Aligned Expectations Gary Nixon Executive Director State Board of Education

Aligned Expectations

Gary Nixon

Executive Director

State Board of Education

Tennessee’s Student Pipeline2004

100 ninth graders:• 63 graduated high school on

time • 39 entered community college

or university• 27 were enrolled the

sophomore year• 17 graduated within 150% of

time

Background

• Jobs that require post-secondary education or training will make up more than two-thirds of new jobs.

Share of new jobs, 2000–1010%

22%

36%

31% High schooldropout High schooldiplomaSomepostsecondaryBachelor'sdegree

Source: Carnevale, Anthony P. and Donna M. Desrochers, Standards for What? The Economic Roots of K–16 Reform, Educational Testing Service, 2003.

College Readiness

36 states produce HS graduates better prepared

for college than Tennessee.

Part II: Measuring College Readiness Part IIIPart I

1

EPAS

62%

32%

38%

12%

64%

25%

40%

17%

70%

33%

50%

23%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

English Mathematics Reading Science

Explore 2007-8

Plan 2007-8

ACT 2006-7

The early HS math courses are not helping students to advance

Developmental Studies

First-time Freshmen 2007-2008:

• Community Colleges 74%

• Universities 40%

• Overall 60%

• 2014 Target 10%

Are Tennessee Students Proficient?

Spring 2007… National Chamber of Commerce comparison report card of key education factors in all states:

Tennessee made an “F” in the category of Truth in Advertising…comparing Tennessee proficiency (our state assessments) to National proficiency (NAEP)

8th Grade Achievement on State Assessment v. NAEP (2005)

87%87%

26% 21%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Reading Proficient Math Proficient

Tennessee

NAEP

Is there a gap between achievement on state assessments and NAEP?

Change…

“We won’t create change until there is more pressure for change than resistance to change.”

William Daggett

The Problem• Tennessee has lost more than 33,000

manufacturing jobs in the last two years.MTSU economist David Penn

• Tennessee must more than double the number of postsecondary credential holders.– Projected jobs requiring training beyond a HS

diploma:• 67% by 2010• 75% by 2020

More Problems

• “State’s Income Growth Tanks” The Tennessean, March 27, 2008

– Tennessee is tied for 50th (with Arizona) in growth rate of per capita income.

– “We just don’t have the workforce to compete.” UT economist Bill Fox

– Education is seen as the key.

Digging Out• Tennessee Diploma Project

– Produce graduates prepared for postsecondary and workforce training.

• PC 459 – Provides the infrastructure to move more

students through the P-16 pipeline.– Requires partnership between two or more

LEAs and an IHE.

Tennessee Diploma Project

Achieve and the American Diploma

Project

• Created by the NGA and business leaders in 1996

• A bipartisan Not-For-Profit that helps states raise academic standards

• Assessments and accountability driven• Prepare all young people for postsecondary

education, work and citizenship

The ADP NetworkTN was the most recent SE state to join the

network in 2007.

ID

AZ

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MT

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TN

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INOH

NC

SD

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NE

MN

WI

IA

IL

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OK

ND

OR

CA NV

WA

TX

PA

VA

NY

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WV MD

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VTNH

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RI

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GA

FL

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AK

American Diploma Project32 States – 4 Specific Actions

1. Align standards and assessments with the knowledge and skills required beyond high school

2. Require all high school students to take challenging courses that actually prepare them for life after high school

3. Build college and work-ready measures into statewide accountability systems

4. Hold schools accountable for graduating students who are college and/or workforce ready, and hold postsecondary accountable for students’ success once enrolled

H S Graduation Requirements

Changes approved to begin with the graduating class of 2013, this year’s 7th graders, include:– transition from Gateway to EOC as

percentage of yearly grade • measure disparity between mean of teacher

assigned grades and mean of end of course test scores

• attack disparities greater than 10 to 15 points through the school improvement planning process

– increasing the credit requirements to 22– developing one diploma for all students


English - 4 Credits:• English I - 1 Credit• English II - 1 Credit• English III - 1 Credit

– AP Language and Composition

• English IV - 1 Credit– AP English Literature or Composition– IB Language I– Communications for Life

H S Graduation RequirementsMath - 4 Credits: (Students must take a math class each year)

• Algebra I - 1 Credit

• Geometry - 1 Credit

• Algebra II - 1 Credit

• Upper level Math: - 1 Credit– Bridge Math Students who have not earned a 19 on the mathematics component of the ACT by

the beginning of the senior year are recommended to complete the Bridge Math course.

