William H. Kelso Elementary School School Accountability Report Card, Inglewood Unified School District

Transcription

1 William H. Kelso Elementary School School Accountability Report Card, » An annual report to the community about teaching, learning, test results, resources, and measures of progress in our school. Published by SCHOOL WISE PRESS

2 William H. Kelso Elementary School School Accountability Report Card, This School Accountability Report Card (SARC) provides information that can be used to evaluate and compare schools. State and federal laws require all schools to publish a SARC each year. The information in this report represents the school year, not the current school year. In most cases, this is the most recent data available. We present our school s results next to those of the average elementary school in the county and state to provide the most meaningful and fair comparisons. To find additional facts about our school online, please use the DataQuest tool offered by the California Department of Education. If you are reading a printed version of this report, note that words that appear in a smaller, bold typeface are links in the online version of this report to even more information. You can find a master list of those linked words, and the Web page addresses they are connected to, at: links_2010_en.html Reports about other schools are available on the California Department of Education Web site. Internet access is available in local libraries. How to Contact Our School 809 East Kelso St. Inglewood, CA Principal: Ugema Hosea-James Phone: (310) How to Contact Our District 401 South Inglewood Ave. Inglewood, CA Phone: (310) Contents ONLINE USERS: CLICK ON A TITLE TO JUMP TO THAT SECTION Principal s Message Measures of Progress Student Achievement Students Climate for Learning Leadership, Teachers, and Staff Resources School Expenditures Adequacy of Key Resources Data Almanac Published by SCHOOL WISE PRESS 385 Ashton Ave., Ste. 200 San Francisco, CA Phone: (415) Publishing 20/20

3 William H. Kelso Elementary School School Accountability Report Card, » Principal s Message College Begins at Kelso! The foundations of instruction at Kelso are based on a rigorous curriculum, sound instructional practices, high performance expectations, and a sincere spirit of collaboration between the various members of the Kelso community, which results in a climate of excellence and achievement. The latest Academic Performance Index (API) of 802 aptly demonstrates our commitment to the goal of consistent progress and achievement for all students. Kelso s strong emphasis on achievement and accountability has led to local and national recognition of our efforts. Our successes have been the object of media attention for a number of years. Kelso s dedicated, visionary teachers have provided leadership and training to the community of educators. Teachers, administrators, and Board of Education members from Inglewood and throughout the state regularly observe our practices. Ugema Hosea-James, PRINCIPAL Grade range and calendar K 6 TRADITIONAL Academic Performance Index 802 County Average: N/A State Average: 800 Student enrollment 713 County Average: N/A State Average: N/A Teachers 33 County Average: N/A State Average: N/A Students per teacher 22 County Average: N/A State Average: N/A PLEASE NOTE: Comparative data (county average and state averages) in some sections of this report are unavailable due to problems the Department of Education had with data collection last year.

4 Page 2 Major Achievements Our API for the school year is 802! Kelso Elementary School was able to maintain academic excellence by consistently staying above the score of 800 for over a decade. Our Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) also shows that our students have reached the federal targets of proficiency. We honor all of our students that have reached proficiency in the California Standards Tests. Kelso Elementary School is a California Distinguished School and a Title I Academic Achievement School, and was recognized as one of the top 60 schools in Southern California according to Los Angeles Magazine (August 2006). Fifty-three percent of students at all grades scored at the Advanced or Proficient level in English/language arts; seventy-two percent of students scored at the Advanced or Proficient level in math; and fifty-two percent of fifth grade students scored at the Advanced or Proficient level in science. The Los Angeles Times published a front-page article about our remarkable standardized test scores and our similar school ranking (10 on a scale of 1 to 10) for our API. Our classrooms and hallways display on bulletin boards a rigorous, rich-print, student-centered environment with the California Content and Performance Standards. Our afterschool program provides students with homework support and enrichment activities. Our students participate in guitar, violin, and chorus lessons after school throughout the year. We also provide a Childcare program with before and afterschool care. Focus for Improvement One area Kelso Elementary School will focus on is increasing the percentage of students scoring Proficient and Advanced in English/language arts and math in all grade levels and fifth graders scoring Advanced or Proficient on the science section of the California Standards Tests (CST). New state-adopted standards-based science textbooks were purchased in 2007 and math textbooks in 2008 for all students. We have established a schoolwide Science Center that students have access to on a daily basis. The theme changes monthly. Students will be assessed after completion of each unit. Teachers meet at grade level to discuss the assessment results and use these to plan further instruction. Interventions in reading and math for all grade levels are ongoing. We continue to focus on professional learning communities and student-engagement activities with the use of various activities such as Marzano and Blooms Taxonomy strategies to ensure all students are on task and active participants in their learning. Key standards and district pacing guide grade-level math and writing rubrics throughout the year to prepare students for the curriculum-adopted goals and district math and writing assessments.

