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Does Edison’s program have its own set of standards? Do they correlate to Philadelphia district and Pennsylvania state standards? Yes. Edison has developed a comprehensive school program based on very high expectations for both schools and students. Our school performance standards specifically outline what schools need to do to help students succeed, while our academic standards for students clearly articulate expectations by grade level and by subject area. We have found that our rich curriculum meets or exceeds the standards of most states. Pennsylvania is one of 22 states in which Edison already operates, and with which we have ensured our standards are aligned. Detailed evidence of this was provided to the SRC upon submission of our partnership proposal. How will the school be prepared to deal with the new standards for performance and achievement? In each of our partnership schools, we work closely with the Principal to create a custom student achievement plan based on a thorough and thoughtful analysis of existing data. Its components include setting baselines, focusing on individual student needs, embedding test requirements into regular instruction, regularly monitoring progress, aligning professional development, and building familiarity with test administration requirements. These plans allow schools to better understand their current performance levels, establish annual goals and carefully organize their strategies for meeting those goals. Pre-opening and ongoing professional development for school administrators and teachers is, of course, aligned with these standards for every element of the partnership school program and curriculum. How will Edison track student progress against standards? In addition to state and local standardized exams and the framework of each school’s own achievement plan, Edison’s assessment system includes our Benchmark Assessments––short quizzes that are aligned with standards and administered monthly to students in grades 2 and up. They provide teachers regular feedback on students’ knowledge of particular strands of instruction. Scores can be quickly analyzed and used by teachers to inform instruction or by administrators to identify individual classrooms or students who are meeting, exceeding or falling below standards. Accompanying teaching notes provide alternative instructional methods and examples for each test question. Our quarterly learning contracts (QLC)––at the heart of our process for meaningful communication with parents––reports on the level of each student’s work and on the overall quality of their performance. Including a brief description of any standards on which the student is notably strong or weak, QLCs are a three-way discussion between teacher, parent and student not only on past progress but also on future goals. What about all the reports that say Edison’s student achievement track record is mixed at best? If attackers were to objectively and honestly evaluate our partnership schools, they would find this simple fact about Edison’s performance: student achievement is rising faster—much faster—in Edison schools than in any other similar system of schools in America. Over the past six years, our students have grown at the rate of 6 percentage points each year on criterion-referenced tests (such as the PSSA) and at the rate of 5 percentiles each year on norm-referenced tests (such as the Stanford9). We have studied the records of America’s 50 largest public school systems and we cannot find one that matches or exceeds our sustained record of gains. The average, multi-year rate of gain on criterion-referenced tests by the 50 largest systems is about 2 percentage points per year and the average rate of gain on norm-referenced tests is about l percentile per year. That means that our rate of gain appears to be not only the best, but is 3 to 5 times better than the average. Do we have problems? Absolutely. Are we perfect? Absolutely not. There are a number of reasons why some people choose to convey a “mixed” or negative message about Edison’s track record, and we cannot possibly respond to every one of their distortions and mistruths. What we can do, working with committed public educators and local communities across the country, is stay focused on our mission which is to create excellent public schools for children. Click here for a printable version of this page. |
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