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Report to Our Partners | 2013–2014

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developing and disseminating

research-proven educational programs

to ensure that all students, from all backgrounds,

achieve at the highest academic levels

Success for All has been improving the lives of students across this nation and beyond by providing quality curriculum, strategies, and whole-school support for the last twenty-eight years. We currently serve schools located in forty-two states, two Canadian provinces, and the United Kingdom.

This annual report covers many of the Foundation’s exciting accomplishments during the twelve-month period of July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

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Dear Success for All Friends,

In the world of education, it’s rare to find programs that remain in the public eye for five or ten years. Yet, here we are still going strong in our twenty-eighth year, continuing to evolve as we answer new demands and explore new possibilities. But our mission remains the same, as does our commitment to the success of every child, no matter what it takes. All of you reading this note have been part of this amazing journey in some crucial way.

One great thing about being around so long is that you get to see the long-term impact of your commitment on real people. Increasingly, we run into teachers in Success for All schools who were once students in Success for All. We hear more and more from young adults whose lives were changed by Success for All—people who remember crying because they could not read before SFA, people who did not have high school graduates in their communities. These individuals credit SFA for helping them succeed in elementary school so they could eventually succeed in college and beyond.

We all know the reading scores in Success for All schools and how they exceed those of other schools. But numbers don’t tell the whole story. This annual report includes flesh-and-blood stories of people who have lived SFA and were changed by it—principals, teachers, and especially the young people who attended SFA schools years ago and now have personal stories of success to share.

Research continues to be at the core of what we do because evidence provides the support for success or failure. It tells us if we’re doing the best we can for the children. This year, a second-year report from MDRC on our national i3 evaluation once again showed SFAF programs had a significant positive impact on reading performance. A Baltimore study found that our tutoring program also had a substantial positive impact on student reading.

We were one of just five programs to receive recognition from the Business Roundtable, which has made us eligible for funding from BRT members. This has brought in grants from:• Cummins• Caterpillar• Macy’s• Pitney-Bowes• ITC Holdings• DaVita Healthcare Partners, Inc.

We thank these companies and the BRT for their essential support!

We continue to celebrate the positive impact of Success for All programs as we help to create successful readers and lifelong learners. We recognize the hardworking administrators, teachers, and parents who support each child’s success now and in the future. In anticipation of our upcoming thirty years of service, we’ve begun to reach out to Success for All graduates to learn their inspirational stories and how they beat the odds. We’re offering you, our supporters, a sneak peak at these moving stories. These are the stories that remind us of what we are really working tirelessly for—to help all children, especially those in our nation’s poorest communities, succeed in school so they can succeed in life!

I want to recognize and thank the thousands of school leaders and teachers, the 200 Success for All Foundation staff members, and our partners who work relentlessly to achieve success with Success for All. Enjoy the stories that you read here. Many wouldn’t have been possible without you. Together we are making a difference in the lives of children.

With great appreciation always,

Robert E. Slavin, Chairman, Board of Directors

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This year, 128 schools adopted Success for All. That is a 55% increase from the previous year. The national recession, which resulted in crippling, drastic cuts to our nation’s schools, is beginning to ease. As a result, schools are turning back to a program known for its effectiveness and impact on student achievement. Our schools continue to grow. Success for All works. One bit of proof is in the Reports of Program Effectiveness (ROPEs), some of which appear below. Regardless of state or geography, Success for All students outperform non-Success for All students.

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Success for All in VirginiaVirginia Standards

of Learning (SOL) – ReadingGrades 3–5, 2013 to 2014

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Success for All in KentuckyKentucky Schools Implementing in 2011

Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress

(K-PREP) – ReadingGrades 3–6, 2012 to 2014

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�128 = C55% schools adopted Success for All increase from the previous year

Elementary Reading

Success for All We continue to research and refine our programs to ensure that we are bringing the best resources to our schools and students. An evaluation being conducted by MDRC, a nonprofit, nonpartisan education and social policy research organization, concluded that first graders using the Success for All (SFA) elementary literacy model since kindergarten outperformed their counterparts in non-SFA schools on measures of phonics and decoding skills, which are fundamental skills necessary for children to become proficient readers. This study was funded by the five-year Investing in Innovation (i3) scale-up grant that we received in 2010.

