Gina Washington, Director Colin Neumeyer, ELA Teacher

Bette Bergeron, SOE Dean

Icebreaker

•The opportunity gap is caused by __________

Illinois Context

• Funding • LEA• Chicago• PERA• Common Core

The Mission of the SIUE Charter High School

• The SIUE Charter High School is a School of Choice for families in the East St. Louis School District #189.

• The school’s mission is to prepare students who are career and college ready upon graduation.

• To achieve this mission, the school and the staff will positively impact the educational and economic lives of East St. Louis youth through:– individualized instruction in core academic subjects– exploration of career interests and aptitudes– assistance in realizing students’ talents, high academic goals and

expectations

Profile of the School • Established in 1999• Enrollment: 114 students• Faculty: 14 highly qualified and certified• Support Staff: school social worker, academic

counselor, faculty-in-residence, assistant director, and director

• Demographics100% African American 90% free reduced lunch students

• Charter Authorizer: ESL District #189

University Partnership

• Charter held by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE)

• CHS governed by the School of Education• Partnership components:– Dean’s Office support– Faculty in Residence– Professional Development– Interns/Student Teachers– Campus-wide volunteers

Performance Barriers of SIUE ESL CHS

1.Academic 2.Economic 3.Social 4.Communicative

Stop and Share

How is your school addressing performance barriers and closing the opportunity gap?

5 Strategies to Closing the Opportunity Gap

1. Recognize 2. Expect3. Engage4. Collect, analyze, and utilize data5. Create awareness

Collecting, Analyzing, and Utilizing Data Effectively

1) Collect data for your students while teaching them

2) Analyze and share data openly3) Utilize data effectively

Finally, reward your students and faculty for progress and achievements

Assessment Examples

• In-class Assessments: While traditional assessments are used, the school is moving forward toward product based assessments

• Explore/Plan Assessments: Given to 9th and 10th grade students as pre-assessments for ACT/PSAE

• Lexile Scores: Read 180 program tests every student 3 times a year and provides a current reading level, as well as increased reading ability data

• ACT/PSAE Scores: All junior students take multiple ACT tests and use data to individualize preparation based on need to improve overall composite scores

• Senior Portfolios: All seniors present an exit portfolio highlighting experiences at the Charter School, future college plans/enrollment, community service, and best work samples

Stop and Share

Choose one of the five strategies and discuss how it could be used to close the opportunity

gap in your school

Failure is NOT an Option

FINAO means student ownership of personal success. When students become proactive in their development they will realize their potential and strive to reach it.

FINAO is the means by which we as a school culture address the barriers and implement the initiatives to increase student achievement for all students at all times.

Student Testimonial

• Starr Gibson is an exceptional student who exemplifies how the PSAE class works. She increased her ACT score from 17 to 21 over the course of the year.

• Testimonial: • Portfolio

PSAE Class

Progression: • 2010-2011: Junior Academy Saturday sessions held the three weeks prior to

the Illinois PSAE state assessment test.– Result: 5% AYP, Top ACT score of 19

• 2011-2012: In addition to the Junior Academy Saturday sessions, a weekly PSAE class was added in October for all juniors ; increased to twice a week the second semester– Results: 34% AYP, Top ACT score of 25, 5 students with a 20 or above on ACT

• 2012-2013: Continued with Junior Academy Saturday sessions, increased the PSAE class rigor by making a mandatory year long course for all juniors– Results: ? AYP (scores will not be received until the fall), Top ACT score of 23, 7 students with a 20 or

above on ACT, and 100% ACT score improvement for all juniors over course of the year!

Results!

Failure is NOT an Option

• Overview of the program:• PSAE Class• Zero Hour/8th Hour After School Program• SAC: Student Alternative Center

PSAE Course Content

• Backwards Designing Your Future• Two Mock ACT’s • Practice, Practice, Practice!• ACT/PSAE Mentors• Two Official ACT’s • Practice, Practice, Practice!!• PSAE March Madness Tournament• PSAE Test

IAP

Individualized Achievement Plan:• The main component to FINAO is student ownership

and awareness. • Students track their ACT composite scores and

content scores. • Students develop an individualized program in 4th

quarter based on analysis of their own data.

Stop and Share

Based on the testimonial, student IAP, and portfolio, what take-aways from this program

can you see implementing into your own classroom or school?

QuestionsTHANK YOU!

Contact Information:Gina Washington, Director (vwashin@siue.edu)

Colin Neumeyer, ELA Teacher (cneumey@siue.edu)

Bette Bergeron, SOE Dean (bberger@siue.edu)