Running Head: LOW RAW TEST SCORES

A CONEPS Plan for Low Raw Test Scores in Thurston County School District (WA)

Situation

It is not just the growth of female-headed families but

also shifts in the composition of the group that has

contributed to greater poverty and welfare dependency. In

the 1960s and 1970s, most of the growth of single-parent

families was caused by increases in divorce or separation.

In the 1980s and 1990s, all of the increase has been driven

by out-of-wedlock childbearing. Currently, 32 percent of

all children in the United States and more than half in

many large cities are born outside of marriage. Unmarried

mothers tend to be younger and more disadvantaged than

their divorced counterparts. They are overwhelmingly poor

and about three-quarters of them end up on welfare.

(pp. 2-3)

Sawhill’s (1999) information caused school board members to investigate whether any of the above conditions were applicable to their district.

One discovery the board made was that for girls ages 15 to 17 there were 40.2 pregnancies (per 1,000 females in that age group) in 1996, and 46.8 in 1997 (Washington State, n.d., p. 2). These figures represent an increase in the teenage pregnancy rate of more than 6%. The internal investigation also noted that textbooks had not been updated in 12 years and due to the legislature’s recent refusal to increase the rate of pay for teachers and staff, morale was low (R.R. Reigle, personal communication, August 1, 2002).

Concerns

1. Raw test scores have dropped                                                             1. Raw test scores should be

   on the Washington State EALRs.                                                             higher on the Washington State EALRs.

2. There is an increase in the                                                                    2. There should not be an

   pregnancy rate of teenage                                                                         increase in the teenage

   girls ages 15 to 17.                                                                                   pregnancy rate of girls ages 15 to 17

3. Textbooks are not up-to-date.                                                            3. Textbooks should be up-to-date.

4. Staff morale is low.                                                                             4. Staff morale should be increased.

There is a concern that the raw test scores on the Washington State EALRs have dropped too low. Between 1995 and 1997 there was a negative 10-point raw score difference (R. R. Reigle, personal communication, August 1, 2002). This means that the majority of students in the Thurston County School District are not passing Washington State's standardized tests.

There is a need to decrease the number of failing test scores in the Thurston County School District. President Bush’s No Child Left Behind policy has increased the level of accountability for school districts if they are to obtain federal funding for their institutions. According to the President’s policy, each district must meet or exceed the state mean on all state-required assessments (U.S. Department of Education, 2002).

The problems associated with the district’s implementation of its goals for raising raw test scores are money, time, and personnel resources. Already a poor district, money is simply not available. Time is limited. Teachers and administrators may not always be available at the same time. There may not be enough teachers and administrators already on staff to implement these programs.

The solution is for the district to increase test scores by at least 10 points by improving instruction with the use of data assessment systems. The National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (1996) defines assessment systems as

The combination of multiple assessments into a comprehensive reporting format that produces comprehensive, credible, dependable information upon which important decisions can be made about students, schools, districts, or states. An assessment system may consist of a norm-referenced or criterion-referenced assessment, an alternative assessment system, and classroom assessments. (as cited in North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, n.d., p. 1)

There is a concern that there are too many pregnant teens in the Thurston County School District. Research by the board members found an increase in the pregnancy rate of more than 6% in girls age 15 to 17 (Washington State, n.d., p. 2). McWhirter, McWhirter, McWhirter, and McWhirter (1998) state, "Familial, psychological, and social issues as well as interpersonal characteristics contribute to teen pregnancy" (p. 136). All of the above conditions can have a negative effect on standardized raw test scores.

There is a need to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in the Thurston County School District. The high teenage pregnancy rate in the district contributes to absenteeism and tardiness. It also contributes to a lack of study time and missed testing days. In most cases, there is also a six week block of school time missed when the baby is born. All of these conditions can impact standardized raw test scores.

The problem with implementing a teenage pregnancy intervention program is primarily related to funding issues. The Thurston County School District’s budget does not currently allocate funds for intervention programs. Grants can be applied for, but the process is both time-consuming and arduous, and a grant writing specialist would have to be recruited at yet a higher cost to the district. The staff may not want to participate in an intervention program. Personal religious beliefs may hinder program implementation. Community resources may be limited due to the nature of the intervention program.

A second possible solution is for the school district to establish a strong advocacy on behalf of its young pregnant teens. The district could advocate a new understanding throughout the community of the pressure that these young people face, of the biological and social process of becoming sexually active, and of the ways that an organized effort can best help them.

