Alphabet Post Part II: High School DRPs

The Results of the DRPs for the High School are in!To see the details and student level results, click on this link:  DRP High School Analysis March 2013

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Here are some useful graphics to contextualize the DRP levels

DRP Scale of Text Difficulty

Average DRP Level of High School Regents Exams

• By copying and pasting passages from the January 2013 Regents Exams, I was able to get estimated DRP levles using this link "Get the DRP Level" 
  The General Directions on the Front Page    - of All the Regents Exams = 64
  
  9th Grade (a P90 range of 62-69) - UAI Average 9th Grade DRP Level = 56
      - Living Environment Regent Exam = 69
      - Integrated Algebra I Regent Exam = 63
  
  10th Grade (a P90 range of 64-72) - UAI Average 10th Grade DRP Level = 65
      - Global History Regent Exam = 70
      - Chemistry Regent Exam = 68
      - Geometry Regent Exam = 53
  
  11th Grade (a P90 range of 67-72) - UAI Average 11th Grade DRP Level = 56
      - US History Regent Exam = 67
      - Algebra 2/Trignometry Regent Exam = 64
      - English Language Arts Regent Exam =  57
      - Physics Regent Exam = 70  

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So, what does all this mean?

When grading major assessments like Regents Exams, how many times have you had questions go through your head like "I know they know how to do this! How did they get that wrong?" or "We did this a million times in class, how could they miss that one?" or "Why didn't they just read the problem?"

If you've had these questions pass through your thinking, then hopefully these DRP scores shed light on some of these hows and whys.  With our kids reading at average levels that are below the demands of most of the Regents exams, reading instruction must happen hand-in-hand with content instruction.  Regardless of the content, every student needs to learn how to read and use genres specific to your discipline (e.g. language dictionaries, maps, charts and data tables, textbooks, primary documents, essays, novels, exam prep books, etc.).  Therefore, with reading levels like the ones presenting in our girls, we all have to have a hand in bringing our girls to grade level reading capacity.

Unison Reading is the tool we use to build this literacy in our content literacy in our high school classes.   Coupled with standards-based conferencing, we are seeing dramatic growth in our students - particularly in our 9th and 10th graders.  

We are still struggling with the girls who struggle the most, those in the lowest third.  Currently, Nicia & Lauren are working with the ISS teachers to develop their capacity in Unison Reading and Learning Conferences.  In particular, they are working with the team to build in strategies for reading intervention in these formats.

In addition, our PD committee is continuing to focus their PD work around Unison and targeting specific indicators to increase student engagement and intentionality.  On top of their work, we are having our 2nd Learning Cultures Booster day on Monday, March 11th and another visit with Cynthia on Tuesday March 19th.  

We have transitioned to being a Learning Cultures school, and the large majority of you are well along in the process of transforming from traditional to Learning Cultures teachers.  There is still much to learn, and these professional development experiences are excellent opportunities to extend your own understanding of the practice and theory underlying the formats.

If you're a host teacher for tomorrow's boost, the network of Urban Assembly Learning Cultures coaches will be working directly with you to focus on key rubric indicators in Unison Reading and Learning Conferences to maximize growth in these formats.  If you're listed as an observer, please print out this form to help you structure and learn from your observations.  Here's tomorrow's schedule of learning activities:

Alphabet Post part 1: SLCs - Student Led Conferences Next Week

SLCs - Student Led Conferences

Our Final round of Student Led Conferences are here

Please complete the appointment sheet by Monday, March 11th.  Because this is our last round, it's important to touch on the following points

• DRP Scores - for grades 9-11
  The link above will take you to the updated February DRP scores.  In order to be reading on grade level, students need to have the following range of DRP P90 scores:  9th Grade Range - 62-69;  10th Grade Rage - 64-72;  11th Grade Range 67-72.  Students reading in the 57-67 range are reading at the middle school level.  Students reading below 57 are reading at the elementary school level.
  
  Take a moment to look at the history of P90 scores for each of your advisees.  (please come see me for help if you need it).  If there are repeated occurrences of scores near each other (e.g. they've scored 43, 45, 44 in the last three DRP administrations), then the argument of "I don't take that test seriously" cannot hold.  Rather, this is a very serious delay in reading.  Please review the DRP scores with families, and for those students reading below grade level, establish reading goals with both parent and student for independent reading at home, together.  Reading independently and in quantity is the best, fastest way to build fluency and develop reading levels.
  
• Promotion in Doubt - for all grades
  We mailed all letters home and also gave them to students.  Please double check with families that parents received and signed the Promotion in Doubt letters and understand the annualization policy.  If your advisee is PID, you'll receive annualization letters to distribute and have signed.  For those students who are PID, it is especially important to get parents in for the SLC.
  
  In particular for seniors, if they are currently failing a course, they are not on track for graduation and are immediately suspended from Senior Activities for the 2nd Marking Period.  In addition, continuing to fail will result in not graduating and participating in ceremonies in June.
  
• Reflection on Work
  Students need to root their reflections in their work.  Make sure when students are reflecting on their progress, that they are referencing their work and pointing to aspects of work as evidence of their claims in their reflections.
  
  Prompt students to articulate the learning standards exemplified by the work.  For example, this work shows how I can do x, which is this learning standard y.  Also, Students should also be able to situate the work.  For example, they should explain what came before and after the piece they chose and how this piece fit into the unit arc.  Working with students to be able to reflect and articulate in this manner is the best and strongest preparation for our SLC.  This type of reflection should be echoed through the SLCs into your conferences and discussions in Unison.
  
• Goals for The Semester - Articulated Steps with Completion Dates
  Goals set should be a balance of academic and personal behavioral goals.  Personal goals are behavioral or character based.  Here are some examples
  - "I will come to school everyday on time" is a personal behavioral goal.
  - "I will ask questions or breach each time I don't understand something" is academic behavior -
      it's active participation in academic discourse.
  - "I will turn my work in on time" is a personal behavior.
  - "I will turn in my after having edited and checked for errors to make sure my work is the
      highest quality and it will be completed on time" is an academic goal.
  - "I will study for quizzes and major assessments" - can be both personal and academic. If you
      help students articulate what "study" means to being for example "I will set aside x amount of
      time before major assessments to review my notes/quiz myself/do practice problems and check
      my work" it becomes more of an academic behavior.
  
  The goals also need to have times associated with them.  Here's some examples
  - By x date, after following through on the personal/academic goals above, I should have improved my performance by y amount.
  - By X date, I should be getting Y types of grades on my major learning target assessments

These are just some examples to help you drive up the rigor and quality of student conferences.  I welcome you to reach out to your colleagues who do these everyday for more ideas.  Check out their conference binders and stop in to see some a conference - SLC or regular classroom conference.  Make the time to learn from one another.  You are each other's biggest resource!

Please reach out to me with any question you have regarding SLCs. 

Next Post:  Alphabet Post Part II - DRPs