5 Page 3 MEASURES OF PROGRESS Academic Performance Index The Academic Performance Index (API) is California s way of comparing schools based on student test scores. The index was created in 1999 to help parents and educators recognize schools that show progress and identify schools that need help. It is also used to compare schools in a statewide ranking system. The California Department of Education (CDE) calculates a school s API using student test results from the California Standards Tests and, for high schools, the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). APIs range from 200 to The CDE expects all schools to eventually obtain APIs of at least 800. Additional information on the API can be found on the CDE Web site. Kelso s API was 802 (out of 1000). This is a decline of 20 points compared with last year s API. About 99 percent of our students took the test. You can find three years of detailed API results in the Data Almanac that accompanies this report. API RANKINGS: Based on our test results, we started the school year with a base API of 822. The state ranks all schools according to this score on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being highest). Compared with all elementary schools in California, our school ranked 7 out of 10. CALIFORNIA API ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE INDEX Met schoolwide growth target Yes Met growth target for prior school year Yes API score 802 Growth attained from prior year -20 Met subgroup* growth targets No SOURCE: API based on spring 2010 test cycle. Growth scores alone are displayed and are current as of December *Ethnic groups, English Learners, special ed students, or socioeconomic groups of students that make up 15 percent or more of a school s student body. These groups must meet AYP and API goals. R/P - Results pending due to challenge by school. N/A - Results not available. SIMILAR SCHOOL RANKINGS: We also received a second ranking that compared us with the 100 schools with the most similar students, teachers, and class sizes. Compared with these schools, our school ranked 10 out of 10. The CDE recalculates this factor every year. To read more about the specific elements included in this calculation, refer to the CDE Web site. API GROWTH TARGETS: Each year the CDE sets specific API growth targets for every school. It assigns one growth target for the entire school, and it sets additional targets for ethnic groups, English Learners, special education students, or socioeconomic subgroups of students that make up a significant portion of the student body. Schools are required to meet all of their growth targets. If they do, they may be eligible to apply for awards through the California School Recognition Program and the Title I Achieving Schools Program. We did not meet some or all of our assigned growth targets during the school year. Just for reference, 64 percent of elementary schools statewide met their growth targets. API, Spring 2010 ALL STUDENTS IN THIS SCHOOL STATE AVERAGE STUDENT SUBGROUPS African American Hispanic/Latino Low income English Learners SOURCE: API based on spring 2010 test cycle. State average represents elementary schools only. NOTE: Only groups of students that represent at least 15 percent of total enrollment are calculated and displayed as student subgroups.

6 Page 4 Adequate Yearly Progress In addition to California s accountability system, which measures student achievement using the API, schools must also meet requirements set by the federal education law known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). This law requires all schools to meet a different goal: Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). We met 16 out of 21 criteria for yearly progress. Because we fell short in five areas, we did not make AYP. To meet AYP, elementary schools must meet three criteria. First, a certain percentage of students must score at or above Proficient levels on the California Standards Tests (CST): 56.8 percent on the English/language arts test and 58 percent on the math test. All ethnic, English Learners, special education, and socioeconomic subgroups of students also must meet these goals. Second, the schools must achieve an API of at least 680 or increase the API by one point from the prior year. Third, 95 percent of the student body must take the required standardized tests. If even one subgroup of students fails to meet just one of the criteria, the school fails to meet AYP. While all schools must report their progress toward meeting AYP, only schools that receive federal funding to help economically disadvantaged students are actually penalized if they fail to meet AYP goals. Schools that do not make AYP for two or more years in a row in the same subject enter Program Improvement (PI). They must offer students transfers to other schools in the district and, in their second year in PI, tutoring services as well. FEDERAL AYP ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS Met AYP Met schoolwide participation rate Met schoolwide test score goals Met subgroup* participation rate Met subgroup* test score goals Met schoolwide API for AYP Program Improvement school in 2010 No Yes No Yes No Yes No SOURCE: AYP is based on the Accountability Progress Report of December A school can be in Program Improvement based on students test results in the school year or earlier. *Ethnic groups, English Learners, special ed students, or socioeconomic groups of students that make up 15 percent or more of a school s student body. These groups must meet AYP and API goals. R/P - Results pending due to challenge by school. N/A - Results not available. Adequate Yearly Progress, Detail by Subgroup MET GOAL DID NOT MEET GOAL NOT ENOUGH STUDENTS English/Language Arts DID 95% OF STUDENTS TAKE THE CST? DID 56.8% OF STUDENTS SCORE PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED ON THE CST? DID 95% OF STUDENTS TAKE THE CST? Math DID 58% OF STUDENTS SCORE PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED ON THE CST? SCHOOLWIDE RESULTS SUBGROUPS OF STUDENTS Low income Students learning English STUDENTS BY ETHNICITY African American The table at left shows our success or failure in meeting AYP goals in the school year. The green dots represent goals we met; red dots indicate goals we missed. Just one red dot means that we failed to meet AYP. Note: Dashes indicate that too few students were in the category to draw meaningful conclusions. Federal law requires valid test scores from at least 50 students for statistical significance. Hispanic/Latino SOURCE: AYP release of October 2010, CDE.

