Reports on Progress - March 2015

Bradley v Pinellas County Schools
Memoranda of Understanding
Report on Progress – March 2015

Quality of Education –  Student Achievement

FCAT Results and Tiered Supports

 The disaggregated student achievement data for the 2012-2014 is reported by the Florida Department of Education for the district and individual schools and can be accessed at http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/. Additionally, the PCS Assessment, Accountability, and Research Department has prepared reports showing FCAT achievement levels by race/ethnicity.

 Analysis of the FCAT data suggests:

·    Students scoring an Achievement Level of Level of 3 or higher in FCAT Reading have remained flat over the last three-year period in Pinellas County Schools.

·    Students scoring an Achievement Level of 3 or higher in FCAT Math have remained somewhat flat over the last three-year period in Pinellas County Schools.

·    Black students have shown incremental growth in FCAT Math.

·    The achievement gap between black and nonblack students in both reading and math has not increased, but rather has remained somewhat constant.

These data created intensive conversations leading to the development of actions to support increased achievement rates across all of our schools in the areas of reading and mathematics. These plans include:

·    Increased opportunities for more students to attend Summer Bridge to narrow learning gaps beginning in summer, 2014

·    Increased the opportunities for teachers to attend standards-based professional development targeting reading and math

·    Provided additional funds to all schools to further expand extended learning opportunities before, during, and after school hours

·    Continue to provide all schools with supplemental reading and math technology programs that can be used at home, in the community, and before/after school programs

·    Provided additional support sessions throughout the summer of 2014 assisting schools with targeted strategies to build effective school improvement plans

In addition to our data analysis, the state of Florida uses two methods for identification of “struggling” schools.  The first designation requiring state oversight by a Regional Differentiated Accountability team is referred to as Turnaround Schools. This designation is defined by FL Department of Education including FCAT data over multiple years. The following Pinellas County Schools have been identified as Turnaround Schools: Azalea Middle, Campbell Park Elementary, Fairmount Park Elementary, Maximo Elementary, Melrose Elementary, Pinellas Park Elementary, Pinellas Park Middle, High Point Elementary, Ponce de Leon Elementary, Largo Middle, Bear Creek Elementary, Belleair Elementary, Dunedin Elementary, and Tyrone Middle.

A second designation from the Florida Department of Education is defined as the lowest 300 elementary schools in the state based on reading proficiency rates using the FCAT reading achievement measures. These identified schools must receive one hour of additional, intensive reading instruction per day. Pinellas County already provides an additional 30 minutes of reading instruction daily. The following elementary schools will increase their school day by an additional 30 minutes to then deliver an hour of intensive reading instruction daily: Campbell Park Elementary, Fairmount Park Elementary, Maximo Elementary, Melrose Elementary, Pinellas Park Elementary, High Point Elementary, Lakewood Elementary, Ponce de Leon Elementary, New Heights Elementary, Bear Creek Elementary, Lealman Avenue Elementary, Sandy Lane Elementary, Blanton Elementary, Seventy-Fourth Street Elementary, and Woodlawn Elementary.

Contributing factors for the decline FCAT achievement scores in these identified schools may include:

·    Increased turnover of leadership and staff members

·    Reduced instructional time due to increased time out of the classroom associated with behavior issues

·    Mobility rates in particular areas of the district

In response to the low achievement scores in these identified schools, district improvement initiatives have been put into place to positively impact these trends. The following actions have been put into place for the 2014-2015 school year:

·    Debriefing meetings with individual principals and district leadership to review data and to review components within their School Improvement Plans

·    Differentiated staffing models including both instructional, non-instructional, and support staff

·    Differentiated allocation of funds at both the district and school levels to support improvement efforts with a focus on increasing the extended learning opportunities beyond the school day

·    Specific research-based intervention programs implemented with fidelity in each school site

·    Expanded professional development opportunities for all staff members focused on the implementation of the identified interventions as well as school-wide behavior strategies

