WASC SELF-STUDY REPORT MARCH 2016

1850 Wardrobe Avenue, Building H Merced, CA 95341 (209) 381-5165 Fax: (209) 381-5166

Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges – WASC

Merced County Office of Education County Board of Education Dennis Hanks, Chairperson Chris Chavez, Vice Chairperson Gloria Honey Fred Honore Tom Bates

County Superintendent of Schools Steven E. Gomes, Ed.D.

Assistant Superintendent of Career and Holly Newlon Alternative Education

Merced Scholars Charter School Staff Administration Mark Pintor, Principal

Instructional Staff Natalie Dal Porto Kristyn Lopez Anna Miller Maria Villanueva Debbie Woody

Classified Support Staff Cynthia Dispo

MSCS Advisory Board Tara Davis, Parent Kristina Poole, Parent Maria Villanueva, MSCS Teacher Holly Newlon, CAE Assistant Superintendent Mark Pintor, Principal

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... I PREFACE ...... III CHAPTER I: STUDENT/COMMUNITY PROFILE AND SUPPORTING DATA AND FINDINGS ...... 1

GENERAL BACKGROUND AND HISTORY ...... 2 School ...... 2 Community ...... 2 School Purpose ...... 4 WASC Accreditation History ...... 6 LCAP Identified Needs and Description of Goals ...... 7 SCHOOL PROGRAM ...... 8 General Program ...... 8 Tutoring ...... 9 Support Classes ...... 10 Merced College Courses ...... 10 DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ...... 11 Student Enrollment ...... 11 Language Proficiency ...... 12 Socioeconomic Status ...... 13 LOCAL CONTROL ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN (LCAP) ...... 14 Conditions for Learning ...... 14 Pupil Achievement Outcomes ...... 17 Engagement Indicators ...... 23 Achievement of Schoolwide Learner Outcomes ...... 24 Perception Data ...... 25 CHAPTER II: PROGRESS REPORT ...... 27

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS ...... 28 Changes in Funding ...... 28 Changes in Instructional Support and Curriculum ...... 28 Changes in Assessment and Accountability ...... 28 Changes in Personnel and Organization Structure ...... 30 Changes in School Culture and Environment ...... 30 SCHOOLWIDE CRITICAL AREAS FOR FOLLOW-UP ...... 31 Schoolwide Action Plan #1: Schoolwide Learner Outcomes ...... 31 Progress, Evidence, Impact on Student Learning for Schoolwide Action Plan #1 ...... 32 Schoolwide Action Plan #2: Benchmark Exams ...... 32 Progress, Evidence, Impact on Student Learning for Schoolwide Action Plan #2 ...... 33 ONGOING SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ...... 34 CHAPTER III: STUDENT/COMMUNITY PROFILE — OVERALL SUMMARY FROM ANALYSIS OF PROFILE DATA AND PROGRESS ...... 35 Implications of the Data ...... 36 Critical Learner Needs ...... 37 CHAPTER IV: SELF-STUDY FINDINGS ...... 39

CATEGORY A: ORGANIZATION: VISION AND PURPOSE, GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP, STAFF, AND RESOURCES ...... 40 A1. Vision and Purpose Criterion ...... 40 A2. Governance Criterion ...... 45 A3. Leadership: Continuous Planning and Monitoring Criterion ...... 52

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A4. Staff: Qualified and Professional Development Criterion ...... 58 A5. Resources Criterion ...... 63 A6. Resources Criterion [Charter Schools only] ...... 69 A7. Resources Criterion [Charter Schools only] ...... 75 CATEGORY B: STANDARDS-BASED STUDENT LEARNING: CURRICULUM...... 79 B1. Rigorous and Relevant Standards-Based Curriculum Criterion ...... 79 B2. Access to Curriculum Criterion ...... 89 B3. Preparation for Career and College Criterion ...... 95 CATEGORY C: STANDARDS-BASED STUDENT LEARNING: INSTRUCTION ...... 98 C1. Challenging and Relevant Learning Experiences Criterion ...... 98 C2. Student Engagement Criterion ...... 103 CATEGORY D: STANDARDS-BASED STUDENT LEARNING: ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY ...... 110 D1. Using Assessment to Analyze Monitoring and Report Student Progress Criterion ...... 110 D2. Using Assessment to Monitor and Modify Learning in the Classroom Criterion ...... 116 D3. Using Assessment to Monitor and Modify the Program Schoolwide Criterion ...... 121 CATEGORY E: SCHOOL CULTURE AND SUPPORT FOR STUDENT PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC GROWTH ...... 125 E1. Parent and Community Engagement Criterion ...... 125 E2. School Environment Criterion ...... 128 E3. Personal and Academic Support Criterion ...... 130 CHAPTER V: SCHOOLWIDE ACTION PLAN ...... 139 APPENDICES...... 148

APPENDIX A – MSCS COURSE LISTING ...... 149 APPENDIX B – UC APPROVED COURSE LIST ...... 151 APPENDIX C – GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS ...... 153 APPENDIX D – ALTERNATIVE INCOME FORM ...... 155 APPENDIX E – SCHOOL QUALITY SNAPSHOT ...... 156 APPENDIX F – ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ...... 158

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Preface

Merced Scholars Charter School (MSCS) prides itself on the program we offer and the uniqueness of the program to Merced County. We offer a rigorous, standards-based program for students who seek an alternative to the traditional classroom. Our goal of the Self-Study was to analyze the program and look at ways to improve the program so that all students can succeed. Although the actual study did not begin in earnest until the 2014-15 school year, the staff, parents, and students regularly discuss and look at ways that we can improve the learning process at MSCS.

The implementation of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) have provided additional opportunities to gather feedback from all stakeholders. Therefore, our Self-Study actually began in the spring of 2014 with the implementation of the LCAP. It was at this time that we surveyed and met with various stakeholders to get their feedback on the state priorities listed in the LCAP. The results of this data provided the school valuable information that really changed the direction of the school. Because of the alignment of the LCAP categories and priorities to the Self-Study, we were able to use a lot of this information and follow up LCAP information in the school’s report.

The focus on personalized education by MSCS makes collaboration with students and parents a daily occurrence. The communication between staff, parents, and students is vital in the success of students in a non-classroom-based setting. Regular feedback from parents and students is important to ensure students are performing to the best of their abilities. Much of this feedback was used as evidence in various parts of the report.

The MSCS Advisory Board was another valuable and regular source of stakeholder feedback. This group meets quarterly and is made up of staff, parents, students, and community members. Their regular feedback and review of the program provides the school timely information on the direction and effectiveness of the program throughout the school year. The board is a valuable forum for parents, students, and community members to be engaged with the school and in improving student outcomes.

Staff input and feedback is communicated on a regular basis. During weekly staff meetings, student achievement of academic standards and school outcomes are regularly discussed. The information generated is used to make adjustments or modifications to the school program. Assessment information is also shared and regularly discussed during staff meetings. All of the data generated helps to provide information on student performance and achievement.

MSCS is experiencing increased demand for the program because of what we do for students. We are now expanding the school to meet this increased demand. As we move forward, we want to ensure that we add components to the program that will best serve students and provide a quality program for all learners. The Self-Study provided us the means to take a thorough and thoughtful look into our program. The information generated from the Self-Study, along with the LCAP, has established long term goals that will best meet the needs of our students.

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Chapter I: Student/Community Profile and Supporting Data and Findings

MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I

General Background and History School Merced Scholars Charter School (MSCS) was established in 2004 to meet the need for a secondary non-classroom based program. The school was created as an alternative to high schools in the area that offered a traditional comprehensive school program. In 2006, the school expanded to include middle school students. MSCS currently serves students in grades 6 through 12 throughout Merced and adjacent counties.

MSCS remains the only charter school authorized by the Merced County Office of Education (MCOE) and only one of two charter schools in the entire county of Merced. We are supported by both the Merced County Superintendent of Schools and the Merced County Board of Education. Oversight of the school continues to be under the Career and Alternative Education (CAE) Department at the MCOE and its Assistant Superintendent Holly Newlon. As part of the CAE department, we share in the services provided by CAE, which include fiscal support, technology support, secretarial support, staff development opportunities and career technical education courses offered through the Merced County Regional Occupational Program (ROP).

Since its inception, MSCS has provided a rigorous education program that leads students to academic excellence through the flexibility of scheduling and curriculum delivery. Further, students are provided the opportunity to attend the community college in order to have access to additional rigorous coursework. High school students enroll in college classes free of tuition charges and students who complete college classes earn both high school and college credits. This component is what has been and continues to be an asset of our program. These factors, among others, is what allows us to remain a viable option for students and families who are committed to non-classroom based education alternatives.

Community Merced Scholars Charter School (MSCS) is located in the community of Merced, California, which lies in the center of the San Joaquin Valley. The city and county are centrally located in California in what is often referred to as California’s Central Valley. Merced is within a few hours drive of major cities such as San Francisco and Sacramento or other popular destinations such as the mountains and the ocean. The city is often referred to as the “Gateway to Yosemite” because of its proximity to Yosemite National Park. Beginning in Merced, one can trace the original route along Highway 140 that first brought travelers directly to the valley floor in Yosemite in 1926.

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Merced is considered a medium sized city that experiences around a 3.4% annual growth. Approximately 45% of the Merced County Population resides within Merced’s urban area (http://www.mercedfirst.com/community-profile/demographics). The population of the city of Merced is approximately 81,102. Since 2000 when the population was 63,893, the city has experienced significant but gradual growth. Merced continues to be a primarily agriculture community. However, the landscape has changed somewhat with the establishment of the 10th University of California campus. The University of California, Merced (UCM) is the first research university to be built in the United States in the 21st century. Its location in the Central Valley is significant as the goal was to increase access to higher education for those students living in the Central Valley. Having a state of the art research and academic facility so close will have a significant impact on the city in years to come. Further, the UC regents has approved a $1.14 billion proposal to double UC Merced’s physical capacity.

MSCS can serve students in Merced County and adjacent counties as well. The student population of MSCS consists of mainly students from Merced County and specifically, the city of Merced. While Merced County maintains a diverse population, a majority of its residents continue to be of Hispanic or Latino descent.

Racial Composition4.2% of Merced County 2.5% 8.1% 0.4% 3.0% 29.5%

57.5%

Black or African American American Indian and Alaska Native Asian alone Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Two or More Races Hispanic or Latino White

Some current data on both the city and the county demonstrates that Merced County continues to be an economically depressed area. Thirty percent of the residents of Merced City live below the poverty level compared to 25.4% in the county. This is almost double the state average of 15.9%. The median household income is also significantly lower at $37,822 ($42,591 in the county) versus the state median of $61, 094 (http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html). The below average median household income can be attributed to the lack of postsecondary degree holders in the area. The percent of persons age 25 and up in Merced County that hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher is 12.6% compared to 30.7% in the state and 46.5% in a relatively affluent county such as Santa Clara. Also of note, the per capita money income for 2013 was stated at $18,177 compared to $29,527 in the state.

Merced continues to struggle even as adjacent cities continue to grow. Turlock, for example, has a poverty rate of 17.2%, median income of $53,270, and per capita income of $23,199; a significant difference for a city just 30 minutes away. Despite the addition of a state of the art university, Merced continues to face economic hardships due to the lack of opportunities. As

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Enrico Moretti stated in his book The New Geography of Jobs, “Even if the real estate is dirt cheap, skilled workers do not want to be there, because they know there are no jobs; innovative companies do not want to be there either, because they know there are no skilled workers. It would be in the interest of one group to move if the other did, but neither wants to go first. It is a Catch-22.” Merced has a lot of potential and is gradually trying to market that potential to improve the standard of living for its residents. Unless the innovators or skilled workers come to the area, the county is sure to remain a depressed area for some time to come.

School Purpose MSCS has operated on a solid foundation and belief that all students can excel in a non-classroom based program. While education has experienced a major shift with the implementation of the Common Core standards, Smarter Balanced testing, and the Local Control Funding Formula, our purpose has remained steadfast and focused throughout. This is due to the fact that we focus our efforts on the student and what they need in order to excel. This belief is clearly reflected in our educational philosophy.

MSCS Educational Philosophy We believe that… • MSCS must strive to meet or exceed the academic standards set forth by the State of California. • Every child is capable of excelling in a personalized learning environment. • Instruction should be adapted to meet the needs of the individual student. • Parental involvement is a necessary component to the success of a child’s overall educational growth and well-being. • Dedicated staff, parents, and students should work as a cohesive unit to foster a love of learning and a commitment to responsible citizenship. • Parents and educators must value partnerships with business and the community at large. • Students who take ownership of their education will be life-long learners. • Education must include academic, personal and social development. • Students must be provided with the tools to understand lifelong decision-making. • Schools must practice sound management of business operations.

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I

Vision One question that arose early in the self-study was in regards to the school’s vision. The school had a solid mission statement and education philosophy that has been around, unchanged, for quite a few years. With the change in administrators in 2014, it was important to revisit the school’s purpose. This became a standing item at staff meetings and our discussions centered on each staff member’s education philosophy and purpose for teaching. We then focused our ideas to some common themes. We reviewed the school’s philosophy and mission and felt those were appropriate for our purpose. In November of 2015, a preliminary statement was developed. It was presented to staff and to community members at the school’s advisory meeting in December of 2015. After some discussion, the statement was approved as follows:

Merced Scholars Charter School provides the most diverse and individualized program to students of all backgrounds in order to develop them into responsible and productive citizens.

Mission MSCS has carefully crafted and refined a mission statement through the participation of all stakeholders: students, parents, and staff of the school, as well as interested community members. This mission statement clearly communicates commitment to academic rigor, and outcomes that ensure students have the tools to meaningfully contribute to their communities and are prepared to be lifelong learners. MSCS’s mission is:

Merced Scholars Charter School will provide a personalized, versatile, education program; thereby preparing students to become successful, responsible and contributing citizens who read, write, communicate, and calculate with clarity and accuracy, using current technologies and resources.

Schoolwide Learner Outcomes MSCS’s Schoolwide Learner Outcomes reflect the characteristics and skills that will be required for MSCS students to be educated, productive members of society in the 21st century. The MSCS Schoolwide Learner Outcomes (SLOs) were last updated in the 2012-13 school year, just prior to our Mid-Cycle Review. In order to improve student understanding and knowledge of the SLOs, the outcomes were rearranged in a much more user friendly format that reflected the school letters of MSCS.

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Because the outcomes hold true to our vision, mission, and philosophy, the details of those remained unchanged.

Schoolwide Learner Outcomes

Graduates of Merced Scholars Charter School will be:

otivated Academic Achievers Who: A. Demonstrate mastery of curriculum aligned to academic standards B. Speak, read write, and listen reflectively and critically C. Calculate with accuracy and clarity D. Are prepared to successfully pursue post-secondary education E. Access resources that enable them to make informed career choices F. Effectively utilize technology ocially Responsible Citizens Who Demonstrate: A. Cultural awareness and appreciation of diversity B. Responsibility, integrity and respect for others C. The ability to work as part of a team D. Leadership and service within their community ritical Thinkers Who: A. Identify and use resources effectively B. Apply innovative solutions to complex problems C. Understand social and work-related systems elf-directed Learners who: A. Develop and monitor personal education and career goals B. Are committed to learning new skills and adapting to change

MSCS strives to instill our SLOs into the culture of the school. Motivated Academic Achievers and Critical Thinkers are determined by student performance in courses and on assessments based on the quality of the work completed. The student interaction at school and during school activities demonstrates their abilities to be socially responsible citizens. Students who complete their assignments and meet all course and graduation requirements are showing they are being self-directed learners. Committing to getting your work done on your own demonstrates a lot of self-discipline and time management. Students that complete the program will have met the SLOs throughout their academic career at MSCS.

WASC Accreditation History In the fall of 2006, MSCS applied for its initial WASC accreditation. The initial visit occurred on November 30, 2006 with the school receiving its interim accreditation through June 30, 2010. The school completed its first full self-study in the spring of 2010. The school was granted a six year accreditation with a one day follow up visit and report. At the mid-term visit, it was

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I determined that the school will continue with completing the action plan items from the full visit. This report will be the schools second full self-study.

LCAP Identified Needs and Description of Goals Charter schools are required under Education Code 47606.5 to create their own Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). MSCS has its own LCAP that was developed in 2014 and updated in 2015.

In the spring of 2014, surveys were distributed to parents, students, staff, and community members based on the eight state priorities in order to identify the greatest needs for the school and students. The information was collected, analyzed, and disaggregated at a special meeting prior to the school’s regular Advisory Board meeting. At the Advisory Board meeting, parents, students, and community members were able to provide additional input or approve the plan. Once approved, the plan was submitted to the Merced County Board of Education for its subsequent approval.

The following are the goals, identified needs for each goal, and the metrics used to measure the progress to meeting each goal. The information is based on the school’s 2015-16 LCAP.

Goal #1: Create a safe, welcoming learning environment where students feel connected to the school and other students. Identified Need: A larger facility, conducive to student learning, where students will: 1. Be able to collaborate on academic projects and study with other students 2. Feel safe – free from transients 3. Participate in a variety of educational and social activities that will support social and academic development Expected Annual Measurable Outcomes:  Facilities maintained in good repair – rating of Excellent  Pupil access to standards-aligned instructional materials – 100%  School attendance rates – 97%  Rate of teachers appropriately assigned and fully credentialed - 100%  Student surveys – 70% Approval Rating  Parent surveys – 70% Approval Rating  Senior interviews – 70% Approval Rating  Suspension/expulsion rate: 0 Goal #2: Provide teachers professional development and curricular support of standards. Identified Need:  Fully implement CA Common Core State Standards (CCCSS) and align curriculum to the standards.

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I

 Provide teachers with instructional and curricular support of the CCCSS. Expected Annual Measurable Outcomes:  Pupil access to California Standards aligned instructional materials in mathematics – 100%  School adoption of course outlines – 25% complete (math only)  Professional development calendar  Sign in sheets of staff trainings Goal #3: Provide opportunities for parents to be involved with the school and increase the support for students in their educational experiences. Identified Need: Parent involvement in the school community. Expected Annual Measurable Outcomes:  Parent surveys – 70% satisfaction rate  Parent group meetings sign in sheets – participation rates  LCAP stakeholder meeting sign in sheet – participation rates  Advisory Board meetings sign in sheets – participation rates Goal #4: Provide academic support for students that will help increase student academic proficiency. Identified Need: Additional academic support for students with a focus on English Learners, Foster Youth, Low Income and special needs students. Expected Annual Measurable Outcomes:  Benchmark assessment results  NWEA average RIT scores for post-test (ELA/Math): 229/234  NWEA pre- to post-test average growth rates (ELA/Math) – 2/3  CAHSEE Passage Rates – 95%  CAHSEE Proficiency Rates – 60%/60%  CELDT results – All students at Early Advanced/Advanced

School Program General Program MSCS offers a unique instructional model of personalized learning for students in grades six through twelve (from ages approximately 11 – 18). MSCS students are those who learn best in, and whose families are committed to, a non-classroom-based learning experience. MSCS provides a flexible learning option for these students, who experience a unique blend of teacher and parent-led instruction. The majority of student learning occurs outside the classroom, and under the guidance and support of a parent or other adult, while also participating in one-on-one personalized learning sessions with credentialed teaching staff at MSCS.

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MSCS fills a need in Merced County for a non-classroom-based charter school that supports student achievement. MSCS provides a professionally designed, research-based curriculum that is standards aligned. We are continuing to work toward complete alignment with California Common Core State Standards (CCCSS), which includes strategies for increasing the 4 Cs of the common core – Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Communication. The MSCS high school program is a rigorous course of study that meets the a-g UC/CSU requirements in order for students to continue their post-secondary education.

When students come to the school site, their time is maximized to ensure that their trajectory of learning is progressing. During one-to-one sessions with their assigned Personalized Learning Teacher (PLT), which typically occur once a week for one hour, the student and teacher review the work completed since the last meeting, the teacher provides instruction, and the teacher assigns new work. Parents also often attend these sessions, and their role in the collaborative learning process is essential. PLTs schedule additional time as needed to administer appropriate end of unit and benchmark assessments.

In addition to meeting with their PLT, students use the school site to access the computer lab, speak with their college advisor, work with tutors, discuss field trips and other supplemental programs, and collaborate with each other on academic projects. MSCS complies with all Education Code requirements concerning the design and implementation of non-classroom-based charter schools.

Tutoring For students who are struggling or require additional interventions, MSCS has established several opportunities for students to get the extra help they need. One such opportunity includes the tutoring sessions provided by California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal- SOAP). Cal-SOAP is a statewide program locally operated by the MCOE designed to increase the number of students attending college.

Cal-SOAP utilizes an outreach program aimed at high school students. MSCS partners with the program to provide tutorials four times a week in which MSCS students who may be struggling can get the help they need to improve academically. Cal-SOAP tutors are UC, CSU, or Community College students who were not necessarily college-oriented in high school. Such a program encourages and inspires students to consider college as a real option for their future. Cal-SOAP mentors and advisors provide tutoring to students in a variety of academic subjects as well as assist students with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and provide general guidance on the college-going experience.

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Support Classes For students who require additional instructional support, MSCS also offers a variety of support classes. CAHSEE preparation courses for English/Language Arts and mathematics are offered. However, the CAHSEE has been suspended for the next three years. Therefore, MSCS will continue to offer the courses, but it will do so under the names of ELA Support and Math Support. Despite the suspension of the CAHSEE, the ELA and math classes are necessary for our students that need the additional instruction and will continue for years to come.

The school currently offers an Algebra I and Geometry support class and will expand next year to include an Algebra II class. For enrichment, MSCS offers a Leadership class for students wishing to participate more with the school and engage in community service opportunities. In addition to these classes, computer literacy and computer applications are offered along with employability workshops and a biology lab to meet the lab requirement for our biology course. Online opportunities and career technical classes offered through the Regional Occupation Program (ROP) are available to students, but have only been used on a limited basis by students. There are two main reasons for the limited use.

First, ROP programs are offered at schools in the area and have class on a daily basis. In this case, MSCS students will have to attend classes at one of the local high schools and attend every day. Many of MSCS students came to our school in order to get away from the traditional school environment. Returning to such a program reduces the appeal of the opportunities offered by ROP. Second, many students attend MSCS because of the preference of book based assignments versus online assignments. We understand the need to promote the use of technology and have done so over the past few years. However, students prefer to use technology to help with their work versus being their primary source of work (i.e., online classes). We wish to improve the availability and use of these two resources, but we understand that we may have to adapt the programs to our students.

Merced College Courses For those students wishing to accelerate their learning or to fulfill their a-g requirements, MSCS collaborates with Merced College to provide additional opportunities for students. MSCS students have the opportunity to enroll in college courses to enhance their education and accelerate their college careers. MSCS provides a college counselor for students as well and offers the college placement test (ACCUPLACER) on site. Each student and their parent/guardian meet individually with the college counselor at the school to review their college placement scores and prepare their high school and college plans. Once approved by the teacher, students have the availability of a number of courses for their educational and career plans.

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Demographic Data Student Enrollment Enrollment by Grade Level The following table shows the total enrollment for the year including active and inactive students. This is the total number of students that our school provided services for throughout the year.

By Grade 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-161

6-8 24 34 18 21

9 20 21 20 10

10 14 28 27 26

11 21 16 27 23

12 33 21 16 30

9-12 88 86 90 89

Overall 112 120 108 110 1Most current data as of 12/1/15.

The total number of high school students served has remained relatively constant over the previous three years. The overall number of students served spiked in the 2013-14 school year. Note that from 2012 through 2014, the site administrator had a small caseload of students along with the three full time teachers. However, beginning in 2014, the site administrator no longer had a caseload of students, so the total amount of students served decreased. This explains why there was a significant drop in total number of students served from the 2013-14 school year to the 2014-15 school year.

End of Year Enrollment vs Total Enrollment In order to determine the retention rate for MSCS, we must compare the total number of students served versus the number of students enrolled at the end of the school year.

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

Total Enrollment 112 120 108 End of Year Enrollment2 101 99 91 Percent Complete 90.2% 82.5% 84.3% 2These are students who started with us during the year and stayed until the last instructional day of the year. This number also includes any early graduates that finished the program in the fall of the corresponding year.

Over the last three years, the retention rate has dropped. Through follow up discussions with parents and students, some information for why students left was gathered. While most expressed an appreciation for the program, the majority returned to their school of residence for two primary reasons. The first is the need or want for daily social interaction with friends and peers. The second most common reason is the students were not prepared for the rigor and

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I expectations of the program. The program was much more difficult than they anticipated. It is important to note that despite their reasons, the majority of parents expressed their appreciation for the program and how we helped them while their child was enrolled in the program.

The annual percentage of students who complete the program is important for MSCS since we are a school of choice and not the student’s school of residence. Students choose MSCS for a variety of reasons and we know that the program is not meant for all students. There will be some who will choose to return to their school of residence. Reasons include preference for a traditional program, of being in class on a daily basis, of engaging with friends on a daily basis, the want of more activities, or the inability to handle the rigor and pace of the program. While the retention rate with a school of choice will not be 100%, it is important to maintain a high percentage that reflects the school serving students more effectively.

Enrollment by Gender The number of female students that attend MSCS continues to be higher than the number of male students that attend the program. This trend has remained constant over the last several years with no major fluctuations.

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

Male 42.9% 43.3% 42.6% Female 57.1% 56.7% 57.4%

Language Proficiency The number of students who are considered English LANGUAGE FLUENCY language learners (ELLs) has remained a relatively English Only Fluent English Learner Reclassified small portion of the overall student population. While the number of ELLs over the 81.3 77.5 last three years was less 68.5 than 5%, the number of reclassified students has increased steadily. Some of 22.2 these reclassified students 15.1 14.1 1.8 1.8 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.6 must be monitored as they are within their first or 12-13 13-14 14-15 second year of reclassification. This number may increase this year and the next as the district’s reclassification process has become much more streamlined to allow for the reclassification of additional students.

Home Language Over the past three years, MSCS has experienced a gradual increase of students whose primary home language is something other than English. For the 2015-16 school year, the percentage is now just over one third of the student population whose primary home language is Spanish. Because of this, the school has taken steps to have forms available in English and Spanish. The school continues to work toward having all forms available in two languages.

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Looking at both the PRIMARY HOME LANGUAGE Language Fluency and Primary Home Language English Spanish Other graphs together shows a growing trend. The number of English only students is 81.2 decreasing while the 75.8 67.6 number of ELs, reclassified, and fluent students as a whole has increased. What 29.6 this data is saying is that 21.7 17 more and more students are 1.8 2.5 2.8 being exposed to multiple languages at home rather 12-13 13-14 14-15 than just English only. Since the majority of the students work and instruction takes place at home, this could have implications on a student’s progress in English language arts and other disciplines. This could affect the number of students needing tutoring or support classes as those students may require more additional instruction in reading and writing.

Socioeconomic Status Parent Education Level The following graph shows the parent education level for all students enrolled at MSCS since the 2012-13 school year up until the current school year (December 2015). It is interesting to note that most MSCS parents’ education level falls under the some college range. Since the 2013-14 school year, that category has decreased while the number of parents who did not graduate high school has increased – significantly in the current year.

PARENT EDUCATION LEVEL

40.00% 35.00% 30.00% 25.00% 20.00% 15.00% 10.00% 5.00% 0.00% Not a High High School Some College College Grad Declined to School Graduate Graduate School/Post State/Unknown Graduate Grad Training

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

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It is still uncertain what effect this trend will have on student outcomes. The research is unclear on the impact of parent education level on student achievement in non-classroom based programs. However, it is reasonable to assume that more resources and instructional support will be needed to support students and their parents.

NSLP MSCS does not participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) due to the fact that the program is non-classroom based. With the inception of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), it became important to track student socioeconomic level. MSCS now utilizes the Alternative Income Form to collect socioeconomic data for students (see appendix). This form is extremely similar to the NSLP form used by local districts, but it is strictly used by MSCS to determine socioeconomic status of the student in order to decide the amount of supplemental and concentration grant money.

The following bar graph shows the free and reduced lunch trend since the 2013-14 school year when the Alternative Income Form was first implemented. No such data was collected prior to the 2013-14 school year. Prior to that, parent education level and forms used for E-Rate determined student socioeconomic status. In order to show the three year trend, data from the current year has been included in the graph.