7 Page 5 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Here you ll find a three-year summary of our students scores on the California Standards Tests (CST) in selected subjects. We compare our students test scores with the results for students in the average elementary school in California. On the following pages we provide more detail for each test, including the scores for different subgroups of students. In addition, we provide links to the California Content Standards on which these tests are based. If you d like more information about the CST, please contact our principal or our teaching staff. To find grade-level-specific scores, you can refer to the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Web site. Other tests in the STAR program can be found on the California Department of Education (CDE) Web site. California Standards Tests BAR GRAPHS BELOW SHOW THESE PROFICIENCY GROUPS (LEFT TO RIGHT): FAR BELOW BASIC BELOW BASIC BASIC PROFICIENT ADVANCED TESTED SUBJECT LOW SCORES HIGH SCORES LOW SCORES HIGH SCORES LOW SCORES HIGH SCORES ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS Our school Percent Proficient or higher Average elementary school Percent Proficient or higher 48% 53% 48% 55% 53% 47% MATH Our school Percent Proficient or higher Average elementary school Percent Proficient or higher 67% 71% 69% 61% 59% 55% SCIENCE Our school Percent Proficient or higher Average elementary school Percent Proficient or higher 49% 52% 33% 56% 49% 47% SOURCE: The scores for the CST are from the spring 2010 test cycle. State average represents elementary schools only. Whenever a school reports fewer than 11 scores for a particular subgroup at any grade level, the CDE suppresses the scores when it releases the data to the public. Missing data makes it impossible for us to compile complete schoolwide results. Therefore, the results published in this report may vary from other published CDE test scores.

8 Frequently Asked Questions About Standardized Tests WHERE CAN I FIND GRADE-LEVEL REPORTS? Due to space constraints and concern for statistical reliability, we have omitted grade-level detail from these test results. Instead we present results at the schoolwide level. You can view the results of far more students than any one grade level would contain, which also improves their statistical reliability. Grade-level results are online on the STAR Web site. More information about student test scores is available in the Data Almanac that accompanies this report. WHAT DO THE FIVE PROFICIENCY BANDS MEAN? Test experts assign students to one of these five proficiency levels, based on the number of questions they answer correctly. Our immediate goal is to help students move up one level. Our eventual goal is to enable all students to reach either of the top two bands, Advanced or Proficient. Those who score in the middle band, Basic, have come close to attaining the required knowledge and skills. Those who score in either of the bottom two bands, Below Basic or Far Below Basic, need more help to reach the Proficient level. HOW HARD ARE THE CALIFORNIA STANDARDS TESTS? Experts consider California s standards to be among the most clear and rigorous in the country. Just 55 percent of elementary school students scored Proficient or Advanced on the English/language arts test; 61 percent scored Proficient or Advanced in math. You can review the California Content Standards on the CDE Web site. ARE ALL STUDENTS SCORES INCLUDED? No. Only students in grades two through eleven are required to take the CST. When fewer than 11 students in one grade or subgroup take a test, state officials remove their scores from the report. They omit them to protect students privacy, as called for by federal law. CAN I REVIEW SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS? Sample test questions for the CST are on the CDE s Web site. These are actual questions used in previous years. Page 6 WHERE CAN I FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? The CDE has a wealth of resources on its Web site. The STAR Web site publishes detailed reports for schools and districts, and assistance packets for parents and teachers. This site includes explanations of technical terms, scoring methods, and the subjects covered by the tests for each grade. You ll also find a guide to navigating the STAR Web site as well as help for understanding how to compare test scores.

9 Page 7 English/Language Arts (Reading and Writing) BAR GRAPHS BELOW SHOW THESE PROFICIENCY GROUPS (LEFT TO RIGHT): FAR BELOW BASIC BELOW BASIC BASIC PROFICIENT ADVANCED GROUP LOW SCORES HIGH SCORES PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED STUDENTS TESTED COMMENTS SCHOOLWIDE AVERAGE 48% 93% SCHOOLWIDE AVERAGE: About seven percent fewer students at our school scored Proficient or Advanced than AVERAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY 53% 96% at the average elementary school in California. AVERAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CALIFORNIA 55% 95% Subgroup Test Scores BAR GRAPHS BELOW SHOW TWO PROFICIENCY GROUPS (LEFT TO RIGHT): FAR BELOW BASIC, BELOW BASIC, AND BASIC PROFICIENT AND ADVANCED GROUP LOW SCORES HIGH SCORES PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED STUDENTS TESTED COMMENTS Boys 41% 206 GENDER: About 14 percent more girls than boys at our school scored Proficient or Advanced. Girls 55% 232 English proficient 56% 323 ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: English Learners scored lower on the CST than students who are proficient in English. Because we give this test in English, English Learners tend English Learners 28% 115 to be at a disadvantage. Low income 47% 382 INCOME: About 12 percent fewer students from lowerincome families scored Proficient or Advanced than our other students. Not low income 59% 56 Learning disabled 27% 32 LEARNING DISABILITIES: Students classified as learning disabled scored lower than students without learning disabilities. The CST is not designed to test the progress Not learning disabled 50% 406 of students with moderate to severe learning differences. African American 51% 166 ETHNICITY: Test scores are likely to vary among students of different ethnic origins. The degree of variance will differ from school to school. Measures of the achievement Hispanic/Latino 47% 265 gap are beyond the scope of this report. SOURCE: The scores for the CST are from the spring 2010 test cycle. County and state averages represent elementary schools only. Whenever a school reports fewer than 11 scores for a particular subgroup at any grade level, the CDE suppresses the scores when it releases the data to the public. Missing data makes it impossible for us to compile complete schoolwide results. Therefore, the results published in this report may vary from other published CDE test scores. N/A: Not applicable. Either no students took the test, or to safeguard student privacy the CDE withheld all results because very few students took the test in any grade. N/S: Not statistically significant. While we have some data to report, we are suppressing it because the number of valid test scores is not large enough to be meaningful. The graph to the right shows how our students scores have changed over the years. We present each year s results in a vertical bar, with students scores arrayed across five proficiency bands. When viewing schoolwide results over time, remember that progress can take many forms. It can be more students scoring in the top proficiency bands (blue); it can also be fewer students scoring in the lower two proficiency bands (brown and red). You can read the California standards for English/ language arts on the CDE s Web site. Percentage of students Three-Year Trend: English/Language Arts Percentage of students who took the test: 2008: 94% 2009: 94% 2010: 93% SOURCE: CDE STAR research file: 2008, 2009, and 2010.

