HHS School Excellence Plan 1

Running head: HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL EXCELLENCE PLAN

Highland High School Excellence Plan

Patrick Arguelles

Grand Canyon University

EDA 585

March 23, 2011

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Abstract

Just as an architect designs and uses blueprints to guide in the building of a new home,

Highland High School will use their strategic plan for excellence as a roadmap to guide and

prepare for the future. The way we define excellence dictates the way we achieve it, so the plan

carefully spells out both areas of success and areas of need. Continuous school improvement is

the overall theme as the paper moves through three sections: School Profile and Current State of

the Highland High School, the Desired State of HHS, and finally a Suggested Improvement Plan

for the School. The paper includes a detailed School Profile that includes demographic

information, as well as current information on the present state of the school. The paper also

discusses the desired state of the school in detail. Finally, the paper reports on a strategic plan of

action aimed at continuous school improvement and a measurable increase in student

achievement.

HHS School Excellence Plan

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Highland’s vision is to maintain the Traditions of Excellence established in its 62 years of

existence. Highland High School’s mission is to be the premier high school in Central New

Mexico. The school provides a learning environment that prepares young people for college and

careers. We accept the challenge to make a difference in the lives of our students, to recognize

their strengths, to prepare them for careers and to empower them to make a difference in the

world.

Administrative Team

Principal: Scott Elder

9th & 10th Grade Principal, in charge of 9th grade academy: Lupe Martinez

11th Grade Principal, in charge of finance and buildings and grounds: Larry D’Anza

12th Grade Principal, in charge of curriculum and instruction: Harriet Crawford

Assistant Principal in charge of Special Education: Ben Chavez

Coordinator of Small Learning Communities: Andy Legant

Activities Director, SAT Chair and Middle School Liaison: Patrick Arguelles

Athletic Director: Scott Peterson and Joe Williams

School Counselors: Christina Klave, Analisa Lujan, Teya Nguyen, Pamela Joseph

School History

Highland High School opened its doors in 1949. Today, Highland is the second oldest

public high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico and currently operates out of the oldest

standing school building in the state. The school occupies 33 acres. Currently the Albuquerque

Public Schools District is the 28th largest school district in the nation and consists of 14 high

schools, 28 middle schools, and 90 elementary schools utilizing a K-5, 6-8, 9-12 grade-level
 HHS School Excellence Plan 4

configuration. The student body of Highland High School is culturally diverse with a population

that is 8.5% African American, 3.6% Asian, 18.2% Caucasian, 57.2% Hispanic, and 12.5%

Native Americans. Highland High School is a comprehensive four year public high school

enrolling 1797 students in grade 9 through 12. Links to valuable data have been provided.

School Level High School

Grades Offered Grades 9 - 12
County Bernalillo County, NM

Students & Faculty HHS 2010-2011

Total Students 1629 students
% Male / % Female 48% / 52%
Total Classroom Teachers 115 teachers
Other Ancillary Staff 112 including secretarial, custodial, cafeteria, EAs,
administration, coaches
Teacher Status: 107 Highly Qualified in 178 Areas
8 teachers on I-licenses or getting SpEd Licensure
% American Indian Teachers 4%
% Asian Teachers 2%
% Hispanic Teachers 41%
% Black Teachers 6%
% White Teachers 46%

Students by Grade Grade 9 – 567 students

Grade 10 – 428 students
2010-2011
Grade 11 - 369 students
Grade 12 - 265 students

Highland HS (NM) School Average

Teacher : Student Ratio 1:18 1:14

Students by Ethnicity 2010-2011

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% American Indian 13% 14%

% Asian 4% 1%
% Hispanic 56% 51%
% Black 8% 2%
% White 19% 31%

Additional Student Information

This School (NM) School Average
% Eligible for Free Lunch 59% 44%
% Eligible for Reduced Lunch 9% 6%
% Migrant Students Enrolled n/a n/a

School Performance: (NM) Statewide Testing Performance

School Statewide Performance View Education Department Test Scores
School District Name Albuquerque Public s School District

NM Public Education Department Highland High School Accountability Report

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AYP Summary Details for Highland High School

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This School's Agency (APS) (NM) District Average

Number of Schools Managed 175 5
Number of Students Managed 95,083 students 637 students
District Total Revenue $909,023,000 $9,524,000
District Expenditure $902,192,000 $9,834,000
District Revenue / Student $9,560 $14,951
District Expenditure / Student $9,488 $15,438
District Graduation Rates 66% n/a
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Curriculum

The academic program is organized on a rotating block schedule. Students can earn seven

credits per year during a regular school day. Students take six 95-minute classes, and one 50-

minute class. Students attend 3 block classes and the 50-minute class daily, rotating Monday &

Wednesday and Tuesday & Thursday. On Friday, the students go to all seven classes lasting 50

minutes each.

AP courses are offered in Art History, Art, Calculus AB and BC, Chemistry, Biology,

English Language, English Literature, U.S History, World History, Government and Economics,

Spanish, French, and German. AP is an open-enrollment program. Honors classes are offered in

English, Algebra, and Geometry. Entry into the courses is determined by student commitment

and teacher recommendation.

Highland High School has dual enrollment with UNM and CNM which enables

sophomores, juniors, and seniors to enroll in college level courses and earn college credits at

local institution of higher education. The students also receive high school elective credit for

these courses.

Academic Philosophy

Highland High School provides a well-rounded college preparatory curriculum with

extensive offerings in English, social sciences, mathematics, foreign languages, sciences, art,
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music and drama. Advanced placement classes are offered in biology, chemistry, physics,

psychology, European history, calculus AB and BC, economics, and statistics. Students are able

through their choices to create an individual schedule tailored to their needs and interests. Some

courses are required and some are recommended, but there are many electives, increasing in

number as the student progresses through school. Students make their own choice of study based

on data from several career exploration assessments (ASVAB, PSAT, Accuplacer, etc.). This is

important because it develops responsibility, increases commitment, and encourages exploration

of new areas for learning.

The faculty and administration of Highland High School recognize the individuality of

each student and the right of that student to receive and opportunity in education to develop to

his/her fullest potential. Through dedication, hard work and effective planning, a flexible

academic and extracurricular program can be offered that will allow each student opportunities

to experience success. Through positive discipline, we believe an atmosphere can be created in

the school to enable academic, social and physical development. We further believe that through

cooperative interaction of the administration, faculty, students, parents, and community, each

student can achieve his/her academic goals, develop a love for learning, respect for self and

others, and an enthusiasm for life that will help to ensure his/her success and happiness.
 HHS School Excellence Plan 10

Special Education Department

Highland High School special ed teachers are responsible for developing individualized

education programs (IEPs) for each of their special education students. The IEPs are based on

personalized goals tailored to each student's individual learning ability and style. Teachers also

formulate transition plans to prepare the students for postsecondary study or for jobs. There is a

wide variety of disabilities that require students to be in special education programs. These

include autism, mental retardation, emotional deficiencies, language and speech impairments,

visual problems, hearing impairments, mobility limitations, and many other disabilities.

Many of the daily job tasks of Highland’s special ed teachers mirror those of their general

education counterparts. Special ed teachers are responsible for things like taking attendance,

developing lesson plans, assigning and correcting homework, enforcing school rules, keeping

inventory of supplies, and administering standardized tests. There is also an additional layer of

duties unique to special ed teachers that, among other duties, includes the following:

• Meeting with parents to review the IEP and note progress and problems

• Making referrals to sources within the community that may be able to assist the student

• Helping students learn to use various tools such as computers, wheelchairs, hearing aids

or other devices

• Developing new strategies to meet the needs of students with a variety of handicaps

• Making modifications in the general education curriculum for special-needs students

• Coordinating placement of students with special needs into mainstream classes

Monitoring teachers and teacher assistants to ensure adherence to special education program

requirements

Technology
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Highland currently has four computer labs, each with an average of 35 computers. The

school also has two mobile computer labs, one with 20 laptops, the other with 15 units. The

recent addition of Figge Hall provides 2 more computer labs, promethean boards and projectors.

Accomplishment, Awards, Distinctions

• We the People - 2011 State Champion and Regional Representative (5th consecutive

championship and 9th out of last 10 years)

• DECA – 8 National Qualifiers

• Track & Field - State Champions

• 3 National Honor Society Scholars and 1 Merit Scholar Recipient

• Students Passing German AP Exam with a score of 5 – 9 out of 9

• 1 NM Activities Association Pursuing Victory With Honor recipient (highest NMAA

honor awarded)

• 1 student earned early entry into Harvard

AYP Status

HHS has not made adequate yearly progress (AYP) based on the state’s accountability

system for math and reading for four consecutive years. The data bear out that HHS is

scoring lower and lower so drastic changes are necessary. Examining the data reaffirms that

increasing rigor is vital to turning it around. Students currently (class of 2012 and newer)

must earn 25 credits to graduate. The district does not require the English and math classes to

be college-preparatory in nature but the HHS strategic plan calls for students to take at least

one advanced placement class and one on-line class in preparation for college or career. The

plan calls for an 85% graduation rate. HHS currently has the lowest graduation rate in the

district (49%) but the Leadership team believes that by implementing change the grad rate

will improve dramatically. The grad rate must also contend with students who literally
 HHS School Excellence Plan 12

disappear (i.e. immigrants who return to their country without taking transcripts or

withdrawing properly) so the plan calls for better record keeping. Only 14% of HHS students

who took the ACT were found to be college-ready in all four areas (math, English, science,

social studies) so the plan calls for requiring AP classes and college prep classes be offered

and recommended. Through partnerships with CNM and UNM, students can easily take dual

enrollment classes for free at the local colleges.

Goals for the Strategic Plan

Excellence is Highland’s commitment to provide an unparalleled education for all

students that enter our doors. We recognize that ensuring continuous academic achievement for

all students in spite of a 300% increase in the number of non-English speakers over the last four

years, aligning resource allocation to district priorities in the face of 35% budget cuts over the

last three years, raising expectations for accountability and strengthening relationships with our

students, parents and community, and finally, accelerating the path to excellence requires three

elements: effective classroom and leadership strategies, transparency in every area, and the time

to accurately implement research-based, data-driven change to ensure success. The proposed

guidelines allow the school to assign each department responsibility for the design and

implementation of specific areas of the strategic plan, progress monitor those areas by using

specific data targets, and then report out the results. The school’s Plan of Excellence outlines the

work we need to do and it is the work we will do.

Highland has an instructional vision that drives decision making in all facets of the school. We

have worked with all stakeholders involved (students, staff, administration, parents, community)
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to develop a plan that will guide Highland toward achieving the goals set out by the state and the

district. The following points are utilized by the stakeholders to achieve these goals.

1. Shared Vision and Plan.

Highland has engaged stakeholders in the planning process and it has achieved incredible

results. Highland has a shared vision, mission, and educational plan for school and

student success. The school is developing an instructional vision based on shared

assumptions about teaching and learning. Staffing, schedule, budget, and professional

development plans are being developed to support the instructional vision. The Highland

Leadership Team, the High Schools That Work (HSTW) team, department chairs and

teachers in their Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have dedicated time and

resources to seeing through the proper implementation of the plan. Implementation

required that teachers have adequate and well-planned and facilitated time to deliberate

on teaching and learning together during the school day.

2. Personalization.

Students are more likely to succeed in an environment where staff know every student

and no student slips through the cracks. For this reason, Highland has broken 9th and 10th

grade academies into small groups of less than 100 students (all at the same grade level).

These groups are created based on assessments mentioned above so that members of each

group share some or many similar likes.

3. Flexibility and Accountability.

Highland has given teachers an opportunity to collaborate with each other, and has

empowered them to make mission driven decisions about staffing, schedule, budget, and

curriculum.
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4. Equity.

The goal of the school is to ensure high quality education to ALL students in Highland’s

neighborhood.

5. Community Engagement.

Highland has made it a top priority to engage the community and seek their input into

decisions that affect the school and community. For change to occur, Highland’s

students, parents, community members, and teachers must have buy-in. The best way to

achieve buy-in is to involve these stakeholders in creating the plan for redesigning the

school and involve them in the governance of the school as it moves forward. In

addition, Highland has moved to become a central hub for a community by inviting

parents and community members to come to the school for English lessons, GED classes,

computer classes, dance and yoga, and on and on.

6. High Quality Teaching and Learning.

Increasing rigor in the classroom has been at the top of the agenda and Highland has

made strides in reaching our goals. All students are engaged in a learning process that is

rigorous, relevant, and prepares them for both college and the workforce of the 21st

century.

Research has shown that a change in teacher behavior, regardless of the teachers’

beliefs, can change student performance sufficiently enough to change teacher beliefs based

almost solely on their observations of improved student achievement. The foundation of this

strategic plan is based on this huge observation: changes in beliefs can follow changes in

behavior. This distinction is vital to the plan because leaders can mandate behaviors much

easier than beliefs.

Believe That Students Can Do Better & Let Them Know You Believe
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This is definitely a strong suit for HHS teachers. HHS leaders are promoting a culture of

high expectations and are providing students with many opportunities to receive the extra

help they need to reach these higher expectations. The plan calls for every teacher to provide

a syllabus to each student that includes rubrics and scoring guides, outlines course content,

contains class rules and lays out class and course expectations. The plan calls for teachers to

post student work and to specify daily objectives. Teachers also make bell-to-bell instruction

the norm in ALL classrooms in order to utilize every minute of instructional time to teach

required content.

In addition, the school has provided tutors to help in every area and in every language.

Students have access to tutoring from 6:00am to 6:30pm and this aspect is a big part of the

plan to continually improve academically. HHS has programs set up with LULAC,

ENLACE, Sandia Labs, Upward Bound, Project Diversity, Catholic Social Services,

Kirtland Air Force Base, as well as volunteers from Walmart, UNM, and the City of

Albuquerque.

The plan utilizes the Advisory program fully by teaching study skills and habits of

success. Leaders make teachers accountable for reinforcing guidance and advisement as a

means of connecting students to goals beyond high school. Teachers provide advisement,

mentoring, support, and monitoring of students’ education and career plans in a purposeful

way. Leaders continually monitor, evaluate, and revise the program to meet emerging

student needs. Finally, teachers and leaders act in unison to provide students and in particular

seniors a meaningful academic experience. This strategic plan calls for every senior to create

a portfolio listing their accomplishments over the four years, including what they have done

to prepare for college or career. They have to defend it in front of a panel of stakeholders,
 HHS School Excellence Plan 16

which include their parents, school leaders and teachers who have had a stake in their

growth.

The Desired State of Academics at Highland High School

Over the past two decades, states across the country have developed strict accountability

policies in response to mandates from the federal government. The identification of schools not

meeting adequate yearly process based on No Child Left Behind (NCLB) standards of

acceptability has created a serious problem for state departments of public education because

they are now required to turn these failing schools around. School districts have given their

school administrators latitude to examine school-wide reform approaches and implement plans

specific to their school and its stakeholders. All students deserve a high quality, challenging

education and Highland High School has used this philosophy to create a new vision of “college

and career readiness for ALL students.” Student success in today’s world requires the

implementation of successful school reform. Turning around a failing school like Highland starts

with a school staff willing to change the way they teach. Addressing school effectiveness means

placing high expectations on students, staff and administrators by employing a rigorous

curriculum and raising standards, nurturing a relationship with the community and increasing

parental involvement, finding creative ways to provide professional development for the staff

despite huge budget cuts, changing the way the school is governed to involve more stakeholders,

and providing 2ist century technology to staff and students.

Highland High School is utilizing a school reform initiative developed by the Southern

Regional Education Board (SREB) called High Schools That Work that focuses on continuous

school improvement. In addition, the school has implemented Advancement Via Individual

Determination (AVID), a program designed to meet the needs of kids on the cusp of nearing

proficiency by helping build academic and personal success through tutoring and mentoring. A
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third piece that has led to changes in classroom instruction has been the institution of the three-

minute classroom walk-through. Administrators are in the classroom at least one hour per day

and teachers are observing teachers, using the same three minute walk-through as a means of

having conversations about instruction. By far the most productive tool has been SREB’s High

Schools That Work.

Utilizing many of the basic strategies available to schools that are part of the High

Schools That Work contingency, identifying improvement strategies was not a difficult

process. The premise behind High Schools That Work is that most students can master

rigorous academic and career/technical studies if they are in an environment that motivates

students to make the effort to succeed. This effort-based school improvement initiative is

changing high schools across America and has given Highland’s plan most of the fuel to

ignite positive change in the school environment. The staff at Highland has taken the

necessary steps to maintain continuous improvement by adopting the seven HSTW core

beliefs listed here:

1. Almost all students will make the effort to learn grade level and course standards if

adults in the school create the right conditions.

2. All students should be enrolled in a program of study that will prepare them for college

and/or career.

3. Students who have a goal and see meaning and purpose in learning are more motivated to

learn grade level and course standards.

4. Students learn best when they have a personal connection to the school.

5. Students learn best when teachers maintain a demanding and supportive environment that

pushes students to do their best.

6. All faculty should be involved in continuously improving teaching and learning.

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7. Students change behavior and become more motivated to meet school goals when adults

use school and classroom practices based on effort rather than ability. (SREB website

2011)

In addition to using the 7 HSTW Core Values, Highland staff has worked for two years to

to establish a set of HHS Core Values that communicate how work is done on campus. The Core

Values are grouped into five areas that include:

• Rigor & Relevance

• Collaboration/Empowerment/Engagement

• Diversity/Equity

• Efficacy/Effectiveness/Efficiency

• Open Door to the Classroom/Community Involvement

Each area was shaped by teachers during PLCs (Professional Learning Communities). Each

group provided descriptors of each area, brought together the staff and voted on each set of

descriptors to narrow it down to those that clearly communicated the level of focus that

either existed or was desired. There were many factors expressed by teachers to lead this

writer to believe that even more drastic action is required to affect change in the school.

The area that needs the most attention in the near future is the establishment of

measurable goals that support continuous improvement. Setting goals and measuring

progress is the key element of continuous school improvement. The school must identify

specific targets that will measure school/student/teacher progress toward reaching the goal. It

is just as important to measure progress in improving both the experience and the

achievement as it is establishing measurable goals. The strategic plan needs to call for the

implementation of measurable goals to use in assessing continuous improvement. The two

most obvious areas for measurement that coincide with school goals are:
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1. Academic Knowledge and Skills

2. College and Career Readiness

The strategic plan would call for aligning HHS core academic classes to college and career

readiness and to high school graduation. The curriculum must reflect college-readiness

standards that identify critical thinking knowledge and skills in both math and language arts.

As part of the plan, teachers must be given professional development opportunities on

standards-based instructional planning.

HHS leaders are promoting a culture of high expectations and are providing students

with many opportunities to receive the extra help they need to reach these higher

expectations. There is still much work to be done but the school is on the path to improved

academic growth. School leaders, whether it be administrators, department chairs, members

of HSTW, AVID, PLCs, or SLCs, must constantly evaluate and reevaluate; analyze data to

set new goals; use data to inform instruction; make the hard decisions that will infuse rigor

into the classroom; and establish consistency in decision making. Highland leadership must

empower teachers to take ownership of school improvement efforts and ensure that teachers

are able to fully understand how their efforts help restructure the school. Following the path

established by the Leadership Team and teachers in their Professional Learning Communities

(PLCs), Highland can expect positive growth for years to come.

An Example from Highland High School’s Strategic Plan for School Excellence

Highland has an instructional vision that drives decision making in all facets of the school.

We have worked with all stakeholders involved (students, staff, administration, parents,

community) to develop a plan that will guide Highland toward achieving the goals set out by the

state and the district. As the new principal, this writer will stay committed to raising expectations

for students through continued school improvement. The biggest expectation is that students will
 HHS School Excellence Plan 20

graduate within a four year time frame and be college-ready or career-ready. Based on available

data gathered from time on the leadership and administrative teams, my strategic plan for HHS

would be divided up into five parts.

First, the school must continue to use and improve on the current system of distributed

leadership it employs. This system works because it allows for ease in communicating core

beliefs, goals and values to all stakeholders involved in school improvement efforts.

Second, HHS and the Leadership Team must create high expectations for all students.

This involves several stages of development, starting with increasing rigor in the curriculum.

By increasing rigor, teachers are better able to prepare students to be college and career

ready. One way to increase rigor is to require that all students must enroll in at least one

Advanced Placement class before they graduate. They will also be required to take a course

on-line; even if that course is facilitated on the school campus (over 45% of HHS students do

not have access to a computer at home). Both these suggestions better prepare students for

life after high school. Creating a culture of high expectations means that teachers must

establish and communicate these expectations to students. Teachers must develop grading

and homework policies that will be enforced and then utilize school resources to assist the

students who struggle by providing tutoring or extra help. Teachers must design curriculum

that motivates students to learn and achieve. Two ways to ensure teacher compliance is to

give teachers time to collaborate by department and by grade level and also by having

teachers design rubrics and post student exemplars matching the rubric.

Third, instruction must be researched-based, rigorous, and engaging. This instruction

should also be standards-based and relevant. One way to ensure success is to have the various

departments work together to create lesson plans, rubrics and projects. This will be done through

Professional Learning Communities. Teachers either by grade level “house” or department meet
 HHS School Excellence Plan 21

three times weekly during a PLC. The APS school district arranged a prep from every teacher so

they have 230 minutes weekly to work on district, school, department or subject area goals. The

data on reading levels at the school suggests that literacy strategies should be incorporated into

as many lesson plans as possible regardless of subject. Additionally, professional development

must be provided to teachers for topics like differentiated instruction, rubric-building, effective

learning strategies, alternative assessments, higher order questioning and multiple intelligences.

District budget cuts will cut into money available for professional development so the

Leadership team should consider identifying staff members who could lead PD sessions on

campus without incurring large expenses. In conjunction with High Schools That Work (HSTW),

the school will use three minute classroom walkthroughs as part of a continuous school

improvement plan to collect data for analysis, improve classroom instruction, increase the

graduation rate and provide mandatory training in study skills for all 9th and 10th graders.

Administrators will observe the teachers they directly supervise at least one time per month and

will observe all other teachers at least one time per semester.

The focal point of these informal, non-evaluative classroom visits by administrators can

lead to improved instructional practices and curriculum alignment. Cervone and Martinez-Miller

(2007) describe classroom walkthroughs as a tool to “drive a cycle of continuous improvement

by focusing on the effects of instruction.” Classroom walkthroughs answer many questions,

including whether new teachers are making the adjustment, whether students are engaged in

academic endeavors, even whether cross-curricular ideas or differentiated instruction are

occurring on the school campus. The collaborative nature of this type of supervision moves

schools away from the boss-subordinate plan to one that develops and nurtures self-reliant

teachers.
 HHS School Excellence Plan 22

Fourth, the school will continue with the current Advisory system, but bolster it by

increasing the rigor of the advisory class curriculum. Increase the number of advisory classes to

one each day for the first week of each semester, followed by advisory classes every Friday.

Step up the curriculum to include study skills and interpersonal development skills. It is also

vital that more importance be placed on the mentoring opportunities that were the original

reason for creating advisory classes. Advisory teachers must help students make the connection

to some goal beyond high school and how to achieve that goal.

Fifth, and finally, HHS will focus more energy on developing Career Technical courses

that align to career-readiness standards. HHS Leadership has an obligation to train CT and

academic teachers to work together developing curriculum, assignments, assessments and rubrics

and then delivering that curriculum at a more rigorous level. Make available to all students

Programs of Study and Career Pathway information and make sure it is in both English and

Spanish. When registering students, make sure counselors are prepared to make

recommendations to students on available classes geared toward specific careers or areas of

study.

Below are four tables designed by this writer as part of his duties on the leadership team.

These tables are part of a leadership plan that could be modified for any school that this writer

leads. They include a sample of a Plan-Do-Study-Act 6 Steps to Improvement chart (Figure 1), a

Goals For Analysis of Data chart (Figure 2), a Data “Questions to be Answered” chart (Figure

3), and a Data Flow Chart (Figure 4).

Figure 1: Plan-Do-Study-Act 6 Steps to Improvement chart

SIX STEPS TO IMPROVEMENT - PDSA

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VALIDATE THE NEED The school has not made adequate yearly progress in over 5
FOR IMPROVEMENT. years. Examination of the NM Standards Based Assessment
How are we doing? How clearly indicates that tremendous growth for most subgroups
do we know? must be made in order to increase graduation rates and avoid
being taken over by the state.
PLAN

CLARIFY PURPOSE,
GOALS, AND
MEASURES. Why are we
here? What do we need to
do well together? How will
we know how we are
doing?
The team will study both short cycle assessments and national
assessments to determine what progress has been made. The
team will also do a Needs Assessment to determine the areas of
significance to formulate the Math and Reading Improvement
Plan around. The Short Cycle Assessment will either be the
DBA or Assess2Learn. We are awaiting a determination from
the district. The national test will be the NM Standards Based
Assessment because students will not be able to receive a
diploma without passing the math and language arts portion of
that test.

ADOPT AND DEPLOY The team will meet during Professional Learning Communities
AN APPROACH TO (PLC) to work together to develop, implement and monitor the
CONTINUAL plan. The team will meet one to three times per week as
determined by group consensus and necessity to complete the
IMPROVEMENT. How various steps of the PDSA and Improvement Plans
will we work together to .
get better?
DO

TRANSLATE THE
APPROACH INTO
ALIGNED ACTION. What
will we do differently?
The team will work during PLCs to review NM standards and
utilize various tools including but not limited to Marzano’s
strategies, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Gardner’s Principles and others
to compare and contrast and make sure that the team’s actions
are aligned with state and district standards.

ANALYZE THE
STUDY

After the first short cycle assessment is taken in September the

RESULTS. What team will organize the data so that it can be used as base-line
Happened? data for this part of the plan. The team will also be creating
base-line data from last year’s NMSBA results. This data will be
divided by subgroups
.

MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. Once the short cycle assessment data has been reviewed and
ACT

determinations have been made, the group will begin making

What did we do with what recommendations to teachers that should inform instruction and
we learned? drive changes. These changes are required to be made and will
be monitored by administrators during their classroom walk-
throughs.

Figure 2: Goals For Analysis of Data chart

GOALS FOR ANALYSIS OF DATA
GOALS (in order of LEVEL OF
ANALYSIS DESCRIPTION, DATA TO BE COLLECTED & EXAMINED SOURCE OF DATA
progression)
 HHS School Excellence Plan 24

1. Examine School • Ethnicity of students APS School Max

Demographics • Gender Screens ST002, AT460,
1 • Grade level #s ST295, SC321
• Attendance
• Free & Reduced Lunch recipients
2. Examine Student • District Benchmark Assessment (DBA) APS
1
Learning • NM Standards Based Assessment (NMSBA) NM Dept of Pub Ed
3. Examine School • Ethnicity of students-changes over time APS Schoolmax and
Demographics over • Gender- APS Research,
time • Grade level #s Development &
2
• Attendance Accountability (team
• Free & Reduced Lunch recipients must submit written
request)
4. Examine Student • District Benchmark Assessment (DBA) from year to year by pre, APS
Learning over time mid, post assessments
2
• NM Standards Based Assessment (NMSBA) from year to year NM Dept of Pub Ed
for math and L/A only
5. Examine 2 Similar • Compare and contrast Ethnicity of Students with Free & APS Research,
Variables 3 Reduced Lunch recipients Development &
• Use these results has base line data Accountability (RDA)
6. Examine 2 Similar • Compare and contrast Ethnicity of Students with Attendance APS Research,
Variables 3 figures Development &
• Use these results has base line data Accountability (RDA)
7. Examine 2 Different • Compare DBA and NMSBA scores against Free & Reduced APS Schoolmax and
Types of Variables – Lunch rosters APS RDA (team must
Free & Reduced 5 • Look for any details that stand out or anything that looks submit written request)
Lunch against DBA unusual
& NMSBA
8. Examine 2 Different • Compare DBA and NMSBA scores against students with 5 - 9 APS Schoolmax and
Types of Variables – absences. 10 – 19 absences, and 20 or more absences APS RDA (team must
Attendance against 5 • Look for any details that stand out or anything that looks submit written request)
DBA & NMSBA unusual
9. Examine 2 Different • Compare DBA and NMSBA scores against Free & Reduced APS Schoolmax and
Types of Variables – Lunch rosters over time APS RDA (team must
6
Free & Reduced • Look for any details that stand out or anything that looks submit written request)
Lunch v. DBA/NMSBA unusual
10. Examine 2 Different • Compare DBA and NMSBA scores against students with 5 - 9 APS Schoolmax and
Types of Variables – absences. 10 – 19 absences, and 20 or more absences APS RDA (team must
Attendance vs. DBA 6 • Look for any details that stand out or anything that looks submit written request)
& NMSBA unusual
Levels of Analysis
1. Measures of Data: Examine Demographics, Perceptions, Student Learning and School Processes in Isolation
2. Measures Over Time: Examine measures listed in #1 but over time
3. Two or More Variables: Examine more than one type of measure in each of 4 areas
4. Two or More Variables Over Time: Examine more than one type of measure in each of 4 areas over time
5. Intersection of Two Measures of Data: Examine data across two measures of data
6. Intersection of Two Measures of Data Over Time: Examine data across two measures of data over time
 HHS School Excellence Plan 25

Figure 3: Data Chart-Questions To Be Answered

What data do you What other data do
AREA OF
MEASUREMENT QUESTIONS have to answer you need to obtain
questions to answer questions?
Demographics • What is the demographic make-up of the
school? We do not need any
We have data for all
• How many students are on Free/Reduced additional data to
lunch?
3 bullets for the last
answer these
• How many students have 5-9 absences, 5 years
questions
10-19 absences, and 20 or more absences?
Perceptions • How can we create a school culture that We will use
supports standards? guidelines provided We need to look at
• How can we help stakeholders (e.g. by SREB teacher lesson plans
parents) understand the importance of (Southwest Regional and compare them to
devoting more time to staff development?
Education Board) the NM Dep’t of
for HSTW (High Public Ed Standards
Schools That Work)
Student • What are the results of short cycle We have data from
Learning benchmark assessments for pre, mid and the APS School We will need to look
post testing? District and from at educational
• What are the results of the NMSBA this APS Research, strategies, including
year and over the last three years?
Development and works of Bloom,
• What do we know about how students
learn? Accountability for Marzano and
• How do we create situations that allow all assessments over Gardner
students to demonstrate what they have time and we have
learned? HSTW Data We need to look at
• What does the data tell us about our Analysis Sheets to differentiated
student’s performance? monitor instruction strategies
• performance
School • How can school leadership help create a We will use We need to look at
Processes learning community? guidelines provided current information
• How can we create a school culture that by SREB for HSTW provided by APS
supports more intensive staff RDA for use by
development?
We will use administrators in
• What leadership support is needed to help
us implement standards in the classroom? processes developed implementing
by Senge progressive PD
Miscellaneous • How do you lead the data analysis discussion?
• How do we draw inferences from the data?
• How well is our current curriculum aligned with standards?
• To what extent do our instructional methods help us meet accountability demands?
• What implications do standards have for teachers‛ instructional methods?
• To what extent are teachers able to design effective standards-based classroom assessments?
• How will we communicate students‛ progress on standards to stakeholders, in particular,
parents?
• How can we use student assessment data from both short cycle and classroom assessments to
guide staff development?
 HHS School Excellence Plan 26

Glickman (1990) envisioned supervision as the “glue” that binds a successful school. The

administrator acts as the glue because he/she must unite the numerous elements of instructional

effectiveness into successful school achievement. This school success will be manifested as

quality instruction characterized by high levels of rigor and relevance and will ultimately result

in the goal of student academic success and continuous school improvement. It is here that the

effective school leader develops his/her educational philosophy for instructional supervision.

The systematic aspects of my school improvement plan will exemplify a plan that is wide-

ranging, all-inclusive, ordered, detailed, and focused on making data-driven, research-based

decisions about continuous school improvement. By integrating many of the SREB-

recommended instructional strategies through High Schools That Work, most of the specific

issues that put the school in the restructuring designation (R-2) will be addressed. By combining

efforts with the Southwest Region Education Board (SREB), the school will effectively attack

the problems that have been identified, and demonstrate to all stakeholders, including the state

and district, that Highland wants to regain its status as a top tier high school in the state.

Conclusion

With the intricacies and demands placed on the schools in the Albuquerque Public School

system in this 21st century, it is hard to imagine how a school can continue raising the bar

without effective and comprehensive strategic planning. Our Strategic Plan for School

Excellence calls for a new school culture that embraces and sustains public education as the

single most important function of our society. We need people – students, staff, parents,

community – to step up and do extraordinary things with an ever decreasing amount of money.

We need to resuscitate the processes through innovation, change and revolution, turning it into

an effective and efficient operation. This is not just a single event, it is process built around
 HHS School Excellence Plan 27

continuous school and student improvement and must be treated that way. We will keep the

framework simple so everyone can understand it and we can effectively develop it and make it a

part of the school culture. Our framework is designed to answer the five questions that are vital

to our goal: Who are we? Where are we in this process? Where are we headed? How do we

know we get there? What do we do to get there? We will align the plan to our state and district

standards, and then communicate it out to everyone involved. We have invited all stakeholders

to become a part of what we are trying to accomplish and welcome them into the process. We

want to examine data to see if we are making progress toward our goals, so having the ability to

measure and track data is essential. We also must have the ability to make people accountable to

the process, and all stakeholders involved must set up a calendar of when things will get done,

determine their budget, and stay within the means of that budget. The bottom line is, we must

talk the talk, then walk the talk.

References
Arguelles, Patrick. (2010). HHS school profile and strategic plan for continuous improvement.
EDA575. Grand Canyon University.
 HHS School Excellence Plan 28

Arguelles, Patrick. (2010). Low student achievement: causes and effects. EDA561. Grand
Canyon University.

Arguelles, Patrick. (2010). Educational Philosophy for Instructional Supervision. EDA551.

Grand Canyon University.

Bernhardt, Victoria. (2004). Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement. Larchmont,
NY.
Eye on Education.

Cervone, L., & Martinez-Miller, P. (2007, Summer). Classroom walkthroughs as a catalyst for
school improvement. Leadership Compass, 4(4). Retrieved November 19, 2010 from:
www.naesp.org/resources/2/Leadership_Compass/2007/LC2007v4n4a2.pdf

Evans, G. W. (2004, February/March). The environment of childhood poverty. American

Psychologist. 59(2), 77-92.

Glickman, C.D., Gordon, S.P. & Ross-Gordon, J. (2009). Supervision and Instructional
Leadership: A Developmental Approach. Sixth Edition. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Green, R.L. (2009). Practicing the art of leadership: A problem-based approach to

implementing the ISLLC standards. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

High Schools That Work framework of goals and key practices to raise student achievement and
graduation rates. Retrieved September 17, 2010 from Southwest Regional Education Board
website: http://www.sreb.org/page/1078/high_schools_that_work.html

Marzano, R. J. (1998). A theory-based meta-analysis of research on instruction. Aurora, CO:

Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory.

Marzano, R. J., & Kendall, J. S. (1996). A comprehensive guide to designing standards-based

 HHS School Excellence Plan 29

districts, schools, and classrooms. Aurora, CO: Mid-continent Regional Educational

Laboratory.

Marzano, R.J. (2000). Transforming Classroom Grading. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Ohle, N. and Mokley, C.L. How to solve typical school problems. ASCD Alexandria, Va 1994
page 3.

Razik, T.A. & Swanson, A.D. (2010). Fundamental Concepts of Educational Leadership and
Management. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Razik, T., & Swanson, A. (1995). Educational Concepts of Educational Leadership (2Ed).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Senge, P. M. (1994) The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New
York: Doubleday.

US Department of Education. Use of educational data at the local level from accountability to
instructional improvement, Barbara Means (2010). Retrieved February 9, 2011 from US
DOE
website:
http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/use-of-education-data/use-of-education-data.pdf