Based on the FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH information from the parent education level Free Reduced DNQ and free and reduced lunch, the school is experiencing a trend 52.5% 50.0% with an increasing 45.0% 44.1% amount of students in 39.7% the low socioeconomic 34.2% range. The implications are that students will need more resources in 13.3% 10.3% 10.8% terms of materials and support from programs such as Cal-SOAP, for example. 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Conditions for Learning MSCS Staff MSCS employs a small group of dedicated and qualified professionals who are committed to the success of all students. The staff consists of five certificated staff, one classified staff member, and one administrator. Three of the certificated staff teach full time at the school while the other two have split duties between MSCS and its sister program Valley Community School. Further, the site administrator also teaches two sections of mathematics. Every teacher is expected to teach at least one class per week on top of their student caseload.

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I

The teaching staff is credentialed as follows:  Kristyn Lopez holds a Single Subject-Professional Clear Life Science credential (CLAD) and is HOUSSE’d (High, Objective, Uniform State Standard of Evaluation) in all core academic subjects. She has worked for MCOE for 17 years and with MSCS since its inception in 2004.  Maria Villanueva holds a Clear Multiple Subjects credential (BCLAD in Spanish) and has been employed with MCOE and MSCS for ten years.  Anna Miller holds a Clear Multiple Subjects credential (CLAD) and has been with MCOE and MSCS for nine years.  Natalie Dal Porto holds a Clear Multiple Subjects credential (SB2042) and has been with MCOE for nine and a half years and with MSCS since September of 2015. She is currently working on her Mild to Moderate Special Education credential and is currently an intern with the IMPACT program out of Stanislaus County.

Ms. Villanueva, Mrs. Miller, and Ms. Dal Porto all have completed the Verification Process for Special Settings (VPSS), a state-approved certification process by which secondary teachers in special settings have an additional option to become compliant with No child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. VPSS allows teachers to become highly qualified in the subjects of English, math, science, and social science.

Standards Aligned Instructional Materials MSCS has ample textbooks and ancillary resources to help students achieve the outcomes for each of their courses. All textbooks for core subjects are standards aligned. Mathematics courses are currently transitioning to Common Core aligned textbooks in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. ELA will transition in 2016-17 as will the social science textbooks. Our social science textbooks are outdated and need more current versions in each of their courses. Science textbooks will be adopted in 2017-18 with the full implementation of the New Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

School Facilities MSCS prides itself on its facility and how it was established to create a conducive learning environment for all students. MSCS has been at its current location for approximately a year and a half. The building is located at the MCOE Education Center. This location is much safer than our previous location and also provides room for expansion. We now have access to additional buildings such as a gymnasium, which can be used for school activities.

MSCS currently occupies one building consisting of 2 classrooms, 1 meeting room, break room, a large lobby/study area, and six offices. We will also be expanding to an additional room in an adjacent building. This room will provide a larger classroom to accommodate the multi-use nature of the classroom. One of the other classrooms will be converted to a bookroom and general purpose meeting room. The facility and all of its buildings are clean and in good condition. The facility recently received a rating of exemplary on its Facility Inspection Tool (FIT) report for the 2015-16 school year.

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I

UC/CSU Approved Courses Students who enroll in MSCS are expected to adhere to a four year plan that is developed based on MSCS graduation requirements, previous student academic performance, and student postsecondary goals. All students are expected to take a course of study that includes courses approved for University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) admissions. (See appendix for approved course list.) Over the previous three years, less than ten percent of students completed all courses required for UC/CSU admission (aka, a-g requirements).

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

Graduates Who Completed a-g 6.7% 6.3% 10% Requirements

Each year, MSCS graduates a relatively small number of students who complete all of their a-g requirements. There are two primary reasons for the low number. First, while MSCS offers several a-g courses, we do not offer all of the required courses at our campus (i.e., Chemistry). However, students can complete their requirements by taking the additional courses at Merced College. Taking college courses as a high school student can sometimes be intimidating and overwhelming and students may not be prepared to take college courses during their high school career. Second, students who plan to attend college or pursue a different career path do not find the need to complete all of the required courses. While our academics and program focus on a college going mentality, we understand that this may not be the goal for all students. Finally, students who intend on going to a community college after graduation find the need to complete their a-g requirements unnecessary since they will complete those requirements at the community college.

Co-curricular and Extra-curricular Activities Along with the standard academic courses, we have expanded the opportunity for students to become more engaged with the school and their peers. We have increased the number of field trips that we offer each year. Further, we provide school events such as Back to School Night and Open House as a way to engage students, families, and community members with the school. Our future plans are to incorporate more enhancement activities for students to participate in throughout the year. Some possible activities include workshops in art, photography, and science related fields.

For this school year, we have added student clubs. In the LCAP surveys and meetings, parents and students stated that they wanted to be more involved at school. Several suggested that we incorporate student clubs into our program. A few of these students demonstrated initiative and established three clubs. This year, students created a fashion, open mic, and sports club. The clubs are student driven and a staff member acts as an adviser to each club. In future years, we hope to continue with these clubs and add more clubs as our enrollment grows.

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I

Pupil Achievement Outcomes MSCS utilizes a number of different academic assessments to determine student mastery of subject matter as well as overall academic growth. At the local level, quizzes, chapter tests, unit tests, benchmark exams and diagnostic assessments are used. All state assessments are administered by the school including the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) tests in English and mathematics, the California English Language Development Test (CELDT), the California Standards Test (CST) in science, and the Physical Fitness Test. Until this year, the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) was given, but that test has now be suspended for the next three years.

CAASPP Results The first administration of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) tests for English Language Arts/Literacy and mathematics was given in the 2014-15 school year. The tests were much different than in previous years, not just in terms of question type, but also in the platform that was used to administer the test. Students had to have a basic understanding of keyboarding and basic computer skills in order to navigate through the tests.

The tests are administered to all students in grades 3 through 8 and 11. The test results shown below are for those students in grade 11. The results show that 60% of students scored at or above standard in ELA. In mathematics, by contrast, over 90% of students were below standard.

English Language Arts/Literacy Mathematics

Standard Exceeded 20% 0%

Standard Met 40% 8%

Standard Nearly Met 28% 20%

Standard not Met 4% 72%

While it was expected that students would not perform as well on the new SBAC tests as they have on the previous multiple choice Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) tests, the discrepancy between the ELA and math scores was significant. The results in ELA were not a surprise as students are expected to provide detailed, insightful, and evidence based responses in their written assignments. As in years past, students performed comparable to their traditional school counterparts on the ELA portion of the test. At El Capitan High School, for example, 56% of students met or exceeded standard in ELA while at Merced High School, 59% of students met or exceeded standard.

However, the same cannot be said of mathematics where only 8% of students met or exceeded standard. Students at El Capitan and Merced high achieved 21% and 31%, respectively. Students at MSCS have always had difficulty in mathematics, but the differing nature of the new tests is furthering that struggle. The difference is that English literacy is much more critical on the new math tests than on the previous ones. The school plans to improve these results by making reading comprehension and writing part of the math curriculum.

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STAR Test Results Prior to the CAASPP, the STAR tests were used by the state to determine student academic performance in the core subject areas. Results on STAR tests are available up to the 2012-13 school year. In the 2013-14 year, the tests for all but science were suspended and no results were available for that school year. ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS 2011 2012 2013 Level 9th 10th 11th 9th 10th 11th 9th 10th 11th

Adv./Proficient 67% 60% 64% * 60% 47% 66% 54% 61%

Basic 17% 27% 23% * 33% 33% 17% 38% 28% Below/Far 16% 14% 13% * 7% 20% 17% 8% 11% Below *No data was generated since 10 or fewer students had valid test scores.

The table demonstrates that students performed at comparable percentages on the STAR as they did on the first year of the SBAC assessment in English. While the assessments from the SBAC are significantly different from those of the STAR exams, student performance in English continues at a high level. Comparing 11th grade scores, 60% or more of the students scored proficient or advanced in three of the four years. We expect this trend to continue and keep us competitive with the traditional schools.

Prior to the SBAC assessments in mathematics, the STAR tests assessed students based on their math levels and classes taken. Since a large number of students take Algebra and Geometry each year, data was available to compare student performance over the past several years in these subject areas. Tests were also administered for general math and, in the 2012-13 school year, the summative mathematics assessment. Only three students took this test and no data was able to be listed since the number of students tested was below 10.

ALGEBRA I GEOMETRY

Level 2011 2012 2013 Level 2011 2012 2013

Adv./Proficient 7% 9% 29%3 Adv./Proficient 17% 6% 7%

Basic 21% 36% 29% Basic 43% 38% 36%

Below/Far Below 72% 54% 41% Below/Far Below 39% 57% 57%

3Middle school students are also included in these percentages.

The majority of students over the past several years has performed below proficient in mathematics. However, a notable improvement was made in Algebra in 2013. This corresponded to the same year that the Algebra I Support Class was implemented. That same year, Cal-SOAP tutors began providing tutoring at least once a week to students. It is not clear whether these two factors were the sole reason for the increase, but benefits from having the class and tutoring are apparent.

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On the tests in science and social science, students performed well in U.S. History and Biology. Students who tested in World History and Earth Science did not perform as well, but the majority achieved at the basic level or higher.

WORLD HISTORY U.S. HISTORY

Level 2011 2012 2013 Level 2011 2012 2013

Adv./Proficient 20% 44% 31% Adv./Proficient 58% 42% 56%

Basic 42% 31% 31% Basic 24% 24% 22%

Below/Far Below 38% 25% 39% Below/Far Below 17% 34% 22%

BIOLOGY EARTH SCIENCE

Level 2011 2012 2013 Level 2011 2012 2013

Adv./Proficient 79% 67% * Adv./Proficient 21% *40% 39%

Basic 21% 33% * Basic 50% *20% 48%

Below/Far Below 0% 0% * Below/Far Below 28% *40% 13%

*No data was generated since 10 or fewer students had valid test scores.

The CST Science test is a carryover from the STAR assessments and will continue for one more year before being replaced by a test for the New Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Students at MSCS have traditionally done fairly well on this test.

CST SCIENCE

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

55%

38% 35% 30% 31% 26% 23%

15% 15% 9% 9% 9% 5% 0% 0%

Advanced Proficient Basic Below Basic Far Below Basic

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I

Last year, however, there was a drop in students who scored advanced and proficient from previous years. Only 32% of students achieved advanced or proficient in 2014-15 versus 56% in 2013-14 and 53% in 2012-13. The decline in proficiency may be due to the decreased number of students who take the lab portion of the Life Science test. The percentage of those enrolled in a college prep Biology dropped from 42% in 2012-13 to 21% in 2014-15.

CAHSEE Passing and Proficient Rates The following graphs show the passing rates for students on the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) in ELA and mathematics for the last three years. The first table shows the passing rates for all grades (10th through 12th) and the second graph shows the passing rates for the grade 10.

CAHSEE Passing Rates - All Grades

90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

English-Language Arts Mathematics

CAHSEE Passing Rates - 10th Grade

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0% 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

English-Language Arts Mathematics

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I

CAHSEE passing rates in ELA remain relatively high with over 80% of all grades passing and over 90% of 10th graders passing. Passing rates for math are lower with over 70% percent passing rates for all grades and around 80% and higher passing rates for 10th grade. The high rates can be attributed to the supports that were implemented to improve test scores, which included diagnostic testing and an English and math support class.

The data, however, also shows another trend. The data is consistent with results from other assessments in mathematics and English that show students are performing above expectation on the English Language Arts portions of exams and average to below average on mathematics assessments. This can be further verified by the following graphs for proficiency rates on the CAHSEE.

CAHSEE Proficiency Rates - All Grades

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0% 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

English-Language Arts Mathematics

CAHSEE Proficiency Rates - 10th Grade

70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

English-Language Arts Mathematics

Comparable to the STAR and CAASPP assessments, proficiency on CAHSEE ELA was higher than proficiency in CAHSEE math. The trend is valid for all grades with the exception of grade

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I

10 in the 2013-14 school year in which 63% percent of students scored proficient on ELA and math.

Adequate Yearly Progress Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) has encountered fluctuations over the past three years because of changes to the accountability system due to the implementation of the SBAC assessments. With the suspension of the CAHSEE, future criteria will be modified or implemented and based off of the current assessments. For example, the CAASPP tests in English and math will be used to determine participation rates rather than the CAHSEE exams.

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

Made AYP Overall No N/A* Yes

Met Participation Rate: ELA Yes N/A* Yes

Met Participation Rate: Math Yes N/A* Yes

Met Percent Proficient: ELA No N/A* N/A

Met Percent Proficient: Math No N/A* N/A

Met API Criteria N/A N/A N/A

Met Graduation Rate N/A N/A N/A

Because of the size of the school, the graduation rate was not applicable. Our rate is now included in a cohort of the Merced County Office of Education. Other criteria were also suspended for the current year and not applicable at this time.

ACCUPLACER Results ACCUPLACER is a comprehensive battery of tests designed to provide information about students’ English, reading, and mathematics skills. Here at MSCS, the tests serve as a tool to evaluate the college readiness of our high school students. Students wishing to take courses at Merced College take the tests to determine which course is most appropriate to their academic ability.

MSCS is one of only a few schools to offer the placement test on site. Our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Merced College allows us to give the tests to students wishing to enroll at Merced College. Students who plan to take any course at Merced College are required to take the assessment prior to meeting with a college counselor. Students who attend multiple years at MSCS will take the test at least once per year.

The following charts show the results of the ACCUPLACER tests since 2012. Note that the results are based off of the number of tests given and not the number of students. A handful of students had taken the test two times. Students who are considered college ready will qualify to take English 1A and Math-C.

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I

ACCUPLACER Placement Results - English

16%

41% English 1A English 85 43% English 84 and Below

ACCUPLACER Placement Results - Math

17%

Math-C 58% 25% Math-81 Math-80 and Below

The results from the ACCUPLACER show comparable results with the CAASPP, CAHSEE, and NWEA results. A larger percentage of students are showing college readiness/proficiency in ELA than in mathematics.

Engagement Indicators MSCS strives to get students, parents, and community members involved and engaged with the school. Parents are encouraged to attend all personalized learning sessions. The importance of their involvement with their child’s education is emphasized throughout a student’s academic career.

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All students and community members are also encouraged to serve on the school’s Advisory Board. The board meets quarterly and provides parents, students, and community members the opportunity to help make decisions that can influence the direction of the program. The meetings review school policies, budget, and activities. Stakeholders are able to provide feedback and ask questions during the meetings.

With the implementation of the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), MSCS is providing another avenue in which stakeholders can be involved with the school. Surveys are completed in spring of each year. Meetings are also held to review progress on the school’s LCAP. This year, MSCS will have three stakeholder meetings for parents, students, and community members to provide their feedback on the school’s plan.

Chronic Absentee Rate Chronic absenteeism has not been a major issue for MSCS until the 2014-15 school year in which the rate spiked at 11.2% compared to an average of 3.5% for the two years prior. This higher rate could explain the decrease in the retention as more students are being referred back to their district school due to the large number of absences. While the current year chronic absentee rate is showing a decrease (6.4%), the number is still quite significant. Students not completing their work will fall behind academically and can lead to significant loss of instructional time.

MSCS is taking a more proactive approach to addressing this issue by meeting with parents after three to five days of absence. Students may be placed on a conditional contract that states their requirements for continued enrollment – namely that students will not be allowed to have additional absences. In accordance with EC 51747(b), continued failure to complete assignments will result in the student being referred back to their district of residence. Students and parents are informed of this at initial and follow up meetings with the school administrator. Each meeting is documented to ensure students are given every opportunity to succeed.

Discipline MSCS is proud of the fact that we have not had a suspension or expulsion since our previous self-study report. The culture and environment of MSCS is one of respect focused on academics. As we provide more onsite support and activities, there are sure to be more issues that arise in the future. However, the respect that staff, students, and parents have for one another and the program is sure to mitigate and make any issues easily resolvable.

Achievement of Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Our program is designed to promote a college going attitude for students. It is designed and managed in order to ensure student success in their post-secondary education. We also understand that not all students may be college bound right after high school and those students will need skills and abilities to make them attractive to possible employers. Regardless of the post-secondary goal, our SLOs identify two distinct outcomes that students must meet to be successful: be prepared to successfully pursue post-secondary education and understand social and work-related systems.

A look at the data from the SBAC and ACCUPLACER assessments show that students are more prepared for the writing requirements of college versus the mathematical requirements. On the SBAC, students in the 11th grade who score above standard on the SBAC assessment in English are classified as ready for college-level coursework. In this case, only 20% of MSCS students were at that level. Only 41% scored at the English level required to begin taking

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I college coursework at the community college level. The corresponding numbers for math are 0% of students were above standard on CAASPP and 17% of students were at the college level for math based on the ACCUPLACER. Further, the low number of a-g completers shows the lack of preparedness for the university level as well.

We understand, however, that success is not based on assessments alone. Besides encouraging high achievement in coursework, we also look to build students who demonstrate responsibility, integrity, and respect for others – attributes that any employer would seek to have. Looking at feedback from our senior exit interviews, we get a better feel for what our students are conveying and portraying to possible future employers. Over the years, feedback from interviewers has been overwhelmingly positive. They have commented that MSCS students are very articulate, personable, and highly motivated – a skill that is valuable to future success.

Feedback also suggests that there is room for improvement. Much of this will come with experience for most students, but other things can be done to better prepare students. To better prepare students for college placement, remedial and targeted instruction should be implemented to help students achieve higher results on placement tests. To prepare them for work and career, we are looking at the implementation of additional career technical courses.

While students have made strides in achieving school outcomes, not every student will achieve at the same rate or with the same resources. A diversified curriculum that addresses the needs of each learner while maintaining the rigor of the program is the best approach to improving student outcomes.

Perception Data How the school is being perceived by the students, parents, and the community can best be understood by looking at the enrollment numbers. At first glance, it appears that we are growing gradually, but upon further inspection, we are experiencing a significant demand for our program. Our ending school year enrollment for the 2015-16 school year will be at 107 students compared to last years ending enrollment of 89. That is a 20% increase from the year before. Further, this number does not account for the number of students who have asked to enroll, but had to be put on a wait list due to the high demand. From the period of June 2015 – when enrollment for the 2015-16 school year began – through January of 2016, 106 new students have applied. Of those, 52 were enrolled. The remaining 54 did not enroll for various reasons. The most concerning reason is that parents had to enroll their students in other schools since we could not enroll their child. It is difficult to determine the exact number that was lost through attrition, but it can be estimated at approximately one third (around 35 or so). This only counts students on the wait list and not those who call in for information and we refer them to other schools.

In short, what the data on enrollment is telling us is that our school is in high demand. The main reason for this is simple: positive feedback from the community. Every new student must meet with the principal prior to enrollment to review the program and expectations. At each meeting, the question is asked about why the student is interested in attending our school. The majority of responses are that students and parents are seeking an alternative to the traditional schools in the area and MSCS comes highly recommended.

We understand from LCAP surveys and meetings that there is a more that we can do to improve our program. For example, approximately 60% of students and parents feel that our

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MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter I school is a safe and conducive learning environment. The remainder of those surveyed expressed concern with the area the school was located in. Also, being adjacent to a court/community school was a concern to some parents. However, the majority stated that they would like more from the school and facility such as additional work areas and more functions at the school. The majority of surveys reflected this idea that while most parents and students are pleased with the school, they would like more opportunities for students to be involved with the school.

What the feedback from LCAP surveys, students meetings, and conversations with parents is telling us is that MSCS is seen as a viable option to the traditional schools in the area. Demand for our school is increasing because families are telling friends and other family members the benefits of our program for students. We work very hard to create a program that is student centered and it appears that our hard work is paying off.

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Chapter II: Progress Report

MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter II

Significant Developments Since the full visit in 2010, MSCS has undergone changes in many areas including curriculum, instruction, assessment, staffing, and school culture. Some of the impacts were the result of the ebb and flow of being the only school of choice in the area while other impacts were the direct result of legislation, the economy, or a combination of both. At each challenge, the school has adapted and continued to provide the most appropriate program to allow students to be successful.

The following includes some of the most crucial developments that have occurred since our last WASC Self-Study.

Changes in Funding  Local Control Funding Formula The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) has had a significant impact on all of the fiscal policies in school districts throughout California. The new funding formula for schools allows greater local autonomy and flexibility in how funds should be spent that best address the needs of their students. Fiscal responsibility under LCFF has allowed the input of stakeholders throughout the year and budgeting decisions to be made and monitored regularly and adjusted if necessary. It has also made schools focus on specific populations, such as English Learners and Foster Youth, who were sometimes underserved in the past. The LCFF, along with the LCAP, has allowed MSCS to look at those components of our students’ education that have been lacking from previous years. For example, through the LCAP meetings, we found that students and families wanted more opportunities to interact with other students. Based on this, we allotted more funding for activities such as field trips to provide students that opportunity to get involved with the school and their peers.

Changes in Instructional Support and Curriculum  California Common Core State Standards The California Common Core State Standards (CCCSS) has changed the way that instruction is to be delivered in the classroom. Under the new standards, instructional strategies are to be more project and application based rather than skills based. As such, students are now required to become more skilled problem solvers and critical thinkers. Because MSCS is a non-classroom based program, the transition has taken more time than at some of the local traditional schools. Since instruction is primarily home based, instruction will be different than what one would expect to find in a traditional classroom. The big issue has been on how to integrate collaboration and project oriented assignments in an environment where work is primarily done on an individual basis at home.

Changes in Assessment and Accountability  California Assessment on Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) The implementation of the new testing system in California has had a significant impact on the school program. The manner in which the new Smarter Balanced Testing Consortium (SBAC) assessments are conducted for English and especially mathematics has changed the pedagogical way in which student knowledge is determined. It was such a major shift that the implementation of the SBAC was a learning experience in and

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of itself. This first administration of the SBAC provided some insights into our program and student performance.

The results for the English portion of the SBAC were comparable to other schools in the area, if not higher. Our students tend to fare well in this regard since they are consistently required to read and write at a high academic level. While the coursework for math is also rigorous, students did not fare as well on that test since the nature of the test itself has changed. Students were required to apply math concepts more on this test than on previous math tests. Our focus in math in previous years has been skill based, but now, the focus must be more on concept development and mastery.

The change will impact our current benchmarks and the development or modification of future assessments. The current benchmarks are based on the previous California standards and are all multiple choice. To better prepare our students for CAASPP and to gauge progress in the CCCSS, MSCS will have to adjust or redo the current benchmarks to better align with the changes in standards and testing.

 CAHSEE One of the key measures in determining student achievement for MSCS students has been the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). The data from the CAHSEE and diagnostic tests to determine passing readiness on this exam were used to determine student placement and additional support. Classes were created such as CAHSEE Math and CAHSEE English to support those students who needed the additional instruction to improve their chances of passing the exam and graduating with their diploma. Based on grades from previous English and math courses, CAHSEE results (if any), and diagnostic test scores, students were placed in the support class if needed.

In the fall of 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law SB 725 and SB 172, which eliminated the CAHSEE as a requirement for getting a high school diploma. Besides losing a key piece of data to determine student achievement, the need for continuing the CAHSEE classes was called into question. At this point, the classes will continue as English or math support and alternate assessments will be used to determine student readiness and achievement.

 Northwest Evaluation Association Assessments The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) assessments are not new to MSCS. What is new is how it is being used. In the past, NWEA was used to check a student’s readiness for passing the CAHSEE. Therefore, testing was focused on 9th and 10th graders and those 11th and 12th graders who had not passed the test. Now, students in all grades are given the test twice a year: at enrollment and upon exit or the end of the year. This decision was based on several reasons including: o The elimination of the CST for ELA and math in 2013. o The restructuring of the state’s accountability model and the need for an overall measure of student progress. o A need for a local measurement of student academic growth that can be used as data for the LCAP. o The test’s ability as a diagnostic and placement assessment.

NWEA plays a robust role in our school program. The student results are used by staff to communicate student progress to parents and to determine if students are placed in the

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correct textbooks and support classes. The assessment is also a valuable tool to help us determine the progress of our EL students and students with IEPs. The data from NWEA assessments is one more tool that the teacher can utilize to determine student academic progress.

Changes in Personnel and Organization Structure  Leadership One key area for the success of MSCS has been the stability and support of the Merced County Superintendent of Schools Steven E. Gomes, Ed.D., the Assistant Superintendent of Career and Alternative Education Holly Newlon, and the Merced County Board of Education. These crucial pieces have provided stability in the governance structure of MSCS.

In 2014-15, a change in leadership occurred with the promotion of Mark Pintor as the school Principal. Mark served as vice principal under Lori Gattuso, the previous principal, for two years. His background in the classroom environment serving at risk youth has brought a different perspective to the school. However, Mark continues the belief that we are a service oriented program and our job is to provide the best service to students that we possibly can.

 Staffing With the downturn in the economy in 2011-12, MSCS total revenues declined. As a result of this and declining enrollment numbers, layoffs occurred and one full time teacher was laid off. In 2012-13, an onsite administrator was hired to manage the day to day operations and to manage a small caseload of students. The move saved us money in the long run.

In the 2014-15 school year, we experienced such a significant demand that a new teacher was hired. This teacher, Natalie Dal Porto, serves as the school’s special education teacher and is shared with a partner program to meet the needs of their special education students. As a result of this partnership, we are meeting demand without placing an undue burden on resources. However, as demand continues to increase, the need for additional personnel may be required.

Changes in School Culture and Environment  Enrollment From 2010 to 2014, MSCS experienced a decline in enrollment. Beginning in the second semester of the 2014-15 school year, demand began to rise significantly. We were at capacity with 90 students enrolled and another 10 on the wait list. As the year progressed, this list grew to almost 50 students. MSCS currently maintains a wait list of over 25 students, with the likelihood that this number will only increase.

With the addition of another instructor, we can now serve up to 107 students. Based on current numbers, the school and its leadership are considering the addition of more instructional staff. It is too early to determine at this point whether the increase in demand will continue at the same rate, but based on the list for the current year, the possibility of one or two additional full time or part time instructors may be sustainable with an overall student enrollment in excess of 135 students.

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 Location In the 2013-14 school year, the Merced County Office of Education (MCOE) created the MCOE Education Center. This center was to house several small schools under the umbrella of the MCOE and serve as an educational hub for the underserved south side of Merced. In the summer of 2014, MSCS moved to its permanent location at the center.

The new location proved to be a major benefit for the school and learning environment. The previous location was situated on a busy thoroughfare with a significant indigent population about the school. The previous site was small and confining and there was little room for growth. At the new facility, we now have the ability to accommodate more students as well as the possibility for expansion. The facility has access to a gym and concession area for school sponsored events. We can now provide more school events to students and families because of the larger shared facility. The new location also provides study areas for students in order to help them maintain or improve their academic performance and to engage with other students in the school.

Long term savings being under the MCOE umbrella.

Schoolwide Critical Areas for Follow-up The Visiting Committee Report from the 2010 full visit contained two Critical Areas for Follow- up: 1. The school needs to develop assessment tools to periodically measure student progress toward mastery of standards. These benchmarks will help identify weaknesses in instruction and learning and lead to improved student performance on CSTs and CAHSEE. 2. The school needs to define what constitutes accomplishment of the expected schoolwide learning results and develop assessment tools that measure student accomplishment of the expected schoolwide learning results.

The follow up visit in 2013 for the Mid-Cycle Review had no additional areas for follow-up. We continued our focus on these two critical areas.

Based on the original recommendation in 2010, the school developed the following two action items to address these critical areas.

Schoolwide Action Plan #1: Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Goal 1: Develop a tool that will measure each student’s accomplishment of the Schoolwide Learner Outcomes.

MSCS was to complete the action plan as follows: 1. Staff will review the assignments and projects that currently address the Schoolwide Leaner Outcomes and determine any areas not addressed or needing improvement. 2. Staff will create needed assignments and projects that will address all Schoolwide Learner Outcomes. Assignments will be aligned with the senior project where feasible. 3. A rubric or measurement tool will be created by staff. 4. Training will be provided on the use of this tool to ensure all teachers are using the tool effectively. 5. Staff will review the effectiveness of the tool and redesign if necessary.

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Progress, Evidence, Impact on Student Learning for Schoolwide Action Plan #1 Progress on a tool to measure student outcomes in regards to the SLOs has been substantial. MSCS has developed a portfolio of student work. In each grade, students are expected to have completed certain worked based on the student’s four year plan. Course assignments have been aligned or developed to address each component of the SLOs. The SLOs are interwoven with the school program and are addressed by staff regularly. An area for improvement is to be more consistent with the collection and review of student work. With new staff coming on board, staff will need to review the process on how the work is to be collected and reviewed with parents and students.

