Colorado's Unified Improvement Plan for Schools

Bethke Elementary School UIP 2023-24

      
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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
  • Students lacking in basic phonemic awareness and phonics skills
    		•
  • Lack of consistent, systematic tier one instruction
    		•
  • Universal Structured Literacy Approach to Literacy Instruction using CKLA
  • Consistent Collaboration Between Classroom Teachers and All Support Staff
    		•
  • Students lacking basic writing skills
    		•
  • Lack of consistent, systematic tier one instruction
    		•
  • Universal Structured Literacy Approach to Literacy Instruction using CKLA
  • Consistent Collaboration Between Classroom Teachers and All Support Staff
    		•


    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


    Bethke Elementary is in it's 16th year as a Core Knowledge elementary school. We recently adopted the CKLA curriculum for the 23-24 school year. Our staff is working to align that curriculum with our current Core Knowledge units of study.

    Improvement Plan Information

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


    Checked
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    Narrative on Data Analysis and Root Cause Identification


    Description of School Setting and Process for Data Analysis

    Bethke Elementary school is going into it's 16th year at 525 students and 24 sections of classes after a new school took some of our attendance area.  Historically a high performing school, Bethke continues to see population growth with new neighborhoods continuing to build around the school.  Our staff saw significant turnover as well including both of our special education interventionists.   After the opening of the new school down the road, our staff took advantage of this opportunity to renorm our work and expectations at Bethke both as a staff and as a parent group, defining who we are and who we want to be.  We developed new collective commitments for our work together as a staff and we will continue to align our work this year with students both socially/emotionally and academically.  After analyzing data from the beginning of the year, we will collaborate to implement new curriculums, approaches, and resources.

    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).

    From spring of 22 to spring of 23 our well below benchmark students in grades K-3 stayed the same at 5%. In grades 4 and 5 our well below benchmark students dropped from 29% to 16%.
    From spring of 22 to spring of 23 our students who met or exceeded expectations in grades K-3 decreased from 86% to 85%, which is our PSD target.   In grades 4 and 5 the number of students meeting or exceeding expectations increased from 32% to 33%.

    In grades 4 and 5 our growth on CMAS increased from 62% in 2022 for ELA to 63% in 2023.
     


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

    With the adoption of a new curriculum we will strengthen our alignment and expectations in reading and writing K-5 with increased vertical articulation.

     

    Current Performance

    In 2022/23 at Bethke elementary, we had 65 students supported with READ Plans. Acadience was the Poudre School District’s READ Act basic literacy assessment. Comparing Acadience assessment performance levels from the spring of 2023 to the spring of 2022, we see that the percentage of students supported with a READ Plan  that met or exceeded grade level benchmarks increased from 18.1 to 21.1.   The percentage of  well below benchmarks drastically decreased from 63.3% to 36.8% causing an increase in below benchmark from 18.2% to 42.1%.  We saw great gains in early literacy skills in our primary grades and gaps being filled in our upper grades.  48% of our students on READ plans in grades 4 and 5 exited.  That is 12 out of 25 students reaching grade level. 












    Based on Acadience ''Beginning of Year'' to ''End of Year'' growth calculated using a Z-score gain or change in normative position of individual students relative to national grade-level peers, Bethke students supported with READ Plans grew 0.13 standard deviation units more than students nationwide in 2022-23.








     

    Trend Analysis

    Trend Direction: Increasing
    Performance Indicator Target: Academic Achievement (Status)

    Percentage of students at or above benchmark using Acadience/DIBELS is increasing while decreasing the percentage of students well below benchmark.
    Trend Direction: Increasing
    Performance Indicator Target: Academic Achievement (Status)

    CMAS growth coming out of the pandemic, our growth is continuing to increase for 4th and 5th grade English Language Arts.

    Additional Trend Information:

    We continue to see the impact of the pandemic in our achievement and growth scores.  As students move through our system we see the impact mostly in writing now in grades 4 and 5 as the reading skills gap starts to close. Our primary students are entering school with preschool foundations and are more "school ready."

    Although we still haven't reached pre-pandemic performance we are decreasing the percentage of well below students in K-5 on Acadience while increasing our above benchmark students in grades K-5.



    A trend of note is the time it has taken to exit students from Read Plans.  With continued and consistent intervention, for some students for multiple years, we exited 48% of students from their Read Plan in grades 4 and 5.  That's 12 of 25 students who reached proficiency on three assessments!  Our integrated services team and intermediate reading interventionist intentionally aligned their work with tier one instruction in all five components of literacy. Those students who had their educational experience interrupted by Covid in their primary years finally made the gains needed to enter middle school meeting or nearly meeting expectations. We went from 99% of all IEP's below benchmark two years ago to 68% below benchmark in 2023 and 31% of them at or above benchmark!

