Mission: To educate all students for success in life

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Ongoing Overall Goals 2008-09

Academic achievement

Increase student academic achievement using data to guide adoption of curriculum, methods, materials, and professional development specifically designed to ensure that each group as designated by No Child Left Behind makes adequate yearly progress.

Supportive and effective learning environment

Establish and maintain a supportive and effective learning environment by:

• providing safe, caring, barrier-free schools;
• promoting health and wellness,
• continuing to retain, recruit and train highly qualified staff with an emphasis on improving staff diversity to better reflect our student body;
• challenging each student academically;
• maximizing opportunities for lifelong learning, including the development of 21st century skills;
• offering reinforcing extracurricular activities, and
• collaborating with other community agencies to maximize opportunities for lifelong learning.

Public accountability

Ensure public accountability through:

• continued participation in the state and federal required testing programs,
• continued preparation and publication of the Profile of Performance , budget basics, and budget and bond summaries,
• effective consultation with the community to ensure wise use of financial resources and responsible construction and maintenance of facilities; and
• effective communication with students, staff, parents, community and government at all levels.

Diversity in the Workforce

The ASD is committed to establishing an environment of respect and mutual collaboration by attracting and retaining a quality work force, at every level in the district, who are committed to providing a positive learning environment, who value diversity and who reflect the diversity of the Anchorage community and the relevant labor market.

Measurable Achievement Goals

We, the Anchorage School Board, Superintendent and district staff commit to the following:

1. Students will demonstrate increased academic achievement as indicated by improved performance on state measures of academic performance.  Students will meet the state-defined Annual Measurable Objective (AMO).

Indicators:

1. The percentage of students scoring not proficient in language arts and math will decrease by 10 percent in each AYP-designated student group.

Reporting Directions: Results will be reported in the inverse as the respective percents proficient.

Examples:

Given that the white group was 11.3 percent not proficient last year in language arts, they would need to reduce the percent not proficient by 1.13 percent. Therefore, the target will be met if the percent not proficient is 10.17. Reporting in the inverse, the target is 89.83 percent proficient.

Given that the special education group was 57.2 percent not proficient last year in language arts, they would need to reduce the percent not proficient by 5.72 percent. Therefore, the target will be met if the percent not proficient is 51.48. Reporting in the inverse, the target is 48.52 percent proficient.

2. In a year-to-year comparison, the percentage of students scoring proficient in reading on the Alaska Standards Based Assessment will increase by 2.5 percent in each AYP-designated student group in each grade level 3-10.

3. In a year-to-year comparison, the percentage of students scoring proficient in writing on the Alaska Standards Based Assessment will increase by 2.5 percent in each AYP-designated student group in each grade level 3-10.

4. In a year-to-year comparison, the percentage of students scoring proficient in mathematics on the Alaska Standards Based Assessment will increase by 2.5 percent in each AYP-designated student group in each grade level 3-10.

5. In a sequential cohort comparison, the percentage of students scoring proficient in mathematics on the Alaska Standards Based Assessment in the transition years of elementary to middle and middle to high school will be greater than the same students scoring proficient in the previous year (grade 6 to 7 and grade 8 to 9 will be compared).

6. In a year-to-year comparison, the achievement gap in language arts and math will decrease significantly between each AYP-designated ethnicity group and the white group, narrowing the achievement gap.

7. In a year-to-year comparison, the achievement gap in language arts and math will decrease significantly between the AYP-designated groups of economically disadvantaged and non-economically disadvantaged, limited English proficient and non-limited English proficient and disabled and non-disabled students.

8. The performance of the sequential cohort of students in grades 5, 7 and 9 will show an increase in the average scale score from the previous year on the writing content strands of Structures and Conventions of Writing and Revision.

9. In a year-to-year comparison, the percentage of students scoring proficient in science on the Alaska Standards Based Assessment will increase by 2.5 percent in each AYP-designated student group in grade levels 4, 8 and 10.

