Colorado's Unified Improvement Plan for Schools

DC Montessori Charter School UIP 2024-25

      
 Download PDF

Content


  • Document icons and definitions

  • Priority Performance Challenges
  • Root Cause
  • Major Improvement Strategies
  • Action Steps
  • Progress Monitoring
  • Trend Direction

Executive Summary


Priority Performance Challenges Root Cause Major Improvement Strategies
  • Elementary ELA Academic Growth Improving
    		•
  • Written Expression, grammar and vocabulary consistency
  • Need for adaptive assessment and practice tools
    		•
  • Writing Implementation with consistency
  • Implementing ELA adaptive assessment and practice tools
    		•
  • Math Academic Growth shows declines despite improved Academic Achievement
    		•
  • Need for adaptive assessment
  • Lack of Sufficient Intervention
    		•
  • Implementing Math formative assessment
  • Lack of Math Intervention
    		•


    Access the School Performance Framework here: http://www.cde.state.co.us/schoolview/performance

    Access the Literacy Curriculum Transparency Dashboard here: https://www.cde.state.co.us/code/literacycurriculumtransparency-dashboard

    Improvement Plan Information


    Additional Information about the school


    DCS Montessori is PreK-8th grade public Montessori charter school serving the students of Douglas County. Beginning operations in the late 90's, DCS Montessori is a foundational charter school in the state of Colorado focused on providing an authentic Montessori educational experience while meeting the expectations of modern public education.

    Improvement Plan Information

    The school/district is submitting this improvement plan to satisfy requirements for (check all that apply):


    Checked
    -->

    Narrative on Data Analysis and Root Cause Identification


    Description of School Setting and Process for Data Analysis

    DCS Montessori requested feedback from the staff, community, its Board of Directors, and its School Accountability Committee (SAC), in the development of improvement goals for this school year. The initial assessments for the school year were then considered in addition to CMAS assessment data which was completed last spring. The SAC and school administration reviewed the data and the SAC advised administration on opportunities for supportive programming in addressing the feedback and assessment needs, and subsequently the UIP was developed in conclusion to this collaborative process.

    Prior Year Targets

    Provide a summary of your progress in implementing the Major Improvement Strategies and if they had the intended effect on systems, adult actions, and student outcomes (e.g. targets).

    1) In regards to DCS Montessori's efforts to improve our CMAS English Language Arts (ELA) Elementary Academic Growth, DCS Montessori has seen improvement. Specifically, DCS Montessori elementary students moved from an Academic Achievement 743 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 753 in spring of 2024. Secondarily, and more directly connected to this goal, DCS Montessori elementary students saw a significant improvement in ELA Academic Growth moving from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 21% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 44% this past spring of 2024. While we are excited about this improvement, the MPG of 44% still falls in the "Approaching" category and not in the "Meets" category as desired. DCS Montessori's data analysis leads us to believe that the best opportunity to continue this positive improvement trend is to drill more specifically into the "Writing and Written Expression" aspect of our ELA scores. We have seen DCS Montessori's reading scores grow and be consistently in the "Meets" range, but find our Writing scores to trail that significantly. Therefore, this Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) will focus on plans to improve our writing academic achievement and academic growth with our elementary students.

    2) In regards to DCS Montessori's efforts to improve our CMAS Math Academic Achievement, DCS Montessori has seen improvement. Specifically, DCS Montessori elementary students moved from an Academic Achievement 732 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 740 in spring of 2024. Secondarily, and more directly connected to this goal, DCS Montessori Middle School students saw improvement in Math Academic Achievement moved from an Academic Achievement 737 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 744 in spring of 2024. However, while Academic Achievement has been growing, comparative Academic Growth is in decline, moving DCS Montessori elementary students from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 40% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 28% this past spring of 2024, AND moving DCS Montessori Middle School students from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 84% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 70% this past spring of 2024. While we are excited about our Middle School MPG falling in the "Exceeds" category, the overall trend is an opportunity for improvement, with a priority in the elementary. DCS Montessori's data analysis leads us to believe that the best opportunity to continue efforts on Math improvement is to continue efforts towards consistency while increasing our Response To Intervention (RTI) efforts for students struggling in Math. We have seen DCS Montessori's Math scores grow in Academic Achievement, and now the emphasis needs to change to focus on student growth in this year's Unified Improvement Plan (UIP).


    Based on your reflection and evaluation, provide a summary of the adjustments that you will make for this year's plan.

