Arapahoe High School UIP at a Glance for 2015/16 School Year

Data and Trends: (Short review of 13/14 data that lead to the continued focus on the PPC) TCAP 9th Grade Writing (Prof/Adv) 2011 = 77% 2012 = 74% 2013 = 78% 2014 = 73%

10th Grade Writing (Prof/Adv) 2011 = 67% 2012 = 73% 2013 = 71% 2014 = 61%

Colorado ACT English 2011 = 21.6 2012 = 22.7 2013 = 22.1 2014 = 22.3 2015 = 22.9 Spring 2015 MAP TESTING 9th Grade Language Arts—Students Below Grade Level 2015 = 56 (12.27%) 10th Grade Language Arts—Students Below Grade Level 2015 = 82 (17.53%)

Number of Students Opting Out of Testing 9th Grade 10th Grade 2013 = 18 2013 = 12 2014 = 33 2014 = 55 2015 = 358 (59%) 2015 = 380 (63%)

11th Grade 2015 = 427 (70%)

Priority Performance Challenges (PPC): (what is the focus?)

We have two goals this year: 1. To improve writing skills building-wide 2. To decrease the number of students that opt out of testing

Root Cause(s) for the PPC: (What is the underlying cause of the performance challenge?) - Lack of multiple opportunities for students to write across all content areas. - Community energy surrounding opting out of testing—both locally and statewide - Lack of remedial support/interventions for students.

Major Improvement Strategies to Address the Root Cause(s):

- Enhance the focus on writing throughout all content areas by narrowing the building wide educational focus on writing alone - Apply growth mindset in classroom policies and procedures; ie, allowing rewrites to enhance skill development - Training in and implementation of Student Learning Objectives to drive Professional Learning Community goals. - Focus PLC work on SLOs geared toward writing. - Implement proactive encouragements about the benefits of taking standardized assessments.

Implementation Benchmarks: (what evidence will there be that the ADULTS in the system are implementing the strategies?)

Major improvement strategy #1: Enhance the focus on writing throughout all content areas by narrowing the building wide educational focus on writing alone Root cause addressed: Lack of multiple opportunities for students to write across all content areas. Action Steps Taken Implementation Benchmarks  Participate in “Data Days” training provided by Littleton Completion of training Public Schools  Create 1:1 technology for all freshmen and sophomores, Distribution of computers and juniors  PLC goal focus on writing instruction, frequency, and Each teacher focusing on 1 strategy strategies utilized in classrooms to implement  Faculty will imbed writing more frequently within lessons PLC meetings and assessments  Utilize study center as an opportunity for students to work on Feedback and remediation results in PLC skills missed in common assessments Major improvement strategy #2: Apply growth mindset in classroom policies and procedures; ie, allowing rewrites to enhance skill development Root cause addressed: Lack of remedial support/interventions for students Action Steps Taken Implementation Benchmarks  Assign staff summer reading: Mindset Distribute book at May 2015 inservice  Promote growth mindset signage in building Purchase posters in August 2015  Alter grading practices to encourage process vs. product; Ongoing; 9th grade English and Econ/Gov allow students to improve product before grade is final PLCs running trial  Encourage community to promote growth mindset Community read on October 20, 2015 Major improvement strategy #3: Training in and implementation of Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) to drive Professional Learning Community goals. Root cause addressed: Lack of remedial support/interventions for students. Action Steps Taken Implementation Benchmarks  Voluntary teacher training about SLOs Summer/fall training session 2015  SLO updates for department chairs Department chair council (twice monthly)  Teacher evaluation goals are written to address SLOs from Goal setting meetings completed by PLC work October 15, 2015  Common assessments written to address student SLOs PLC meetings  PLCs create formative assessments and remediation assignPLC meetings; school in-service ments to address deficiencies on common assessments and October 15, 2015 standardized assessments  Teachers use MAP data to drive instruction Ongoing; training October 15, 2015  Data shared from final assessments to evaluate SLO End of school year effectiveness; SLOs and PLC goals re-addressed for the next school year

Major improvement strategy #4: Implement proactive encouragements about the benefits of taking standardized assessments. Root cause addressed: Community energy surrounding opting out of testing—both locally and statewide. Action Steps Taken Implementation Benchmarks  Participate in “Data Days” training provided by Littleton Completion of training Public Schools

 Inform parents of legislative and district changes  Imbed practice modules in math and language arts classes  Discuss benefits of standardized test-taking practice

Back-to-School Night August 26, 2015 School newsletter Ongoing beginning January 2016 Advisement class Teacher training beginning January 2016

Interim Measures of Progress: (what evidence will there be that STUDENTS are making progress?)

MAP testing; Standardized assessments: ACT, PSAT, and PARCC; Common Assessments created and analyzed in Professional Learning Communities. For those teachers fully engaged in the SLO process, interim formative assessment that informs progress toward SLO.