The following is a brief timeline on what was done for Schoolwide Action Plan #1.  2012 – 2013 A checklist of items that can be used to measure achievement on each of the schoolwide outcomes was completed. A checklist was developed for each grade and assignments were modified or developed to address specific outcomes. The new assignments were implemented at the end of the school year.  2013 – 2014 The creation of the SLOs portfolio began during this school year. Sample work that demonstrated student proficiency on each outcome was collected for each student. The type of work collected was dependent on the student grade. Teachers reviewed the portfolios with students at the end of the year and kept files for students.  2014 – 2015 Portfolios continued to be created or modified for each student. Storage became an issue, but a solution was found. The portfolio of long term students are maintained in the file room with other student documents. The files of students who transferred out of the program were put in storage with other student work (Note: student work files are stored and maintained for 3 years before being destroyed.)  2015 – 2016 No revision to the SLOs are planned. The SLOs align with the philosophy, vision, and mission of the school. MSCS will follow up and make sure students and families understand the connection between the student’s work and the SLOs. Future work will also focus on revising and updating the components of the SLOs portfolio. For example, the senior exit interview and portfolio has been a senior assignment for graduation for many years. However, many of the elements of the interview and portfolio address specific parts of the SLOs. The goal for MSCS is to revise the process so it more directly aligns with the SLOs and acts as a final assessment for students in regards to outcomes.

Schoolwide Action Plan #2: Benchmark Exams Goal 2: Improve student performance to ensure mastery of academic standards.

MSCS was to complete the action plan as follows: 1. Review of practices and strategies being used by teachers to improve student performance. 2. Research available resources that could be utilized to create benchmarks for core academic subject areas. 3. Provide professional development for staff to assist with creating benchmarks and data analysis. 4. Create benchmarks for science by grade. 5. Create benchmarks for social science by grade.

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6. Create benchmarks for ELA Common Core standards. 7. Create benchmarks for mathematics Common Core standards.

Further, MSCS would follow on the implementation of the benchmarks as follows: 1. Systematically analyze individual student performance data and monitor effectiveness of the benchmarks as predictors of student performance on CSTs. Revise and update benchmarks as indicated by this analysis. 2. Research available resources that could be used to supplement current curriculum, such as an interactive software program that would address the standards.

Progress, Evidence, Impact on Student Learning for Schoolwide Action Plan #2 Substantial progress was made on the development of benchmarks. Benchmarks were developed for Algebra I, Geometry, World History, U.S. History, Earth Science, Biology, and English for 9th and 10th grade. However, full development and implementation has not been achieved. For example, benchmarks were developed in English for the 9th and 10th graders, but not for 11th and 12th graders. The staff chose in favor of utilizing writing assessments assessed with a schoolwide rubric instead.

Another reason for the lack of full implementation benchmarks is due to the implementation of the CCCSS. The current benchmarks are sufficient to test students on the content skills needed to be successful in the core curriculum. However, the tests are deficient when it comes to the application and higher order thinking skills necessary for students in college and the workforce. To make the benchmarks current, the school must add performance based questions to the benchmarks.

For continued refinement of our benchmark exams, we have to consider three possibilities. The first is using current benchmarks and adapting them to the CCCSS and new textbooks. The second possibility is to utilize the exams that are built into the adopted texts and use those exams as the new benchmarks. The third possibility is to start over and develop completely new benchmark exams. This would entail the need for more collaboration time and professional development for staff to develop new test items. The leads to another issue in regards to the availability of staff to complete and update the benchmarks. A significant portion of time must be dedicated to collaboration and professional development in order to develop our own benchmark exams. This would provide challenges with such a small staff that is already performing to their maximum.

We have found the benchmarks already developed to be a valuable tool to determine student mastery of content matter. Further, the school continues to use a variety of assessments such as weekly quizzes, chapter tests, unit tests, and writing samples to determine student progress. The benchmarks in conjunction with the other exams has had a significant impact on students in that they know that with regular assessment comes added accountability. This accountability means that students are not only responsible for completing their weekly assignments, but for understanding them as well. The assessments add a greater aspect of accountability to our curriculum and ensures that students are meeting the demands of the program.

The following is a brief timeline on what was done for Schoolwide Action Plan #2.  2012 – 2013 It was determined that with the adoption of the CCCSS standards that rather than complete the benchmarks in ELA and other math courses, it would be more beneficial to

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modify or redo existing ones. The current ones would be used until updated benchmarks are implemented. Benchmarks in ELA and math would be completed first.  2013 – 2014 Teachers began attending training in Common Core instructional strategies. The training was provided by the Instructional Services department at MCOE. The trainings were afternoon trainings about once a month. Two teachers participated in the English workshops and the vice principal (at the time) and another teacher participated in the math workshops. The trainings not only discussed instructional strategies in general, but also the content that students were expected to know on the new SBAC assessments. The trainings also discussed what local assessments under the CCCSS would look like.  2014 – 2015 Continued with current benchmarks in Algebra I, Geometry, U.S. History, World History, Earth Science, and Biology. Implemented NWEA as a diagnostic and academic growth determinant across all grade levels. Students were given pre- and post-tests to determine academic growth. The results also provided information on the overall effectiveness of the program.  2015 – 2016 New textbooks in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II purchased. Currently used for Algebra I and Geometry Support classes, but will go schoolwide in 2016-17. Current textbooks contain assessments that address CCCSS and include multiple choice, short answer, and detailed responses. The plan is to adopt the text aligned assessments as new benchmarks and finals for each course. The same will be true for ELA, social sciences, and science.

Ongoing School Improvement Since MSCS is not required to file a Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), the goal is to take the action plan from WASC and merge it with the LCAP to have one comprehensive plan. Unlike traditional schools, a charter school is required to have its own LCAP. Therefore, our LCAP is written specifically for the school and not the district. This provides us greater autonomy in determining what our goals are, the path to achieve those goals, and measures to see how the plan is impacting student learning.

Combining the WASC action plan with the LCAP has added benefits as well. Feedback can be regularly generated through the LCAP stakeholder meetings and Advisory Board meetings. In prior years, WASC was approached on an as needed basis. However, incorporating the action plan items into the LCAP will change this approach. Further, since both plans require stakeholder input, it is reasonable to assume that there will be similarities with items in both plans.

To help manage the LCAP for MSCS, we have hired a private consultant. Matthew Stowell has worked with our sister program and has done a tremendous job with their LCAP. We know that he will do an excellent job with ours and provide the much needed time and effort to implement an effective plan. Mr. Stowell will be responsible for performing a variety of duties and actions required under the LCAP (i.e., conducting stakeholder meetings). In addition, we will look to work with him on the best avenue for integrating our WASC action plans into our LCAP. We will find the best solution based on our collaboration with Mr. Stowell and develop an ongoing school improvement process that can effectively monitor both plans.

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Chapter III: Student/Community Profile — Overall Summary from Analysis of Profile Data and Progress

MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter III

An analysis of the community and student data shows a progressing trend in student demographics. Students enrolling in MSCS are requiring specific and targeted interventions and programs in order to prepare them for their post-secondary education and career. This trend is based on the following information.  The proficiency rate on SBAC exams was 60% and 8% for ELA and mathematics, respectively.  College-level coursework readiness as measured by the EAP was 20% in English and 0% in math.  Community college readiness as measured by the ACCUPLACER assessment was 41% in English and 17% in math.  Language Fluency data shows a decreasing number of English only students and an increasing number of EL, fluent, and reclassified.  The Primary Home Language of students is increasing in languages other than English. Roughly 30% of families list Spanish as their primary language at home.  Overall CAHSEE and proficiency rates are at 46% for ELA and 31% for math.  There is an Increase in the percentage of students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged (currently around 56%).

Despite the need to improve some outcomes, others show a positive and upward trend for the school. The success and growth of the school can be attributed to the following items.  Strong and consistent support from the MCOE.  Hardworking staff that believe in the program.  Positive and regular support from families past and present.  The budget outlook is very strong with a healthy reserve to protect against economic downturns.  Some 60% of surveyed participants stated our school was a safe, healthy learning environment.  The uniqueness of offering an onsite college counselor and serving as a proctoring site for the ACCUPLACER provides students a seamless and efficient path toward college courses.  We have the ability to compete with traditional schools as measured by performance on state assessments such as the SBAC in English.

Implications of the Data Based on the above information, the implications of the data on the current and future program are as follows.  Increased Enrollment Recent developments in regards to the number of students who are wishing to enroll at MSCS has, and will have, a dramatic effect on the program and its structure. This increase in demand for the school has shown that we need to not only address the current demand, but take a more proactive approach to address long term needs to maintain the stability and viability of the program. Increased enrollment means more staff, space, and materials (i.e., textbooks, technology, etc.) will be required along with specific interventions and materials that will improve academic performance.

 Socioeconomic Status of Student and Families It is clear from the demographics information that the number of students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged has increased steadily. This information can be supported by the decrease in the number of parents who have completed college. That

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data implies that the parent income will not be as high in most cases compared to those who have completed college. (*Note the comparison of the college graduates to median income level in Merced County versus that of other counties such as Santa Clara.) This implies that students will require more resources in order to allow them to achieve high academic levels.

 English Language Learners and Reclassified Students While MSCS has not had a high number of ELs, the number of reclassified students has increased steadily. Although many of the students have more than two years since being reclassified, there is still support that needs to be provided. If students are to be prepared to read and write at the college level, greater reading and writing proficiency is necessary. Part of this process is the exposure of the students to higher level academic discourse. Students who primarily focus on working from home where the primary language is not English are at a disadvantage.

 Lack of Post-Secondary Preparedness Students are meeting school outcomes and are progressing toward successful paths after graduation. Not all students are achieving at the same rate and more must be done to bring all students up to a level where they can be successful after high school.

 Lack of Proficiency Across Standardized Tests While many students are achieving high marks at our school, many continue to struggle academically. With the shift in how students are assessed at the state level, it is unlikely that this trend will change anytime soon. We need to modify and adapt our program to focus more on the 4 Cs (Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking) in order to improve student outcomes. We also must adapt local assessments to better reflect student performance and outcomes on assessments that measure their post- secondary ability.

Critical Learner Needs Based on the data, the following critical learner needs have been identified by the school as those areas in which students are requiring the greatest support.

Critical Learner Need #1: Post-Secondary Preparation The college readiness of MSCS students needs to improve to ensure they are prepared to successfully pursue post-secondary education and career. Students need to have the necessary skills in the latest systems and technology in order for them to be prepared for success after high school.

Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Addressed  Motivated Academic Achievers Who: D. Are prepared to successfully pursue post-secondary education E. Access resources that enable them to make informed career choices  Critical Thinkers Who: A. Identify and use resources effectively C. Understand social and work-related systems  Self-directed Learners who: A. Develop and monitor personal education and career goals

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Rationale The rationale for Critical Learner Need #1 includes many of the data points mentioned in Chapter 1, including:  SBAC ELA College-Level Readiness – 20%  SBAC Math College-Level Readiness – 0%  ACCUPLACER – 41% college ready in ELA, 17% college ready in math  A-g Completion Rate – 10%

Critical Learner Need #2: Student Proficiency Students need higher mathematics proficiency and improved critical writing abilities in order to communicate effectively and think critically. Access to CCCSS based texts and instructional strategies must be implemented program wide, soon to include the New Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Improved literacy and comprehension among all subjects must be implemented to improve performance on assessments.

Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Addressed  Motivated Academic Achievers Who: A. Demonstrate mastery of curriculum aligned to academic standards B. Speak, read write, and listen reflectively and critically C. Calculate with accuracy and clarity  Critical Thinkers Who: A. Identify and use resources effectively B. Apply innovative solutions to complex problems  Self-directed Learners who: A. Develop and monitor personal education and career goals B. Are committed to learning new skills and adapting to change

Rationale The rationale for Critical Learner Need #2 includes many of the data points mentioned in Chapter 1, including:  SBAC ELA Proficiency Rate – 60%  SBAC Math Proficiency Rate – 8%  CAHSEE ELA Proficiency Rate in 2014-15 – 46%  CAHSEE Math Proficiency Rate in 2014-15 – 31%

Follow-Up Questions The following questions have been raised by the analysis of the student performance, demographic, and perception data.  How do we increase the number of students utilizing tutorial and support classes? The consensus has been that we are offering more now than in past years, but students are still underutilizing these programs.  What additional supports can be provided to students and families who have never attended a non-classroom based program?  What can we do to improve student’s proficiency on math assessments?  How will we increase scores on the EAP and ACCUPLACER?  What other services will we need to meet the changing demographics of our students?

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Chapter IV: Self-Study Findings

MSCS WASC Self-Study Report 2016 Chapter IV

Category A: Organization: Vision and Purpose, Governance, Leadership, Staff, and Resources A1. Vision and Purpose Criterion The school has a clearly stated vision and mission (purpose) based on its student needs, current educational research, current educational research, the district LCAP, and the belief that all students can achieve at high academic levels. Supported by the governing board and the district LCAP, the school’s purpose is defined further by schoolwide learner outcomes and the academic standards. Indicators with Prompts Vision – Mission – Schoolwide Learner Outcomes – Profile Indicator: The school has established a clear, coherent vision and mission (purpose) of what students should know and demonstrate; it is based upon high-quality standards and is congruent with research, practices, the student/community profile data, and a belief that all students can learn and be college and career ready. Prompt: Evaluate the degree to which the development of the school’s statements has been impacted by pertinent student/community profile data, the district LCAP, identified future global competencies, and current educational research.

Findings Supporting Evidence The goals of the program at MSCS can be summarized as  Vision Statement follows: prepare students for college, prepare students for a  Mission Statement career, and prepare students to be productive citizens of the  Schoolwide Learner community. The vision, mission, philosophy, Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Outcomes (SLOs), and now the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), all reflect these three overarching goals. All the school statements were developed, and if necessary refined, with input from all stakeholders.

The school was initially developed to meet the need for a  Charter Petition secondary non-classroom-based program that provided an  MSCS Website alternative to traditional high schools in the area. Changes over the years, such as implementation of the California Common Core State Standards (CCCSS) and the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), have affected components of the program, but not the overall vision and mission. While student and family demographics continue to shift, our belief still holds true that every student can achieve. This idea is reflected in the school motto: “achieving academic excellence one student at a time.”

Community profile data in regards to the unemployment rate and  QuickFacts Merced poverty rate reveals that the County of Merced is impoverished. (U.S. Census The high unemployment rate can be attributed to one of two Bureau) things: the lack of jobs or the lack of a skilled labor force. While the former is out of our control, the latter is something that we strive to improve. Our goal in creating a viable workforce is to develop students who are motivated academic achievers, socially

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responsible citizens, critical thinkers, and self-directed leaners. These outcomes held true when the school was developed and continue to hold true to this day.

The results of LCAP surveys and meetings continues to support  LCAP our vision and mission. Having to complete our own LCAP has proven to be the most beneficial tool to ascertain data from students, parents, staff, and community members. The data generated from meetings and surveys administered each spring has had a tremendous impact on the direction of the school and how the program best serves the needs of students.

For example, community feedback on the LCAP suggested that  LCAP Surveys we better prepare students for the workforce. Some suggested results more Career Technical Education (CTE) courses as well as job shadowing and apprenticeship programs. Others stated the need to have more students attend college and give back to their community. Many spoke of the need for greater collaboration and communication skills for students.

These discussions among staff and community and state agencies all point to the need for greater educational opportunities for students in order to develop well rounded citizens that will benefit the community. MSCS has made great strides in recent years in providing more such opportunities and we continue to add more. All this while still maintaining our vision, purpose, and focus.

Development/Refinement of Vision, Mission, Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Indicator: The processes to ensure involvement of representatives from the entire school, business, industry, and community in the development/refinement of the vision, mission, and schoolwide learner outcomes are effective.

Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the processes.

Findings Supporting Evidence The MSCS Advisory Board serves as the venue through which  Advisory Board students, families, and community members can meet to discuss Bylaws the school program. The group meets four times a year to review  Advisory Board the processes and operating practices of the school. The Agenda and Minutes Advisory Board played an important role in the development of the original SLOs (aka., ESLRs) and continues to provide suggestions for improvement and refinement.

With the implementation of the LCAP, regular stakeholder  LCAP Stakeholder meetings in addition to the Advisory Board meetings provides Meeting Agendas students, staff, families, and community members the opportunity and Minutes for input into the school program. Beginning in 2014 and continuing since, surveys are sent out to ensure MSCS goals as

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defined in the LCAP are appropriate and achievable. Additionally, the input can help us determine if our vision, mission, and SLOs are representative of the needs of students, families, and the community.

If through annual feedback we find that revisions must be made,  LCAP Surveys the process begins with discussions among staff. Using the  Staff Meeting information from stakeholder feedback and student performance, Agendas staff would determine if a shift in philosophy or program design is necessary. If so, more specific information will be garnered from families and students either through surveys, or through formal meetings. Once this information is gathered and analyzed, the staff would work on any revisions. The final product would be presented to the Advisory Board for their final approval.

This process was used for the recent adoption of the school’s  State Assessment new vision statement. We analyzed student performance and Results demographics and noticed a shift in population (i.e., more families  NWEA Results who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, Spanish speaking,  School Demographic etc.). To ensure we are meeting the needs of all students, we Data revisited our outcomes and decided to create a vision to meet our long term objectives. After several meetings, a vision statement was developed and presented to the board for their approval.

This process is effective in making sure that all stakeholders are involved with the development or refinement of the vision, mission and SLOs. Greater involvement, especially from the community and local businesses, would be more beneficial to the process, but the means by which they can be involved is effective. Greater communication is needed to ensure that everyone has a voice in the program.

Understanding of Vision, Mission, and Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Indicator: Students, parents, and other members of the school and business community demonstrate understanding of and commitment to the vision, mission, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Prompt: Evaluate the degree to which the school ensures that students, parents, and other members of the school’s community understand and are committed to the school’s vision, mission, and schoolwide learner outcomes.

Findings Supporting Evidence Students and parents are made aware of the school’s vision,  Administrator mission, and SLOs from day one. Any student interested in Interview Questions attending MSCS must schedule an interview with the school administrator. Both the parent and student are required to attend the meeting. The purpose of the meeting is so that the school’s expectations can be conveyed to both the parent and student and that they understand what it means to attend MSCS.

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When completing the enrollment packet, students are provided  Student Parent the Student Parent Handbook, which states the school’s mission, Handbook SLOs, and soon, the vision. The orientation packet that is given  Orientation Packet to students upon enrollment has questions related to specific portions of the handbook. This questionnaire will be adapted and modified in future years to focus students on different aspects of the handbook, including the SLOs.

During the enrollment meeting, students and parents are further  ILP exposed to the school vision, mission, and SLOs. The enrollment  Four Year Plan process requires students to complete an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) in which students identify long term education and career goals. A Four Year Plan is also created with the purpose of having students know what the long term goal is.

To show understanding of the SLOs, students work is periodically  Employability collected and used for their SLOs portfolio. The portfolio is meant Portfolio Packet to gauge student understanding of each component of each outcome. At graduation, the work will show the student’s understanding and commitment to the SLOs. Essentially, parents and students demonstrate their commitment to the vision, mission, and SLOs through the student’s successful participation in the program.

The school’s vision, mission, and SLOs are on the school’s  MSCS Website website and available to the community. Because of our size and the lack of people in the community who are aware of the school, community commitment to the school’s purpose is limited. As we continue to grow and promote the school, we will expand our outreach to educating the public on our school vision, mission, and SLOs.

Regular Review and Revision Indicator: The school is implementing an effective process for regular review/revision of the school vision, mission, and the schoolwide learner outcomes based on student needs, the district LCAP, global, national, and local needs, and community conditions. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the process for revising these statements with wide involvement.

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS strives to maintain the most effective academic program for our students. In order to do this, we must make sure that we are providing the program that is beneficial to our students and the community. To do this, regular feedback and input from all stakeholders is important.

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The review and revision process always begins with discussions  Student Assessment regarding student performance and achievement. At weekly Results meetings, the staff discuss student performance and needs. All  Staff Meeting efforts are made to rectify any student issue or need among the Agendas staff based on all current policies and procedures. If through a series of discussions a more comprehensive change must be made, plans and statements are revised to better focus our efforts as a whole.

The Advisory Board meetings serve as the junction through which  Advisory Board parents, students, and community members can have input into Agendas and the vision and mission of the school. At these meetings, Minutes information is shared with board members and guests. Information includes student performance data, school financial information, school activities, and possible updates or changes to the school program. Before schoolwide policies are implemented, approval is sought from the board. While the Advisory Board is not the school’s regulatory board, it is crucial to the overall effectiveness of the program.

With the implementation of the LCAP and the stakeholder  LCAP meetings and surveys that coincide with it, stakeholders are  LCAP Surveys allowed additional opportunities to provide input and direction for the program. While the input into the LCAP is focused on school goals, actions, and the distribution of funds, the results can be used to determine if larger revisions are needed. If this is the case, the process for revising the vision, mission, or SLOs would occur as outlined in the development and refinement process.

We feel this process is effective, but, as in most cases, greater involvement can always be more beneficial to the program. We will continue to focus our efforts on getting greater involvement and input into the program.

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A2. Governance Criterion The governing board (a) has policies and bylaws that are aligned with the school’s purpose and support the achievement of the schoolwide learner outcomes and academic, college, and career standards based on data-driven instructional decisions for the school; (b) delegates implementation of these policies to the professional staff; and (c) monitors results regularly and approves the single schoolwide action plan and its relationship to the Local Control and Accountability Plan. Indicators with Prompts Governing Board Indicator: The policies and procedures are clear regarding the selection, composition, and specific duties of the governing board, including the frequency and regularity of board meetings. Prompt: Provide evidence that the policies and procedures regarding the selection, composition, and specific duties of the governing board, including the frequency and regularity of board meetings are clear.

Findings Supporting Evidence From the inception of MSCS, both the Merced County  Charter Petition Superintendent of Schools and the Merced County Board of Education has demonstrated a strong commitment to MSCS. The school is dependent on the support and services of the Merced County Office of Education (MCOE) and all MCOE policies apply to MSCS. Both the Superintendent and board approved the original Charter and have since approved subsequent renewal petitions.

The board is composed of five elected members and meets  MCOE Website monthly (more often if needed). Its primary responsibility continues to be oversight of the MCOE budget. The board is also responsible for approving the school budget and LCAP. Updates on the school are presented at least once a year during the LCAP presentation for the school. Additional presentations may be scheduled during the year.

The Merced County Superintendent of Schools is an elected position. As such, he has authority over all MCOE programs, including MSCS. The Superintendent is highly active throughout Merced County and utilizes his visibility to promote awareness and support of MSCS. The commitment of the County Superintendent of Schools, Steven E. Gomes, Ed.D., has been important in the school’s success and growth.

While the Merced County Board of Education remains the true  Advisory Board governing board of the school, the MSCS Advisory Board serves Bylaws as the shared decision-making body of the school. The Advisory Board serves as an outlet through which parents and community members may serve. This board has a more active role in the school and has more insight into the daily operations of the school.

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The board is comprised of a minimum of seven members:  one teacher  two parents of students enrolled in MSCS  one current MSCS student  one community member  one administrator from the MCOE Career and Alternative Education (CAE) Department  the MSCS administrator (acts as secretary).

The board can increase the number of members on the board. In fact, a student representative was added in 2014 to have student representation on the board.

The Advisory Board is responsible for upholding the charter mission, reviewing established and proposed policies, monitor school performance, and review curriculum and the school budget. The board serves a valuable purpose in helping to maintain an effective program that is beneficial to all students.

Despite having such a valuable forum for parents and community members, recruitment can sometimes be difficult. Some parents have served multiple terms and getting a community member to serve on the board has been difficult. Nonetheless, we continue to promote and encourage participation in order for all stakeholders to have input into the school.

Relationship of Governance to Vision, Mission, and Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Indicator: The governing board’s policies and district-wide improvement plans are directly connected to the school’s vision, mission, and schoolwide learner outcomes. Prompt: Evaluate the adequacy of the policies and district LCAP to support the school’s vision, mission, and schoolwide learner outcomes through its programs and operations.

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS adheres to policies set forth by the MCOE. The services  MCOE Policies and oversight by the MCOE all serve the same vision and mission  MCOE Website of the school. The motto of the MCOE, “Every Student A  SLOs Success”, also captures the essence of our vision, mission, and SLOs. We believe that every student can achieve, but with one added caveat – student achievement one student at a time. This emphasizes the idea of a program that is personalized for each student.

Additionally, being under the CAE department shows that we and  CAE Website the MCOE are committed to providing an alternative program to students. Working closely with others that also believe that students can succeed if given alternatives creates a homogenous belief that all students can achieve. We also believe in the CAE vision of “Inspiring Students . . . Changing Lives.”

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The uniqueness of the MSCS program compared to other  MCOE LCAP programs operated by the MCOE provide specific differences  MSCS LCAP when compared to the district as a whole. The differences between our school and others within the department sometimes makes collaboration difficult. Improvement plans for our court/community schools, for example, do not have a direct alignment for the needs of our students and the requirements of the program. As a charter school, MSCS is required to have its own LCAP. The role of the governance under this situation is more of monitoring and oversight by the governing agency.

MSCS has developed internal policies, supported by staff and the Advisory Board, that support MCOE policies. They are specific to MSCS and are aligned with the school's purpose and support the achievement of the SLOs and academic standards. These policies, along with MCOE district policies, are provided to all staff, parents and students.

Governing Board’s Involvement in the Review and Refinement Indicator: The governing board is involved in the regular review and refinement of the school’s vision, mission, and schoolwide learner outcomes. Prompt: Evaluate the process for involving the governing board in the regular review and refinement of the school’s vision, mission, and schoolwide learner outcomes.

Findings Supporting Evidence The role of the governing board in the review and refinement  Charter Petition process of the vision, mission, and SLOs comes at the approval  MCOE Website level. The governing board is responsible for approving our annual budget, the LCAP, and our petition for renewal every five years. Each of those components reflect aspects of our school goals and purpose.

The Advisory Board is the entity to which greater involvement and  Advisory Board participation is achieved. This board has a cross representation Bylaws of all stakeholders including staff, community members, parents, and students. The board meets quarterly to discuss school actions and policies related to academic achievement. The board also votes on changes or adoptions to the program. Any review or refinement of the vision, mission, or SLOs will ultimately go to the Advisory Board for final approval.

Besides approving program changes, the board also serves as a  Advisory Board forum for stakeholders to share their views and opinions of the Agendas and school. Ideas are either presented to or generated from the Minutes board. This allows advisory meetings to serve as a way for  Advisory Board parents, students, staff, and community members to give their Member List input and feedback about the school. This provides an added element of involvement for our Advisory Board.

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Stakeholder involvement in the school has fluctuated over the years. There is not always a lot of participation on behalf of parents, students, or community members, but the ability to get involved is always there and promoted by the school. As we continue to grow and promote participation on the board, we expect involvement to increase.

Understanding the Role of the Governing Board Indicator: The school and business community understand the governing board’s role, including how parents can participate in the school’s governance. Prompt: Evaluate the ways the school community and parents are informed as to how they can participate in the school’s governance including their role in the determination of the district LCAP.

Findings Supporting Evidence While the school has little to do with the promotion and  Advisory Board involvement on the Merced County Board of Education, we Flyers regularly promote involvement on the school’s Advisory Board.  Advisory Board Those who serve on the board understand its role in helping to Application establish policy and changes to the program that will benefit students.

The school promotes parent and community involvement through  MSCS Website flyers and on the website. Upon enrollment, parents are given information on joining the Advisory Board. Our website has a page dedicated to the Advisory Board and participation in it. We regularly talk to parents and students about getting involved with the board. Agendas and minutes are always posted prior to each meeting in the main lobby to get more people involved.

This is also true of participation in the development and  LCAP Meeting Flyers monitoring of the school’s LCAP. The LCAP meetings and surveys are just one more way in which parents, students, staff, and community members can provide feedback and input about the school. Like the Advisory Board, meetings are promoted by staff, through flyers, and through the school’s website.

Those who serve on the board understand its impact on school and student outcomes. Our goal is to encourage greater participation and involvement with the board.

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Professional Staff and Governing Board Indicator: There is clear understanding about the relationship between the governing board and the responsibilities of the professional staff. Prompt: Determine whether there is clear understanding about the relationship between the governing board and the responsibilities of the professional staff and how that understanding is developed and maintained.

Findings Supporting Evidence The Merced County Board of Education approves the school  MCOE Website budget and LCAP annually. They also approve the school’s  Advisory Board petition every five years. The school follows all MCOE policies Bylaws and guidelines. Maintaining a quality and open relationship with the board is important, but most of the program responsibilities falls to the Advisory Board.

In collaboration with MSCS administration and staff, the MSCS Advisory Board has an integral role in the development of policies pertinent to the school. Policy changes or addition of policies is initiated by the school administrator and then reviewed by the board. Support or recommendations are made by the board prior to final approval.