    1) In regards to DCS Montessori's efforts to improve our CMAS English Language Arts (ELA), we are going to shift the focus towards improving out Writing and Written Expression Academic Achievement scores. These scores are routinely in the 20% range and we'd love to see them move into the 30% range, more in alignment with our district scoring. Over the last two years, we've implemented a Lower Elementary (1st-3rd) writing from (evidence) our reading programming and seen improved outcomes, but are only in our second full year of implementation. One year ago we implemented a universal writing program for structure and organization at the Upper Elementary (4th-6th), but in its first year it only supported 4th grade students, and for the first time. Our goals moving forward then are to implement with consistency, ensuring 3rd and 4th grade students are meeting the outcomes desired. Secondly, that 5th and 6th grade implementations begin as scheduled this year and become the focus of consistency work heading into the 25-26 school year. Specifically, in year two of this plan, consistency implementation to be supported with biweekly instructional coach "check ins" for assurances and support with writing implementation across both Lower and Upper elementary.

    2) In regards to DCS Montessori's efforts to improve our CMAS Math scores, we are going to shift our focus from improving Academic Achievement to improving Math Academic Growth. This effort will be supported by implementation of three areas of opportunity: 1) Changing our internal assessment system to a more adaptive model in order to adjust instruction based on data on an increased assessment opportunities, 2) Increasing Response to Intervention (RTI) instruction in order to support students struggling to obtain basic math skills with classroom support external to the classroom (which should also increase lesson opportunities in the classroom as well) AND 3) adding math online adaptive practice tools which extend such practice opportunities to a greater percentage of the school population, as well as examining changes to current tools/curriculum as part of the adoption process. These three vanes of potential change will allow us to focus on consistency with our recently implemented curriculum, and become more adaptive student performance and therefore, improve growth. In year one, DCS Montessori will look to implement a new internal assessment system at 4th grade (1st year of growth) following that class of students upward each year thereafter. Secondly, in year one we'll look to implement an adaptive Math online practice tool, K-3rd where no such tool currently exists, and again, look grow it upward each year thereafter. Thirdly, in year one, DCS Montessori will explore resources looking to double our RTI Math support staffing to double the number of students receiving Math intervention services. In the second year of work, 25-26 school year, DCS Montessori will extend its adaptive assessments into 5th grade, its online practice into 4th grade, and work towards consistency and coaching with curriculum and RTI implementation.

    Current Performance

    In evaluation of DCS Montessori's current performance...

    1) In regards to DCS Montessori's efforts to improve our CMAS English Language Arts (ELA) Elementary Academic Growth, DCS Montessori has seen improvement. Specifically, DCS Montessori elementary students moved from an Academic Achievement 743 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 753 in spring of 2024. Secondarily, and more directly connected to this goal, DCS Montessori elementary students saw a significant improvement in ELA Academic Growth moving from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 21% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 44% this past spring of 2024. While we are excited about this improvement, the MPG of 44% still falls in the ''Approaching'' category and not in the ''Meets'' category as desired. 

    2) In regards to DCS Montessori's efforts to improve our CMAS Math Academic Achievement, DCS Montessori has seen improvement. Specifically, DCS Montessori elementary students moved from an Academic Achievement 732 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 740 in spring of 2024. Secondarily, and more directly connected to this goal, DCS Montessori Middle School students saw improvement in Math Academic Achievement moved from an Academic Achievement 737 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 744 in spring of 2024. However, while Academic Achievement has been growing, comparative Academic Growth is in decline, moving DCS Montessori elementary students from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 40% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 28% this past spring of 2024, AND moving DCS Montessori Middle School students from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 84% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 70% this past spring of 2024. While we are excited about our Middle School MPG falling in the ''Exceeds'' category, the overall trend is an opportunity for improvement, with a priority in the elementary.

