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218
Teachers are using a common whiteboard configuration in every classroom, every
period, every day. The information on the board includes the standards being addressed
in the lesson, the objectives for the day and a listing of homework to extend the lesson
beyond the classroom. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this organizational structure has
helped teachers strategize for the period and make better use of instructional time. Given
that teachers have invested time in the creation of pacing guides for their courses, there is
a more consistent effort to actually use the standards-based textbook and ancillary
materials to deliver instruction. The master schedule has also been designed to provide
two hour blocks of instruction in the target language for ELD students.
Extending learning time for struggling students. The staff at Cumulus High
School has committed to targeting resources to ensure that all students increase
proficiency levels at least 5% on the CST and CAHSEE this year. The APEX online
credit recovery program is offered periods 0 and 7 to extend the learning time for
students who have not passed core classes. Free tutoring is offered and Saturday School
tutorials are available. The school’s Bridge program pairs upperclassmen with incoming
freshmen to not only provide them with social and emotional support as they enter high
school, but to provide peer tutoring for students who struggle.
The principal emphasized that before her appointment at Cumulus High School,
the school was spending $60,000 a year in extra hourly pay for teachers to provide
instruction and tutoring for students who needed additional help. She found this
inefficient and unacceptable. The principal continued to pay AVID student tutors and
encouraged peer tutors to seek community service hours, but teachers had to provide
Object Description
| Title | Navigating troubled waters: case studies of three California high schools' resource allocation strategies in 2010-2011 |
| Author | Landisi, Brian Anthony |
| Author email | landisi@usc.edu; blandisi@charter.net |
| Degree | Doctor of Education |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Education (Leadership) |
| School | Rossier School of Education |
| Date defended/completed | 2011-03-28 |
| Date submitted | 2011 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2011-04-28 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Picus, Lawrence O. |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Hentschke, Guilbert C. Nelson, John L. |
| Abstract | This study was conducted to examine instructional strategies and resource allocation in successful schools. The study was based on the analysis of three comprehensive high schools in one school district in Southern California. Each of the study schools increased students’ academic achievement over time as measured by sustained growth on California’s Academic Performance Index. The efforts of these study schools also contributed to narrowing the achievement gap.; Successful schools in this study were analyzed primarily through the lens of Odden’s (2009) 10 Strategies for Doubling Student Performance. In addition to effective organizational and instructional strategies, this study also analyzed human and fiscal resource allocation at the sample schools. The study used the Evidence-Based Model (Odden & Picus, 2008) to analyze how the schools allocated resources during 2010-2011, navigating a catastrophic economic crisis facing California and the rest of the nation. Interview data, student achievement data and information on school-level resource use were included in case studies on each of these successful schools.; The findings indicate that although the resource use patterns of the study schools were significantly fewer than what the Evidence-Based Model suggests, the improvement strategies showed many commonalities to those suggested in the body of literature on school improvement. Strong leadership from the district office supported the reform efforts at each of the school sites. This leadership came in the form of a single district focus combined with continuity of leadership, development and retention of talent within the district and a common school improvement framework.; A heavy investment of time and fiscal resources into professional development created a collaborative culture within and between the high schools in the study. The schools that were most successful in raising student achievement demonstrated a commitment to collaboration and embraced the role of teacher leaders. The most effective schools in the study had in place internal accountability structures to support the implementation of the school and district focus. It is the effective implementation of research-based strategies, not simply resource allocation that makes schools successful and contributes to further growth in student achievement. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. |
| Keyword | education finance; secondary education; educational leadership; budget crisis; instructional leadership; Odden and Picus; resource allocation; school finance; school reform |
| Geographic subject (county) | Los Angeles |
| Geographic subject (state) | California |
| Geographic subject (country) | USA |
| Coverage date | 2010/2011 |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m3797 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Landisi, Brian Anthony |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-Landisi-4355 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume14/etd-Landisi-4355.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 230 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 218 Teachers are using a common whiteboard configuration in every classroom, every period, every day. The information on the board includes the standards being addressed in the lesson, the objectives for the day and a listing of homework to extend the lesson beyond the classroom. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this organizational structure has helped teachers strategize for the period and make better use of instructional time. Given that teachers have invested time in the creation of pacing guides for their courses, there is a more consistent effort to actually use the standards-based textbook and ancillary materials to deliver instruction. The master schedule has also been designed to provide two hour blocks of instruction in the target language for ELD students. Extending learning time for struggling students. The staff at Cumulus High School has committed to targeting resources to ensure that all students increase proficiency levels at least 5% on the CST and CAHSEE this year. The APEX online credit recovery program is offered periods 0 and 7 to extend the learning time for students who have not passed core classes. Free tutoring is offered and Saturday School tutorials are available. The school’s Bridge program pairs upperclassmen with incoming freshmen to not only provide them with social and emotional support as they enter high school, but to provide peer tutoring for students who struggle. The principal emphasized that before her appointment at Cumulus High School, the school was spending $60,000 a year in extra hourly pay for teachers to provide instruction and tutoring for students who needed additional help. She found this inefficient and unacceptable. The principal continued to pay AVID student tutors and encouraged peer tutors to seek community service hours, but teachers had to provide |
