Our Accreditation Self Study 2016
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NORTH HOLLYWOOD HIGH SCHOOL SELF-STUDY REPORT 5231 Colfax Avenue North Hollywood, California 91601 Los Angeles Unified School District April 18th - 20th, 2016 ACS WASC/CDE Focus on Learning Accreditation Manual 2015 Edition North Hollywood High School ACS WASC/CDE Self-Study Report Administration Ricardo Rosales - Principal Zepure Kivork - Assistant Principal Janet Lord - Assistant Principal Carrie Schwartz - Assistant Principal David Way - Assistant Principal Local District Northeast Administration Byron Maltez - Local District Northeast Superintendent Timothy Lino - Instructional Director District Administration Michelle King - Superintendent LAUSD North Hollywood High School ACS WASC/CDE Self-Study Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface..................................................................................................................................1 Chapter I: Student/Community Profile and Supporting Data and Findings .......................5 Chapter II: Progress Report ..............................................................................................29 Chapter III: Student/Community Profile — Overall Summary from Analysis of Profile Data and Progress..............................................................................35 Chapter IV: Self-Study Findings ..................................................................................... 39 A. Organization: Vision and Purpose, Governance, Leadership and Staff, and Resources ...........................................................................................40 B. Standards-based Student Learning: Curriculum ....................................... 62 C. Standards-based Student Learning: Instruction ........................................ 82 D. Standards-based Student Learning: Assessment and Accountability ....... 95 E. School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth ................................................................................... 111 Prioritized Areas of Growth Needs from Categories A through E ......................130 Chapter V: Schoolwide Action Plan .............................................................................. 131 Appendices .......................................................................................................................139 North Hollywood High School ACS WASC/CDE Self-Study Report Preface The 2015-2016 “Focus on Learning” self-study represents a collaborative effort of all stakeholders to address the progress of North Hollywood High School since the last full review six years ago, held in 2010. In the present self-study, we looked critically at our school’s student progress data; obtained student, parent, teacher and community input; re- examined our Vision, Mission and Schoolwide Learner Outcomes; and produced a comprehensive analysis of our school. North Hollywood High School’s (NHHS) self-study began with the development of the WASC leadership team. This team consisted of members from all departments, both magnets, and parent participants. Soon after, preparations were made to develop a calendar timeline, delegate responsibilities, and plan faculty in-service dates. Several professional development workshops were held to discuss the overview of the WASC visitation process and review the multiple methods in which data was to be collected to complete the self- study. During the spring 2015 semester, all NHHS faculty were assigned to focus groups based on knowledge or interest in a particular focus area. These focus groups reviewed the North Hollywood High School Page Page 1 of 140 North Hollywood High School ACS WASC/CDE Self-Study Report criteria for their assigned category to enable them to gather and/or discuss the appropriate data needed when they met with their home groups. Home groups, based on departments, had members from each of the focus groups who helped facilitate data gathering discussions. All stakeholders were asked to analyze, evaluate, and comment on all focus area criteria during professional development meetings in the spring of 2015. The data gathered at these meetings was then given to the WASC leadership team who met during the summer to synthesize the information into preliminary draft for each of the five criteria. During the late summer and fall of 2015, focus groups and home groups met to review each of the criteria to make additions and organize the appropriate evidence. Types of evidence collected included student/community data, student work, classroom observations and interviews. Blocks of time were provided to accomplish the task of responding to the questions, determining the findings, and collecting the corresponding evidence. Areas of strength, as well as growth areas were identified and later used in the formation of the action plan. Time was allotted for analyzing the evidence collected and conclusions drawn from it were shared with departments, students and other stakeholders. Due to the transition from California State Standards to Common Core State Standards and from Expected Student Learner Results (ESLRs) to Schoolwide Learner Outcomes (SLOs), the WASC leadership team worked collaboratively to revise the Mission, Vision, and SLOs for the 2015-2016 school year. Students were introduced to the new school SLOs, Mission and Vision statements, and their significance to their education at NHHS. Additionally, a parent retreat was held to discuss these revisions and to provide training to understand the essentials of the Common Core curriculum. Information collected from student, teacher, and parent surveys provided data for future action plan items. Page 2 of 140 North Hollywood High School North Hollywood High School ACS WASC/CDE Self-Study Report Introduction North Hollywood High School was built in 1927 and has always strived to provide students, who have a broad spectrum of academic and demographic backgrounds, with a curriculum that would engage and challenge them intellectually. As a result, North Hollywood High School (NHHS) has been identified as the number one public high school in the San Fernando Valley, as identified by Los Angeles Magazine. NHHS is comprised of a resident school and two magnet schools; the Highly Gifted Magnet and the LA Zoo/Biological Sciences Magnet. All three of these programs continue to expand their academic focus and provide a broad range of instructional avenues in which students can participate. The Los Angeles Unified School District as well as state mandates are continually changing, which has had a great impact on NHHS. One of the most significant changes to the instructional program at NHHS during the past six years has been the introduction of the Common Core State Standards. Prior to 2013, instruction at North Hollywood High School was based on the Core Curriculum and the California State Standards. Departments worked collaboratively to place curriculum and standards into trimester blocks that aligned with the mandated district periodic assessments. This curriculum was also aligned with the California Standards Tests (CSTs) given each spring which produced scores for both the Academic Performance Index (API) and the (Academic Yearly Progress (AYP). The introduction of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) brought many changes to the instructional program at NHHS. These included: a new curriculum, new standards, new district interim assessments, new book adoption for the math department. These changes necessitated altering instructional practices requiring teachers to act as instructional facilitators. Additionally, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) replaced the CSTs in the areas of English Language Arts and math. No results have been produced from the SBAC test; therefore, there is neither State API nor AYP data. CST Science tests are still administered to tenth grade students. At the beginning of the 2013 school year, North Hollywood High School was identified as a “Focus School” as outlined by the School Quality Improvement System under the CORE Waiver. This status was assigned due to the discrepancy of more than four hundred points separating our highest sub-group of Asian students (primarily based on the students attending our Highly Gifted Magnet) and our lowest sub-group, which was our special education students. As of June 2015, NHHS has had a 25% reduction in non-proficiency of the lowest-performing subgroup based on comparing CAHSEE results in the base year of identification, 2012-2013, versus the most recent year of data, 2013-2014. Therefore, NHHS has met our proficiency target and has exited “Focus” School Status. North Hollywood High School Page Page 3 of 140 North Hollywood High School ACS WASC/CDE Self-Study Report Several other academic and programmatic changes have also occurred during this six year time span. North Hollywood High School at one time was comprised of several Small Learning Communities (SLCs). To date, the Home Engineering Academy (HEA), Freshman Academy, School for Advanced Studies (SAS), Highly Gifted Magnet (HGM) and the Biological Sciences/Zoo Magnet are the only SLCs remaining. NHHS offers many Advanced Placement (AP) classes and over 2000 AP exams are now given to our students annually, a significant increase since our last self-study. Also, new classes and programs have been included in our master program. Through collaboration with UCLA, we have implemented Mobilize Algebra I and Biology classes which have a strong computer-based component. Additionally, we have piloted a program in which both of these new classes