Creighton School District
Phoenix, Arizona
Number of K-8 Schools: 9
Student population: 7,245
- 86% Hispanic
- 43% English learners
- 91% Economically Disadvantaged
Number of Teachers: 475
At the end of the 2008 school year, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) identified the Creighton School District as a failing school district based on the criteria of Arizona LEARNS, a rating system for Arizona’s schools. Of their nine Creighton schools only two were performing schools, six were underperforming, and one school received a failing label. In addition, only two of their nine schools met the requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).
With the financial support of the Ellis Foundation, WestEd provided the Creighton School District with DistrictsMovingUp (DMU) services. DMU is a comprehensive, coherent, and intensive team-based process that ensures improved student achievement. Part of the DMU process includes the Teach for Success Program and during the 2008-2009 school year, the Creighton Schools received professional development and job-embedded onsite coaching as they implemented seven of the teaching principles of the Teach for Success Program in all classrooms throughout the district.
At the end of the 2009 school year based on the Arizona LEARNS criteria, four of the Creighton schools received a performing plus label and the other 5 received a performing label. In addition, six of their nine schools met the requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Table F below and G on the next page indicate the percentage of students who are meeting and exceeding proficiency standards on the Arizona Achievement Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) from 2008 to 2009. Table H on the next page reflects the changes in classroom instructional practices during the same period based on selected T4S teaching principles. The efforts resulted in increases in student achievement.
Table F: 2008 and 2009 AIMS - Reading
Percent of Students Meeting and Exceeding Proficiency Standards
| 2008 | 2009 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| District: All Students | 49% | 59% | +9% |
| Hispanic | 47% | 56% | +9% |
| Students with Disabilities | 13% | 20% | +7% |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 48% | 57% | +9% |
| State: All Students | 69% | 72% | +3% |
Table G: 2008 and 2009 AIMS - Mathematics
Percent of Students Meeting and Exceeding Proficiency Standards
| 2008 | 2009 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| District: All Students | 56% | 61% | +5% |
| Hispanic | 56% | 60% | +4% |
| Students with Disabilities | 22% | 26% | +4% |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 55% | 60% | +5% |
| State: All Students | 69% | 70% | +1% |
Table H: 2008 and 2009 T4S
Percentage of Teachers Observed With Selected T4S Teaching Principles
| Selected T4S Teaching Principles | 2008 | 2009 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communicates Selected Standards or Objectives | 36% | 70% | +34% |
| Emphasize Key Vocabulary | 13% | 43% | +30% |
| Provide Instructional Scaffolding to Assist and Support Student Understanding | 66% | 73% | +7% |
| Provide Verbal Scaffolding to Assist and Support Student Use of Academic Language | 20% | 41% | +21% |
| Ensure Student Engagement Throughout the Learning | 32% | 51% | +19% |
| Use Selected Student Engagement Techniques | 29% | 54% | +35% |
| Use Formative Assessment to Determine Instructional Needs of All Students | 18% | 29% | +11% |