    Trend Analysis

    Trend Direction: Increasing
    Performance Indicator Target: Academic Growth

    DCS Montessori's efforts to improve our CMAS English Language Arts (ELA) Elementary Academic Growth has yielded improvement. Specifically, DCS Montessori elementary students moved from an Academic Achievement 743 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 753 in spring of 2024. Secondarily, and more directly connected to this goal, DCS Montessori elementary students saw a significant improvement in ELA Academic Growth moving from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 21% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 44% this past spring of 2024. While we are excited about this improvement, the MPG of 44% still falls in the "Approaching" category and not in the "Meets" category as desired.
    Trend Direction: Decreasing
    Performance Indicator Target: Academic Growth

    DCS Montessori's efforts to improve our CMAS Math Academic Achievement has yielded improvement. Specifically, DCS Montessori elementary students moved from an Academic Achievement 732 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 740 in spring of 2024. Secondarily, and more directly connected to this goal, DCS Montessori Middle School students saw improvement in Math Academic Achievement moved from an Academic Achievement 737 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 744 in spring of 2024. However, while Academic Achievement has been growing, comparative Academic Growth is in decline, moving DCS Montessori elementary students from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 40% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 28% this past spring of 2024, AND moving DCS Montessori Middle School students from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 84% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 70% this past spring of 2024. While we are excited about our Middle School MPG falling in the "Exceeds" category, the overall trend is an opportunity for improvement, with a priority in the elementary.

    Additional Trend Information:

    Elementary percentages of Median Growth Percentile (MGP) in CMAS ELA saw increases from 2022 to 2024...

    1) In 2022 21% MGP
    2) In 2023 43% MGP
    3) In 2024 44% MGP

    While we are excited about this improvement, the MPG of 44% still falls in the "Approaching" category and not in the "Meets" category as desired. We are increasing as a trend, just need to continue to work on this trendline.

    DCS Montessori Math Mean Scale Scores in CMAS Math saw increases from 2022 to 2024...

    1) In elementary from 732 in 2022 to 740 in 2024
    2) In middle school from 737 in 2022 to 744 in 2024

    ...but saw while this positive occurred in alignment with our UIP goals, we saw decreases in Math Academic Growth...

    DCSM elementary..
    1) In 2022 40% MGP to 28% MGP in 2024
    DCSM middle school...
    2) In 2022 84% MGP to 70% MGP in 2024

    While the 70% MGP falls in the "Exceeds" category, the trend is still a negative one matching the elementary trend.

     

    Priority Performance Challenge and Associated Root Cause

    Priority Performance Challenge:  Elementary ELA Academic Growth Improving

    We have a three year trend of improving scores in examining Elementary English Language Arts CMAS Academic Growth from 2022 through 2024. While we are excited about this improvement, the 2024 MPG of 44% falls in the "Approaching" category and not in the "Meets" category as desired. DCS Montessori's data analysis leads us to believe that the best opportunity to continue this positive improvement trend is to focus work on the "Writing and Written Expression" aspect of our ELA scores.

    Area of Focus: English/Language Arts growth


    Root Cause: Written Expression, grammar and vocabulary consistency

    DCS Montessori has implemented a great deal of Reading programming over the last three years, and updated aspects of writing. There has been inconsistencies with lessons in written expression, grammar and vocabulary.

    Root Cause Category: Instruction

    Root Cause: Need for adaptive assessment and practice tools

    Progress monitoring has been limited during the course of the school year due to a lack of formative assessment in ELA, along with supporting practice tools that link to the data from such formative assessments. Increasing DCS Montessori's ELA Academic Growth will benefit from improving our ELA intervention systems with these assessments and tools.

    Root Cause Category: Intervention Systems


    Priority Performance Challenge:  Math Academic Growth shows declines despite improved Academic Achievement

    DCS Montessori Middle School students saw declines in Math Academic Growth, moving DCS Montessori elementary students from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 40% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 28% this past spring of 2024, AND moving DCS Montessori Middle School students from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 84% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 70% this past spring of 2024. While we are excited about our Middle School MPG falling in the "Exceeds" category, the overall trend is an opportunity for improvement, with a priority in the elementary. DCS Montessori's data analysis leads us to believe that the best opportunity to continue efforts on Math improvement is to continue efforts towards consistency while increasing our Response To Intervention (RTI) efforts for students struggling in Math.

    Area of Focus: Math growth


    Root Cause: Need for adaptive assessment

    Our Math internal assessment at growth grade levels, while informative, has been more summative in nature. In order to more rapidly identify students with math deficiencies and address their needs and evaluate growth, DCS Montessori needs an adaptive formative assessment tool. Such a tool will create more opportunities to address students struggling to grow in their Math, by using real time data, and divert classroom and RTI resources to students in need of such support.

    Root Cause Category: Infrastructure (data, systems, identification)

    Root Cause: Lack of Sufficient Intervention

    Students struggling in Math have been dependent on classroom instruction to support their needs for growth. DCS Montessori needs to use local data, identify struggling Math students, and provide additional instructional resources in RTI (or MTSS) fashion to better increase the percentage of students in the meeting their potential on Academic Growth in Math.

