Needs+Analysis+02+Hahn

Return to Erin Hahn's Page =Section 1 - Need Analysis Report=

Executive Summary
Rolling Acres Elementary is a K-3 building located in the Littlestown Area School District. We house approximately 650 students. We are currently enrolling 150 Kindergarten students, with a split curriculum of 4 half day kindergarten sessions and 4 full day kindergarten sessions. Our district is one of the few in the county that does not offer full day kindergarten to all students. Based on performance at the end of first grade, we do not have all students at proficient level. Rolling Acres is in need of a full day kindergarten curriculum to increase student achievement and prepare for 100% proficiency by the end of first grade in reading and math according to our benchmarks. Research states that full day kindergarten students performed significantly better in reading and math achievement at the end of kindergarten and continued to show better performances into first grade. Approximately one half of our students lack that academic learning time imperative to proficiency by the end of first grade.

It is our mission to provide all students a safe, secure, and nurturing learning environment which promotes mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy students that are responsible, respectful, and tolerant citizens with an emphasis on creating lifelong, independent learners through a strong partnership between the home and school communities.

Business Need
The purpose of this project is to transition our half day sessions into full day sessions to support a 90% proficiency level going into first grade based on DRA scoring. By the end of first grade we currently maintain an 76% proficiency level based on DRA, which will need to improve to 100% by re-writing curriculum in kindergarten and first grade. In Adams County we rank 6 out of 11 schools pertaining to reading scores and 3 out of 11 pertaining to math scores (for 3rd grade PSSA). By enhancing curriculum in kindergarten, first, second, and third grade, we will improve those scores to rank 1 out of 11 in both reading and math. All of these improvements will assistant in the Annual Yearly Progress goal of 100% proficiency of 3rd garde PSSA scores by 2014, with DRA scores being 100% proficient. 3RD GRADE PSSA? GOOD DETAILS..

Learning Opportunity
Curriculum will need to be rewritten in grades K-3 to meet a higher proficiency level and keep it consistent. All teachers will need training in reading block instruction, differentiated instructions, and RTI intervention strategies, to allow a continual growth in students with the enhanced curriculum.

Expected Benefits

 * raise student achievement to 100% by the end of first grade
 * additional academic learning time to prepare for mastery in primary-grade reading and math skills
 * increase school readiness, improve literacy and language development, improve social and economical growth
 * reduce retention and remediation rates
 * greater achievement gains during kindergarten year for students
 * full day kindergarten students 26% more likely to be promoted through third grade and more than twice as likely to remain on grade level
 * better attendance for students
 * academic benefits for students offset nearly 19% of the actual cost
 * inclement weather no longer a loss of learning time for students
 * 90 uninterrupted reading blocks
 * stable and consistent learning environment for all students regardless of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic backgrounds
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">student access to well balance, nutritious meal, and physical fitness opportunities
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">student access to art and enrichment opportunities (art, music, library, physical education, and health)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">field trip opportunities no longer shortened by district transportation issues
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">conference times shortened for teachers - district financial savings
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">align curriculum amongst grade levels to maintain student growth
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">educate teachers with new curriculum to meet the needs of higher achievement

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Audience An​alysis
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The audience will be grade level teachers K-3, with approximately 6-8 teachers in each session. The participants are subject matter experts for their grade level. The participants work together daily and participate in group meetings frequently. There will be a grade level chair person present in each session, as well as, math and language arts chair people tp assist in subject matter. The training will be mandatory and teachers will be told to prepare for revisions in curriculum. The teachers will be given an over view of the project to enhance understanding of the overall outcome - re-write curriculum to meet the needs of increased achievement across grade levels. Although these teachers are highly qualified in their grade level, there will be teachers hesitant to any kind of change in curriculum due to the possible increase in time management on their part. The biggest barrier in application will be the time it takes to implement new curriculum. These teachers continually attend training on many topics, so in-house training is usually preferred. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">GOOD

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Project Design
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Training will be instructor led in the classroom on in-service days that teachers have available time. We will divide training into 2 sessions: 1. re-writing curriculum and aligning curriculum will be done by grade level; 2 reading block instruction, differentiated instruction, and Response-To-Intervention training will be done by subject matter experts for the entire group.

Project Success Measures
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Learning will be measured by principals and reading center staff who observe lessons that support aligned curriculum. Student achievement will be monitored quarterly according to DRA benchmarks (stated in teacher handbook) to show that proficiency is evident. Teachers will conduct quarterly DRA assessments to generate scores. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">HOW?

Out of Scope
There will not be any out of scope needs.

Estimated Project Costs
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Implementation of full day: - no additional teacher required when transferring the pre-first teacher to kindergarten (pending elimination of pre-first program) - no additional teaching assistants needed when transferring 2 reading center assistants to kindergarten - no long need mid-day transportation routes - district recoups $17,280 (180 days $24 per bus x 4 routes) - food services: total $8,231 expenditure <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">- training - done on in-service days to eliminate costs for additional pay for teachers $10,500 expenditure <span style="color: #2d0101; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">OVERALL - $17,280 - $8,321 - $10,500 = $1,541 cost to the district. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> VERY GOOD. YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND IT IS EVIDENT.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">increase hours of two kitchen staff employees by 15 minutes each day $643.50 (90 hours x $7.15)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">possible purchase of hot food carrier to transport additional food $6,000
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">possible purchase of sheet trays and pans to allow for food preparation of additional meals $300
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">central kitchen staff 1 additional hour to accommodate increased preparation time $1287 (180 hours x $7.15)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Pearson training specialist for reading block instruction 1 day (3 grade levels divide 2 hours each) $3500
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Differentiated Instruction training - subject matter expert 1 day (3 grade levels divide 2 hours each) $3500
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Response to Intervention training - subject matter expert 1 day (3 grade levels divide 2 hours each) $3500
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Align curriculum amongst grade levels1 day - in house

<span style="color: #220202; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">This project could be completed in 2 school years. It would require implementation of full day kindergarten the first year while monitoring achievement each quarter using grade level quarterly benchmarks as stated in teacher handbooks. The second year would require curriculum re-writing and training to meet the needs of the higher achievement seen from full day kindergarten students.

=Section 2 - Performance Analysis=