10 Page 8 Math BAR GRAPHS BELOW SHOW THESE PROFICIENCY GROUPS (LEFT TO RIGHT): FAR BELOW BASIC BELOW BASIC BASIC PROFICIENT ADVANCED GROUP LOW SCORES HIGH SCORES PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED STUDENTS TESTED COMMENTS SCHOOLWIDE AVERAGE 67% 94% SCHOOLWIDE AVERAGE: About six percent more students at our school scored Proficient or Advanced than AVERAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY 61% 92% at the average elementary school in California. AVERAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CALIFORNIA 61% 92% Subgroup Test Scores BAR GRAPHS BELOW SHOW TWO PROFICIENCY GROUPS (LEFT TO RIGHT): FAR BELOW BASIC, BELOW BASIC, AND BASIC PROFICIENT AND ADVANCED GROUP LOW SCORES HIGH SCORES PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED STUDENTS TESTED COMMENTS Boys 63% 208 GENDER: About seven percent more girls than boys at our school scored Proficient or Advanced. Girls 70% 232 English proficient 70% 324 ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: English Learners scored lower on the CST than students who are proficient in English. Because we give this test in English, English Learners tend English Learners 56% 116 to be at a disadvantage. Low income 67% 383 INCOME: About four percent more students from lowerincome families scored Proficient or Advanced than our other students. Not low income 63% 57 Learning disabled 33% 34 LEARNING DISABILITIES: Students classified as learning disabled scored lower than students without learning disabilities. The CST is not designed to test the progress Not learning disabled 69% 406 of students with moderate to severe learning differences. African American 67% 167 ETHNICITY: Test scores are likely to vary among students of different ethnic origins. The degree of variance will differ from school to school. Measures of the achievement Hispanic/Latino 65% 266 gap are beyond the scope of this report. SOURCE: The scores for the CST are from the spring 2010 test cycle. County and state averages represent elementary schools only. Whenever a school reports fewer than 11 scores for a particular subgroup at any grade level, the CDE suppresses the scores when it releases the data to the public. Missing data makes it impossible for us to compile complete schoolwide results. Therefore, the results published in this report may vary from other published CDE test scores. N/A: Not applicable. Either no students took the test, or to safeguard student privacy the CDE withheld all results because very few students took the test in any grade. N/S: Not statistically significant. While we have some data to report, we are suppressing it because the number of valid test scores is not large enough to be meaningful. The graph to the right shows how our students scores have changed over the years. We present each year s results in a vertical bar, with students scores arrayed across five proficiency bands. When viewing schoolwide results over time, remember that progress can take many forms. It can be more students scoring in the top proficiency bands (blue); it can also be fewer students scoring in the lower two proficiency bands (brown and red). You can read the math standards on the CDE s Web site. Percentage of students Three-Year Trend: Math Percentage of students who took the test: 2008: 94% 2009: 94% 2010: 94% SOURCE: CDE STAR research file: 2008, 2009, and 2010.

