Closing the Achievement Gap and Teacher Preparation in WSFCS Board of Education Meeting

The video is a Board of Education meeting where they recognize students and discuss district goals.

Lieutenant Colonel McCoy recognizes ROTC cadets for their outstanding accomplishments.

Dr. Symington introduces National Merit Scholarship semifinalists from various high schools.

Andy Craft discusses the district's progress on closing the achievement gap between subgroups.

📚 There is a persistent achievement gap between Hispanic and African-American students and white students, especially in English and grades three through eight.

📈 In math, Hispanic students outperform African-American students, but there is still a significant gap between them and white students.

✅ There has been improvement in closing the achievement gap for African-American and Hispanic students in the past year, but sustained effort is needed to continue progress.

📊 Three schools, Sedge Garden Elementary, Flat Rock Middle School, and Glen High School, have implemented successful strategies to close the achievement gap.

📖 These strategies include small group instruction, data-driven decision making, targeted interventions, and emphasis on reading and differentiation.

The focus of the teachers should be on preparation and personalizing lesson plans.

Differentiated instruction involves allowing students to work at their own pace.

Lesson plans should be grounded in the standard and include all necessary components.

Teachers and students share the responsibility for learning and student growth.

Building relationships with students is crucial for effective learning.

📚 House bill 13 provided a one-year reprieve on legislated class sizes, but next year the class sizes will be stricter.

🏫 Enhancement teachers were not initially included in the class size allotments, causing challenges in delivering art, music, and PE classes.

📝 The district is working towards compliance and aims to start in compliance for future waivers due to growth factors.

There are challenges in the current law regarding education and staff have worked hard to comply.

It is important to stop blaming others and start building relationships and working together for the benefit of children.

The school district is implementing a wellness policy and conducting surveys to improve student health and wellness.

📚 The importance of physical activity in education, especially in high school, for improved achievement and graduation rates.

💰 The budget resolution for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 fiscal years, including funding sources and expenditures.

👩‍🏫 The use of CT3 education contracts to implement classroom behavior management strategies.

The no-nonsense nurturer method helps teachers communicate precise directions and improve classroom performance.

The school culture plan provides support for teachers and school leadership to address underperforming student achievements and inconsistent teaching practices.

The program is a good fit for Petri because it helps students with social-emotional and self-discipline skills and supports new teachers dealing with behavior challenges.