High School Transition Recommendations
Instruction
Please be aware that the following recommendations are not in a ranked order.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
High School Philosophy:
All educators in Federal Way high schools will use a rigorous, standards-based curriculum based on the Federal Way Course Expectations and the Washington State Essential Learning Requirements
Research sources:
- Breaking Ranks: Changing an American Institution. National Association of Secondary Principals. 1996.
- Carter, Samuel Casey. No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools. 2000.
- "Class Size, School Size". Educational Leadership. Feb. 2002.
- Daniel, Harvey. et al. Rethinking High School. 2001.
- Darling-Hammond, Linda. Right To Learn. 1997.
- Delpit, Lisa. Teaching Other Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom. 1995.
- Hill, Paul T. et al. Fixing Urban Schools. 1998.
- Holland, Holly, et al. The Heart of a High School. 2001.
- Keefe, James W., et al. "A Special Section on Personalized Instruction". Kappan. Feb. 2002.
- Keefe, James W. et al. Personalized Instruction: Changing Classroom Practice. 2000.
- "Key High School Reform Strategies: An Overview of Research Findings". New American
- High Schools: Department of Education. March, 1999.
- Marsh, David D. et al. The New American High School. 1999.
- Murnane, Richard. et al. Teaching the New Basic Skills. 1996.
- North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/misc/glossary.htm One-on-one interviews with students, parents, community, and staff.
- Payne, Ruby K. A Framework for Understanding Poverty. 1998.
- "Personalizing the High School: NASSP Bulletin. October, 1996.
- School Visitations: Washington and Oregon
- Sizer, Theodore. Horace’s School: Resigning the American High School. 1992.
- "Sizing Things Up: What Parents, Teachers, and Students Think About Large and Small High
- Schools." A Report from Public Agenda for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 2002.
- Wagner, Tony. How Schools Change. 1994.
- Wagner, Tony. Making the Grade. 2002.
- Wood, George H. A Time To Learn. 1998.
Recommendation #IS-1:Instructional strategies to support the philosophy must include but not be limited to:
- Best practices that are inclusive and support equity for all students to close theachievement gap
- Best practices that allow students to collaborate with their teachers in shaping their own learning experiences
- Best practices that use cooperative learning
- Best practices that includes experiential, hands-on, active participation within and beyond the school house
- Best practices that integrate subjects to allow for multi-disciplinary approaches
- Best practices that use inquiry and critical thinking as a framework to empower students to follow their passion and questions
- Best practices that allow a balance between comprehensiveness and depth of subject matter
- Best practices that ensure all students will be skilled in the use of technology as a tool in their learning
Curriculum:
State Requirements:
Curriculum recommendations must reflect the following state requirements:
- Pre-Certificate of Mastery Program will consist of a rigorous course of study in Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Fine Arts and Physical Education.
- Post-Certificate of Mastery Program will continue with a rigorous course of study in Math, Language Art, Science, Social Studies, and rigorous,relevant electives.
- Culminating Project
High School Philosophy:
In all our high schools, curriculum will be based on the standards as reflected in the Federal Way Public Schools Course Expectations and Washington Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs). All curriculum delivery will center around, but not be limited to these research-based "best practices":
| Student Centered | Collaborative | Experiential |
| Democratic | Holistic | Cognitive |
| Expressive | Constructivist | Reflective |
| Challenging | Social |
Research Sources:
- Brain Research
- Carter, Samuel Casey. No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High-Performing, High-Poverty Schools.2000.
- Daniel, Harvey. et al. Rethinking High School.
- Federal Way School District Course Expectations
- Federal Way School District Graduation Requirements
- Language/PALS
- Marsh, David D. et al. The New American High School. 1999.
- North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. www.ncrea/org/sdrs/area/misc/glossary.htm
- One Child at a Time
- One-on-one interviews with parents, staff, students, and community
- Tatum, Beverly Daniel. Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? 1997.
- Visitations from Emerald Ridge, Pasco, Putnam, and Reynolds High Schools.
- Washington Administrative Code
- Washington Essential Academic Learning Requirements
- Washington State Graduation Requirements
Recommendation #C-1: Each Federal Way high school will integrate diversity into the high school curriculum. Each Federal Way high school will seek and use curriculum materials that reflect the diverse society we live in to give students an understanding of different cultures and ways of life.
Recommendation #C-2: Each Federal Way high school will offer a variety of high quality electives that support academics and the post-secondary plan which have measurable standards of competency as set forth in the Federal Way School District Course Expectation Guide and Washington State Essential Learnings.
Recommendation #C-3:Each Federal Way high school will, beginning in the 9th grade, define a process to assist students in preparing their post-secondary plan. This plan will provide the opportunity for mentorships, job shadowing, internships, and advanced technical programs. The process will allow a student to change to a different focus area. (See Goal 4 in Glossary)
Recommendation #C-4: All Federal Way high schools will provide Honors programs that are open to all students.
Recommendation #C-5: Students in all Federal Way high schools will have the opportunity to enroll at other district high schools to take a specific course of study that is not available at their resident high school.
