WASC Midterm Report 2005

Part I. Introduction

School Profile and Assessment

School Profile

Oroville High School received a 6-year WASC accreditation in 2001. Since that time OHS has had a complete change in administration both at the local level and at the district level. In addition, there has been another significant turnover in staff.

Many changes in the programs offered and the focus of Oroville High’s staff have occurred over the last three years. In accordance with state mandates, Oroville High School staff is making the transition to be more data-driven and assessment- oriented. The English, Math, Science and Social Science departments have completely aligned the course content to match California’s content standards and to develop pacing guides that will identify student progress toward meeting standards. In addition, quarterly assessments have been developed and are analyzed using Edusoft and curriculum is modified accordingly. Our School advisory committee has made literacy across the curriculum a major goal to be focused on starting in 2003. In addition to focusing on literacy across the curriculum, aligning classes to state standards and identifying how teachers are incorporating ESLR’s into their daily instruction, this year we also implemented the school wide rules: be safe, be responsible, be respectful. Posters depicting these school rules have been posted in every classroom and key locations throughout the school. Teachers aligned their class rules/expectations to these school rules at the beginning of the 04/05 school year. A cultural committee was formed and uses these school rules as the foundation to developing ways to improve school culture.

Our mission at Oroville High School is to provide a safe, engaging environment that promotes high academic achievement and personal and social responsibility through a cooperative effort of students, teachers, and parents with high expectations for our diverse student population.

Oroville High School's guiding vision is to prepare our students for success in our rapidly changing information-based society and to make sound, informed, ethical decisions in all aspects of their adult lives. We offer quality programs to help our students succeed. Courses, curriculum, and school-wide goals at Oroville High School are reviewed and aligned regularly with local, state and national standards. Our students learn how to be critical thinkers, life-long learners, effective communicators, and community contributors.

Oroville High School (OHS) is located in Oroville in the County of Butte. The city of Oroville serves as Butte County’s seat. The high school has 1200 students, grades nine through twelve. OHS is one of four high schools in the Oroville Union High School District. Established in 1892, our school is rich in tradition. Many prominent county citizens are OHS alumni.

The district draws students from an area of approximately 663 square miles and from five different elementary districts. The principle community within the district’s boundaries, Oroville, has population of approximately 13,250 with 55,000 in the greater Oroville area. The primary sources of income in Oroville are government (including education), tourism, medical, transportation, retail trade, service industries, light manufacturing, agriculture, and lumbering. The mean household income in Oroville is $37,000.

The range and diversity of our student population is matched by the wide variety of programs and activities developed to meet the ever expanding educational and enrichment requirements of our students. The population of OHS reflects the community. According to October 2004 California Basic Education Data Systems (CBEDS), our current enrollment of 1200 students consists of 376 freshmen, 322 sophomores, 281 juniors and 221 seniors. Our 2004/ 2005 student population is comprised of 6% American Indian, 21% Asian, .3% Pacific Islander, 1% Filipino, 7% Hispanic, 5% African American, and 60% white, while the city of Oroville is comprised of 4% American Indian, 6.3% Asian, 7% Hispanic, 4% African American, 77% white and 2.8% other.

Oroville high employs 50 certificated teachers, 2.4 counselors and 25 classified staff. The campus has 46 classrooms (all internet connected), 8 computer labs and a mobile lab.

Opportunities for higher education are plentiful. Butte Community College offers comprehensive programs in many fields. California State University, Chico, a four-year college that offers a full spectrum of curricula, is about a 25-minute drive from Oroville. Furthermore, Oroville is about three hours from the cultural centers of San Francisco and the Bay area and just about two hours from Reno, Tahoe, and Sacramento.

Oroville High encourages all members of the community, to become involved in discussions and activities that affect the operation of the school. Parents and members of the community have been solicited to become part of our School Site Council, clubs, School Advisory Council (SAC), WASC focus committees, English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) and District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC). There are many different components that make Oroville High a successful institution including total commitment to excellence by its staff and administration, encouragement through cooperation of individuals in developing a shared vision, and certainly a feeling of team players among all stakeholders within our community.

Significant Developments

Introduction

In the three years since the 2002 WASC Committee visit, many significant events have occurred and a fair amount of work has been done at Oroville High to implement the WASC Action Plan. We want to thank our Visiting Committee for their devotion to helping our school reach its highest potential in academic excellence and student achievement.

2001-2002 school year began with the arrival of a new superintendent. Dr. Oran Roberts, who had been our Director of Education, became our superintendent. His vision for change included the incorporation of California Standards and Frameworks into our curriculum. In order to insure this infusion, Oroville High was asked to develop quarterly assessments in each of our major core subjects. Furthermore, our past principal purchased a software program called EduSoft that would allow faculty to score quarterly exams and analyze each student’s progress in learning the standards adopted by the State. Now that students are required to pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) and take the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, EduSoft and quarterly exams has become an invaluable tool for the staff to analyze and develop an individualized program based upon the areas of deficiency. In addition, our superintendent has also adopted a pacing guide that will align each curriculum within the District so that when students transfer from one school to another within our District, the order of instruction will be the same. A great deal of time, effort and funding from II/USP and the District has been spent by each Department aligning their curriculum to the State Standards and Frameworks, and also adding remediation courses such as Power Reading, Math Study Skills, General Study Skills, Opportunity classes, SDAIE Earth Science, SDAIE History, and ELD English for those students who were unable to pass portions of the CAHSEE and to help those students meet the standards prior to graduation. In addition, emphasis has also been placed on helping students with reading and comprehension problems through the addition of a computerized reading lab and a curriculum (Read 180) called Power Reading. Within this lab, students’ progress can be monitored and individualized instruction given to prepare those deficient in reading capabilities the tools necessary to become fluent readers. Mandatory and non- mandatory tutoring is also offered. Saturday School tutoring, mandatory and non-mandatory tutoring in addition to remediation classes have helped students review Basic English and math skills. Our Math Department has also adopted a software program (PLATO Interactive Math) that allows similar capability and is used to prepare students to meet the Algebra requirement prior to graduation.

The new construction non-financial hardship projects will go to bid in February of 2005. The new construction project eligibility totals $ 7,842,652 (50% state share and 50% District share). Funding for OHS financial hardships totals $3,665,484. Funding for the OHS modernization project totaling $2,111,893 will be submitted to the OPC no later than April 29, 2005. This funding will allow for the addition of a new library, a new shop building to include metals, woodshop, auto and drafting, as well as a new science wing. The modernization monies will allow for modernization of our existing gym, the transformation of our current shop building into an arts complex, and the modernization of our cafeteria.

Since our last WASC review, our principal has made a concentrated effort to add more ELD classes to the schedule. He has bought six laptops to be used in the ELD classes and many other supplies for those classes. We only had ELD English 9 until last year. Then last year OHS added an English 9/10-combination class at the last minute before school started. This year we have English 9 ELD, English 10 ELD, English 11 ELD and English 12 ELD.

A new principal, Mr. Jeff Peek was assigned in 2002/03. Our Leadership Team was renamed School Advisory Committee (SAC) and during the same period of time, Oroville High received funding for school improvement through an II/USP grant. Oroville High also received a multi-million dollar facilities renovation bond that was used to modernize the M-wing of our campus. Through these funds, changes were made that otherwise would not have been possible. During the first two years, many portions of our action plan were addressed. We were the recipients of a Digital High School grant that allowed funding to connect our campus with CAT 5 wiring and put a computer in every classroom. Several computer labs were added including the expansion and renovation of our library computer workstations. In addition, a new student information management program was made accessible by every teacher to allow grades, attendance, and discipline to be recorded and viewed on a computer within each classroom. All teachers were trained in EduSoft allowing them to now disaggregate data on state and local tests.

In 2002-2003, Governor Gray Davis announced a shocking projected state budget deficit of $35 billion with $2.7 billion to be cut specifically from educational programs. Oroville Union High School District decided to prepare for this shortfall by announcing the layoffs of dozens of teachers from its staff. This was a very difficult time for the morale and unity of each of the schools within the District. A decision was made to reduce the counseling staff and eliminate several key positions within counseling. At Oroville High, several committees met and discussed ways we could support our counseling staff and teachers that were potential lay-offs. After several months, only 2 of the counselor positions were restored and only a few teachers within the District were not rehired. This series of threatened cutbacks created a serious loss of morale and now we are faced with even more uncertainty with our new Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who has suggested a reorganization plan and reduction of educational funding. Through all this, the staff at Oroville High has shown its continued and uncompromising commitment to student academic instruction.

Conclusion

Through all the changes during the past three years, Oroville High has been able to adjust and evolve given the educational climate and student diversity that exists. Our staff is committed to provide quality programs for all students. Oroville High continues to be a successful educational environment that promotes the highest academic challenges while at the same time, helps those achieve basic fundamental skills for those with educational deficits.

It is the commitment of all stakeholders within the Oroville High community, to follow closely those important processes clearly outlined in our WASC self-study process. This commitment has lead to dramatic progress within the Action Plan specified within this report and encouraged by our WASC Visiting Team. The goals and critical areas for improvement listed in WASC are now an integral part of the educational process followed on a daily basis at Oroville High School.

Ongoing Improvement

Oroville High has a very structured process for implementing its Action Plan. The principal is the primary person responsible for ensuring that the process for implementation of Action Plan is followed. The WASC Coordinator serves as an informal advisor and maintains the necessary documentation and follow-up reports. The WASC Coordinator meets regularly with the Focus Committees and reviews the progress within each area. Each staff member is assigned to one of the 5 focus committees. An average of four minimum Days each year have been utilized to address each of the critical areas, and Action Plan. A binder for each staff member has been provided that has a copy of the Single Plan for Student Achievement together with copies of the critical areas and student goals that were previously identified. This was also discussed and initiated through ongoing SAC meetings.

During the inservice days, members of each focus group were given specific goals to accomplish as the review process continued. Most recently, those goals included the following: survey of ESLR’s and their use in the current curriculum, response to critical areas of concern, response to student goals, and a complete review of our Single Plan for Student Achievement. Each committee member received a copy of all the documentation and spent several hours reviewing and commenting on their individual progress within each of these areas. The committees were then given a Master copy of each document on the computer and asked to revise and comment on any of the concerns. These files were then combined in a final report and submitted to all stakeholders for their input. The finished version is provided as part of this report.

At present, the committees are charged with annually reporting their progress to the individual/committee who in turn informs the SAC and Site Council as to the progress achieved for each Action Plan Step. This report was then submitted to the WASC Coordinator. Finally, after all parties involved were satisfied with these findings, it was submitted to the School Board for their approval. The final Midterm Report will be posted on the Oroville High Website and an oral summary of the progress will be delivered to the staff prior to the end of the school year.

As evidenced in charts found in the appendices, our API Growth School wide has improved from our base of 571 in 2000 to a growth of 657 in 2004. Our target has been surpassed each year from 2001 to the present. (See Chart C-1). Our Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) is significantly greater than what were expected in the California High School Exit Exam indicated in Chart C-2. In English/Language Arts OHS students have significantly higher performance than the State averages (See Chart C-3). The growth % of our subgroups has been significant. On the CAHSEE exam, the first year Asian sub groups averaged 42% and grew to 53% in 2004 (See Chart C-4). In mathematics, our school performance, which during the first year of the CAHSEE was below State averages, and have grown to 9% higher than State averages in 2004 results (See Chart C-5). The Special Needs performance on the CAHSEE has also shown growth in those students of percent proficient from 29.5 % in 2003 to 32.3% in 2004. In English Language Arts our sub group achievement also indicates that high passing rates are across the ethnic population for example: Asian population = 78%, Hispanic or Latino = 95% and white = 85%. In CST Mathematics testing of STAR, our levels of advanced, proficient, basic, below basic and far below basic levels compare to State wide averages within the margin of significance (See Chart C-8). A similar finding is evident in the CST results when comparing State averages to Oroville High students (See Chart C-9). Our CST Science results show our school out performs State averages in all but one level, that being basic and this difference is only by 1% (See Chart C-10). Finally, the most impressive indicator is found in our passage rates for the CAHSEE in Chart 11. We have exceeded both State and District performance. Our students have a passage rate of 84% in English Language Arts while the State is 75% and in mathematics it reaches 84% and the State is 74%.