    Root Cause Category: Intervention Systems

    Why were these challenges selected and what is the magnitude of the overall performance challenges:

    DCS Montessori will prioritize the most essential aspects of our educational process in its improvement planning in order to best address the negative aspects of our state-level assessment results as is expected, per the Colorado State Board of Education, the Colorado Department of Education, and State Statutes. Secondly, DCS Montessori recognizes that its data supports a similar prioritization over a three-year trend. Together, with the knowledge that no student is truly successful in secondary and post-secondary education without solid Math and ELA skills, these points create a poignant focus for our improvement planning in these areas. We have made several improvement implementations to support reading and ELA over the last two years and seen increasing, or solid, percentages of Meets and Exceeds students in ELA Academic Achievement scores. Yet, despite growth in ELA Academic Growth, the ''Approaching'' label for our current levels demonstrates a need for continuing improvement planning to maintain this as a priority for DCS Montessori. In Math, DCS Montessori, while demonstrating growth in Math Academic Achievement, has also recognized a declining trend in Math Academic Growth over this three-year period. In analyzation of this, part of the implementation of improvements must be focused on consistency to the curriculum which has shown improved Academic Achievement over the last three years, but an increase in progress monitoring and Response to Intervention (RTI) work to improve growth for learners struggling to grow. These foci will yield improvements for DCS Montessori student outcomes as desired.

    How were the Root Causes were selected and verified:

    In evaluation of DCS Montessori's current performance as it relates to our areas of concern, please consider the following points related to Root Causes....

    1) In regards to DCS Montessori's efforts to improve our CMAS English Language Arts (ELA) Elementary Academic Growth, DCS Montessori has seen improvement. Specifically, DCS Montessori elementary students moved from an Academic Achievement 743 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 753 in spring of 2024. Secondarily, and more directly connected to this goal, DCS Montessori elementary students saw a significant improvement in ELA Academic Growth moving from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 21% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 44% this past spring of 2024. While we are excited about this improvement, the MPG of 44% still falls in the ''Approaching'' category and not in the ''Meets'' category as desired. DCS Montessori's data analysis leads us to believe that the best opportunity to continue this positive improvement trend is to drill more specifically into the ''Writing and Written Expression'' aspect of our ELA scores. We have seen DCS Montessori's reading scores grow and be consistently in the ''Meets'' range, but find our Writing scores to trail that significantly. Therefore, this Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) will focus on plans to improve our writing academic achievement and academic growth with our elementary students.

    2) In regards to DCS Montessori's efforts to improve our CMAS Math Academic Achievement, DCS Montessori has seen improvement. Specifically, DCS Montessori elementary students moved from an Academic Achievement 732 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 740 in spring of 2024. Secondarily, and more directly connected to this goal, DCS Montessori Middle School students saw improvement in Math Academic Achievement moved from an Academic Achievement 737 Mean Scale Score in spring of 2022 to a score of 744 in spring of 2024. However, while Academic Achievement has been growing, comparative Academic Growth is in decline, moving DCS Montessori elementary students from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 40% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 28% this past spring of 2024, AND moving DCS Montessori Middle School students from a Median Growth Percentile (MGP) of 84% in spring of 2022 to ELA MPG of 70% this past spring of 2024. While we are excited about our Middle School MPG falling in the ''Exceeds'' category, the overall trend is an opportunity for improvement, with a priority in the elementary. DCS Montessori's data analysis leads us to believe that the best opportunity to continue efforts on Math improvement is to continue efforts towards consistency while increasing our Response To Intervention (RTI) efforts for students struggling in Math. We have seen DCS Montessori's Math scores grow in Academic Achievement, and now the emphasis needs to change to focus on student growth in this year's Unified Improvement Plan (UIP).

    Action and Progress Monitoring Plans

    Major Improvement Strategy and Action Plan

    > >

    Writing Implementation with consistency

    What will success look like:

    		One year ago we implemented a universal writing program for structure and organization at the Upper Elementary (4th-6th), but in its first year it only supported 4th grade students, and for the first time. Our goals moving forward then are to implement with consistency, ensuring 3rd and 4th grade students are meeting the outcomes desired. Secondly, 5th and 6th grade implementations begin as scheduled this year and become the focus of consistency work heading into the 25-26 school year. Specifically, in year two of this plan, consistency implementation to be supported with biweekly instructional coach "check ins" for assurances and support with writing implementation across both Lower and Upper elementary.