Tutoring with AlphieWith funding from The Abell Foundation, we were able to evaluate our Tutoring with Alphie computer-assisted tutoring program this past year. The funding provided a half-time paraprofessional tutor with software and training to service fourteen Baltimore City Public Schools. Over the course of the school year, students at schools receiving a tutor and implementing Tutoring with Alphie increased their reading achievement 3.5 to 5 months more than similar students in schools without tutoring.

Math Literacy, Middle School

PowerTeaching Math PowerTeaching Math, our middle school math program, received a second Investing in Innovation (i3) scale-up grant in partnership with Old Dominion University. This program is being evaluated by MDRC, and we should have the final results next year. Preliminary results are already demonstrating that PTM increases math literacy by establishing a student-centered classroom through the use of compelling concept presentations, learning

assessments, and cooperative student learning teams. In Norfolk, Virginia, the state tests showed that across all grades and math subjects (grade 6 through geometry), schools implementing PowerTeaching Math had a 2.1% increase in average state test scores. Those test scores were three times the average statewide increase of 0.7%. Test results were even better for more difficult courses. Schools implementing PTM had a 4.0% increase in algebra versus a 0.5% increase statewide and a 2.6% increase in geometry versus a -0.6% decrease statewide.

Preschool and Kindergarten

Around the Corner: Curiosity Corner and KinderCorner Around the Corner, which includes our preschool and kindergarten programs, made in partnership with Sesame Workshop and Sirius Thinking, is being evaluated by Johns Hopkins University under an Investing in Innovation development grant. Those results are also due next year. Initial observations show high-quality language growth in Around the Corner classrooms. Getting Along Together, which supports self-regulation and social problem solving, is building positive social interactions in the classrooms. Overall, teachers and administrators are thrilled with the program media components, and are seeing language and social growth for their students. Parents love Home Links, enjoy knowing exactly which language, literacy, and math concepts their children are learning in school. A special thanks to Pitney Bowes for helping make the Home Links a reality.

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VA state schools

VA schools using PTM

Virginia schools using PowerTeaching Math increased their math test scores three times that of the average statewide increase.

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Dillon Middle School J. V. Martin School faced many obstacles. In 2005, it was one of the schools featured in Bud Ferillo’s documentary, “Corridor of Shame,” which highlighted the deplorable condition of many schools in this section of South Carolina. Academically, it had received unsatisfactory ratings from the state and had failed to make AYP for several years.

In 2006, the school was awarded a mix of grants and low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and in September 2012, it reopened as Dillon Middle School to serve grades 6–8. Dillon set out to redefine itself.

Principal Rodney Cook knew he had good teachers, but he also knew the students weren’t competent readers. Knowing that reading proficiency is vital for success in any school, the administrators at Dillon began looking for a research-proven program that would address the needs of their students and provide the instruction and support necessary to turn them into skilled readers.

The South Carolina Department of Education offered several program options, and the school administrators used the Best Evidence Encyclopedia (www.bestevidence.org/) to help narrow down the choices. After visiting an existing Success for All school and speaking with the principal and teachers there, administrators were convinced to select Success for All. Principal Cook felt SFA was the right fit for his students.

With the support of the district, Dillon applied for and was awarded a school improvement grant (SIG) in 2012. Kathi Campbell, the school’s SFA facilitator, says everyone in the school, from the principal to the teachers, is committed to implementing the program.

Because of the Success for All program, everyone throughout the school knows students’ reading levels. Teachers use data to drive their instruction, parents are more involved in the school, and behavior problems have decreased. Even more exciting, students and teachers are using the research-proven SFA strategies in all content areas, increasing student engagement and achievement across the board!

