A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

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News Media Contact: Melinda Kitchell Malico (202) 401-1576
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May 7, 1998

TURNING AROUND LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS; EDUCATION DEPARTMENT RELEASES GUIDEBOOK

• In New York, a four-day review process of low-performing schools includes an intense examination of the school's leadership, curriculum, assessment, parent involvement, physical facilities and teacher quality. Everyone from the custodial staff to the principal is interviewed. Afterwards, a corrective action plan is drawn up to address deficiencies.

• A team effort for school improvement in Kentucky identifies troubled schools' academic programs as "in decline" or "in crisis," triggering entry into a state school improvement program that offers more state funding, tailored action plans and rigorous self-evaluation.

• A San Francisco principal asks teachers to strive for a new set of high teacher expectations in a reconstituted school, and hints that if they prefer the status quo, they should consider looking for a position elsewhere.

State and local examples of these types of efforts and information on what needs to be done to turn around low-performing schools -- and how states, districts and communities can approach school change -- are included in a new U.S. Department of Education guidebook, Turning Around Low-Performing Schools: a Guide for State and Local Leaders.

"We cannot and must not tolerate failing schools," said U.S. Education Secretary Richard W. Riley. "We need to stop making excuses and get on with the business of fixing our schools.

"Across the nation, there are schools that are taking significant steps to change what happens between teachers and students in the classroom, concentrating their efforts on dramatically improving student learning and achievement. Turning around low-performing schools is a huge undertaking, but it is the responsibility of school, community and state leaders across America."

Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress show that the academic performance of students in our nation's highest-poverty schools can be several grade levels behind that of students in low-poverty schools. What do low-performing schools look like? The most critical issue is that such schools do not focus on learning, the report notes. Often the environment is not conducive to learning -- teachers are burnt out, school safety is a problem, and students, parents and the community are disengaged. Schools often hold low expectations for students and offer course work that is not demanding.

To achieve accountability, states and communities first need to identify low-performing schools. Districts and states must examine schools to determine, for instance, if teachers and principals are effective and well trained; if the school has high standards and a strong curriculum; whether student absenteeism, transfers and dropout rates are high; and how students perform on assessments. Texas, for example, annually collects performance data on all students to measure and rate school and student progress and rates schools "acceptable" if at least 40 percent of students in a school, as well as those in each racial and economic category, pass the state assessment. These data are made public and levels termed "acceptable" are increased over time.

Once identified, turning around low-performing schools is not easy. The most important area of reform for low-performing schools is providing high-quality curricula and instruction that help children reach challenging academic standards. All aspects of the school's operations, from strong leadership to professional development to community involvement, must support and sustain efforts to upgrade curricula and instruction and improve student achievement.

Districts can help schools focus on teaching and learning to high standards by:

• helping schools gain control of the learning environment by, for example, setting and enforcing discipline policies;
• encouraging schools to challenge all students to take rigorous course work;
• supporting district policies to extend learning time;
• creating a professional development program aligned with the curriculum and focused on improving instruction;
• providing services so that young children come to school ready to learn; and,
• helping schools implement comprehensive school reform programs.

Support and leadership from the school district can build the capacity of low-performing schools to improve student achievement by setting priorities such as:

• building strong leadership at the school;
• promoting policies that encourage teacher commitment to reform;
• using resources strategically;
• working in partnership with the community;
• helping schools use performance data to drive improvement;
• providing incentives for change and support for innovation.

If schools don't meet standards, states and districts must take steps to intervene, reorganize, restructure or close schools. Twenty-three states have policies for intervening and mandating major changes in such schools and 17 states grant this authority to districts. Reconstitution is a radical "last resort" intervention with wide-ranging ramifications not only for the schools involved but for the entire district and community.

Several U. S. Department of Education programs are designed to help states and districts support improvement and create the means to hold schools accountable for student achievement. The new Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program is designed to help schools implement comprehensive reforms and turn schools around. Under Title I, the largest program of aid to low-income schools, states must establish standards and assessment systems to measure the progress of all children and to identify schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress. Goals 2000 funds can be used to raise standards of teaching and learning. In addition, President Clinton has also proposed several initiatives to help increase student achievement including:

• Education Opportunity Zones
• Reducing Class Size in the Early Grades
• America Reads Challenge
• After-School Programs -- 21st Century Community Learning Centers
• Funding to Modernize and Build Schools.

The guide includes an inventory of department resources to help states and districts improve low-performing schools. It responds to President Clinton's October 1997 directive to Riley to produce guidelines on ways to turn around low-performing schools and help cities and states use existing department resources to do so. The directive states that no school improvement strategy can succeed without real accountability for results, as measured by student achievement."

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