    Describe the research/evidence base supporting the strategy:

    		Writing research supports Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC) as an essential component of any school's approach to Writing instruction.

    Strategy Category:

    		Curriculum and Content

    Associated Root Causes:

    Written Expression, grammar and vocabulary consistency: DCS Montessori has implemented a great deal of Reading programming over the last three years, and updated aspects of writing. There has been inconsistencies with lessons in written expression, grammar and vocabulary.

    Implementation Benchmarks Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Benchmark Name Description Start/End/Repeats Key Personnel Status
    Curriculum Implementation Implement an evidence-based writing curriculum to best fit with our Montessori philosophy. 08/07/2023
    06/01/2026
    Weekly     		Teachers Partially Met
    Curriculum Professional Dev. Provide Professional Dev. to teaching staff for implementation, and continual writing cross-class comparison work to support consistency. 08/05/2024
    06/01/2026
    Quarterly     		Admin/Teachers Partially Met
    Implement Writing Coaching support Implement biweekly instructional coach check-ins to assess and support success. 08/04/2025
    06/01/2026
    Weekly     		Teachers/Inst. Coach Not Met

    Action Steps Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Name Description Start/End Date Resource Key Personnel Status
    Curriculum Implementation
    		Implement an evidence-based writing curriculum to best fit with our Montessori philosophy. 08/07/2023
    06/01/2026     		American Reading Company (ARC) Core Writing Teachers In Progress
    Curriculum Prof. Dev.
    		Provide Professional Dev. to teaching staff for implementation, and continual writing cross-class comparison work to support consistency. 08/05/2024
    06/01/2026     		Administration and PD staff, and ARC on-going Prof. Dev. Teachers and Admin/PD Providers In Progress
    Implement Writing Coaching support
    		Implement biweekly instructional coach check-ins to assess and support success. 08/04/2025
    06/01/2026     		Administration and trained coaching staff Admin/Instructional Coaches Not Started
    > >

    Implementing ELA adaptive assessment and practice tools

    What will success look like:

    		DCS Montessori will implement an ELA adaptive assessment to progress monitor, at a greater frequency, ELA scores and growth during the school year. This new data will allow teaching staff to be more responsive to student strengths and challenges, and more effectively meet the continuum of growth expectations over the school year. The assessment will be partnered with a online adaptive practice tool in order to more accurately support student strengths and challenges with parents and staff, practicing in alignment with assessment outcomes.

    Describe the research/evidence base supporting the strategy:

    		DCS Montessori has shown increases in ELA growth scores over the last three CMAS evaluation cycles, but still finds itself in the "Approaching" designation. During this cycle, while instruction has been the focus of improvement planning during that time period, most internal progress monitoring has been summative in format, with limited options supporting formative assessment. In order to improve our responsiveness to student growth DCS Montessori will implement a formative assessment tool in alignment with best practices.

    Strategy Category:

    		Data-Informed Instruction

    Associated Root Causes:

    Need for adaptive assessment and practice tools: Progress monitoring has been limited during the course of the school year due to a lack of formative assessment in ELA, along with supporting practice tools that link to the data from such formative assessments. Increasing DCS Montessori's ELA Academic Growth will benefit from improving our ELA intervention systems with these assessments and tools.

    Implementation Benchmarks Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Benchmark Name Description Start/End/Repeats Key Personnel Status
    Implement ELA adaptive assessment tool This tool will provide timely feedback on student performance to enhance instructional adaptation to student outcomes. 08/05/2024
    06/01/2026
    Quarterly     		Admin/Tech/Teachers Partially Met
    Implement ELA adaptive practice tool correlated with assessment One year following assessment implementation, we'll add the practice tool layer, to improve instruction and practice 08/04/2025
    06/01/2026
    Weekly     		Teachers Not Met
    Implement Assessment and Practice tool coaching Provide Teacher support through biweekly coaching on using assessment and practice tool data to inform instruction 08/05/2025
    06/01/2026
    Monthly     		Admin/Teachers/Inst. Coach Not Met

