Orange County Schools

Florida Education Report Back Issues (http://www.queuenews.com/FLnews.html)

Education Research Report Back Issues (http://www.queuenews.com/EduResearchRpt.html)

Queue Offers Free Previews

Queue, Inc. is offering public schools free previews of Queue’s best-selling test prep and curriculum-based workbooks. Queue publishes test prep workbooks in reading comprehension and math for grades 2-8 based on the Sunshine State Standards as well as a a wide variety of workbooks in language arts, reading comprehension, math and science ideal for test prep.

Go to http://www.qworkbooks.com/FL/FL.html for descriptions.

Brake Media (Jeff Brake, 800-329-3186 or 407-687-4828) is Queue’s independent sales representative for Florida. Order previews online, or contact your sales rep., or call Queue at 800.232.2224.

Supporting Literacy Across the Sunshine State

A Study of Florida Middle School Reading Coaches

One popular approach to improving student literacy is using school-based reading coaches—specially trained master teachers who provide leadership for the school’s literacy program and offer on-site and ongoing support for teachers so they can improve the literacy skills of their students. While reading coaches are prevalent in many schools across the nation, there is little empirical evidence regarding the nature of coaching and its effectiveness in changing teacher practice and practically no evidence related to coaching effects on student achievement, particularly at the secondary level. Given the increasing popularity of coaching and its significant cost—in terms of financial and human resources—there is a critical need for research in this area.

In 2006–2007, RAND sought to address this research gap by studying a statewide reading coach program in Florida that is situated within a broader state-led literacy policy, the Just Read, Florida! (JRF) initiative. Established in 2001, the JRF initiative’s goal is that all students read at or above grade level by 2012.

To understand Florida’s reading coach program and its implementation and effects at the middle school level, the study examined the following research questions:

How is the reading coach program being implemented by the state, districts, schools, and coaches?

What has been the impact of coaching on teachers’ practice, students’ achievement in reading and mathematics, and other outcomes?

What features of models and practices for reading coaches are associated with better outcomes?

Key Features of the JRF Reading Coaches Program:

Individualized approach to teacher professional development
Full-time coaches work on site with teachers to improve reading instruction
Coaching activities include mentoring, co-teaching, and classroom observations
Schools may tailor activities to fit their specific needs
Most coaches are experienced teachers with specialized training in reading

The study included 987 Florida schools serving sixth- through eighth-graders.

The authors analyzed school-level student reading and mathematics test score data from 1998 to 2006 drawn from statewide databases.

Effects were measured by comparing school-level test score gains for several years before and after the reading coaches were hired and by comparing gains in schools that implemented the program to gains in schools that had not yet implemented it.

The study examined effects separately for four cohorts of schools, based on the year the schools implemented the program. The authors reported higher reading and mathematics test score gains for the earliest cohort and higher reading score gains for the third cohort.

Complete report:

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2008/RAND_MG762.pdf

WWC Quick Review of the Report:

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/quickreviews/readingcoaches/

Florida’s Kindergarteners Show Continued Growth in Early Learning

~ Percentage of students demonstrating early literacy skills reaches record high ~

The number of Florida’s Kindergarteners showing early literacy skills reached its highest point to date according to the 2008 Florida Kindergarten Readiness Screener (FLKRS) results. The screening measures each Kindergartener’s readiness in seven areas, including language and literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, social and personal skills, physical health and fitness and the creative arts. The screening, administered within the first 30 days of Kindergarten, is used to determine student readiness, inform classroom instruction and provide useful information to parents and teachers.

“These are outstanding results and I am thrilled to see that our youngest students are more prepared than ever before to tackle the work that is ahead of them,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith. “You can never start the learning process too early and I am proud of our parents and teachers for ensuring that our children hit the ground running.”

All Kindergartners are measured through this process, which assesses what students should know and be able to do as defined by the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) Education Standards. The screening instrument evaluates students’ abilities using the Early Childhood Observation System™ (ECHOS™) and the first two criteria of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills™ (DIBELS™). Scannable response sheets were received for 190,000 Kindergarten students, representing 98 percent of the Kindergarten students in public schools in October 2008.

A summary of the screening results is as follows:

· Alphabet Recognition. The DIBELS Letter Naming Fluency measures pre-reading and early reading skills. Of the 178,115 students screened in 2008, 76.6 percent were determined to be above average/low risk – an increase of almost five percent compared to last year. In addition, the number of students considered moderate/high risk decreased to 23.4 percent statewide from 28.3 percent last year.

· Sound Recognition. The DIBELS Initial Sound Fluency measures a student’s ability to recognize the beginning sound(s) in a spoken word. Of the 172,976 students screened in 2008, 67.9 percent were above average/low risk – an increase of more than three percent compared to last year. The number of students considered moderate/high risk decreased to 32.1 percent statewide compared to 35.2 percent last year.

