Issue 40
What is a "Standards-Based District"?
The Healdsburg Unified School
District Board of Education takes its annual goals seriously. For each
goal, a single or multi-year action plan is created. Progress toward
meeting the goal is monitored throughout the year by the Board and
Superintendent. You might be tempted to say, “That’s nice,” before you
wander off to see what’s is in the fridge. However, one of the goals is
worth sticking around for if you are interested in the district’s effort
to improve academic achievement for every Healdsburg youngster.
This year, one of the Healdsburg Unified School District’s goals states
that: Healdsburg Unified School District will become a standards-based
district. Let’s take a look at why this is both interesting and
challenging.
If you have been following state and national efforts to improve public
education, you have undoubtedly heard the word standard bandied around.
Standards have been the cornerstone of reform efforts in recent years. A
standard is a clear statement of what a student will know and be able to
do by the end of a particular grade level. For example, a sixth grade
standard for language arts say, “Students write clear, coherent, and
focused essays. The writing exhibits students' awareness of the audience
and purpose. Essays contain formal introductions, supporting evidence, and
conclusions. Students progress through the stages of the writing process
as needed.”
Healdsburg Unified has had adopted “standards” in language arts and math
for several years, and more recently in science, history, visual and
performing arts. Standards are very useful in that they provide a clear
targets describing student learning for both teachers and parents.
However, standards alone are limited in their ability to raise student
achievement. Let’s take a look at an example that will show why that is
true.
One standard for fourth grade math says that, “Students use and interpret
variables, mathematical symbols, and properties to write and simplify
expressions and sentences.” Obviously, that is a good goal. However,
without appropriate materials, extra support for some students, highly
skilled teachers with strategies to reach all children, it is unlikely
that all children will reach that same standard. By themselves, the
standards are like an archer’s target without the bow, skilled archer, and
proper equipment to deliver the arrow.
On the other hand, a standards-based system includes both the standards as
well as the other components that support instructors in teaching the
standards and parents in understanding the progress their child is making
toward meeting them.
The Board’s goal pushes Healdsburg Unified to move past just the adoption
of standards to the full implementation of all six components of a
standards-based system.
• Professional development for teachers
• Curriculum materials aligned with the standards
• Assessments to monitor student progress toward meeting the standards
• Interventions to support all students in making progress toward the
standards
• Communication to parents and the community about how students are
progressing toward meeting the standards
• And, of course, the standards themselves as the heart of instructional
planning
Healdsburg teachers and administrators have made progress on all of these
fronts. Healdsburg has been working with the content standards for five
years. There are many interventions for students in place. New math and
language arts texts aligned with the standards are in all K-8 classrooms.
However, without the Board goal, it would be very easy to stop there,
especially given the political climate.
Recently, federal lawmakers have expressed concern that California’s
standards may be too high (!!). California politicians are waffling on the
state exit exam. One would assume that both groups are afraid that too
many students will not meet the standards. Rather than digging in to help
schools, there are rumors that the accountability for students meeting the
standards may be weakened or abandoned.
Healdsburg Unified is not afraid. The Board has made a clear statement
that having rigorous academic targets for students and being accountable
for students reaching those targets is the right thing to do. As
Superintendent, I have felt strongly for many years that every district
owes it to their clients, community children and parents, to communicate
what children will know and be able to do and guarantee that every child
will reach those standards.
Some people question whether this is even possible. Recent information
reinforces my belief that it is. Jennifer Bell, author of "High
Performing, High –Poverty Schools", completed a study of A group of twelve
California schools. They have been identified as both high performing and
high poverty, two scenarios that have commonly been seen as polar
opposites. Bell wrote, "These schools stir the imagination. Their work
leaves little doubt about the extent to which educators influence the
quality of instruction, curriculum, and the school’s learning
environment." When the common practices are examined at these schools,
what is evident immediately is that all of them are committed to a focus
on standards, have staff who believe that every child can reach them, and
are able to put the other key components in place that support student
learning.
Healdsburg Unified School District's teachers and administrators are
working hard to meet the district's goal to increase student achievement
by students mastering grade level standards and passing the high school
exit exam. I think that community support and understanding is essential
for this challenging effort to succeed. Besides, as a district, we are
proud of our work, our commitment, and we want to share it with you.
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