Although Dillon serves a student population predominately from low-income families, through dedication and determination and with the help of Success for All, Dillon has undergone a transformation. After being rated an F school for years, they currently have a B rating. It’s a tremendous accomplishment, and Dillon teachers vow to continue to grow, support, and challenge students until they receive an A!

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Indian Oasis ElementaryIndian Oasis Elementary, a Native American school in the Sonoran Desert southwest of Tucson, was one of the lowest-achieving schools in Arizona, with only 18% of students passing the Arizona state AIMS reading test. Today, with the help of the Success for All program, 63% have passed the AIMS in reading, and 70% are reading on grade level. Their story is a testament to how schools can positively impact a community.

Dr. Edna Morris, principal since 2011, knew changes were needed. Dr. Toni Allen, a district administrator, suggested Success for All. Armed with a school improvement grant (SIG), Morris purchased the program and thus began the school’s transformation.

Indian Oasis implemented all the parts of the program, including the Schoolwide Solutions components, which address issues both in and outside of the classroom, and Getting Along Together, a social, emotional, and cognitive-learning program that helps students learn problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills. Dr. Morris ensured that the program was implemented with fidelity and that everyone in the school was committed to its success. She involved not only teachers, but everyone in the school, including custodians and office staff. While it took some time for the implementation to become comfortable for both teachers and students, with the support of Success for All coaches, the school has made amazing gains.

Indian Oasis serves children of the Tohono O’odham Nation. The tribal language is very different from English. As a result, students were unwilling to speak out, even to answer questions. Gradually this changed through the collaborative-learning strategies of SFA. Dr. Allen describes

tears rolling down her cheeks the first time she observed students actually speaking up in classrooms. She felt this was a tremendous breakthrough.

Behavior was also an issue. It was common for students to carry small handguns, knives, and chains to school. With the help of the Cooperative Culture team of Schoolwide Solutions, the discipline referral rate dropped from 500 to 35. Now the school is a much safer place.

The school has also involved the community to help students maintain their culture. There are lessons in the nation’s tribal language, ceremonies, stories, and way of life. Storytellers are brought in at least once a month to share the tribe’s history. Community members serve as volunteer listeners for students as they read. Everyone in the community is aware and proud of what is happening in the school.

Dr. Allen, says it best, “the future of the entire Tohono O’odham Nation depends on educating their children…. [Children] absolutely must learn not just to read, but to think, to analyze, to be able to protect themselves, and so I feel that what we’re doing is a very high calling…. We have to find ways to make our children here successful. I believe that through SFA we have found a key to getting us on the right track for what we need to do for our children.”

Dr. Morris would like to spread the message of success to other tribal reservation schools across the country. “Come see us,” she says. “Our kids can learn. If the nation believes that they cannot learn, well, we’re living proof of the opposite.”

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discipline referrals dropped dramatically

Charles Wright Academy of Arts and ScienceCharles Wright Academy of Arts and Science is an inner-city school in Detroit. Ninety-nine percent of the students in the prekindergarten–grade 4 school are economically disadvantaged, and 100% are African American.

At Wright, the staff believe that students who thrive in a technological environment will also thrive academically. Technology is featured in every classroom at Wright, acquainting students with the daily usage of Mac notebooks, digital document readers, Neo 2 devices, interactive whiteboards, and a full media-production center. Everything they do is directed toward preparing all students to be functional and competitive in a global society. Their goal is to build world citizens who respect diversity, differences, and one another.

Charles Wright Academy of Arts and Science has been honored as one of the Excellent Schools Detroit (ESD) top-performing schools for two consecutive years. In early September 2014, Charles Wright was named the highest-rated elementary school in the City of Detroit.

