Education Week - February 25, 2015 - Special Report - S6

S6
EDUCATION WEEK LEADERS TO LEARN FROM
February 25, 2015 n
edweek.org/leaders
LESSONS FROM A LEADER
>> Build Relationships
Significant academic improvement won't occur
in high-poverty communities without relationships in
the classroom, in the district, and in the community.
>> Rigorous Curriculum
An aligned, standards-based curriculum, with
high expectations for students, is important.
>> Great Teaching
Hire, train, and empower the best teachers.
Make them integral to developing curriculum and
provide resources to help them improve their craft.
in poverty can do," said Ms. Anderson, who
started her career as a teacher in neighboring
Riverview Gardens and still considers herself
a teacher at heart. "It is unfortunate, and the
only way to dispel that myth is to show that
they can not only achieve beyond what many
have thought was possible, but in a time frame
that is much shorter than what many believe
is possible."
With high expectations and the right support,
students in high-poverty districts can
thrive, she said.
"Instead of kids having a running start, they
are standing in the ditch, and you want them
to do a high jump," Ms. Anderson said of children
who live in poverty. "They can do the high
jump if you give them the right platform as a
springboard."
Martin J. Blank, the president of the Washington-based
Institute for Educational Leadership
and the director of the Coalition for Community
Schools, said:
"This is a superintendent who looks at the
reality in her children's lives and says, 'What
do I have to do to make this better, what can
I take off the plate of my teachers so they are
not faced with hungry children or children who
don't have any additional learning experiences
or a place to go on the weekend? How do I create
a more wholesome overall environment for
my young people in which they can learn?' "
When Ms. Anderson became superintendent
in 2012, the district was facing a $1.8 million
deficit in its $30 million budget, which followed
years of shortfalls. Three years earlier, a state
audit had publicly upbraided the district for unbridled
spending and top-heavy management
that it blamed for driving up costs. She got to
work implementing a deficit-reduction plan the
district had devised before her arrival and that
relied heavily on attrition to achieve the savings.
Expenditures that did not directly affect student
learning were cut. Some jobs were restructured.
Curriculum specialists' positions were not filled,
and instructional coaches, whose numbers were
reduced, were reassigned to the classroom part
time and now assist with curriculum development.
Solid
Financial Footing
By December of that first year, the deficit
had been eliminated. And last year, the district
had a $500,000 surplus, said Michael
O'Connell, the chief financial officer. With its
fiscal affairs in order, Ms. Anderson turned
her attention to the classroom and to obtaining
full accreditation status in the eyes of the
state department of education, which the district
lost in 2008.
The superintendent hired teachers who had
mastered their content areas; accelerated the
curriculum; and created a specialized collegepreparatory
academy, where a select group of
150 students attend classes six days a week,
11 months a year, and will graduate with a
high school diploma and associate degree at
the same time. Collaborating with local colleges,
the district increased the number of
dual-credit classes it offered.
In the past two years, Jennings made steady
academic progress, but it did not receive full
accreditation last year despite gaining enough
points-109.5 out of a possible 140 points
under the Missouri School Improvement Program-to
do so. Jennings was exemplary in
some areas, gaining all 30 points for reaching
graduation benchmarks. But it fell short in
others, particularly in boosting achievement
for student subgroups such as special education
students. (The state changed the accreditation
process and is now looking at multiple
years of district data that demonstrate a continuous
upward trend in improvement before
making accreditation changes.)
Performance on state assessments also
showed gaps. The percentage of Jennings students
who are "proficient" in English/language
arts in tested grades is below the state average;
the same is true for math. In Algebra 2 and geometry,
the percentage of Jennings' students
who meet proficient levels was higher than the
state average, but only a small number of the
district's students took those tests.
Ms. Anderson knows there's more work to be
done. "We've achieved academic improvements
in ways that they have not seen in many years,
but we have not reached the goal of achieving
at the highest possible levels within our state,"
she said.
Jennings Mayor Benjamin Sutphin said that
gaining full accreditation, at this point, is simply
pro forma, and he is banking on Ms. Anderson
to get the job done.
"She's got the respect of the teachers, the
principals, the students, and the people in the
community-this lady is unbelievable," said
Mr. Sutphin, who meets with Ms. Anderson
frequently. "I would put her up as a model anywhere
in the country."
Parents are also warming up to Ms. Anderson's
efforts to help students both in and out
ENABLING
OPPORTUNITY
IS AT THE HEART
OF ALL WE DO
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accomplishment that comes with helping
advise students along their journey to
success. At ETS, we share your feelings.
That's why we design our assessments with
industry-leading insight and unparalleled
research so you can guide your students to
the opportunities before them. You know
how far they can go - we help you make
the decisions that guide them there.
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Education Week - February 25, 2015 - Special Report

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