Core Practices in Math & Science: An Investigation of Consistently Higher Performing Schools in Five States - Pyne Arts Magnet School, Lowell Public Schools (Massachusetts)067

PERFORMANCE AND PRACTICE ©2008 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. Core Practices in Math & Science: An Investigation of Consistently Higher Performing Schools in Five States Pyne Arts Magnet School Lowell Public Schools (Massachusetts) Introduction Since 1999, the National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA) and its affiliated research teams have studied over 500 public schools across the country in an effort to identify and disseminate effective practices embraced by higher performing schools that distinguish their campuses from their average-performing peers. Building on the foundation established by this previous research, NCEA sought in the current study to focus specifically on educational practices in the areas of mathematics and science in five states: California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas. Criteria used in school selection in the current study included three years of state assessment data in mathematics and science (2004, 2005, and 2006), campus demographic make-up, percentage of economically disadvantaged students, school size, and geographic location. In addition, all of the schools selected for participation met the state and federal requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2006. Schools categorized as higher performing based on the selection criteria were those “beating the odds” with consistently better student achievement over three years, when compared to peer campuses with a similar student population. Therefore, a list of the state’s highest performing schools may contain schools different from those selected for this study.1 In order to illuminate the roles of different members in a school community, for each selected school, NCEA researchers interviewed district-level administrators, school administrators, and classroom teachers. To supplement the interview data, researchers collected pertinent documents, observed secondary level algebra classes, and invited participants to take part in the NCEA Self-Assessment online. 1 For more detailed information about the school identification process and the list of higher performing schools included in the study, please see the full cross-case report at http://www.nc4ea.org. 2 District and School Profile The Pyne Arts Magnet School in Lowell, Massachusetts (population 105,000) is part of the Lowell Public Schools, a mid-sized urban district north of Boston. Approximately 13,500 students attend the district’s 23 schools. The Lowell Public Schools have a diverse student body, including students from Brazil, Colombia, Cambodia, and several African countries. Pyne Arts serves approximately 450 students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 8. Because it is a magnet school, students from throughout the city of Lowell may apply to attend Pyne Arts. Students are admitted to the school according to the district’s centralized controlled choice student assignment plan. The majority (60%) of Pyne Arts students are eligible for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program. Approximately 19% of students are Hispanic, 6% are African-American, and 14% are designated as Limited English Proficient. The school curriculum at Pyne Arts emphasizes the arts. In addition to attending the district curriculum core content subject classes, students take elective courses in music, theater, and visual arts. School administrators view the arts curriculum as another method of building students’ academic skills. Explained a school administrator, “Embedded in all the arts electives are lessons that address the Massachusetts state standards.” Figure 1: Student Demographics Pyne Arts Magnet School6%14%19%0%61%% Afri ca n Am e ri ca n% Asian% Hispanic% Native American% White 3 NCEA researchers selected the Pyne Arts School for study participation based upon the school’s student achievement results in its middle school grades (5-8). As a result, this case study focuses primarily on district, school, and classroom practices at the secondary level. As a strong proponent of higher standards, NCEA recognizes school efforts to move more students to the state’s higher standard of achievement by accounting for those students in the analysis of consistent higher performance. Tables 1 and 2 summarize performance at both the state’s proficient and advanced standards attained by the students at Pyne Arts for the years of 2004, 2005, and 2006. The state averages included in the tables represent student performance among schools with a student population similar to Pyne Arts, particularly based on the percentage of economically disadvantaged students. 2004 2005 2006 Grade 6 7 8 6 7 8 6 7 8 Mathematics 15% Not Tested 26% 30% Not Tested 29% 25% 49% 50% Science Not Tested Not Tested 33% Not Tested Not Tested 31% Not Tested Not Tested