“We continue to work,” said Principal Kim Davis. Aside from maintaining the number-one ranking, providing a 21st-century education, and instilling the importance of data and accountability, Davis still runs a multifaceted program that offers drama, science, and math clubs, a performing-arts program, art, a safety program, writing fairs, and more. And they continue to show steady student-achievement with students reading on or above grade level each year. When they began SFA two years ago, 20% of students passed state reading tests. Today, that figure is 53%. Principal Davis and her team are an outstanding example of what it means to be relentless in their pursuit of a brighter future for their wwstudents.

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20% 53%Before SFA: students passed Michigan state reading tests

After SFA: students passed Michigan state reading tests

Chee Dodge Elementary, New Mexico

Krystina is a Navaho who grew up in a small rural community in New Mexico. She traveled about two hours to and from school and was a self-described “horrible reader.” Success for All was implemented at her school when she was in the fifth grade. At that time, she was reading on a third-grade reading level, two grades behind.

She remembers the program made reading fun for her. In one year, she jumped three reading levels and surpassed her grade level in reading. The postcards sent home to her parents shared her progress, engaged them in her learning, and brought the discussion of reading and language home.

She credits her Success for All education with opening up many opportunities for her in high school. By learning how to read and making it fun, she was prepared for all the reading involved with her advanced placement courses. She graduated from high school with a 3.6 GPA, and she was one of three students who received a full scholarship from Gates Millennium.

She has now gone on to receive not one but two degrees from Arizona State University: one in family and human development and the other in psychology. She is currently working as a family support specialist at Southwest Human Development.

Her Success for All teacher, Jen Geissler, was an inspirational teacher who Krystina and her parents remember fondly.

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Coronado Elementary, Arizona

When Arianna started school in Tucson, Arizona, she spoke no English, and she began each morning crying because she could not read. With Success for All picture cards and the help of our favorite puppet, Alphie, she began to understand both English and reading.

As an English language learner, Arianna used the Success for All reading strategies to help her throughout her entire education. She went on to become a teacher and has just completed her master’s degree in curriculum. Now she is passing on the torch; she has chosen to use her talents to teach first grade at a Success for All school.

Arianna now sees from a teacher’s perspective how Success for All is helping her students as it helped her when she was a Reading Roots student. She believes the fun, engaging activities in Reading Roots make all the difference for her students. She credits her success as an educator with being a Success for All student!

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Dana Gray Elementary, California

Maiah is dyslexic and has always struggled with reading. By fourth grade, she was still reading on a first-grade level, and she felt “stupid and incapable.” Luckily for Maiah, that all changed when her family moved and she entered a Success for All school. With the help of the Success for All strategies and her wonderful teacher, Maiah jumped four reading levels in two years and was reading on grade level by the end of fifth grade.

She credits her success to the leveled instruction she received in Success for All’s reading program and through participation in its cooperative reading groups. This environment allowed her to catch up without feeling frustrated and allowed her to gain self-confidence. “SFA saved my life,” Maiah contends. It gave her the tools to succeed in school and beyond.

Maiah graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in education, and she now teaches at the same school that helped her be the person she is today.

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Wayne Gretzky, the great Canadian hockey

player, said, “A good hockey player plays where

the puck is. A great one plays where it will be.”

One reason that SFAF has lasted for twenty-eight years and will be around for twenty-eight more is that our organization is always focused on the future. How can we help schools face tomorrow’s challenges? How can we take advantage of opportunities on the horizon to help children who are at risk? How can we respond to and influence future policies?

Right now, the future is looking good. The recession is ending, Title I funds are at least stabilizing, and evidence is playing an ever-increasing role in policy and practice. Also, our own research and development activities in many areas are beginning to bear fruit.

Evidence. For decades, we have argued that educational policy and practice should pay more attention to evidence of what works. At last, evidence is beginning to matter. Investing in Innovation (i3) has provided funding to help proven programs to go to scale, and SFAF (reading and math programs) have received about $70 million from i3 in the last five years because of our incomparable evidence base.

