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theme / IMPROVING HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
ALABAMA DISTRICT
IMPROVES BY SHARPENING
DATA
&
BY JANE L. NEWMAN
GOALS
W hen students already are
achieving at high levels, it
can be easy for teachers to become com-
placent. However, Mountain Brook Schools in suburban
Birmingham, Ala., has developed a culture committed to
continuous improvement that has resulted in an excellent
system becoming outstanding. How has the district con-
and engaging curriculum that promotes the highest level
of academic excellence and personal growth for each stu-
dent; and
• To design, implement, and support an exemplary
tinued to reach new levels of student achievement? The professional development program.
key is professional development. “Often when student achievement is very high, it is
Professional learning has become such a part of the difficult to push for more improvement,” said
system’s culture that it is now integral to each of 14 goals Superintendent Charles Mason, “but in our community, it
in the district’s strategic plan and is explicit in two goals: has become a part of the culture of learning that we always
• To design and implement an effective, challenging, strive to do better.” (Mason is an NSDC board member.)
10 JSD SPRING 2006 VOL. 27, NO. 2 WWW.NSDC.ORG NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
theme / IMPROVING HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
Mountain Brook Schools tallies 658 Advanced Placement exams, up from improved instruction, 93% scored at or
a record of achievement 177 exams in 1992. Even with the increase, above grade level in spring 2005.
results remain high. Students scored a 3 or • More than 400 Mountain Brook High
• Brookwood Forest Elementary,
better on 560 exams. Mountain Brook School students have been National Merit
Crestline Elementary, Mountain Brook
High School was honored by the College Finalists.
Junior High School, and Mountain Brook
Board's Advanced Placement Program for
High School have earned Blue Ribbon • Thirty-one teachers are National Board
outstanding support and participation in
Awards for Excellence from the U.S. Certified.
the AP program.
Department of Education. The high school • Mountain Brook Schools was awarded
has achieved the award twice. • While state and national composite
Gold Medal status in 2005 by Expansion
ACT scores have remained constant,
• Mountain Brook High School was Management magazine, a publication for
Mountain Brook High School has consis-
ranked among the top 100 high schools in companies' leaders to judge potential work-
tently improved scores over the past
America by Newsweek magazine in 1983, force quality in making expansion deci-
decade, even as 90% of students take the
1992, 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2005. sions. Schools are rated based on gradua-
exam. In 2004, the school's average com-
• Students in grades 5, 7, and 10 scored tion rate, the community's financial com-
posite score was 25.4. Alabama's average
highest in the state on the Alabama Direct mitment to education, and the communi-
composite score was 20.2, and the U.S.
Assessment of Writing. Mountain Brook ty's adult education and income levels.
composite was 20.9.
students' scores on the 2004-05 Stanford • In 2000, the U.S. Department of
• In fall 2004, 83% of first-time test tak-
Achievement Test (SAT 10) were highest in Education selected Mountain Brook
ers scored at or above grade level on the
the state in every grade tested. Schools to receive the National Award for
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy
• In 2005, Mountain Brook students took Model Professional Development.
Skills (DIBELS) test, and after teachers
administrators, and community mem-
bers to develop a plan for staff devel-
opment. The task force used Fred
Wood’s model (1987, 1993) of readi-
ness, planning, learning, implementa-
tion, and maintenance to create a
plan that addresses the:
BUILDING A CULTURE gram. He addressed the district’s • Purposes, benefits, and advantages
OF IMPROVEMENT learning culture by appointing a task of professional development;
It wasn’t always so. When Mason force of teachers, support staff, • Current research on the character-
became the district’s superintendent istics of effective professional
JANE L. NEWMAN is an assistant professor
in 1993, the district’s professional development activities;
in the College of Education at the University
learning program centered on one- of Alabama and former director of instruc- • Program areas of a comprehensive
shot, hit-or-miss, sit-and-get experi- tion and staff development at Mountain professional development pro-
ences. Mason’s vision for school Brook Schools. You can contact her at P.O. gram;
Box 870232, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, (205)
improvement included a state-of-the 348-1444, fax (205) 348-6782, e-mail: • Processes that should be used to
art professional development pro- jnewman@bamaed.ua.edu. plan, implement, and evaluate a
NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (800) 727-7288 VOL. 27, NO. 2 SPRING 2006 JSD 11theme / IMPROVING HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
comprehensive program; and
Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing: Mountain Brook
• Current resources available for
Grade 5. Percentage of students scoring at Level III and Level IV
professional development.
