Identify and implement a school-wide instructional focus
The school-wide instructional focus is the cornerstone on which all other efforts are based. Using the data from a school's performance history on standardized tests and other assessments, we work with each school to identify its own unique goals and area for academic improvement, and base the instructional focus on that area.
Developing a school-wide instructional focus means:
- Deciding the goals and areas for improvement on which an individual school should focus its efforts.
- Ensuring that the quality of teaching and learning does not vary within a school, from one classroom to another.
- Enlisting the participation of the whole school - every teacher, every classroom, every day.
- Expecting measurable growth in performance from all students in the area of instructional focus.
- Refusing to accept excuses for low performance such as race, gender, ethnicity, language, or socioeconomic class.
Results we've acheived
Working with the New Bedford (Mass.) Public Schools, Focus On Results helped to create an instructional focus based on raising literacy scores for the whole New Bedford school system.
Through our partnership with New Bedford Public Schools, Focus On Results helped their schools:
- Improve student performance from Grade 4 students on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System from 4 percent in 2000 to 34 percent in 2003.
- Improve student performance from Grade 3 students on the same test from 41 percent in 2001 to 47 percent in 2002.
- Put in place full-time literacy coaches at each elementary school.
- Create a district-wide professional development program to teach research-based teaching strategies to every principal and teacher in the district.