·    Protective hiring practices to ensure highly qualified teaching staffs are in place

·    Increased monitoring practices at both district and school levels

·    Expanded opportunities for students to attend Summer Bridge academic programs

·    Expanded opportunities for students to take home computers for academic practice and engagement before, during, and after school (Beyond the Classroom Initiative)

Additionally, the district’s Assessment, Accountability, and Research Department completed an extensive educational literature review targeting what is needed for success in schools with significant levels of poverty.  For Campbell Park, Fairmount Park, Lakewood, Maximo, and Melrose, support plans have been further differentiated using the findings of this research analysis. A strong community partnership with Juvenile Welfare Board has been formed to further expand services to designated schools in an effort to positively impact the achievement levels while at the same time addressing behavioral concerns in these identified schools.  After extensive conversations with the principals of these five schools around the research findings of the best practices, the partnership between PCS and JWB will provide:

·    Comprehensive mental and social counseling services

·    Additional classroom assistance to further reduce teacher/pupil ratios

·    Full behavior management systems

·    Enhanced family engagement opportunities

·    On-going professional development on a monthly basis at each of these school sites

·    District monitoring visits every 5-6 weeks with specific feedback to school teams

·    Preferential human resource processes

·    Comprehensive wraparound services

·    Enhanced extended learning opportunities

Supporting Data

2012-2014 FCAT Math Data Charts

2012-2014 FCAT Reading Data Charts

2014 School Grade FCAT Achievement Level Data by Race/Ethnicity – Reading

2014 FCAT Reading Black-Nonblack by School

2014 School Grade FCAT Achievement Level Data by Race/Ethnicity – Mathematics

2014 FCAT Math Black-Nonblack by School

2014 – PCS 8 Cell Data

Connect for Success Year 1 Evaluation

Connect for Success FCAT Results

Florida End of Course Exams (EOC)

EOC assessments are computer-based, criterion-referenced assessments that measure the  Florida Standards (FS) or the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) for specific courses, as outlined in their course descriptions.  In 2011, Algebra 1 (NGSSS) was the first course to undergo the implementation of a statewide EOC assessment. Over the next few years, it was followed by Biology 1, Geometry, U.S. History, and Civics, all of which are aligned to the NGSSS.

Beginning in 2014-15, assessments aligned to the Florida Standards are replacing assessments aligned to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards in mathematics and English language arts (formerly reading and writing). More specifically, the Algebra 1 and Geometry NGSSS-aligned assessments are being replaced by FS-aligned assessments (Florida Standards Assessments, or FSA).  The NGSSS-aligned Algebra 1 will be administered through summer 2017 for the cohort of students who initially took the NGSSS course and have yet to pass the EOC assessment.  All students completing applicable Algebra 1 or Geometry courses in 2014-15 and beyond will take the FSA End-of-Course Assessment.

The science and social studies NGSSS-aligned EOC assessments – Biology 1, Civics, and U.S. History – will continue to be administered for students completing applicable courses.

As statewide assessment results are available for the 2013-14 school year, they will be posted here. Interactive reporting resources provide access to databases that allow users to generate reports for the state, districts, or schools.  More information about the assessments are provided on the  FCAT 2.0, FCAT

2.0 Historical, and EOC Assessments pages.

College Readiness Exams ACT/SAT Scores

The 3-year trends for Pinellas County School’s Black students on the ACT and SAT tests indicate consistent performance but no reduction in the Black/Non-Black gap.  However, the stability of the scores is a positive sign with more students taking the assessments, especially the ACT tests, to meet high school graduation requirements.  Over the past six years there has been a 75% increase in the number of Black students taking the ACT, 823 Black students in 2014 versus 609 students in 2009.  Since 2006 when only 234 Pinellas Schools Black students took the ACT there has been a 350% increase in the number of test-takers.

The overall percentage of Pinellas County School ACT test-takers that are African American/Black is also more representative of our student population in 2014 than it was in 2006.   In 2014, 19% of Pinellas County students taking the ACT were African American/Black compared to 12% in 2006.

