Olathe School District
Olathe, KS
School Type: Public
|
School Setting: Suburban
|
Level: K-12
|
School Design: Traditional
|
|
Content Presented By:
|
|
National Awards Program for Model Professional Development
|
|
Results
As a result of the extensive and well-organized staff development available to teachers in Olathe School District, students are succeeding. In the last few years, scores on the state tests, the norm-referenced achievement test and the ACT, are steadily increasing. In addition, the gap between lower and higher SES status groups is narrowing. The tables below tell the story of student success as a result of staff development in Olathe.
In 1997, more than 83% of the teachers reported that staff development helped them implement school improvement. 80% of the respondents reported that training provided during the school day was beneficial. 70% reported that training provided after school was beneficial. 74% appreciated the opportunity to receive college credit and staff development points for staff development experiences.
The following table compares the 1994-95 baseline data with 1997-98 data, regarding staff members' implementation of reading and math strategies. Numbers represent the percentage of the staff reporting each level of professional development in regard to the new reading and math strategies taught as a part of the staff development program.
|
Elementary |
Secondary |
| Reading |
94-95 |
97-98 |
94-95 |
97-98 |
| Level 1- Non-Use |
2 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
| Level 2- Awareness |
21 |
11 |
12 |
6 |
| Level 3- Demonstration |
51 |
38 |
58 |
33 |
| Level 4- Integration |
23 |
42 |
22 |
47 |
| Level 5- Mastery / Resource |
3 |
7 |
3 |
14 |
|
Elementary |
Secondary |
| Math
| 94-95 |
97-98 |
94-95 |
97-98 |
| Level 1- Non-Use |
3 |
2 |
10 |
0 |
| Level 2- Awareness |
19 |
15 |
10 |
4 |
| Level 3- Demonstration |
51 |
42 |
59 |
21 |
| Level 4- Integration |
23 |
35 |
19 |
65 |
| Level 5- Mastery / Resource |
4 |
6 |
2 |
10 |
The Kansas reading data demonstrate the link between staff development and student achievement. Scores in reading increased by 5% district-wide between 1994-95 and 1997-98. 5 of the 28 schools in Olathe met the state's rigorous Standard of Excellence.
Statewide, the gap in scores between students in the high and low SES groups continued to widen. However, in Olathe the gap narrowed substantially. Training in specific research-based reading instructional strategies and an early intervention program helped improve student performance in reading.
|
1994-95 |
1997-98 |
| Narrative Reading |
9% gap between lower and higher SES groups |
3% gap between lower and higher SES groups |
| Expository Reading |
7.5% gap between lower and higher SES groups |
4% gap between lower and higher SES groups |
[Previous]
[Top]
[Next]
|
