Building Blocks for STEM Change

University of Massachusetts > STEM > Building Blocks for STEM Change

Education reform in Massachusetts, now entering its 13th year, has created an intensive focus on MCAS testing - process and results - as a means for strengthening schools and programs. In this era of shrinking resources, the progress of education reform in the state will be severely scrutinized, both because of doubts about its effectiveness through MCAS testing and the urgent need to leverage existing resources wisely.

Fundamental school level changes need more attention. Therefore, it is critical to identify and scale up essential, related "building blocks" of real school reform. Mass Insight in Education (MIE) offers six such pillars: higher curriculum standards; performance driven systems and culture; effective teaching; targeted intervention; organization of leadership; and allocation of resources. Research at MIE is focused on schools and districts that think broadly about science, engineering and technology learning, and outperform their demographic peers.

The aim is to stimulate change on a broad scale by developing a new set of systems to encourage adaptation or adoption of proven strategies. The focus is on schools that outperform based on comparable MCAS scoring data from peer schools; schools that can show that positive results are linked to a sustainable strategy led by a leadership team or is part of an effort spearheaded by the district; and whose program provides a usable model for change.  A resource base of successful strategies to be offered to all schools is being developed.

A radical rethinking of how to implement wide-scale reform and improvement is critically needed. Technical assistance offered by experienced educators and organizations such as MIE can make a big difference in helping schools to convert effective strategies into practical and efficiently used resources and tools.

Two examples:
Donald McKay Elementary School, East Boston, MA addressed: How can we structure faculty teams to improve instruction and maximize use of resources?

The changes at McKay involved a number of whole-school reforms tailored to its needs. The K-8 Title I school, 80% of whose students are Hispanic, consolidated four separate programs, mainstreamed students when appropriate, and used early intervention to reduce the SPED population to less than 10%. Grade level classes previously dispersed throughout the facility were grouped to foster collegiality among teachers. The former principal took advantage of natural attrition by hiring, with the input of existing staff, recruits attuned to a collaborative philosophy.

Central to all these efforts was the creation of well-designed horizontal and vertical teams with specific responsibilities. Teams including teachers, specialists, coaches and administrators now work within and across grade levels, within an organizational model that promotes communication and collaboration. Teacher-led teams are involved in evaluating student assessments to refine curriculum and instruction, and work with administrators to monitor curriculum alignment, design professional development, and create the Whole School Improvement Plan. The authority to make vital decisions, and active communication with administrators, also empowers teachers as professionals.

One hundred percent of seventh graders passed the ELA MCAS in 2004, and McKay's sixth grade students have consistently outperformed the district in math since 2001. This year the US Department of Education recognized Donald McKay as a Distinguished Title I School.

Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School. Upton, MA addressed: How can we create a culture of learning that targets students' individual academic needs and technical interests?

Blackstone Valley Superintendent Michael Fitzpatrick recognized as early as 1993 that higher academic standards would be crucial to the survival of Blackstone Valley vocational graduates in the 21st century workplace. No amount of vocational training would help students compete in a skilled, technical job market if they weren't also proficient at communicating and computing. With MCAS on the horizon, the leadership team set out to smash the stereotype of voc-tech kids as the ones who "can't."

Blackstone Valley has administered diagnostic assessments to incoming freshmen, and used the data to schedule individualized help in reading and math. All incoming freshmen are given Stanford diagnostic exams in English and math in the spring of their eighth-grade year. Those results are considered together with existing IEP and 504 plans, one-on-one transition meetings, and Wilson Reading screenings when deciding which students should be placed in remedial reading and math programs. The school's modified block schedule is structured so that students may immediately be shifted to a higher or lower level core class based on ongoing assessments and teacher recommendations.

It has used multi-disciplinary team planning and internally developed "tool boxes" to facilitate the integration of academic and vocational learning.  All teachers are expected to reinforce reading, writing and math in their classrooms. Multi-disciplinary teams of teachers have identified the specific skills requiring reinforcement, and developed resource binders (or "toolboxes") containing basic explanations, practice problems and suggested practical applications. All teachers are trained in toolbox use.The high school has cultivated a culture of innovation and collaboration through business-oriented management practices. The administration shares decision-making responsibilities with teachers about new hires, scheduling refinements, integrated learning practices, and technology use.  At the same time, teachers are held to a high professional standard that requires them to work a 195-day school year and take 60 hours of professional development annually. Teachers receive one to two percent salary bonuses if the graduating class meets MCAS performance goals and maintains a low dropout rate.

There are more such examples. It will take radical moves such as some of those above to make the reform a real movement. We now have a roadmap to reach that destination.

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