SAT and ACT scores become available from the College Board and ACT in September and are included in the supporting data below.

Supporting Data

ACT Trends 2014

SAT Trends 2014

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

The Advanced Placement Exam scores become available each July.  The 2014 results were included in the August 2014 report and will be included August 2015 report.

Graduation Rates

United States (U.S.) Department of Education regulations require each state to calculate a four-year adjusted cohort rate, which includes standard diplomas but excludes GEDs, both regular and adult, and special diplomas. Another difference in the new rate is that adult education transfers will count as non- graduates, rather than simply a transfer out of the cohort. This new rate is referred to as the Federal Graduation Rate and the U.S. Department of Education is adopting this calculation method in an effort to streamline graduation rate calculations to acquire uniform, accurate, and comparable rates across all states. States began calculating the new graduation rate in 2010-11, and states were required to implement the federal graduation rate in determining school grades beginning in 2011-12. District and school level federal graduation rate data disaggregated by race and gender is now available for the 2012-14 school year and is provided below.

The graduation rate for Pinellas County Schools’ Black students continued its upward trend in the 2013-14 school year. The total Black student graduation rate rose by 4.31% and is now 60.73%.  Although the rate increased in 2013-14 it did not affect the Pinellas Black/Non-Black gap. The Pinellas Black student graduation rate did significantly reduce the Pinellas v. State Black graduation gap which narrowed from 8.21% to 3.96% (a 4.25% decrease in one year). Black males had one of the highest rates of growth of all subgroups with a 6.41% increase for a total of 55.26%. The graduation rate for Black females showed a modest increase from 64.64% to 66.37% in 2013-14.

We are providing a three-year (2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14) graduation rate comparison report.

2012-14 Federal Rate- Breakdown by Race and Gender

Federal Graduation Rate by School 2012-14

Graduation Rate 2011-14 Comparison

School Improvement Plan (SIP)

As the MOU requires, each school is to include data on black student achievement relative to white and other students in general, strategies and interventions to improve black student achievement and school-based individuals responsible for implementation.  This requirement is communicated annually to all school principals during annual SIP technical assistance.  Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, SIP technical assistance and monitoring is coordinated through the district Assessment, Accountability, and Research (AAR) Department. Link to 2014-15 School Improvement Plans

The School Improvement Plan development process for 2014-15 school year was detailed in the August

2014 report and will be included August 2015 report.

Equitable Allocation of Resources

Through a variety of local, state, and federal funding sources such as Title I, schools with large populations of black students receive additional human and financial resources. A detailed report of tiered support for 2014-15 school year was presented in the August 2014 report and will be included August 2015 report.

Quality of Education –  Student Discipline (Behavior)

Suspension Report

The indicator of discipline required as a goal in the FDOE School Improvement Plan template is suspensions, both out-of-school and in-school suspensions. Pinellas County Schools’ Assessment, Accountability, and Research (AAR) Department has developed yearly suspension reports since 2006. A supplemental suspension report is compiled to specifically compare black and non-black students.

These reports are based on historically archived data on a date certain for each report. The main report includes changes from the previous year and these reports are the most consistent and reliable suspension data available. All the suspension reports are posted on the district AAR website and the links to all of the current and past year reports can be found with the supporting data below.

A detailed report was shared in the August 2014 report and will be included August 2015 report. Supporting data:

Suspension reports 2014

Disciplinary Reassignments and Expulsions

The Area Superintendent Offices have developed summary reports related to reassignments and expulsions. Disaggregated data for the past five years by race was included in the August 2014 report and will be included August 2015 report. First Semester Reassignments and First Semester Expulsion graphs are provided here in the supporting data.