The Assistant Superintendent of CAE meets routinely with the Superintendent to review the status of all programs within CAE, which includes MSCS. There is regular communication between the MCOE, CAE and MSCS so that the Superintendent is always current on the operation and performance of the school. The oversight and support provided by the MCOE, specifically the CAE department, provides the school with the needed resources to make a successful program.

Board’s Evaluation/Monitoring Procedures Indicator: There is clarity of the evaluation and monitoring procedures carried out by the governing board in relationship to the LCAP metrics, including the review of student performance toward career and college readiness, overall school programs and operations, and the fiscal health of the school. Prompt: Determine the degree to which there is clarity of the evaluation and monitoring procedures carried out by the governing board, including the annual LCAP assessment of district goals and the Eight State Priorities.

Findings Supporting Evidence The school’s LCAP is presented to the Merced County Board of  MCBE Agenda and Education at a special meeting held in June of each year. At that Minutes from June meeting, the LCAP is given to the board and the administrator  Board PowerPoint presents the information within the plan. Any questions or Presentation comments by the board are addressed at this time. The board  Summary of Goals

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votes to approve the LCAP at the follow up regular session. Once approved, the plan takes effect for the upcoming school year.

The Advisory Board approves the LCAP in May of that same  Advisory Board year. The members are also presented with the plan and any Agenda and Minutes questions or concerns are addressed. The board votes to from May approve the plan prior to sending it to the Merced County Board of Education.

This process is effective in keeping both the Merced County  LCAP Board members and Advisory Board members informed on the school’s goals and performance. Metrics are shared to inform the members of the school’s performance and what actions will be taken by the school to produce positive student outcomes.

To monitor fiscal health of the school, the budget is shared with  Budget Handout the Advisory Board members at each quarterly meeting. The  MCBE Board Agenda Merced County Board of Education is presented with the school’s  MCOE Budget budget annually by the Director in Business Services and approved each year. The Director also provides updates to the board throughout the year on the school’s budget.

We feel that the board is provided the needed information to be able to effectively monitor and evaluate the school.

Complaint and Conflict Resolution Procedures Indicator: The established governing board/school’s complaint and conflict resolution procedures as they apply to the school’s stakeholders are effective. Prompt: Comment on the effectiveness of the established governing board/school’s complaint and conflict resolution procedures.

Findings Supporting Evidence Conflict resolution begins with communication with contacting the  Student Parent school either through email, phone, or in person. We always Handbook attempt to resolve conflicts at the ground level. Staff always make themselves available to discuss any issues that may arise with parents and students. This is why parents are encouraged to attend their child’s personalized learning session in order to prevent an issues or misunderstandings that may arise.

The administrator is also very approachable and has an open door policy – literally. Students, parents, or even visitors are welcomed to come in and speak with the administrator. The office door is left open all day for this very reason. All efforts are made to resolve any issues through a collaborative and cooperative process.

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Should stakeholders find the need to go beyond the school  MCOE Policies environment with an issue, stakeholders would contact the (Policy 1312.3) Assistant Superintendent of CAE. For more formalized complaints on legal issues, stakeholders are informed of the process using MCOE Policy 1312.3 Uniform Complaint Procedures. However, as this policy states, we encourage an early and informal resolution of complaints whenever possible and applicable.

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A3. Leadership: Continuous Planning and Monitoring Criterion Based on student achievement data, the school leadership, parent/community, and staff make decisions and initiate activities that focus on all students achieving the schoolwide learner outcomes and academic, college, and career standards. The school leadership and staff annually monitor and refine the single schoolwide action plan and make recommendations to modify the LCAP based on analysis of data to ensure alignment with student needs. Indicators with Prompts Broad-Based and Collaborative Indicator: The school’s planning process is broad-based, collaborative, and has the commitment of the stakeholders, including the staff, students, parents, and business community. Prompt: Comment on the effectiveness of the school planning process to ensure that it is broad- based, collaborative and fosters the commitment of the stakeholders, including the staff, students, parents, and business community.

Findings Supporting Evidence Student achievement drives the decision making process.  LCAP Activities are initiated and resources allocated based on all  Inservice Agenda students meeting the outcomes of the schoolwide learning results and achieving high academic standards. Proper implementation begins with proper planning and input from all stakeholders.

The planning process for student achievement each year begins  Stakeholder Meeting with the LCAP and budget development. The LCAP is the main Agendas plan of the school that lists actions the school will take for the next three years. Each year, stakeholder meetings are held that includes students, parents, staff, and community members. The LCAP is updated or modified based on the information received at these meetings.

The administrator and staff work as a collaborative team and  Staff Meeting regularly analyze individual student performance data to ensure Agendas alignment with student needs. As issues arise, they are addressed immediately. Most collaboration is done during formal staff meetings once a month. At these meetings, teachers share best practices and their student achievement data is reviewed and analyzed. Teachers and administration offer suggestions based on their experiences with students and their areas of expertise. Since the school is small, some data is reviewed at informal meetings between the administrator and individual teachers.

Prior to the beginning of school year, the administrator meets with  Staff Inservice the staff to review test results from the prior year and to Agendas brainstorm and plan strategies to help assure that all students achieve the SLOs and academic standards. This process includes the reviewing of test results and analyzing the data for trends in student achievement.

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More training can be done to help teachers properly analyze the data. As state assessments and curriculum shift, a better understanding of the new performance levels and expectations will need to be reviewed. The current practices in place to review student performance are adequate, but can be improved. Proper training for disaggregating and analyzing the data needs to be developed and implemented.

School Plan Correlated to Student Learning Indicator: The school’s Single Plan for Student Achievement is directly correlated to the analysis of student achievement data about the critical learner and career readiness needs; schoolwide learner outcomes; and academic, college, and career standards. Prompt: How do staff ensure that the analysis of student achievement of the critical learner and career readiness needs, schoolwide learner outcomes, and academic and career readiness standards are incorporated into the single plan and impact the development, implementation, and monitoring of the single plan and the LCAP?

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS does not have a Single Plan for Student Achievement  VC Mid-Cycle Report (SPSA) because we do not take Title I funds. After the Mid-Cycle Report was completed, the school was considering completing a SPSA as a way to create greater transparency and to tie school goals to budget expenditures. However, with the inception of the LCFF, the focus transitioned to using the LCAP as the single comprehensive plan.

The LCAP serves as the logical choice for a single plan for our  LCAP school. Since we have to develop an LCAP that is unique and specific to MSCS, it makes sense that this plan would serve as the plan to monitor and ensure student achievement. Further, the eight state priorities on which the LCAP is based align well with the SLOs, academic standards, and critical learner needs.

In the LCAP, the metrics used to determine student success or assess student needs are clearly defined. Each metric states a projected performance level that the school hopes students will achieve in the upcoming year. During the year, data from state and local assessments and student performance are discussed by the staff at weekly meetings. This data is what will ultimately drives the refinement and updates to the LCAP for the following year so appropriate budgetary decisions can be made. All this, in a single plan, is for the purpose of increasing student achievement and success.

Since the LCAP is in its infancy (two years since its inception), its update and refinement each year continues to be a learning process. As we move forward, the plan will incorporate and focus on those components that are crucial to student achievement.

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With the help of a consultant, we hope to create a cohesive plan  MOU with Consultant that will tie in achievement of academic and career standards with the SLOs.

Correlation of All Resources to the Schoolwide Learner Outcomes, the Single Plan for Student Achievement, and the LCAP Indicator: There is correlation of the allocation of time/fiscal/personnel/material resources to the implementation, monitoring, and accomplishing of the Schoolwide Learner Outcomes, the Single Plan for Student Achievement, and the LCAP. Prompt: Evaluate the degree to which the allocation of all resources supports the implementation, monitoring, and accomplishment of the Schoolwide Learner Outcomes, the Single Plan for Student Achievement, and the LCAP.

Findings Supporting Evidence All elements of the LCAP are driven by critical learner needs  LCAP based on achievement of the academic standards and the SLOs.  SLOs Learner needs are based on assessment, student performance, and perception data. Based on the data, school goals are developed or refined and actions created that will help to meet those goals. Once the actions have been determined, funds and resources are appropriately allocated for each action.

Since MSCS does not complete a SPSA, the LCAP serves as the school’s plan. The LCAP has made the transparency of budgetary decisions clear to all stakeholders. By maintaining a focus on the eight state priorities that align to student needs, the plan will ensure that the school’s priorities will continually and consistently address student needs. By doing so, we are providing an added assurance that funds are allocated appropriately to help students meet the school’s outcomes and achieving high standards and expectations.

Staff Actions/Accountability to Support Learning Indicator: The school evaluates the effectiveness of the processes and procedures for involving staff in shared responsibility, actions, and accountability to support student learning throughout all programs. This includes an evaluation of the collegial strategies used to implement innovations and encourage improvement, such as shadowing, coaching, observation, mentoring, group presentations. Prompt: How effective are the processes and procedures for involving staff in shared responsibility, actions, and accountability to support student learning throughout all programs? Provide representative examples and data regarding impact on student learning.

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Findings Supporting Evidence When teachers identify students who are not performing well in a  Staff Meeting specific academic content area, staff will meet to discuss the Agendas student’s issues and performance. During staff meetings, staff will discuss and recommend support classes, tutoring, and other student and parent resources that address the student’s need. The expertise of all the members plus the student data allows the best solution to be developed to help each student.

Through one-on-one meetings, staff meetings, advisory meetings, and stakeholder meetings, staff are made aware of their responsibility when it comes to supporting student learning. Staff understand the need to do what is best for each and every student. No staff member wants to see a student fail and they will find the best solution to solve the problem. The solution may not always be ideal, but it may be the best solution for the student.

An example of this is when a student either has more than three  Key Outcomes Memo to five days of absence or repeated weeks of failing grades. Teachers will inform the administrator of the issues with the student. The teacher will also consult with other teachers, specifically those that have the student in a support class. The administrator will ask the teacher for the recommended solution and apply that solution if there is no conflict with policy. If the issue continues, the administrator will conduct a meeting with the student and parent to inform them of a possible solution and consequence. A memo is usually included to show the student and parent’s commitment to meeting the expectation and the consequence if they do not.

This process continues until either the student improves, or in the worst case scenario, is recommended for alternate placement (i.e., referred to school of residence or continuation). There are a few students that this occurs with each year. Some have had success and others have not. In the 2014-15 school year, one of the three students from this scenario were successful. While the other two students did not meet success, the parents’ feedback was that they were grateful and appreciated what the staff had done for their child.

We are always seeking to improve this process for ensuring that each student is supported in their education. The staff understands their responsibility and the accountability for student learning, but the process is an ongoing learning experience. Students have different needs, so the key is for us to be flexible and base our decisions on what is best for the student.

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Evaluation of Existing Processes Indicator: The school leadership regularly reviews the existing processes to determine the degree to which actions of the leadership and staff focus on successful student learning. Prompt: To what extent does the school leadership regularly review the existing processes to determine the degree to which actions of the leadership and staff focus on successful student learning?

Findings Supporting Evidence The school administrator often reviews the processes in place  MCOE Policies that will lead to student achievement. The driving question is  MSCS Policies always based on the effect that policies and procedures will have on students meeting their goals. The goal of any review is to ensure that students are provided with an equitable and supportive program that leads to academic achievement and, eventually, post-secondary success.

Review of processes and procedures often begin with a question or issue posed by the staff, students, parents, or a community member. Additional comments are generated through staff meetings or meetings with other stakeholders. After considering all of the information, decisions are made and based on how the decision will improve student achievement.

No matter how the process changes, it is important that it is based on policy. Since all school processes and procedures are based on MCOE policies, support from the MCOE is important. The CAE Leadership Team, for example, is often a good resource when considering changes. Collaboration with the team ensures that the appropriate concerns and policies are being addressed. The combination of all of these components makes our regular evaluation of existing processes efficient and effective.

Internal Communication and Planning Indicator: The school has effective existing structures for internal communication, planning, and resolving differences. Prompt: How effective are the existing structures for internal communication, planning, and resolving differences?

Findings Supporting Evidence Communication is the key to the success of any organization.  Facility Layout The advantage for a small school like ours is that staff can communicate regularly with one another. This allows us to address issues more quickly and efficiently. An example of this is the setup of the school and teacher offices. Although each teacher has a door on their office, many times the door remains open. This creates not only a more welcoming environment for

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students, but for staff as well. If privacy is needed, that is always available as well.

Most forms of communication are face to face, but emails are  Daily Update from used a lot to share information from various entities. Administrator Collaboration is afforded to staff on a weekly basis through staff meetings and annually through our inservice. However, continual collaboration can happen many times through the use of email. A question or concern can be generated and sent to the staff for follow at a time of their earliest convenience.

While there are many benefits to being a small school in regards to communication and planning, there are some drawbacks. Less staff means that staff members often play multiple roles. Taking on additional roles and duties can sometimes lead to miscommunication if actions are not prioritized appropriately. With the additional duties comes less time for other activities such as planning. We have struggled with the time element and playing multiple roles. However, we continue to try and find ways to improve our communication and are looking at additional staff in the future.

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A4. Staff: Qualified and Professional Development Criterion A qualified staff facilitates achievement of the student academic standards and the schoolwide learner outcomes through a system of preparation, induction, and ongoing professional development. There is a systematic approach to continuous improvement through professional development based on student performance data, student needs, and research. Indicators with Prompts Qualifications and Preparation of Staff Indicator: The school has procedures to ensure that staff members are qualified based on staff background, training, and preparation. Prompt: Evaluate the procedures to ensure all staff members in all programs, including online instruction, are qualified based on employment policies and practices, staff background, training, and preparation are qualified for their responsibilities.

Findings Supporting Evidence Employee qualifications are defined based on MCOE employment  MCOE Policy policies. The Human Resource department of MCOE is the  MCOE Website primary source for monitoring teacher qualification and credentials. This department is responsible for verifying the qualifications of new hires and updating that information as needed.

MSCS teachers need to be NCLB compliant, fingerprinted, hold an appropriate degree and credential, demonstrate content knowledge, and complete all steps required in the application and hiring process. Once hired, staff are trained by other staff members on the school’s processes. Additional trainings are provided if needed and staff are regularly encouraged to attend professional development opportunities.

Our partnership with the MCOE and the Human Resources department ensures that all staff continually meet and maintain their qualifications to be an MSCS staff member. Because of the uniqueness of our program in the Merced area, peer training and teamwork is important and effective in maintaining qualified staff.

Staff Assignment and Preparation Indicator: The school has a process to assign staff members and provide appropriate orientation for all assignments, including online instruction and focused programs, so that the expertise of the staff members is maximized in relation to impact on quality student learning. Prompt: Evaluate the process to assign staff members and provide an appropriate orientation process to ensure all staff are qualified and prepared for their responsibilities, including any type of online instruction.

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Findings Supporting Evidence A formal orientation for new hires is conducted through the HR  MSCS Teacher department at the MCOE. At the school site, training is conducted Handbook on a peer to peer basis. Orientation is conducted in a meeting with the school administrator and a teacher handbook is available for general information and school policies.

Each full time credentialed staff member is assigned a case load  VPSS of students and at least one support class. Since each teacher has a certification known as the Verification Process for Special Settings (VPSS), teachers are qualified under this certification to teach multiple courses. Teachers can be assigned students in any grade six through twelve and are assigned based on teacher appointments that are still available. The only exception is a parent or student request and students with IEPs. Parent or student requests will be granted if an opening is available, which is usually at the beginning of each year. Students with an IEP now get enrolled with our Special Education teacher who provides the needed services for those students.

Since staff are VPSS’d in multiple subjects, the support class they are assigned to will be based on their greatest level of expertise and the needs of students. Support classes and teacher assignments for each class are reviewed annually.

MSCS ensures that every teacher is properly prepared and adequately supplied with all of the resources to make their students successful. However, there are some things that can continue to be improved on.

The teacher handbook needs to be updated and revised on a more regular basis. This was primarily due to the fact that there have been no new hires for several years. Also, we are beginning to create standard operating procedures so that as additional staff members are brought on board, they will understand the school’s processes. This way, student success will continue even as changes in personnel occur.

Defining and Understanding Practices/Relationships Indicator: The school implements a clear system to communicate administrator and faculty written policies, charts, and handbooks that define responsibilities, operational practices, decision-making processes, and relationships of leadership and staff. Prompt: Evaluate the system used to communicate administrator and faculty written policies, charts, pacing guides and handbooks that define responsibilities, operational practices, decision- making processes, and relationships of leadership and staff. Determine the degree of clarity and understanding of these by administration and faculty.

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Findings Supporting Evidence The MCOE maintains and issues any written material or  MCOE Policy guidelines in regards to MCOE policy. This is done electronically  MCOE Website or through the mail. All other materials related to the school,  MSCS Policies curriculum, and instruction is provided by the school  Student Parent administrator. MSCS manages school specific policies that are Handbook shared with the staff through a policies handbook and the Student Parent Handbook.

As stated before, staff and administration regularly communicate processes and practices followed by the school. Everyone has a clearly defined role in the organization, but are willing to help with other duties as needed. All staff members have the opportunity to share their ideas and concerns during weekly staff meetings. We truly do work as a team, but each staff member has their role and complete that role within the MCOE and MSCS policies.

Working at MSCS is really about working as a team. Having a small staff makes for more informal communication, but it also result in greater responsibilities in different areas of work. Sometimes, work overlaps and clarification must be provided. For example, if the school secretary is out, someone must monitor the phones and front lobby. It is not the official role of staff to monitor the phones, but each staff member will pitch in and help as needed.

As we move forward, we are working on policies and procedures to help clarify each person’s role to help them be more efficient in their job. As we expand, this will be an important aspect to define roles and clarify expectations with all staff members.

Support of Professional Development Indicator: The school effectively supports professional development/learning with time, personnel, material, and fiscal resources to facilitate all students achieving the academic, college, and career readiness standards and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Prompt: How effective is the support of professional development/learning? Provide evidence and examples.

Findings Supporting Evidence The school administrator always encourages staff to attend  Staff Meeting professional development trainings. Since the benefit of such Agendas trainings are important to a staff member’s development, it is  Flyers and Emails on important that they are provided the opportunity to attend. Workshops

MSCS has the funding available to attend trainings or to have trainers provide training at the school site. For example, during Common Core training in 2013-14, staff were allotted time to attend trainings and modify their schedules to attend trainings. In

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recent years, staff have attended trainings and workshops in Aeries (Student Information System), non-classroom-based instruction, technology, and budgeting.

While professional development and learning is important and supported, the staff has only attended a few trainings in the last few years. The main reason is time. As we continue to grow, the staff work load continues to grow. Also, for teachers, the lack of substitutes makes it difficult to attend trainings. The lack of qualified substitutes who understand the program has decreased as many have retired or attained full time employment elsewhere. This will continue to be an issue in the future, but the goal is to provide professional development time during staff meetings. Future professional development will include training in adopted textbooks, the ELD/ELA standards, and intervention programs for mathematics.

Supervision and Evaluation Indicator: The school implements effective supervision and evaluation procedures in order to promote professional growth of staff. Prompt: How effective are the school’s supervision and evaluation procedures?

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS is compliant with all MCOE policies and the Collective  MCOE Policies Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) for certificated and classified  CBA staff. Full time permanent employees are officially evaluated every other year. Each evaluation reviews school and district expectations and suggestions are made to allow teachers continual growth in their career. As stated in MCOE Policy 4115, the main purpose of the evaluation process should be:  To help persons achieve success in their work and career;  To encourage and increase professional development;  To increase personal improvement;  To assist personnel in improving their performance on the job.

The supervision and evaluation process is effective in that the goal is not to be punitive but supportive. All staff are evaluated for the purpose of how they can improve in order to provide the best service to students. Successful employees lead to a successful program and student success.

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Measurable Effect of Professional Development Indicator: There are effective operating processes that determine the measurable effect of professional development, coaching and mentoring on student performance. Prompt: Comment on the effectiveness of the processes in determining the measurable effect of professional development, coaching, and mentoring on student performance. Provide evidence about whether the professional development/learning has had a positive impact on student learning.

Findings Supporting Evidence Professional development indeed has a positive impact on  Student Transcripts student achievement and outcomes. To what extent is sometimes  Student Grades difficult to measure. We can look at improved test scores to  Student/Parent determine improvement, but determining causation in such cases Feedback is sometimes difficult. The most notable feedback on improved student performance comes from the teacher/student relationship. Students that have been with a teacher for a year or multiple years showed signs of improvement in grades, and in some cases, test scores as well. Feedback from staff and families suggest that this is due to relationship between the teacher and student.

As teachers attend more trainings in the future, we will look to find more concrete ways to measure the impact of professional development on student learning. At this point, the most measurable effect on student performance is the relationship with the teacher.

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A5. Resources Criterion The human, material, physical, and financial resources are sufficient and utilized effectively and appropriately in accordance with the legal intent of the program(s) and LCAP to support students in accomplishing the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Indicators with Prompts Allocation Decisions Indicator: There is a relationship between the decisions about resource allocations, the school’s vision, mission, and student achievement of the schoolwide learner outcomes, the district’s LCAP, the academic standards, and the college- and career-readiness standards. The school leadership and staff are involved in the resource allocation decisions. Prompt: To what extent are resources allocated to meet the school’s vision, mission, and student achievement of the critical learner needs, the schoolwide learner outcomes, student needs identified in the district LCAP, the academic standards, and the college- and career-readiness standards. Additionally, comment on the extent to which leadership and staff are involved in the resource allocation decisions. What impact has the process for the allocation of resources made on student learning?

Findings Supporting Evidence Budget development begins with Average Daily Attendance  ADA Projections (ADA) projections for the upcoming year. The administrator and  Advisory Board budget technician review estimated revenues and expenses and Budget Report develop a preliminary budget. Each month, the budget is  LCAP monitored and reviewed and changes are made if needed at first interim and second interim.

Based on estimated revenues, resources are allocated according to the goals and actions in the LCAP. Resources are also allocated based on student performance from assessments and grades. Both assessment data and grades provide information on the students’ achievement on not only academic standards, but also on student needs and outcomes.

Since the school’s mission, vision, and SLOs are so closely aligned, allocating resources based on achievement of academic standards, college- and career-readiness standards, and critical learner needs addresses all of these components. This information is generated from assessment data, grades, and stakeholder feedback. Staff input is also a crucial part of the information on student needs. The accumulation of all of these components is then used by the administrator to develop the school’s budget and allocation of resources.

MSCS has an effective process for resource allocation. Some of  Student Grades the resources (i.e., tutoring) have produced improved grades and  Transcripts achievement on some assessments for students while other  Assessment Data students showed minimal improvement. Resource allocation,  Demographic Data however, is a continual process and as the students’ needs

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change, so will the supports they require. With the shift in student demographics over the past few years, additional resources will need to be allocated to continue student achievement of standards and outcomes.

Practices Indicator: There are processes operating in relationship to district practices for developing an annual budget, conducting an annual audit, and at all times conducting quality business and accounting practices, including protections against mishandling of institutional funds. (Note: Some of this may be more district-based than school-based.) Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s processes in relationship to district practices for developing an annual budget, conducting an annual audit, and at all times conducting quality business and accounting practices, including protections against mishandling of institutional funds. (Note: Some of this may be more district-based than school-based.)

Findings Supporting Evidence The allocation for resources begins with budget planning and  ADA Projections development. Annually, the administrator and budget technician  LCAP meet to discuss the Average Daily Attendance (ADA) calculation for the upcoming year. Salaries and benefits are first calculated as this represents the majority of the school’s budget. Once those numbers are determined, the remaining funds are apportioned based on the needs of students for the upcoming year. The needs are now determined based on the goals and actions in the LCAP for the upcoming year.

Once the preliminary budget is developed, it is shared with the  MCBE Agenda Assistant Superintendent of CAE and the Director of Business  MCOE Website Services. Any additional changes or modifications may be recommended and adjusted if needed. Once approved, the budget is presented to the Merced County Board of Education by the Director for the board’s approval.

The budget is monitored regularly by the administrator and budget technician. They meet monthly to monitor expenses and discuss any changes. The administrator and Assistant Superintendent discuss the budget at their regular meetings as well. All throughout the process, allocations are being discussed as to their appropriateness to the program and for student learning. This process is a collaborative effort to ensure proper allocation of resources to maintain the vision and mission of the school.

Other stakeholders are informed of the budget through other  Advisory Board means. The budget is presented and discussed at each Advisory Budget Report Board meeting. At the meeting, parents, students, staff, and community members have the opportunity to question and discuss budget decisions and allocations.

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This entire process is used to ensure that MSCS is meeting and maintaining our fiduciary duty to allocate resources appropriately. Being the stewards of public money, it is essential that we maintain an open dialogue with all stakeholders to ensure that resources are being allocated in line with the school’s vision, mission, and SLOs.

Facilities Indicator: The school’s facilities are adequate to meet the school’s vision, mission, schoolwide learner outcomes; the educational program and are safe, functional, and well-maintained. Prompt: Specifically, to what extent do the facilities support the school’s vision, mission, schoolwide learner outcomes, the educational program, and the health and safety needs of students?

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS is extremely proud of the facility that we provide our  FIT Report students. Being at the MCOE Education Center allows us the  School Layout ability to grow and provide more opportunities to our students. MSCS currently occupies one building at the Education Center consisting of several offices, a student work area, two classrooms, and a meeting room. In March of 2016, we plan to add an additional classroom from an adjacent building to meet the needs of our growing school.

The building itself provides a safe and conducive environment for student learning. The lobby and adjacent classroom are easily accessible within the building. Students can work in one of several areas in the building where they can be monitored and provided help as needed. Teachers are provided their own office where they can focus on one student at a time during their personalized learning session.

The facility also has Chromebooks, desktop computers, and laptops for students to utilize while on site. Additional electronic devices are slated to be purchased in the future. Being located at the Education Center, the school is provided with a high speed fiber optic connection making access to the Internet fast and easy. State testing is easily manageable with the devices and connection at the facility.

The Education Center also provides shared areas for student  School Events and activities and school events. A gymnasium is located on site Activities where graduation and other events can be held. An outdoor area is conducive to our yearly Open House where children’s activities and food is provided.

Having a facility at an MCOE location also allows us access to  MOU with MCOE the Maintenance and Operations department. Having this group

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on site allows for ease of maintenance and provides for a quick response should any issues arise with the building and facility. In this way, MSCS maintains a facility that promotes learning where students feel they are part of a safe and welcoming learning environment.

Instructional Materials and Equipment Indicator: The policies and procedures for acquiring and maintaining adequate instructional materials and equipment, such as textbooks, other printed materials, audio-visual, support technology, manipulatives, and laboratory materials are effective. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the policies procedures for acquiring and maintaining adequate instructional materials and equipment, such as technology tools and software, the support systems for technology, software, textbooks, other printed materials, library media resources, manipulatives, and laboratory materials for instruction including online.

Findings Supporting Evidence We believe that every student should be provided the tools  MCOE Policies necessary to be successful in school. We understand that  MSCS Policies students learn differently and will, therefore, require different  Teacher Handbook resources. Whether it is a textbook, software, or other resource, the school strives to provide the most adequate resources to meet the students need.

Material purchases follow a process based on MCOE policies  CAE Tech and procedures. The school secretary will enter any purchase Committee Flowchart orders for materials and forwards that information for approval. Depending on the equipment or materials being purchased, the number of approvals required will vary. For example, new technology purchases must be approved by the CAE Technology Committee prior to purchase. This committee ensures the appropriate technology is being purchased and can be supported by the Information Technology department.

In most cases, the administrator and Assistant Superintendent of CAE or designee will approve all purchases before processing. The decision to purchase, however, can begin in a number of different ways. Each year, the number of students expected to attend and the courses they will take determines the number of textbooks and other instructional materials that will be needed. Replacement textbooks are purchased if additional books are required or damaged books are no longer useable. Additional materials such as software, manipulatives, and lab materials are purchased if needed based on teacher need and use.

Staff are provided flexibility in purchases as long as they can justify the use in order to produce better student outcomes. This process ensures that adequate materials will be provided in order to meet student needs and improve student achievement.

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Well-Qualified Staff Indicator: Resources are available to enable the hiring, nurturing, and ongoing professional development of a well-qualified staff for all programs such as online instruction and college and career. Prompt: Determine if the resources are available to hire, nurture, and provide ongoing professional development for a well-qualified staff. Include specifics if online, IB, and/or college and career preparation programs are in place.

Findings Supporting Evidence Staff are always encouraged to attend and participate in learning  MCOE Website opportunities that will help them to remain current on growing  MCOE Policies trends in education. Through a collaborative effort with the MCOE, well-qualified staff can be hired, nurtured, and developed.