    Action Steps Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Name Description Start/End Date Resource Key Personnel Status
    Implement ELA adaptive assessment tool
    		This tool will provide timely feedback on student performance to enhance instructional adaptation to student outcomes. 08/05/2024
    06/01/2026     		Renaissance Learning STAR assessments Admin/Teachers In Progress
    Provide Staff PD on Assessment and Practice Tool
    		Provide Staff Professional Development in online Practice Tool - Renaissance Learning's Freckle, and assessment (STAR) 08/05/2024
    10/10/2024     		Renaissance Learning Freckle adaptive practice tools. Renaissance PD providers and Teachers/Inst. Coaches In Progress
    Implement ELA adaptive practice tool correlated with assessment
    		DCS Montessori will implement K-3 practice tools in 24-25, then move it up each following year, (i.e. 4th grade in 25-26, 5th grade in 26-27 etc.) 08/05/2024
    06/01/2026     		Renaissance Learning Freckle and Lalilo Admin/Teachers/Tech In Progress
    Implement Assessment and Practice tool coaching
    		Provide Teacher support through biweekly coaching on using assessment and practice tool data to inform instruction 08/04/2025
    06/01/2026     		Instructional Staff, STAR assessments, and Freckle/Lalilo practice tools Admin/Teachers/Inst. Coach Not Started
    > >

    Implementing Math formative assessment

    What will success look like:

    		DCS Montessori will implement an Math formative assessment to progress monitor, at a greater frequency, Math scores and growth during the school year. This new data will allow teaching staff to be more responsive to student strengths and challenges, and more effectively meet the continuum of growth expectations over the school year. The assessment will allow progress monitoring to occur as often as every three weeks, which represents a dramatic shift and opportunity, when compared to semi-annually as was our previous assessment tool.

    Describe the research/evidence base supporting the strategy:

    		DCS Montessori has shown increases in Math Academic Achievement scores over the last three CMAS evaluation cycles, but finds itself in decline in CMAS Math Academic Growth. During this cycle, while instruction has been the focus of improvement planning during that time period, most internal progress monitoring has been summative in format, with limited options supporting formative assessment. In order to improve our responsiveness to student growth DCS Montessori will implement a formative assessment tool in alignment with best practices.

    Strategy Category:

    		Data-Informed Instruction

    Associated Root Causes:

    Need for adaptive assessment: Our Math internal assessment at growth grade levels, while informative, has been more summative in nature. In order to more rapidly identify students with math deficiencies and address their needs and evaluate growth, DCS Montessori needs an adaptive formative assessment tool. Such a tool will create more opportunities to address students struggling to grow in their Math, by using real time data, and divert classroom and RTI resources to students in need of such support.

    Implementation Benchmarks Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Benchmark Name Description Start/End/Repeats Key Personnel Status
    Provide Data Analysis support at level meetings and as part of MTSS process Create team coaching opportunities for examining new STAR Math data for informed instructional decision-making 08/05/2024
    06/01/2026
    Monthly     		Teachers/Inst. Coach Partially Met
    Implement the formative STAR Math assessment at 4th grade Upper Elementary staff will receive support to implement change in Math assessment tools to STAR Math at the 4th grade level 08/05/2024
    06/02/2025
    Quarterly     		Admin/Tech/Teachers Partially Met
    Implement the formative STAR Math assessment at 5th grade (& up) Upper Elementary staff will receive support to implement change in Math assessment tools to STAR Math at the 5th grade (& up). 08/04/2025
    06/01/2026
    Quarterly     		Teachers/Tech/Admin Not Met

    Action Steps Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Name Description Start/End Date Resource Key Personnel Status
    Implement the formative STAR Math assessment at 4th grade
    		Upper Elementary staff will receive support to implement change in Math assessment tools to STAR Math at the 4th grade level 08/05/2024
    06/02/2025     		Renaissance Learning's STAR Math Admin, Tech and Teachers In Progress
    Provide Data Analysis support at level meetings and as part of MTSS process
    		Create team coaching opportunities for examining new STAR Math data for informed instructional decision-making 08/05/2024
    06/01/2026     		Renaissance Learning's STAR Math, Academic Dean, and Prof. Dev. as necessary Teachers and Admin In Progress
    Progress Monitor Student Math growth, teacher implementation
    		Evaluating local STAR Math data, and classroom data to progress monitor student Math growth, complete teacher observations to measure implementation of supplements/adaptations, and to support continued adaptation as data dictates. 10/21/2024
    06/01/2026     		CMAS, STAR Math, classroom assessments, and observation tools Administration and staff Not Started
    Implement the formative STAR Math assessment at 5th grade (& up)
    		Upper Elementary staff will receive support to implement change in Math assessment tools to STAR Math at the 5th grade (& up). 08/04/2025
    06/01/2026     		Renaissance Learning's STAR Math Admin, Tech and Teachers Not Started
    > >

    Lack of Math Intervention

    What will success look like:

    		Low preforming DCS Montessori students will receive additional instruction and support external to the classroom, in addition to classroom interventions, which will enable low performing students to achieve grade level expectations. DCCS Montessori will being implementing RTI Math support staff at twice the frequency of prior years in 24-25.

