By Dr. Steven Paine
Cherry River Elementary School in Nicholas County was a school in trouble. Not only did teachers face challenges with a student body composed mostly of children from poverty-stricken homes, but they also faced a cultural bias that led to low parental involvement.
Armed with a grant as one of West Virginia’s first Innovation Zones, the school is making a complete turnaround—student achievement, teacher voice and community involvement have never been higher. Nicholas County Superintendent Beverly Kingery attributes the school’s success to freedom from state time restrictions that allowed educators to try something different.
“They are concentrating on just math and reading all morning,” Kingery says. “Then in the afternoon every student does a walk to intervention based on individual needs. Whether the student is gifted or needs extra help, every child gets special attention based on their individual needs. It is a simple idea that teachers now have the time to put into action.”
Providing individualized instruction is critical to the success of Piedmont Elementary School’s Innovation Zone in Kanawha County. The year-round school has created a Personalized Education Plan for every child in first through fifth grade, something usually reserved just for children identified with special needs. In addition, the school has replaced traditional letter grades with a composite narrative that will be provided to parents at the completion of each instructional quarter. Jay Smink, executive director of the National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University, has recognized Piedmont for its personalized plan and has asked the school to share the innovation at the dropout center’s national conference.
“We have gleaned much more detailed information that will offer future teachers the insights and historical data that compliments the learning styles of each child,” says Principal Steve Knighton. “The narratives are providing parents a portal into their child’s daily education unlike anything yet attempted. It is difficult, time-consuming work for every participating teacher. Yet, we believe this process will enhance the likelihood of increased student achievement.”
Across the country, innovation has become a mantra for schools and other organizations facing unprecedented pressures to increase student achievement amidst worldwide competition. In West Virginia, the School Innovation Zones Act, adopted last year, encourages schools to innovate by allowing certain state laws, rules and policies to be waived. Such provisions give teachers and principals greater local control over the curriculum, schedule and site-based leadership in their schools.
By giving teachers the opportunity to make changes, we are giving them the freedom to implement research-based 21st century teaching and learning, an essential component of West Virginia’s 21st century improvement plan called “Global21: Students deserve it. The world demands it.” In doing so, they are adapting to changing times and embracing new ideas and new teaching strategies so that our children prosper in the global economy of the 21st century.
I am proud of the positive results Innovation Zones are spurring in public schools and look forward to the new round of Innovation Zone awards to be announced in January 2011. Still, I know Innovation Zones are just one of the many bright lights shining on educational systems across West Virginia. West Virginia teachers, administrators and parents want the best for our children. Together, we have embraced a renewed focus and dedication to helping students become college and career ready when they graduate from our high schools.
We are doing this at schools across the state by incorporating 21st century performance skills into a rigorous core curriculum. Educators and students alike are meeting the challenges of “Global21: Students deserve it. The world demands it.” Global21 is more than a slogan. At its core is the systemic change that must occur from preschool to high school if our children are to be successful in an ever-changing world.
We are seeing the benefits of this change in better student performance across the board on the West Virginia Educational Standards Test 2, the SAT and ACT college entrance exams and the job skills assessment called Work Keys given to career and technical education students. We also have a high school graduation rate that exceeds the national average.
Specifically, results on the 2010 WESTEST2 showed improvement in math and reading/language arts. Of the 694 schools accountable under No Child Left Behind, 538, or 81 percent, made Adequate Yearly Progress. Student scale scores increased in nearly all grade levels in both math and reading.
In our high schools, West Virginia students’ SAT scores have not only significantly improved but also continue to outperform students across the nation. West Virginia students scored an average 515 in critical reading, a seven-point increase from the 2009 score of 508. This year’s math mean score increased 10 points to 509 from 499 in 2009. The 2010 writing mean score increased six points to 501 from 495 in 2009.
Our high school students are also doing well on the ACT college entrance exam. The average composite score of all West Virginia students who took the ACT in 2010 remained the same at 20.7. At the same time, the nation’s composite score dropped from 21.1 to 21.
The state 2010 ACT average English score of 20.7 ranked above the national average of 20.5. The state average science score increased to 20.6, one point higher than the 2009 score. The West Virginia average score in mathematics remained at 19.6 in 2010. The state ACT average reading score is the same as the national score of 21.3.
Students enrolled in our career and technical education (CTE) programs leave school with a certification that nearly guarantees employment. In fact, our CTE programs have a 98 percent job placement rate.
West Virginia students also are graduating from high school at a greater percentage than those across the nation, according to Diplomas Count 2010: Graduation by the Numbers, Putting Data to Work for Student Success. The report shows that more than 71 percent of students in West Virginia received their high school diplomas in 2007, compared to a national graduation rate of about 69 percent. That’s good, but I know we can do better and we are well on our way.
West Virginia public schools are on a journey to prepare students who are the most prepared of any other generation. We continue to teach the basics, including English, math, science, foreign languages and the arts. It is our core mission. In addition, our students are learning an improved and expanded curriculum infused with world-class rigor aligned with national and international standards.
We have updated our Content Standards and Objectives to incorporate 21st century performance skills, including problem solving, critical thinking and collaboration. West Virginia has an updated assessment in WESTEST2 to better gauge learning.
We owe it to our students to believe in their ability to reach a higher bar and to support them with what it takes to reach it. Our students need rigorous standards if they are to have real choices in the future. Hard work and dedication truly do change the lives of our students for the better so that they can fulfill their potential.
Despite these improvements, we often hear criticism about West Virginia and our educational system. All too often we are our loudest critics-—not those outside our state. While some comments may have been true in the past, most no longer are. When you hear negative comments, I ask you to challenge the statements. Yes, we can do better, and we are making great strides by working together—educators and business leaders, legislators and parents.
The road to excellence is a long journey and the trek begins with a single step. We have yet to complete our journey, but we are well on our way to creating one of the best educational systems that meets national and international standards. Pauline Kezer, a former secretary of state in Connecticut and president of the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation, once said, “Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.” By acknowledging our shortcomings and making the necessary changes, together we are helping West Virginia schoolchildren reach new heights.
