Week 5 Assignment: School Assessment Project
Overview
For the final course assignment, you will write an essay assessing the overall school climate and need, including an action plan. The entire project can be written up in 1000 words or less.
In large part, this course is taught to promote the idea (I borrow from Marzano, Chapter 16 here) that effective school change toward an effective curriculum requires several components. Marzano and Goodlad (among many others) call for staged reform and measured progress. Their ideas include:
• Change or improvement takes place in a specific setting—a school building—and is dependent on the ability of the actors in the system to bring about change.
• Use a data-driven system (can’t fix it till you know what’s broke).
• Identify a specific plan to target an area for improvement.
• Measure the effect of the improvement on achievement.
Too many ideas revolve around adding new programs (Reading First) and not around the effectiveness and delivery of the programs. For example, you cannot implement a new math program if the teacher is unable to manage the classroom. Or efforts revolve around meeting standards that may not relate to what is actually being taught or how it is being delivered.
Outcome Covered
Analyze current curricular change processes in individual school settings.
Rubric
Use this rubric to guide your work on the Week 5 assignment.
Tasks
ê Accomplished Proficient Needs Improvement Unacceptable
Week 5 Assignment: School Assessment Project
Organization and Clarity
(25 points) The project is clear and direct. There is a rich body of information in each phase.
(Maximum of 25 pts)
The project clearly follows the directions and includes the required information in the appropriate phase of the writing. Some minor revision may be required.
(Maximum of 22.4 pts) There is a need for moderate revision. The segment is minimal in content or lacking in required information.
(Maximum of 19.9 pts) The project is so lacking in clarity as to be unacceptable.
(Maximum of 16.9 pts)
Phase 1: Assessment Questionnaire
(25 points) Content is rich and goes beyond the minimal.
(Maximum of 25 pts)
The information presented is developed in sufficient depth to allow for a complete understanding of the entry. All required information is included. Areas of strength and weakness are described. Minor revision may be required.
(Maximum of 22.4 pts) There is a need for moderate revision. The segment is minimal in content or lacking in required information.
(Maximum of 19.9 pts) The information required is missing. Major revision is required.
(Maximum of 16.9 pts)
Phase 2: Intervention
(25 points) Content is rich and goes beyond the minimal.
(Maximum of 25 pts)
The information presented is developed in sufficient depth to allow for a complete understanding of the entry. All required information is included. Areas of strength and weakness are described. Minor revision may be required.
(Maximum of 22.4 pts) There is a need for moderate revision. The segment is minimal in content or lacking in required information.
(Maximum of 19.9 pts) The information required is missing. Major revision is required.
(Maximum of 16.9 pts)
Tasks
ê Accomplished Proficient Needs Improvement Unacceptable
Week 5 Assignment: School Assessment Project (Continued)
Phase 3: Issues and Problems
(25 points) Content is rich and goes beyond the minimal.
(Maximum of 25 pts)
The information presented is developed in sufficient depth to allow for a complete understanding of the entry. All required information is included. Areas of strength and weakness are described. Minor revision may be required.
(Maximum of 22.4 pts) There is a need for moderate revision. The segment is minimal in content or lacking in required information.
(Maximum of 19.9 pts) The information required is missing. Major revision is required.
(Maximum of 16.9 pts)
Phase 4: Assessment of Progress
(25 points) Content is rich and goes beyond the minimal.
(Maximum of 25 pts)
The information presented is developed in sufficient depth to allow for a complete understanding of the entry. All required information is included. Areas of strength and weakness are described. Minor revision may be required.
(Maximum of 22.4 pts) There is a need for moderate revision. The segment is minimal in content or lacking in required information.
(Maximum of 19 pts) The information required is missing. Major revision is required.
(Maximum of 16.9 pts)
Directions
For this assignment, assess the overall school climate and need, and develop an action plan in a 1000 word essay. You will write your essay on this document beginning on the next page. Your essay must address the four phases listed below. Clearly identify the section that addresses each phase in your essay.
Your report need not be overly long. Probably, Phase 1 will take some space; however, the entire project can be written up in no more than 1000 words.
Please review Chapters 1 – 18 of Marzano’s text for additional support. Your earlier readings may assist you in selecting areas for improvement.
Your essay must address each of these four phases:
• Phase 1
Complete the school assessment questionnaire in the appendix of your Marzano text. THis text is “What Works in Schools” by Robert Marzano. Have three to five of your colleagues complete it also. Develop a summary of your findings, both positive and negative. I would focus on the three to five most positive and the three or four most negative areas. Select one area that needs attention and requires an intervention. Detail your findings and survey results in this phase.
• Phase 2
For Phase 2, describe how you will develop the intervention. Will it be school wide, specific to teachers, etc? What training will be needed? How will you provide for the training? How will you monitor implementation? How will you make adjustments? This may be narrative or listed by topic.
• Phase 3
For Phase 3, develop a narrative addressing the following questions: What difficulties do you expect in making the implementation? How will you get the faculty to buy in to the intervention? How will you reward participation?
• Phase 4
Describe how you will measure the effect of the intervention on student achievement. Go beyond state tests. I want a real measure of progress proposed.
