State of the school system
Andy Craig
Hoover City Schools
How is eliminating the graduation test and replacing it with the ACT going to affect schools? Should parents expect lower test scores?
Overall, I believe this is a good change for schools. The ACT test is more relevant and valid to our students than the old graduation exam because it gives students and parents specific feedback with regard to college and career readiness instead of very basic literacy skills. The ACT requires much less time and disruption to the normal instructional process in the high schools.
It is very important to understand that the ACT is not a replacement for the old graduation test. The state eliminated the graduation test, which was a basic skills exam, and implemented statewide administration of the ACT to all high school juniors to give parents and students a more detailed picture of a student’s academic strengths and challenges as they prepare for college. The vast majority of our Hoover students, about 90 percent, have been taking the ACT for many years, and they have done well historically, clearly outpacing state and national averages.
When this year’s juniors graduate next year, and we get their final ACT results (many will retake the test as seniors), I do expect the ACT average of this class to be lower than previous classes because the 10 percent of Hoover students who were not taking the ACT previously will be in the data. I would argue that this is still a good thing because some of those students who might not have believed they were able to go to college may have learned college is a realistic goal for them.
Under the new system, how are schools going to be ranked, and how are teachers going to be assessed?
The new Alabama State Department of Education accountability process is still being fine-tuned at the state level, but we know that it will emphasize measures associated with improving college and career readiness of all students. Schools and systems will be measured against their own historical performance instead of arbitrary goals that are not relevant to communities with specific needs. The emphasis will be on districts getting better from year to year, and Hoover City Schools have always been committed to the principle of continuous improvement. Teachers will be evaluated using the same process that has been in place for years, EDUCATE Alabama, which is also a system that emphasizes continuous improvement.
How can parents help their students adapt to the Common Core curriculum?
My advice here is about the same as it has always been. Communicate regularly with teachers, seek opportunities to engage alongside students in learning activities, and encourage your student to embrace challenging problems and seek creative and innovative solutions. Hoover City Schools established many of these standards as learning expectations for students years ago.
The best learning often occurs at the leading edge of a very fine line that marks the boundary between challenge and frustration, and that is why it is so important for teachers and parents to communicate and collaborate regularly. Innovation may be the most important career competency in the 21st century, and we want to encourage the growth of creative and innovative habits at all grade levels. The Alabama College and Career Readiness standards are more rigorous, and those higher expectations can create stresses at times for students. Encouragement and engagement are the best ways that parents can help students experience success.
Randy Fuller
Shelby County Schools
What programs do you think are the most important to focus on in the upcoming school year?
Our employees are our most valuable assets, making people more important than programs. We will continue to provide quality professional development for our teachers in order to implement best instructional practices within the classroom. Strategies to implement the College and Career Ready Standards will continue to be a focus. These standards will help prepare our students to compete in a global society.
Our local school and central office administrators will embark in a yearlong professional study on ways to better engage parents and community stakeholders in the educational process.
How is eliminating the graduation test and replacing it with the ACT going to affect schools? Should parents expect lower test scores?
The state of Alabama has adopted an assessment system (Aspire and ACT) that is aligned with national standards. The ACT serves a dual purpose. Not only is it a widely accepted college entrance exam, but it also provides benchmark scores that indicate if a student will be successful in college as compared to other students across the nation.
All juniors in the state of Alabama will now take the ACT each spring. Students who have taken the ACT in previous years were only those who planned to go to college. As a result, we expect an implementation dip in our ACT district scores, yet Alabama is joining a growing number of states that will provide this opportunity to all students.
What differences can parents expect to see in the curriculum with Common Core?
Alabama’s new standards raise the bar academically for students. Parents will see more integration of 21st century learning skills into the core curriculum, such as collaboration and teamwork. Students will be exposed to more informational text and academic vocabulary in all content areas. Students will be challenged to think more critically, become problem solvers, and apply learned knowledge in real world situations.
How can parents help their students adapt to the Common Core curriculum?
Parents can help their students adapt to the more rigorous curriculum by having them explain their thinking and have them answer questions on a deeper level (not just yes or no). Parents can give students opportunities to participate in real life events, such as estimating a grocery bill or planning an upcoming vacation, including the budget for the trip.
Our district is planning parent-training opportunities to learn more about the College and Career Ready Standards and ways to help their students at home. These sessions will be provided during the upcoming school year.
How will the new College and Career Ready Standards prepare students for the future?
Alabama’s CCRS challenge students to think more critically, solve complex problems, work together collaboratively, think conceptually, and go deeper with learning. They are aligned with what ACT says students need to know and be able to do to be successful in a college or career. The standards are written in a learning progression that will lead students to be able to compete nationally.
What are the differences between the ACT Aspire test versus the Alabama Reading and Mathematics test for grades 3-8?
The ACT Aspire has replaced the Alabama Reading and Math Test. As the Aspire is an ACT product, it will show growth of a student along a trajectory to indicate benchmark scores for college readiness. The Aspire achievement test has more open-ended questions and allows for more application of learned knowledge. The Aspire is aligned to the College and Career Ready Standards, which alone makes it more rigorous than the previous assessment.