II. Report on Schoolwide Action Plan Progress

A. Vision, Leadership, and Culture

KEY ISSUES: A1 – A4

Goal 1. Develop and maintain a leadership team that includes parents, students, community members, classified and certificated staff.

Oroville High has developed a leadership team called the School Advisory Committee (SAC), which is composed of parents, students, classified and certificated staff. SAC meets at 6:30 am on campus on a monthly basis to allow greater stakeholder participation. In addition, monthly department chair meeting are held to discuss department specific issues. Minutes from the SAC meetings are distributed to all staff members via e-mail and both SAC meetings and department chair meetings are reviewed with the entire faculty at our monthly faculty meetings. Key issues addressed in the Action Plan, have been reviewed and plans for faculty in-services have been developed for implementation. All members of the staff and community have been invited to attend through the quarterly parent newsletter, the school newspaper, direct mailings, phone calls, and personal invitation.

In addition, our School Site Council, which is composed of parents, students, community members, classified and certificated staff, is also an integral part of decision-making. The SSC meets on a monthly basis on the Oroville High School Campus in the evening to allow greater stakeholder participation.

Goal 2. Develop a comprehensive staff development plan based on teacher surveys, school data, and school-wide learning goals.

Our staff development activities are aligned with our WASC Action Plan, which is discussed at SAC and our SSC meetings on ongoing basis. Emphasis is placed on concerns that were expressed during our most recent WASC accreditation. In-service days addressed the following: EduSoft training, quarterly assessments, curriculum articulation and framework alignment, rewriting of ESLRs, and the adoption of a new school vision and mission statements. Several staff development days each year are dedicated to the review of the concerns written in our WASC Action Plan and Single Plan for Student Achievement. Over the last 2 years our leadership team (SAC) has made aligning core courses to state standards, the development of pacing guides, quarterly assessments and literacy across the curriculum part of the emphasis in developing our goals. Staff development has focused on each of these areas in addition to addressing the action plan. During the 2003-2004 school year the staff participated in various in-services that addressed literacy across the curriculum, and math across the curriculum, which were both identified as areas of needed improvement through teacher surveys, school data, and school-wide learning goals. In order to address this ongoing priority, this year (2004-2005) plans have been made for members from each department to attend the literacy conferences together, such as the “A Day With Carol Jago”, which addresses expository writing, writing in academic content areas and writing assessment. This group of teachers will provide in-services for the rest of the staff regarding literacy across the curriculum. Most recently our staff participated in an in-service that focused on the accomplishment of the school rules, which require students to be “Safe, Respectful, and Responsible.” During this in-service, provided by the Butte County Office of Education, Oroville High School’s staff was trained on the “40 Youth Development Assets”, preparing teachers to address students’ academic, social and emotional needs as identified through school data and student input. It is our hope that trainings such as these will improve the overall school culture and provide more support for Oroville High School’s students. Our staff development is based upon our WASC Action Plan and ESLRs.

Goal 3. Develop a formal intervention plan to support students who do not pass the CAHSEE and for students who enter the school with skills below grade level.

Oroville High has implemented remediation classes in both mathematics and English. Students are placed into these classes based upon their CAHSEE and STAR scores, teacher recommendation, and academic achievement. Students who score below proficient on the STAR or do not pass the CAHSEE are identified for intervention. Counselors meet with each student and assign the appropriate remediation course.

This year, Oroville High School added a school-within –a-school program called Opportunity School. It was originally composed of 8 th grade non-graduates. As the school year progressed students who were not performing well academically in at least three classes were added to the Opportunity School with parental consent. Four faculty members each teach one section of Opportunity School, one member teaches two sections, and one member as a support provider for four sections. The results from these special sections have been very successful. Students who failed most of their middle school classes have shown an average 2.0 grade point for the Fall Semester 2004-2005. In addition, OHS has added math study skills and general study skills for students who score poorly on the CAHSEE and STAR, or who are in danger of not meeting the Algebra graduation requirement. Students with 3 or more F’s in core classes at each grading period are encouraged (with parental consent) to enroll in the study skills classes. OHS also has 5 Power Reading sections for students in the 9^th and 11^th grade who are reading below grade level. Additional ELD English classes were also added for English learners who have not scored above intermediate on the CELDT or above 340 on the STAR tests in English. Mr. Peek also supported Power Reading I as a class that freshmen take to help them learn the skills they need to pass the CAHSEE. Last year OHS offered a Power Reading II class for sophomores who needed more help with their skills, and this year Power Reading II is offered as a remedial class for juniors who failed the CAHSEE.

In English, Math, Social Science, and Science quarterly exams have been written. After students take them, respective department members review the test results from EduSoft and edit the test as necessary. In the future, EduSoft will allow us to communicate with students’ parents about which standards they have passed, and which standards they haven’t. This information can also be used for student interventions. Our Visual Art department uses portfolios for quarterly assessment to track student progress and to insure each student has met the VAPA standards for advancement to the next level in the sequence of courses.

Goal 4. Oroville High School needs to develop rubrics to be used school-wide to assess student progress in achieving the ESLRs.

During the 2003-2004 school year, our nine ESLRs were reorganized, defined more succinctly by our SAC, and discussed during a faculty in-service. Revised posters have been placed in each and every classroom and various places throughout the school. Teachers have been encouraged throughout the year to incorporate the ESLRs into their daily curriculum. The chart below indicates the progress made.

At the beginning of each school year, teachers complete a form indicating how they incorporate each of the ESLRs into their lessons. These forms are kept by the assistant principal and reviewed during the evaluation process. Also, during the evaluation process teachers are asked to address which ESLRs will be covered during the observed lesson and how they will assess student achievement. In a survey conducted January, 2005, it was determined that the majority of the staff have incorporated the ESLRs into their course syllabus while also using components in the evaluation of each student. Nearly 70% have incorporated ESLR’s in weekly lesson plans. 100% of the staff had their ESLR chart on the wall of their classroom.

Goal 5. Student standardized test data needs to be reviewed with students systematically.

Annually, at the beginning of each school year, results of STAR and the CAHSEE are distributed to each student and to their parents. Specific criteria are given from the State explaining the current status of each student’s tested area. A brochure accompanies each handout carefully explaining the results. Newsletters, bulletins, and personal letters are available that notify students of upcoming tests, and websites are given that allow students to access similar data from their home computers using the Internet. Students are also asked to attend special meetings that are used to disseminate important information regarding upcoming tests, such as PSAT, SAT, AP, ASVAB and the like. Counselors systematically discuss the results of standardized tests on an annual basis with each student.

All Teachers were trained this year on the use of EduSoft, which will allow them to disaggregate data for each of their students. The disaggregated data will allow teachers to more productively address their student’s specific needs.

B. Curricular Paths

KEY ISSUES: B1 – B4

Goal 1. Establishment of a follow-up process of Oroville graduates

Every year graduating seniors are surveyed regarding their postgraduate plans. A form is sent approximately 1 month before graduation to each senior. The form requests information regarding post-high school plans. The options are: 1) college – junior college, State university, private university (name of college), 2) military (branch of service), 3) workforce, 4) vocational. These forms are sent to all economics and government classes. College connection students are also polled, and a check-off list is then made of all the seniors. Students who do not respond receive a personal contact from our registrar to ascertain the information.

Our registrar clerk tallies those results.

Goal 2. Development of a career and academic plan for each student that is monitored and adjusted appropriately.

During the sophomore year, counselors present a PowerPoint presentation in all sophomore English classes to review graduation requirements and college entrance requirements. Students complete an Educational Planning Outline during the PowerPoint presentation in which career goals are explored and post-secondary options after high school are considered. These outlines are collected at the end of the group presentation. Then, each student meets with his/her assigned counselor and individually reviews the Educational Planning Outline, the most current report card and the student’s individual transcript. The counselor and student together review progress in coursework for grades 9 and 10. The counselor writes down the student’s career goal and the post-secondary institution that the student plans to attend. At this time, the Academic Plan is completed for Grades 11 and 12. Careful attention is given to meet entrance requirements for vocational schools, 2-and 4-year colleges as well as the military or the work force. The counselor may provide information at that time about a specific institution that a student plans to attend or may arrange for a follow-up conference.

The counselor keeps the original of the 2-year plan in the Counselor Binder with the transcript. The student receives a copy of the 2-year plan and their personal educational planner to share with the parent. The student takes a copy of the 2-year plan, along with a copy of the transcript, home to share with a parent/guardian. A “Note to Parents” on the 2-year plan encourages them to call or make an appointment with the Counselor if they have questions. The Counseling Department phone number is also provided on the Educational Planning Outline. The student also receives a copy of his/her transcript to share with the parent/guardian.

Each student's Academic Plan is reviewed by their counselor when new transcripts are generated twice a year to make certain that students are meeting graduation requirements and meeting their post high school goal: 2-year college, 4-year college, vocational school, military or other. Counselors also recommend Adult Night School classes and Summer school as needed. The Academic Plan may also be reviewed when quarterly report cards and progress reports are generated during the school year. The Academic Plan is reviewed usually each time a student comes in the office to see a counselor. The Plan is referred to, for example, if a student asks about a class change, wants to change a class they had planned to take in the junior or senior year, discusses post secondary plans.

Each counselor has a binder for each grade level and keeps a copy of the student's transcript and their Academic Plan in the binder and it is referred to very often. Each student has receives a copy of their Academic Plan to share with the parent/guardian and kept for future reference.

The Oroville High School Counseling Department is working with a reduced counseling staff. There were 3 full-time counselors until the end of the 2002-2003 school year. During Spring semester, 2003, all counselors and librarians in the Oroville Union High School District received lay off notices. It was negotiated in June, 2003, with a side letter which would be in effect until the end of the 2005-2006 school year to have 2 counselors at each school site for 3 years. This put tremendous stress on the remaining counseling staff to meet the needs of all students. Then, Spring, 2004, one counselor was rehired to work 3 days per week at Las Plumas High School and 2 days per week at Oroville High School. This addition of counseling services helped ease some of the stress. This past year, a part-time librarian and librarian aid was rehired to help re-establish the library program.

The Director of Financial Aid from Butte College is the speaker and presenter of our Financial Aid Night. This past December a letter was sent to all senior parents/guardians/students inviting them to attend the Financial Aid Workshop in January of 2005. The letter was a collaborative effort of Butte College and the Oroville High School – Counseling Department. The attendance was very good this year.

Goal 3. More extensive career pathways and school-to-career choices

Career pathways are currently available within the individual departments. Vocational education has written career pathways and school-to-career choices. Career pathway pamphlets are handed to students during 8^th grade counseling and throughout the four high school years as requested. Career pathways and course sequences are listed in the Course Description Handbook. For example, a course sequence for Computer Science is shown as: Computer Apps 1…Multimedia and Web Design…Computer Apps II…ROP Technology in the Workplace. In core subject departments, both career pathways and school-to-career choices are integrated into college preparatory coursework.

