25ANNUAL TH - Southern Regional Education Board

MMGW Goals for Continuous Improvement• Increase the percentages of students who meet the MMGW performance goals in reading, mathematics andscience on the Middle Grades Assessment (a NAEP-referenced exam) to 85 percent.• Increase the percentages of all students who perform at the Proficient level in reading, mathematics and science toat least 50 percent, as measured by the Middle Grades Assessment.• Increase annually the percentages of middle grades students entering high school prepared to succeed in collegepreparatorycourses.• Increase the percentages of middle grades students who transition into grade nine and complete high school fouryears later to 90 percent.• Reduce the failure rate in grade nine by ensuring middle grades students receive the preparation they need tosucceed in high school courses such as Algebra I and college-preparatory English and science.• Advance state and local policies and leadership initiatives that sustain a continuous school improvement effort.MMGW Key Practices for Improving Student Achievement• Aligned academic core — Provide rigorous content in allmiddle grades academic core classes, and align core classeswith performance standards that clearly state what studentsmust know, understand and be able to do to succeed incollege-preparatory English, mathematics and science coursesin high school. Enroll middle grades students in core curriculathat accelerate their learning, challenge them and appeal totheir interests.• Engaging classroom practices — Design classroom practicesand instructional strategies to engage students intellectually,emotionally, behaviorally and socially in learning rigorousacademic content. Young adolescents need varied learningactivities linked to challenging academic content andopportunities to use newly acquired skills and concepts inhands-on, real-world applications so that they can understandand explain their interests, talents and aspirations.• Literacy across the curriculum: Embed reading and writingstandards and strategies for learning into all courses to advanceacademic and reading achievement and to help studentsbecome independent learners. Provide reading instructionin all academic curricula through grade eight and utilizeresearch-based literacy strategies across content areas.• High expectations and a system of extra help and time —Hold students to grade-level standards aligned to readinessstandards for high school, college and careers. Organize timeand resources to ensure students receive the extra help neededto meet high standards and expectations. Middle gradesstudents learn in different ways and at different rates, andsome will need more time and help to meet more grade-levelstandards. The complete middle grades curriculum shouldbe focused on accelerating achievement for all students usingseveral strategies.• Intervention program for at-risk students — Identify at-riskstudents in grades six, seven and eight who need acceleratedinstruction in mathematics, language arts and reading to beprepared for college-preparatory high school course work, andimplement strategies and programs that target their needs.• Comprehensive system of guidance and advisement thatinvolves parents — Engage teachers, students and parentsin a comprehensive guidance and advisement system —including academic advisement, career exploration andeducational planning — that leads to a successful transitionto high school. Involve parents in the school improvementprocess by informing them of the school’s mission andassisting them to understand the higher standards ofperformance now required of middle grades students and tosupport students to make greater effort and work hard.• Teachers working together — Provide teams of teacherswith time and support to work together — within andacross disciplines — to integrate STEM (science, technology,engineering and mathematics) and literacy concepts acrossthe curriculum, analyze teacher assignments and studentwork, and help students succeed in challenging academic andexploratory studies.25th Annual Staff Development Conference 123