Supporting data:

Arrests

The Collaborative Interagency Agreement regarding Student Misconduct was initially drafted in January

2014 and ratified in May 2014.  In January, initial training was conducted in a joint meeting of all principals and their School Resource Officer (SRO). Training this school year (2014-15) has been conducted at two countywide SRO meetings and three SRO Supervisors meetings with a total of 17 presentations regarding schools safety and diversionary/community based programs. There were also training/presentations for all the high, middle and elementary school principals and assistant principals, a total of six meetings.

As a result of training on the Collaborative Agreement, schools administrators and SROs have worked together to handle minor student misconduct at the school level using a variety of school based sanctions, and other alternatives including referrals to diversionary programs and community based programs. School arrests through the month of February 2015 are down 33% when compared to the same time last year.

Supporting data:

School Improvement Plans

As required by the MOU, each school is to include data on black student discipline relative to white and other students in general, behavioral strategies and interventions to improve student behavior and school-based individuals responsible for implementation.  Link to 2014-15 School Improvement Plans

School-Wide Behavior Plan Update

School-wide Behavior Plans (SWBP) have recently undergone an extensive mid-year review by the Area Superintendents and the corresponding Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Specialists (MTSS). In accordance with the Bradley MOU, plans were reviewed to ensure that the following:

·    Data are used to identify disproportionality between the number of referrals and in- and out-of- school suspensions for Black and Non-Black students.

·    Goals are measureable, specific and observable.

·    Goals are designed to reduce or eliminate the gap between Black and non-Black students.

·    Specific strategies are designed to reduce or eliminate the gap between Black and non-Black students.

School-Wide Behavior Plan Feedback 

Schools were provided specific feedback via email and face-to-face feedback during school visits to address the problem-solving cycle, with focus on data for maintaining existing processes and identifying new priorities to support Black students. The MTSS Specialists examined closely the effectiveness and fidelity, in relation to implementation of the School-wide Behavior Plans, compared to the changes in disproportionate exclusion data (outcome data on referrals and suspensions) of Black students. Additional pertinent feedback includes support in helping schools to:

·  Determine whether strategies specifically address barriers which have been validated through research and local data.

·   Identify and implement evidence-based strategies to reduced or eliminate the disproportionality in disciplinary exclusions – discussed more extensively in the next section.

·    Guiding Questions

    o  Do the strategies provide an explicit description of the procedures, practices and/or interventions to be used?

·    Delineate a plan for monitoring effectiveness and fidelity of implementation including the use of

the PBS Assessments (e.g., PBS Implementation Checklist (PIC), the Benchmarks of

·    Determine if goals and strategies revision and/or continuation is based on response to intervention (RtI) – What’s working? For whom? How do you know (data)? Next steps?

See appendix for school sample: SWBP, feedback and infraction data.

Evidence-Based Interventions (Comparison Analysis)

Since school discipline is important in building positive school culture and climate that is both safe and productive, the MTSS Specialists often draw from the work of Sprick, Tobin, Vincent, and

Sprague, among others, to specifically guide our supports in helping schools to improve disciplinary conflicts and suspension. The interventions identified in this section offer schools a more front-end proactive approach which moves beyond punishment to prevention and intervention. Schools are supported in the use of data-driven problem solving to identify the disproportionate representation of black students in disciplinary incidents and to identify which interventions are most effective in reducing, eliminating or preventing discipline discrepancies among these students.

The resources below are used in specific and face-to-face feedback and ongoing support to help effectively align best practices, monitor implementation efforts, and evaluate for intended outcomes.

Supporting Data:

Evidence-Based Interventions

How to Make Classroom Timeouts More Effective

Focus-Attention Intervention

Disparity Interventions

Check-in-Check-out

The Research

Gregory, A., Bell, J., & Pollock, M., (2014). How educators can eradicate disparities in school discipline: A

briefing paper on school-based interventions. Bloomington, IN: The Equity Project at

Indiana University. Available at  http://rtpcollaborative.indiana.edu/briefing-papers/

Sprick, R. (2009).CHAMPS. A Proactive & Positive Approach to Classroom Management.

