Discussing Data

6th Grade Reading Scores

Smith Middle School

Let’s Talk Data!Successful schools are constantly changing and trying new things to help their students. Administrators use data to help identify areas of need and determine whether or not strategies are working.These changes only work if they have the support of the students and families in the school. I’d like to tell you about a couple changes I think will help our students in the coming year, and I’d like to take this opportunity to share my thought process with you!

6th Grade Reading Scores for the last 5 years:

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Percent Passing*

61 59 60 58 65

* A score of 3 or higher is considered passing FCAT Reading

What Does This Mean?Over the last five years the percentage of 6th grade students scoring a 3 or higher on the FCAT Reading test has ranged from 58% to 65%.The scores fluctuated slightly from 2007 to 2010, then jumped a significant 7 percentage points in one year.

Let’s Compare, Shall We?

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Percent Passing

58 58 63 64 71

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Percent Passing

61 59 60 58 65

Smith Middle School Scores

District Scores

What Does This Tell Us?While the district scores do not mirror those of Smith Middle School exactly, they also fluctuated slightly over the first four years shown and also jumped by quite a bit from 2010 to 2011.This indicates that the same factors caused the school and district scores to jump in one year. When trying to identify what those factors were, we need to look at changes made that would have effected other schools as well.

What Are We Doing Right?

Mrs. Robinson and her World History students incorporated literature circles into her social studies class.Our Reading teachers have conducted lesson studies together and meet regularly to plan as a unit.Our PTA sponsors an out of school “One Book, One Community” book group with students and parents reading the same book over a month.

What Will We Do Differently Next Year?

In an effort to increase reading scores on next year’s FCAT 2.0 Reading test we are going to try a couple new strategies.Please take a moment to take a look at what we’re planning. We’ll all be more successful if we’re on the same page!

One Book, One SchoolNext year we’ll take the PTA’s “One Book” program and expand it into the school day. We’ll choose one book to read across grade levels and subjects. Each class will create activities that connect their curriculum with the book, and school wide assemblies will be used to allow for activities between grades.

Close ReadingsEvery class will be required to conduct at least one close reading a semester.Close readings involve reading a new, difficult text and working cooperatively to understand what the passage says.Students will use a common annotation guide to mark the passage and will use reading strategies to analyze the meaning and intent of the document.Close Readings are directly in line with the new Common Core Standards.

School Wide Literacy Calendar

The reading department will develop a calendar indicating which reading strategies should be taught across subjects throughout the year.Examples of these strategies would be: highlighting, personal clues, compare and contrast, etc.Focusing on these strategies in different classes throughout the school day will hopefully make them second nature.

What Does This Mean To You?

The most successful students do not necessarily have the most innate talents for education. They do, however, have a powerful support system. It takes all of us: parents, teachers, and administrators, to lead our students to their highest level of achievement. The school needs your support to work effectively.

Thanks For Your Time!Thank you for taking the time to listen to our ideas, and we welcome any input you may have. If you are watching this on the internet, please take the time to join us at the next PTA meeting.