    Data from students in 4th and 5th on IEP's:









    The trend we are seeing in 4th and 5th grade is better growth on MAP than CMAS.
    Growth on MAP is better over the last two years and above state/national norms.



    However on CMAS our growth declined from the year before, yet still above state/national norms. Our staff attribute this to the lack of foundational writing skills needed for CMAS testing in this group of 4th graders specifically.  Breaking down CMAS data showed reading skills showing alot of growth yet the writing skills impacting the overall achievement and growth of our 4th and 5th graders.



     

    Priority Performance Challenge and Associated Root Cause

    Priority Performance Challenge:  Students lacking in basic phonemic awareness and phonics skills

    As we continue to grow the number of students lacking in basic foundational skills has increased over the years. That leads to decreased fluency and comprehension.

    Area of Focus: Early literacy


    Root Cause: Lack of consistent, systematic tier one instruction

    Every classroom needs to have consistent, systematic tier one instruction in the writing process using a consistent curriculum.

    Root Cause Category: Curriculum


    Priority Performance Challenge:  Students lacking basic writing skills

    As students enter intermediate grades who lacked consistent penmanship and writing instruction during the pandemic, their writing skills are impacted.

    Area of Focus: English/Language Arts


    Root Cause: Lack of consistent, systematic tier one instruction

    Every classroom needs to have consistent, systematic tier one instruction in the writing process using a consistent curriculum.

    Root Cause Category: Curriculum

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

    Basic phonemic awareness and phonics skills are the foundation of all reading instruction for a child's academic career.  We need to ensure children do not leave elementary with gaps in their learning.  The urgency is compounded by the number of new students who enroll in our school in the upper grades who lack these skills because they haven't been at Bethke since kindergarten. We need strong articulation from K-5 on expectations, curriculums to use, progress monitoring tools to use, and vocabulary to scaffold year after year to build a solid foundation for these students.  We need regular communication and collaboration between interventionists, classified staff, special education staff, and classroom teachers to ensure strong alignment.

    As students who missed critical writing instruction in the primary years during the pandemic move into our intermediate grades, they are showing decreased writing proficiency. With our new curriculum, we need regular communication and collaboration between classroom teachers, interventionists, classified staff, and special education staff to ensure consistent expectations and strong alignment.

    How were the Root Causes were selected and verified:

    Every classroom needs to have consistent, systematic tier one instruction with consistent materials implementing the five components of literacy and writing instruction.

    Action and Progress Monitoring Plans

    Major Improvement Strategy and Action Plan

    > >

    Universal Structured Literacy Approach to Literacy Instruction using CKLA

    What will success look like:

    		All 24 classrooms will implement the structured literacy approach in tier one balancing the five components of literacy.

    Describe the research/evidence base supporting the strategy:

    		Students need a strong phonics and phonemic awareness foundation to build upon while developing fluency and vocabulary which deepens comprehension.

    Strategy Category:

    		Curriculum and Content

    Associated Root Causes:

    Lack of consistent, systematic tier one instruction: Every classroom needs to have consistent, systematic tier one instruction in the writing process using a consistent curriculum.

    Implementation Benchmarks Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Benchmark Name Description Start/End/Repeats Key Personnel Status
    Structured Literacy All K-5 teach 5 components of literacy in a systematic, balanced approach 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025
    		 Classroom teachers Partially Met
    Novel studies with written response All 3-5 teach Core Knowledge novel studies including an emphasis on fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension teaching writing instruction through reader's notebooks 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025
    		 Classroom teachers Partially Met
    K-5 Systematic Spelling Sequence and Instruction K-5 teachers will teach our CKLA+ spelling and morphology sequence 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025
    		 Classroom teachers Partially Met
    Tier Two and Three Intervention Tier Two interventionists will use Heggerty, OG, 95% Group, Kilpatrick's Bridge the Gap and Equipped for Reading Success to improve phonemic awareness in grades K-5. Tier Three interventionists will use these resources with smaller groups and greater time intensity. 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025
    		 Literacy and IS interventionists Partially Met
    CKLA curriculum All K-2 teach CKLA in a systematic, multisensory way 08/17/2023
    05/25/2025
    		 Classroom teachers Partially Met

