October 27, 2015 Testimony - Dr. Nancy Chamberalin

I am Dr. Nancy Chamberlain, and I want to expound on the ideas that Susan Cobb expressed in her testimony:

What is it about our current academic model in Jr High that is not working, that we would scrap the Challenge Program?  Let’s look at the Program to see if it is meeting the goals that were set for it.  

From the district website (http://wwwnew.nsd.org/Page/579):

Junior High Challenge Program

The Board of Directors has adopted four goals to guide the district’s ongoing improvement efforts. The Junior High Challenge Program has been developed in response to Goal 1: Student Achievement and Success at Grades Pre-Kindergarten – 12 and Beyond.

The specific performance measures focusing district efforts to provide a more rigorous curriculum for all students are as follows:

1.6 – Increase the percentage of students successfully completing algebra by the end of the 8th grade.

1.9 – Increase the percentage of students completing two or more Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College in the High School and/or Tech Prep courses.

1.10 – Increase the percentage of students taking higher level math courses beyond Algebra 2 (Core 3).

1.12 – Increase the percentage of students scoring college ready on entrance and placement assessments.

1.13 – Increase the percentage of students meeting the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) 4-year college entrance requirements.

The Jr High Challenge Program was created BY YOU – each of you has taken at least one vote to create it or expand it.  You set performance measures to assess whether it is working.  Let’s look at those together.  On page 3 is the district score card (scorecard.nsd.org)

I have marked the 5 performance measures, and highlighted the 4 that have significantly increased from the baseline year, which is when the Challenge Program was instituted.  As you can see, the percentage of students completing algebra1 by the end of 8^th grade rose from 32% to 49% IN THE FIRST YEAR, and has remained there!

To assess the other PMs, you need to compare the baseline to 2013-14 – these 12^th graders would have been in 9^th grade in 2010, so had one year in the Challenge Program.  The percentage of 12^th graders taking 2 or more advanced courses rose from 75 to 83%; the percentage of 12^th graders taking advanced math coursework went from 63 to 71%; and the percentage of 12^th graders meeting minimum college entrance requirements rose from 55 to 60%.  The metric (1.12) that involves SAT and ACT test scores was unchanged.

Clearly, the Challenge Program has been a success, with 4 out of 5 of the metrics showing significant increases!  The school board should be commended for the foresight to approve this Program in 2010 and its expansion in subsequent years!

I would like to conclude my comments with a short statement on FDK and FRL:

Below, I have listed the % FRL at the schools that have room for state-funded FDK. As you can see, there are significant FRL populations at several of the schools with room. I urge you to remember that, even within affluent communities, there are families who qualify for assistance. Those kids are the ones most likely to need FDK.

Arrowhead      17%

Bear Creek      2.4%

Cottage Lake   12%

Eastridge         4%

Hollywood Hill 12%

Sunrise            5.4%

Wellington      9%