A Reader Shares... More Accolades in the LYS Nation

A long time reader shares,

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As a believer in the LYS Nation and faithful reader of your daily blog/post, I wanted to submit some information on our middle school here at Tom Bean ISD. As you well know, Tom Bean Middle School Principal, Dewitt Smith, is a huge follower and LYS administrator. Last week it was announced that Tom Bean Middle School is one of six Texas "Schools to Watch" and will be showcased and presenting at the Texas Middle School Associations Annual Conference held in Galveston, Texas in March and at the National Schools to Watch Conference held in Washington, D.C. this June.

Here are some of the observations of the selection committee:

• TBMS knows and articulates the academic outcomes they seek.
• TBMS takes deliberate steps to help students achieve those outcomes by making strategic changes in curriculum, teaching, and school services.
• TBMS sets benchmarks for implementing their strategies, and hold themselves accountable for specific results—data guide instructional planning and campus decisions.
• TBMS strategically concentrates its energies on important focus areas.
• TBMS has strong, visionary leaders who can articulate challenging goals, and motivate faculty and staff to reach those goals.

I have attached a link to our local news that did a great news piece as well as a written article on their website. When you watch the video, pay careful attention to the book showcased on the right side of the screen over the edge of Mr. Smith's shoulder. It’s a little free publicity for "The Fundamental 5"!!! I thought you might enjoy this.

The video is located on the far upper right had side of the front page of the website: http://www.kxii.com/news

SC Response

This is awesome news; news which has spread like wildfire. You can’t believe the number of people who are talking about TBMS. But even with this deserved recognition, what I love about Dewitt and the staff is that they are never satisfied. This is just one step in a continuous journey to redefine what is possible at their “little ol’ school.”

The video is great, and yes, the shot of “The Fundamental 5,” in Dewitt’s office is a classic.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
• Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
• Upcoming 2012 Presentations: Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

Come Out and See Us in January!

As we move into the last half of January, the LYS crew will be present at a number of big events. We will have a booth at the Oklahoma Principal’s Mid-Winter Conference and I will present at three sessions. We will also have a booth at the Texas Association of School Administrators Mid-Winter Conference. We don’t present at that conference because we have planning meeting with senior administrative teams from districts across the state. If you haven’t scheduled yours yet, we are almost completely booked. Call Jo (number below) if you want to reserve a slot. If you are new to the blog and are wondering if you should make the effort to stop by the booth or sit in on a presentation, below are some audience comments from our last presentation:

• I thought the Fundamental 5 training did an excellent job of reminding us to not get caught up in all of the hoopla but rather to remember the foundations of teaching and work together in order to become better educators.
• The Fundamental 5 presentation was very informative. I liked the way effective instructional strategies were broken down into an easy to understand and common sense approach.
• Cain was very uplifting and had really interesting ideas about how to focus a lesson and get students to focus on what they are learning.
• The training was relevant to the student population that I work with. I was able to use what I learned in the presentation yesterday in my classroom today.
• I actually enjoyed it! Cain presented information that will actually be helpful in the classroom.
• I thoroughly enjoyed Cain and think his ideas should be implemented everywhere in the district!
• The speaker was very informative about good teaching practices. He was a very engaging speaker.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
• Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
• Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Oklahoma Association of Elementary School Principal’s Mid-Winter Conference; Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

STAAR, EOC and Final Grades - Part 2

In response to the 1/10/2012 post, “A Reader Asks... STAAR, EOC and Final Grades,” A LYSer answered:

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This is a complicated issue with no simple answer. When I say no simple answer, I mean every solution has a potential trap. Remember back in 2008-2009 when TEA tried to come up with a standardized GPA system for the state? Districts howled and went to the attorney general, who ruled TEA had no authority to mingle into the affairs of GPA. Now the legislature has put their feet into the GPA quicksand, but offered no guidance in statute. And guess what, TEA is also silent on the issue. Given their 2008 experience with the GPA and grading, I can't say I blame them.

There are two basic questions you have to ask. First, how will we include the 15% EOC scores into the final grade? You have two starting points: an average, or a "bin" approach.

The average is simply taking an EOC raw score and converting it to a percentage. For example, if the EOC test has 50 questions and the student gets 25 questions right, that could be considered a 50, a failing score. Of course the EOC is a standardized test, so 25 questions may be deemed passing by TEA, yet you just assigned a failing score. Of course you could always normalize or "curve" the scores in some fashion, but that brings it's own new level of complexity. If you use the average method with or without any type of curve, understand that the TEA passing standards are likely to change for years to come, meaning you will have to continuously adjust your calculation system. Not fun, in my opinion.

The next approach is a "bin" approach. TEA will assign three broad classifications to the EOC: Advanced Academic Performance, Satisfactory Academic Performance, and Unsatisfactory Academic Performance. For all students earning Advanced, a score of 100 is entered as the EOC grade and that becomes 15% of the final course grade. Satisfactory may be a 90, and Unsatisfactory could be assigned a 69. The actual numbers here are just examples, the idea is a single score is assigned based on the level of performance, not a calculated percentage. This method is immune to changing state standards. The down side is, if a student gets 100% of all questions right yet another student misses 1 question, these students are assigned the same grade as they both scored Advanced. This is not a problem for me, but some kids, and parents, play the GPA game to the hilt. We will address that in a moment.