Sprick, R., & Daniels, K. (2010).Managing student behavior. Principal Leadership, 11(1), 18-21. Tobin, T. J., & Vincent, C. G. (2011). Strategies for preventing disproportionate exclusions of African

American students. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 55(4),192-201.

Vincent, C. G., Randall, C., Cartledge, G., Tobin, T. J., & Swain-Bradway, J. (2011). Toward a conceptual integration of cultural responsiveness and schoolwide positive behavior support.

 Vincent, C., Sprague, J., & Gau, J. M. (2012). The effectiveness of school-wide positive behavior support for reducing racially inequitable disciplinary exclusions in middle school.

Assignment to Programs and Classes

School Improvement Plans

Each school is to include data relative to assignment of students by race to exceptional education programs, accelerated classes, countywide programs, AVID, and/or gifted programs, means and methods to achieve continuous improvement, and school-based staff responsible for implementation. Individual schools selected the type of courses or programs to address in their SIP based on the programs and courses offered at the school.  Some schools may have addressed magnet of fundamental programs, while others addressed accelerated course participation or students assigned to exceptional student education programs Link to 2014-15 School Improvement Plans

Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Classes

ESE data is provided from the district FDOE Survey 2 date certain files and displayed in graphic form as it has been in previous reports to maintain consistency.

In order to address disproportionality goal five of the district Bridging the Gap Strategic Plan is to reduce the number of black students being found eligible for Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities (EBD).  The major action steps to achieve this goal include: revisions to the eligibility process to include gifted screening, implementation of culturally responsive teaching practices; professional development in interventions, training in Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) facilitation to increase effectiveness of interventions, and additional training in behavior management strategies. The Goal Five team includes representatives from Exceptional Student Education (ESE), Student Services, Area Office staff, Strategic Partnerships, Title I, Professional Development and school based personnel.  The team meets regularly to review and analyze eligibility data, to develop and collaborate on action items and to monitor implementation, progress, and impact upon students.

In addition, the ESE department monitors the ESE initial eligibility data by primary exceptionality, gender, grade level and ethnicity monthly.  This data is used to inform decisions and implement changes to instruction, behavior and academic interventions, the eligibility process and the Bridging the Gap Strategic Plan goal five initiatives.

Supporting data:

ESE Comparison Graphs

Gifted Education Information

The percentage of black students identified as gifted has remained relatively stable over the past year. Ethnic data by Special Ethnic Code: Black/NonBlack

The district has increased opportunity for full-time programming with the three Middle School Centers for Gifted Studies.

Data Source:  Focus Advanced Report

The following district initiatives are being implemented to decrease the gap between black and non- black gifted students.

·    Increased access to gifted education practices and talent development

Gifted teachers in talent development schools were trained in using Performance Matters data to identify high achieving students.  These students are targeted to receive academic enrichment 2-4 times per month with the gifted teacher.  First semester summary reports show an increase in the number of black students included talent development groups.

A cohort of five schools, Bardmoor, Mt. Vernon, High Point, Ridgecrest, and Seminole, fully implemented SEM in 2014-15. These schools agreed to engage students in personalized learning through Enrichment Clusters. Enrichment Clusters covered a variety of topics. They were scheduled once a week for 4-8 weeks. Students were able to select the cluster of their interest, thus increasing student engagement in learning.

Each participating school received: 1) a subscription for each student to Renzulli Learning, web- based personalized learning program; 2) a scholarship for one person to attend Confratute, July 2014 (SEM/gifted education conference); 3) professional development on the SEM model and Enrichment Clusters, April 2014 and October 2014; and, 4) professional development for all staff with national gifted education math expert, Dr. Rachel McAnallen, October 2014.

·    Increased access to gifted screening

Students are traditionally recommended by a teacher or parent for gifted screening. Since 2006, the Naglieri Nonverbal Assessment Test – 2nd Edition (NNAT- 2) has been used to screen a whole grade level of primary students for gifted at targeted schools. As described in the product literature, the NNAT 2 “uses progressive matrices to allow for a culturally neutral evaluation of students’ nonverbal reasoning and general problem-solving ability, regardless of the individual primary language, education, culture, or socioeconomic background.”