Oroville High School offers an array of course offerings meet meeting the A-G requirements. In addition, the school offers many specializes career-directed courses.

OHS has added an additional course called ROP Architecture / Interior Design. We have also added web design, graphics design, an additional AP Biology section, and AP Spanish Literature classes since our last WASC review. Next year we plan on adding a Fiber Arts class, a 3-D StudioMax class, an Anatomy/ Physiology class as well as AP Physics class. Many of our courses are articulated with Butte College, Yuba College, and Chico State University, whereby students receive actual college credits for successfully completing OHS courses.

Student service organizations (Future Business Leaders of America, VICA, and FHA-HERO) allow students to vie for awards and scholarships by competing in real-life career situations on county, regional, state, and national levels.

Guest speakers and field trips to colleges and places of business offer students a sampling of post-secondary career possibilities. Career seminars have allowed OHS students to meet with and hear from local business people on a regular basis. Instructors routinely incorporate opportunities in the curriculum for students to experience job shadowing and on-the-job training.

Students can take four years of visual arts and every art student is encouraged to develop and refine a three-part portfolio, which could be submitted for advanced placement credit. We have an active student National Art Honor Society, whose members run our “Tamori Art Gallery.” The gallery displays the work of local adult artists in the community and is partnered with the “Art Artist of River Town” which is our town’s nonprofit arts organization. The artists serve as guest speakers, which inspire our students to see the role the arts have in their life after high school.

The Counselors at Oroville High School provide quality career and post-secondary guidance to students. The Daily Bulletin is used to provide information on SAT and ACT Testing, Upward Bound Programs, Scholarships, Financial Aid Information as well as a Financial Aid Night and workshops offered. A “Counseling Newsletter for Seniors” is published every other month and distributed in economics and government classes by the head counselor who goes over all the information: testing information, college applications, financial aid information, deadline dates, presentations by college representatives, college visitations, letters of recommendation and all pertinent information for Seniors. A letter is also sent to seniors and their parents informing them of their current graduation status. The head counselor also inserts a section in each quarterly parent newsletter that outlines all pertinent college deadlines and significant testing dates.

Butte College has a program that is called “Reg–to-Go” which encourages seniors to complete the required steps for admission to the community college during the spring semester of their senior year. The counseling department works very closely with Butte College to be sure that all seniors have this information. The Class of 2004, which graduated 198 seniors, had 98 Seniors participants in the “Reg-to-Go” program.

All incoming freshmen are walked through the counseling Power Point presentation that explains high school graduation requirements, testing requirements, career training courses, extra-curricular activities, athletics and clubs on campus. Information is presented on 2-year and 4-year colleges and includes entrance requirements and entrance tests. Scholarships, financial aid and college visitation information is also provided. At this time, career pathways are discussed together with school-to-career choices.

The Registrar gathers information in the spring of a student’s senior year as to what the student plasn to do after graduation : a 4-year school, 2-year school, vocational school, join the military, or other. The Registrar puts together a Graduate Profile for each senior class and the Profiles are kept in a binder in the Counseling Office.

C. Powerful Teaching and Learning

KEY ISSUES: C1 – C3

Goal 1. Continue to improve the rigor of instruction for all students.

OHS has dropped its basic math courses and students now begin at least at the Algebra level. All students are encouraged to take college-prep classes. The core courses have aligned curriculum to State Standards and developed quarterly assessments to drive curriculum.

To meet the requirements of the digital high school grant, each department is responsible for training students in various areas of technology.

At present, our math department teaches spreadsheets, the social science department covers internet research, science teaches how to use PowerPoint and our English department teaches word processing. In addition, the visual arts department teaches digital photography, Photoshop and Graphic Converter to document student growth over time. The career/vocational department is responsible for desktop publishing.

AP Spanish Literature, AP French Literature and Anatomy, AP Physics and Physiology courses have been added or will be added next year. The AP Biology program has been expanded.

Goal 2. Continue to develop challenging learning experiences that involve problem-solving, collaborative work and meaningful application of knowledge and skills for all students.

Athletics, Band, Homecoming, Spirit Week and the many other extra-curricular activities offered to our students provide them the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the ESLR’s. For example, Environmental Club provides outreach services for the community including but not limited to riparian projects, Adopt-A-Highway, and tree planting. ROP Chef Prep students provide catering services for the community and school activities.

The teacher evaluation process is now based on the California teaching standards. Teachers are evaluated based on their ability to engage and support all students, create and maintain effective environments, understand and organize subject matter for student learning, plan instruction and design learning experiences, assess student learning and develop as a professional educator.

Goal 3. Develop and implement support programs for students who are functioning below grade level in reading, writing, and math.

As the data charts in the appendix demonstrate, students at Oroville High School have continued to increase in performance on both the CST’s and CAHSEE. This includes significant subgroups as well. Oroville High School also provides students with opportunities to excel in areas of special interest. In addition to the array of course offerings that meet the A-G requirements, the school offers specialized course offerings. Examples include: ROP Retail Sales, ROP Chef Prep, ROP Interior Design, Butte College articulated courses, Graphic Design, Architectural Design, College Connection opportunities, SDAIE classes in Earth Science and World History.

Tutoring programs are also available including: Upward Bound (ILS), voluntary and mandatory tutoring, Saturday School tutoring. OHS has Power Reading (Read 180) for students functioning below grade level in reading and writing. OHS also offers math study skills (interactive math) for students who score low on CAHSEE and/or STAR as well as for those in danger of not passing Algebra.

We have added four sections of ELD English classes, one section of Sheltered World History and one section of Sheltered Earth Science. OHS also has an Opportunity School “within a school” for 8^th grade non-graduates. At the semester, freshmen that were doing poorly in more than half their classes were transferred to the Opportunity School by parent consent. In addition, this year our Title I/EL coordinator has put together a binder, which can be used as a resource by teachers. It is designed to help prepare EL lesson plans and provide information about the EL program and students. The binder includes the following Board Policy: “Instructional Strategies, CELDT Scores, Title 3 student list, R-FEP student list, I-FEP student list, FEP Review Form, Remediation Plan, Lesson Plan Checklist, R-FEP, Operating Procedures, Proficiency Redesignation Worksheet, Parent Letter of Reclassification, Request for English Mainstream Placement, R-FEP Reclassification, Student Follow-Up Record, California English Language Development Test Proficiency Standards, Interdisciplinary Communication Skills, ELD Standards Guide, ELD Listening and Speaking Standards 9-12, ELD Writing Standards 9-12, and ELD Reading Standards 9-10,”

The Oroville High School Math Department has added Interactive Math used to support our pre-algebra and opportunity classrooms, as well as our tutoring program. We have continued to expand our quarterly assessments, which are now district level and include all math courses except pre-calculus and AP calculus. We have added materials from the "Key To" series to supplement our Algebra A sections. In addition we have added Math Study skills for students either in danger of not passing their Algebra requirement, or who have not passed the CAHSEE. The math department has done a math across the curriculum presentation for the entire staff on a staff development day. Four representatives of the OHS math department attended the Asilomar math conference to update our department in the latest research and techniques for teaching our subject matter.

Goal 4. Develop, implement, and monitor a focused staff development program sustained over time that enhances active, challenging learning experiences for all students. This plan should focus on the achievement of the ESLR’s, instructional strategies, technology integration in the curriculum, and cross-curricular collaboration.

Since our last WASC visit our focus has been to align classes with the standards in each of the core classes, improve literacy across the curriculum and to insure all of our teachers are highly qualified in the classes they teach; including insuring all teachers are either CLAD or SDAIE certified. As a result of this focus, staff development has been based on each of these areas. We have had Mary Lee Barton, a reading specialist from Butte County Office of Education, work with the staff as a whole on literacy across the curriculum. The OHS English department provided a literacy roundtable and the math department provided an in-service demonstrating how to incorporate math in every class. We are also planning to send at least one member from each department to a literacy conference this year. This group of teachers will then provide in-service for the staff as a whole. In addition, all release and staff development time, has been for departments to align curriculum to State standards, and to develop pacing guides as well as quarterly assessments. All of our teachers have been trained in CTAP 100 at a minimum and the majority have gone on to complete TWT, CTAP 120, 201, 210 and 161 and use e-mail daily. Each department has had training in using the Edusoft program for retrieval and input of student data. At our last in-service, staff were trained on the 40 youth developmental assets in an effort to improve school culture as a whole.

Goal 5. A school-wide effort needs to be implemented to use assessment data that will lead to change in teaching strategies

Student achievement is measured in a variety of ways. Measurement instruments include assessments required under the State’s Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program, the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) and established tools such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and Advanced Placement (AP) exams. In addition, the district has overseen the alignment of curriculum to content standards and the development of quarterly exams in each of the core areas. These tests, created by teams of teachers in each of the core subjects, serve to assess students and then drive instruction and interventions. The school uses the data generated from these instruments for various levels of program assessment. The school provides teachers with EduSoft, to disaggregate the data from each of the instruments to provide an analysis of each student. EduSoft allows teachers and administrators to access assessment data at both the individual and whole class level. Data can be grouped into economically disadvantaged, Special Education and English Learner categories. Each category can be further sorted by district, school, department, teacher, class period, individual student, gender and ethnicity. The school or district can then report this data. Every teacher received extensive training in the use of EduSoft data and is now able to use EduSoft to assess student achievement and drive instruction.

D. Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth

STAR and High School Exit Incentives Program

KEY ISSUES: D1 – D4

Goal 1. Oroville High School needs to develop a plan to give stakeholders a greater opportunity to participate in the decision making process as it relates to student learning and success.

All stakeholders are solicited to participate in the decision-making process by becoming members of the Staff Advisory Committee (SAC), our WASC focus groups, and the School Site Council through a welcome letter sent at the beginning of the year, a verbal request during Back-to-School night, and in quarterly newsletters. In addition, teachers are encouraged to phone parents requesting them to become members of the WASC focus groups. Unfortunately, the response has not been overwhelming. Each focus group has from one to four parents currently participating. Our School Site Council has the correct composition with an additional three parents as alternates. In addition, parents are an integral part of our English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) and the District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC). Parents are also welcome to attend School Board Meetings and voice ideas or concerns.

Goal 2. Oroville High School needs to explore the options for student health services.

Oroville High currently has a Butte Behavioral Health counselor that works on campus four days a week. Students who are in need of services and who qualify for MediCal are referred through the Outreach Consultant. The process involves teachers, counselors and other support staff referring identified students to the Outreach Consultant. The Outreach Consultant contacts the student’s parents to verify that the student is qualified to receive MediCal. The Outreach Consultant then completes the referral form and gives it to the behavioral health counselor who then adds the student to her case load.

If a student is a non Medi-Cal student and does not qualify for Butte Behavioral Health Services, students and parents are recommended to the Oroville Community Counseling Center or private counselors depending on parent insurance. If a student is in an immediate crisis, counselors can contact the HERE program and speak with a worker who will come to the school and meet with the student as well as follow-up with the family.

Goal 3. Oroville High School needs to explore options to develop a more comprehensive student support plan.

