Post on 06-Sep-2014
description
Case Study: Orange County Public Schools - Florida
Spotlight School: OCPS Acceleration Academy HS
Other Insight Locations at the District: West Orange HS, Lake Whitney Elementary, Hiawassee Elementary, Azalea Park Elementary
March 2011
Prepared: Insight Sales Group
CASE STUDY: OCPS ACCELERATION ACADEMY
Profile
School Profile
School name Orange County Acceleration Academy
District Orange County, Florida
Address 2274 S. Semoran Blvd.
City, state, ZIP Code Orlando, FL 32822
Phone number 407-992-0917
Web site address www.ocps.net/lc/district/hac/pages/default.aspx
Type of School High School
Number of Students 500
Special Classifications High Profile
LEARNINGSTATION, INC CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 2
CASE STUDY: OCPS ACCELERATION ACADEMY
Situation
School OverviewThe Acceleration Academy High School is a very high profile school, both in OCPS as well as across the state of Florida. The principal Dr. Epps, is a very energetic administrator that entertains visitors from across the district and state that travel to see what they are accomplishing there. Many Board members are also frequent guests at the school as well, and use the progress there often to tout gains that can be achieved.
The school has a very high emphasis on improving performance, and have shown considerable gains in student progress over the past two or three years.
SituationThe Acceleration Academy placed a high degree of importance on frequent testing and evaluation of students to gain insight into what was learned, and what still needed to be learned. For benchmark testing, the school had been relying on the three annual practice exams as mandated by the district, though from the challenges associated with the process, were not considered a primary method for establishing baselines for students (too much time between testing and results).
Technical EnvironmentThe Technical environment at the high school is extremely advanced when compared to other schools, both in the district as well as across the state of Florida. The school has whiteboards in every classroom; many with computers for all students, are nearly all with Interactive Student Response Systems.
Goals for the SchoolThe school administration team for the Acceleration Academy had a goal: to create a more data driven classroom environment for each teacher, by incorporating the use of technology already in place within the school.
The administration team wanted to implement a localized benchmark assessment in order to prepare for the FCAT on their own schedule
Provide each teacher with the ability to consistently monitor student progress throughout the school year.
To bring assessment activity and RTI opportunities into the classroom for use by teachers on a daily basis.
Insight Solution The LearningStation team deployed the Insight School platform for all teachers and administrators within the school. After initial trainings and follow up with both teachers and staff, an additional program for professional development for the teachers was implemented to increase proficiency in the use of the Insight platform, as well as assessment tools in general.
Benefits and Success Highlights Teachers at the Acceleration Academy are using Insight to integrate text book and end of course exams
with their learner response devices. Teachers are also using Insight to deliver bell work to their class - students are logging into their Insight
account and answering questions set up as a daily assignment. Lead teachers are building their own question banks inside of the Insight Platform in order to create
custom assessments. These assessments are aligned to Florida Sunshine State standards and teachers are receiving weekly feedback on their student progress against these state standards.
LEARNINGSTATION, INC CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 3
CASE STUDY: OCPS ACCELERATION ACADEMY
School administrators have created and delivered a school-wide benchmark assessments in preparation for the FCAT test in April.
The administration team is using FCAT practice tests using content taken directly from the Florida Department of Education website and delivering these FCAT practice tests through the Insight Platform.
Teachers at the Acceleration Academy are printing out their Test Reports from the Insight Assessment Platform for their data notebooks (data notebooks are required in the district). Teachers in each department collaborate during their bi-monthly meetings to discuss the contents of these data notebooks.
LEARNINGSTATION, INC CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 4