11 Page 9 Science BAR GRAPHS BELOW SHOW THESE PROFICIENCY GROUPS (LEFT TO RIGHT): FAR BELOW BASIC BELOW BASIC BASIC PROFICIENT ADVANCED GROUP LOW SCORES HIGH SCORES PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED STUDENTS TESTED COMMENTS SCHOOLWIDE AVERAGE 49% 90% SCHOOLWIDE AVERAGE: About seven percent fewer students at our school scored Proficient or Advanced than AVERAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY 54% 95% at the average elementary school in California. AVERAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CALIFORNIA 56% 94% Subgroup Test Scores BAR GRAPHS BELOW SHOW TWO PROFICIENCY GROUPS (LEFT TO RIGHT): FAR BELOW BASIC, BELOW BASIC, AND BASIC PROFICIENT AND ADVANCED GROUP LOW SCORES HIGH SCORES PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED STUDENTS TESTED COMMENTS Boys 56% 45 GENDER: About 12 percent more boys than girls at our school scored Proficient or Advanced. Girls 44% 59 English proficient 58% 83 ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: We cannot compare scores for these two subgroups because the number of English Learners tested was too small to be statistically English Learners DATA STATISTICALLY UNRELIABLE N/S 21 significant. Low income 47% 89 INCOME: We cannot compare scores for these two subgroups because the number of students tested who were not from low-income families was too small to be Not low income DATA STATISTICALLY UNRELIABLE N/S 15 statistically significant. Learning disabled NO DATA AVAILABLE N/A 6 LEARNING DISABILITIES: We cannot compare scores for these two subgroups because the number of students tested with learning disabilities was either zero or too Not learning disabled 49% 98 small to be statistically significant. African American 56% 41 ETHNICITY: Test scores are likely to vary among students of different ethnic origins. The degree of variance will differ from school to school. Measures of the achievement Hispanic/Latino 44% 63 gap are beyond the scope of this report. SOURCE: The scores for the CST are from the spring 2010 test cycle. County and state averages represent elementary schools only. Whenever a school reports fewer than 11 scores for a particular subgroup at any grade level, the CDE suppresses the scores when it releases the data to the public. Missing data makes it impossible for us to compile complete schoolwide results. Therefore, the results published in this report may vary from other published CDE test scores. N/A: Not applicable. Either no students took the test, or to safeguard student privacy the CDE withheld all results because very few students took the test in any grade. N/S: Not statistically significant. While we have some data to report, we are suppressing it because the number of valid test scores is not large enough to be meaningful. The graph to the right shows how our students scores have changed over the years. We present each year s results in a vertical bar, with students scores arrayed across five proficiency bands. When viewing schoolwide results over time, remember that progress can take many forms. It can be more students scoring in the top proficiency bands (blue); it can also be fewer students scoring in the lower two proficiency bands (brown and red). The science standards test was administered only to fifth graders. Of course, students in all grade levels study science in these areas: physical science, life science, earth science, and investigation and experimentation. For background, you can review the science standards by going to the CDE s Web site. Percentage of students Three-Year Trend: Science Percentage of students who took the test: 2008: 89% 2009: 96% 2010: 90% SOURCE: CDE STAR research file: 2008, 2009, and 2010.

12 Page 10 Other Measures of Student Achievement The members of the Kelso community are committed to, and recognize, our ambitious vision of one month s growth for one month s enrollment as attainable. By embracing opportunities for growth and relying on the expertise found within the staff, our vision is realized through hard work and dedication. We use the state standards framework, assessment results, and high-level expectations to establish a clear vision of academic achievement. Recently, for example, a committee consisting of school leadership and parents collaborated to revise the Parent/Teacher Compact. The final product reflects the contributions of all members. Feedback and the effectiveness of policies and practices from instructional leaders, data team members, and school district staff is a driving force when we implement school programs. Administrators incorporate suggestions from the Kelso community in making appropriate decisions that impact student performance. Administrators visit classrooms on a continual basis, observing instruction, and offering support as needed. Decisions made and actions taken reflect the best interests of the learners. We review the state standards and framework to guarantee a balanced learning environment that fosters high expectations and incorporates effective instructional practices, (direct instruction, guided practice, cooperative grouping, differentiated instruction, hands-on activities, and projects). For a number of years, Kelso has relied on test data analysis to monitor the effectiveness of our academic program. Every teacher turns in assessment results in all core subject areas and identifies specific strategies to assist students performing below proficiency. Moreover, grade-level teams collaborate to examine Open Court unit assessments, monthly math benchmark tests, biannual writing samples, and social studies and science assessments to continuously monitor individual performance, strengths, and weaknesses. The concepts and skills that will be addressed in remedial or accelerated instruction are also determined. Decisions on how to serve every student at their performance level are made based on assessment results. California Standard Tests (CST) and California English Language Development Test (CELDT) results are sent to parents with explanations of their significance. Parents meet with an administrator to discuss test results and are instructed on how to interpret them. Teachers communicate with parents on a weekly basis regarding students progress. Progress reports are sent home in the middle of each trimester. Report cards are sent on a trimester basis. We hold parent conferences in November and more frequently for students who are struggling at school.

13 Page 11 STUDENTS Ethnicity Most students at Kelso identify themselves as Hispanic/Latino. The state of California allows citizens to choose more than one ethnic identity, or to select multiethnic or decline to state. As a consequence, the sum of all responses rarely equals 100 percent. ETHNICITY OUR SCHOOL COUNTY AVERAGE STATE AVERAGE African American 38% 8% 6% Asian American/ Pacific Islander 1% 10% 11% Hispanic/Latino 60% 65% 51% White/European American/ Other 1% 17% 31% Family Income and Education The free or reduced-price meal subsidy goes to students whose families earned less than $40,793 a year (based on a family of four) in the school year. At Kelso, 82 percent of the students qualified for this program, compared with 56 percent of students in California. SOURCE: CBEDS census of October County and state averages represent elementary schools only. FAMILY FACTORS OUR SCHOOL COUNTY AVERAGE STATE AVERAGE Low-income indicator 82% N/A 56% Parents with some college 43% 49% 56% Parents with college degree 19% 28% 32% SOURCE: The free and reduced-price lunch information is gathered by most districts in October. This data is from the school year. Parents education level is collected in the spring at the start of testing. Rarely do all students answer these questions. The parents of 43 percent of the students at Kelso have attended college and 19 percent have a college degree. This information can provide some clues to the level of literacy children bring to school. One precaution is that the students themselves provide this data when they take the battery of standardized tests each spring, so it may not be completely accurate. About 62 percent of our students provided this information.

