School Data and Summary Analysis

Use data identified on the Data Sources tab (or from other sources) as the basis for understanding the school and identifying priority areas for improvement.
Guiding Questions: Review school data and consider a variety of perspectives including overall school/student performance, sub-group performance, attendance, teacher satisfaction, instructional practice (from walk-throughs/observations), and student learning (also from walk-throughs/observations as well as data).

1. What does the analysis tell you about your schools strengths?

K-2 Assessment: Rural Hall Elementary K-2 Assessment data shows that in each grade level we are continuing to improve in our mathematics instruction. In all grades K-2 we showed an increase in our overall math proficiency as well as maintaining a low number of level 1 students. Our K-2 Assessment data in literacy continues to remain consistent in grades K-2.

Dibel Data: Our K-2 students were assessed for the first time in the 2009-2010 school year using Dibels. Our initial year with Dibels provided a new understanding on how we can continue to monitor students who are struggling with literacy skills. Our initial year data showed that we are above the county average in our End of the Year benchmark assessments.

3-5 EOG Data: Overall Rural Hall Elementary had another good year in 3rd-5th grade EOG's. Overall we continued to show proficiency growth in our performance composite. We are a school of progress with high growth. This marks the third straight year we earned high growth. We scored above the county average in each grade level and for all the subjects. We had numerous goals where we scored higher than the county through our goal summary sheets. AYP: Rural Hall Elementary did not meet AYP in the SWD subgroup for the 2008-2009 school year. For the 2009-2010 school year AYP was met in the SWD subgroup.

EVASS: Our EVASS data continued to show that we are serving students above the state level in our 5th grade in math and science. Our overall EVASS composite continues to be green.

Attendance: Our overall attendance remains around the 95% mark with a slight decline over the past school year. Our discipline remained consistent with an increase in the number of suspensions. Teacher Working Conditions Survey: Rural Hall's Teacher Working Conditions Survey results surpassed the county and state averages on almost every area with 87% of responses stating the Rural Hall was a great place to work. Teachers reported positive results in the areas of Facilities and Resources, Community Support and Involvement, Student Conduct, Teacher and School Leadership, Professional Development, and Instructional Practice and Support. Classroom Walkthrough Data: Teachers at Rural Hall use the results of Classroom Walkthroughs to improve their classroom instruction. The data show an increase in effective practice discussed at PLC meetings during the school year.

Student Survey Data: Our student survey data shows that we have a good school that is inviting and promotes good character in our students. The data also shows that we have support from our Administrators, teachers, parents, and support staff. The data also shows that we have high standards for our students, but support them to meet those standards. The survey also showed that 96.7% of our teachers were discussing bullying to the classrooms.

2. What does the analysis tell you about your schools gaps or opportunities for improvement?

K-2 Assessment: Our K-2 Assessment showed several gaps and opportunities for improvement. The data shows that over time (from Kindergarten to 2nd grade) our students’ math proficiency declines. The data also shows that literacy in the 1st grade needs to be addressed. Our students scored well in Kindergarten and 2nd grades, but 1st grade scores were below 80%. There is also a need for improvement in writing in our 1st and 2nd grade classrooms.

Dibel Data: Our Dibels data shows that we had an increase in the number of Red students from the Beginning of the Year assessment to the End of the Year Assessment. Our yellow students decreased, but our Green did not increase to the same mark. This shows that a good portion of our Yellow students fell back to the Red level during the school year. We need to increase our progress monitoring interventions for our students in the Red and Yellow range of Dibel scores.

3-5 EOG Data: Rural Hall proficiency was steady or negative in math for each of our grade levels 3rd-5th. Our 4th grade did not make growth for the 2009-2010 school year. As grade levels, our 5th grade ranked in the top half of growth for the 2009-2010 school year, but our 4th ranked in the lower half. Our goals summaries look good compared to the state and the county, but areas for improvement.

AYP: Even though we made progress with our SWD subgroup, we did not make AYP for our African American students in the math subgroup. Looking at our AYP data over the past several years, we are in and out with different subgroups. The small number of students in these subgroups shows that we are not addressing focused interventions with all of our students. This is showing up on AYP because of the numbers, but we do not focus enough interventions to all of our students who are struggling.

EVASS: Rural Hall’s EVASS data shows that we need to focus on our teaching practices in all our grade levels. Even though 4th grade was Red in both Reading and Math, our 5th grade scores declined in reading from last school year. We need to focus on individual teacher reports and see what is working in specific classrooms and what needs to be changed to continue our run as a green school.

Attendance: Rural Hall’s attendance fell 1% from the previous years. Our tardies and early dismissals are more of a concern. We saw a large increase in the number of tardies and early dismissals during the 2009-2010 school year. The amount of time students are out of class, can negatively impact student performance.

Teacher Working Conditions Survey: Rural Hall scored lower than the county in several areas of the Teacher Working Condition Survey. In the area of time, our teacher reported dissatisfaction with class size, paperwork, and also in the area of cleanliness of our facility.

Classroom Walkthrough Data: Our Classroom Walkthrough data shows that we still need to focus on our questioning techniques. We need to provide opportunities through questioning so our students are working and thinking on a higher level. Some of the essentials and requirements for a daily schedule were missing or incomplete during the school year.

Student Survey Data: Our data show that we are right in line with the increase in the county in bullying. Of the 5th graders surveyed, 47.6% reported that they have been bullied. Another area of concern is that only 56.7% of those students bullied reported it to an adult in the building.

3. What data is missing, and how will you go about collecting this information for future use?

We would like to investigate the data of other schools that are similar to us in demographics and size. This would extend to K-2 data, Dibels data, EOG goal summaries, and growth data. Some of this data is provided to us through WSFCS accountability department. Other data can be gained by discussions with the leadership teams of these schools. Another source of data we would like to maintain and use for our goal setting would be tardy and early dismissal data. Our data manager can use our new sign in and sign out system to maintain a report of monthly tardies and early dismissals.


4. Based upon the analysis conducted, what 3-5 top priorities emerge for the school?

Cite relevant evidence from your analysis to support these priorities.

  1. Based on the data from our K-2 assessment, Dibels report, AYP, and EOG’s we need to create a focused way of providing interventions to our struggling students. This will include students who scored a Level 2 on the EOG’s and K-2 assessment as well as those students who score in the red and yellow ranges on Dibels assessments. Through this process we will provide meaningful research based interventions that will allow the student to catch up in areas where they are weak, and maintain grade level expectations. This process will also allow for a data team to review data as soon as it is available to reach these children before they fall too far behind.
  2. Based on the data from our K-2 assessment, EOG’s, and Classroom Walkthroughs, we need to focus on higher level thinking activities and questions in math. We will need to breakdown the data through goal summaries to see which areas we need to improve. We will improve these areas by providing students the skills and opportunity to understand these goals through higher level activities and questioning in the classroom.
  3. Based on the data from our K-2 assessment, EOG’s, Dibels, and Classroom Walkthroughs we need to increase our performance in literacy and reading instruction. Though we continue to grow in our literacy instruction, we have leveled off in our performance. We need to focus on our instruction during the four blocks model and individualize staff development in those areas. A focus on how to apply educational theory to classroom teaching will lead our staff development.
  4. Based on our attendance data from 2009-2010 school year, we need to increase our attendance and lower the number of tardies and early dismissals for the 2010-2011 school year. We will look at many different ways we can be successful in having students at school and present for the entire school day.
  5. Based on our student survey data, we still have a need to address and stop bullying in school. Based on the same data we need to find ways for students to report bullying in a safe means.