Most recently, changes in federally funded school improvement grants (SIG) have encouraged struggling schools to use grant funds to adopt proven comprehensive programs. The Obama administration’s recent budget proposal is full of ideas to enhance the role of evidence, and a bipartisan coalition led by Rep. Paul Ryan (R) and Sen. Patty Murray (D) is arguing that support for proven approaches be increased.

Research and Development. Our research and development are working toward the day when all children have access to digital devices, at home and school. In Baltimore, we did a study of our Tutoring With Alphie, a one-to-six computer-assisted tutoring program, and it made a tremendous difference in reading outcomes for struggling readers. We are seeing great responses to Home Links, digital shows linked to the day’s themes and objectives, in preschool and kindergarten. We are increasingly using digital capacities in our work in math and are seeking funding to do more of this in reading.

In the world of educational reform, change is the only constant. We know we need to be in the forefront of the change process so we can serve the kids who need it most.

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Fundraising0.20%

Management and General10.03%

Outreach to Schools0.87%

Support to Schools88.9%

2014 Expenses

2014 2013RevenueProgram Services Fees 13,391,250 15,206,216Grants 14,038,261 18,889,507Contributions 1,155,760 238,326Total Revenue $28,585,271 $34,334,049

ExpenseProgram Services 10,860,827 12,488,872Program Development & Research 14,704,775 17,591,423Outreach to New Schools 250,418 893,302Management & General 2,885,824 3,290,275Fundraising 50,293 32,628Total Expenses $28,752,137 $34,296,500

Other Income (Expense) (56,574)Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets (113,101) (19,025)

Statement of Activities: Years Ending June 30

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Board of Directors

Robert E. Slavin, Ph.D. Chairman of the Board

Nancy Madden, Ph.D.

Myra Williams

Kent McGuire

John Arnholz

Executive Leadership Team

Nancy Madden, Ph.D.President and Chief Executive Officer

Lynsey SeabrookExecutive Vice President

Stan Estremsky, CPAVice President of Finance and Operations

Donna BosmenyVice President of Human Resources and Administration

Barbara Haxby BradyVice President of Professional Development

Ilana BrunnerDirector of Public Policy and Government Affairs

Kate ConwayDirector of Programs, Publications, and Software Engineering

Tracy HeitmeierDirector of Field Operations

Terri MorrisonDirector of Program Resources Development

Janet WileyDirector of Fund Development

Field Leadership Team

Jennifer EbingerArea Manager, South

Amanda JohnsonArea Manager, Great Lakes

Dennis LeeArea Manager, Central Mountain Pacific

Lilia LimonArea Manager, Gulf Pacific

Debbie TruncerArea Manager, Midwest

Julie WibleArea Manager, Mid-Atlantic

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Donors:

The Abell Foundation

The Annie E. Casey Foundation

The Bowland Charitable Trust

Caterpillar Foundation

Community Foundation of the Ozarks

Cummins, Inc.

DaVita Healthcare Partners, Inc.

Google

ITC Holdings Corp.

Macy’s

Pitney Bowes, Inc.

The Rural School and Community Trust

Schoolwide, Inc.

W. K. Kellogg Foundation

Grant Contracts:

Johns Hopkins University

Success for All—United Kingdom

U.S. Department of Education

Other Long-Term Financial Support:

NewSchools Venture Fund

Ford Foundation

Collaborators:

Johns Hopkins University

Old Dominion University

Sesame Workshop

Sirius Thinking, Ltd.

Wilmer Eye Institute

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www.successforall.org/howyoucanhelp

Connect with us on:

(410) 616-2300

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A Nonprofit Education Reform Organization

300 E. Joppa Road, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD 21286

phone: (410) 616-2300 fax: (410) 324-4444

e-mail: sfainfo@successforall.org

website: www.successforall.org

© 2015 Success for All Foundation

400.000.016 LM0415