Oroville High is in the process of improving the student support plan. While this plan is being improved, the services involved in supporting students are still being utilized. During the 03/04 school year Oroville wrote and received the SB65 Motivation and Maintenance Grant. This grant allowed for the hiring of a full time outreach consultant. Two outreach consultants were hired, one full-time and one part-time, to act as a “change agent” in the effort to prevent student dropout by creating a climate that fosters academic success. Since November of 2004, one full-time outreach consultant has served as our Dropout Prevention Specialist. She does this primarily by facilitating two programs within the Motivation and Maintenance Program itself: The “Student Success Team” (SST) and the “Collaboration of Services Team” (COST). The SST process is a strength-based program designed to empower the at-risk/high risk student to become involved as a pro-active member in his or her own educational process. This is accomplished by bringing together the student’s parents, teachers, counselor, administrator, and outreach consultant (ORC) to discuss the student’s strengths and skills in the attempt to use these attributes to aid the student in fashioning a successful academic plan. After a plan has been devised, the Student Study team then meets again a month later to fine tune the plan as the student continues to receive advocacy and support from the parents and professionals in the team.

The COST program is a team of professionals which provides all the support services to the students at OHS. These professionals include both school employees, such as special education staff, and county employees including the “School Attendance Review Board” (SARB). Members of the COST team utilize SSTs, weekly progress reports, anger management classes, and drug and alcohol counseling, etc. in order to track the services received by high-risk students. The team meets on a weekly basis in order to effectively case manage students who need more than average support in order to graduate from high school. COST members identify certain high-risk students as the focus of weekly discussion and a plan of action is agreed upon within the meetings as to who monitors the student and how to best advocate to meet the student’s needs in the future. Other duties for the outreach consultant include conducting home visits, making one on one student contact, and providing staff and parent’s education on issues that may interfere with the student’s ability to graduate. She also attends School Site Council meetings and appropriate training sessions.

In addition to the Outreach Consultant, ELD English classes, SDAIE World History and Earth Science, Math Study Skills, General Study Skills and more Power Reading classes were added this year. To enhance the education of our gifted students our GATE program continues to function as it has in the past with a few additions. We have an Academic Decathlon team and are trying to develop a Mock Trial Team that are both supported by GATE.

Several new programs empower students to interact with each other to effect positive change. At the beginning of the 2002 school year OHS began its Link Crew program to connect upper classmen, (Link Crew Leaders), with students in the freshman class as a support for those freshman. Link Leaders provide classroom lessons designed to improve student study skills, organization, and other important academic habits. Link Crew sponsors social outreach activities such as tailgate parties and movie nights to encourage Freshmen to become active participants during their high school career.

In the fall of 04/05 24 students were trained as Safe School Ambassadors. This program trains students from different walks of life on campus to identify potential problems dealing with bullying and harassment. They may intercede on sight or inform an adult.

Another program, Conflict Managers, has been in place for several years now. Trained students called conflict managers are called in as a neutral third party to help diffuse conflicts between other students.

Still another program, Respect Days, has just been implemented this year. This program pulls up to 100 hundred students out of class for the day and puts them together in mixed groups to promote respect between races, genders, and other social groups. These new programs have been a positive addition to the support programs already in place.

OHS continues to support a very successful band program. Our band received 1^st place with a record high score of 95.35 on October 21, 2003. On November 4, 2003, our band, flag team and drum line won Music Championship, Marching Championship and Showmanship Championship, overall Parade Championship and Concert Band Championship at the Lodi Band Review. Again at this year’s Lodi competition our band won Music Sweepstakes, Marching Sweepstakes and Parade Grand Sweepstakes.

Students in the Visual Arts classes have the opportunity to take art in a four year sequential program, which includes A.P. Studio Art. Art students can participate in local, state, and national competitions, and can display their works in the school’s library, on the school’s web site, and in various displays on campus. The Art Club sponsored gallery supports student learning by bringing in community members who are practicing artists or patrons of the Arts. The I-Tech Department also competes with other students around the county and in all of our local fairs. There are numerous clubs, athletic opportunities, ROP classes and tutoring programs to support students.

As mentioned earlier, OHS has formed a “Cultural Committee” that discusses such issues as safety, discipline and school culture. Items discussed so far have included our school ID card policy, greeting students at the door, defining the referral process and respect for substitute teachers. A problem existed in which too many referrals were coming from substitutes. The committee felt that there needed to be a consistent policy by all teachers with students that misbehave when a substitute teacher is present. From the discussion a “Sub Poster” was produced and now hangs in every classroom. In addition, substitutes are now given a packet of basic information that empowers them to make critical decisions regarding student behavior. This committee is also part of the school safety plan. The 3 components required by law: people and programs, places and remedial skills were discussed and developed. The committee overwhelmingly approved the Safety Committee’s recommendations to be included in the current Safety Plan.

Most importantly, counselors support all students with an academic plan. Due to the reduction in counseling services, counselors have not been able to meet individually with incoming Freshmen to prepare the 2 year plan for grades 9 and 10. However, counselors place students in 9^th grade classes from course recommendations from 8^th grade teachers. During the Sophomore year, counselors present a Power Point Presentation in all Sophomore English classes which reviews graduation requirements and college entrance requirements. Students complete an Educational Planning Outline during the presentation. Then the counselors follow up with each student to whom they are assigned and review the classes for grades 9 and 10. After which the Educational Planning Outline is reviewed and the student’s career goal is written down. Next, the two year academic plan for grades 11 and 12 is completed and the student and counselor each keep a copy. This process is called Sophomore Counseling.

Goal 4. Oroville High School needs to identify and utilize the talents and resources of all parents.

At present, parents are involved in WASC focus groups, leadership teams and as members of School Site Council. In addition, parents have been hired as coaches for both athletic teams and our cheerleading squad. For example, we hired a fire department captain to coach our girl’s softball team. Parents also participate as chaperones and drivers for various club activities and they help with the classes during homecoming and spirit week activities. Parents are the driving force behind our sports and band booster organizations as well as our PTSA and Safe Grad committee. Parents also participate in our biannual campus beautification days. Several parents and community members participated in the annual Dennis Burnum Community Classic Basketball Tournament.

Even though parents already participate in the areas mentioned, we realize that many of the talents and resources parents possess have not been utilized and we will continue to explore ways to include parents in more ways.

Goal 5. A process to engage and include all stakeholders in decisions relating to student learning needs exploration and implementation.

At the beginning of each school year a welcome letter is sent along with pertinent school information in a student registration packet. In the letter, parents are encouraged to get involved by becoming members of committees, helping with clubs and athletics. A parent survey was also included in the packet. The survey had several opinion questions but also gave parents opportunities to express their willingness to volunteer in various ways. Then, at back to school night again, parents are encouraged to help in the aforementioned ways. A table is set up in the gym with sign up sheets and information about “Parent Connect” is available. Parent Connect is an on-line service that allows parents to see their student(s) grades, attendance and discipline. We are still exploring ways to include how students are doing on individual assignments.

Finally, each quarter a Principal’s newsletter is published which includes information regarding how parents can volunteer. In addition, the newsletters contain information about current events, a section for counseling news, testing information and a message from the assistant principals that usually discuss safety or discipline issues.

E. Assessment and Accountability

KEY ISSUES: E1 – E4

Goal 1. Improve the school, district, and community review process of student progress toward accomplishing the ESLR’s and California State Content Standard results.

As mentioned before, the school and district are continuing to develop quarterly assessments to monitor student progress on the California State Content Standards in each of the core subjects. Committees of teachers from each of the district schools worked together to align the core courses to the California State standards, develop district-wide pacing guides and then the quarterly assessments. EduSoft is then used to disaggregate the results, and lessons are adjusted accordingly based on the assignments. EduSoft can also be used to desegregate data from the required state tests, STAR, CAHSEE, SAT and CELDT.

In addition, all the state testing results are included in the School Accountability Report Card (SARC) and the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA). Both the SARC and the SPSA are posted on the school web site and are available for all stakeholders to view. They are also presented to the SSC for review and discussion.

It has been a much more difficult task trying to develop an assessment of the ESLR’s. Our philosophy has been to try and tackle a few of the Action Plan items each year. The year following the last WASC review our district had a CCR review and the majority of the time and energy spent was preparing for the review. The following year the administration changed and a lot of attention was spent reviewing and assessing where we were regarding the Action Plan, most of the time and energy was focused on aligning curriculum to the state standards and designing the quarterly assessments as well as investigating and complimentary ways to increase literacy across the curriculum.

At the beginning of the 03/04 School year, teachers were asked to complete a form in which they listed activities and lessons they do in class that support each of the ESLR’s. At that same time, the evaluation process was modified to include responses from teachers indicating what ESLR’s would be taught and how teachers would know that students received the information. At present there is no formal review process to measure student progress toward meeting ESLR’s. We understand that this is an important WASC key issue and our plan is to include and develop a more thorough review process regarding ESLR’s once we have completed implementing the quarterly assessments. To measure the prevalence of the ESLR’s in the classroom, we did conduct a survey this January and found that the majority of the staff have incorporated the ESLRs into their course syllabi and are using components in the evaluation of each student (See Chart E in the appendix). Nearly 70% have incorporated ESLR’s in weekly lesson plans.

Goal 2. Improve the communication of the results of the Academic Performance Index, SAT9, and progress towards ESLR’s accomplishment.

In addition to the newsletters, discussion at SSC, and posting the SARC and SPSA on the web site, testing results are sent home to students on an individual basis. Oroville High also hosts two parent nights, one each for parents of our Title I students and our English learner parents (with translators). Test results from both the STAR and the CAHSEE are presented to parents at each of these meetings. Finally, the district highlights a presentation for all stakeholders regarding test results and AYP information at a regularly scheduled School Board meeting.

Again, progress towards ESLRs accomplishments has taken a back burner at this time because of the focus on the STAR and CAHSEE. We are fully aware of the importance of the ESLR’s and will address developing a more comprehensive assessment and means of reporting progress in the future.

Goal 3. The ESLR’s and California State Content Standards need to continue to drive the assessment process in all curricular areas.

The focus over the last three years has been to develop a means to evaluate student progress in preparation for the STAR and CAHSEE, hence, the development of pacing guides and quarterly assessments. Although the ESLR’s form teachers fill out at the beginning each year allows staff to assess how ESLR’s are being implemented, there is still a need to produce an assessment to measure progress toward meeting the ESLR’s. However, the focus of this committee remains to be the completion and further refinement of the quarterly assessments; after which we’ll begin department or school-wide assessments of the ESLR’s.

Goal 4. The development of assessments and benchmarks for all departments on campus.

The quarterly exams, written for English, mathematics, social science, and science are benchmarks for teachers to use to monitor student progress toward both the CAHSEE and STAR test. Career Technical departments are aligning curriculum with English and math standards as well as with new specific department standards to monitor our students’ progress toward both CAHSEE and STAR test. Though not currently developing quarterly assessments, VAPA continues to align curriculum with the state standards and to develop authentic assessments that utilize the ESLR’s.

Goal 5. Staff development should reflect the needs of the staff as they continue to align curriculum, interpret data, incorporate new instructional strategies, and develop benchmarks and assessments.

Staff development for the last two years has focused on the development of pacing guides and the alignment of curriculum to state standards. All staff were trained in the use of EduSoft, which allows any staff member to disaggregate data on the state as well as local tests. Staff is encouraged to participate in conferences and/or other trainings to learn to incorporate new instructional strategies into their lessons. During inservices, an expert in reading across the curriculum was brought in to work with the entire staff. Another in-service focused on how to include math across the curriculum.

In the fall of 03/04, an evaluation committee was formed to review and monitor requests of the IIUSP Grant. The committee uses select criteria to determine if the request fits into the School Action Plan and funds are granted accordingly.

Appendix A. Critical Areas – Minimum Day Survey/Response

AGENDA

WASC Third-Year Progress Report

October 13^thand November 10^th, 2004

Minimum Day

Committee Tasks – each committee should plan how to complete each part of the report.