The HR Department at the MCOE is responsible for the hiring  HR Procedures process. The school administrator with the help of the Assistant  CAE Procedures Superintendent of CAE work to determine the qualifications of a  Teacher Handbook new hire based on student need. Once determined, a job description is submitted for review and approval. From there, the HR department collects all applications, schedules interviews, and assembles the panel. Once hired, an orientation is provided by the HR department and the school administrator.

Staff members are encouraged to continue their education and look for ways to enhance their skills and abilities. Any school related professional development opportunities are managed by the school administrator. The administrator works in conjunction with the Instructional Services department if any schoolwide trainings must be provided.

For personal growth, resources are provided so that staff can attend workshops and conferences to promote continued learning. However, if the staff member wishes to gain additional college units or certifications, they may incur the cost in order to gain the added benefits of movement on the pay scale.

While resources are available for professional development, ongoing promotion of learning opportunities are necessary. Time is the greatest hindrance to attending more trainings, but as the school continues to grow, more opportunities will be available to staff to improve their overall abilities.

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Long-Range Planning Indicator: The district and school’s processes for regularly and effectively examining a long-range plan ensures the continual availability and coordination of appropriate resources supports students’ achievement of the critical learner needs, the academic standards, college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of these processes.

Findings Supporting Evidence Being a school of choice, it is difficult to determine the number of  LCFF students that will be enrolling in the program from year to year.  LCAP Demand for the school has varied over the years. However, the  ADA Projections last few years have shown a growing trend in student demand  FICMAT Website and enrollment in the program. Despite this, other factors have affected long term planning.

The dynamics of being a school of choice makes long term planning difficult but manageable. In the past, it was difficult to do long-range planning. Three years ago, we did not know where the school would even be located. We did not move to our permanent location at the Education Center until June of 2014. A year later, we went from plenty of openings for students to a wait list that averages around thirty students a semester. The implementation of the LCFF and LCAP in recent years has had a big impact on funding as well.

All of these factors have made long-range planning somewhat difficult. However, the school is at a point where three year plans are being developed and implemented. We have done three year plans recently because of the LCAP and its requirements. We hope to improve our ability to utilize this plan and make more accurate projections over the three year period.

As we continue to grow, long term planning will be important to ensure that we are meeting student needs and improving student outcomes.

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A6. Resources Criterion [Charter Schools only] The governing authority and the school leadership execute responsible resource planning for the future. The school is fiscally solvent and uses sound and ethical accounting practices (budgeting/monitoring, internal controls, audits, fiscal health, and reporting). Indicators with Prompts Long-range Financial (and other Resources) Plan Indicator: The school regularly reviews its long-range plan (and other resources) in relation to the school’s vision, mission, and schoolwide learner outcomes. Decisions about resource allocation are directly related to the school’s vision, mission, and schoolwide learner outcomes. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of how the school regularly reviews its long-range plan.

Findings Supporting Evidence Long-range plans are being developed and implemented using  LCAP the LCAP. Since the LCAP requires goals and actions over a three year period, the plan will help with planning for the needs of students in the next few years. The LCAP is reviewed with stakeholders several times a year. The administrator and staff review the LCAP during staff meetings following stakeholder meetings. During budget reviews, the administrator refers back to the LCAP to ensure that the actions and goals of the LCAP are being achieved.

Over the past several years, MSCS has maintained an adequate reserve to mitigate any future downturns in funding, but also to plan for future expansion. Hiring full time credentialed staff can have a big impact on a small budget. We want to plan accordingly with expanding our program without the loss of services to students. Through careful planning and sound fiscal policy, we can determine long range goals for students and the program.

Regular Accounting and External Audit Procedures Indicator: The school has defined regular accounting and external audit procedures. Prompt: To what extent does the school have defined regular accounting and external audit procedures? Comment on the effectiveness of the procedures to determine if they meet they meet the generally accepted principles of accounting and audit procedures.

Findings Supporting Evidence The school is under the guidance of Business Services and the  MCOE Website CAE department at the MCOE. The departments oversee all  MCOE Fiscal Policies fiscal activities for MSCS. Appropriate internal accounting and Procedures controls are in place and MCOE contracts with an independent auditor for annual fiscal audits.

The Assistant Superintendent, in conjunction with the school administrator and Advisory Board, plan and implement the programs for MSCS. The budget technician in Business Services

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works with the Department Services Manager of CAE, the Assistant Superintendent of CAE, and school administrator to draft the school’s budget. It is then reviewed by the Advisory Board, which includes teachers, parents, administration, and community members.

The fiscal personnel who monitor the school’s budget follow  QSS System defined accounting procedures and policies. The school’s budget is managed using the Quintessential School Systems (QSS) OASIS software. All budget expenditures are tracked and reconciled within the system. The budget technician and school administrator review the information each month for accuracy.

External auditors contracted by the MCOE follow generally accepted accounting principles. External audits are conducted annually and the school has had no findings for a number of years.

Budgeting Process — Transparency Indicator: The school develops and monitors its annual budgeting process to ensure transparency. Prompt: Comment on the effectiveness of the school’s procedures to develop and monitor its annual budgeting process to ensure transparency.

Findings Supporting Evidence Any community member, parent, or student who wishes to know  Advisory Board more about the financials of the school need only attend one of Meeting and the quarterly Advisory Board meetings. The school’s budget is a Agendas standing agenda item for each meeting. While the school’s  Advisory Board budget is maintained using the QSS accounting system to Budget Handout monitor and maintain the school’s budget, we utilize a spreadsheet at each meeting for stakeholders to better understand all of the financials of the school.

Public discussion and presentation of the school’s and MCOE’s  MCBE Agendas and budget occurs annually during a Merced County Board of Minutes Education public meeting. The board votes annually to approve the school’s budget.

Through this process, stakeholders can view how the school’s budget is developed and provide feedback on annual expenditures and budgetary items. The transparency we provide to our Advisory Board is very clear. The lack of parent and community participation, however, may limit the number of stakeholders who are aware of the exact numbers, but the opportunity is there for them to be a part of the school’s budgeting process.

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Adequate Compensation, Staffing, Reserves Indicator: The school governing body provides adequate compensation to faculty, administrators, and staff; adequate staffing for the school’s program; and reasonable accumulation of reserves. Prompt: To what extent does the school’s governing body provide adequate compensation to faculty, administrators, and staff; adequate staffing for the school’s program; and reasonable accumulation of reserves?

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS adheres to all of the MCOE policies and the CBA when it  MCOE Policies comes to compensation of staff. Staff compensation is  CBA competitive with schools in the area and MSCS provides the same benefits package that is available to all of the MCOE employees.

Adequate staffing can sometimes be an issue. Because of the  MSCS Budget size of the school, small fluctuations in enrollment can affect the overall budget significantly. Staffing considerations are taken into account based on student need, potential future programs, state and local requirements, and current budget expenditures. Once all of the details are accumulated, a decision is made. For example, the hiring of a special education teacher this year was due to the meticulous review involved before hiring. The increased number of students with IEPs plus the increased overall enrollment made the decision to hire a logical one. It took a little more time, but the decision was the most appropriate.

Because of the small budget, an adequate amount of reserves are maintained. To mitigate any potential fluctuations in funding and enrollment, we maintain a substantial reserve. The reserve is used to also allow the school to expand without the need to request loans. While reserves are large in the current year, the expansion in the next few years will use some of those funds in order to keep the program and students unaffected by the additional costs.

Marketing Strategies Indicator: The school has marketing strategies to support the implementation of the developmental program, including research and information to help develop future planning. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s marketing strategies to support the implementation of the developmental program, including research and information to help develop future planning.

Findings Supporting Evidence As part of the MCOE, we have several opportunities to access resources to promote the program at MSCS. Through relationships and interactions with other departments, we can

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have them promote our program through their community contacts. Also, for media publications and promotion, the Public Information Officer (PIO) is available to help with marketing.

The most effective marketing strategy that has successfully  Advisory Board promoted the school is word of mouth. The success of the Meeting Agenda and program has led to student and parent’s recommendation to Minutes families and friends. Because of this, the demand for the school has increased significantly.

MSCS has many opportunities to promote the school through organizations such as the California Charter Schools Association  CCSA Website (CCSA) and events like National Schools Choice Week.  NCSW Website However, with demand at an all-time high, we are focused on promoting and managing an effective program that provides for all students. Student success is the most effective marketing strategy at our disposal.

Stakeholder Involvement Indicator: All stakeholders are involved in future planning, including addressing long-range capital needs. Prompt: To what extent are all stakeholders involved in future planning, including addressing long-range capital needs? How effective are the processes to involve all stakeholders?

Findings Supporting Evidence The staff and administrator regularly discuss the long term needs  Staff Meeting Agenda of the program and potential future growth. The administrator and  Advisory Board Assistant Superintendent of CAE regularly discuss long-range Agenda and Minutes planning and future goals of the program. For parents, students, and community members, they have the opportunity to get involved with future planning through Advisory Board meetings and LCAP Stakeholder meetings. This gives all stakeholders several opportunities to discuss long term plans and to provide input into those plans.

The current process for stakeholder involvement in future  Sign In Sheets – planning is effective to the extent that the process is utilized by all LCAP Stakeholder stakeholders. Despite the opportunities to get involved, and Advisory Board participation in the process from all stakeholders can still be Meetings improved.

Informing the Public and Appropriate Authorities Indicator: The governing authorities and school leaders inform the public and appropriate governmental authorities about the financial needs of the organization.

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Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the processes for the governing authorities and school leaders for informing the public and appropriate governmental authorities about the financial needs of the organization.

Findings Supporting Evidence Annually, the school budget is presented to the Merced County  MCBE Agenda and Board of Education for their approval. All pertinent financial Minutes information is presented to the board by the Director in Business Services. The budget is also presented to the Advisory Board at each quarterly meeting. Stakeholders and interested parties can attend these meetings to learn the financial health of the school.

Through the school’s website, the community also has access to  SARC the SARC and LCAP in which student needs, performance, and  LCAP expenditures can be viewed. The school strives to maintain a healthy and transparent budget for all of its stakeholders.

Should a financial need arise, the school administrator and Assistant Superintendent will meet to discuss how best to meet that need. Should public or governmental support be required, personnel from the school, CAE, or Business Services will contact the appropriate agency.

Adequacy of Reserve Funds Indicator: The school ensures the adequacy of reserve funds to ensure the financial stability of the school. Prompt: How does the school ensure the adequacy of reserve funds to ensure the financial stability of the school? Comment on whether the allocation of resources is sufficient to address the schoolwide learner outcomes and the critical learner needs of students.

Findings Supporting Evidence Since MSCS is a school of choice, the ability to accurately predict  MSCS Budget enrollment from year to year can be difficult. In the past, the school has experienced negative balances and has had to borrow to maintain the program. Over time, the budget was streamlined and maximized to give the most benefit to students. Despite this, the school has experienced downturns in the economy that have affected the program. To ensure that such future downturns or changes in the demand for the school can be managed, MSCS maintains a healthy reserve. Currently, MSCS has a substantial reserve and will utilize a portion of the funds to expand the program and add additional staff. However, current reserve levels allow sufficient resources to maintain financial stability.

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Decisions — Schoolwide Learning Results Indicator: The school bases resource allocation decisions in relationship to the schoolwide learner outcomes and the critical learner needs of the students. Prompt: To what extent does the school base its resource allocation decisions in relationship to the schoolwide learner outcomes and the critical learner needs of the students?

Findings Supporting Evidence Since the vision, mission, and SLOs of MSCS are connected,  Mission budget decisions are made on student needs in order for them to  Vision achieve all of the school’s outcomes. The staff are focused on  SLOs preparing students for their post-secondary life. Resources are  LCAP allocated on what program elements are necessary for students to be successful after high school. With the adoption of the LCAP, resources have been aligned to specific actions. By addressing each action in the LCAP, the student needs and school outcomes will be addressed.

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A7. Resources Criterion [Charter Schools only] The school has developed policies, procedures, and internal controls for managing the financial operations that meet state laws, generally accepted practices, and ethical standards. Indicators with Prompts Written and Adopted Policies/Procedures Indicator: The school has written adopted fiscal policies and procedures for internal controls. Prompt: Comment on the effectiveness of the school’s process for developing, reviewing, revising, and adopting written fiscal policies and procedures for internal controls.

Findings Supporting Evidence The school has fiscal policies for various procedures. Most  MCOE Policies processes and procedures in place in regards to fiscal decisions  MSCS Policies stem from MCOE policies. The school will develop or revise  Ed Code policy based on MCOE policy changes or changes in governmental regulations. Currently, policies are reviewed annually. Revisions can occur more often if needed, but to maintain stability in procedures, annual reviews are completed.

The majority of school fiscal policy and procedures are based on  MSCS Education student need. The education enhancement funds policy, for Enhancement Fund example, was developed based on the need for students to get Policy textbooks for their college courses in order to meet their a-g requirements. A policy was developed to meet this need and is reviewed annually.

The current process for fiscal policies and procedures are effective, but regularly reviewed to ensure they are meeting the needs of our students.

Annual Financial Audit Indicator: The school has an annual independent financial audit that employs generally accepted accounting principles, including a listing of audit exceptions and deficiencies which the school has resolved to the satisfaction of the charter-granting agency. There are written policies on the scope and responsibilities related to an independent financial audit. The school sends the audit reports to the authorizing agency and other government entities as required by law. Prompt: Examine how the school ensures accountability and determine the effectiveness of these policies and procedures.

Findings Supporting Evidence As part of MCOE, annual audits for MSCS are conducted during all MCOE audits. Formal audits of the school are conducted by outside auditors. The Department Services Manager schedules the times with the auditors and collects any and all necessary information for the audits. Independent auditors follow generally accepted accounting principles. MSCS has had no findings with our annual audits. Since the school is part of the charter-granting agency, the MCOE maintains all audit reports.

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Compliance of Personnel Indicator: Personnel follow the fiscal policies and procedures. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the accountability measures to ensure that personnel follow the fiscal policies and procedures.

Findings Supporting Evidence Internal audits and monitoring by the MCOE ensures that all  Business Office personnel comply with all sound fiscal policies and procedures. Procedures The school administrator is responsible for budget development and monitoring. This responsibility is under the supervision of the Assistant Superintendent of CAE. Additionally, the schools budget technician in Business Services monitors all budget outlays and ensures all proper documentation is completed.

Other specific expenditures are monitored by personnel in the  CAE Procedures CAE department. For example, the fiscal analyst monitors expenditures for field trips, school activities, and student organization funds. The HR tech oversees the documentation of absences to ensure proper tracking of sick leave for staff. All of this is managed under the department services manager, who also assists with the monitoring of the school budget.

All of these elements and personnel ensure that sound fiscal decisions are being made and that proper accountability is being maintained. The division of accountability measures among various school, CAE, and MCOE personnel provides an internal audit process that is effective and follows MCOE and MSCS fiscal policies and procedures.

Processes for Implementation of Financial Practices Indicator: The school has processes and protections for the following: 1) who is authorized to sign contracts, write checks, and release institutional funds; 2) the monitoring of payroll information; 3) the review of bank reconciliations and deposits/withdrawals of all school financial accounts; 4) the policies and procedures for the use of credit cards and other lines of credit. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s processes and protections for the following: 1) who is authorized to sign contracts, write checks, and release institutional funds; 2) the monitoring of payroll information; 3) the review of bank reconciliations and deposits/withdrawals of all school financial accounts; and 4) the policies and procedures for the use of credit cards and other lines of credit.

Findings Supporting Evidence As part of the MCOE, the school’s processes in regards to  MCOE Policy financial practices adhere to all policies and procedures of the  MOU with MCOE MCOE. In regards to each of these fiscal practices, the school  Indirect Costs administrator and/or Assistant Superintendent of CAE have final discretion in financial decisions.

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Fiscal responsibilities are distributed among the various departments and personnel. For example, payroll is managed and monitored by the HR department. The school’s budget technician in Business Services reconciles and monitors the school’s financial accounts. The policies and procedures for the use of credit cards and lines of credit are managed by the CAE department. The division of financial responsibility is beneficial to the school and community in that this division provides the checks and balances needed to maintain our financial integrity.

Contracts — Accounting Indicator: The school has a contracting process for services, equipment, and materials and accounts for all contracts of $75,000 or more and their purposes. Prompt: Explain the effectiveness of this process.

Findings Supporting Evidence As a school under the MCOE, the contracting process for the  MCOE Policy 3312 school falls under the guidelines and policies of the MCOE and CAE department. The guidelines for contracting of services, equipment, and materials for contracts of $50,000 or more require the signature of the County Superintendent of Schools. Amounts below $50,000 are managed by the Assistant Superintendents with input and guidance from each respective program. The entering of such contracts follows a process that adheres to all state regulations.

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ACS WASC Category A. Organization: Vision and Purpose, Governance, Leadership, Staff, and Resources: Summary, Strengths, and Growth Needs

Summary: MSCS is built on a solid foundation and belief that all students can succeed in a personalized learning environment. From the Superintendent and Board of Education and throughout the organization, we believe that with the right tools and services, every student can succeed. We have a conducive facility, exceptional staff, and a healthy budget that has prepared us for future growth. We continue to seek ways to get parents, students, and community members involved with the school. We continue to look at ways to improve, but with a solid vision, mission, and philosophy, we are committed to the success of every student.

Category A: Organization: Vision and Purpose, Governance, Leadership, Staff, and Resources: Areas of Strength  A solid vision and mission  A strong school philosophy  A healthy budget  Support of the district office  A safe and welcoming facility  Substantial reserve funds  NCLB compliant staff

Category A: Organization: Vision and Purpose, Governance, Leadership, Staff, and Resources: Areas of Growth  Staff participation in professional development  Greater communication with all stakeholders  Greater participation by stakeholders in the Advisory Board  Greater participation by stakeholders in the LCAP  Professional development in CCCSS and SBAC

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Category B: Standards-based Student Learning: Curriculum B1. Rigorous and Relevant Standards-Based Curriculum Criterion All students participate in a rigorous, relevant, and coherent standards-based curriculum that supports the achievement of the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Through standards-based learning (what is taught and how it is taught), these are accomplished. Indicators with Prompts Current Educational Research and Thinking Indicator: The school provides examples that document the effective use of current educational research related to the curricular areas in order to maintain a viable, meaningful instructional program that prepares students for college, career, and life. Prompt: Comment on the effective use of current educational research related to the curricular areas to maintain a viable, meaningful instructional program for students. Examine the effectiveness of how the school staff stay current and revise the curriculum appropriately.

Findings Supporting Evidence In order to maintain an effective instructional program, students must have access to quality materials and instructional time that is maximized to the greatest extent possible. Success in a non- classroom-based environment is dependent on a variety of factors, the most important of which is regular collaboration among teachers, students, and parents.

There are several ways in which MSCS reviews the curriculum to  Course Outlines ensure its effectiveness with students. First and foremost, all core  Pacing Guides curriculum is standards based and grade level appropriate. Students are provided materials that will prepare them for the next level of their high school career. Pacing guides are used for the core-curriculum to ensure students are meeting the rigor and expectations set forth by each course.

Along with quality materials comes regular assessment. Staff are well aware of the material contained within the standards and textbooks and assess students based on the expectations of each. High expectations are another factor to ensure a meaningful instructional program. Students are taught from day one that responses, whether written or oral, must be complete, well thought out, and grammatically accurate. Placing high expectations on student work ensures that the program is preparing students for college and career.

The accumulation of all of these components are shared among  Staff Meeting MSCS staff regularly during staff meetings. We discuss student Agendas outcomes and the extent to which those outcomes are affected by the school’s curriculum. We try and identify what is working well for students and what is not and adjust the curriculum and instruction appropriately.

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The regular collaboration among teaching staff is one of the most crucial components for student improvement. Staff communicate on a regular basis regarding issues and concerns with student learning related to the curriculum. Based on their discussions, curriculum changes are made such as adjustments to the pacing guides, required assignments, assessments, expectations on student work, and so forth.

When this Social Capital is strong, as Carrie Leana states in her  Article: The Missing article “The Missing Link in School Reform”, student achievement Link in School will improve. MSCS is effective in this regards as teachers have Reform built a trust with one another and see one another as experts in various areas. If they trust one another’s expertise, they are more willing to ask questions and work together. This discussion is what drives curriculum development and refinement to improve student success.

Academic and College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Each Area Indicator: The school has defined academic standards and college- and career readiness standards for each subject area, course, and/or program and, where applicable, expectations within the courses that meet the UC “a-g” requirements. Prompt: Evaluate to what extent there are defined academic standards and college- and career readiness standards for each subject area, course, and/or program that meet state or national/international standards and, where applicable, expectations within courses that meet the UC “a-g” requirements. Examine the annual submission of course syllabus approval to UC for all AP courses. Verify that the facility requirements for "wet labs" are met for all lab science courses. Findings Supporting Evidence In order to maintain a curricular program at MSCS that is  Course Outlines comparable to that of schools in the area, it is important that  UC/CSU Approved courses are rigorous and state standards based. This is indeed Course List the case with courses, especially our core courses in mathematics, English language arts, science, and social studies. Each of these subject areas has one to several University of California (UC)/California State University (CSU) approved courses.

Having a standards-based program is more than having adopted  CCCSS for ELA and texts that are standards aligned. All of the core textbooks at Math MSCS are aligned to the previous California State Standards while some have transitioned to the CCCSS. Just having aligned texts will not result in higher achievement unless you have high expectations. As an example, the answers in the Teacher’s Edition of adopted textbooks often refer to short or one word answers. However, having students perform at this level will not improve their reading and writing abilities. Rather, having students write detailed and evidence supported responses along

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with regular teacher feedback and support will have a greater impact on a student’s writing. To prepare students for college and career, we place a great emphasis on responses that require students to think and problem solve rather than merely regurgitate predetermined answers.

The same can be said of a-g courses. The UC/CSU approved  Sample of Student courses provide the rigor and requirements of college prep Work courses, but that does not imply that students will be ready for college. Students are expected to write detailed and evidenced based responses in their work that is expected to meet college expectations. Not all students are prepared for college level writing, but students are still expected to write detailed and coherent arguments with proper sentence structure and grammar.

We currently offer just one UC/CSU approved science course.  Biology Lab Syllabus Students taking biology at MSCS must attend a lab twice a month in order to meet their a-g requirement in this course. Students are able to use and apply the tools and concepts of biology in the lab. Other science courses that are needed to meet their a-g requirements must be taken through Merced College.

While MSCS has quite a few a-g courses, our course outlines  UC Doorways must be updated in the A-G Course Management Portal and Website reflective of the CCCSS. Courses in science will have to be updated and transitioned to the New Generation Science Standards (NGSS) when those standards are implemented. We are also planning on the addition of other courses on site including another a-g science course.

Despite these needs, the rigor and expectations of each a-g course remains high and students who achieve success in college prep courses will be more successful in their post- secondary education.

Congruence Indicator: There is congruence between the actual concepts and skills taught, the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which there is congruence between the actual concepts and skills taught, the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes.

Findings Supporting Evidence The most difficult component of any program is to maintain a  ILP Plan balance among all the demands and expectations of the state,  Orientation Packet community, parents/families, students, and staff. Under such

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circumstances, it is important to maintain a goal oriented attitude and focus on what the outcomes of the school truly are.

Based on this, curriculum is developed or adopted that meets  MSCS SLOs state standards and addresses the outcomes of the school’s SLOs. The school’s ultimate goal is to prepare students for success in their post-secondary education. It is not enough to prepare them to go to work or college, but to show them how to be successful in their endeavors and how to achieve to the best of their abilities.

The SLOs for MSCS are really the glue that binds all components of a well-rounded program. Motivated Academic Achievers focus on academic standards and college readiness. Socially Responsible Citizens prepares students for service in the community and their civic duty. Critical Thinkers focuses on preparing students for college and the technology based workforce. Self-Directed Learners develops a student’s motivation and self-regulating behaviors that will make them successful in their future endeavors.

Despite our success, we continue to work at achieving a greater  Benchmark exams congruence among all components of a successful program.  CST Released Test Because of the shift in state assessments from a traditional Questions multiple choice exam to one based on open responses, we must  SBAC Sample Test look at implementing literacy and writing program wide. We have Items always focused on improving a student’s writing abilities, but it is now necessary to apply those skills in disciplines such as math and science to a much greater extent.

We also continue to look for and improve ways in which to  LCAP Surveys provide students opportunities for collaboration and socialization.  List of Activities for The lack of school on a daily basis may affect a student’s abilities Students and to work efficiently and effectively with others. In order to develop Families the whole student, we are adding more opportunities for collaboration through more onsite courses, tutoring, field trips, student clubs, and school events. We continue to add more each year.

Student Work — Engagement in Learning Indicator: The school’s examination of representative samples of student work and snapshots of student engagement in learning demonstrate the implementation of a standards-based curriculum and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Prompt: Evaluate to what extent the examination of representative samples of student work and snapshots of student engagement in learning demonstrate the implementation of a standards-based curriculum and the addressing of the schoolwide learner outcomes.

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Findings Supporting Evidence In a non-classroom-based program, regular monitoring and assessment of student knowledge is essential. The belief at our school is that there is no busy work. All work should lead to learning and knowledge. Therefore, using assignments that are standards aligned and that will improve student achievement are necessary.

Over the past few years, MSCS has worked to develop a student  SLOs Portfolio portfolio that measures student achievement of the SLOs. This  Student Work portfolio is used as representative sample of all the work the Samples student completed while attending MSCS. Performance on these activities will demonstrate not only the achievement of school outcomes, but their engagement in the school’s education program. This work, plus student work files, are used regularly by staff to determine student performance and engagement.

Classroom observations are utilized to measure student  Sign In Sheets for engagement in the classroom environment. A big part of this is a Support Classes student’s regular attendance in their support classes. Sign in sheets are maintained for each support class. Future classes will utilize the web based version of Report Writer, which will allow teachers to track student attendance electronically and provide the administrator much more timely feedback on student attendance.

The addition of tutoring to the school program also provides  Sign In Sheets for insight into the student’s willingness to achieve standards and Tutoring meet the high expectations of the program. In this case, engagement is measured by the number of students who attend each tutoring session. Also, teacher feedback on student achievement from those students who do attend is used to measure engagement in this area.

Based on all of the measures, student engagement and success  Student Assessment is based on how effectively students utilize all of the resources Results available. Not all students are achieving as we hope they would,  Student Grades but students who are not being successful are also not utilizing resources effectively. For those that do, we have seen greater success – if the resources are used effectively. For example, coming to tutoring, but not asking questions provides no additional benefit. If this occurs, it will lead to lack of engagement and success for the student.

We continue to promote all of the opportunities that the school  Flyers for Events provides. We know that students who utilize these resources will  MSCS Website have a greater chance of success. Our efforts will continue in this direction and also look at providing more opportunities for students to engage with the school and their learning.

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Integration Among Disciplines Indicator: There is integration among academic and career technical disciplines at the school and where applicable, integration of outsourced curriculum into the program so that curricular integrity, reliability, and security are maintained. Prompt: Evaluate to what extent is there integration among disciplines and where applicable, integration of outsourced curriculum into the program so that curricular integrity, reliability, and security are maintained.

Findings Supporting Evidence Providing a standards focused curriculum across all courses  Course List promotes the integration of disciplines. The standards are what  Master Schedule binds the disciplines to a common focus. However, this can be (Aeries) extended further by having assignments that can cover more than one course or area of study.

We described how MSCS is in the process of integrating writing across all subjects, including mathematics. This has been done to some extent over the years, but not to the level that we are asking students to do now. This important change means that writing skills and practices must extend across all subjects and disciplines.

Another key element of integration of disciplines at MSCS is that  Science Projects since teachers cover multiple subjects with students, they can incorporate various cross-curricular assignments. Having students create a project and write a summary or report on what they created combines science or social studies with English.

Another way that the disciplines are being integrated is through  Problem of the Month the use of the Problem of the Month. This activity is given to every student regardless of their math class or level. The idea to improve writing in mathematics means the necessity to implement writing in mathematics schoolwide. As stated earlier the writing focus in our program is important to future student success and this is just one step towards improving those skills for students.

We do our best to align with college courses in order to ensure a seamless transition for students to their post-secondary education. However, we do not work as closely with instructors at the college, so our integration with college courses could use some improvement, but to what extent we are unsure.

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Curricular Development, Evaluation, and Revisions Indicator: The school assesses its curriculum review and evaluation processes for each program area, including graduation requirements, credits, and homework and grading policies, to ensure student needs are met through a challenging, coherent, and relevant curriculum. This assessment includes the degree to which there is involvement of key stakeholders (governing board members, teachers, parents, and students). Prompt: Comment on the effectiveness of the school’s curriculum review, evaluation, and review processes to ensure student needs are being met through the curriculum; include the extent to which there is involvement of key stakeholders.

