The document discusses strategies that a school is implementing to improve 6th grade reading scores on standardized tests. It notes that reading scores fluctuated from 2007-2010 but jumped significantly in 2011 for both the school and district. To further increase scores, the school will implement a "One Book, One School" program, require close reading exercises in all classes, and develop a literacy calendar to promote reading strategies across subjects. Input from parents and families is sought to support these upcoming changes.

2. Let’s Talk Data!
Successful schools are constantly changing and
trying new things to help their students.
Administrators use data to help identify areas of
need and determine whether or not strategies are
working.
These changes only work if they have the support of
the students and families in the school. I’d like to tell
you about a couple changes I think will help our
students in the coming year, and I’d like to take this
opportunity to share my thought process with you!

3. 6th Grade Reading Scores
for the last 5 years:
Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Percent
Passing*
61 59 60 58 65
* A score of 3 or higher is considered passing FCAT Reading

4. What Does This Mean?
Over the last five years the percentage of 6th
grade students scoring a 3 or higher on the
FCAT Reading test has ranged from 58% to 65%.
The scores fluctuated slightly from 2007 to
2010, then jumped a significant 7 percentage
points in one year.

5. Let’s Compare, Shall We?
Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Percent
Passing
58 58 63 64 71
Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Percent
Passing
61 59 60 58 65
Smith Middle School Scores
District Scores

6. What Does This Tell Us?
While the district scores do not mirror those of
Smith Middle School exactly, they also fluctuated
slightly over the first four years shown and also
jumped by quite a bit from 2010 to 2011.
This indicates that the same factors caused the
school and district scores to jump in one year.
When trying to identify what those factors
were, we need to look at changes made that
would have effected other schools as well.

7. What Are We Doing Right?
Mrs. Robinson and her World History students
incorporated literature circles into her social studies
class.
Our Reading teachers have conducted lesson
studies together and meet regularly to plan as a unit.
Our PTA sponsors an out of school “One Book, One
Community” book group with students and parents
reading the same book over a month.

8. What Will We Do
Differently Next Year?
In an effort to increase reading scores on next
year’s FCAT 2.0 Reading test we are going to try
a couple new strategies.
Please take a moment to take a look at what
we’re planning. We’ll all be more successful if
we’re on the same page!

9. One Book, One School
Next year we’ll take the PTA’s “One Book”
program and expand it into the school day. We’ll
choose one book to read across grade levels
and subjects. Each class will create activities
that connect their curriculum with the book, and
school wide assemblies will be used to allow for
activities between grades.

10. Close Readings
Every class will be required to conduct at least one close
reading a semester.
Close readings involve reading a new, difficult text and
working cooperatively to understand what the passage
says.
Students will use a common annotation guide to mark the
passage and will use reading strategies to analyze the
meaning and intent of the document.
Close Readings are directly in line with the new Common
Core Standards.

11. School Wide Literacy
Calendar
The reading department will develop a calendar
indicating which reading strategies should be taught
across subjects throughout the year.
Examples of these strategies would be:
highlighting, personal clues, compare and
contrast, etc.
Focusing on these strategies in different classes
throughout the school day will hopefully make them
second nature.

12. What Does This Mean To
You?
The most successful students do not necessarily
have the most innate talents for education. They
do, however, have a powerful support system. It
takes all of us: parents, teachers, and
administrators, to lead our students to their
highest level of achievement. The school needs
your support to work effectively.

13. Thanks For Your Time!
Thank you for taking the time to listen to our
ideas, and we welcome any input you may have.
If you are watching this on the internet, please
take the time to join us at the next PTA meeting.