Reading School District Plan 2014-2017

Reading SD District Level Plan 07/01/2014 - 06/30/2017 2 District Profile Demographics 800 Washington St Reading, PA 19601-3616 (610) 371-5611 Superintendent: Carlinda Purcell Director of Special Education: Deb Dendas Planning Process This district plan is based upon the Reading School District’s Strategic Plan for the 2011-2016 school years. The strategic planning process for the Reading School District was commissioned by the Board of Directors in December 2010. The purpose of the exercise was to develop a strategic plan that: • Clarifies the district’s goal for student learning and achievement; • Outlines the roadmap for accomplishing that goal; • Embraces the diverse “voices” of the district’s internal and external stakeholders; • Mobilizes leadership for courageous action at all levels. The planning process was developed and facilitated by a team from Performance Fact, Inc., led by Mr. Mutiu O. Fagbayi (President). The Strategic plan and other external reviews will be used to establish the goals for the Reading School District. Mission Statement The demographics in the Reading School District have changed dramatically over the past few years. Today, the student population mirrors the ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of our community. For these reasons there will be an emphasis on culturally responsive teaching and learning. 3 The mission of our public schools is to transform student potential into reality, In the collective, educators, the community and parents remain committed to our core purpose of educating all students. Leading Learning. Leading Change. Transforming our district for student success Vision Statement The Reading School District wants to help students make their hopes and dreams a reality. We want success at the next level for every student by name. We will strive to motivate continuous academic growth in all students. We will nurture academic tenacity and resiliency. Our students will graduate prepared for postsecondary education and a career. We will achieve this vision by actualizing the goals that serve as our guide. They are: • Rebuild trust and authentic relationships • Implement on standard instruction • Develop effective teachers, leaders, and staff • Strengthen partnerships and supports • Motivate accountability and supports Shared Values We believe that all students can achieve academically. Good teaching and successful schools thrive with strong, capable leadership and sound organizational practices. The capacity and resources to do so already exist, but the societal will to address matters at their roots waxes and wanes. Success does not happen by accident. Schools and districts do not happen by accident. Schools and districts do not become high-performing “by chance.” Getting things done well demands discipline and focus. The success of our plan rests on the commitment each of us individually, and all of us collectively, make toward its consistent implementation. That is why courageous leadership matters – boldly championing the ideals, ideas and actions that are imperative for creating and sustaining a system of strong public schools, and to focus unwavering attention on the primary intention of our public schools: bringing out all that is great in every students, without exception. 4 No one person or group has to do it all; all that each of us has to do is help students every day, so that she/he becomes better prepared for the next day, the next class, the next subject, the next teacher, the next grade level, the next school and for life after high school. Educational Community “…Reading, a struggling city of 88,000 that has earned the unwelcome distinction of having the largest share of its residents living in poverty, barely edging out Flint, MI., according to new Census Bureau data.” “Reading began the last decade at #32. But it broke into the top 10 in '07…” “Poverty- line wages, which for a parent and two children is now $18,530.” (Source: Reading, Pa., Knew It Was Poor. Now It Knows Just How Poor, New York Times, 9/27/11.) According to the 2010 Census, Reading was ranked as the #1 city of poverty in the nation for a city of its size. New census data for 2011 ranks Reading as #6. The headlines of the Reading Eagle on September 19, 2013 read: "Poverty in Reading worsens, census says". 40.5% of the residents are poort compared to 25% a decade ago. The 2012 poverty rates in U.S. cities and metropolitan areas with poupulations of 65,000 or more ranked the City of Reading second in highest poverty rates. the federal poverty income threshold in 2012 was $23,492 for a family of four with two children. Last year Reading was ranked #6. The student demographics reflect the diversity and changing face of the urban City of Reading. This was based on cities with a population of 65,000 and over. The 2010 census states that the City’s 88,082 residents include ,48.4% White and 13.2% Afro-American, 1.2% Asian, .1% Pacific Islander, 30.1% from other races, and 6.