    Action Steps Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Name Description Start/End Date Resource Key Personnel Status
    Implement CKLA Curriculum
    		All K-2 teach CKLA in a systematic, multisensory way 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025     		CKLA curriculum Classroom teachers In Progress
    Implement Novel studies with written response
    		All 3-5 teach novel studies including an emphasis on fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension teaching writing through the reader's notebook 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025     		CKLA and CK novels Classroom teachers In Progress
    Implement Structured literacy
    		All K-5 balance instruction of all five components in a structured, systematic way 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025     		CKLA curriculum Literacy teacher Classroom teachers In Progress
    Implement CKLA+ Spelling sequence
    		Implement our CKLA+ spelling and morphology sequence 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025     		Literacy teachers CKLA Classroom teachers In Progress
    Collaboration between Tier Two and Three Interventions
    		Tier Two interventionists and para professionals will use OG, Heggerty, 95% Group, Kilpatrick's Bridge the Gap and Equipped for Reading Success to improve phonemic awareness in grades K-5. Tier Three interventionists will use these resources with smaller groups and greater time intensity. 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025     		95% Group curriculum Bridge the Gap materials Equipped for Reading Success materials OG Heggerty materials Time for IS and literacy to collaborate Literacy teachers IS teachers In Progress
    > >

    Consistent Collaboration Between Classroom Teachers and All Support Staff

    What will success look like:

    		Classroom teachers will regularly use progress monitoring data to collaborate with instructional paras, interventionists, and special education staff to align tier one instruction to interventions.

    Describe the research/evidence base supporting the strategy:

    		When instruction is aligned to interventions and everyone is using the same vocabulary, students are more likely to transfer skills to application.

    Strategy Category:

    		Continuous Improvement

    Associated Root Causes:

    Lack of consistent, systematic tier one instruction: Every classroom needs to have consistent, systematic tier one instruction in the writing process using a consistent curriculum.

    Implementation Benchmarks Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Benchmark Name Description Start/End/Repeats Key Personnel Status
    Interventionists collaboration Tier Two interventionists and special education staff will meet monthly to calibrate their expectations on intervention curriculum. 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025
    		 Literacy and IS interventionists
    Certified and classified collaboration Tier Two interventionists and classroom teachers will meet with classified staff monthly to calibrate their expectations on intervention curriculum and answer questions they have on implementation. 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025
    		 Interventionists and classified staff
    Biweekly collaboration Every week classroom teachers will either meet with literacy interventionists or IS staff to analyze data and monitor progress 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025
    		 Classroom teachers and interventionists

    Action Steps Associated with Major Improvement Strategy

    Name Description Start/End Date Resource Key Personnel Status
    Certified and classified collaboration
    		Tier Two interventionists and classroom teachers will meet with classified staff monthly to calibrate their expectations on intervention curriculum and answer questions they have on implementation. 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025     		CKLA Curriculum Classified staff and interventionists
    Biweekly collaboration
    		Every week classroom teachers will either meet with literacy interventionists or IS staff to analyze data and monitor progress 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025     		Time in schedule Data Interventionists and classroom teachers
    Interventionists collaboration
    		Tier Two interventionists and special education staff will meet monthly to calibrate their expectations on intervention curriculum. 08/16/2023
    05/25/2025     		95% Group Haggerty OG Kilpatricks books CKLA Interventionists and IS staff

    Progress Monitoring: Student Target Setting

    Priority Performance Challenge : Students lacking in basic phonemic awareness and phonics skills

    Performance Indicator:

    		 Academic Achievement (Status)

    Measures / Metrics:

    		 R
    ANNUAL
    PERFORMANCE
    TARGETS
    2023-2024: Increase the % of students that meet expectations on spring Dibels.
    2024-2025:

    INTERIM MEASURES FOR 2023-2024:

    Performance Indicator:

    		 Academic Achievement (Status)

    Measures / Metrics:

    		 R
    ANNUAL
    PERFORMANCE
    TARGETS
    2023-2024: Decrease the number of K-5 students who are well below expectations on spring Dibels.
    2024-2025:

    INTERIM MEASURES FOR 2023-2024:

    Priority Performance Challenge : Students lacking basic writing skills

    Performance Indicator:

    		 Academic Growth

    Measures / Metrics:

    		 W
    ANNUAL
    PERFORMANCE
    TARGETS
    2023-2024: Increase our MGP on spring ELA CMAS.
    2024-2025:

    INTERIM MEASURES FOR 2023-2024:

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