Keep in mind that whether using the average or the bin approach, you have to determine if you will use partial credit. That is, if a student passes semester 1 with an 80, but fails semester two with a 50, do you give 1/2 credit? If you do, this will effect how you calculate the final course grade. Remember the law says the EOC must count 15% of the FINAL course grade. The law is silent on the issue of semester grades. I intend to use partial credit, so each semester grade will stand alone, and then a final grade will be calculated, using the bin approach for me. In my method credit will be awarded by semester, so the final grade has NO impact on credit. You will need to look at policy EI (LOCAL) to make sure it is consistent with partial credit practices.

Second, once you determine how you will deal with the 15% issue, you have to address the issue of GPA. This one is simple: Yes or No. That is, will you include the EOC score in the GPA calculation, Yes, or No. I have contacted several attorneys who have all assured me there is no requirement in law to include EOC scores in GPA. TEA says EOC "should" be reflected in GPA, but again, the attorneys have assured me TEA has no authority on the issue, which seems consistent with the 2008 GPA debacle, which is why I brought it up. I am going with NO, EOC will not be used in GPA calculations. Saying no gets around the problem I mentioned using the bin approach where two students get a different number of test questions correct yet are assigned the same grade. Parent squabble averted.

So for me, I am using a bin approach with scores of 100, 90 and 69 assigned for the three levels. Credit and GPA will be calculated based upon semester grades, not the final course grade. Using this method the final course grade is of no meaning or consequence and only the semester grades have any impact on the student at all. It fits the letter of the law, if not the intent.

Keep in mind you will need to look at EIC (LOCAL) and EI (LOCAL). You don't have to mention the details of how credit and GPA are calculated in policy. Policy can just flesh out the general idea and refer the public to the student handbook in order to find the details of calculation. This has obvious advantages.

I chose the method of bin and No to GPA because I truly see a no win in this for schools. Parents are going to soon figure out that the GPA and credit situation is inconsistent across the state. Literally millions of dollars ride on these issues in college admission and scholarships, and I am quite sure this EOC/GPA scenario has the potential to explode in the State’s face. Giving a monkey a hand grenade is not good for the monkey and will probably not be good for anyone in the vicinity. Not that I am drawing any similarities between the legislature and monkeys. I like monkeys.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
• Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
• Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Oklahoma Association of Elementary School Principal’s Mid-Winter Conference; Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

Readers Write... STAAR, EOC and Final Grades - Part 1

In response to the 1/10/2012 post, “A Reader Asks... STAAR, EOC and Final Grades,” LYSers answered:

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Regarding EOC & 15%, be sure to check your local policy EIA.

And

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Perhaps you've seen this? It’s ESC 10’s, SYNTHESIS OF FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS RELATED TO 15% REQUIREMENT

http://portal.esc20.net/portal/page/portal/doclibraryroot/publicpages/STAAR/STAAR%20Administrators/B023F1FFAD2FB5EFE040640A06874CEC

After reading your last post, I thought it might be useful to the LYS Nation.

SC Response

Thanks, and way to step up!

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
• Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
• Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Oklahoma Association of Elementary School Principal’s Mid-Winter Conference; Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

Top LYS Tweets from the Week of January 8, 2012

Even though I am an advocate for bootleg technology and computer assisted instruction, I do think it is important to remind everyone (especially educators) that technology is simply a tool that amplifies teacher effectiveness. Technology is not a teacher replacement. You would think that would be obvious to everyone, but it is not. Many non-educators see technology as a way to drastically cut education costs. Many sub-par education leaders see technology as a way to counteract the effect of poor teachers. And many poor teachers see technology as a way to manage “hard to teach” students. We in the profession must guard against these misconceptions and work to ensure that the following is never an option.

~ If the answer is put the student in front of the computer, then why do we need a highly trained, moderately paid professional in the classroom? ~

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now using your own bootleg technology devices to follow Twitter. If you haven’t done so yet, we want you to join us. To let you see what you are missing, here are the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of January 8, 2012, as tabulated by the accountants at Price Waterhouse.

1. In a math class with too few graphing calculators. Teacher compensating by letting kids use their smart phones. 100% student engagement. Bootleg technology rules.

2. Any educators out there? Buy this book: The Fundamental 5, at Amazon.com. A must read by @LYSNation (By @mike_metz)

3. To not use the Fundamental 5 because you don't agree with them is convenience driven ignorance.

4. The constant introduction of the "new" without implementing the "old" perpetuates the misperception that awareness equals professional growth.

5. Gates Report: “Up to 6 teacher observations a year may be necessary.” LYS campuses average over 30 coaching observations per teacher. Still wonder why LYS campuses improve?

6. Best reason for campus standardized dress - increasing esprit de corp.

7. Worst reason for campus standardized dress - punishment.

8. When most of your GT students are white and/or affluent, you probably have some significant flaws in your selection process.

9. If you are concerned about student performance and student attendance, but use suspension for discipline, your concern is suspect.

10. Remember the E Don Brown lesson, "There is no such thing as a rational parent. It's our job to be the rational party."

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
• Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
• Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Oklahoma Association of Elementary School Principal’s Mid-Winter Conference; Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference