Data Shows Challenge Program Has Helped Lessen the Achievement Gap

Currently, NSD junior high students can self-select one or more Challenge classes by simply checking a box upon enrollment. The self-select nature of Challenge allows highly- motivated students from a wide variety of academic and socio-economic backgrounds access to rigorous classes that will prepare them for advanced AP and IB courses in high school. The self-select Challenge Program is about giving kids choices that set them up for success. Eliminating this program would do an immense disservice to the full range of students in our schools. Because any student can choose to take advantage of the Challenge program, it is a model of equity and fairness. 

In fact, there is strong evidence that this model helps close the achievement gap.  Data analyzed from NSD,  indicates that the current Challenge Program increases opportunity for academic achievement for children from under-served communities, particularly those with free and reduced lunches.  This data shows that since Challenge was instituted, there has been a 57% increase in students taking Algebra 1 before 9th grade, and a 117% increase in students taking Algebra 1 from the free and reduced lunch population.  Additional data from NSD indicates that students having the ability to choose challenge classes in Middle School or Jr High gives them the confidence and knowledge to take college prep classes in high school, particularly students from the free and reduced lunch population.   There is also evidence that choice and opportunity are critical for addressing achievement gaps because choice enables students to personalize an educational pathway that works for them and their circumstances. The current Challenge Program enables this by allowing students to choose which classes they want accelerated learning and in which classes they want to learn the material at a more moderate rate to find their strengths at their own pace.  All of these class choices are strong academic experiences aligned with state and national standards.  Removing choice and making all classes the same but “more challenging” does not provide the choice and opportunity which enables students to find their own path to achievement.  Evidence from our own school district indicates that the current model positions more students from all backgrounds for success.

Woodinville Weekly Article

PARENTS CONCERNED JUNIOR HIGH CHALLENGE PROGRAM COULD BE LOST

• 26 Oct 2015 11:57
• Written by Tim Kukes

Two years ago the Northshore School District Middle School Grade Reconfiguration Task Force, a group consisting of parents, teachers and NSD administrative staff, came into existence to plan the transition of the NSD junior high model to a middle school model — moving grades six, seven and eight to middle school and grade nine to high school. They have been quietly doing so until the last month when concerned parents got wind that the Challenge Program might be on the chopping block.

One of the benefits of the Challenge Program, said Angie Hinojos Yusuf of Save Our Challenge, is that any student with the drive and motivation can choose a Challenge course during course enrollment without having to test to gain access to the more rigorous curriculum. The district also has a Highly Capable program for students who qualify based on testing, and that program isn’t in danger of being ended with the grade reconfiguration.

The Challenge Program was implemented four years ago as a self-select program for junior high students to choose specific accelerated courses at enrollment. There is no testing into Challenge courses. Students simply decide — with the guidance of their parents — to opt into a course that will challenge them beyond the normal curriculum.

Bothell Kenmore Reporter Letter to the Editor

Northshore School District Challenge Program at risk, vote for Phillips and Smith 

The Northshore School District’s Junior High Challenge Program is a self-select honors program in which students elect to work at a faster pace and are challenged with in-depth material. The district is planning to remove this highly regarded program despite more than 1,100 signatures of support on the Save Our Challenge petition.

Petition organizers sponsored an information night titled “Why Elementary Parents Should Care about Saving the Challenge Program” at Kenmore Public Library on at 7 p.m. on Oct. 22. More than 50 concerned parents, students and community members attended.

Currently, NSD junior high students can self-select one or more Challenge classes by simply checking a box upon enrollment. The self-select nature of Challenge allows highly- motivated students from a wide variety of academic and socio-economic backgrounds access to rigorous classes that will prepare them for advanced AP and IB courses in high school. The self-select Challenge Program is about giving kids choices that set them up for success. Eliminating this program would do an immense disservice to the full range of students in our schools. Because any student can choose to take advantage of the Challenge program, it is a model of equity and fairness.

Information Night "Why Elementary Parents Should Care About Saving the Challenge Program" Was a Huge Success!

The Information Night, "Why Elementary Parents Should Care About Saving the Challenge Program", was held at Kenmore Public Library on Thursday night and drew a standing room only crowd. Parents, concerned citizens, students and School Board members attended and participated in this discussion about Northshore School District's Challenge Program.

Panel Members spoke about a variety of topics as outlined in the agenda below.

Agenda

1. Introduction
2. How current Junior High School class selection work -  Attached class listings
3. Explanation of the self-select Challenge Program and why we need it
4. Types of students who typically choose the Challenge Program
5. The Middle School Grade Reconfiguration Task Force proposal to give challenging curriculum to all in a heterogeneous mixed-ability classroom
6. Uncovering problems with the District’s research
7. Struggling Learners
8. Equity vs. Equality
9. What parents and community members can do to get involved
• Email the school board: sbdistrict1@nsd.org, sbdistrict2@nsd.org, sbdistrict3@nsd.org, sbdistrict4@nsd.org, sbdistrict5@nds.org
• Attend School board meetings: 7pm on Oct 27th, 4pm on Nov 10th
• Sign the Save Our Challenge petition at https://www.change.org/p/northshore-school-district-save-our-challenge or email saveourchallenge@gmail.com
• Attend Middle School Grade Reconfiguration Task Force meetings: Tues Nov 16th at 5pm at NSD Admin Bldg
• Attend Academic Subcommittee meetings: Tuesday Oct 27, 12noon - 3pm NSD Admin Bldg
10. Comments and Concerns for the Board

Sign the Save Our Challenge Petition

The Challenge Program currently available at all Northshore School District (NSD) Junior High Schools is in jeopardy.  The NSD Middle School Grade Reconfiguration Task Force is deciding whether Challenge/Honors classes will be eliminated starting in the 2017-18 school year, with the change from junior highs (grades 7-8-9) to middle schools (grades 6-7-8). This would affect students currently in 6th grade or younger.

We believe that Challenge/Honors is critical for all kids who choose a more rigorous educational path. Saying that all Middle School classes would use the Challenge curriculum is NOT the same as having dedicated Challenge/Honors classes with like-minded peers. This petition is intended to send a clear message to the Task Force, School Board and Administration that Challenge/Honors for all academic subjects must remain available in EVERY Junior High/Middle School.

Time is of the essence. This decision will be made within the next several weeks. If you want to Save Our Challenge Program, please sign and share this petition broadly. We encourage you to leave comments below.

https://www.change.org/p/northshore-school-district-save-our-challenge

Want to get involved? We need more volunteers. We are also looking for current and past Challenge students who can articulate why Challenge has been important to them. Email saveourchallenge@gmail.com

Why is the District Considering the Elimination of Challenge?

This is an excellent question for the school district's Middle School Grade Reconfiguration Task Force. We really don't know why they are considering eliminating Challenge, and we're not sure the Task Force does either. Is there data that shows that the self-Challenge Program isn't serving students well? If so, they haven't shared it.

What we do know, is that this Task Force has been meeting for 2+ years, and until Monday there were no plans to study any model other than mixed-ability or "heterogeneous" classrooms advocated by The Association for Middle Level Educators (AMLE). When we asked the question why, the best answer we were given was that they wanted to provide an "equitable" experience for all students. 

On Monday, the MSTF moved it's deadline for a recommendation to the school board from January to the end of this school year for the purpose of exploring other models and surveying all stakeholders (parents, teachers, students). We fully attribute this to concerns voiced by parents in our community.

Moving forward, rather than simply identifying alternative models, we need to keep pressure on district and Task Force to 1) clearly define the problem they are trying to fix, 2) show us compelling data indicating that the problem exists, 3) propose solutions with solid research behind them, 4) identify metrics for evaluating success in resolving the problem, 5) sign themselves up to be accountable for its success. 

Save Our Challenge 101

·      The Challenge Program is a self-select honors program in which students elect to work at a faster pace and are challenged with enriched and more in-depth material.

·        The District is considering the removal of Challenge as part of the 2017 Grade Reconfiguration

·         Elementary Students 5^th grade and younger will be affected by this decision.

Why do we need the self-select Challenge program?

·         Choice:

o   Any motivated student can check the box to opt-in to one or more Challenge classes

o   Students can choose Challenge in their best subjects, Gen Ed in others

o   Any student can opt-out of Challenge and choose any or all Gen Ed classes

·         Equity:

o   Students can take Challenge classes in their home school, no need to be driven across the district

o   No testing required, no need to have parents fill out forms and transport to testing on a Saturday

o   Students make the choice to take one or more Challenge or Gen Ed classes

·         Peers:

o   Jr. High and Middle School girls often hide their abilities if not surrounded by like-minded peers

o   Students grouped with like-minded peers are more likely to be comfortable taking academic risks.

Who chooses Challenge classes?

•  Any motivated student who wants to work at a faster pace and learn more in-depth material
• Students who qualified for the district’s test-in AAP program, but choose to stay in their home school for services or are unable to find transportation to a hub or AAP school
•  Students who qualified for HiCap in only one subject area and are being served in their home school
•  Unidentified HiCap kids who either didn’t take the district’s tests or didn’t do well on the tests

My child isn’t interested in Challenge, why should I care about this issue?

·         The district’s plan of heterogeneous classrooms would use Challenge curriculum for all

·         Students who are not interested in Challenge would not be able to opt-out of it

·         Classrooms with at least 5 different levels of ability would be hard for teachers to manage and differentiate for all levels of learners.

