School Improvement Project Proposal Improving

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. School Improvement 2 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. School Improvement 3 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. School Improvement 4 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. School Improvement 6 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.

Relationship of the Problem to Literature There are many reasons that students may not be passing the standardized tests. The main reason within this online school is because of the lack of engagement on the students' part to complete the required lessons, activities, and courses. However, research has shown some other factors that may be playing a role in the high failure rates experienced by the district; and these should not be ignored. Maybe the tests are too long for the students.

Maybe the students are experiencing high levels of testing anxiety and are unable to concentrate on the tests. Maybe the schools are not teaching to the standards. All of these and more could all be probable reasons other than lack of engagement as to why students are not passing the tests. Many public, private, and online schools face similar situations. Many of their students are not passing the standardized tests. However, there are several different reasons students fail the tests in other schools.

Some schools are even going as far as School Improvement 8 changing the number of questions that that a students has to answer correctly. "Fearing that thousands of students would fail the new test and be held back a grade, and that hundreds of schools could face penalties under the federal No Child Left Behind law, the some schools have voted to reduce the number of questions that students must answer correctly to pass it, to 20 out of 36, from 24" (Dillion).

Although, this is probably solution, it does not solve the over all problem. Another probable cause to low or failing scores may be high levels of test anxiety among students. Many schools teach students to the test. They teach in such a way that the student only focuses on what they need to know to pass the test and this creates a lot of test anxiety for the student.

"Howard White, 38, of Soquel said when he asks his daughter about tests, she "typically talks about 'what she needs to know to pass,' which is so frustrating as a parent. I would hope schools expect more than that. I do." (Tobin). Finally, the content is questionable. Are students not passing the test because the schools are not teaching the materials that are found on the tests? In most schools, the curriculum is carefully aligned to the state standards.

"The state's curriculum is a guideline for instruction that helps teachers, students, and parents know what topics must be covered and mastered for a particular course. The curriculum establishes the minimum standards, and does not prohibit systems, schools, or teachers from adding material to it. Some systems may have curricula of their own, but they must include everything that the state requires." (Georgia Department of Education). Therefore, it is evident that most curriculums that are used in schools are aligned to the state standards.

The state requires School Improvement 9 schools to teach to the standards and they are in constant review of the materials the schools and the teachers are using to teach the students. Lack of student motivation and engagement in the online class is a large reason why students do or do not pass the state required standardized tests. There are many factors that contribute to students' interest and level of engagement in learning, and teachers have little control over many of those factors (Lumsden, 1994).

However, research has shown that teachers can influence student motivation; that certain practices do work to increase time spent on task; and that there are ways to make assigned work more engaging and more effective for students at all levels (Anderman & Midgley, 1998; Dev, 1997; Skinner & Belmont, 1991). Chapter III Anticipated Outcomes and Evaluation Instruments 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: School Improvement 10 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.

School Improvement 11 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.

School Improvement 12 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. School Improvement 14 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,.