For the 2014-15, the following schools have been selected to screen all first graders with the

NNAT 2 funded by the gifted department: Bardmoor, Belleair, Dunedin, Eisenhower, Gulf

Beaches, High Point, Mt. Vernon, McMullen, Ridgecrest, and Orange Grove. Several other schools have embraced grade level screening and funded the practice on their own:  Bauder, Safety Harbor, Madeira Beach, and Tarpon Springs. Screening is expected to be completed before the end of the school year.

The chart below shows the number of students screened at each school.

Accelerated Classes

 The Advanced Studies & Academic Excellence staff strives to continually improve the fidelity to the AVID expectations for providing underrepresented students with the opportunity to access a more rigorous course load in order to provide them with the greatest variety of post-secondary options. The mission of AVID is and will remain preparing students in the academic middle to gain the academic independence necessary to be successful in the post-secondary setting, with a focus on the underrepresented subgroups (minority, low income, first generation college, unique circumstances that put a student at risk to discontinue their education).

As we recruit secondary students to take the AVID elective and schedule students for the upcoming school year, the expectation is clear to students who demonstrated interest in participating in the AVID program, as well as teachers, counselors and administrators, that all AVID students must be scheduled into courses of rigor to the greatest extent possible, without compromising their ability to be successful in those courses. The enrollment trends in AVID continue to increase while maintaining a slight overrepresentation of black students as compared to the breakdown of our total school population.

AVID Elementary was established in Pinellas County at five schools in 2012-13, expanded to two additional schools in 2014-15, and will continue to expand to another five schools in 2015-16. Schools have self-identified their interest in becoming an AVID Elementary site and use school-based funds to provide training opportunities and meet training requirements for their staff while the district pays the membership fees. With increasing interest in the structure of AVID Elementary, we anticipate continued growth in 2016-17, again based on voluntary participation from schools.

·    Existing schools: Bear Creek, Fairmount Park, Lakewood, New Heights, Woodlawn

·    2014-15 new schools: Pinellas Central & Sandy Lane

·    2015-16 new schools: Blanton, Dunedin, Garrison Jones, 74th Street, Starkey

Supporting Data:

AVID Enrollment 4-year Summary

Data is included showing the black and non-black enrollment in several types of advanced and accelerated courses.

At the high school level, the course enrollment analysis includes:

·    Dual enrollment courses, which are courses that earn both high school and college credit if the student achieves a C or higher for the final grade – students must have qualifying test scores and a qualifying GPA in order to participate in dual enrollment (accelerated)

·    Advanced Placement courses, which are courses that require the AP exam in May and have potential to articulate to college credit if the student earns a 3 or higher on the exam (accelerated)

·    Dual enrollment and Advanced Placement courses combined to represent the college level course enrollment (accelerated)

·    Honors classes, which are taken for high school credit but are college preparatory (advanced) At the middle school level, the course enrollment analysis includes:

·    Honors courses, which are taken for high school credit but are college preparatory (accelerated)

·    Algebra courses that result in completing the Algebra I graduation requirement while in middle school (accelerated)

·    M/J Advanced courses, which are middle school courses taken in preparation for a high school college preparatory track (advanced)

Supporting Data:

High School Comparison Data

Middle School Comparison Data

This data shows black and nonblack student enrollment for dual enrollment, Advanced Placement, dual enrollment & Advanced Placement combined, high school honors enrollment, middle school Algebra enrollment, middle school honors enrollment, and middle school advanced enrollment.

This data is the best indicator of PCS’s efforts to have equitable participation in accelerated coursework. Continuing the use of automated scheduling protocols that are based on student data at the middle school level and improving the fidelity to the AVID program requirement for all AVID students to be scheduled into the most rigorous courses available has proven to make a difference in the enrollment numbers as you will see throughout this section of the report.  The gains in this area are significant when you take into consideration the importance of student preparation for advanced and accelerated coursework. The data indicates progress in every open access category reviewed, with a slight decrease in dual enrollment.

