Section 4

Analysis of Instructional and Organizational Effectiveness

In this section of our school improvement plan we provide an overview of the analysis of instructional and organizational effectiveness we conducted to help us identify our schools strengths and opportunities for improvement. The results of this analysis are summarized on the following pages. We utilized this data and information in order to ascertain our course of action.

To assist us in identifying the strengths and limitations of our instructional and organizational effectiveness, we administered a survey of Instructional and Organizational effectiveness based on the NSSE’s Indicators of Schools of Quality. Each member of the faculty, support staff and administration completed the survey in a staff development meeting during a staff workday in October of 2004.

Another tool was the needs assessment survey for the school report card as well as a Curriculum Calibration Study that the administration and the superintendent requested. Curriculum Calibration is the process of collecting students’ work samples for independent evaluation. Each teacher collected every piece of work produced in a two week period from 2 different students in 2 different class periods. The teacher attached a slip to each piece of work indicating the objective and the type of assignment. Independent assessors examined the work and determined the curriculum standard addressed. Once the standard addressed was identified the grade level for that standard was placed on the work. The same process was followed for every piece of work submitted. Following calibration, all samples were compiled at grade level and percentages were calculated for the amount of work found to be at grade level, above, or below for each subject area.

Areas of Strengths

Educational Agenda

· Defines measurable goals focused on student learning

Leadership for School Improvement

· Promotes quality instruction by fostering an academic learning climate.

· Employs effective decision making .

· Monitors progress in improving student achievement and instructional effectiveness.

Areas for Improvement

Curriculum

· Evaluates and renews the curriculum.

Instructional Design

· Employs data driven instructional decision making

· Selects the appropriate method of assessment.

· Collects a comprehensive and representative sample of student achievement.

· Develops fair assessments and avoids bias and distortion.

Summary of Strengths and Supporting Evidence

Area of Strengths Evidence

Defines measurable goals focused on student learning	Teacher Yearly Syllabi SC State Curriculum Standards
Promotes quality instruction by fostering an academic learning climate	Results of State Report Card Survey
Employs effective decision making	All Staff are included in decisions.
Monitors progress in improving student achievement and instructional effectiveness.	Examines data to determine progress. EOC tests Benchmark Tests Curriculum Calibration

Summary of Limitations and Supporting Evidence

Areas in Need of Improvement Evidence

Evaluates and renews the curriculum

Employs data driven instructional decision making

Selects the appropriate method of assessment./Collects a comprehensive and

representative sample of student achievement.

Develops fair assessments and avoids bias and distortion.

Curriculum Calibration

After examining data changes need to be made but may not be possible due to budget constraints.

Some students do not test well consistently as evidenced by the discrepancy between 8^th grade PACT scores and 9^th grade performance.

Curriculum Calibration Study