The concern is that the textbooks being used by the staff in the Thurston County School District have not been updated in 12 years (R. R. Reigle, personal communication, August 1, 2002). Social issues and academic processes change. Progressive ideas and concepts are lost when a textbook is outdated. Presentation and the way material is received can become stagnate.

The need is for the Thurston County School District to procure updated and approved textbooks for its staff. Current textbooks incorporate more graphics allowing students who are poor readers an opportunity to visually comprehend the material. The advancement of technology causes the content of textbooks to change on a frequent basis. Past ideas and assumptions have been proven incorrect.

The problem is that the Thurston County School District does not receive enough government funding to update its textbooks on an on-going basis. Funds would also be needed for teacher re-training or class restructuring. Staff and administrators may be resistant to change. Additional time is required for the teachers to read and develop new lesson plans and for re-training.

A possible solution is for the Thurston County School District to procure current, approved textbooks. It is the district’s responsibility to keep teachers informed of new ideas and trends in current in their individual subject matter. For example, current, approved textbooks aid teachers in formulating new lesson plans and new ways to teach classes when the old ways are no longer working.

If funding cannot be secured, a second possible solution is to form pathway committees to make recommendations for class focus, articulation, and revisions to how teachers are structuring their curriculum from the old textbooks. Better educated teachers reap better educated students, which is a benefit to society.

Concern 4

The concern is that teachers and staff members in the Thurston County School District have low morale. Through personal communication with individual teachers and staff members, the board discovered that recent legislation giving teachers a 5% increase in pay has failed, promoting an environment of passive-aggressiveness among the teachers (R. R. Reigle, personal communication, August 1, 2002). When teachers are unable to offer their students a variety of educational resources they may feel that their hands are tied, making what they are able to teach ineffective.

The need is to increase teacher and staff morale. The Thurston County School District has the responsibility of ensuring an academic environment that affords its students the best education possible. Part of this responsibility includes having teachers who are eager to improve their skills and eager to learn.

The problem is that the legislature has voted against raising teacher and staff salaries. The district must use alternative measures to boost teacher and staff morale to a level where the students are receiving the best possible education and assistance.

Concern 4 Need 4 Problem 4 Solution 4a

One solution to the problem is to develop a team whose specific task is to develop ways in which to fine-tune the district’s financial position so that the district will have a better chance of obtaining the needed funds at the next legislative session. This proactive attitude will serve to make teachers and staff feel as though their voice counts.

Concern 4 Need 4 Problem 4 Solution 4b

Another possible solution is teacher empowerment. Lunenburg and Ornstein (1991) state that "Increased teacher militancy and the movement toward teacher empowerment have also led many principals to share decision-making responsibilities with teachers" (p. 336). Teachers could work together with the principal to discover what their mutual visions are and then develop strategic, tactical, and evaluation plans based on these shared visions. Allowing teachers to share in the decision-making process and to partake in developing a shared vision for the district affords them ownership in their educational system, enabling them to have a positive effect on student achievement.

References

Lunenburg, F. C., & Ornstein, A. C. (1991). Educational administration concepts and practices. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.

McWhirter, J., McWhirter, B., McWhirter A., & McWhirter, E. (1998). At-risk youth: A comprehensive response. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing ISBN: 0-534-34580-8.

Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.(n.d.). Assessment system. Retrieved July 24, 2002, from                  http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/assment/as8lk41.htm

Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. (n.d.). Curriculum instruction: Arts. Retrieved July 24, 2002, from http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculumInstruct/arts/EALRs/EALRsDefinitions.asp

Sawhill, I. V. (1999, June 29). Non-marital births and child poverty in the United States. Testimony presented to the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Human Resources. Retrieved April 21, 2002, from http://www.brook.edu/views/testimony/sawhill/19990629.htm

U.S. Census Bureau. (2002). Table DP-2. Census 2000: Demographic profiles, Thurston County, Washington. Retrieved August 2, 2002, from http://censtats.census.gov/cgi-bin/pct/pctProfile.pl

U.S. Department of Education. (2002). Washington State information: No Child Left Behind. Retrieved June 21, 2002, from http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/esea/washington.html

Washington State age-specific pregnancy rates by county of residence. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2002, from University of Washington, Teen Health and the Media Web site: http://depts.washington.edu/ecttp/tpp/pregrates2.html

Copyright 2006 by Rosemary R. Reigle, Ed.D.