St Croix Preparatory Academy Upper School Progress Plan

St. Croix Preparatory Academy Upper School Progress Plan Curriculum and Instruction Improvement Plan 2011 -12 Karen Klinzing, Upper School Director

Mission and Vision St. Croix Preparatory Academy (SCPA) is a K-12 school that will develop each student’s academic potential, personal character and leadership qualities through an academically rigrorous and content rich educational program grounded in the classical tradition. SCPA’s Upper School program (grades 9 -12) will ensure that all SCPA graduates are prepared to be admitted to a selective college.

District/School Characteristics • K-12 public charter: 1, 000+ students • Mirror demographics of the resident district (ISD #834) • 11% Special Education • 12% Free and Reduced Price Lunch • 96% AYP Attendance Rate • 100%Graduation Rate

Upper School Enrollment Freshm an Sophomores Junior Senior Total Increase 2009 65 -10 22 12 25 (First) 124 +65 2010 82 2011 65 22 11 180 +56 2011 75 -12 87 68 22 252 +72 2012 85 -13 75 87 68 315 +63 2013 85 -14 85 75 87 332 (FULL) +15

Inspiring Great Thinkers SCPA Math Proficiency 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Class 2012 Class 2014 Class 2015 Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development

MCA Math Proficiency: Comparing to Neighbors 90 80 SCPA LIONS 70 Stillwater 60 Woodbury 50 East Ridge 40 Mahtomedi Wayzata 30 Edina 20 Bloomington 10 0 State Met Spring 2011

Math Proficiency Data Source • Class of 2012, Seniors, data based on MCA II Grade 11 taken in Spring 2011 • Class of 2014, Sophomores, data based on MCA II, Grade 8 taken in Spring 2010 • Class of 2015, Freshman, data based on MCA III, more rigorous 2007 state standards Grade 8, taken in Spring 2011 • Meets category includes scores for exceeds

Math Proficiency Trends • Juniors performed better on the test; but that test was the MCA II, not the MCA III which is the newer • Our school did not score competitively to neighboring schools • Our test cohort was less than 1/3 of what it will be at full capacity • K-8 scores did not keep up with MCA II to III change over which is coming for us in 2014

Inspiring Great Thinkers SCPA Grade 10 Reading Proficiency 100 90 80 70 60 50 Lions 40 State 30 20 10 0 Class 2012 Class 2013 Class 2014 Lions 2015 Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development

MCA Reading Proficiency: Comparing to Neighbors 100 90 SCPA LIONS 80 Stillwater 70 Woodbury 60 East Ridge 50 Mahtomedi 40 Wayzata 30 Edina 20 Bloomington 10 State Met 0 Spring 2011

Reading Proficiency Data Source • Class of 2012, Seniors, data based on MCA II Grade 10 taken in Spring 2010 • Class of 2013, Juniors, data based on MCA II, taken in Grade 10 Spring 2011 • Class of 2014, Sophomores, data based on MCA II, Grade 8 taken in Spring 2010 • Class of 2015, Freshman, data based on MCA II, Grade 8, taken in Spring 2011 • Meets category includes scores for exceeds

Reading Proficiency Data Trends • Third highest in list of competing and neighboring schools • Improved since last year • New standards are raising Lexile levels

Inspiring Great Thinkers SCPA College Readiness Class of 2011 100 90 80 70 Lions 60 State 50 Nation 40 30 20 10 0 College Algebra Composition Social Science All 4 Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development

Inspiring Great Thinkers SCPA College Readiness Grads ‘ 11 v ‘ 10 Al l 4 e nc ie Sc e nc cia l. S cie sit i po m Co So Co lle ge Al ge br a on 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 Grads 2011 30 Grads 2010 20 10 0 Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development

Data Source • Based on ACT scores of SCPA graduating class of 2011 and/or 2011 • 2011 Based on 9 of 13 graduates tested • 2010 25 graduates tested

Inspiring Great Thinkers Are SCPA Student On Track for College Readiness? 30 25 Grads 2011 Seniors Juniors Sophomores 20 15 10 5 Al l 4 Sc ie nc e g in ad Re sh gli En M at he m at ic s 0 Through Academics, Leadership, and Character Development

Data Source • • Sophomores – 2010/11 Explore Juniors – missing 2010/11 Seniors - 2009/10 PLAN Grads – 2010/11 ACT

Most Commonly Used Concepts and Skills on the Minnesota State Tests (MCA’s) CONCEPTS SKILLS Bias Pro and Con Credibility Inform Persuade Justify Analyze Infer/Deduce Conclude Order Outline Stereotype Pattern Cause Effect Interpret Summarize Support Examine Classify Defend Determine Generalize Compare/Contrast Synthesize Distinguish Evaluate

Percent Meeting Mark English Core is More 1 st credit 2 nd credit 3 rd credit 4 th credit Additional credits Percent college ready English 9 English 10 English 11 English 12 81 English 9 English 10 English 11 English 12 English Year 1 English Year 2 English Year 3 Additional English Courses 77 66