Findings Supporting Evidence Program changes are conducted through a process in which decisions are made or systems modified based on the needs and performance of students. Curriculum, as well as other program components, are reviewed and evaluated by staff with input from parents and students. Additional information is sought from other entities from the MCOE or the community (i.e., Merced College).

At the beginning of each school year, staff meet for a one to two  Inservice Agenda day inservice in which student data is shared and analyzed by  MSCS Policy staff. In addition, other aspects of the program are reviewed such as policy, curriculum, school expectations, and graduation requirements. Staff have the opportunity to collaborate and discuss the needs of students for the upcoming year and what changes, if any, need to be made. Throughout the year during staff meetings, the review and evaluation of curriculum and other program components are discussed and analyzed.

If it is decided that a revision is needed to the program, feedback  Advisory Board is sought from stakeholders. This usually takes place during the Bylaws school’s Advisory Board meeting. At this point, the possible  Advisory Board revision is added to the board agenda to be discussed. Once a Meeting Agendas decision is made, the item is moved to an action item and voted and Minutes on or it may get removed if no revision is needed.

Recently, a suggestion was made to include five hours of  Policy on Graduation community service and the senior interview and portfolio to the Requirements policy on high school graduation requirements. We have required  Sample of Revision students to complete these two activities each year prior to to Policy graduation, but it has never been turned into policy. The idea was shared at several staff meetings before being presented to the Advisory Board. During two Advisory Board meetings, it was discussed, but the consensus was to leave the activities as is – as part of the student’s grade in their English class. Despite the differing views, the decision was made based on input from all stakeholders including staff, parents, and students.

This example demonstrates the process by which changes to the program are developed, evaluated, and revised. Policy changes

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can have a profound effect on a student’s success. Because of this, input from all stakeholders is important. The process should also focus on student needs and performance. MSCS does an effective job of the development, evaluation, and revision process of not only curriculum, but of program changes as well.

Policies — Rigorous, Relevant, Coherent Curriculum Indicator: The school assesses the curriculum and its rigor, relevancy, and coherency after examination of policies regarding course completion, credits, grading policies, homework, etc. Prompt: Determine the extent to which key stakeholders are involved in the selection and evaluation of the curriculum to ensure it matches the school’s mission and schoolwide learner outcomes. Particularly evaluate the strategies used to solicit teacher input into the design of the curriculum and the use of technology within the curriculum.

Findings Supporting Evidence When curriculum is added or changed, discussions are held and  Course Outlines input is sought prior to any final decision. When curriculum changes occur, it will coincide with the purchase of instructional materials. Being non-classroom-based requires us to make sure that students have materials that are appropriate for a home- based program.

Although we do not need approval of instructional materials from  Math Adoption the governing board, we do use the MCOE policy on the selection Toolkit and evaluation of instructional materials when adopting new  CCCSS Based Math instructional materials. When a new course is added, input is Textbooks sought from staff, parents, community members, and students. This is done through the Advisory Board. It is the forum where discussions on new curriculum will take place. This process is utilized when a completely new course is added to the program.

More often than not, changes to curriculum occur at the school  Inservice Agenda level with staff and administration and, if necessary, the help of  Staff Meeting the Instructional Services department at the MCOE. For example, Agendas the most recent purchase of textbooks for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II was managed in this way. The staff discussed the need to transition our math books to ones based on the CCCSS. We looked at several possibilities such as staying on the traditional track or moving to an integrated one. Instructional Services provided samples and we received some of our own. After much discussion, we decided on a purchase and stayed with the traditional track for math.

We will follow a similar process as we update our curriculum in ELA, social science, and science. We plan to incorporate input from the Advisory Board in future purchases to ensure they are providing feedback and input into the process.

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Teachers collaborate well and work together to maintain the rigor,  Teacher and Student relevance, and coherence of the curriculum. Teachers are Feedback on consistent across the board when it comes to maintaining a Technology rigorous and relevant curriculum. Teachers have not been as consistent with their use or their student’s use of technology in the curriculum. We can do more to provide additional opportunities for both teachers and students to utilize technology in the curriculum.

Articulation and Follow-up Studies Indicator: The school articulates regularly with feeder schools and local colleges and universities and technical schools. The school uses follow-up studies of graduates and others to learn about the effectiveness of the curricular program. Prompt: Share examples of articulation with feeder schools and local colleges and universities and technical schools, including comments on the regularity and effectiveness of these effects. What has been revealed through the follow-up studies of graduates and others regarding the effectiveness of the curricular program?

Findings Supporting Evidence Being a school of choice, MSCS does not have feeder schools or  Graduation schools that we directly feed into with the exception of post- Requirements secondary education. Aligning and articulating our courses to  Four Year Plan those of the college is very important to future student success. It  Individualized is not enough that students have the prerequisite courses to enter Learning Plan a class at the college, but to have the prerequisite skills as well.  Student Transcripts Preparing students for college is more than coursework – it is also about high expectations.

Having a close connection with Merced College not only helps  College Counselor with students completing their college prep requirements, but it Appointments – sign also helps with students who wish to transition to higher in sheets education. Having a college counselor and the placement test  MOU with Merced available to students on site provides a strong connection College between aligning school expectations and college expectations.  College Course Having students take college courses during their high school Approval Form career prepares them for what to expect when they attend college. It is made clear by us and the college counselor that high school students are treated the same as college students in their classes. There are no distinctions and the expectations are the same for all.

To prepare students for college, it is important to maintain  CCCSS Based Math rigorous articulated courses that will best prepare students. An Textbooks example of this would be the recent adoption of our math books. Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) chose to replace their math courses of Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II with integrated courses instead. Initially, our plan was to do the same. However, as we delved into the requirements for college and the

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needs of our students, we discovered that it would be more beneficial to stay with our math courses of Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. These courses align well with the articulation into Merced College courses and covers the material on the ACCUPLACER exam. As long as we focus our instructional efforts on concept development instead of skills development, we can achieve comparable, if not better, results with traditional courses versus the integrated disciplines.

Despite the lack of feeder schools, it is important to maintain a program that maintains the rigor and expectations that is similar to courses of the schools in the area. While we wish to have every student who enters our school graduate with us, the reality is that we may be a temporary placement for some students. We want to make sure that if this is the case, our students will be able to transfer back with no issues and maintain their long term goals.

Regular communication with Merced College and schools in the area are important for maintaining a program that aligns with these schools. Based on feedback from our graduates during follow up conversations, they felt the school did prepare them and provided them the skills they needed to be successful after graduation. To what extent this is true is uncertain, but the program is doing well in preparing students, but more can be done, especially as our demographics have changed.

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B2. Access to Curriculum Criterion All students have equal access to the school’s entire program and are provided assistance with a personal learning plan to prepare them for the pursuit of their academic, personal, and career goals. Indicators with Prompts Variety of Programs — Full Range of Choices Indicator: All students are able to make appropriate choices and pursue a full range of realistic college and career and/or other educational options. The school provides for career exploration, preparation for postsecondary education, and pre-technical training for all students. Prompt: How effective are the processes to allow all students to make appropriate choices and pursue a full range of realistic college and career and/or other educational options? Discuss how the school ensures effective opportunities for career exploration, preparation for postsecondary education, and pre-technical training for all students.

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS students are expected to enroll in a rigorous college prep  Administrator program. Our goal is that every student will have the opportunity Interview Handout to be successful in college. The benefits of our program is that it is truly personalized to the greatest extent possible based on the student’s goals. From the first meeting with the administrator through the entire program, students are asked about their goals – in the next year, two to three years, and beyond. Based on their goals, we help students make informed decisions as to what courses they should take.

Making appropriate choices begins with an appropriate plan. At  Individualized enrollment, teachers have students complete an Individualized Learning Plan Learning Plan (ILP). On this form, students are required to state  Four Year Plan their education and career goals. The teacher, parents, and  Graduation student discuss what the student needs to do in order to meet Requirements those goals. Additionally, each student has a Four Year Plan that is generated based on: student goals, student assessment, previous student performance, and MSCS graduation requirements. Once all of these components have been analyzed thoroughly, the student is assigned their courses for each semester.

The selection of courses at MSCS is somewhat limited compared  Master Schedule to that of a comprehensive school. Due to our small population and small number of staff, we only have so many courses that can be offered to students. However, the courses we do offer prepare students for many college and career choices.

For courses that are not available on site, students can take  UC/CSU Approved classes at Merced College. Students wishing to complete all of Courses their a-g requirements will complete courses in Chemistry, Physics, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, and a foreign language. Some students choose to take courses to explore different fields in music, art, and child development, to name a few. Others look for

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opportunities to gain skills for potential career opportunities such as taking courses in the welding or automotive trades.

For students interested in career technical education, we do have  ROP Course List a partnership with our Regional Occupational Program (ROP).  ROP Website This program is excellent for providing career-technical training courses and services to high school and adult students. ROP classes are appropriate for students who want to: explore career options, gain employability skills, earn high school credits, prepare for advanced education and training, learn new job skills and/or increase work experience, or earn credits at local community colleges. Many different classes are offered throughout the county at various school sites. MSCS students can access those classes if they so desire.

MSCS students have participated in ROP on a limited basis.  Student Feedback While such classes are an excellent opportunity for career exploration, many students have not taken advantage of the program. Some reasons include the limited availability of popular classes, having to attend the class at another school, and attending the class every day. Many students come to MSCS for the flexibility of scheduling and time management, but the current ROP classes are taught in a traditional setting on a traditional schedule.

MSCS strives to provide more opportunities for students to explore other paths and choices after graduation. While we do our best to provide as much information and help, the lack of an academic counselor has limited our abilities to help students make decisions on a full range of college and career choices. We are looking at other venues to provide such services, such as online programs.

Accessibility of All Students to Curriculum Indicator: A rigorous, relevant, and coherent curriculum to all students is accessible to all students through all courses/programs offered. The school examines the demographics and situation of students throughout the class offerings. The school’s instructional practices and other activities facilitate access and success for all students. Prompt: Evaluate students’ access to a rigorous, relevant, and coherent curriculum across all programs. To what extent do the instructional practices of teachers and other activities facilitate access and success for all students?

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Findings Supporting Evidence First and foremost, students who enroll in MSCS are provided  Four Year Plan with rigorous, grade level academics. Courses are assigned  ILP based on an analysis of a student’s transcript, transfer grades, and previous student performance. A plan is then developed that students will follow while attending MSCS. The Four Year Plan has the flexibility to be modified or adapted as needed, but students are guided through their academic endeavors based on the plan created at enrollment.

Once coursework has been assigned, the student undergoes a  Chapter Tests series of checks in order to determine if the coursework is  Unit Tests appropriate to their needs and goals. Teachers analyze student  Student Grades grades, assessment results, and student feedback regarding  NWEA Comparative assignments to determine the appropriateness of the curriculum Data Sheet to their learning. If it is determined that students are having difficulty with the curriculum, supports and modifications are suggested to help the student achieve grade level standards.

For students who struggle with the curriculum, support classes  Textbook Teacher and tutoring may assigned to give the student more instructional Editions time in a classroom setting. Students may also be provided alternate assignments within the grade level text to help them learn to access the information in the textbooks. Ancillary resources for textbooks include translated material and graphic organizers to help students with accessing the textbooks. Students with disabilities may be provided accommodations and modifications based on their IEP. Audio textbooks, shortened assignments, and the use of technology in some cases all help to ensure the curriculum is accessible for students with disabilities.

MSCS teachers do an effective job of personalizing the curriculum based on the individual needs of the student. Every opportunity is given for the student to succeed and to have the opportunity to take rigorous and relevant coursework that will lead to post-secondary success.

Student-Parent-Staff Collaboration Indicator: Parents, students, and staff collaborate in developing and monitoring a student’s personal learning plan, and their college and career and/or other educational goals. (This includes the evaluation of whether online instruction matches the student’s learning style.) Prompt: Evaluate to what extent parents, students, and staff collaborate in developing and monitoring a student’s personal learning plan, and their college and career and/or other educational goals.

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Findings Supporting Evidence Teachers, parents, and students communicate with one another on a regular basis. Communication is key to a student’s success. Since the parent serves as the student’s primary instructor at home, it is important that they and the teacher communicate regularly.

Parents are always encouraged to participate in their child’s  Student Parent education to the greatest extent possible. Parents are required to Handbook attend enrollment meetings with the administrator and teacher.  MSCS Policy Each semester, the student, parent, and teacher meet to review  ILP the student’s progress and goals and review and refine the ILP if needed. The student’s goals and plan can be reviewed more often if needed.

Parents are encouraged and asked to attend their student’s personalized learning session each week. While some parents do attend, many do not for a variety of reasons. For some, their work schedule makes it difficult to attend while for others the students prefer to meet one on one with the teachers. Nonetheless, parents are encouraged to work with their child and teacher in developing a plan that will most benefit their child.

Despite all of the opportunities for collaboration, parent  Parent Education involvement varies among students. We always encourage Data parents to participate in all aspects of their child’s education,  Socioeconomic Data including school events and the Advisory Board. Still, parent participation is difficult to attain. The changing demographics is also shifting the focus to where parents are more dependent on the school to meet their child’s educational goals. Because of this, we have to implement and provide more resources to achieve the student’s goals.

Monitoring/Changing Student Plans Indicator: The school implements processes for monitoring and making appropriate changes in students’ personal learning plans (e.g., classes and programs) and regularly evaluates them. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the ways the school ensures that processes are utilized for monitoring and making appropriate changes in students' personal learning plans (e.g., classes and programs).

Findings Supporting Evidence Despite having standard curriculum and coursework that we would expect all students to partake in, we understand that not every student learns or progresses at the same pace. That is why curriculum is individualized or personalized for each student in order to maximize their potential.

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Student plans are monitored regularly by staff to ensure students  ILP are meeting the goals of their learning plans (ILP and Four Year  Four Year Plan Plan). This is a collaborative effort since students may have  Student Work File additional teachers for their support classes. The personalized learning teacher maintains the students plans and each semester, will adjust those plans accordingly based on student performance and assessment.

After the ILP and Four Year Plan are created at the initial enrollment, the plans are reviewed and revised each semester. The administrator will review the progress of all students at the semester. Not only are plans revised, but additional requirements or supports may be implemented to ensure a student will succeed.

Student plans may be revised during the semester as well. This may be the case with students who are struggling with the program or perhaps, on the opposite end, wish to accelerate their learning. Students with IEPs may have modifications to their program take place during the semester as well. In this case, the IEP takes precedence over the other plans, but we do our best to make sure that the plans work with each other and not against each other.

The process MSCS has for revising plans is effective because of  School Philosophy the collaboration among staff on a regular basis. Staff discuss  Vision student issues and are able to use their expertise and that of their  Mission peers to find the appropriate solution for each student. The benefit of the program at MSCS is that the program is flexible and a student’s plan and coursework can be modified or refined as needed. This helps to ensure that each student’s program is personalized and meets their needs.

Post High School Transitions Indicator: The school implements strategies and programs to facilitate transitions to college, career, and other postsecondary high school options and regularly evaluates their effectiveness. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and programs to facilitate transitions to college, career, and other postsecondary high school options.

Findings Supporting Evidence In order to prepare students for their post-secondary lives, MSCS  Workability Portfolio has each senior complete a workability portfolio, five hours of Packet community service, and an exit interview. This tasks were implemented to teach students how to be critical thinkers and socially responsible citizens.

In their senior year, students attend a portfolio workshop in order  Employability to develop a portfolio that they can take with them upon Workshop

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graduation. The portfolio is meant to be the initial step toward Syllabus/Workshop employment for a student. The exit interview gives them the Dates feeling of what an interview will be like when they apply for a job.  Exit Interview The community service element is for teaching students to Questions always remember to give back to the community.  Exit Interview Rubric

MSCS also works with Merced College to help transition students directly to the college upon graduation. Because quite a few seniors have taken at least one college class by this point, transition to the college is relatively an easy process. There are some additional requirements that must be completed, but the college counselor assist students with meeting these requirements.

Cal-SOAP also provides workshops in Free Application for  Cal-SOAP Website Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and can help students to complete their financial aid applications on site. Most workshops by Cal- SOAP are at other sites, but the Cal-SOAP tutors can and have worked one on one with helping students complete this important step before applying to college.

Because MSCS does not have an academic counselor, students are not exposed to all the paths that they may pursue upon graduation. We need to make more connections with community, universities, and local businesses to make students aware of what the local area has to offer in terms of a career path.

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B3. Preparation for Career and College Criterion Upon completion of the high school program, students have met all the requirements of graduation and are prepared with success in college, career, and life. Indicators with Prompts Real World Applications — Curriculum Indicator: All students have access to rigorous and relevant curriculum that includes real world applications that will prepare students for success in college, career, and life. Prompt: Evaluate ways the school ensures that all students have access to a rigorous and relevant curriculum that includes real world applications that will prepare them for success in college, career, and life.

Findings Supporting Evidence We believe that success in our program will translate to success  SLOs for students in college, career, and life. The program at MSCS  ILP requires much more motivation and organization to be successful.  Four Year Plan At a traditional school, classes, curriculum, and instruction are extremely regimented. However, when a high school student is provided the autonomy to plan, schedule, and monitor their learning, the results can be tremendous or dismal. Students who are able to manage a heavy and rigorous course load, set priorities, and maintain an efficient schedule will show success in their post-secondary education. The program and our SLO on Self-Directed Learners are based on the idea that students will develop and monitor personal education and career goals.

There are several subject areas where real world applications are  Course Descriptions extremely applicable. Each student must complete either  Course Syllabi Computer Literacy (one semester) or Computer Applications (two  Course Curriculum semesters). These courses cover the use of the Microsoft Office suite including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. These programs will be extremely valuable to students after high school and are valuable skills for any employer. We are considering expanding the classes to include certifications in each of the programs. Also, Google Docs have been introduced so students can get experience with these tools and applications.

The biology course, including the lab, provides real world ideas  Biology Course and experiments that apply to the student’s lives. Topics cover Syllabus not only the elements of life, but also encourages healthy  Course Outlines behaviors. This is also true of the Health course that all students are required to take as part of their graduation requirement. Business Math is another course that covers good financial management skills that students can use after graduation. The senior portfolio and exit interview also prepares students for future jobs and careers.

The rigorous coursework and high expectations in each course is important in helping to prepare students for their post-secondary

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lives. Students that develop personal learning goals and learn how to prioritize will have success during and after high school. Still, students at MSCS can benefit from more real world relevant activities including additional courses, workshops, and field trips to businesses and universities.

Meeting Graduation Requirements Indicator: The school implements academic, college- and career-readiness support programs to ensure students are meeting all requirements, including the CAHSEE. Prompt: Comment on the effectiveness of the academic, college- and career-readiness support programs to ensure students are meeting all requirements, including the CAHSEE.

Findings Supporting Evidence Teachers work closely with the students and parents when  Student Transcripts developing a plan and assigning courses. The teachers are  Four Year Plan aware of their student’s credit requirements as this information is used to develop their Four Year Plan. The teachers review the plan each semester with students. Any issues in regards to meeting all graduation requirements are brought to the attention of the school administrator.

Every effort is made to ensure that students will be successful at MSCS. Each semester, the registrar and administrator review all of the students’ transcripts to monitor progress towards meeting the graduation requirements. The development of a Four Year Plan and subsequent review by the administrator ensure that an appropriate plan is in place and monitored so that students will meet their graduation requirements.

Prior to the enactment of SB725 and SB172, MSCS made a diligent effort to ensure that the CAHSEE would not be a hindrance to a student achieving his or her high school diploma. Courses and additional supports were provided that helped students to pass the CAHSEE. With the suspension of the CAHSEE, we still believe that these additional supports are necessary to provide students with those basic skills they need to be successful after high school. Although not a graduation requirement, the support class is still important to prepare students for college and career.

MSCS has an effective process in place to monitor and ensure students meet their graduation requirements. Our work can be improved upon with the help of an academic counselor. A counselor can help to track a student’s a-g completion rate more effectively and provide more guidance on college and scholarships. As we grow, we hope to add this service for our students.

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ACS WASC Category B. Standards-based Student Learning: Curriculum Summary, Strengths, and Growth Needs

Summary: For such a small program, MSCS has a variety of curriculum that prepares students for their post-secondary education. Still, we continue to look at adding additional courses and more offerings to help students provide for college and career. There must be a greater integration of technology in the classroom and curriculum in order to prepare students for the new workforce. Our connection with Merced College provides a unique advantage where students can participate in a wide array of college courses during their high school career.

Category B: Standards-based Student Learning: Curriculum: Areas of Strength  Rigorous curriculum  Standards based curriculum and textbooks  Support classes  Collaboration with Merced College  Tutoring  Teacher collaboration  A-g offerings  Regular staff collaboration on curriculum

Category B: Standards-based Student Learning: Curriculum: Areas of Growth  Academic counseling  Update curriculum to CCCSS and NGSS  Intervention curriculum and programs for students, specifically math  Greater use of technology in the curriculum  More diversified course offerings  Career Technical Courses  More participation in ROP

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Category C: Standards-based Student Learning: Instruction C1. Challenging and Relevant Learning Experiences Criterion To achieve the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes, all students are involved in challenging and relevant learning experiences. Indicators with Prompts Results of Student Observations and Examining Work Indicator: The school’s observations of students working and the examining of student work provide information on the degree to which all students are engaged in challenging and relevant learning to assist them in achieving the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. The school, particularly, has evaluated the degree of involvement in the learning of students with diverse backgrounds and abilities and modified approaches based on findings. Prompt: Comment on the degree to which all students are involved in challenging learning to achieve the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Include how observing students working and examining student work have informed this understanding.

Findings Supporting Evidence High achievement and success cannot be attained without first  SLOs setting high expectations and clear goals. From day one, the goal of the program is to prepare students for college and career as stated in our SLOs under Motivated Academic Achievers. At MSCS, we understand that if we are to develop motivated academic achievers, critical thinkers, and self-directed learners, it starts with a rigorous and challenging program. Students who struggle and leave the program often do so because they underestimate the expectations and requirements of the program.

Regardless of the level and background of students, high  Support Class Syllabi expectations are maintained in order to provide a continuous  Course Outlines challenge to help students improve their academic abilities. Since the majority of student learning happens outside of the school environment, providing materials and assignments that will challenge a student’s ability is important to promote academic growth.

Learning at MSCS starts with standards based curriculum and  Student Work textbooks. All core courses are connected to the California state Sample standards. The shift to the CCCSS has only added another  CCCSS Standards element to already rigorous coursework. For example, and Appendices mathematics assignments under previous California state  SBAC Sample Test standards for math required students to complete a number of Items problems that were skills based. Under CCCSS, it is shifting to fewer problems, but with more in depth responses. A simple answer will no longer suffice. Rather, the students’ rationale behind their answer is what is important. Such assignments lead

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to concept development and understanding rather than just skill development.

Regardless of the course, each assignment sheet has stated  Student Assignment objectives for each lesson for that week. Teachers often adapt and Work Record these objectives based on each student’s understanding and  Weekly Summary ability, but the requirements for each lesson is clear. When the Report work is returned the following week, all of it is reviewed and graded. This is done to ensure that work is being completed to expectation and that student responses are meeting academic and school standards. We do this to also convey the idea that all student work is meaningful and that students will be held accountable for their work.

An analysis of student work shows that students are meeting  Student Work these expectations to a varying degree. Those students who are Samples achieving high performance complete their work on time and turn in clear and complete work. Despite clear expectations and objectives, some students continue to struggle, particularly those students considered to be in the middle. “Middle” students at MSCS can be described as students who have the ability to perform well, but who have only achieved moderate and varied success. An example would be a student who gets a D in Geometry as a result of incomplete work and not utilizing resources properly rather than because of low assessment scores.  Sign In Sheets for Students that commit time daily to their assignments, attend Support Classes and support classes and tutoring regularly, and attend their Tutorials personalized learning session frequently will perform better. Those students that do not will continue to struggle. MSCS offers several days of tutoring, but students do not utilize this service to the extent they should. Additional supports and classes are needed for students, but regular attendance and commitment to the classes by students are just as critical. MSCS is looking at how to improve student commitment.

Student Understanding of Learning Expectations Indicator: The students know the standards/expected performance levels for each area of study. Prompt: Examine and evaluate the extent to which students know the standards/expected performance levels before beginning a new area of study; an example of online instruction is the use of pacing guides.

Findings Supporting Evidence Program expectations are clearly identified for students and  Student Parent families in the school’s Student Parent Handbook. All policies that Handbook relate to the student’s course of study are covered in the handbook along with graduation requirements and behavioral

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expectations. Course descriptions and expectations are also explained in the handbook. The handbook is given upon enrollment and is updated each year. Beginning next year, the handbook will be available in Spanish as well.

For personalized learning sessions, standards and expectations  Student Assignment are reviewed when the upcoming work for the week is assigned. and Work Record Standards and objectives are clearly defined in the Student  Student Work File Assignment and Work Record sheet. However, teachers often add specific expectations for each assignment in addition to those listed on the assignment sheet. Teachers state their expectations verbally or by adding specific instructions to the student’s assignment using the custom feature in the Report Writer software. When completed, students have a clear understanding of the work product they are to have when they return for their next appointment.

Each course also utilizes course outlines and pacing guides that list the content that will be covered throughout the course. Teachers have access to these and share this information with students as they progress through the course. Based on student needs, teachers will adjust the pacing and content accordingly, but the rationale for this is clearly conveyed to parent and student.

For support classes, students are given a syllabus that covers  Support Class Syllabi class expectations and the criteria for student performance and grading. The majority of staff require that syllabi are signed by both parent and student thereby acknowledging the requirements and their commitment to the class.

Students are well aware of the school’s expectations because the staff is committed to our vision, mission, and SLOs and relay this belief to students regularly. However, that does not imply that students know each and every standard, policy, or school outcome. What they do understand is that success in our program and their education requires commitment.

Students sometimes comment that the program was harder than  Student Feedback they thought or gave too much work. We convey to them and non-classroom-based learning requires a greater commitment and that the work is what should be covered in a traditional setting. There will be students who find success and failure in our program. No matter the student, we must continue the commitment that every student can succeed to the best of his or her abilities.

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Differentiation of Instruction Indicator: The school’s instructional staff members differentiate instruction, including integrating multimedia and technology, and evaluate its impact on student learning. Prompt: How effectively do instructional staff members differentiate instruction, such as integrating multimedia and technology? Evaluate the impact of this on student learning.

Findings Supporting Evidence By our very nature, the program at MSCS was designed with the  Charter Petition understanding that students learn differently than one another.  Vision Differentiation in instructional strategies and learning activities are  Mission important in ensuring every student has a positive learning experience and achieves academic success. This does not mean that students are all doing completely different work from one another. In fact, structure and consistency is key to a student’s success in the program. However, to support the needs of each student, a diverse set of instructional strategies is important.

The following are supports that are used to a varying degree by  Teacher Feedback MSCS teachers.  Observations  PowerPoint presentations  Leveled textbooks  Writing samples  Project based assignments  Google Classroom  Google Docs  Khan Academy  YouTube  Audio books  Realia

The importance of differentiated instruction in a personalized setting is to engage students with the textbooks or to engage students in the classroom. By doing so, students are more likely to complete assigned work and improve their overall literacy and comprehension.

The use of a variety of strategies has had a positive impact on  Sample Student student outcomes, especially for students with disabilities or who Work have trouble learning in the traditional way. For example, a few students with attention deficit issues have shown improvement by moving from handwritten work to work done using a word processor. To this end, Google Docs and Microsoft Word has been a tremendous benefit to these students.

Students who are below grade level and have deficits in reading fluency have found great benefit in using audio books to help with reading comprehension. Students may be provided with graphic organizers or customized assignments that help them address

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information effectively within the textbooks. Depending on the student’s ability and need, assignments may include written responses or project based activities. The type of assignment chosen is based on what is the most effective way to engage students in their learning.

In the classroom, PowerPoint presentations, Google Classroom,  Classroom video, games, hands-on activities are utilized. The use of Observations technology has increased as well. Document cameras have been used in biology and math while the Google Classroom system is being utilized in Computer Applications, Computer Literacy, and math courses.

Staff members have done an effective job differentiating instruction based on student needs and abilities. Our strength is in developing relationships with our students where we can discuss and personalize learning for each student. We must still work on providing additional supports for students who struggle and incorporate more technology into the classroom and the student’s personalized learning. Teachers will also need to continue training in the latest instructional strategies in regard to CCCSS, the ELA/ELD standards, and the upcoming New Generation Science Standards.