Performance is assessed on the Alaska Standards Based Assessment (grades 3-10).  These assessments provide information on the status of student group performance for each school at grade levels 3-10.

Results will also be provided on student performance in grade 10 on the Alaska High School Graduation Qualifying Exam (HSGQE) and on the cumulative performance of students in grades 11 and 12 at year-end by each AYP-designated student group.

Performance by students in grades 5 and 7 on the Terra Nova will be reported, though these scores are no longer included in the determination of adequate yearly progress.

Note: The state defined AMO for 2008-09 in language arts is 77.18 percent proficient and mathematics is 66.09 percent proficient.

2. A higher percentage of students will master reading skills and strategies to read proficiently at the end of grade 3.

Indicators:

1. In a year-to-year comparison, the percentage of students scoring proficient in reading on the Alaska Standards Based Assessment will increase by 2.5 percent in each AYP-designated student group in grade 3.

3. The percentage of students in accelerated math sequence will increase.

Indicators:

1. The percentage of students in each AYP-designated student group who successfully complete Algebra I in grade 8 or earlier with a grade of C or higher will increase by 5 percent in a year-to-year comparison.

2. The district will increase the percentage of students still enrolled in the Anchorage School District who successfully completed Algebra I with a B or better in grade 8 and are enrolled in Geometry or Algebra II in grade 9 and successfully complete the course with a C or higher.

4. The dropout rate will decrease.

Indicator:

1. The dropout rate of students in grades 7-12 will decrease by 5 percent in each AYP-designated group in a year-to-year comparison across the district and in each school.

Process Direction:

Students’ reported reasons for dropping out will be reported by grade levels 7-12.

5. The graduation rate will increase.

Indicator:

The graduation rate will increase by 5 percent from year-to-year in each AYP-designated student group across the district and in each school.

Reporting Direction:

The percentage of students enrolled in grade 9 in the district who are on-track to graduate at the end of their grade 9 year, including summer school, will increase. On-track means the student has earned a minimum of 5.5 credits and failed no more than one semester of a core subject.

6. The percent of high school students successfully completing higher-level courses will increase.

Indicators:

1. The district will maintain or increase the percent of students scoring in the 4th quartile (76-99 percent) on the TerraNova in grades 5 and 7.

2. There will be at least a 5 percent increase in each AYP-designated student group in the percent of high school students who successfully complete AP courses in a year-to-year comparison. “Successfully complete” is defined as passing the AP course with a grade of C or higher.

3. Of the students who have successfully completed an AP course with a grade of C or higher, there will be an increase in the percent of students in each AYP-designated student group who take the College Board AP examination.

4. There will be an increase in the number of seniors who have successfully completed at least one higher level math course as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics (classified as more challenging than algebra II) with a C or higher.

5. There will be an increase in the number of seniors who have completed at least one higher level science course as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics (classified as more challenging than biology) with a C or higher.

Process direction for middle and high school education:

1. The district will continue to explore various assessments to identify readiness for advanced courses in middle school, high school and college/work readiness.

7. Customer service and satisfaction will improve.

Indicator:

The district will increase the survey response rate and the Respectful Climate factor score measured in the student, staff and parent climate survey at the district and division levels.

8. Parent/guardian involvement will improve.

Indicators:

1. The Parent/Guardian and Community Involvement factor score reported in the staff climate survey will increase at the district and division levels.

2. The Parent/Guardian and Community Involvement factor score reported in the parent/guardian climate survey will increase at the district and division levels.

9. The ASD is committed to establishing an environment of respect and mutual collaboration by attracting and retaining a quality workforce, at every level in the district, who are committed to providing a positive learning environment, who value diversity and who reflect the diversity of the Anchorage community and the relevant labor market.

Indicator:

In a year-to-year comparison, the district will increase the percent of non-white employees in the overall workforce.

Approved August 25, 2008