– Capstone Math– Adv. Algebra and Trigonometry.– STEM Math (Pre-Calculus, Calculus, or Statistics)


Science - 3 Credits:

• Biology I - 1 Credit

• Chemistry or Physics - 1 Credit– AP Physics (B or C)– Principles of Technology I and II

• Another Lab. Science - 1 Credit


Social Studies – 3.0 Credits:

• W. History or W. Geography – 1 Credit

• U.S. History – 1 Credit– AP U.S. History, IB History of the Americas HL (2

Years)

• Economics – .5 Credit

• Government – .5 Credit– AP U.S. Government, IB History of the Americas

HL (2 Years), JROTC (3 Years), ABLS


P. E. and Wellness – 1.5 Credits:

• Wellness – 1 Credit

• Physical Education – .5 Credit– The physical education requirement may be met by

substituting an equivalent time of physical activity in other areas including but not limited to marching band, JROTC, cheerleading, interscholastic athletics, and school sponsored intramural athletics.

Personal Finance – .5 Credit


Fine Art, Foreign Lang., and Elective Focus – 6 Credits:• Fine Art – 1 Credit• Foreign Language – 2 Credits (Same)• Elective Focus – 3 Credits

– Students completing a CTE elective focus must complete three units in the same CTE program area or state approved program of study.

– science and math, humanities, fine arts, or AP/IB– other area approved by local Board of Education

• The Fine Art and Foreign Language requirements may be waived for students who are sure they are not going to attend a University and be replaced with courses designed to enhance and expand the elective focus.

Students with Disabilities

• Provide alternative performance based assessments of identified core academic skills contained within a course for students whose disability adversely effects performance on the end-of-course examination. Add additional points to the end-of-course score when the alternative performance based assessment is positive.

Students with Disabilities

• Require a math class each year achieving at least Algebra I and Geometry.

• Require three credits in science with Biology I and two additional lab science credits.

Graduate with Honors

Students who score at or above all of the subject area readiness benchmarks on the ACT or equivalent score on the SAT will graduate with honors.

Graduate with Distinction

Students will be recognized as graduating with “distinction” by attaining a B average and completing at least one of the following:

• earn a nationally recognized industry certification• participate in at least one of the Governor’s Schools• participate in one of the state’s All State musical organizations• be selected as a National Merit Finalist of Semi-Finalist• attain a score of 31 or higher composite score on the ACT• attain a score of 3 or higher on at least two advanced placement

exams• successfully complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma

Programme• earn 12 or more semester hours of transcripted postsecondary

credit

Middle Grades Reform

• Staff attended SREB Middle Grades Summit

• SBE and SDE established Taskforce to upgrade Middle School Policy– First meeting April 23, 2008

• What do effective Middle Schools look like?

– Next meeting June 11, 2008• What are the teeth that can be put into policy to drive

improvements? For Example:– Literacy and numeracy requirements for transitions– Interventions for students below grade level– PD for principals and teachers

PC 459

Purpose of PC 459

“…to authorize public postsecondary institutions and LEAs to jointly

establish cooperative innovative programs in high schools and public

postsecondary institutions.”

Dual Enrollment

A postsecondary course, taught either at the postsecondary institution or at the high school, by the postsecondary faculty which upon successful completion of the course

allows students to earn postsecondary and secondary credit concurrently.

Dual Credit

A postsecondary course that is taught at the high school by high school faculty for high school credit. Students are able to receive

postsecondary credit by successfully completing the course, plus passing the

assessment developed and/or recognized by the granting postsecondary institution without paying any tuition. The institution will post the

credit upon enrollment of the student.

Dual Credit

• A “toe in the water” recruitment tool that provides the opportunity for early success and the belief that “I can, too.”