14 Page 12 CLIMATE FOR LEARNING Average Class Sizes Because funding for class-size reduction was focused on the early grade levels, our school s class sizes, like those of most elementary schools, differ across grade levels. Our average class size schoolwide is 19 students. AVERAGE CLASS SIZE BY GRADE OUR SCHOOL COUNTY AVERAGE STATE AVERAGE Kindergarten 21 N/A N/A First grade 17 N/A N/A Second grade 20 N/A N/A Third grade 18 N/A N/A Fourth grade 29 N/A N/A Safety Fifth grade Staff and parent volunteers monitor the 21 N/A N/A school grounds before and after school Sixth grade N/A N/A N/A as well as at all recesses and at lunch SOURCE: This information provided by the school district. times. This year the Playworks program was established at Kelso School. With the Playworks program, students health and well-being is improved by increasing opportunities for structured, safe, and engaging physical activities throughout the school day. Playworks provides a variety of age-appropriate activities developed to bring out the best in children on the playground and in the classrooms. In addition, the Playworks program provides opportunities for students to participate in supervised afterschool sports and games, extracurricular sports leagues, and a Junior Coach program, which provides leadership training, anger management, and conflict resolution. Along with Playworks, teachers regularly review the rules for safe, responsible behavior in school and on the playground. We have a closed campus that is fully fenced. Visitors must enter the school through the main door and sign in at the office, where they receive a bright blue badge to wear throughout their stay. We revise our School Safety Plan annually; it was last revised in September The plan includes procedures for emergencies, exit routes, and inventories of emergency supplies. We share the plan with all staff during schoolwide staff meetings. We practice fire and earthquake drills monthly and hold trainings for staff on emergency preparedness throughout the year. Discipline We abide by our district s strict behavior code, which we send home to parents and review with our students in schoolwide assemblies at the beginning of the school year. As an elementary school, we must lay a foundation of responsibility and self-control in each child. Our expectations for appropriate behavior are consistent throughout the grades. Our teachers focus on the positive and maintain warm and constructive atmospheres in their classrooms. We rarely have serious disciplinary problems. We expect parents to be active partners in helping their children to conduct themselves responsibly. When necessary, our principal meets with children and their parents to devise a behavior plan. Students are only suspended or expelled for extremely serious problems. A formal suspension occurs after interventions have been attempted and documented. A discussion is held with the parent regarding the concerns. At the time of a formal suspension, the parent is notified and must meet with an administrator before the child returns. We also provide resources for STARVIEW counseling services for students and their families. Homework For kindergarten through fifth grade, homework is given every night. Students are required read for at least 30 minutes every night to help with their fluency and reading comprehension skills. Students are given projects to complete a trimester basis. We encourage parents to supervise homework and support their children s efforts. Parents receive a monthly newsletter on strategies to assist their children with homework. Schedule Kelso Elementary School is currently on a traditional school calendar. School begins the first week of September and ends the third week of June. Classes begin at 8:15 a.m. daily and end at 2 p.m. for first through third grade and 2:20 p.m. for fourth and fifth grade. We offer students a breakfast program before school. Childcare is provided for students from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

15 Page 13 Parent Involvement Many parents volunteer at Kelso Elementary School. Over 87 percent of our parents attend Back-to-School Night and parent-teacher conferences. Most contact with parents is to inform them about their child s progress and ways to assist their child with learning on a daily basis. Weekly folders are used by most teachers to inform parents of assignments, test scores, and behavior. Using our Title I Parent Involvement Funding, we purchased brochures and videos in English and Spanish from The Parent Institute that cover topics such as behavior at home, encouraging children, helping with homework, nutrition, and standardized testing. Parents can select brochures that apply to them to take home. These will be used at parent workshops during the year. A group of parents recently helped revise our Home/School Compact and will help to develop a Parental Involvement Policy this year. Parents and community members participate on campus in a wide variety of activities, including volunteering in the classroom, on field trips, and at special school events. PTA activities this year included a teacherappreciation breakfast and Healthy Heart Annual Fun Run Walk-a-thon. Kelso Elementary School has many adopters to assist with our instructional program. The adopters include individuals and companies who believe that involvement in a joint effort benefits the school, the home, and the community and promotes educational excellence. Financial resources have provided funds for supplemental curricular materials, equipment, and incentives/awards for attendance and achievement. Monthly newsletters, fliers, and the Connect-Ed system provided effective school to parent communication. Newsletters and phone call messages were timely and effective in notifying parents about school and community activities, attendance, and emergencies.

