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Case Study |
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School in Transition: Katella High School's Steps to Success
by Dr. Matt Witmer
President of Ascend Leadership and Learning, LLC
Context of the School
Katella High School is an urban, comprehensive public high school set in Anaheim, California. According to California Department of Education data, the student population is approximately 79% Hispanic or Latino and 13% white (not of Hispanic origin), with smaller percentages of other ethnic and racial groups. 57% of students participate in free or reduced-price lunches, and 32% of the students are English Learners.
The school's 2004 base Academic Performance Index (API) was 636, and the 2005 growth API was 651. Although the schoolwide API grew, the white subgroup dropped by 10 points. The following year, the 2005 base API was 651, but the 2006 growth API dropped to 642. The Hispanic or Latino subgroup, the white subgroup, and the socioeconomic disadvantaged subgroups did not meet growth targets. This placed the school in a position of concern, because a second year of not meeting required growth targets would result in categorization as a "Program Improvement" (PI) school.
A principal new to the school created a leadership team. The team developed a vision for rapid improvement at the site and utilized Ascend Leadership and Learning for support. Discussions led to a plan for curriculum alignment, common assessment development, and professional learning community implementation at the site.
Services Provided by Ascend Leadership and Learning
Ascend Leadership and Learning provided the following services:
- strategies for school improvement
- principal coaching
- training in curriculum alignment for each subject area
- assistance with curriculum alignment in each subject area
- guidance in common assessment development
- collaboration sessions for instructional decision-making
The services were provided at the school site and teachers met in subject area teams. An Ascend associate met with each subject area to assist in the process of curriculum alignment, common assessment development, and instructional collaboration. Principal coaching sessions took place in a one-to-one format that focused on school improvement strategies.
Results
Katella High School demonstrated the highest 2007 API growth in the Anaheim Union High School District, a district with over 26,000 students in eight junior high schools and 11 high schools. As an urban high school, Katella ranked 7th in student achievement growth among the 56 large comprehensive high schools in Orange County, California. The school also met all 18 Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) indicators, which kept the school from being designated with Program Improvement (PI) status. Katella's 2007 growth API increased by 19 points, from the 2006 base of 669, to 688. Notably, the "students with disabilities" subgroup demonstrated the highest API growth, with subgroup growth of 50 points.
Ascend Leadership and Learning's partnership with Katella High School demonstrated the value and impact of Ascend's work with schools. Ascend continued working with Katella High School during the following year, providing intensive staff development for the Special Education Department and follow-up services for other subject areas. Expert training associates provided in-depth training and accessibility for follow-up.
When schools or districts contract with Ascend Leadership and Learning, they receive a relationship-based company that works with schools to customize a package of support that meets the needs of administration, teachers, students, and parents. We are passionate about serving our partners, and we look forward to working with your school or district to continue improving student success.
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