Make all changes in a COLORED font and save on Pearl*.

TASK 1: First Minimum Day

Single Plan – copies provided for all staff + found on WASC folder of Pearl*

1. Comment on the accomplishment of each schoolwide action plan section and

growth target.

2. Review/Cite evidence including how each area has impacted student

Achievement.

3. Give the accomplishment of one or more of the schoolwide learning results

and academic standards.

4. In each schoolwide action plan section, reference which critical areas of follow-up have been addressed. (Chapter V)

Comment on any major refinements to the current action plan based on the analysis of progress during the past 2 years.

TASK 2: Second Minimum Day

Schoolwide Goals - copies provided for all staff + found on WASC folder of Pearl (Chapter III)

1. Review the status of TASK 1. Make new assignments if needed and complete.

2. Carefully review each of the Schoolwide goals.

3. Comment on the current accomplishments and status of each goal.

4. Review the Schoolwide Critical Areas for Follow-up (Chapter IV p. 32)

5. Comment on any accomplishments for each critical area of focus.

Results:

Place all results on the templates provided for you. Update the files and save them in the WASC Folder under your committee name found on Pearl*.

*Public/WASC2004/your committee (Handout provided)

Appendix B

WASC Response Summary

Critical Areas of Follow-up

January, 2005

Each WASC committee carefully reviewed the various areas of critical concerns during two minimum days. As they did so, each responded by listing evidences and examples. Their comments are listed in color to help identify each response by specific committee.

Committee comments are color coded:

1. Assessment & Accountability

2. Curricular Paths

3. Powerful Teaching

4. Support for Students

5. Vision & Leadership

Please add narrative to each Critical Areas for Follow-up.

The staff and administration will align curriculum, instruction, and assessment to the California Content and Performance Standards, the District and site vision statements and the Oroville High School ESLR’s to ensure a consistently high level of achievement for all students through a rigorous curriculum and quality instruction.

As mentioned before, the school and district have developed quarterly assessments to monitor student progress on the California State Content Standards in each of the core subjects. Committees of teachers from each of the district schools worked together to align the core courses to the California State standards, develop district-wide pacing guides and then the quarterly assessments. EduSoft is then used to disaggregate the results and lessons are adjusted accordingly based on the assignments, EduSoft can also be used to desegregate data from the required state tests, STAR, CAHSEE, SAT and CELDT.

In addition, all the state testing results are included in the School Accountability Report Card (SARC) and the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA). Both the SARC and the SPSA are posted on the school web site, discussed in SSC, SAC and are available for all stakeholders to view.

Oroville High School Mission Statement: Our mission at Oroville High School is to provide a safe, engaging environment that promotes high academic achievement and personal and social responsibility through a cooperative effort of students, teachers, and parents with high expectations for our diverse student population.

Evidence: STAR, CAHSEE results; all departments aligned with standards—Copies of Departments’ Quarterly assessments and pacing guides; ILPs

Updated assessments in English 9/10, Algebra, Sciences, and preliminary assessments created for Social Sciences. Training and release days set up- need past and future dates(curriculum director-Nanci Negri). ESLR’S were reviewed and new posters printed for each classroom.

Assessments aligned to standards: Math – 4 years; Social Studies – 2 years; English – 5 years; Science – 2 years

District writing assessments (English), Quarterly Assessments (English, Math, Social Science, Science), and Pacing guides

Quarterly Assessment, Pre/Post Tests (math), pacing guides (dept./school/district)

Comments:

This has been a focus at OHS—We are even pioneers.

This is an ongoing process that will take a few years to complete.

The alignment forces instruction to “beef up” areas not being addressed.

The administration coordinate a review of student outcomes (ESLR’s) with staff, parents and students then develop strategies to integrate them into curriculum development, and instructional practices.

During the inservice days, members of each focus group were given specific goals to accomplish as the review process continued. Most recently, those goals included the following: survey of ESLR’s and their use in the current curriculum, response to critical areas of concern, response to student goals, and a complete review of our Single Plan for Student Achievement. Each committee member received a copy of all the documentation and spent several hours reviewing and commenting on their individual progress within each of these areas. The committees were then given a master copy of each document on the computer and asked to revise and comment on any of the concerns. These files were then combined in a final report and submitted to all stakeholders for their input. The finished version is provided as part of this report.

2003-2004 our nine ESLR’s were re-organized by placing them in a different order and defined more succinctly by our SAC committee and discussed with all stakeholders during a faculty in-service. Larger posters were made that have been placed in each and every classroom. Teachers have been encouraged throughout the year to incorporate the ESLR’s into their daily curriculum (See the chart Appendix E). At the beginning of the 03/04 School year, teachers were asked to complete a form in which they listed activities and lessons they do in class that support each of the ESLR’s. At that same time, the evaluation process was modified to include responses from teachers indicating which ESLR’s would be taught and how teachers would know that students received the information. At present there is no formal review process to measure student progress toward meeting ESLR’s. We understand that this is an important WASC key issue and our plan is to include and develop a more thorough review process regarding ESLR’s once we have completed implementing the quarterly assessments.

It has been a difficult task trying to develop an assessment of the ESLR’s. Our philosophy has been to try and tackle a few of the Action Plan items each year. The year following the last WASC review, our district had a CCR review and the majority of the time and energy spent was preparing for the review. The following year the administration changed and a lot of attention was spent reviewing and assessing where we were regarding the Action Plan. Most of the time and energy was focused on aligning curriculum to the state standards and designing the quarterly assessments as well as investigating and complimentary ways to increase literacy access the curriculum.

Evidence:

Administration has collected ILPs; we have ESLR’s posted in the classroom which to which teachers often refer.

Assistant Principal had each teacher complete a survey verifying integration of ESLR’s into curriculum development and instructional practice.

ESLR’s are posted in each room on campus. Additional strategies: Teacher survey at beginning of year, reference to ESLR’s on teacher evaluation form

New ESLR posters are posted in all classrooms and online, library, administration offices, as well as incorporated into our ILPs

ILP

Comments:

Teachers weave ESLR’s into class and coursework but students are generally not aware that they are a focus or goal of instruction.

Dennis Spasbo should have copies of each survey.

The leadership team, made up of all stakeholders, will develop a comprehensive staff development plan that will challenge all students to achieve their highest potential.

Evidence:

Meeting notes for SAC; incentives for STAR test motivation; staff development; reading across the curriculum.

Professional Development survey. SAC minutes from 8/12/04 meeting. ILP plan completed by every teacher and submitted to Jeff Peek for the 03/04 and 04/05 years. CLAD or SDAIE training completed or in progress for all staff? CultureCommittee- Respectful,Responsible, Safe posters and Meeting notes

We have a written Professional Development Plan, submitted by the P.T & L group

Oroville High School Professional Development Plan

Focus on Reading Across the Curriculum, Math Across the Curriculum, attitudes and motivation.

Comments:

In progress

See Toni Morucci, Tom Aldridge, and Jeff Peek.

The staff and administration clearly identify each curricular pathway, that includes a four-year plan, and establish criteria for evaluating the viability and effectiveness of each of the pathways as it pertains to student success.

The Academic Plan for each student is completed during sophomore counseling. Prior to the 2003 - 2004 school year, before there was a reduction in counseling services, counselors would meet individually with incoming freshmen at their 8th grade school site and plan the first 2 years of high school. The counselors have not been able to continue this individual planning, however, we still continue to receive 8th grade teacher recommendations to place incoming freshmen in classes. Counselors now meet with incoming freshmen in a group setting to register for classes. Each counselor reviews the Academic Plan, transcript and Course Selection Sheet for continuing students after the Course Selection Sheets are completed by students in the spring of each school year to make sure students are meeting graduation requirements and post-secondary goals. Then, when the counselors return to work two weeks in August prior to school opening, they check each student's class schedule for the upcoming academic year along with the Academic Plan, transcript and Course Selection Sheet.

Each student's Academic Plan is reviewed by his or her counselor when new transcripts are generated (twice a year), for sure, to make certain that students are meeting graduation requirements and post high school goal: 2-year college, 4-year college, vocational school, military or other. Counselors also recommend Adult Night School classes and summer school as needed. The Academic Plan may also be reviewed when quarterly report cards and progress reports are generated during the school year. The Academic Plan is reviewed usually each time a student comes in the office to see a counselor. The Plan is referred to, for example, if a student asks about a class change, wants to change a class they had planned to take in the Junior or Senior year, discusses post secondary plans such as a 2 year college, 4 year college, vocational school, military or other. Each Counselor has a binder for each grade level and keeps a copy of the student's Transcript and their Academic Plan in the binder. Each student has received a copy of the Academic Plan to share with the parent/guardian and keep for future reference.

Evidence:

ASVAB (juniors), PSAT (sophomores/juniors), SAT/ACT (juniors/seniors)

Counselors’ 4-year plan and sophomore counseling

Sophomore counseling

Counselors develop a 4-year plan with each student that is revised during the 10^th grade year. This is then used when each student registers for class every year.

Comments:

Done with counseling

Under the direction of curricular paths WASC group

Critical time at sophomore year to make final goals and look at GPA to determine pathways most suitable for each student.

Identify post-secondary education, vocational, military, and each students completes and education planner during the sophomore year

The school leadership and staff develop and utilize a school wide systematic assessment program to collect, analyze, and interpret the data needed to make decisions about curriculum, teaching practices, staff development and program effectiveness.

In English, Math, Social Science, and Science quarterly exams have been written. After students take them, respective department members review the test results from EduSoft and edit the test as necessary. In the future, EduSoft will allow us to communicate with students’ parents about which standards the students have passed, and which standards they haven’t. This information can also be used for student interventions. Our Visual Art department uses portfolios for quarterly assessment to track student progress and to insure each student has met the VAPA standards for advancement to the next level in the sequence of courses.

Student achievement is measured in a variety of ways. Measurement instruments include assessments required under the State’s Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program, the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) and established tools such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and Advanced Placement (AP) exams. In addition, the district has developed curriculum standards review quarterly exams that are administered in each of the core areas. These tests created by teams of teachers in each of the core subjects, serve to assess students and then drive curriculum and interventions. The school uses the data generated from these instruments for various levels of program assessment. The school provides teachers with EduSoft (a data analysis, cutting edge, web-based technology) to disaggregate the data from each of the instruments to provide an analysis of each of their students. EduSoft allows teachers and administrators to access assessment data at both the individual and whole class level. Data can be grouped into economically disadvantaged, Special Education and English Learner categories. Each category can be further sorted by ethnicity and gender, individual student, class period, teacher, department, school or district. Every teacher received extensive training in the use of EduSoft data and is now able to assess student pperformance and drive instruction through adjustments in “teaching strategies”.

Evidence:

Quarterly assessments in English, math, science, and social science; EduSoft data analysis

EduSoft- Departments should be scheduled for training this year.

Quarterly Assessments, mandatory tutoring, pacing guides, post-graduate survey statistics

Standards based assessment put into EduSoft program; use EduSoft to collect and analyze data

Technology Training to enhance programs (CTAP, TWT etc), SAC direction of staff development

Comments:

This has been an ambitious and productive focus at OHS

Special Education needs to be included in EduSoft training.

Additional areas identified by the visiting committee. EduSoft implemented across the core curriculum; more training is needed.

Additional areas identified by the visiting committee.

The administration and staff develop a formal intervention plan for students who do not pass the CAHSEE and for students who enter the school with skills below grade level.

Mandatory and non- mandatory tutoring is also offered. Saturday School, mandatory and non-mandatory study skills in addition to remediation classes has helped students review Basic English and math skills.