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 58.2% of the population. 31.97% of Reading residents identified as Purto Rican in the 2010 Census, the highest percentage of Puerto Rican population of any municipality in Pennsylvania. The percent of foreign-born residents is significantly above the Pennsylvania average, 10.5% Reading and 4.1% PA. Only 63% of the residents have a high school degree compared to the national average of 85%. The crime index is 557.4, with a national average of 319.2. The Reading School District (RSD) (2013-2014) is comprised of 19 schools that include 13 elementary schools, 4 middle schools (gr. 6- 7), the Reading Intermediate High School (RIHS) (gr. 8-9), Reading High School (RHS) (gr. 10-12), a Family Literacy Program, the Career Technology Center, and a Migrant Program. The district also serves. Pre-Kindergarten students. The RSD had an enrollment of 17,651 students during the 2012- 2013 school year. The students were 79, 3% Hispanic, 2.7% Multi-Racial, 7.5% White, 10% Black, .6% Asisam, .03% American Indican. 3,344 (19%) of the students were Limited English Proficient students, 523 (3%) were Migrant, 88.4% were economically disadvantaged or low income. Currently, student enrollment in the 13 elementary schools range from 412 to 895. Students in grades 6-7 attend 4 middle schools where enrollments range from 472 to 884. The RIHS, an 8th–9th grade campus, has an enrollment of 2,456 students, while RHS has 3,364 students attending. The district’s average daily attendance rate for 2011-2012 was 95.77%; the graduation rate was 61.11% and the dropout rate was 38.89%. 5 The RSD employed 2,011 in 2012-2013. This included 1,103 teachers, 621 support staff and 54 administrators, 31 administrative assistants, and 202 educational/special education assistants. The demographics in the RSD have changed dramatically over the past few years. African-American, Asian, and White populations have dropped, while the Hispanic population has grown. Economically disadvantaged population has increased from 87% to 91.5% during the last two years. The Limited English Proficiency (LEP) population has increased about 40% in five years. Today, the student population mirrors the ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of our community. Planning Committee Name Role Joel Brigel Administrator Lucretia Brown Director of Diversity RSD Margaret Brown Administrator Wynton Butler Student Services Director/Specialist Wanda Crespo Administrator Coretta Davis Parent Deb Dendas Special Education Director/Specialist Valerie Deysher Elementary School Teacher - Regular Education Craig Dilkes MIS Anne Fisher Ed Specialist - School Nurse Melissa Fisher Administrator Susan Fries Middle School Teacher - Regular Education Karen Gokay Executive Director of Human Reources Lisa Herbinko Elementary School Teacher - Regular Education Mitchell Hettinger REA Nancy Jackson Family Literacy Coordinator Guadalupe Kasper Community Representative Julianne Kline Administrator Stella Leonti Community Representative Jodie Madueno Migrant Program Coordinator Gladys Mendez Parent Outreach Robert Peters Business Office Carlinda Purcell Superintendent Ernest Reid Community Representative Ben Reifsnyder Elementary School Teacher - Regular Education Maura Roberts Student Services Director/Specialist Darrah Schlegel Administrator Denise Solecki Middle School Teacher - Regular Education Nancy Swope Secondary School Teacher - Regular Education 6 Sabrina Szerzen Parent Michael Toledo Community Representative Eric Turman Administrator Marcia Vega Administrator Kandace Williams Administrator Jason Williams Elementary School Teacher - Regular Education 7 Core Foundations Standards Mapping and Alignment Elementary Education-Primary Level Standards Mapping Alignment Needs Needs Arts and Humanities Improvement Improvement Career Education and Work Non Existent Non Existent Needs Needs Civics and Government Improvement Improvement Common Core Standards: English Language Arts Developing Developing Common Core Standards: Literacy in History/Social Non Existent Non Existent Studies, Science and Technical Subjects Common Core Standards: Mathematics Developing Developing Economics Non Existent Non Existent Needs Needs Environment and Ecology Improvement Improvement Family and Consumer Sciences Non Existent Non Existent Needs Needs Geography Improvement Improvement Needs Needs Health, Safety and Physical Education Improvement Improvement Needs Needs History Improvement Improvement Needs Needs Science and Technology and Engineering Education Improvement

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