Accelerated Course Participation Analysis:

·    While the number of students taking AP courses increased by 4.6%,the number of black students taking AP courses increased by 28.3%, thereby increasing the percentage of black AP students from 8.0% to 9.8%.  Likewise, the number of AP courses that are taken by black students increased from 6.9% to 8.7%.

·    While the percentage of black dual enrollment students showed a slight decline from 11.8% to 11.0%, the number of black students accessing dual enrollment did show a slight increase from 236 black students taking 686 dual enrollment classes to 246 black students taking 731 dual enrollment classes.

·    More importantly, when considering DE and AP combined or access to college level courses, we see an overall increase in the number and percentage of unique black students as well as the number and percentage of enrollments for the black student group, which surpass the increased enrollments in the non-black group. Overall the data indicates that the black subgroup moved from being 8.8% of the students who account for 7.1% of the enrollment to being 10.1% of the students who account for 8.1% of the enrollments.

·    While the number of middle school students taking Honors courses increased by approximately 49%,the number of black middle school students taking Honors courses increased by approximately 135%, thereby increasing the percentage of black middle school Honors students from 8.5% to 12.7%.  Likewise, the number of Honors courses that are taken by black middle school students increased from 7.9% to 11.1%.

·    Algebra enrollments in middle school rely greatly on the automated scheduling protocols. With the re-introduction of Algebra I and the continuation of Algebra I Honors, the percentage of black students gaining this foundation while still in middle school increased significantly. While the overall enrollment in Algebra I courses in the middle school increased by 7.1%, the black enrollment in these courses increased by 57.1%. Black students increased from representing 8.1% of the middle school Algebra I students to representing 11.9% of them.

·    The increase in black student participation in high school Honors courses outpaced the overall increase, again demonstrating greater growth in this area for the black subgroup than the nonblack subgroup. Black student participation in Honors courses at the high school level increased from 13.0% to 14.7% of the population and from 12.5% to 13.1% of the enrollments.

·    The increase in black student participation in M/J Advanced courses also outpaced the overall increase, demonstrating greater growth in this area for the black subgroup than the nonblack subgroup. Black student participation in M/J Advanced courses increased from 11.3% to 13.0% of the population and from 10.1% to 13.5% of the enrollments.

As we review this enrollment data, we see a great deal of growth in the area of placement of students. However, we continue to look for ways to improve the intentional practices related to insuring black students not only have access to accelerated coursework, but are appropriately counseled regarding course selection and provided the support necessary to be successful in the most rigorous courses appropriate for each individual student.

The AVID recruitment processes in preparation for 2015-16 have been more intentional than ever before. The AVID Coordinator from each school was trained and supported in accessing reports related to student data to drive recruitment efforts. Reports that include a multitude of data elements such as unweighted and weighted GPA, most recent FCAT 2.0 reading and math scores, ReadiStep or PSAT scores, EOC scores, race, gender, grade, and current AVID status were generated by each school in January for the students who will return in 2015-16 (6th & 7th graders at the MS and 9th-11th graders at the HS). From these reports, potential AVID students were identified based on the difference between GPA and weighted GPA, test scores, and how the test scores compare to the GPA values. Once identified based on these factors, an effort was made to invite each identified student to participate in AVID in 2015-16.  For every identified student in the black subgroup, this invitation was to be both formal and personal.  Schools are now pulling the same reports for their incoming students (6th & 9th grade) to intentionally invite them to be part of AVID as well. Site based AVID Coordinators have been asked to document what effort was made to invite each identified student and this will be submitted to the Advanced Studies office early next month. Several schools have reached out for our support in this process and we have had checkpoints along the way to insure that we interject support in the schools that may not have self-identified the need for it. We are confident that this process will continue to make a difference in the increased participation of black students in advanced and accelerated courses.