Recommendation #C-6: Each Federal Way high school will provide extended learning opportunities for all students who are below standards in all core subject areas to assure successful completion of CIM.
Recommendation #C-7:Each Federal Way high school will actively support continued growth in reading skills.
ASSESSMENT:
High School Philosophy:
All students in all Federal Way high schools will know and meet the District Course Expectations and State Essential Academic Learning Requirements.
Research Sources:
- ASCE - Best Practices
- "Closing the Achievement Gap: Principles for Improving the Educational Success of All Students."
- Federal Way School District Course Expectations
- Marsh, David D. et al. The New American High School. 1999.
- North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/misc/glossary.htm
- Visitations to: Emerald Ridge, Sumner, and Wapato High Schools
- Washington State EARLs
Recommendation #A-1: Staff will know, understand, and teach to the Federal Way School District Course Expectations and State Essential Academic Learning Requirements.
Recommendation #A-2:Students at all Federal Way high schools will participate in a variety of on-going assessments that will measure their performance and progress in all courses.
Recommendation #A-3: Each high school in the Federal Way School District will have a portfolio system that supports student-centered learning, standards-based assessment, and a post-secondary plan. A student's portfolio will be developed collaboratively with the student and the teacher.
District Support:
The High School Transition Team charges the District with providing support for the preceding recommendations by implementing the following:
Recommendation: #DS-1:The Federal Way School District will implement a plan to ensure content and curriculum are sequential between grade levels in all subjects.
Recommendation #DS-2: The Federal Way School District will hire, retain, and support future staff that will instruct using "best practices".
Recommendation: #DS-3: The Federal Way School District will acquire and maintain instructional materials which will support and enhance Federal Way course expectations and state essential learning requirements.
Recommendation # DS-4: The Federal Way School District will provide professional development for effective and research-based strategies based on student needs. The Instructional Strategies recommendations will include, but not be limited to:
- diversity training
- multi-disciplinary unit/planning/strategies
- cooperative learning
- inquiry
- collaborative learning
- experiential learning
- technology as a tool
- critical friends
Recommendation #DS-5: The Federal Way School District will adopt a letter grade based report card that reflects student competencies as determined by a standards based rubric.
Recommendation #DS-6: Students earning below a C- grade in a subject may choose to accept the grade earned, repeat the course, or petition the teacher to receive an incomplete grade.
Recommendation #DS-7: A district wide task force will define common elements of curriculum standards for students in Special Education and LEP. These common elements will be in accordance with federal and state laws by providing the least restrictive environment for each student in these programs with a full range of options.
Professional Development:
High School Philosophy:
The high school must "…shift from the old models of teacher training or in-servicing in which an expert imparts new techniques in drive-by workshops to a model in which teachers confront research and theory directly, are regularly engaged in evaluating their practice, and use their colleagues for mutual assistance." (Linda Darling-Hammond, The Right To Learn, 1997)
Research sources:
- Breaking Ranks: Changing an American Institution. National Association of Secondary Principals.1996.
- Carter, Samuel Casey. No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High-Performing High-Poverty Schools.2000.
- "Class Size, School Size". Educational Leadership. Feb. 2002.
- Daniel, Harvey, et al. Rethinking High School. 2001.
- Darling-Hammond, Linda. Right To Learn. 1997.
- Delpit, Lisa. Teaching Other Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom. 1995
- Hill, Paul T. et al. Fixing Urban Schools. 1998.
- Holland, Holly, et al. The Heart of a High School. 2001
- Keefe, James W. et al. "A Special Section on Personalized Instruction". Kappan. Feb. 2002.
- Keefe, James W. et al. Personalized Instruction: Changing Classroom Practice. 2000.
- "Key High School Reform Strategies: An Overview of Research Findings". New American
- High Schools: Department of Education. March, 1999.
- Marsh, David D. et al. The New American High School. 1999.
- Murnane, Richard, et al. Teaching the New Basic Skills. 1996.
- North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/misc/glossary.htm
- One-on-one interviews with students, parents, community, and staff.
- Payne, Ruby K. A Framework for Understanding Poverty. 1998.
- "Personalizing the High School:" NASSP Bulletin. Oct., 1996.
- School Visitations
- Sizer, Theodore. Horace’s School: Resigning the American High School. 1992.
- "Sizing Things Up: What Parents, Teachers, and Students think About Large and Small High
- Schools." A Report from Public Agenda for The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 2002.
- Wagner, Tony. How Schools Change. 1994.
- Wagner, Tony. Making the Grade. 2002.
- Wood, George H. A Time To Learn. 1998.
Recommendation #PD-1: Each Federal Way high school staff will work with the principal and the district staff to decide the professional development topics, methods, and presenters that support best practices and professional goals based on relevant student data (research based) and staff knowledge base. In addition each Federal Way high school will provide adequate time to acquire, process, and effectively implement professional development on an on-going basis.
Recommendation #PD-2:Each Federal Way high school will provide opportunities and resources for every staff member to identify and explore how curriculum reflects life experiences and supports career options for students.
Recommendation #PD-3: Each Federal Way high school will provide an on-site leader who will provide, implement, and guide professional development for the improvement of instructional practices.