• The financial burden is lifted for both the students and the postsecondary institution making it possible to enroll targeted students.

Dual Credit

• A strategy to align new high school courses with postsecondary courses through pilots that when approved can be offered in high schools across Tennessee.

• Students successful on the post-secondary challenge assessment will receive postsecondary credit at TBR/UT institutions across Tennessee offering that course once they enroll.

Economic Development Goal

• To at least double the rate at which students attain postsecondary credentials in high-demand, high-skill, and high-wage jobs. – Significantly increasing the number of

students attending and completing universities, community colleges, and technology centers.

Where will they all sit?“Senior to Sophomore” Concept – Students earn most of the freshman year credits before arriving on the postsecondary campus through:

– AP/IB– e-learning– Articulation– Dual Enrollment – Dual Credit (PC 459)

• Seed credits to recruit and retain the first generation and other challenged student.

• Showcase postsecondary programs.

Our P-16 Job Today

• Build the P-12 pipeline that will produce high school graduates who are prepared (70%) to be successful in postsecondary training.

• Build the PC 459 infrastructure so that prepared graduates are recruited to postsecondary and credentialed, ultimately meeting the demands of Tennessee’s jobs.

Four Dirty Little Secrets

Many students are not ready for success:• Learning is not made relevant to the student’s

technology-driven world.• Many students do not know what effort looks like,

feels like, is.• Beginning in the middle grades, many students

learn they do not have to do the work.• Students learn they will be promoted while

performing below grade level.

The Problem

• Students learn in the early middle grades, they have the option not to turn in their assignments.

• More and more choose this option as it is the one that requires little or no work or effort.

Teachers Believe:• They are setting high

expectations by giving zeros to students who do not complete their work on time.

• Accepting completed assignments late is wrong because the learning set is over and the assignment is no longer needed.

High ExpectationsIs giving zeros and accepting students work that is below the grade-level standard really an indicator of HIGH EXPECTATIONS in schools and classrooms?

What are the Results of the Current Practice?Giving zeros and accepting work below standard isn’t working.

• It fails to motivate students to make greater effort.

• Dropout rates are increasing, not decreasing.

• 60% students in developmental studies at TN colleges and Universities

What are the Results of the Current Practice?

• Not doing the work is the number one reason for failure in the middle and ninth grades.

• More students are entering ninth grade unprepared for challenging high school studies.


• This practice is actually taking away from teachers efforts to get more students to complete work at high levels.

• Students have learned that hard assignments do not have to be completed at home or school.


• Students have learned how to manipulate almost everyone.

• Even if the teacher works 3 to 4 hours at night to develop engaging lessons, if students can OPT for a ZERO, they will not be college or work ready.

Current Practice is Not Working!

• It sends the wrong message on:– Dropout rates

– Test scores and achievement

– Attendance and discipline

• Instead it creates a culture of Low Expectation:– Students learn they do not have to do their work.

– Students do not understand the impact of zeros.

How do we fix the problem?

• By defining that in standards-based education, Zeros Aren’t Possible!

• By redefining high expectations as meeting grade-level standards or above and making sure students meet the standards.

The Power of “I”

Creating Schools Where Failure

is NOT an Option

* Toni Eubanks, SREB

What Can the Power of the “I” Do?

• Hold students to high expectations.

• Not let students “Off the Hook,” for:– Learning

– Delivering “quality work”

– Completing hard work

– Becoming responsible citizens

• Create standards of learning for all students.

• Create a culture of “High Expectations.”


• No excuses!

• “You don’t get to choose not to work.”

• It can: – Improve the quality of all student work.– Allow teachers to really teach to standard.– Send the Right message.

• Teachers will finally know what students can do.

Contact Information

Gary’s Blog - http://garynixon.wordpress.com/

Gary’s e-mail - [email protected]

Gary’s Office Phone - 615-741-2966

http://garynixon.wordpress.com/

mailto:[email protected]


• Takes the guesswork out of retention.

• The blame game points to the student:– When the student comes home with a zero,

they and their parents blame the teacher.– When the student comes home with an “I,”

only the student is to blame.

Documents

Aligned Expectations Gary Nixon Executive Director State Board of Education