Schools' answer to poor scores: academic coaches

BRISTOL/WARREN - Use post-it notes, or write in the margins of the text are two, practical suggestions literacy standards coach Catherine Schulbaum tells teachers and students when she takes over literature, social studies, history, and other classes twice a week at Mt. Hope High School.

Seeing beyond the day-to-day classroom schedule, Ms. Schulbaum has the bigger picture in mind. Her aim is to bring students up to, or above, par in the state standardized tests.

Brought on board to boost those scores, Ms. Schulbaum is an in-house professional development coach for literacy and a classroom aide, rolled into one.

Math and science coach Stacia Jackson points towards the front of the classroom to help Mt. Hope High School freshman Nathan Correia improve his graph. PHOTO BY RICHARD W. DIONNE JR.

Last week, the Rhode Island Department of Education named the Bristol Warren Regional School District and four other public school districts to its list of school systems that are officially "in need of improvement."

The distinction places Bristol Warren under the harsh light of state overseers, who will monitor the district's policies and progress, and could intervene if the schools do not show more improvement in the next few years.

Most school districts given this distinction are allowed a year or two to improve before the education department intervenes in ways that include curriculum changes, staff training and new hiring policies.

But Schools Superintendent Edward Mara, who expected the designation, said last week that the school department is already working to further improve the scores.

"We knew that although all of our test scores are all improving, we have large cells of special ed, especially at the middle school and at the high school. We have to address the special ed issue," Mr. Mara said. "It's not those kids' fault, it's that we didn't do the job we need to do.

"We need to do more to help them meet the standards."

That's why Ms. Schulbaum and others were hired, he said.

Using standards and strategies

In a giant three-ring binder, Ms. Schulbaum has all the standards the state looks for students to meet, as well as strategies to help them learn that particular skills and exercises either she or the classroom teacher can plan for daily activities.

In essence, when she enters a room, both the teacher and the students become her pupils.

Ms. Schulbaum started at Mt. Hope High School at the beginning of last school year under former principal Kathryn Crowley who, like all Bristol Warren Regional Schools administrators, wanted to see Mt. Hope improve its low performing test scores. It's been a slow process, said Ms. Schulbaum, but this year's results do show dramatic improvement, she said.

Mt. Hope High School can boast improving literacy skills the most out of all state public schools. It ranked number one in improvement in literacy, but the school itself is still rated by the state as a low performing school according to assessments released three weeks ago.

Much work still needs to be done, but at least the scores reflect some of the in-house changes Ms. Schulbaum tries to implement each day, like a mandatory ninth-grade academic literary course that gives an overview of all the literary skills students must know to meet state guidelines. Rather than overload teachers and students, Ms. Schulbaum uses daily tasks to teach them one concept at a time.

This year she is joined by new math and science standards coach Stacia Jackson, a former teacher at the school who has undergone professional development to take on the larger task. New to the post, Ms. Jackson said she is still observing and trying to get a sense of where need lies in the math and science departments.

Spreadsheet data of test results across the wall of her office shows a deficiency in problem solving, but numbers are just one indication of where she is needed, she said.

Talking to teachers and department heads about their needs takes up much of her time, said Ms. Jackson. She takes the information she gathers and goes into two or three math and science classrooms a day to address those needs. Like in the classes Ms. Schulbaum coaches, Ms. Jackson also teaches both students and teachers.

Both educators lead discussion groups or workshops on professional development days and are always available to aid teachers with aligning their curriculum to the demands of the state guidelines.

Ms. Schulbaum compared state testing ratings to sticking a thermometer into the building and reading the temperature. It is one moment in time, not a specific diagnostic tool, although scores do encourage reform and expose the needs of both teachers and students in the building.

What it means

Schools designated as "In Need of Improvement" face stricter supervision from the Department of Education.

In year one: School leaders meet with the Commissioner of Education to form a plan.

By year two (if still necessary): Address staff development; add activities before, after and during school; involve parents; notify parents regarding teacher qualifications.

By years three and four (if necessary): Assign intervention teams to schools; prescribe courses for teachers; conduct teacher training.

By year five (if necessary): Replace teachers who are failing; allow students to transfer to another district; abolish or restructure the district.

The state Department of Education added five school districts to its list of those needing to improve.

First year as a district in need of improvement:

* Bristol/Warren

* Burrillville

* Coventry

* Johnston

* Lincoln

Third year as a district in need of improvement:

* East Providence

* Pawtucket