Description

Recent test score reports will show that only 36% of students in the 10th grade are performing to state standards on the state administered mathematics standardized tests; and only 52% are performing to state standards on the state administered language arts tests. Because of these low state scores, the school is not meeting the required Annual Yearly Progress. This has occurred consecutively over the course of the last two years. Now, the state has given the school approximately one year to raise test scores to avoid possible loss of school funding, and possibility of the state taking over the school, laying off teachers and staff, and reopening it with new teachers and staff.

It is believed that one of the possible reasons for the low test scores in both Math and Language Arts is because of the low course completion rate. Reports taken from the learning management system show that there is a high number of students who are not engaged in their math and/or language arts classes. These non-working students are not completing required assignments, they are not attending the daily online classes, and they have very little, if any, contact with their assigned teacher. The reports show that teachers

School Improvement 5 are making efforts to contact these students in various ways such as through email, telephone conversations, chat, and letter via postal mail. However, very few of the students report to the teacher's contact attempt. Many of the teachers consider these students to be Missing in Action (MIA). Many attempts have been made to reach these students with little or no success. It is against the school policy to expel or discipline these non-working students because the school allows students to complete work at their own pace. However, these students are not working at a pace and the final result is a low or failing score on the state math and language arts tests.

In an attempt to get this particular group of 10th grade non-working students engaged in their school work, teachers have made modifications and other changes to their lessons and teaching approaches. They have made several attempts to reach these students and convince them to complete assignments. Since there are no set deadlines for assignments and attendance in the online classroom is not required, these students feel that they do not have to complete the work right now. They procrastinate for a number of different reasons. As they get closer to the final course date and notice that they are in danger of failing the courses for the year, some of them will attempt to complete lessons quickly, effortlessly, and still continue to make low scores on their daily assignments and tests. To date, all attempts at getting students more engaged in their school work have failed.

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Problem Documentation

Approximately six weeks after the administration of the tests, the state sends the school a detailed report on the results. Recent results revealed that the passage rate on the math and language arts tests have not increased over the course of the last two years. This year, approximately 36% of all 10th grade students who took the state standardized tests passed. This means that 64% are at a below average or failing level. Of this 64%, 30% are African-American students, 20% are Caucasian, and 16% are mixed, Hispanic or Asian minorities. Approximately 75% of the students who did not meet a passing grade on this test are on the free and reduced lunch program and another 10% are considered to be in the Special Education program.

These statistics are calculated by the state and posted publically on the state board of education website and in various newspapers around the state. School administrators, politician, teachers, and others compare the test results among the different schools throughout the state. It is these test scores that determine if a school is considered effective or non-effective in educating their student population. At this point, our school appears to be ineffective at teaching the 10th grade students the materials they need in order to pass the state standardized tests.

Causative Analysis

There are several causes to why the students did not pass the state standardized test in mathematics and in language arts. It is strongly believe that the students were not adequately prepared for the test because they had not been completing the required assignments and attending the online classes offered by their teachers. Their lack of School Improvement 7 participation in the class, has lead them to a failing test score because if they had not completed the assignments in their learning management system, then there was no way for them to be adequately prepared for the materials on the tests. The course materials that are found in the learning management system are closely related to the state bench marks and are closely aligned with the state requirements.

There are several reasons that students may not complete work in their online classes. These reasons include lack of motivation, lack of parental guidance, computer issues and problems that stop them from logging in, lack of ability, medical issues or problems, social problems, or a number of other reasons.

Goals and Expectations

The main goal of this online school district is to have at least 75% of the 10th grade students passing the state standardized math and language arts test by next school year. The goal of 95% passage rate is an anticipated goal for the following school year. These percentages are what the state is requiring of the school to avoid No Child Left Behind penalties and state take overs next year. It is the goal of each and every teacher to get students engaged and working within their math and language courses. It is believed that if the students are completing assignments with passing grades, then their test scores will reflect their hard dedicated work efforts. In addition to these main goals, several smaller goals were set for the online school which include:

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Requiring participation in all online classes. A grade will be given for participation in these classes.

Students will be placed on pace dates. This means that certain assignments will have required deadline which must be met.

Students will work together in an online cooperative environment. Each student will be part of a learning team.

An increase of teachers will be added to the staff in order to lower student-teacher ratios. This will allow students and teachers to have more one on one interaction.

Students will not be allowed to enroll in elective courses until their core math and language arts courses are successfully completed.

Students who do not engage in the class will be in danger of expulsion due to truancy.

Expected Outcomes

As outlined in the list above, the foremost outcome of the student engagement plan is to have at least 70% of all 10th grade students passing both the math and the language arts state required standardized testing. In addition to increasing the passage rates on the tests, it is hoped that the students will all be engaged in completing required coursework that is necessary for graduation purposes. Above all, it is hoped that the students will learn the materials and apply them immediately to their everyday lives and that the students gain pride and honor in the hard work and dedication that was put forward on their part in order to complete the coursework.

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The success of required engagement will be measured by the next testing report that comes from the state after the administration of the tests. If the student engagement project is successful, an increase in test scores on both the mathematics and language arts standardized test should be evident.

It is hoped that these following goals will produce the following outcomes:

All students enrolled in a particular class will be engaged and working on their assignments.

All students will submit assignments by pace dates and will have a minimum of a 70% passage rate on all assignments. Any assignment not meeting 70% will have to be redone and resubmitted.

Students will take the state required standardized test in mathematics and language arts and pass both tests with a minimum of 70%.

Students will develop a sense of pride and ownership knowing that they completed the class with a passing grade.