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C2. Student Engagement Criterion All teachers use a variety of strategies and resources, including technology and experiences beyond the textbook and the classroom that actively engage students, emphasize higher order thinking skills, and help them succeed at high levels. Indicators with Prompts Current Knowledge Indicator: Teachers are current in the instructional content taught and research-based instructional methodology, including the integrated use of multimedia and technology. Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which teachers effectively use a variety of strategies including multimedia and other technology in the delivery of the curriculum.

Findings Supporting Evidence The experience and longevity of staff at MSCS has given them a number of tools and strategies to support student learning. Good teachers, however, continue to learn and add additional strategies to their repertoire. This is the case with MSCS teachers with the implementation of the CCCSS and SBAC. The shift in standards, curriculum, and assessment has caused a shift in the instructional strategies to be used.

In the 2013-14 school year, teachers attended a series of  Problem of the Month afternoon workshops related to the CCCSS. At the time, two staff members attended trainings in ELA and two attended trainings in mathematics. At each staff meeting, teachers share the information with each other that was gathered at the training sessions. Through this training, instructional strategies and curriculum were modified to meet the challenge of the new standards. An example of this is Problem of the Month. We began using this Problem of the Month as a way to increase the amount of writing students were doing in math. At the time, students volunteered to try the problems. However, based on feedback from students and staff, the program is being implemented schoolwide this year.

The use of technology in instruction varies among teachers.  Classroom During the personalized learning session, teachers use direct Observations instruction and modeling to review work with students. During  Google Classroom classroom instruction, teachers often utilize the digital projector, laptops, and Chromebooks for instruction and student assignments. A few teachers are using Google Classroom as a Learning Management System (LMS) for their students.

Opportunities for professional development are available for staff. Staff are encouraged to attend trainings and conferences to stay current on trends and developments in curriculum and instruction. Staff have not taken advantage of such opportunities for a variety of reasons, but primarily because of the time needed to attend. Qualified substitutes are not available, so teachers would have to

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spend extra time catching up. We will have to find time for teachers to attend trainings in the future, which may include online training as well.

Teachers as Coaches Indicator: Teachers work as coaches to facilitate learning for all students. Prompt: Evaluate and comment on the extent to which teachers work as coaches to facilitate learning for all students. Provide examples.

Findings Supporting Evidence When looking at the program, it is apparent to us that the relationship between the student and their teacher is crucial for student success. Three things that will effect student success are a student’s motivation, organization, and punctuality (turning their work in on time). Teachers and staff often serve as cheerleaders and supporters for students in order to motivate and inspire them, much like a coach does.

Another aspect in which teacher’s act as coaches is in regards to  Orientation Packet knowing their students’ strengths and weaknesses and finding  ILP ways for them to improve. Coaches understand that drill and  Student Work File practice are essential in a player’s development. Teachers do the same with their students. Through the repetition and practice of essential concepts, students become more adept at understanding and are prepared for the next phase of their learning. For example, the writing process is a matter of practice, correction, more practice, and more correction.

Because of the limited amount of time teachers can have with students, teachers often have to focus on supporting students in their own learning. This includes teaching students study skills to help them complete assignments. It also means teachers use a lot of direct instruction to ensure students are receiving the required information for each lesson.

For many students, the teacher serves an important mentor role. Students come to school with a variety of issues and needs. The relationships with their teachers provides a level of trust where students and parents feel comfortable to communicate with their teachers. In this aspect, the teacher may be more of counselor or facilitator and help students work through some uncertainties.

Teachers are effective in this regards since they do what most good coaches do: bring out the best in their students. They work hard to help students reach their potential. The relationships that are built with students provides an opportunity for teachers to not only facilitate learning, but to mentor students toward future success.

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Examination of Student Work Indicator: Representative samples of student work demonstrate: a) structured learning so that students organize, access, and apply knowledge they already have acquired; b) that students have the tools to gather and create knowledge and have opportunities to use these tools to research, inquire, gather, discover, and invent knowledge on their own and communicate this. Prompt: Evaluate and comment on the ways in which student work demonstrates a) structured learning so that students organize, access, and apply knowledge they already have acquired; b) that students have the tools to gather and create knowledge and have opportunities to use these tools to research, inquire, gather, discover, and invent knowledge on their own and communicate this.

Findings Supporting Evidence Being a personalized learning program allows for students to  Student Work demonstrate their abilities in a way that works best for them. As Sample stated before, MSCS provides an organized and regimented program, but with the autonomy for teachers and students to learn in ways that are most productive.

Whether at home or at school, students must use skills like organizing and prioritizing to be successful. We emphasize and reiterate to students key concepts and have them apply what was learned through the prior week’s assignments. This can be measured through the student work, assessments, or projects and reports. In each course, students have to access and build on knowledge that was acquired from the past assignments or previous courses. For example, in mathematics such as Algebra I students build on concepts from previous lessons in order to learn new and more complex ones. The learning is continual and if students have difficulty with accessing prior knowledge, teachers will adjust instruction and review those concepts.

Weekly assignments are writing centered, but teachers provide opportunities for students to complete assignments in different modalities. Students may be asked to complete assignments that allow them to use their creative or artistic side. Models, posters, and project based assignments are some examples of what teachers use to allow students different forms of demonstrating their knowledge.

For assignments such as research reports, students will have to use all the tools available to gather information. This can vary from books and news articles to information that can be found on the Internet. Students may be asked to relay this information in the form of a written assignment or a presentation using tools such as Microsoft PowerPoint.

Student work shows teachers are using different tools to help students organize, access, and apply new and previous knowledge. The program, however, is still writing centered and

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accountability is maintained through student work samples. We need to incorporate the use of technology into student assignments and provide the tools they will need in the current and future workforce.

Indicator: Representative samples of student work demonstrate that students are able to think, reason, and problem solve in group and individual activities, project, discussions and debates, and inquiries related to investigation. Prompt: Evaluate and comment on how well the representative samples of student work demonstrate that students are able to think, reason, and problem solve in group and individual activities, projects, discussions and debates, and inquiries related to investigation.

Findings Supporting Evidence Student work showed that a student’s ability to write critically and  Student Work problem solve is determined by their reading and math ability. Sample Students who tend to perform well in their courses and achieve  Assessment Results high on their assessments had work that demonstrated higher  Grades order thinking skills. These students also had a more active role in the school or education. They either participated more in school events or took classes at Merced College. They also took advantage of tutoring and use their time wisely in the tutoring sessions.

Some students did not do as well because of either their reading ability, math ability, or both. Some students are in support classes, but other issues such as incomplete work appears to be hindering their abilities to improve.

A larger amount of student work samples that involve projects or inquiry activities was not available. This is something the school is looking to improve and provide students more opportunities to participate in these type of activities.

Indicator: Representative samples of student work demonstrate that students use technology to assist them in achieving the academic standards and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which representative samples of student work demonstrate that students use technology to assist them in achieving the academic standards and the schoolwide learner outcomes.

Findings Supporting Evidence While MSCS remains primarily a textbook oriented program, we  Student Work continually try to implement more technology based assignments Sample to the curriculum. Several students complete work using software  Google Classroom such as Google Docs and Microsoft Office. Assignments completed electronically are shared through email or printed and turned in to the teacher.

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Support classes are also utilizing more technology. Assignments are completed in some classes through the Google Classroom platform. Other classroom assignments include using presentation software such as Google Presentation and PowerPoint and students present their work to the class.

This work was just a small example of student work. More opportunities to get students involved with the use of technology in their education is needed.

Indicator: Representative samples of student work demonstrate student use of materials and resources beyond the textbook, such as use and availability of library/multimedia resources and services; availability of and opportunities to access data-based, original source documents and computer information networks; and experiences, activities and resources which link students to the real world. Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which representative samples of student work demonstrate student use of materials and resources beyond the textbook; availability of and opportunities to access data-based, original source documents and computer information networks; and experiences, activities and resources which link students to the real world.

Findings Supporting Evidence Students continue to use assigned textbooks as their primary  Student Work resource for their learning. Teachers sometimes can and do Sample modify textbook-based lessons and have students utilize other resources to complete assignments. The most common form of this is the research paper or report. In various subjects, students are periodically required to complete a research paper regarding a topic presented by the teacher. In many cases, students are allowed to use other resource material and resources such as the Internet to find this information.

Ideally, students should be able to access any resources to complete their assignments. However, to maintain accountability and learning credibility, we focus on students answering questions out of the book based on information from the book. This way students develop their reading comprehension abilities. Assignments may be supplanted by ones generated by the teacher, but the source material is often defined by the teacher. The reason is to prevent students from just “Googling” the answers. Regular checks for plagiarism and regular assessment ensure students are being held accountable and honest.

We are looking at providing students more opportunities to provide real world applications in their assignments. The shift to CCCSS requires the use of more project based or application based assignments.

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Real World Experiences Indicator: All students have access to career awareness, exploration and preparation that may include such activities such as job shadowing, internships, apprenticeship programs, regional occupational programs, on-the-job training programs, community projects and other real world experiences and applications. Prompt: Evaluate the degree to which the opportunities for access and involvement in a variety of real world experiences are available and effective.

Findings Supporting Evidence In order to prepare students for their post-secondary education  Student Work and career, MSCS focuses on those skills that will best suit Sample students in college and in the workforce. While the curriculum is focused on preparing students for college, MSCS attempts to engage students in activities to prepare them for their careers.

Many opportunities are available through the ROP program – a program where students can explore possible career choices through career oriented courses. However, this opportunity is not utilized by students to the extent that we would like.

While there are not many opportunities for students to participate in internships, apprenticeships, and job shadowing programs, we do our best to provide students every opportunity to get involved in the community. The Leadership Class is focused on community involvement and commitment. Students plan community projects each year and perform the service throughout the year. Students are also involved in community programs such as LOVE Merced.

Students are also provided opportunities to be involved with field trips that will give students unique experiences or exposure to fields that they would not normally encounter within our community. For example, the World Ag Expo is a field trip that exposes students to a wide variety of agriculturally related fields, some of which students may not have realized were ag related.

Another real experience that is used to expose students to experiences in the workforce is the senior exit interview and portfolio. This gives students experience in interviewing, which is something they will utilize in the future.

We provide students opportunities to get involved in real world experiences. As we continue to grow, we will increase those opportunities as well. We also hope to increase student participation since not all students have taken advantage of these experiences.

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ACS WASC Category C. Standards-based Student Learning: Instruction: Summary, Strengths, and Growth Needs

Summary: Our greatest strength with a personalized learning environment is in the relationships that we can build with our students. Having that one-on-one time is valuable in motivating our students toward accomplishing their goals. We have experienced teachers who use a variety of strategies and assignments to engage students in their learning. Students have opportunities to participate in assignments and activities that address a variety of modalities and learner needs. We still need to increase these opportunities for students to demonstrate their knowledge and utilize more application based activities. We also have to utilize technology in an effective way that will get students engaged with the program.

Category C: Standards-based Student Learning: Instruction: Areas of Strength  Relationships with students  Personalized instruction  Onsite support classes  Focus on writing  Tutoring  Variety of instructional strategies  Experienced instructors

Category C: Standards-based Student Learning: Instruction: Areas of Growth  Greater use of CCCSS based instructional strategies  Increased use of technology in instruction  Greater supports for intervention  Wider variety of assignments to include project based and inquiry assignments

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Category D: Standards-based Student Learning: Assessment and Accountability D1. Using Assessment to Analyze Monitoring and Report Student Progress Criterion The school staff uses a professionally acceptable assessment process to collect, disaggregate, analyze, and report student performance data to the school staff, students, parents, and other stakeholders. Indicators with Prompts Professionally Acceptable Assessment Process Indicator: The school staff uses effective assessment processes to collect, disaggregate, analyze, and report student performance data to all stakeholders. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the assessment processes.

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS utilizes a variety of formative assessments along with summative assessments in order to determine student mastery of content and the effectiveness of the program. We find the use of assessment on a regular basis an invaluable tool in ensuring student progress towards their goals and academic growth. Assessment is also a valuable accountability tool and helps to maintain the integrity of student learning.

Assessment first begins at the local level. Every student that  NWEA enrolls in MSCS is required to take a diagnostic math and reading assessment on NWEA. The scores generated are used as a base indicator for future growth. It is also used to ensure students are properly placed in the correct courses. The scores, along with past performance on assessments and courses, assures our students are placed appropriately.

Throughout their career at MSCS, students are regularly  Chapter tests assessed and monitored to ensure understanding of the material.  Unit tests Student assignments are assessed and graded weekly. Along  Quizzes with their assignments, short written and verbal quizzes are given at just about each personalized learning session. Chapter and unit tests are administered at the appropriate times in the student’s progression through the course. Longer quizzes, chapter tests, and unit tests are all used to ensure student learning and that students are progressing towards mastery of standards.  Benchmarks Several core courses have benchmark exams that are given three times a year and help to determine student proficiency in the course and projected proficiency on state assessments. The results of benchmark exams are used at the school level as well as at the individual level. Student results on benchmarks are

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counted as part of the student’s grade for their weekly assignments.

Students also participate in all state assessments such as  CAHSEE CAHSEE, CELDT, CAASPP (ELA, Math, EAP), CST Science,  CAASPP and Physical Fitness Testing. These assessments in conjunction  CELDT with local assessments are used to make instructional decisions for each student and for the school as a whole. Shorter more periodic assessments such as quizzes, weekly assignments, and chapter tests are used to determine student understanding. Based on these exams, instruction and pacing can be adjusted accordingly.

NWEA is utilized for placement, but the analysis of pre- and post- test scores provide data on the program and whether adjustments should be made to the program. State assessments also help with determining overall school performance, but more specific exams such as CELDT and CST Science are utilized for specific subgroups or populations.

The combination of all of these assessments work to provide an effective assessment program for students. Using several data points helps to justify changes to a student’s plan. For example, data from NWEA, weekly grades, tests, and benchmarks are combined to determine if students require a support class or additional help through tutoring. In this way, assessment becomes a powerful tool for staff, students, and families. When assessment results are analyzed as a whole, they can provide valuable information on the effectiveness of the program. MSCS utilizes an effective process of assessing students.

Indicator: There are effective processes to keep district, board, parents, and the business and industry community informed about student progress toward achieving the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the processes that inform appropriate stakeholders (governing board members, teachers, students, parents, business/industry community) about student achievement of the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes.

Findings Supporting Evidence All the information from assessments are utilized and disseminated to the appropriate stakeholders. Whether it is through the one-to-one personalized learning session, or through an LCAP stakeholder meeting, every effort is made to monitor and report student outcomes on assessment. The monitoring and reporting is important in ensuring that our school and students are achieving their goals.

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The results from NWEA, quizzes, chapter tests, and unit tests are  Student Work shared with students and parents during the personalized Sample learning sessions. The results are incorporated into the student’s weekly grade and used to determine what, if any, reteaching needs to occur. Poor scores can result in a student redoing the previous section or chapter, being assigned to tutorial, or being placed into a different course. All possibilities are to improve outcomes for students.

At the school level, the results of benchmarks and NWEA are  Benchmark used by administration to determine overall student progress and Spreadsheet performance. While the results of benchmark exams are also  Benchmark incorporated into student grades, the results are used primarily to Correlation Chart determine student success on state exams. However, with the  NWEA Active List shift in state testing, these results are being used primarily by  NWEA Report administration to monitor student progress.

NWEA pre- and post-tests are used to determine if student  NWEA Reference progress is being achieved at an appropriate rate of growth as Chart determined by the student’s grade level, preliminary scores, and  LCAP predetermined growth rates based on NWEA’s most recent norm studies. Individual student results are used by the teacher to share with students. Overall scores for the school are shared at LCAP stakeholder meetings and Advisory Board meetings.

Students are required to participate in all required state  MSCS Website assessments. This information is used primarily at the  Dataquest Website administrative level, but is also distributed to students and parents. State assessment information is included in the LCAP  SARC and SARC each year. These documents are available to all  Advisory Board stakeholders through the school’s website. More detailed Agenda/Minutes information can be found through the CDE’s data website  LCAP Dataquest.

MSCS does an effective job of informing stakeholders of assessment results. We can always improve on educating our stakeholders on the meaning of test results and correlating data. The purpose of assessment must always be conveyed to parents and students regularly to ensure the students put forth their best effort on tests. Still, MSCS has effective processes in place for informing stakeholders.

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Parent/Community and Student Achievement Indicator: The school ensures that the parents and school community understand student achievement of the academic standards/schoolwide learner outcomes through the curricular/cocurricular program.

Prompt: Determine the adequacy and effectiveness of the school’s strategies to ensure that parents and school community understand student achievement of the academic standards/schoolwide learner outcomes through the curricular/co-curricular program. Findings Supporting Evidence Like many things in the school, information on what constitutes  Student Parent student achievement and success at MSCS is shared with Handbook parents and students from day one. At the pre-enrollment  SLOs meeting with the school administrator, students and parents are  Four Year Plan made aware of the SLOs, grading policy, and Four Year Plan for their child. We start with the goal in mind and personalize the student’s curriculum and program based on these goals.

At the beginning of the program, students are made aware of the  Student Work school’s expectations. All work the student does is for the Samples purpose of improving their academic abilities. Testing is used regularly to determine if students are making progress. For each assessment, results are shared with the students and tracked through grades and maintained in the student work files. Throughout this process, results are shared with parents and students during the personalized learning meetings.

On a more comprehensive level, results are shared through  MSCS Website meetings such as the Advisory Board meetings and LCAP  Dataquest Website Stakeholders meetings. The overall student data is shared  SARC regularly with these two groups. For community members, they  Advisory Board may reference the school’s website or the Dataquest website for Agenda/Minutes information on student data. The SARC is posted each year to  LCAP the website along with the school’s mission, vision, and

educational philosophy.

For parents and students, official results are mailed home for state assessments as they are received. CAHSEE, CAASPP, and CELDT results are mailed to parents with a brief explanation of the results. If parents would like further explanation of what the results mean, they can ask their child’s teacher or the school administrator for further information.

Informing parents of what constitutes student achievement is an ongoing process. Specific exams, such as NWEA, must be explained to new students and parents as this program is unique to the school. With the newness of the SBAC, regular feedback is important for parents and students in order to better understand the meaning of the assessment results.

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Monitoring of Student Growth Indicator: The school has an effective system to monitor all students’ progress toward meeting the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes.

Prompt: Evaluate the system used to monitor the progress of all students toward meeting the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Findings Supporting Evidence All course assessments are standards based and assess what  Aeries students should know based on the standards. MSCS utilizes two  Report Writer main systems to monitor student progress: Aeries Student Information System (SIS) and Report Writer Learning Management System.

Report Writer is used to track the student’s courses and assignments. Quizzes, chapter tests, and unit tests are all included in the system as part of the student’s grade. The Aeries SIS is the main database for all student information. State assessments are maintained within this system. We are in the process of adding NWEA and other data to the system.

While we monitor student growth in a variety of ways through a variety of assessments, we would like to look at software that can help to collect, analyze, and disaggregate student results more effectively. A system such as Aeries Analytics, for example, may serve as an effective tool. We are looking at a variety of platforms to achieve this goal.

Basis for Determination of Performance Levels Indicator: The school staff has determined the basis upon which students’ grades and their growth and performance levels are determined and uses that information to strengthen high achievement of all students. Prompt: Evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the basis for which students’ grades, their growth, and performance levels are determined.

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS utilizes a standard four point grading system based on a  Student Parent standard percentage breakdown (i.e., 70% to 79% is a C, 80% to Handbook 89% is a B, etc.). This system is the most commonly used  Syllabi for Support grading system in schools in the area and the community college. Classes Grades coincide more or less to the following performance levels (similar to the CST performance levels): A – Advanced, B – Proficient, C – Basic, D – Below Basic, and F – Far Below Basic.

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Unit tests, chapter tests, quizzes, and student assignments use this performance level system.  Benchmark Benchmark exams also use a very similar scale to the one listed Equivalency Table above. There is one added exception in that the results of the benchmark are scaled based on predetermined equivalency levels. This was done so the benchmarks closely aligned with the CSTs. The scaled score also provides the student a grade on the assessment and that grade will be entered into the student’s gradebook.  CST Reports The performance level on state assessments have predetermined  CAASPP Reports performance levels assigned to them. While the CST in science  Aeries utilizes the previous system performance levels, the new SBAC exams use a four level performance system: Standard Exceeded, Standard met, Standard Nearly Met, and Standard Not Met. The CELDT exam currently uses five levels, but that will change to three levels when the new English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) is implemented.  NWEA Reference For the NWEA assessments in reading and math, there are Chart predetermined growth measurements based on the student’s  NWEA Norm Study score and grade level. These growth measurements have been determined by NWEA to be the optimal growth a student should achieve between the fall test and spring test. (pre- and post- tests). The data was generated by analyzing the data from millions of students across the United States. Growth points and proficiency levels are based off of this data, which was generated as recently as 2015. NWEA information is updated about every five years by the company and updates are made available on the company’s website.

These performance levels and grading system are adequate and provide accurate feedback on student performance. To truly measure student progress and growth, it is important to look at data from various measurements to get accurate information on students. As updates or changes are made to local and state assessments, the performance indicators may be updated as needed.

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D2. Using Assessment to Monitor and Modify Learning in the Classroom Criterion Teachers employ a variety of appropriate formative and summative assessment strategies to evaluate student learning. Students and teachers use these findings to modify the learning/teaching practices to improve student learning. Indicators with Prompts Appropriate Assessment Strategies Indicator: Teachers use appropriate formative and summative strategies to measure student progress toward acquiring a specific body of knowledge or skills such as essays, portfolios, individual or group projects, tests, etc. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of the assessment strategies selected based on the programmatic goals and standards to determine student achievement. Evaluate the selection of and the use of proctors, the security systems for test documents, and the means to maintain the integrity of the assessments. Findings Supporting Evidence Teachers at MSCS understand the purpose and importance of  Student Work regular assessment of students through a variety of tools. At Samples MSCS, those tools can be classified based on three levels: informal assessments, formal assessments, and standard, or state, assessments.

Teachers will check for understanding through both formal and  Quizzes informal strategies. Informal strategies include question and  Sample Writing answer, short 5 to 7 question quizzes, short writing prompts, and Prompts verbal checks for understanding. All of these are used by the teachers in their personalized learning sessions with students and are selected based on the level and ability of their students.

To determine understanding of the material in their weekly  Unit Tests assignments, teachers will use more formal means of  Chapter Tests assessment. These include longer quizzes, chapter tests, unit tests, and benchmark exams. In this category, we also include the use of diagnostic tests such as NWEA and ACCUPLACER. State assessments are utilized to gain an understanding of the overall effectiveness of the program and overall progress of students.

Regardless of the assessment used, staff make assessment security a priority. All requirements for security required by the state are followed strictly and diligently for state assessments. For  CAASPP Manual local assessments, those are collected and kept. Results are  School Procedures shared with students, but not the exam. For informal assessments, individual problems are reviewed and shared. For example, some quizzes may be homework checks where items from the student’s work may be selected as part of the quiz. These items are obviously available to students, but the randomness of the selection makes sure students will have to understand the content of the work they completed.

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For computer assessments, other strategies are used. For  ACCUPLACER NWEA, test session passwords are required which are only at the Manual disposal of proctor. The same is true of ACCUPLACER as there  NWEA Manual are strict rules for administering this test at our site. As a result, we added the software Pro Vision to help monitor computer tests. With Pro Vision, we can monitor individual computers from a single computer and know everything that the student is doing on the computer. Also, like the SBAC, CAHSEE, and other state exams, electronic devices are not allowed during any assessments. The school has testing areas available but we also utilize areas next to teacher offices so that we can always monitor students while they are testing.

The key to security is always to monitor students while testing. It is also important to support students while testing, so having quiet, uninterrupted testing time is a priority. While we control the use of peripheral devices for testing, we do allow some items (i.e., calculator) for certain reasons such as in the case of students with IEPs. A student’s IEP may allow them the use of certain accommodations and modifications so their disability does not interfere with them being successful on assessments.

The process in place for selecting the appropriate assessment strategy and monitoring students during testing is effective. As we grow, we must continue to focus on maintaining a conducive and secure testing environment in order to truly determine our students’ academic achievement.

Demonstration of Student Achievement Indicator: A range of examples of student work and other assessments demonstrate student achievement of the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes, including those students with special needs. Prompt: Evaluate how student work and other assessments demonstrate student achievement of the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Findings Supporting Evidence Since courses and assignments are standards-based, the results  Sample of Student of local and state exams give us an indication of how well Work students are meeting the academic standards. Quizzes, chapter  Benchmark tests, and unit tests are all standards aligned and provide Equivalency Table teachers feedback on the student’s understanding of a selected  Student Grades group of standards. Benchmarks and state assessments provide  CAASPP Results a more comprehensive look at student achievement towards  CAHSEE Results meeting the state academic standards.

The ACCUPLACER and EAP both provide information as to the  ACCUPLACER college readiness of students. Grades are also another major Results

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indicator of college preparedness, especially in regards to student  EAP Results performance and a-g courses. The results from these tests and other local and state assessments provide an overall indication on how well students are meeting the SLOs, specifically motivated academic achievers and self-directed learners.

While not a formal assessment, the senior interview and portfolio  Interview Rubric serves as an overall measure of how well students are prepared  SLOs Portfolio for college and career. Feedback from community members on a student’s interview skills provides us information on how well students are prepared for the workforce. Also, the SLOs Portfolio also shows an aggregate collection of student work over the years and how well they have met the school’s outcomes.

All of these measures, both formal and informal, provide an indication of how well students are achieving academic, college, and school standards. The feedback form the assessments provides us adequate information to determine student achievement, but regular review and refinement are required so we stay current on the latest changes in assessing students.

Curriculum-Embedded Assessments Indicator: The school regularly examines standards-based curriculum-embedded assessments in English language and math, including performance examination of students whose primary language is not English, and uses that information to modify the teaching/learning process. Prompt: How effective are the standards-based curriculum-embedded assessments in English language and math and all other curricular areas as students apply their knowledge? Findings Supporting Evidence Curriculum embedded assessments are a key piece to holding  Student Work students accountable for their weekly learning. Since students Samples primarily work from home, it is important to measure progress and understanding through regular assessments.

The primary embedded assessments used by teachers are the  Quizzes quizzes, chapter tests, and unit tests that are included within  Unit Tests each text. The Exam Pro software that each teacher has allows  Chapter Tests them to customize these tests for each student if necessary. Teachers also use more informal ways of checking students for understanding. An example of this is using teacher selected questions from the student’s weekly assignment and using those items as test questions. This maintains student accountability for their work and also provides feedback on student understanding and retention.

For English, the primary embedded assessment is the student  Sample Student work. Students are given a variety of writing tasks to do each Work week. Their responses are graded by the teacher for content,  Writing Rubric

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grammar, and supporting details. All teachers regularly work with their students on the writing process. This form of assessment helps to improve those skills over time.

While curriculum-embedded assessments are effective in our program, they need to be updated to include newer type test items. We have begun this transition with the adoption of new math textbooks for 2016-17 and will also adopt new ELA textbooks the following year. These newer texts have embedded assessments that provide a more diverse set of test items than the typical multiple choice ones. As we move forward, staff will receive training in performance task oriented test items and tests in all subjects will be updated in the following years.

Student Feedback Indicator: Student feedback is an important part of monitoring student progress over time based on the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. Interviews and dialogue with representative students inform the degree to which learning experiences are relevant in preparing students for college, career, and life. Prompt: Using interviews and dialogue with students, evaluate the extent to which students understand the expected level of performance based on the standards and the schoolwide learner outcomes in relation to preparation for college, career, and life. Evaluate the effectiveness of the student-teacher interaction and monitoring of student progress based on student feedback.

Findings Supporting Evidence The relationship between teacher and student is very important in  Student Feedback the success of a student at MSCS. Without good communication,  Sample Student a student can easily fall behind and struggle in the program. Work Having just an hour a week is not enough time to be able to provide the optimal amount of support. Students need to communicate their needs at each session in order to ensure they are getting the appropriate amount of help.

Students at MSCS are aware of the school’s expectations. They know that we want every student to perform to the best of their abilities and beyond. They may not be able to state each and every standard they cover, or repeat the SLOs verbatim, but they understand that we are preparing them for graduation and beyond. We readily discuss with students the need to set goals and to prepare themselves for college and career.

To what extent students understand and meet expectations varies among students. We try and motivate each and every student, but those who are more goal oriented tend to have greater success in the program. We must focus more on educating students and parents on the school’s outcomes and expectations for performance. However, what student’s value most from our program is the relationship they build with their

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teachers and the staff. To them, this has had more of an impact on their education than courses, curriculum, or assessments.