With ongoing improvements, the 100 100
program became aligned with the 90 93 91 Level III: Solid
National Staff Development Council’s mastery of the
80 24
Standards for Staff Development 77 writing task
70 70 6 55
(NSDC, 2001). The NSDC standards 6 50
focus on staff development that 60 60 Level IV: Powerful,
9
improves the learning of all students 50 expressive
within a framework for implementing vocabulary, a
40 71 creative presentation,
45
continuous learning. The expectation 64
30 and clear, coherent
within the district now is that every 45
51
ideas in a logical
41
teacher will continue his or her own 20 progression.
learning. In summer 2004, 85% of 10
the district’s 399 certified teachers and DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVE EXPOSITORY
administrators participated in profes-
sional development opportunities, GRAY=1995 LEVEL III LEVEL IV
logging more than 10,300 hours of GREEN=2004 LEVEL III LEVEL IV
learning. The district provided a $50-
per-day stipend for participants.
While expectations for continual Each year, members of the board and Mountain Brook students led the
staff learning are the foundation for the superintendent review and evalu- state in 2004-05 results in all content
creating a system of continuous ate the district’s strategic plan and use areas at all grade levels. Although the
improvement, an important element it to set specific school improvement year’s scores were the highest in
of the work is having the necessary goals. While the process varies from Mountain Brook’s history, principals
resources. The Mountain Brook year to year, over time the board, led teachers at each school in disag-
Board of Education allocates 1% of administrators, teachers, and parents gregating data to determine relative
its $30 million budget to staff devel- have participated in this annual weaknesses in subtopics in each con-
opment. Each school receives a per- review. tent area. Teachers then collaborated
pupil allocation that can be used to Each of the district’s six schools by grade level or department to design
target specific school needs. then sets measurable goals for improv- curriculum and instruction to address
Individuals or small groups may apply ing academic achievement through its the weakest areas.
to their school’s staff development annual school improvement plan. Currently, elementary school fac-
committee for funding to work on Principals and teachers begin by ulties dedicate one staff meeting per
projects or to attend workshops, con- studying standardized test results in month to professional development.
ferences, and conventions. Applicants school-based teams to determine areas Teachers’ planning periods are sched-
demonstrate the relevance of their for improvement. Some of this work uled by grade levels so they can col-
project to the system or school’s over- occurs during the district’s nine pro- laborate. At the secondary level,
all plan for improvement. Principals fessional learning days. Teams also department meetings are frequently
and staff development committees analyze data from a comprehensive dedicated to professional learning,
also sometimes use PTA money for survey of teachers, parents, and stu- and teachers meet in small groups
teacher professional learning. A dis- dents, administered every three years. throughout the day to discuss curricu-
trictwide community foundation The school improvement team then lum and instruction issues or to co-
additionally has provided nearly develops a small number of goals, plan.
$800,000 for staff development. each with a professional development Brookwood Forest Elementary
component. Principal Yvette Faught said analyzing
DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING For example, Alabama students each year’s performance helps schools
AND PLANNING take the Stanford Achievement Test, focus on continuous improvement.
Outlining a plan and using data which assesses a broad sampling of “We collect lots of data on our
to identify specific needs are the core curriculum and provides data to study students, and it can be a bit over-
components of the district’s effort. changes in performance over time. whelming,” Faught noted. “Working
12 JSD SPRING 2006 VOL. 27, NO. 2 WWW.NSDC.ORG NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCILin small groups, teachers study specif-
theme / IMPROVING HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
ic data, looking for patterns that indi- Mountain Brook Schools
cate instructional needs both for Mountain Brook, Ala.
groups and for individual students; Number of schools: Four elementary
then we share the findings of each schools, one junior high, one high
school
small group (with the whole faculty).