This year, Oroville High School added a school-within –a-school program called Opportunity School. It was originally composed of 8th grade non-graduates. As the school year progressed some students who were not performing well academically in at least three classes were added to the Opportunity School with parental consent. Four faculty members each teach one section of Opportunity School, one member teaches two sections, and one member serves as a support provider for four sections. The results from these special sections have been very successful. Students who failed most of their middle school classes have shown an average 2.0 grade point for the Fall Semester 2004-2005. In addition, OHS has added math study skills and general study skills for students who score poorly on the CAHSEE and STAR, or who are in danger of not meeting the Algebra graduation requirement. Students with 3 or more F’s in core classes at each grading period are encouraged (with parental consent) to enroll in the study skills classes. OHS also has five Power Reading sections for students in the 9^th and 11^th grade who are reading below grade level. Additional ELD English classes were also added for English learners who have not scored above intermediate on the CELDT or above 340 on the STAR tests in English. The administration also supported Power Reading I as a class that freshmen take to help them learn the skills they need to pass the CAHSEE. Last year OHS offered a Power Reading II class for sophomores who needed more help with their skills, and this year Power Reading II is offered as a remedial class for juniors who failed the CAHSEE.

Quarterly exams have been written In English, Math, Social Science, and Science. After students take them, respective department members review the test results from EduSoft and edit the test as necessary. In the future, EduSoft will allow us to communicate with students’ parents about which standards they have passed, and which standards they haven’t. This information can also be used for student interventions. Our Visual Art department uses portfolios for quarterly assessment to track student progress and to insure each student has met the VAPA standards for advancement to the next level in the sequence of courses.

The Oroville High School Math Department has added Interactive Math, used to support our pre-algebra and opportunity classrooms, as well as our tutoring program. We have continued to expand our quarterly assessments, which are now district wide and include all math courses except Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus. We have added materials from the "Key to" series to supplement our Algebra A sections. In addition, we have added Math Study skills for students either in danger of not passing their Algebra requirement, or who have not passed the CAHSEE. The math department has done a Math across the Curriculum presentation for all personnel on a staff development day. Four representatives of the OHS math department attended the Asilomar math conference to update our department in the latest research and techniques for teaching subject matter.

Evidence:

Study Skills Classes, Power Reading, Tutorials, Adult School Offerings, Math Lab, Mandatory Tutoring

Mandatory Tutoring, Power Reading I and II, READ180 program from Scholastic, Opportunity School, Language!, Study Skills Math, Interactive Math, Algebra A and B have remediation, Sheltered Courses World History and Earth Science, and ELD English at all levels.

Mandatory tutoring, Opportunity School, Power Reading, Math Lab, CAHSEE, SAT 9, ELD, Study Skills

Tutoring, Power Reading II, Math Lab; rewards and incentives for improvement

Comments:

We have a high pass rate on the CAHSEE and pretty good support for those who want it. Currently we are investigating ways to improve both the administration of mandatory tutoring and the services that we provide students deficient in standards in English and Math.

The final step will be to use the results of assessments to pinpoint student deficiencies for tutoring.

Appendix C. Comparison Growth Charts

(All charts were prepared by the Los Angeles County Office of Education 11/4/2004)

CHART C-1

CHART C-2

CHART C-3

CHART C-4

* Subgroups not numerically significant are not reported.

** CAHSEE: California High School Exit Exam; CAPA: California Alternative Performance Assessment.

CHART C-5

CHART C-6

CHART C-7

CHART C-8

CHART C-9

CHART C-10

CHART C-11

Appendix D. Professional Development Plan

Oroville High School

Professional Development Plan

The Mission & Principles of Professional Development

The mission of professional development is to prepare and support educators to help all students achieve to high standards of learning and development. Professional development must be result driven, standards-based, ESLR related, and job-embedded based upon the needs of the staff and students. It is the process of improving staff skills and competencies needed to produce outstanding educational results for students.

Principles of High-Quality Professional Development

Professional Development:

focuses on teachers as central to student learning, yet includes all other members of the school community;
focuses on individual, collegial, and organizational improvement;
respects and nurtures the intellectual and leadership capacity of teachers, principals, and others in the school community;
reflects best available research and practice in teaching, learning, and leadership;
enables teachers to develop further expertise in subject content, teaching strategies, uses of technologies, and other essential elements in teaching to high standards;
promotes continuous inquiry and improvement embedded in the daily life of schools;
is planned collaboratively by those who will participate in and facilitate that development; requires substantial time and other resources;
is driven by a coherent long-term plan;
is evaluated ultimately on the basis of its impact on teacher effectiveness and student learning; and this assessment guides subsequent professional development efforts.

Professional development plays an essential role in successful education reform. It serves as the link between where prospective and experienced educators are now and where they need to be to meet the new challenges of guiding all students in achieving higher standards of learning and development.

"Professional development ... goes beyond the term 'training' with its implications of learning skills, and encompasses a definition that includes formal and informal means of helping teachers not only learn new skills but also develop new insights into pedagogy and their own practice, and explore new or advanced understandings of content and resources. [This] definition of professional development includes support for teachers as they encounter the challenges that come with putting into practice their evolving understandings about the use of technology to support inquiry-based learning.... Current technologies offer resources to meet these challenges and provide teachers with a cluster of supports that help them continue to grow in their professional skills, understandings, and interests."

Educational reform requires teachers not only to update their skills and information but also to totally transform their role as a teacher. It establishes new expectations for students, teachers, and school communities that some educators may not be prepared to meet. Professional development is a key tool that keeps teachers abreast of current issues in education, helps them implement innovations, and refines their practice.

GOALS: Effective professional development accomplishes the following goals:

Professional development enriches teaching and improves learning for all students. It is an essential link to higher student achievement.
Professional development supports teacher development, both as individuals and as educators.
Professional development is considered a central part of teaching--as vital as classroom instruction.
Professional development is considered an ongoing process and is conducted in a long-term, sustained manner.
Professional development is job-embedded and inquiry-based.
Professional development supports current beliefs about teaching and learning.
Professional development is based on a growth model rather than a deficit model.
Professional development addresses goals for school improvement and is clearly related to reform efforts.
Professional development is modeled after learning experiences considered valuable for adults.
Professional development supports systemic change.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The purpose of the Professional Development Opportunities list is to assist staff in identifying some of the options to achieve expertise in numerous areas by participating in a variety of experience.

Opportunity #1—Engaging and Supporting All Students in Learning

Project Based learning
BTSA Year 1
Cornell note taking
Socratic discussion
Technology (Connected Classroom)
Summer workshops and conferences
Learning modalities
Brain research

Opportunity #2—Creating/Maintaining Effective Environments for Student Learning

Classroom Management (Harry Wong – Fred Jones – Spencer Henry – Management in a technology classroom – others)
Adolescent issues (CPI – Suicide Prevention – Equity – Drug Awareness – Eating Disorders – Image/Self-esteem)
Strategies for identifying and eliminating bias on the basis of sex, gender, ethnic group identification, race, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, religion, color, and mental and physical disability.
Summer workshops and conferences

Opportunity #3—Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Workshops/conventions/courses in subject area
Working with State Curriculum Standards
Summer workshops and conferences
School To Career
Others

Opportunity #4—Planning and Designing Learning Experiences for All Students

Designing lesson plans
BTSA Year 2
Workshops and conferences
Service learning/Project based learning
Others

Opportunity #5—Assessing Student Learning

Portfolio development
Performance assessment
Using and designing rubrics
Building standards-based assessments
Unlocking Your Potential
Summer workshops and conferences
Others

Opportunity #6—Developing as a Professional Educator

BTSA
Cooperation between teachers, subject area coordinators, mentors, administrators to develop and evaluate personal professional development plans
Online professional development
Summer workshops and conferences
Grant writing
Technology
Articulation
Integration

GOVERANCE

District Administration

All staff in the district will have access to professional development opportunities that allow them to become proficient at using technology for personal productivity, to access and analyze information, and to support student achievement of outcomes across the curriculum.

The results of CTAP2 and other surveys will be used to plan for professional development for instructional staff. Continued staff development is needed in all areas of CTAP2 in order to reach proficiency to further support students in reaching state standards.

The District will provide opportunities for all the staff to participate in training and on-going support. We will provide staff development that is accessible, needs driven, multi-level, site-based, and community-involved facilitated by in-house Technology Trainers and Instructional Program Specialists and/or workshops and conferences.

Site Administration

The school principal will coordinate logistical activities not in the jurisdiction of staff members (i.e., approval of site usage, activities, etc.)

Additionally, the Site Administrators will be the locus of authority for approving site-level professional development activities, including but not limited to the approval of budget expenditures, specific activities, and requests for individual conferences or courses for which there may be reimbursements involved.

Subject Area Coordinator Team

Members of the Subject Area Coordinator Team will assist in site professional development activities with the site administrators and act as the liaison between staff and administration in professional development. The team will develop a needs assessment that measures both student and staff learning gaps. Student learning gaps help define the level and type of skill that staff members need to help a particular set of students meet learning goals. The team will develop an understanding of staff skill and competence gaps, so that professional development may focus immediately on areas staff members most need to develop to meet student learning needs. The Subject Area Coordinator Team will:

investigate professional development programs that would help teachers reach their goals,
assess funding sources to see how these could best be used to meet teachers’ goals,
and evaluate, assess, and revise the professional development plan annually.

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Professional Development Plan and understand the impact of the program on student learning, the Subject Area Coordinator Team will collect individual and group input from teachers and students. Data collected will be used to evaluate and revise the Professional Development Plan.

Process for Professional Development Evaluation

Specific professional development activities will be evaluated by participants immediately following each professional development event and shared with staff in a timely manner.
The Subject Area Coordinator Team will gather all data including specific evaluations, professional development plans, and student learning results to use in evaluating the effectiveness of specific programs. The Subject Area Coordinator Team will report evaluation results to the site administration which will be shared with the School Site Council.
After evaluating all data, the Subject Area Coordinator Team will make necessary revisions to the professional development plan and set goals for future professional development. Data will be compared to state and outside district professional development programs to make necessary revisions.

School Site Councils

The School Site Council will serve as an advisory body to the site administrators regarding professional development recommendations. They will be responsible for gathering input needs and suggestions from parents and the community.

Faculty

Because the purpose of the District Professional Development Plan is to serve the professional development needs of the faculty as it is consistent with the District’s school plan, priorities, and direction, the faculty will provide input to the Leadership Team through a professional growth plan, surveys, suggestions, and individual contacts. The faculty member has an annual professional growth plan filed by October 15 with the site administration. The purpose of the professional growth plan is to encourage the faculty to consider and plan for their professional growth in a positive manner. The plan may be adjusted throughout the year.

FUNDING, STIPENDS, AND SUPPORT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Accountability

Teachers who are to receive reimbursement for conference, trainings, or grant-related workshops directly tied to their professional growth plan may be required to bring information back to the site/district for presentations to departments, sites, Board, funding agencies, and/or district employees attending professional development in-services.

All conferences and trainings needing reimbursement shall be pre-approved.
The conference and/or training is consistent with both the filed professional development plan, the site/district Professional Development Goals, and site goals.

The ultimate worth of professional development for faculty is the essential role it plays in the improvement of student learning. Educators must pay attention to the results of professional development on job performance, organizational effectiveness, and the success of all students. Each professional development effort should be accompanied by a well-designed evaluation plan for determining its effectiveness.

Appendix E. ESLR survey conducted January, 2005.