    Describe the research/evidence base supporting the strategy:

    		Research is clear that Early Intervention in student academic deficiencies is key to supporting those students to achieve grade level expectations. DCS Montessori has been unable to provide sufficient Math interventions to low performing students external to the classroom, in addition to classroom interventions, on a consistent basis. This is essential in order to support low performing students to achieve grade level expectations, and improve DCS Montessori's elementary CMAS Math Academic Growth.

    Strategy Category:

    		Research-based Instructional Practices

    Associated Root Causes:

    Lack of Sufficient Intervention: Students struggling in Math have been dependent on classroom instruction to support their needs for growth. DCS Montessori needs to use local data, identify struggling Math students, and provide additional instructional resources in RTI (or MTSS) fashion to better increase the percentage of students in the meeting their potential on Academic Growth in Math.

    Implementation Benchmarks Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Benchmark Name Description Start/End/Repeats Key Personnel Status
    Identify students needing additional Math interventions Examine CMAS and STAR Math assessment data in order to determine students needing Math interventions. 08/05/2024
    10/03/2024
    Weekly     		Admin/teachers/Tech Met
    Create RTI Math intervention student groups Determine students of similar needs and group them, then identify interventionist staff and schedule groups for weekly Math interventions. 09/03/2024
    10/10/2024
    Quarterly     		Admin and Academic interventionists In Progress
    Progress Monitor students receiving interventions, and adjust interventions Re-Assess students on an every ~6 weeks basis, to examine student data for students receiving interventions, as well as for students not receiving interventions, adjust the interventions and groups as data dictates 10/21/2024
    06/01/2026
    Quarterly     		Admin/teachers/interventionists Not Met

    Action Steps Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Name Description Start/End Date Resource Key Personnel Status
    Implement adaptive formative assessment and increase Acad. Interventionist time
    		Procure STAR Math for Upper Elementary and implement with 4th grade, and double our Academic Interventionist staffing FTE 08/05/2024
    09/03/2024     		Financial resources, staffing and Business office Admin and Business Manager Complete
    Identify students needing additional Math interventions
    		Examine CMAS, MAPS, and STAR Math assessment data in order to determine students needing Math interventions. 08/05/2024
    10/03/2024     		CMAS, MAPS, and STAR data, as well as available classroom data Admin/teachers/Tech In Progress
    Create RTI Math intervention student groups
    		Determine students of similar needs and group them, then identify interventionist staff and schedule groups for weekly Math interventions. 09/03/2024
    10/10/2024     		Data, Administration time, and Math Interventionists Admin and Math interventionists In Progress
    Progress Monitor students receiving interventions, and adjust interventions
    		Examine student data for students receiving interventions, as well as for students not receiving interventions, adjust the interventions and groups as data dictates 10/21/2024
    06/01/2026     		CMAS and STAR data, as well as available classroom data Admin/teachers/interventionists Not Started

    Progress Monitoring: Student Target Setting

    Priority Performance Challenge : Elementary ELA Academic Growth Improving

    Performance Indicator:

    		 Academic Growth

    Measures / Metrics:

    		 ELA
    ANNUAL
    PERFORMANCE
    TARGETS
    2024-2025: Target = Elementary ELA Median Growth Percentile of 50%, or greater, to demonstrate a return to "Meets" on ELA Academic Growth.
    2025-2026:

    INTERIM MEASURES FOR 2024-2025:

    Priority Performance Challenge : Math Academic Growth shows declines despite improved Academic Achievement

    Performance Indicator:

    		 Academic Growth

    Measures / Metrics:

    		 M
    ANNUAL
    PERFORMANCE
    TARGETS
    2024-2025: Target = Elementary Math Median Growth Percentile to show a positive trend, moving up from 23-24's 28% MGP, at or above 35% MGP or higher.
    2025-2026:

    INTERIM MEASURES FOR 2024-2025:

    Attachments List

    © 2017 State of Colorado