· Classroom Readiness. The Early Childhood Observation System™ (ECHOS™) allows teachers to measure learning development. Of the 178,917 students screened by the ECHOS™ in 2008, 47.6 percent were considered to “demonstrate” grade-level learning development (48 percent in 2007), 40.3 percent were considered “emerging/progressing” (39.7 percent in 2007), and 12.1 percent were identified as “not yet demonstrating” (12.3 percent in 2007).

To learn more about the results, visit http://www.fldoe.org/earlylearning/pdf/2008-Kindergarten-Screening-Results.pdf.

Ruling Returns to Florida School Districts the Power to Charter New Schools

…A state appellate court has ruled that Florida Schools of Excellence Commission, an agency created by the state to charter new schools, is "facially unconstitutional."

The decision will return exclusive power to grant charters to local school districts, many of whom sued to retain that control.

"We made the case all along that charter schools that operate in our district should be approved by and controlled by the district," said Nat Harrington, Palm Beach County school district spokesman. 

Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie school districts were among 14 that sued the Department of Education over the creation of the commission…

Complete article:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/local_news/epaper/2008/12/03/1203charter.html

Leon County School District Renews Commitment To Reading Programs

Leon County Schools adopted SRA/McGraw-Hill's Imagine It! reading program and began using the research-based curriculum in fall 2008 for Grades K-5, renewing its 10-year partnership with the elementary textbook publisher and a long-term commitment to academic achievement.

Leon County Schools first began piloting an earlier edition of SRA's Imagine It! known as Open Court Reading in 1998. Before that time, only 32% of the district's schools obtained an A or B from the state of Florida. By 2004, that figure was up 40 percentage points, and in 2007, 74% achieved an A or B.

Success in Leon County with SRA reading programs has been significant. In 2007, Leon County Schools ranked first among Florida's large districts on FCAT Grade 5 reading scores. And, it is the only district in the state to meet Adequate Yearly Progress in both 2004 and 2005.

"We were looking for a reading program that fully met Florida standards, offered strong support materials and training for our teachers, and engaged students especially through its digital offerings," said Jo Marie Olk, reading coordinator of Leon County Schools. "We needed a program that would continue to help us close the achievement gap for our students so that they would be productive citizens in the future."

Olk continued, "We've been using SRA's Open CourtReading for years with great success. We had an overwhelming response from everyone in the district to continue on the path by adopting the latest edition of Open CourtReading, Imagine It!"

Orange County Schools

Orange County's local employment base has diversified moderately with increases in the business and professional services, health care, and education fields. This has somewhat reduced the county's susceptibility to downturns in the tourism industry due to the presence of Walt Disney World, the largest employer. The unemployment rate has fallen in each of the past four years after spiking in the early part of the decade; however, the October 2008 rate of 6.7% (preliminary) was over a full percentage point above the October 2007 rate, signaling a weakening economy. County income levels are slightly below the state and national figures, reflecting the large proportion of lower paying service sector jobs that cater to the tourism market.

District financial operations are sound. Fiscal 2007 ended with a $20.7 million general fund surplus, bringing the unreserved general fund balance to 10.6% of spending ($135.9 million), a strong level for a Florida school district rated by Fitch. The surplus resulted from careful fiscal management, including prudent expenditure controls, as well as higher than budgeted ad valorem tax revenues and unfilled teacher and administrative positions. Fitch believes that the district's reserve levels position it well to manage revenue pressures associated with a softening economy, reflected in weak county sales growth data and state funding reductions led by the broader housing market downturn. County taxable assessed value (TAV) has grown an average of 10% annually over the past five fiscal years, including a more modest growth of 5.1% in fiscal 2009. Unaudited fiscal 2008 results show a $16.6 million surplus increasing the unreserved fund balance to 12.4% of spending. The district expects to end the current fiscal year with breakeven financial operations.

The district's overall debt levels are moderate at $3,903 per capita and 3.7% of TAV. Excluding approximately $2.7 billion of overlapping debt of the county and underlying municipalities, direct debt ratios are moderately low at $1,468 per capita and 1.4% of TAV. Debt amortization is below average, with 33.3% of principal retired over 10 years. Increased COP payments in future fiscal years could pressure financial operations. However, the district's debt burden should remain manageable due to the board's practice of extensive pay-as-you-go funding of capital projects. The fiscal years 2009-2013 capital improvement plan (CIP) identifies $2.5 billion of capital investments.

Approximately 31% of the CIP is funded with additional COP proceeds; pay-as-you-go sources contribute the remainder. Slowing economic growth is reflected in declining impact fee revenues, which may hinder growth-related capital plans. However, modestly declining enrollment figures compliment this trend. The district does not plan to prefund its moderate $132.8 million other post-employment benefits liability through the use of a trust.