16 Page 14 LEADERSHIP, TEACHERS, AND STAFF Leadership Instructional leadership begins with the principal. The school year marks Ugema Hosea-James s fourth year as our principal of Kelso School. During Mrs. Hosea-James s 16-year career with Inglewood Unified, she has held the position of teacher, literacy coach, program coordinator, assistant principal, and acting principal. Ugema Hosea-James spends a great deal of time analyzing test results, reviewing student work samples, and observing classroom teachers. The results from this combination of data, work samples, and teacher observation are the driving force behind the feedback provided to guide teachers in increasing student success. Immediately following observations, Mrs. Hosea-James meets with teachers to discuss classroom environment, time on task, lesson objectives, and the presentation of the lesson. Test results and work samples are also reviewed at grade-level meetings. Under the direction of the Instructional Leaders, teachers determine areas of strengths and weaknesses across grade levels and discuss ways to maintain success and make improvements in areas of weakness. The Literacy Coach also meets with grade levels to review Unit Test Scores and discuss reading strategies to use for continued success in reading. Our leadership team at Kelso Elementary School works diligently to provide an academically rigorous instructional program, student-centered activities, and parent and community programs that foster a school culture where all students, parents, and staff work collaboratively to meet the needs of all students. Indicators of Teachers Who May Be Underprepared KEY FACTOR DESCRIPTION OUR SCHOOL COUNTY AVERAGE STATE AVERAGE Core courses taught by a teacher not meeting NCLB standards Fully credentialed teachers Teachers lacking a full credential Percentage of core courses not taught by a highly qualified teacher according to federal standards in NCLB Percentage of staff holding a full, clear authorization to teach at the elementary or secondary level Percentage of teachers without a full, clear credential 0% N/A 0% 100% N/A N/A 0% N/A N/A SOURCE: This information provided by the school district. Data on NCLB standards is from the California Department of Education, SARC research file. PLEASE NOTE: Comparative data (county average and state averages) from some of the data reported in the SARC is unavailable due to problems the California Department of Education had with data collection last year. HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS: The federal law known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires districts to report the number of teachers considered to be highly qualified. These highly qualified teachers must have a full credential, a bachelor s degree, and, if they are teaching a core subject (such as reading, math, science, or social studies), they must also demonstrate expertise in that field. The table above shows the percentage of core courses taught by teachers who are considered to be less than highly qualified. There are exceptions, known as the High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) rules, that allow some veteran teachers to meet the highly qualified test who wouldn t otherwise do so. CREDENTIAL STATUS OF TEACHERS: Teachers who lack full credentials are working under the terms of an emergency permit, an internship credential, or a waiver. They should be working toward their credential, and they are allowed to teach in the meantime only if the school board approves. More facts about our teachers, called for by the Williams legislation of 2004, are available on our Accountability Web page, which is accessible from our district Web site. You will find specific facts about misassigned teachers and teacher vacancies in the school year.

17 Districtwide Distribution of Teachers Who Are Not Highly Qualified Here, we report the percentage of core courses in our district whose teachers are considered to be less than highly qualified by NCLB s standards. We show how these teachers are distributed among schools according to the percentage of low-income students enrolled. DISTRICT FACTOR Districtwide DESCRIPTION Percentage of core courses not taught by highly qualified teachers (HQT) CORE COURSES NOT TAUGHT BY HQT IN DISTRICT When more than 40 percent of the students in a school are receiving Schools with more Schools whose core courses are 1% subsidized lunches, that school is than 40% of students not taught by highly considered by the California Department from lower-income qualified teachers of Education to be a school with higher homes concentrations of low-income students. Schools with less Schools whose core courses are 0% About 70 percent of the state s schools are than 25% of students not taught by highly in this category. When less than 25 from lower-income qualified teachers homes percent of the students in a school are SOURCE: Data is from the California Department of Education, SARC research file. receiving subsidized lunches, that school is considered by the CDE to be a school with lower concentrations of low-income students. About 19 percent of the state s schools are in this category. The average percentage of courses in our district not taught by a highly qualified teacher is two percent, compared with one percent statewide. For schools with the highest percentage of low-income students, this factor is one percent, compared with zero percent statewide. For schools with the lowest percentage of lowincome students, this factor is zero percent, compared with zero percent statewide. Page 15 2%

18 Staff Development Kelso staff members participate in a variety of staff development sessions throughout the school year. At the beginning of the year, all staff attends the districts Buy Back days. In recent years, the focus of our staff development has been on teaching to the content standards and achieving the goals in the No Child Left Behind Act. Other professional development topics have included English Language Development (ELD) training, school safety, special needs children, differentiated instruction, implementing the science standards across grade levels, Governor Reading Institutes, Bloom s Taxonomy training, California Standards for the Teaching Profession, Marzano training, algebra for elementary students, technology, computer usage, and digital projectors. Many of our staff members are attending universities to further their professional development. Two staff meetings each month are dedicated to discuss trends in education that are relevant to everyday teaching. Evaluating and Improving Teachers Our principal, Ugema Hosea-James, evaluates teachers who have less than five years of experience every year and experienced teachers every two years. Every fall she meets with the teachers to be evaluated to agree on objectives. The principal conducts one formal and several informal, spontaneous observations during the year. The overall evaluation is in accordance with the teacher s contract and the guidelines of the California Standards for the Teaching Profession. During the observation the principal notes the students level of engagement, the organization of the classroom, and the effectiveness of the lesson under way. She checks the teacher s lesson plans and student work as well. The principal solicits comments from other teachers and parents. These factors, in addition to test scores, determine whether a teacher needs help, which might be training in a specific area or working with a mentor. Substitute Teachers We have a reliable group of retired teachers who substitute for us at Kelso School. They have taken the California Basic Educational Skills Test, have bachelor s degrees, have master s degrees, have taken graduate level courses in education, and are familiar with our school. When possible we hire substitutes whom our teachers request specifically. If a teacher is absent on short notice, our principal, program coordinator, and/or literacy coach will take over the class. Teachers leave detailed lesson plans for our substitutes to follow, and we experience a minimal loss of learning time. Specialized Resource Staff Our school may employ social workers, speech and hearing specialists, school psychologists, nurses, and technology specialists. These specialists often work part time at our school and some may work at more than one school in our district. Their schedules will change as our students needs change. For these reasons, the staffing counts you see here may differ from the staffing provided today in this school. For more details on statewide ratios of counselors, psychologists, or other pupil services staff to students, see the California Department of Education (CDE) Web site. Library facts and frequently asked questions are also available there. YEAR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS SOURCE: This information is supplied by the school district. STAFF POSITION STAFF (FTE) Counselors 0.0 Librarians and media staff 0.0 Psychologists 0.0 Social workers 0.0 Nurses 0.0 Speech/language/ hearing specialists 0.0 Resource specialists 0.0 SOURCE: Data provided by the school district. Page 16

