CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS TO WATCH

Data teams trained on TERC’s (Technical Education Research Center) consistently use data to analyze student achievement including district checkpoints and local assessments.

Student progress is monitored monthly by a process called, “Affective and Curricular Enhancement for Students”, where teachers, administrators, counselors and program specialists meet to discuss student progress and evaluate/assign interventions such as Homework Club, math support class, Study Buddies (with peer tutors) or two week English Academies which focus on textual reading, grammar, principles, and vocabulary development.

Students manage their own progress through meetings with administrators at which they set goals likewise, EL students participate in “CELDT Chats” to analyze their reports, understand reclassification criteria, and set goals for exiting SDAIE classes.

With many opportunities for input through committees and school organizations, parents are also kept informed through the “Homelink” broadcast system that allows notifications to be sent in English, Chinese, Korean and Spanish.

Interdisciplinary Team instruction is planned, paced, and structured during weekly and monthly blocks of time for both vertical and horizontal articulation. In addition, to facilitate common course collaboration, each department and common course has time monthly to create/analyze common assessments, discuss student achievement, and share best practices.

All staff are trained in Thinking Maps, Write for the Future, Cornell Notes, and Costa’s Levels of Questioning and these strategies are used schoolwide.

Alvarado’s GATE program includes differentiation throughout the day, after-school enrichment programs such as Math Counts, Science Olympiad, and the ABC Certificate program. Honors classes are open to all students