2. DISTRICT PRESENTATION AND PARENT RESPONSE
This slide show was originally presented by
Heidi Pace, Superintendent of Summit District
Schools at a community forum to discuss
Equal Access. Commentary is provided by
Jessica Wald to provide a different perspective
on the issues facing the district.

3. WHAT IS EQUAL ACCESS
An educational approach that
provides all students
rigorous curriculum ..

4. COMMENTARY ON “WHAT IS EQUAL ACCESS”
Commentary: We all want our schools to provide all students rigorous curriculum.
The School District is using the term “Equal Access” to refer to THEIR VERSION of
an educational model that HAS THE GOAL of providing all students a rigorous
curriculum. In the District model, all students are given the same curriculum in a
classroom that includes all ability levels. In this model, there are no remedial,
standard or honors level classes. All students are enrolled in an “honors level”
curriculum, with the assumption that all students can achieve at or near the highest
level. It is unknown whether the District’s model will be challenging to high ability
students or too difficult for struggling students. It is undetermined whether there will
be significant differentiation by learning ability in these classrooms. So it is not a
foregone conclusion that continued implementation of the District’s Equal Access
model will be successful in providing all students rigorous curriculum.

5. THE GOALS OF EQUAL ACCESS
• To raise achievement levels of all students
• To prepare more students for post-secondary
education
• To increase enrollment in DP, AP and CMC
classes in the high school
• To ensure equity and access for all of our
students so that all students are assured a
high-quality education regardless of differences
(SSD Strategic Plan Goal)

6. COMMENTARY: GOALS OF EQUAL ACCESS
Commentary: The problem with this slide is that it implies
that if you are opposed to the District’s version of Equal
Access, you are opposed to these goals. This slide might be
better titled “District Objectives”. It is certainly possible to
support, and even applaud, these goals and yet oppose the
model that the district has selected to achieve them. The
District should be exploring other models that could be more
powerful and raise achievement levels for all students
including the highest ability students.

7. WHY EQUAL ACCESS
Only 25% of students were accessing higher level
curriculum
Single digit representation of English Language
Learners and low SES students in high level
courses
ELL graduation rate is 52% (overall graduation
rate 90%)
83% of our students are college bound and
therefore need the higher level curriculum
Significant achievement gaps exist between our
subgroups

8. COMMENTARY: WHY EQUAL ACCESS I
Commentary: These are universal concerns that need to be addressed.
Whether or not the District’s Equal Access model will solve these issues is
unclear. For example, what did it mean that only 25% of students were
accessing higher level curriculum? What was that curriculum? If it was a true
honors class targeted to the highest ability students, maybe 25% is good.
However, if the standard curriculum was not rigorous for most students than
that was a problem for those classes. Maybe the issue also was that the
honors level classes were not truly high level, and not as rigorous as they
should have been. So does putting all students in “Honors” and saying now
they all have rigor, reflect reality? Maybe our previous honors classes were
appropriate for all students but less than rigorous for our high ability students.
Did the district consider increasing the rigor in BOTH standard and honors
classes rather than eliminating honors?

9. WHY EQUAL ACCESS
CADI Report (CDE Audit) – Offer high level
curriculum to all students
BOE Charge for Summit High School
Reform
District ELL plan calls for ensuring access
to advanced curriculum (59% gap in
literacy)

10. COMMENTARY: WHY EQUAL ACCESS II
Commentary: Equal Access is only a model to respond to these issues.
By implementing “Honors for All” classrooms, is the district really offering
high level curriculum to ALL students, including the highest ability
students? Are struggling students able to keep up? The District ELL Plan
calls for ensuring access to advanced curriculum. However, that access
did exist prior to Equal Access. There were no tests, teacher
recommendations, or standardized test requirements to take an honors
class. All a student had to do was sign up. That stated, support for high
ability ELL students was lacking in the honors classrooms. Language,
cultural, peer group and other barriers have no doubt prevented many of
these students from taking honors classes. These issues could be
addressed without elimination of honors classes.

11. HOW IS IT CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTED?
All 6-10th grade students are enrolled in IB MYP
All 9th and 10th grade students are enrolled in
Honors Civics and Economics; Honors World
History; Honors Earth and Physical Science;
Honors General Biology
Curriculum extensions are provided through the
SMS and SHS schedule
Ongoing Professional Development and coaching
for staff
Teachers teaching these classes differentiate
instruction for various levels of learners and
use other strategies (best first instruction,
cluster grouping, etc.) to meet students’ needs

12. COMMENTARY: IMPLEMENTATION
Commentary: What is not stated is that Honors Level classes in
6th, 7th and 8th grades have been eliminated, and that there are no
separate honors level classrooms in 9th and 10th grade Civics and
Economics, World History, Earth and Physical Sciences or General
Biology. The SMS schedule provides extensions in Math and
Reading in 3 week blocks (3 weeks math, followed by 3 weeks
reading). The SMS schedule does not provide extensions for
Language Arts, Science or Humanities. The SHS schedule has 8th
hour classes that provide additional classes but no specific honors
level extensions.