Percent Meeting Mark Mathematics Core is More Most SCPA Students Reach before High School 1 st credit 2 nd credit 3 rd credit 4 th credit Percent score college ready Algebra 1 Algebra 2 Geometry Trig Calculus 80 Algebra 1 Algebra 2 Geometry Trig Advanced Math 67 Algebra 1 Algebra 2 Geometry Advanced Math 50 Algebra 1 Algebra 2 Geometry Trig 46 Algebra 1 Algebra 2 Geometry 25

Percent Meeting Mark Science Core is More I credit 2 nd Credit 3 rd Credit 4 th Credit 5 th or more Credits Percent score college ready General Science Biology Chemistry Physics 52 Biology Chemistry Physics 57 General Science Biology Chemistry 32 General Science Natural Science Other Natural Science Elective 35 General Science Other Science Elective 19

Percent Meeting Mark Social Science Core is More 1 credit 2 nd credit 3 rd credit ½ or Full Credit Percent college ready World History US History American Government Other Social Science 65 World History US History American Government 61 Social Science Year 2 Social Science Year 3 64 Social Science Year 1 Social Science Year 2 None 59 36

Current Program Assets • Classically Trained Mind over the summer • Professional Learning Communities – Gates-Mc. Ginty Assessment – Math Standard Unpacking – PD Aligned to PLC goals – Aligned QCOMP SMART Goals • • Paidiea Seminar Trained and implementing K-12 Vertical Planning College Counselor AP Training and Consultant

Data Driven Instructional Plan: Overall Instruction • Goal: Increase reading comprehension to college prep levels – Require QCOMP PLC’s to focus on reading comprehension strategies • Goal: Monitor desired increases in students’ academic proficiency and college readiness levels – Structure professional development days to use data driven instruction (e. g. October) – Implement useful grade level assessments at every grade level • Goal: Increase # of students taking the college prep core – Hired college counselor; increased the frequency of advisory; ensuring register for core coursework in 2012

DDI Plan: Upper School Reading • Gap: Need to know student level reading lexiles to plan individualized reading improvement plans – Plan: administer the Gates Mc. Ginty Reading Comprehension Test to all students grade 5 -12; formative assessments in form of 5 item quizzes every 10 days • Gap: College ready reading needs to be reinforced across the curriculum – Plan: Identified 5 comprehension strategies for building…being implemented throughout the building; purchased college prep level history books; Notetaking strategies across subjects; established the Canon; aligning to new Common Core Literacy standards

DDI Plan: Upper School Mathematics • Gap: Only have assessment data for eighth and eleventh grades – Plan: implement EPAS grades 7 -11, create placement exams to be used and pre and post tests with all students • Gap: New Math Standards are more rigorous, not sure how/if our curriculum aligns – Plan: Curriculum and Standards Mapping and accelerating student math curriculum K-12 (November 2011)

DDI Plan: Upper School Science • Gap: Not all Students are taking core science classes – Plan: Re-sequence the Science Courses so that the Physics Class is before the ACT. Advise students to take more core science courses. • Gap: Need to ensure that all students take needed science curriculum in time for test – Plan: Curriculum mapping to ACT/college expectations and state standards/ test specifications and grade levels it is tested in

DDI Plan: Upper School Social Studies • Gap: Strengthen link of Social Studies to literacy goals of the college prep curriculum – Plan: Increase text complexity of history text book, co-plan and integrate social studies and English curriculum, add Canon books to History courses, increase rigor of critical thinking in courses with College Board AP alignment • Gap: Lack of information of student progress in Social Studies year to year – Plan: Implement EPAS grades 7 -11

Checking On Progress Assessment Current 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year MCA Math Proficiency 60. 9% 67% 74% 81% 88% MCA Reading Proficiency 82% 85% 88% 91% 94% % Reaching ACT College Readiness 36% Benchmark in all four areas 36% 40% 50% 60% 100% Applies to and is Accepted to a Selective College UNCALCULATED TO DATE

Sources for School Improvement Plan ACT College Readiness Standards (November 2011) http: //www. act. org/standard/ Bambrick-Santoyo, P. (2010) Driven By Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction. Jossey Bass: San Francisco. Conley, D. (2005) College Knowledge: What it Really Take for Students to Succeed and What We Can Do to Get Them Ready. Jossey Bass: San Francisco Mc. Conachie, S. and Pretrosky, R. (2010) Content Matters. A Disciplinary Literacy Approach to Improve Students Learning. Jossey Bass: San Francisco. Minnesota Department Education Academic Standards and Assessment, November 2011. http: //education. state. mn. us/MDE/Academic_Excellence/Academic_Stan dards/index. html Naviance (November 2011) http: //www. mnacac. org/mc/page. do; jsessionid=18229 C 8 E 05 D 46620070 A 88 A 7752 E 9 F 01. mc 0? site. Page. Id=99955.