Where Series 1 = Incorporated into daily lesson plans

Series 2 = Included in weekly lesson plans

Series 3 = Added to syllabus

Series 4 = Used in evaluation of students

Appendix F. Student Goals

WASC report

Student Goals and Follow-up

January, 2005

Each WASC committee carefully reviewed the various areas of Student Goals during two minimum days. As they did so, each responded by listing evidences and examples. Their comments are listed in color to help identify each response by specific committee.

Committee comments are color coded:

1. Support for Students

2. Assessment & Accountability

3. Curricular Paths

4. Powerful Teaching

5. Vision & Leadership

Increase communication among staff and their involvement in the administrative decision-making process

Evidence:

Establishment of Leadership committee later the SAC, a school culture committee, a mandatory tutoring committee, use of email

Staff Advisory Committee, School Site Council,

Department Chairs, Coordinated Services Team

SAC, School Site Council, School wide Culture Committee, Discipline Committee

SAC, copies of all minutes from all meetings sent to staff, all certificated staff receive invitations to all meetings.

Email sent out, Faculty mtgs.

Comments:

There is a general feeling of shared goals and shared voice in the decisions made. This has engendered a feeling that there is a partnership at this school and a unified goal and shared purpose

There is an increased feeling of ownership among staff in regards to the operation of the school.

Our administrators have worked hard to be good communicators. Attitudes of staff have improved with new site administration. Even email has made communication easier.

Increase communication between students and teachers, school, parents, and community.

OHS has improved its communication within the school and community through daily bulletin announcements, daily e-mail messages, quarterly newsletters, student newspaper, back-to-school nights, counseling newsletters, Outreach program, SARB, WASC committees, SSC, SAC, Parent Project, and home visits. Surveys have been sent home to determine the needs of both students, parents, and members of the community.

Still another program, Respect Days, is being implemented this year. This program pulls up to 100 hundred students out of class for the day and puts them together in mixed groups to promote respect between races, genders, and other social groups. These new programs have been a positive addition to the support programs already in place.

Evidence:

Quarterly newsletter, school website, student newspaper, SARB Outreach program, Parent Project and Home visits with Opportunity School, WASC and SAC meetings

Parent Connect, Parent Project, Principal’s quarterly parent newsletter, daily bulletin, School Site Council, WASC meeting, SST, PTSA, IEP, SAC

SST, Outreach Program, Parent Connect, Home visits, more parents on committees, Principal’s Newsletter

Parent Connect, Newsletter, Progress Reports, and Parental Representatives at SAC, School Site Council, and WASC meetings. Survey completed by teachers regarding parental involvement (Jeff Peek), Suspension lists (Dennis Spasbo), and open-door policy with Principal and Vice-Principal.

Comments:

There remains a problem getting parents involved in the school; we could use more positive recognition; we could include quarterly assessments on their report cards; perhaps schedule an additional open house or phone conferences with parents (Parent suggestion).

The school has made numerous attempts, with limited participation, at increasing parent involvement.

With class sizes as large as they are, it is difficult to be able to communicate effectively with all students and parents. Email capabilities have helped in this area.

The staff and administration clearly identify each curricular pathway that includes a 4-year plan and establish criteria for evaluating the viability and effectiveness of each of the pathways as it pertains to student success (WASC Recommendation). Increase student and parent involvement in the formation and implementation of the student’s academic plan.

Evidence:

Counselors are responsible.

Counselors monitor this.

Counselors handle this.

Comments:

See curricular paths

Counselors make one visit to classes in spring to register students for the following year.

Improve curricular offerings to provide the greatest opportunities for post secondary success, maximize student options, and honor student elective choice.

Oroville High School offers an array of course offerings meet meeting the A-G requirements. In addition, the school offers many specializes career-directed courses.

A number of new classes have been added to the course offerings (or will be offered next year) since the last WASC visitation. AP Spanish Literature, Opportunity School, ROP Interior Design/Architecture classes, Fiber Arts (05-06), an additional AP Biology section, AP Physics, Anatomy and Physiology (05-06), Web-Design (05-06), 3D StudioMax, SAT Prep days, School newspaper, Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search, French Literature, College Connection, sheltered classes (Earth Science, World History, and English) are all increasing the opportunities for post secondary success.

Many of our courses are articulated with Butte College, Yuba College, and Chico State University, whereby students receive actual college credits for successfully completing OHS courses. In addition, several OHS students participate in our college connection program with Butte College and the University Connection program through CSU, Chico. Students are able to actually take classes on the respective campuses earning both high school credits as well as college units at the same time.

Students can take four years of visual arts, and every art student is encouraged to develop and refine a three-part portfolio, which could be submitted for Advanced Placement credit. We have an active student National Art Honor Society, whose members run our “Tamori Art Gallery.” The gallery displays the work of local adult artists in the community and is partnered with the “Art Artist of River Town” which is our town’s nonprofit arts organization. The artists serve as guest speakers, which inspirte our students to see the role the arts have in their lives after high school.

Butte College has a program that is called Reg–to-Go which encourages seniors to complete the required steps for admission to the community college during the Spring semester of their senior year. The counseling department works very closely with Butte College to be sure that all seniors have this information. The Class of 2004, which graduated 198 seniors, had 98 Seniors participants in the Reg-to-Go program.

All incoming freshmen are walked through the counseling Power Point presentation that explains high school graduation requirements, testing requirements, career training courses, extra-curricular activities, athletics and clubs on campus. Information is presented on 2-year and 4-year colleges that includes entrance requirements and entrance tests is presented. Scholarships, financial aid and college visitation information is also provided. At this time, career pathways are discussed together with school-to-career choices.

The Registrar gathers information in the spring of a student’s senior year as to what the student plan to do after graduation: – 4-year school, 2-year school, vocational school, military service or other. The Registrar puts together a Graduate Profile for each senior class and the Profiles are kept in a binder in the Counseling Office.

Evidence:

Student sign-ups drive some of the master schedule choices; we have increased enrollments in A.P. and honors courses

AP Spanish, Opportunity School, Interior Design/Architecture classes, SAT Prep days.

AP Physics, Anatomy/Physiology (05-06), Newspaper

Several AP courses, College Connections, Upward Bound, and Educational Talent Search.

Sheltered courses in World History and Earth Science, ELD courses in English at all levels, AP Spanish and French Literature curriculum, and AP Physics

Comments:

State requirements and philosophy of channeling students toward UC classes kills vocational options here. We also lost drama as an elective class.

AP Spanish and French Literature are being approved in November. Anatomy and Physiology is being approved as a course offering for next year.

More electives are needed for those students who are not necessarily “college bound.”

Evaluation of needs and investigation of new courses occurs within departments is ongoing.

Increase number of students who are proficient in the use of technology to prepare them for higher education and careers.

Additional opportunities have been added since the last WASC self study. We have increased the number of computer labs available for class use, and assignments have been added to course curricula by department. Each department has chosen a different computer technology proficiency as a class assignment during the year. Teachers can connect to the DSL assignment when submitting their 4^th quarter grades and a hard copy is on file in a technology binder kept by our technology technician. At present, our math department teaches spreadsheets, the social science department covers internet research, science teaches how to use PowerPoint (Vocational Technical Department teaches Publisher), and our English department teaches word processing. In addition, the visual art department teaches digital photography, Photoshop, and graphic converter to document student growth over time and the career/vocational department is responsible for desktop publishing.

All of our teachers have been trained in CTAP 100 at a minimum and the majority have gone on to complete TWT, CTAP 120, 201, 210 and 161 and use e-mail daily. Each department has had training in using the Edusoft program for retrieval and input of student data.

Evidence:

Increased computer labs; assignments which require technology prevalent in most classes and specific technology skills assigned to each department.

CTE online, Spanish, Science, Social Science, and English courses use Power Point, Internet, Word, and proficiently navigate the Network. Math courses also use Excel.

DHS grant technology checklist for 02/03, 03/04, and 04/05.

Each department has chosen different computer technology proficiency as a class assignment during the year. Teachers login the DSL assignment when submitting their 4^th quarter grades. Hard copy is on file in a Technology binder (Mary Marshall)

Comments:

No Keyboarding or basic computer skills class required at this school.

Have the #s of students taking Tech courses dropped (due to loss of sections?)?

Committee thought it would be better to have a technology graduation requirement. Committee may survey faculty as to feasibility of a graduation requirement. Committee is investigating requirements at other neighboring schools.

Develop a comprehensive staff development plan that will challenge all students to achieve their highest potential (WASC recommendation). Increase the involvement of teachers and the Leadership Team in the design, implementation and evaluation of professional development.

Our staff development activities are aligned with our WASC Action Plan, which is discussed at SAC and our SSC meetings on ongoing basis. Emphasis is placed on concerns that were expressed during our most recent WASC accreditation. In-service days addressed the following: EduSoft training, quarterly assessments, curriculum articulation and framework alignment, rewriting of ESLRs, and the adoption of a new school vision and mission statements. Several staff development days each year are dedicated to the review of the concerns written in our WASC Action Plan and Single Plan for Student Achievement. Over the last 2 years our leadership team (SAC) has made aligning core courses to state standards, the development of pacing guides, quarterly assessments and literacy across the curriculum part of the emphasis in developing our goals. Staff development has focused on each of these areas in addition to addressing the action plan. During the 2003-2004 school year, the staff participated in various in-services that addressed literacy across the curriculum and math across the curriculum, which were both identified as areas of needed improvement through teacher surveys, school data, and school-wide learning goals. In order to address this ongoing priority, this year (2004-2005) plans have been made for members from each department to attend the literacy conferences together, such as the “A Day With Carol Jago”, which addresses expository writing, writing in academic content areas and writing assessment. This group of teachers will provide in-services for the rest of the staff regarding literacy across the curriculum. Most recently our staff participated in an in-service that focused on the accomplishments of the school rules, which require students to be “Safe, Respectful, and Responsible.” During this in-service, provided by the Butte County Office of Education, Oroville High School’s staff was trained on the “40 Youth Development Assets”, preparing teachers to address students’ academic, social and emotional needs as identified through school data and student input. It is our hope that trainings such as these will improve the overall school culture and provide more support for Oroville High School’s students. Our staff development plan is based upon our WASC Action Plan and ESLRs.

Evidence:

Surveys conducted determined the staff development planning. Currently that focuses mainly on Standards Alignment and Data Analysis. All Staff involved.

Staff Development Plan in place. Teachers were involved in planning and conducting Curriculum “Round-tables”, where Reading and Math across the curriculum were the key focus. Staff survey was given to garner Professional Development needs. Staff feedback as to the usefulness of those offerings was also given.

WASC group C minutes, SAC minutes

Comments:

We have one focus group devoted to this and it is overseen by the SAC leadership team

Current plan needs updating and revising.

Increase in the number of students taking advantage of OHS academic student support and planning services by 25% over baseline data.

This is an area OHS has improved through several avenues. Students are offered the opportunity to participate in ASVAB testing and review their academic strengths and consider career choices that match those strengths. Counselors offer after-school presentations that thoroughly review post-secondary options including college costs, locations, and entrance requirements for both parents and students to consider. Both mandatory and non-mandatory tutoring is available to help students with their current classes. IEP’s, SST’s, Educational Talent Search, Native American Outreach, and Upward Bound are all additional ways to help our student take advantage of our academic program at OHS.