Measurement of Outcomes

The measurement of outcomes for the increased student engagement project will be closely monitored by teachers and staff through an ongoing process. Each week, students will be required to submit assignments and attend online class sessions. If a student fails to submit assignments by targeted pace date or fails to attend the online class sessions, then the teacher will immediately contact the student and work with one on one to get the student back on track.

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In addition, teachers will grade and return all assignments within 48 hours of receipt. The graded assignments will contain detailed comments and feedback. Each student will review the feedback and correct the work if so desired. Teachers will also provide monthly progress reports for each student. This is so that students will know exactly where they are in their studies and which areas need more work.

Each month, every teacher will be required to submit a report of his/her student's progress to the administration for review. The administration will then offer the teacher feedback and suggestions. If a student is not working when an administrator reviews the progress, then the administrator will have the option of recommending the student for expulsion.

By closely monitoring each student's progress, the teachers and administrators will be able to determine if a student is adequately prepared for the test. Once the test scores return to the district, the outcome will be noticed by the increase in the number of students passing both the mathematics and language arts tests.

Chapter IV

Solution Strategy

Discussion and Evaluation of Solutions

There are several reasons why 10th grade students who are enrolled in online or internet-based schools are not passing the state standardized tests. For some students it is a matter of test anxiety, while for other students, it is an issue of not being adequately prepared for the standardized tests. It is most strongly believed that the reason the students at this online school are not passing the test is because they are not engaging in School Improvement 13 their required class assignments as required by the state. This, in turn, leads to a decrease in standardized math and language arts test scores.

A review of literature and research shows that there are many reasons why students in an online school may not pass standardized test; and one of the main reasons may be the lack of student engagement within assigned courses. There are other articles written that also explain possible reasons such as lack of motivation, test anxiety, and curriculums that are not aligned to the state standards. Despite all of the possible reasons, the lack of student engagement remains to be the primary reason that the 10th graders from this school are not passing the state tests.

Literature also states that there are many possible solutions such as lowering the number of questions on the test, lowering the standards, or changing the way students learn, study and complete assignments. Literature will support that if the curriculum is properly aligned to the state standards and if the students successfully complete the curriculum that their chances of passing the state required test are highly increased. (Policy Studies Associates). Therefore, this school will now require engagement and participation of all students in the curriculum. The courses are strictly aligned to the state standards, and by engaging completely in the class, the students will have a higher chance of scoring better on the next administration of the state standardized tests. If students fail to meet the participation requirements, they will be considered truant and could face possible expulsion.

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Description of Selected Solutions

The solution to the low and failing test scores is to get students engaged in their learning. Each teacher will work to assure that all students who are assigned on his/her class roster will participate as required in the class. All students will attend online classes when scheduled and will submit assignments according to their set pace dates. This solution will not only increase state standardized testing scores, it will also help students to complete and pass the class; and will build self-esteem and pride for the student when they are able to see their passing accomplishments.

Report of Action Taken

This program was implemented at the start of the new semester. All students were sent emails, letters, and other media explaining the new school policy about attendance and class participation. Teachers worked to call and email parents and students to relate the new school policies. All students were required to sign a paper stating that they understood the new procedure and would abide by it beginning immediately. This new policy was difficult because students were not used to having deadlines to meet or required class participation. For some students, it was hard to comprehend. However, after strong communications from all staff, teachers, and counselors, the students began to comply with the policy. There were still a few students who did not comply and these students will be recommended for expulsion for truancy.

Many parents were not happy with the new policy. They believe that it will affect students who need more time to complete assignments. However, if a student does

School Improvement 15 require more time, it is up to the teacher to determine rather the student can have more time or not. Within the first few weeks, the school had an 82% engagement rate. Most students adjusted to the change well.

Chapter V

Results

The main goal of this program was to increase state standardized test scores in math and language arts. This goal was going to be accomplished through a new school policy that requires all students to engage in coursework and participate in online classes. The following outcomes were the result of this plan:

All students enrolled in a particular class will be engaged and working on their assignments. This outcome was not met. Only 85% of students were engaged after two weeks.

All students will submit assignments by pace dates and will have a minimum of a 70% passage rate on all assignments. Any assignment not meeting 70% will have to be redone and resubmitted. This outcome was met because all students who were working passed their assignments with 70% or better. If 70% was not met, the teachers required the students redo the assignment until 70% or better was achieved.

Students will take the state required standardized test in mathematics and language arts and pass both tests with a minimum of 70%. This outcome was not met. Students have not taken the state tests as of date.

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Students will develop a sense of pride and ownership knowing that they completed the class with a passing grade. %. This outcome was met. Students are more motivated than ever to complete assignments and are enjoying learning and their passing grades.

Discussion

Approximately three out of four outcomes have been met thus far. The students are very motivated because they have been given an opportunity to show that they can really do the work and pass the class. The engagement has increased and 85% of all students in the 10th grade are working and completing assignments. The students will take the next administration of the state test next spring and it is hope that the outcome of 70% passage rate will be achieved as a result of the changes made in the school policy. This plan has proved that if students engage in the work and complete assignments, then they will pass the class and possible the state tests as well.

Recommendations

It is strongly recommended that all online high school program consider making course engagement and class participation a school requirement. If students are enrolled in an online school, they should be held responsible for their work and their actions. It is more difficult to be motivated in an online school, therefore it is the job of the teachers and staff to continually motivate and encourage each and every student. Smaller student-teacher ratios make this plan very reachable and successful.

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Dissemination

This plan will be implemented annually through the use of Power Point Presentations, meetings, and professional development opportunities for teachers. Each year, there will be a committee that will review the policy and make any necessary changes.

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