Statement of community members responding to recent reports of results of the Five Year Plan initiatives – June 5, 2009

Two weeks ago, representatives of a variety of community organizations interested in education gathered for presentations on programs and initiatives included in the district’s Five-Year Plan. These presentations provided the results of the most recent assessments of student progress.

These results are remarkable. Frankly, those of us who heard them that morning were thrilled. We committed ourselves to sharing this good news – this great news – with the community.

While the community has spent much of the year focused on other issues, something else was going on in schools and homes throughout the district. Teachers were teaching. Parents were engaging. Students were learning. Gaps were closing.

The results reported to us on May 22nd demonstrate that, in the first year of its implementation, the district’s Five-Year Plan to close the opportunity gap is indeed succeeding. It is succeeding to the benefit of all students- all students.

Even though there may be questions about our school district, we believe the most important question is: how are our students doing? The answer given in these results is: our students are doing better – in fact, better than we hoped.

Even though there may be questions about any plan implemented to improve education in our district, we believe the most important question is: is the plan working? The answer given in these results is: the plan is working – in fact, it is exceeding our expectations.

The results also begin to provide an answer to that other question with which the community wrestles – can all students improve their performance? The answer to that question is: yes, all students can improve – all means all.

Here are the results we heard that we want to share with the community:

(1) ALL MEANS ALL.
a. Not only is the achievement gap narrowing, the proficiency gap for all students is closing.
b. Registrations for advance placement [AP] classes are up in all three district high schools.

(2) ALL MEANS EVEN MORE THAN WE EXPECTED.
a. The Five Year Plan interventions that provided additional time and support needed for students who have historically underachieved are good for ALL students.
b. Students enrolled in Read 180, Mathletics, and Voyager Math are showing exceptional growth.
c. These results are being seen not only in Tier 1 schools where the Five Year Plan interventions have been initially launched, but also (in the case of Read 180 and Voyager Math) in Tier 2 and 3 schools that have adapted these interventions early based upon the strong research supporting them.

(3) ALL TAKES ALL.
a. These results are not an indication of a school system that was somehow broken and is now getting somehow fixed. On the contrary, these results are possible because a school system that was strong is now getting stronger. These results are built upon a strong educational foundation already in place.
b. ALL that a student experiences in our schools – the complete educational experience that includes excellent instruction and a strong core curriculum – produces these results.
c. ALL of us who care about students are required to help them make these results possible.

In sum, here are what we believe are the important questions for this district and the answers the results are now giving us:

• Are students doing better? YES
• Is the Five Year Plan working? YES
• Does all mean all? YES

In closing we would add:

• Do we owe ALL who have taken up the hard work of making our schools stronger our thanks and continued support? YES
• Do we owe ALL students – who do the hard work of learning, who embrace these opportunities to achieve and improve – our admiration, best wishes, and whatever it takes to ensure their continued success? Emphatically, yes, YES, we do.

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The following persons were participants in the discussions that resulted in the statement above (affiliations are included for reference): Dave Beal, United Way of Olmsted County; John Edmonds, Olmsted County; Karen Erlenbusch, United Way of Olmsted County; Patrick Gannon, Child Care Resource and Referral; Jenny Hegland, Winona State University – Rochester; Margo Herman, University of Minnesota Youth Work Institute; Kay Hocker, Diversity Council; Marlene Jehnke, Girl Scouts; Colleen Maddox, Rochester Community and Technical College; Mike Podulke, Olmsted County; Nancy Sears, Reading Center; Sandy Simar, Head Start; Kristine Stensland, Child Care Resource and Referral; George B. Thompson, Community Member; Barbara Zelinske, Reading Center.

This group is grateful for the opportunity to discuss the results reported above with the following representatives of the district: Fred Daly, Board member; Susanne Griffin-Ziebart, Executive Director of School Improvement and Accountability; and Rachel Hicks, Communication Coordinator.