Agreed upon Action Research Plan

School Vision: To provide a solid foundation for successful, lifelong learning for all students through the cooperative efforts of school and community. Goals: 1. Increase percentage of students in 4th grade receiving commended performance on the TAKS Writing assessment to 40%. 2. Increase proficiency in English Language Arts/Writing TEKS among all students as measured by a primary (K-2nd grade) or intermediate (3rd -6th grade) rubric and works samples in writing portfolio. Action Steps Person(s) Responsible TIMELINE: Start/End Needed Resources Evaluation Teacher unit planning will identify specific objectives being taught related to data gathered on identified student needs. Teachers will plan for a six-week scope and sequence based on the identified needs of their students by objective. Teachers will collaborate with learning community on the implementation of writing initiatives. Campus reading specialist, Administrative intern Instructional specialist. Writing improvement committee Teachers Principal September 2010 Thru May 2011 Writer’s workshop training, professional development sessions, weekly planning meetings Six weeks writing scope and sequence turned in at the beginning of each grading period. Parents will participate in student’s writing process. Parents will complete the home connection of the writing portfolio helping students plan, generate ideas, and edit their writing. Teachers will use portfolio for two way communication using the writing rubric to show student progress. Teachers Parents Writing improvement committee. September 2010 Thru May 2011 Folders, posters, training, feedback from the learning community. Writing portfolio School-wide rubric Parent completion % of home connection Parents increase their understanding of writing curriculum and assessment and how to support their child with proficiency in ELA TEKS. Parent training on new school-wide rubric used to grade student work, six traits of writing and writing portfolios Principal, Administrative intern Instructional specialist Oct 26, 2010 Presenters for training, handouts for meeting, books for parents to check out. Parent attendance % Students will demonstrate grade appropriate proficiency with writing conventions. Students will use and spell high frequency words correctly at a rate of 90% Teachers September 2010 Thru May 2011 Writing curriculum Writing rubric: conventions Students will use vivid verbs and adjectives at least 50% of the time after editing the final draft. Teachers September 2010 Thru May 2011 Writing curriculum Writing rubric: Word choice Students are able to identify repetitive sentence beginnings, and rough transitions during peer editing 70% of the time. Students Teachers September 2010 Thru May 2011 Writing curriculum Peer review analysis Writing rubric: Sentence fluency Students are able to produce an opening that is engaging to the reader 90% of the time. Students are able to link all ideas to the main idea of the writing 90% of the time Teachers September 2010 Thru May 2011 Writing curriculum Writing rubric: Organization/ cohesiveness Students are able to produce writing that conveys enthusiasm and voice at grade appropriate levels as measured by peer-review analysis. Students Teachers September 2010 Thru May 2011 Writing curriculum Peer review analysis Writing rubric: Voice Students are able to use details to support and elaborate on their main idea, create the mood, and convey the intended message as measured by peer-review and teacher rating. Students Teachers September 2010 Thru May 2011 Writing curriculum Peer review analysis Writing rubric: Ideas Writing improvement committee will meet to conduct schoolwide writing contest that will be published through local media outlet Writing improvement committee Administrative intern Instructional specialist January 2011 Partnership with local media outlet Incetives/prizes Writing contest results Number of writing samples receiving a ‘3 or above’ will increase from 21% to 60% Principal Teachers November 2010 Thru March 2011 Writing curriculum Writing benchmarks and TAKS Develop Online Writing Lab (OWL) for students to use to independently develop their writing skills. Technology specialist Administrative Intern Instructional specialist November 2010 Thru June 2011 Computer lab Internet access Students’ use of technology lab to learn and write.

Please comment below. Your suggestions and observations could help greatly improve the results of our action research project.

Challenges to Action Research Project

My action research plan is progressing very well. On Friday, a group of teachers and I gathered to write our Campus Improvement Plan, plan staff development for the first week back from summer, and develop our theme and long range plan. Integral to the goals of our campus is the action research plan that I have described so far. Two main concerns emerge as we discuss implementing the plan. First, we must find committee members from among our parents and community that are willing to invest in the plan and oversee it to the end. I am having difficulty recruiting more than just teachers and staff to come alongside this plan. Also, time is a major challenge. I need someone who is willing to develop a portfolio design that will facilitate the home connection, two teachers that are willing to model writer's workshop, and someone who is willing to build relationships with local media outlets to support our writing contest. Both stem from a lack of buy-in on the part of the stakeholders, and there is no way for me to draw a group to go over data sooner than September 14th. I need something that I can do now that will convey a sense of urgency to stakeholders and increase parent and community involvement with the school.