Each student's Academic Plan is reviewed by their counselor when new transcripts are generated twice a year to make certain that students are meeting graduation requirements and meeting their post high school goal: 2-year college, 4-year college, vocational school, military or other. Counselors also recommend Adult Night School classes and Summer School as needed. The Academic Plan may also be reviewed when quarterly report cards and progress reports are generated during the school year. The Academic Plan is reviewed usually each time a student comes in the office to see a counselor. The Plan is referred to, for example, if a student asks about a class change, wants to change a class they had planned to take in the Junior or Senior year, discusses post secondary plans.

During the sophomore year, counselors present a PowerPoint presentation in all sophomore English classes to review graduation requirements and college entrance requirements. Students complete an Educational Planning Outline during the PowerPoint presentation in which career goals are explored and post-secondary options after high school are considered. These outlines are collected at the end of the group presentation. Then, each student meets with his/her assigned counselor and individually reviews the Educational Planning Outline, the most current report card and the student’s individual transcript. The counselor and student together review progress in coursework for grades 9 and 10. The counselor writes down the student’s career goal and the post-secondary institution that the student plans to attend. At this time, the Academic Plan is completed for Grades 11 and 12. Careful attention is given to meet entrance requirements for vocational schools, 2-and 4-year colleges as well as the military or the work force. The counselor may provide information at that time about a specific institution which a student plans to attend or may arrange for a follow-up conference.

The counselor keeps the original of the 2-year plan in the Counselor Binder with the transcript. The copy of the 2-year plan and their personal educational planner, is given for the student to take home and share with the parent. The copy of the 2-year plan, along with a copy of the transcript, is given to the student to take home to share with a parent/guardian. A “Note to Parents” on the 2-year plan encourages them to call or make an appointment with the counselor if they have questions. The Counseling Department phone number is also provided on the Educational Planning Outline. The student also receives a copy of his/her transcript to share with the parent/guardian.

The Director of Financial Aid from Butte College is the speaker and presenter of our Financial Aid Night. This past December a letter was sent to all senior parents/guardians/students inviting them to attend the Financial Aid Workshop in January, 2005. The letter was a collaborative effort of Butte College and the Oroville High School – Counseling Department. The attendance was very good this year.

Several new programs empower students to interact with each other to effect positive change. At the beginning of the 2002, school year OHS began its Link Crew program to connect upper classmen, (Link Crew Leaders), with students in the freshman class as a support for those freshman. Link Leaders provide classroom lessons designed to improve student study skills, organization, and other important academic habits. Link Crew sponsors social outreach activities such as tailgate parties and movie nights to encourage Freshmen to become active participants during their high school career.

During the 03/04 school year Oroville wrote and received the SB65 Motivation and Maintenance Grant. This grant allowed for the hiring of a full time outreach consultant. Two outreach consultants were hired, one full-time and one part-time, to act as “change agents” in the effort to prevent student dropout by creating a climate that fosters academic success. Since November of 2004, one full-time outreach consultant has served as our Dropout Prevention Specialist. She does this primarily by facilitating two programs within the Motivation and Maintenance Program itself: The “Student Success Team” (SST) and the “Collaboration of Services Team” (COST). The SST process is a strength-based program designed to empower the at-risk/high risk student to become involved as a pro-active member in his or her own educational process. This is accomplished by bringing together the student’s parents, teachers, counselor, administrator, and outreach consultant (ORC) to discuss the student’s strengths and skills in the attempt to use these attributes to aid the student in fashioning a successful academic plan. After a plan has been devised, the Student Study team then meets again a month later to fine tune the plan as the student continues to receive advocacy and support from the parents and professionals in the team. The goal is to reach a minimum of 35 students with both an initial and follow-up SSTs.

The COST program is a team of professionals which provides all the support services to the students at OHS. These professionals include both school employees, such as special education staff, and county employees including the “School Attendance Review Board” (SARB). Members of the COST team utilize SSTs, weekly progress reports, anger management classes, and drug and alcohol counseling, etc. in order to track the services received by high-risk students. The team meets on a weekly basis in order to effectively case manage students who need more than average support in order to graduate from high school. COST members identify certain high-risk students as the focus of weekly discussion and a plan of action is agreed upon within the meetings as to who monitors the student and how to best advocate to meet the student’s needs in the future. Other duties for the outreach consultant include conducting home visits, making one-on-one student contact, and providing staff and parent’s education on issues that may interfere with the student’s ability to graduate. She also attends School Site Council meetings and appropriate training sessions.

Mandatory and non- mandatory tutoring is also offered. Saturday School tutoring, mandatory and non-mandatory tutoring in addition to remediation classes have helped students review basic English and math skills.

OHS continues to support a very successful band program. Our band received 1^st place with a record high score of 95.35 on October 21, 2003. On November 4, 2003, our band, flag team and drum line won Music Championship, Marching Championship and Showmanship Championship, overall Parade Championship and Concert Band Championship at the Lodi Band Review. Again, at this year’s Lodi competition, our band won Music Sweepstakes, Marching Sweepstakes and Parade Grand Sweepstakes.

Students in the Visual Arts classes have the opportunity to take art in a four-year sequential program, which includes A.P. Studio Art. Art students can participate in local, state, and national competitions, and can display their works in the school’s library, on the school’s web site, and in various displays on campus. The Art Club sponsored gallery supports student learning by bringing in community members who are practicing artists or patrons of the Arts. The I-Tech Department also competes with other students around the county and in all of our local fairs. There are numerous clubs, athletic opportunities, ROP classes and tutoring programs to support students.

As mentioned earlier, OHS has formed a “Cultural Committee” that discusses such issues as safety, discipline and school culture. Items discussed so far have included our school ID card policy, greeting students at the door, defining the referral process and respect for substitute teachers. A problem existed in which too many referrals were coming from substitutes. The committee felt that there needed to be a consistent policy by all teachers with students that misbehave when a substitute teacher is present. From the discussion a “Sub Poster” was produced and now hangs in every classroom. In addition, substitutes are now given a packet of basic information that empowers them to make critical decisions regarding student behavior. This committee is also part of the School Safety Plan. The 3 components required by law: people and programs, places and remedial skills were discussed and developed. The committee overwhelmingly approved the Safety Committee’s recommendations to be included in the current Safety Plan.

Evidence:

Mandatory tutoring records; increased temporary social services outreach with grant-funded program.

Tutoring—mandatory and voluntary

Mandatory Tutoring? Drop in Tutoring, Outreach Grant-SST, 504 Plans, Native American Outreach (Meredith Cramer), Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound

Incoming Freshman Parent night and financial aid information night

Comments:

Though counselors are responsible for this, we have decreased counselor’s services. We have also decreased our library services.

Increase parental and community involvement in OHS academic support services by 30% over baseline data.

At present, parents are involved in WASC focus groups, leadership teams and as members of School Site Council. In addition, parents have been hired as coaches for both athletic teams and our cheerleading squad. For example, we hired a fire department captain to coach our girl’s softball team. Parents also participate as chaperones and drivers for various club activities and they help with the classes during homecoming and Spirit Week activities. Parents are the driving force behind our sports and band booster organizations as well as our PTSA and Safe Grad committee. Parents also participate in our biannual campus beautification days. Several parents and community members participated in the annual Dennis Burnum Community Classic Basketball Tournament. In addition, parents are an integral part of our English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) and the District English Language Advisory Committee (DELAC). Parents are also welcome to attend School Board Meetings and voice ideas or concerns.

Even though many parents currently participate in the above-mentioned activities, we continue to include parents whenever possible.

At the beginning of each school year a welcome letter is sent along with pertinent school information in a student registration packet. In the letter, parents are encouraged to get involved by becoming members of committees, helping with clubs and athletics. A parent survey was also included in the packet. The survey had several opinion questions but also gave parents opportunities to express their willingness to volunteer in various ways. Then, at Back To School night, parents are againencouraged to help in the aforementioned ways. A table is set up in the gym with sign up sheets and information about “Parent Connect” is available. Parent Connect is an on-line service that allows parents to see their student(s) grades, attendance and discipline. We are still exploring ways to include how students are doing on individual assignments.

Evidence:

Hiring Mai Vang and Dale Yang for Asian outreach and student support; implemented mandatory tutoring, Parent Involvement Nights, SST meetings.

Parent Involvement classes Getting more parental involvement in WASC groups, SAC, and School Site council. Parents are also helping chaperone field trips, homecoming, and various school activities.

Comments:

It has been a long-standing problem getting parents involved. Drama used to provide a vehicle for community involvement, but we have lost that here

The school leadership and staff develop and utilize a school wide systematic assessment program to collect, analyze, and interpret the data needed to make decisions about curriculum, teaching practices, staff development, and program effectiveness (WASC recommendation). Develop assessment tools school-wide to measure student performance towards meeting state content standards and use the analysis of these data to better guide instructional practices.

As previously discussed, OHS has a very complete systematic assessment program. Since the last WASC visitation, we have added quarterly assessment in all major subject areas that analyze individual student performance by standards within the State standards. EduSoft software has been added that allows individual student data on all standards within the frameworks and helps identify student performance and acquired knowledge prior to State testing. This data is shared within departments and used to adjust course content and help establish the need for those students requiring remediation.

As evidenced in charts found in the appendices, our API Growth School wide has improved from our base of 571 in 2000 to a growth of 657 in 2004. Our target has been surpassed each year from 2001 to the present. (See Chart C-1). Our Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) is significantly greater than what was expected in the California High School Exit Exam indicated in Chart C-2. In English/Language Arts, OHS students have significantly higher performance than the State averages (See Chart C-3). The growth % of our subgroups has been significant. On the CAHSEE exam, the first-year Asian sub groups averaged 42% and grew to 53% in 2004 (See Chart C-4). In mathematics, our school performance, which during the first year of the CAHSEE was below State averages, and have grown to 9% higher than State averages in 2004 results (See Chart C-5). The Special Needs performance on the CAHSEE has also shown growth in those students of percent proficient from 29.5 % in 2003 to 32.3% in 2004. In English -Language Arts our sub group achievement also indicates that high passing rates are across the ethnic population. For example: Asian population = 78%, Hispanic or Latino = 95% and white = 85%. In CST Mathematics testing of STAR, our levels of advanced, proficient, basic, below basic and far below basic levels compare to State wide averages within the margin of significance (See Chart C-8). A similar finding is evident in the CST results when comparing State averages to Oroville High students (See Chart C-9). Our CST Science results show our school out performs State averages in all but one level, that being basic and this difference is only by 1% (See Chart C-10). Finally, the most impressive indicator is found in our passage rates for the CAHSEE in Chart 11. We have exceeded both State and District performance. Our students have a passage rate of 84% in English Language Arts while the State in 75% and in mathematics it reaches 84% and the State is 74%.

The quarterly exams, written for English, mathematics, social science, and science, are benchmarks for teachers to monitor student progress toward both the CAHSEE and STAR test. Career Technical departments are aligning curriculum with English and math standards as well as with new specific department standards to monitor our students’ progress toward both CAHSEE and STAR test. Though not currently developing quarterly assessments, VAPA continues to align curriculum with the state standards and to develop authentic assessments that utilize the ESLR’s.

Evidence:

We have quarterly Assessments and data analysis in Edusoft in English, Math, Science, and Social Science, and spreading to other departments.

We currently use Edusoft and have developed quarterly assessments in Math, English, Science, and Social Science.

Edusoft - Departments should be scheduled for training this year, Quarterly Assessments, State and District Data

Comments:

Departments have been involved in an ongoing development of standards pacing guides, quarterly assessments, and we are now improving our data analysis through more sophisticated training in Edusoft. Departments continue to analyze and revise quarterly assessments as needed and become more skilled in understanding the data.

Departments utilize Edusoft data to adjust educational practices as needed