19 Page 17 Specialized Programs and Staff Kelso Elementary School offers the After School Enrichment and Safety Program to our students. There are three components to the program: Tutoring Homework Time, Literacy Support in Math and Reading, and Enrichment/Recreation Time. Students also receive a snack each day and the opportunity to participate in fun, educational field trips. Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Our GATE program begins in the third grade. Students with high scores on standardized tests or whose teachers have recommended them because of exceptional academic abilities join this program. Our GATE students learn subject matter at a faster pace and in more depth than the regular curriculum provides. One teacher each from third, fourth, and fifth grade attended special training for working with GATE students, and we place GATE students in their classrooms. All of our teachers attended a seminar on how to recognize and challenge high-performing students. Sometimes students move up a grade or two in their area of strength but stay with their own grade for other subjects. Our GATE coordinator ensures that GATE program is filler with rigorous activities. Special Education Program We have one full-time Resource Specialist Program (RSP) teacher and two Special Day Class (SDC) teachers and four assistants who work with our special education students. We have a speech therapist and a school psychologist. Our staff works hard to reach each child s goals and objectives. Our goal is for all Kelso students, including students with disabilities, the ability to reach proficiency in all academic areas. English Learner Program We have 32 full-time teachers certified in Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development (CLAD) who work with our English Learners in small groups according to skill level. They teach ELD intensively for one hour every day to beginning English Learners. We also provide a language class for kindergarten and beginning English Learners to help them succeed in English language acquisition. We place our English Learners in regular classrooms. We encourage the parents of English Learners to join our English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC). We depend on the ELAC to help improve and expand our ELD program as our English Learner population continues to grow.

20 Page 18 RESOURCES Buildings Kelso is a school centrally located in Inglewood, California, surrounded by a diverse community of residences and businesses. Originally built in 1925 with ten classrooms, a library and a cafeteria, Kelso has grown to 32 classrooms. Portables have encroached on our playground and overtaken our grassy areas. Kelso serves a population of 696 students, ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade. More facts about the condition of our school buildings are available in an online supplement to this report called for by the Williams legislation of What you will find is an assessment of more than a dozen aspects of our buildings: their structural integrity, electrical systems, heating and ventilation systems, and more. The important purpose of this assessment is to determine if our buildings and grounds are safe and in good repair. If anything needs to be repaired, this assessment identifies it and targets a date by which we commit to make those repairs. The guidelines for this assessment were written by the Office of Public School Construction (OPSC) and were brought about by the Williams legislation. You can look at the six-page Facilities Inspection Tool used for the assessment on the Web site of the OPSC. Library We have a spacious, inviting library. The Kelso library is open for students five days a week; classes visit the library during their scheduled visitation time. Every year we add approximately 50 books, audiovisual materials, and other resources to our collection via proceeds from our annual Book Fair. Computers All of our classrooms have at least three networked computers and a printer for students to use. In kindergarten through fifth grade, students build their math, reasoning, and reading skills using special software that complements the curriculum. The intermediate grades have between four and six computers in their classrooms for student use. All teachers have access to and the Internet. They use computers to keep attendance, record grades, and correspond via with parents and colleagues. Textbooks We choose our textbooks from lists that have already been approved by state education officials. For a list of some of the textbooks we use at our school, see the Data Almanac that accompanies this report. We have also reported additional facts about our textbooks called for by the Williams legislation of This online report shows whether we had a textbook for each student in each core course during the school year and whether those textbooks covered the California Content Standards. Curriculum For more than six years, panels of scholars have decided what California students should learn and be able to do. Their decisions are known as the California Content Standards, and they apply to all public schools in the state. The textbooks we use and the tests we give are based on these content standards, and we expect our teachers to be firmly focused on them. Policy experts, researchers, and educators consider our state s standards to be among the most rigorous and challenging in the nation. You can find the content standards for each subject at each grade level on the Web site of the California Department of Education (CDE).