What will the district replace Challenge classes with if they remove it?

• The district is investigating the heterogeneous classroom model with challenge curriculum for all, where students of all ability levels would be distributed throughout middle school classrooms. Teachers would be required to differentiate instruction and homework for every child in their classroom.
• To implement the heterogeneous model, the district would have to invest in the purchase of new curriculum, professional development, cross-disciplinary collaboration time, and extra help in every classroom.

I want to Save our Challenge. What can I do to help?

• Contact the School Board (sbdistrict1@nsd.org, sbdistrict2@nsd.org, sbdistrict3@nsd.org, sbdistrict4@nsd.org, sbdistrict5@nsd.org)
•  Attend school board meetings – the next meetings will be at 7pm on Oct 27^th and 4pm on Nov 10^th.
•  Sign the Save Our Challenge petition at https://www.change.org/p/northshore-school-district-save-our-challenge  or email saveourchallenge@gmail.com to get involved.

Press Release from October 11th, 2015

Northshore School District Challenge Program At Risk  

The Northshore School District’s Junior High Challenge Program is a self-select honors program in which students elect to work at a faster pace and are challenged with in-depth material. The district is planning to remove this highly regarded program despite almost 1000 signatures of support on the Save Our Challenge petition. 

Petition organizers are sponsoring an information night titled “Why Elementary Parents Should Care about Saving the Challenge Program” at Kenmore Public Library on October 22^nd at 7 p.m. Concerned parents and community members are encouraged to attend.

Currently, NSD junior high students can self-select one or more Challenge classes by simply checking a box upon enrollment. The self-select nature of Challenge allows highly- motivated students from a wide variety of academic and socio-economic backgrounds access to rigorous classes that will prepare them for advanced AP and IB courses in high school. The self-select Challenge Program is about giving kids choices that set them up for success. Eliminating this program would do an immense disservice to the full range of students in our schools. Because any student can choose to take advantage of the Challenge program, it is a model of equity and fairness.

The District’s Middle School Grade Reconfiguration Task Force (MSGRT) and its Academic Subcommittee are currently deciding the fate of the Challenge program. Surprisingly, the district has given the Task Force only one model -- a heterogeneous classroom model -- to consider for how the middle school classrooms should be managed starting in 2017. Given this, one might ask if this is truly an effective task force, or if the district has already made up its mind? In the heterogeneous classroom model, teachers would be required to differentiate instruction and homework for each individual child, from struggling learners to the highly capable in the same classroom – that could mean differentiation for 100 or more students each day.

Additionally, there is the cost to consider. Isn't our district already underfunded? James R. Delisle, in his article Differentiation Doesn’t Work, states “In every case, differentiated instruction seemed to complicate teachers work, requiring them to procure and assemble multiple sets of materials.” Consider the costly professional development required to train teachers on the heterogeneous model, including the purchase of new curriculum, the cross-disciplinary collaboration time required, and the extra help needed in every classroom to teach many levels of learners. The heterogeneous model would cost a tremendous amount of time and money to implement, with (at best) dubious results for kids and teachers. 

Although the Northshore community has much to say on this subject, the Academic Subcommittee has not asked students or parents if the current Challenge Program model needs to be changed. The Task Force has been meeting for more than two years, but during this time they have asked for no community input at all outside of the three parents who are serving on the subcommittee. The subcommittee has not even discussed the Save Our Challenge petition, which now has nearly 1000 signatures, nor have they read the multitude of public comments in support of the Challenge program. With a deadline to give a recommendation to the Task Force approaching in December, the Subcommittee has admitted that they now have no time to ask for community input. In addition, the Task Force declined to have their meetings recorded for public access, and the Subcommittee’s meeting notes do not appear on the district’s website. In effect, they have made it nearly impossible for the community to participate in this decision.

But there is still time to Save the Challenge program. The Academic Subcommittee owes a decision to the Middle School Task Force by Dec 8, 2015. The Task Force will then forward their recommendation to the school board by mid January. Ultimately, the school board will make the final decision on this issue, so this is where we must focus our efforts to be heard.

Community members, especially students who have participated in the Challenge program, are encouraged to show support by contacting the Northshore School Board, attending meetings, and signing the Save Our Challenge petition at https://www.change.org/p/northshore-school-district-save-our-challenge 

The next School Board meetings will be held at 4pm on Oct 13^th , 7pm Oct 27^th  and 4pm on November 10th. Please join us there. Together we can make a difference and Save Our Challenge Program!

*Save Our Challenge is a group of concerned parents of NSD students.

saveourchallenge@gmail.com

https://www.change.org/p/northshore-school-district-save-our-challenge