Through analyzing achievement data, providing targeted instruction and intervention, and offering professional development, Wildwood Elementary worked to increase the academic performance of its low-income students in mathematics. Key aspects of the intervention included coordinating support services, adhering to mathematical targets, and examining data frequently. As a result, Wildwood closed the achievement gap between low-income and non-low-income students in both reading and mathematics, earned recognition as a School of Distinction, and was removed from the state's list of failing schools.

1. Tell me what you pay attention to and I will tell you who you are.
Jose Ortega y Gasset, Spanish Philosopher, 1883

15. MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT OF LOW
INCOME STUDENTS AT WILDWOOD
ELEMENTARY
THROUGH DATA ANALYSIS, TARGETED
INTERVENTION AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Heather McMullen
Professional Principal and Program Administrator Certification
University of Washington, Tacoma
December 3, 2012

16. Intervention Goals


To increase the number of low-income students meeting
standard in reading and mathematics as measured by the
Washington state MSP test grades 3-6 and DIBELS district
benchmark reading tests grades K-6 (2.1/2.2).
To provide systematic professional development to staff
regarding the culture of poverty and ways to support students
and families in poverty (2.3).

17. Keys to the Intervention
Developing
Professionally
Examining
Data
Building Capacity
Celebrating
Strengths

18. Wildwood Elementary

Serving 542 Students
 Built
in 1966
 53% Free and Reduced (2011)
 21% Special Education
 Pre-School to Sixth Grade

Staff
 28
classroom teachers and 25 support
staff
 16.3 years average experience

19. Changing Demographics
• Ninety percent of staff
at Wildwood had
worked there 10 years
or more
Percentage of Wildwood Students on Free and Reduced Lunch
60
Percentage of Student Body
• Number of students on
free and reduced
lunch almost tripled
from 2005 to 2011
50
40
30
Free and Reduced
Lunch
20
10
0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
• In 2011, 53.1% of all
Wildwood students
qualified as lowincome
Year

20. Analyzing Data –
artifact 1
• Persistent Achievement
Gap between non-low
income and low income
students
• Achievement Gap from
16% to 50%
• AYP pressures related
to progress of low
income students
• Depleted resources
due to sanctions

21. High Stakes Challenge
Elementary Uniform Bar (3-5)
88.1%
100
100
88.1
90
76.1
Percent Meeting Standard
80
70
79.0
64.2
64.9
60
52.2
58.0
50
47.3
40
Reading
Mathematics
30
29.7
58%
20
10
0
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014

22. Intervening and Instructing -artifact 2
 Intervention,
Special Education and Title 1
coordination
 Schedule constructed around Instructional Blocks

23. Coordinated Services -artifact 2
 Common
Grade Level Reading and Math
Blocks
 Common Grade Level Intervention Blocks
 Included Special Education and Title schedule
coordination

24. Adhering to Targets -artifact 3
 Shift
to teaching to grade level
expectations in reading



Facilitated deep knowledge of state test question
stems
Wrote questions for a variety of reading materials
and levels (K-6)
Planned instruction and assessment of reading
comprehension strategies at all grade levels
 Aligned
mathematics instruction to
performance expectations



Met with teachers to deepen knowledge of tested
math targets
Wrote “student friendly” targets with success criteria
Coordinated grade level team meetings to align
current curriculum and supplement when needed

25. Adhering to Targets -artifact 3
 Students


assessed frequently in reading comprehension and mathematics
Grade levels teams met weekly to adjust groups based on assessments
Teachers communicated with parents weekly via progress reports from small
groups
 Instruction


in small groups based on skill deficits
Groups were grade level flexible
Students moved out of groups when the target skill was attained

26. Examining Data
-artifact 4
 Data
Spreadsheets compiled for team
discussions
 Multiple
levels and multiple data points entered
 MSP, DIBELS, CBAs, Intervention materials
assessment
 Data included multiple years of data
 Patterns in the data were highlighted
 Interventions for each student recorded
 Data sheets public and maintained for multiple
school years

27. Examining Data – artifact 4
 Data
Days 3x per year
 Shift in ownership – “my kids” vs. “our kids”
 Predictions and Commitments made publicly

28. Developing Professionally -artifact 5
 Focus
on:
 Gaining
poverty
knowledge
 Connecting with families
 Communication and
teaching styles
 Examining our biases
 Honoring students’
strengths
Prepared and Facilitated 6
 Knowing local resources
sessions
1.5 hours each – all Wildwood

29. Building Capacity and Connections
-artifact 6
Tour of local community resources in
order to build capacity and knowledge
 Bus
Tour
 St. Francis House
 Puyallup Food Bank
 Staff donations

30. On-site resources for struggling
families and support from
PTA, Wildwood Staff and District Staff
 Wildwood clothing bank
 Wildwood food bank
 Homework helpers

31. Celebrating Accomplishments
-artifact 7
Special Recognition:
Closing the Achievement
Gap 2011
Washington School
of Distinction in
2011

32. Out of the 1,388
schools on the
A.Y.P. failing
list, only 35
elementary
schools earned
their way off the
needs
improvement list.
Wildwood
Elementary beats

33. Students at
Wildwood
scored
above the
district and
the state in
reading and
math in
2011.

34. Closing the Achievement Gap
Over 85% of Wildwood
3rd Grade low income
students met standard in
reading in 2011.
We closed the gap in Reading (5.1% difference)
We closed the gap in Math (8.4% difference)
How can we raise math scores for all 3rd
grade students?

35. INCREASING THE READING AND MATHEMATICS
ACHIEVEMENT OF LOW INCOME STUDENTS
AT WILDWOOD ELEMENTARY
Profession
al
Developme
nt
Targeted
Instruction
and
Interventio
n
Data
Analysis
Building
Relationships
and
Connections