Fort Bend Independent School District NEWS RELEASE FROM COMMUNITY RELATIONS Nancy Porter, Director of Communications nancy.porter@fortbendisd.com    281.634.1100

**  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  **

FBISD K-6 Grade Instructional Model - Doing Things Differently Makes a Significant Difference at K-6 Campuses

FORT BEND ISD - At the August 10 Fort Bend ISD Regular Board Meeting, Dr. Marc Smith, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Schools, shared the good news about the District’s K-6 Grade Instructional Model Progress in Year One. Significant improvement at the K-6 campuses is reflected in student achievement data, discipline referrals, and perceptions about important issues such as student safety.

In 2008, when the K-6 Grade Instructional Model was implemented, only one campus in the participating schools was rated “Recognized” by the Texas Education Agency – Briargate Elementary. One year later, six campuses were rated as “Recognized” — a significant improvement. The schools that are recognized are Blue Ridge, Briargate, Glover, Hunters Glen, E. A. Jones, and Quail Valley Elementary Schools.

Highlights of the progress include:

• The percentage of sixth-grade students in the K-6 Program who met standard in Reading for African American was 91.6%, for Hispanic — 85.2% and for Economic Disadvantaged ― 87.8%. The sixth-grade students in the K-6 Program who met standard in Math for African American was 77.5%, for Hispanic — 78.5% and for Economically Disadvantaged ― 75.6%
• The significant gains in Math according to Dr. Smith were impacted by the unique learning environments created at the K-6 campuses.  The K-6 program provides additional time for math instruction, and teachers are supported by math specialists with an added level of expertise.  Students also have a more structured learning environment.
• Vertical scale scores were used to track student performance across different grades for the same subject range from approximately 0 to 1,000, and allowed the District the ability to interpret year-to-year growth. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) was required by legislative action to develop a vertical scale for assessing student performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) assessments in reading and mathematics for grades three through eight.
• By using vertical scale scores in Grade 5 to Grade 6 Reading, the K-6 campuses showed significantly higher growth than non K-6 campuses. For example, the growth in the Hispanic sub population scores was 40.13 in K-6 campuses, and 18.26 in non K-6 campuses. The growth analysis in Grade 5 to Grade 6 Math showed growth in the Hispanic sub population scores at 41.19 in K-6 campuses and 5.62 in the non K-6 campuses in the same sub population.  
• Dr. Smith also shared discipline comparisons between K-6 campuses and non K-6 campuses. There were 462 level two and above disciplinary incidents in K-6 campuses and 2,349 in non K-6 campuses. The decrease in discipline infractions according to Smith, is attributed to a smaller, more supportive learning environment in the K-6 campuses.
• Results of a random survey of 100 parents whose child/children are in the K-6 program revealed that 90% were satisfied with the safety at their child’s campus. Eighty-eight percent said they were satisfied with the student/teacher ratio in schools in the program.

Background

In March 2007, the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees approved a recommendation by the Administration to pilot a new grade configuration program at selected elementary and middle school campuses in the district to begin in the 2008-2009 school year. The elementary campuses include: Armstrong, Blue Ridge, Briargate, Glover, Hunters Glen, E. A. Jones, Lantern Lane, Quail Valley, Ridgemont and Ridgegate Elementary Schools. The three middle schools are: Christa McAuliffe, Missouri City and Quail Valley.

The 10 elementary campuses selected were identified as campuses that have historically been rated as academically lower performing campuses. These 10 campuses also track to three middle schools that have also been academically lower performing. With a focus on improving instruction and student achievement at all campuses, the District viewed the new grade configuration model, K-6 and 7-8, as a way to improve students’ overall academic achievement.

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