Enrollment: 4,338
This information is summarized and Staff: 399 teachers and administrators
put into a format that enables us to Racial/ethnic mix:
share our successes, recognize our White: 99%
Black:ing at higher levels as a result. The
theme / IMPROVING HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS
10 CRITICAL QUALITIES OF STUDENT WORK superintendent meets with the princi-
pals and central office administrators
1. Content and substance. Work should engage all students regardless
at least three times during the year to
of social or economic background and help them attain rich and pro-
review schools’ progress on individual
found knowledge.
goals and action plans, as well as goals
2. Organization and knowledge. Information and knowledge should be included in the system’s strategic plan.
arranged in clear, accessible ways, and in ways that let students use the Through the Alabama Best Practices
knowledge and information to address tasks that are important to them. Center (2004), school leaders are
3. Product focus. Work that engages students almost always focuses on a
learning to use the Powerful
product or performance of significance to them. Conversations About Professional
Learning: Self-Assessment instrument
4. Clear and compelling standards. Students prefer knowing exactly to improve the quality of staff devel-
what is expected of them and how those expectations relate to something opment.
they care about. Principals, assistant principals,
5. Protection from adverse consequences for initial failures. and lead teachers not only talk the
Students should be able to try tasks without fear of embarrassment, pun- talk as instructional leaders, but they
ishment, or implications that they’re inadequate. walk the talk, which translates into
higher student achievement. And
6. Affirmation of the significance of performance. Students are more through conversations, both using the
highly motivated when their parents, teachers, fellow classmates, and sig- self-assessment instrument and in
nificant others make it known that the student’s work is important. teamwork throughout the district,
7. Affiliation. Work should permit, encourage, and support opportuni- central office and school administra-
ties for students to work interdependently with others. tors determine specific ways to sup-
port and provide leadership for
8. Novelty and variety. Students should be continually exposed to new schools as they work together to
and different ways of doing things. attain increasingly high standards.
9. Choice. When students have some degree of control over what they
are doing, they are more likely to feel committed to doing it. REFERENCES
Alabama Best Practices Center.
10. Authenticity. When students are given tasks that are meaningless,
(2004). Powerful conversations about
contrived, and inconsequential, they are less likely to take them seriously
professional development: Self-assess-
and be engaged by them. If the task carries real consequences, it’s likely
ment. Available at www.best
that engagement will increase.
practicescenter.org/powerful/
— By Phillip Schlechty
National Staff Development
Source: Inventing Better Schools, by Phillip Schlechty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Council. (2001). Standards for staff
1997. development (revised). Oxford, OH:
Author.
Roy, P. & Hord, S. (2003).
Moving NSDC’s staff development stan-
these system leaders have been trained ing teacher-to-teacher instruction, for- dards into practice: Innovation configu-
in Moving NSDC’s Staff Development mal training by expert consultants, rations. Oxford, OH: NSDC.
Standards Into Practice: Innovation study groups, peer coaching, mentor- Wood, F., Killian, J.,
Configurations (Roy & Hord, 2003) ing, examining student work, curricu- McQuarrie, F., & Thompson, S.
to help individuals in various roles lum mapping, implementing and (1993). How to organize a school-
determine specific ways they can sup- evaluating effectiveness of curriculum based staff development program.
port and lead professional develop- frameworks, peer coaching, and Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
ment in their schools. Central office action research projects. Wood, F. (1987). Staff develop-
staff assist school administrators and Principals are accountable to the ment research and rural schools: A criti-
teachers in designing effective job- superintendent to ensure that teachers cal appraisal. Naperville, IL: North
embedded learning strategies. The sys- are effectively engaged in professional Central Regional Educational
tem uses a variety of designs, includ- learning and that students are achiev- Laboratory. n
14 JSD SPRING 2006 VOL. 27, NO. 2 WWW.NSDC.ORG NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT COUNCILYou can also read
