Table 5: Gloucester Public Schools Science CPI by Subgroup 2012–2015 Group 2012 2013 2014 2015 4- Year Trend Above/Below State 2015 All students District 77.7 77.2 78.7 76.4 -1.3 -3.0 State 78.6 79.0 79.6 79.4 0.8 High Needs District 67.7 68.6 69.2 65.1 -2.6 -1.2 State 65.0 66.4 67.3 66.3 1.3 Economically Disadvantaged District -- -- -- 65.5 -- -1.6 State -- -- -- 67.1 -- ELL and former ELL students District -- -- -- -- -- -- State 51.4 54.0 54.0 53.9 2.5 Students with disabilities District 58.8 60.4 61.8 57.5 -1.3 -2.7 State 58.7 59.8 60.1 60.2 1.5 In 2015 the district reached its 2015 CPI target in math for English language learners; between 2014 and 2015 its CPI improved but remained below target for all students, high needs students, and students with disabilities in ELA and math. Table 6: Gloucester Public Schools 2015 CPI and Targets by Subgroup ELA Math Science Group 2015 CPI 2015 Target Rating 2015 CPI 2015 Target Rating 2015 CPI 2015 Target Rating All students 87.7 91.3 Improved Below Target 80.8 83.7 Improved Below Target 76.4 84.2 No Change High Needs 79.9 86.1 Improved Below Target 70.9 76.4 Improved Below Target 65.1 78.4 Declined Economically Disadvantaged 82.7 -- -- 73.2 -- -- 65.5 -- -- ELLs 73.5 82.1 Improved Below Target 70.1 71.0 On Target -- -- -- Students with disabilities 69.9 78.9 Improved Below Target 62.2 69.9 Improved Below Target 57.5 72.7 Declined Students’ growth in ELA and math was high compared to their academic peers statewide for English language learners and moderate for all students, high needs students, and students with disabilities. Table 7: Gloucester Public Schools 2015 Median ELA and Math SGP by Subgroup Group Median ELA SGP Median Math SGP District State Growth Level District State Growth Level All students 51.0 50.0 Moderate 54.0 50.0 Moderate
3. In observed elementary school classrooms, review team members found a high incidence of many characteristics of high-quality standards-based teaching. The team observed 86 classes throughout the district: 22 at the high school, 16 at the middle school, and 48 at the 5 elementary schools. The team observed 42 ELA classes, 29 mathematics classes, 9 science classes, and 6 in other subject areas. The observations were approximately 20 minutes in length. All review team members collected data using ESE’s instructional inventory, a tool for recording observed characteristics of standards-based teaching. The instructional inventory includes three areas of focus: Learning Objectives and Instruction; Student Engagement & Critical Thinking; and Differentiated Instruction & Classroom Culture. Observational data is compiled for each area of focus and by Gloucester’s grade levels---elementary, middle, and high school. The data is presented in Appendix C. A. In observed elementary lessons, review team members found a high incidence of effective practices related to matching instructional strategies to lesson objectives. 1. In 88 percent of visited elementary classrooms observers saw teachers who demonstrated knowledge of subject matter by engaging most students in learning experiences that enabled the students to acquire complex knowledge and skills (43 percent strong evidence; 45 percent moderate evidence). For example, in a grade 4 mathematics class, students worked in pairs to develop a graphic model of an equation in order to visualize math concepts. 2. In 66 percent of observed elementary lessons, lessons reflected high expectations linked to the learning objectives (27 percent strong evidence; 39 percent moderate evidence). a. In a grade 3 ELA lesson, the teacher asked the students to explain the learning objective to the class, prompting them to describe the difference between providing information using general versus specific ideas and the use of opinion versus fact. 3. In 76 percent of visited elementary classrooms, observers found teachers using instructional strategies well matched to the learning objectives (33 percent strong evidence; 43 percent moderate evidence). a. In a kindergarten literacy lesson, after the teacher read a picture book, students talked to each other in pairs about their experiences looking closely at nature. b. In a grade 4 writing lesson, the class was introduced to the task of writing an “elaborate narrative describing a critical character” by responding to multiple questions about pictures of snakes. B. Review team members observed a high incidence of high-quality instructional practices related to student engagement and critical thinking in elementary classrooms.