Modification of the Learning/Teaching Process Indicator: Assessment data is collected, analyzed, and used as the basis to make decisions and changes in the curricular and instructional approaches to ensure students are prepared for success in college, career, and life. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of how assessment data is collected, analyzed, and used as the basis to make decisions and changes in the curricular and instructional approaches.

Findings Supporting Evidence Teachers regularly use student assessment results to determine  Quizzes what concepts and topics need to be reviewed or retaught.  Unit Tests Student work, chapter tests, unit tests, and quizzes are used to  Chapter Tests determine student performance on a weekly or biweekly basis. These assessments provide the teacher prompt feedback and are able to adjust instruction and curriculum accordingly.

On a program level, benchmark, diagnostic, and state  CAASPP Results assessments are utilized to determine more significant program  CAHSEE Results changes. The information from these assessments are shared and discussed at stakeholder meetings and staff meetings to determine what, if any, changes need to be made. Program changes that have occurred based on assessment data include the addition of support classes, tutoring, and/or additional or supplementary curriculum. A recent example was the need to update our math textbooks to better prepare students for the SBAC assessment in math. The decision was based on previous CST, benchmark, and NWEA data, but solidified with the recent administration of the SBAC.

For students with IEPs, it is important to monitor their progress to ensure the students are meeting the goals stated in the IEP. Modifications and accommodations are made based on what is stated in the IEP. Students with IEPs take the same exams as other students, but modifications are included if needed.

Overall, teachers make effective use of assessment data to modify the teaching and learning process to meet the student’s needs.

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D3. Using Assessment to Monitor and Modify the Program Schoolwide Criterion The school, with the support of the district and community, has an assessment and monitoring system to determine student progress toward achievement of the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. The system drives the school’s program to continually improve and to allocate resources to effectively meet student needs. Indicators with Prompts Assessment and Monitoring Process Indicator: The following stakeholders are involved in the assessment and monitoring process of student progress: district, board, staff, students, parents, and the business and industry community. Prompt: Evaluate the impact of stakeholder involvement in assessing and monitoring student progress. Include district, board, staff, students, parents, and the business and industry community.

Findings Supporting Evidence Stakeholders are involved in varying degrees when it comes to  CAASPP Results assessing and monitoring student progress. School and district  CELDT Results staff are the primary stakeholders when it comes to assessing  CST Results students and monitoring students. School and district staff  Inservice Agenda administer all state assessments including SBAC, CST, and  Staff Meeting CELDT. The results are shared with the administrators and staff Agendas first and analyzed to determine the students’ needs and the changes that must occur based on the data.

Other stakeholders such as the board, parents, and business  Advisory Board community are involved more with the monitoring of student Meeting Agenda and assessment data. To this end, MSCS provides a variety of ways Minutes in which we disseminate this data. Currently, the school’s LCAP  LCAP serves as the primary medium through which student progress is disseminated and budgetary decisions are made. The results from state assessments and some local assessments are listed on the LCAP each year. This plan is the most inclusive for providing stakeholders information on student assessment and progress.

Students are the primary focus of all assessments. Therefore, the  NWEA Report results are shared and discussed with them by teachers and the  Student Progress administrator. School assessment results are shared with Reports students and parents to inform them of the student’s progress.

These results can yield changes to the student’s plan and

program, so an understanding and discussion of the results is

important.

For state assessments, individual student results are sent home for parents to review. All state results are also uploaded to the  CAASPP Report school’s Student Information System (SIS). This information is  SARC shared with the public at large in the form of the School Accountability Report Card (SARC), which is updated annually.

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Assessment data is presented to the school’s Advisory Board at the board’s quarterly meetings.

The goal of presenting data to all stakeholders on a regular basis is so the school is transparent on its curricular and budgetary decisions. The data provides validity to our program and what we do. Being forthright in this respect has created a good relationship between the school and its stakeholders.

Schoolwide Modifications Based on Assessment Results Indicator: The school uses assessment results to make changes in the school program, professional development activities, and resource allocations demonstrating a results-driven continuous process. Prompt: Comment on the overall effectiveness of how assessment results have caused changes in the school program, professional development activities, and/or resource allocations, demonstrating a results-driven continuous process. Examine examples and comment on the overall effectiveness of changes in the online opportunities, professional development of the staff, and the resource allocations to support student achievement and their needs. Findings Supporting Evidence Assessment results have been a major determinant in many  CAASPP Results school decisions. Even before the LCAP, some decisions were  CAHSEE Results made based on student assessment results. For example,  EAP Results student achievement on the CAHSEE initiated the creation of a  Benchmark Results CAHSEE ELA and CAHSEE Math Support class. The goal was to increase student passing and proficiency rates on the CAHSEE. Such decisions are not made lightly and require significant consideration as the allocation of resources to this activity will potentially take away resources from another activity.

As a result of the lack of proficiency on state assessments in math, tutoring opportunities were increased with an emphasis on having tutors who could help students in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Both the number of sessions and tutors increased as a result of performance on state assessments.

The new assessment system for the state did require the investment into new computers. A set of Chromebooks were purchased last year for the specific reason of administering the SBAC. As the nature of assessment has changed, so has the platform on which assessments are completed. As we progress, more and more exams, including local ones, will eventually be computer based.

While student assessment results are important in determining resource allocation decisions, they are not the only factor. Sound fiscal policy will look at a variety of factors before determining how resources will be allocated. Still, assessment continues to be

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a leading factor. For example, the school is considering the implementation of an ACCUPLACER preparation course or a remedial course to help students who did not achieve an advanced score on the EAP. Grades and results from chapter and unit tests in Algebra II will result in the addition of an Algebra II Support Class next year.

Professional development is important in providing teachers additional tools to increase student proficiency. Teachers will be provided more professional development in the new generation test items. As results from last year’s SBAC showed, students will require more support to be successful on the exams. By providing teachers with the necessary tools, we hope to increase student proficiency.

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ACS WASC Category D. Standards-based Student Learning: Assessment and Accountability: Summary, Strengths, and Growth Needs

Summary: Through the use of a variety of assessments, MSCS maintains student accountability in the learning process. Our strength lies in using assessments to help students achieve long term goals. The assessment process ensures that students are retaining the material to the level expected for college bound students. We also accommodate very well for those students who need to be assessed in alternative ways, especially for students with IEPs. We have the tools to analyze and draw conclusions from the data and regularly do so. The data shows the need for student results to improve. Also, updates are needed to local assessments so they are more in line with the new state assessments. This means additional time, professional development, collaboration, and technology will need to be provided to attain this goal.

Category D: Standards-based Student Learning: Assessment and Accountability: Areas of Strength  Regular use of assessment  Variety of assessments used  Using data to monitor student progress  Maintaining student accountability

Category D: Standards-based Student Learning: Assessment and Accountability: Areas of Growth  Student understanding of the importance of testing  Parent understanding of the results of assessments  Lack of time for teachers to attend trainings  Lack of technology based exams  Need to update assessments  Assessment software to better analyze student data

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Category E: School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth E1. Parent and Community Engagement Criterion The school leadership employs a wide range of strategies to encourage family, business, industry, and community involvement, especially with the learning/teaching process. Indicators with Prompts Regular Parent Involvement Indicator: The school implements strategies and processes for the regular involvement of family, business, industry, and the community, including being active partners in the learning/teaching process for all programs. The school involves parents of non-English speaking, special needs and online students. Prompt: Evaluate the strategies and processes for the regular involvement of the family, business, industry, and the community, including being active partners in the learning/teaching process. Comment on the effectiveness of involving parents of non-English speaking, special needs and online students.

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS always looks to families and the community for support in  Advisory Board order to provide our students with the most appropriate education  Leadership Merced possible. To prepare students for the future workforce, it is  Leadership Activities essential that the school understand what the needs of the (Love Merced, community and its members are. Regular communication and Community Clean interaction is essential in this endeavor. Up)

First and foremost, the MSCS Advisory Board is the primary vessel through which community members, families, and students can take part in the decision making process. The board meets quarterly and reviews school policies, budget, and activities. Membership on the board is always encouraged.

With the increased number of non-English speaking families that  Student have students enrolled at MSCS, we have worked to improve our Demographics abilities to communicate with them and get them involved in the school. Since the majority of the non-English speaking families speak Spanish, many of our documents have been translated in Spanish. There are also two staff members who communicate with Spanish speaking families in person or on the phone.

To support our special needs students, MSCS hired a special education teacher to serve these students. With the growing number of special needs students, we found it necessary to hire this teacher. She provides additional support to parents and ensures that students are being regularly assessed on the goals stated in their IEPs.

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Both the parents of special needs students and non-English speaking parents have expressed their gratitude with our program. They appreciate the way the staff communicates with them and keeps them apprised of their student’s performance.

While many parents and community members appreciate the school and what we offer, we still lack participation in the school program from these groups. We are discussing new and different ways to encourage more involvement such as newsletters and social media to engage all stakeholders.

Use of Community Resources Indicator: The school uses business, industry, and community resources to support students, such as professional services, business partnerships, guest speakers, job fairs, field trips to local employers, and evaluation of student projects and classroom presentations. Prompt: How effective is the school use of community resources to support students?

Findings Supporting Evidence Our primary community partner has been and continues to be  Merced College Merced College. The college has continually provided MSCS the tools necessary to support our students in their college program. From providing an onsite college counselor to allowing us to be one of only a handful of facilities to proctor the placement exam, Merced College has always provided MSCS students the most efficient means to pursue their postsecondary careers. This partnership promotes the idea to students to enroll in a college course and consider college as a postsecondary pathway.

Cal-SOAP is another community partnership that has benefited students. Cal-SOAP tutors at MSCS are the first in their families  Cal SOAP to attend college and come from a diverse array of backgrounds. These students have firsthand experience on the journey to college as a postsecondary option. Our tutors have and continue to attend UC Merced, Merced College, and California State University Stanislaus. All of the tutors were raised in Merced and have knowledge of the community and it nuances. They continue to be valuable mentors to our students.

For the senior interviews, we seek to get interviewers from the business community and community partners. We want our  Senior Interviews seniors to experience a job interview. It is important that they  Senior Portfolios have multiple interviewers and people who have participated in the hiring process. During exit interviews, students interview with a panel of two to three people. Students are asked job related questions and asked to share their portfolio. Once the interview is complete, students are given a brief break before meeting again with the interviewers – this time, for feedback on their interview.

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The knowledge the student gains from the interview is powerful and helps with future job interviews. The information the school gets from the interviewers is also very important. They provide feedback on what students need to work on and what the school can do to help students meet this need. They also provide information on what they are looking for in potential future employees. This information is used to help better prepare students for this experience.

Annually, students are offered the opportunity to attend Career  ROP Website Industry Day, an event sponsored by ROP. Employers and  Career Industry Day educational institutions from throughout the county and local Information regions are represented at the event. Students have the opportunity to look at potential career opportunities and speak directly with people in the field. This is a tremendous opportunity to expose students to possible future career choices.

While MSCS has done much to improve access to community  Education resources, the effective use of these services continues to be a Enhancement Funds struggle. We continue to lack the student involvement in these and on site resources. MSCS continues to pursue a diverse array of workshops community resources. As we continue to grow, the school plans to incorporate guest speakers and community based workshops into the curriculum.

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E2. School Environment Criterion The school is a) a safe, clean, and orderly place that nurtures learning and b) has a culture that is characterized by trust, professionalism, high expectations for all students, and a focus on continuous school improvement. Indicators with Prompts Safe, Clean, and Orderly Environment Indicator: The school has existing policies and regulations and uses its resources to ensure a safe, clean, and orderly place that nurtures learning, including internet safety. Prompt: Comment on the effectiveness of a) the existing policies and use of resources to ensure a safe, clean, and orderly place that nurtures learning and b) all aspects of the school with respect to safety regulations including effective operating procedures for internet safety.

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS adheres to all MCOE policies and regulations regarding  Facility (FIT) rating providing a safe and nurturing environment that is conducive to learning. Being located on the MCOE Education Center allows us to have greater access to the MCOE Maintenance and Operations department. This department has done a lot to maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the school facility. Because of this, MSCS has been able to maintain a FIT rating of excellent.

The school takes a lot of pride in its facility and how it is designed to benefit student learning. The design of the facility is such that students have access to different areas that allow for the most optimal study conditions. Students can work alone, in small groups, and or in classes. In any case, students have a facility that is most conducive to learning.

High Expectations/Concern for Students Indicator: The school demonstrates caring, concern, and high expectations for students in an environment that honors individual differences and is conducive to learning. Prompt: Evaluate the school’s work to ensure the effectiveness of an atmosphere of caring, concern, and high expectations for students in an environment that honors individual differences and is conducive to learning.

Findings Supporting Evidence Not only does the school set high academic expectations, but we  LCAP Surveys also set high behavioral ones as well. Students who attend the program have a number of reasons for choosing our program. Some of the more severe issues include bullying, lack of fitting in, and anxiety from the stress of being at a large public school. To that end, it is ever more important that we show students that all students and families have a place at our school.

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We accept students from a variety of backgrounds and abilities.  Student Feedback Students understand our commitment to their education. From  Parent Feedback day one, it is made clear to students that we are about  Staff/Student academics. If you are here, then you are here to learn. That is Interactions what we convey to students. Because of this, we have no  School Data referrals or suspensions. Issues are handled promptly and in a fair manner. Students understand that we may have high expectations, but it is because we care.

This area continues to be a major strength of our program. The relationship we build with students creates an environment where we hope to get the best out of students. Our greatest accomplishment is when students say that at our school, we talk to our students and treat them fairly.

Atmosphere of Trust, Respect, and Professionalism Indicator: The school has an atmosphere of trust, respect, and professionalism. Prompt: To what degree is there evidence of an atmosphere of trust, respect, and professionalism?

Findings Supporting Evidence MSCS takes a lot of pride in what we do for students. Staff does  LCAP Surveys their best to individualize student curriculum and to help students  Retention Rates where they are at and take them to the next level. We are aware  Suspension/ that the program is not for every student, but we do our best to Expulsion Rates ensure that the learning experience will be the best it can be for each and every student.

Nowhere is the atmosphere of trust more evident than in looking at the suspension and expulsion rates of the school for the last  Celebrate Student several years. There has not been a single suspension or Success expulsion. Although students may not interact as often as they would at a traditional school, they still interact regularly nonetheless. This does not mean that disagreements do not occur. It is just that we resolve issues before it becomes a serious issue requiring suspension or expulsion.

The professionalism that staff displays to one another is carried through to parents and students. We believe in providing good customer service, which translates into appreciative customers.

At the end of each school year, MSCS holds its annual awards ceremony for students. We make it a priority to recognize those students who have achieved academic success over the previous year. We celebrate the accomplishments of our students. We have expanded this event to include an Open House so that all students and families feel welcome.

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E3. Personal and Academic Support Criterion All students receive appropriate academic support and intervention to help ensure school, college, and career success. Students with special talents and/or needs have access to a system of personal support services, activities, and opportunities at the school. These are enhanced by business, industry, and the community. Indicators with Prompts Adequate Personalized Support Indicator: The school has available adequate services, including referral services, to support students in such areas as health, career, and personal counseling and academic assistance, including an individualized learning plan. Prompt: Evaluate the availability and the adequacy of services, including referral services, to support students in such areas as health, career, and personal counseling and academic assistance, including an individualized learning plan.

Findings Supporting Evidence Being a small school, it is difficult to have access to all of the  Four Year Plans resources that are available at the larger, comprehensive schools.  ILPs In many instances, staff plays multiple roles in helping to better serve students. For example, teachers have an additional role by serving as the student’s academic counselor. Teachers work with students to create their Four Year Plans and ILPs at enrollment. Further, the relationships they build also add to their abilities to counsel students if needed when issues may arise.

As part of the MCOE, we are able to share services to better  MOU with CAE serve our students. This allows us to have access to services that we may otherwise not have for students. For example, to help our special needs students, we are able to use a Special Coordinator from the CAE department and a psychologist from the Special Education department. In this way, we can meet the needs of students without having to add a full time staff member, which may not be feasible given our small size and budget.

Having a partner program very close, we are able to utilize additional services from Valley Community School. The school has made available to us their crisis counselor and Student Resource Officer (SRO) should the need arise. While we are blessed that we have not had to use the SRO, we have accessed the crisis counselor on different occasions and she has helped students through some challenging times.

Other services that are shared with us through the CAE  Cal-SOAP department include a school nurse and the Cal-SOAP tutors. The nurse helps to complete the annual health assessments for students. Cal-SOAP tutors provide the extra academic assistance to help students achieve academic success.

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Through our connection with Merced College, we are fortunate to have the services of a college counselor. This service helps students plan their postsecondary choices and allow students to enroll into the proper college courses. The counselor schedules individual appointments with interested students for about a two week period of time around the time enrollment in classes at the college begins.

The sum of these services shows that despite our small size and limited budget, we are able to provide necessary services to make our students successful. We need to look at ways to add more services such as a high school academic counselor to help students better meet their academic and post-secondary goals.

Direct Connections Indicator: The school demonstrates direct connections between academic standards, college- and career-readiness standards, and schoolwide learner outcomes, and the allocation of resources to student support services, such as counseling/advisory services, articulation services, and psychological and health services, or referral services. Prompt: Evaluate the ways that there are direct connections between academic standards, college- and career-readiness standards, and schoolwide learner outcomes and the allocation of resources to student support services, such as counseling/advisory services, articulation services, and psychological and health services, or referral services.

Findings Supporting Evidence At MSCS, everything that we do is for the best interest of the  Vision student. Our vision, mission, SLOs, and standards are all  Mission intertwined to help students achieve high goals and to become  SLOs productive citizens. All resources are allocated to provide the services that students need.

Because we are a small program, we cannot provide some services to students. However, by partnering with other groups and entities, we are able to meet the needs of our students. For example, we do not have a counselor available onsite when students have issues, but we do have access to a crisis counselor with Valley Community School. Having Valley adjacent to our school allows our students access to the counselor when needed. We also have this same ability with the School Resource Officer (SRO) at the school.

We also have our connections with Cal-SOAP and Merced  Cal-SOAP College to help with articulation services and college counseling.  Merced College We have community partners who help with the senior exit interviews and who participate on the Advisory Board. All of this is to provide the services to help students achieve high expectations and meet the school’s outcomes and their goals.

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Support and Intervention Strategies Used for Student Growth/Development Indicator: Strategies are used by the school leadership and staff to develop and implement personalized approaches to learning and alternative instructional options which allow access to and progress in the rigorous standards-based curriculum. Examples of strategies include: level of teacher involvement with all students, a curriculum that promotes inclusion, processes for regular review of student and schoolwide profiles, and processes and procedures for interventions that address retention and redirection. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the types of strategies used by the school leadership and staff to develop and implement personalized approaches to learning and alternative instructional options which allow access to and progress in the rigorous standards-based curriculum.

Findings Supporting Evidence The MSCS program was developed as a personalized approach.  Vision The transition from a traditional home school to a more hybrid  Mission model is due to the fact that the demands and needs of students  School Philosophy and families have changed. Still, our personalized approach has allowed for alternative learning and instructional options that will benefit students most.

Having a program designed in this manner allows students to access high standards and rigorous curriculum in a manner that best fits the student. We do a very good job of supporting students and provide supports and interventions to help students. We can always have more interventions and supports since students learn differently from one another. However, with what we have in place currently is helping to support student growth and development.

Support Services and Learning Indicator: The school leadership and staff ensure that the support services and related activities have a direct relationship to student involvement in learning, e.g., within and outside the classroom, for all students, including the EL, GATE, special education, and other programs. Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the school leadership and staff ensure that the support services and related activities have a direct relationship to student involvement in learning, e.g., within and outside the classroom. Evaluate the processes that are used to identify under- performing or struggling students and the interventions to address these identified student learning needs.

Findings Supporting Evidence Having a program like ours, we are able to get to know each  Student Feedback student and their abilities. The staff communicate and discuss  Teacher Feedback student issues and performance on a weekly basis. We work to find the best solution that will work for each student.

Since the majority of learning occurs outside the school  School Layout environment, it is important to get students involved in their

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learning at home. If this becomes an issue, we have provided more space and time for the students to come to the school and work here instead. This is the first intervention for students who are struggling to complete their work.

Students who are struggling on assignments and assessments  Tutoring Schedule will either be provided tutoring or a support class. If these  Support Class measures do not rectify the situation, then we look at other Schedule supports to help students. This may involve a student study team or, as the case with special education students, an IEP team. EL students may be provided additional help through support classes as well. For advanced students, we work towards having them take classes at Merced College.

We need to work on getting more students to be active in their learning when at school. For example, they may be present for tutoring, but if they are not seeking help, then the effect of tutoring diminishes. We are also looking at other interventions to help students and are considering online programs to achieve this goal. As we grow, we plan to add more services and opportunities to help our students succeed.

Equitable Support to Enable All Students Access to a Rigorous Curriculum Indicator: Through the use of equitable support all students have access to a challenging, relevant, and coherent curriculum. Schools regularly examine the demographics and distribution of students throughout the class offerings (e.g., master class schedule and class enrollments) and the availability of additional support such as extra class time, tutoring, or types of alternative schedules available for repeat or accelerated classes (e.g., summer, class periods beyond the traditional school day). Prompt: After studying the accessibility of a challenging, relevant, and coherent curriculum and from examining the demographics and distribution of students throughout the class offerings (e.g., master class schedule and class enrollments), evaluate the impact of the types of alternative schedules available for repeat or accelerated classes (e.g., summer, class periods beyond the traditional school day) on student achievement.

Findings Supporting Evidence The largest benefit of the program at MSCS is its flexibility in  Support Class scheduling. Since students are not required to attend daily, they Schedule can set a schedule that is most conducive to their learning. The  Tutoring Schedule use of classes and tutoring allows students to create a schedule where they can get extra instruction in a variety of courses. Students who want to accelerate their education can take courses through Merced College. Students who wish to keep the current high school coursework, but need additional help can attend tutoring. Tutoring is now offered four times a week. Originally, it was only offered once a week, but as the

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demographics changed, so did the need for additional tutoring times.

The results have remained relatively constant over the years  SBAC Results when it comes to overall student performance. Proficiency rates  ACCUPLACER on assessments has remained relatively unchanged over the Results years. There have been fluctuations, but no consistent improvement despite the addition of more support classes, tutoring and a flexible schedule.

This is primarily due to two reasons. The first is that in order to excel in a program like ours, students must be motivated and organized. Having a flexible schedule helps, but it is still up to the student with the help of the parent to complete the work and turn it in on time. Some students have difficulty adapting to such a program. The second reason is that enrollment and/or attendance in support classes and tutoring is low. More students need help than actually attend tutoring or have a support class. To improve student achievement, we want to maximize the use of these supports by our students.

Co-Curricular Activities Indicator: School leadership and staff link curricular and co-curricular activities to the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes along with an effective process for regularly evaluating the level of student involvement in curricular/co- curricular activities and student use of support services. Prompt: Evaluate the extent of the availability and link of curricular and co-curricular activities for all students to the academic standards, the college- and career-readiness standards, and the schoolwide learner outcomes. How effective are these efforts?

Findings Supporting Evidence A major finding among parents and students based on the LCAP  LCAP surveys and stakeholder meetings was that students needed  Student Feedback more opportunities to be involved with the school and one  Community another. Over the last few years, MSCS has worked at Feedback incorporating greater opportunities for student involvement. Feedback from the staff and community also supported this idea in order to help students maintain or improve their social abilities. The lack of classroom instruction on a daily basis can be detrimental to a student’s social awareness if they do not socialize elsewhere.

The increased number of field trips and school events helps  MSCS Activities List students to achieve the outcome of a socially responsible citizen.  Flyers of Events Specifically, the outcome in regards to cultural awareness, appreciation of diversity, and respect for others. The shift in demographics is creating a much more diverse population than in

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year’s past. This diverseness is representative of the surrounding community and the potential workforce that students will be entering upon graduation. Therefore, developing a student’s social ability and the ability to work with others as a team is crucial to their future success.

During field trips, there is always an element of team building involved. For example, during a trip to a corn maze, students were randomly separated into groups. The students then had to determine the most efficient path to take through the corn maze in order to be the first team out. The goal was to have students who would not normally work together collaborate to achieve a common goal. This is something that is carried over through other field trips as well.

At school events, activities are established in order to get families and students more familiar with the school’s standards and expectations. For example, during Back to School Night, families work on a scavenger hunt that has them referring to policies, school schedules, and the SLOs. The game actually serves to make students and parents more aware of the school’s philosophy.

Student clubs were formed in the recent school year. While  Student Clubs students lead and plan all meetings, an advisor is assigned to  Club Events each. The advisor not only ensures that the club is adhering to  Club Meeting school policy, but that learning experiences are occurring as well. Agendas For example, planning club meetings and events develops a student’s ability to organize and plan events and work as a team. Such skills are valuable in college and career when collaboration is required.

While a lot has been done in recent years, the field trips, events, and clubs are underutilized. Most clubs only have a handful of students and field trips often have extra space available. Our goal is to promote these activities so every student can engage in a social and team building experience that will get them more involved with the school.

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ACS WASC Category E. School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth: Summary, Strengths, and Growth Needs

Summary: We are proud of the environment and culture that we have established at the school. Setting high expectations for academics and behavior results in an environment that is focused on learning. We utilize a lot of the supports and services in the most effective way possible. We can always use additional services to support our students and their families. We would also like to see greater involvement from stakeholders, especially parents and community members. We have increased the number of our co-curricular activities, but we continue to look at ways of implementing more.

Category E: School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth: Areas of Strength  Positive and safe school environment  High expectations  Personalized learning through building relationships  Supportive parents and family  Increased opportunities for students to engage with the school  Community engagement  Trusting relationships  No suspension or expulsions  Use of existing resources

Category E: School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth: Areas of Growth  Greater student participation  Greater parent participation  Greater community involvement  Additional interventions

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Prioritized Areas of Growth Needs from Categories A through E

Prioritize the growth areas from the five categories.  Update curriculum to CCCSS and NGSS  Intervention curriculum and programs for students, specifically math  More diversified course offerings  Greater supports for intervention  Professional development in CCCSS and SBAC  Greater use of CCCSS based instructional strategies  Staff participation in professional development  Increased use of technology in instruction  Greater use of technology in the curriculum  Greater communication with all stakeholders  Greater participation by stakeholders in the Advisory Board  Greater participation by stakeholders in the LCAP  Greater student participation  Greater parent participation  Greater community involvement  Academic counseling  Need to update assessments  Career Technical Courses  More participation in ROP  Wider variety of assignments to include project based and inquiry assignments  Student understanding of the importance of testing  Parent understanding of the results of assessments  Lack of time for teachers to attend trainings  Lack of technology based exams  Assessment software to better analyze student data  Additional interventions

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Chapter V: Schoolwide Action Plan

Goal 1: Increase student proficiency on local and state mathematics assessments.

Rationale Self-Study findings indicate that students have underperformed on mathematics assessments. Results from the SBAC, ACCUPLACER, and CAHSEE support this finding. Analysis and review of student work by the focus groups supports this need. The discrepancy between proficiency in ELA and mathematics is significant and must be addressed.

Supporting Data  SBAC ELA Proficiency Rate – 60%  SBAC Math Proficiency Rate – 8%  CAHSEE ELA Proficiency Rate in 2014-15 – 46%  CAHSEE Math Proficiency Rate in 2014-15 – 31%

Growth Targets  At least 10% of 11th graders will score at Standard Met/Standard Exceeded on the SBAC in math.  Decrease by 5% each level the number of 11th graders who score in the Standard Not Met/Standard Nearly Met on the SBAC 2016-17 in math  Increase by 5% the number of students who qualify for Match-C on the ACCUPLACER  At least 15% of 11th graders will score at Standard Met/Standard Exceeded on the SBAC in math.  Decrease by 5% each level the number of 11th graders who score in the Standard Not Met/Standard Nearly Met on the SBAC in math 2017-18  Increase by 5% the number of students who qualify for Match-C on the ACCUPLACER  At least 35% of students in each course will score at the proficient level on the final/benchmark for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II  At least 20% of 11th graders will score at Standard Met/Standard Exceeded on the SBAC in math.  Decrease by 5% each level the number of 11th graders who score in the Standard Not Met/Standard Nearly Met on the SBAC in math 2018-19  Increase to 30% the number of students who qualify for Match-C on the ACCUPLACER  At least 45% of students in each course will score at the proficient level on the final/benchmark for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II

Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Addressed Motivated Academic Achievers, Critical Thinkers

Goal 1: Increase student proficiency on local and state mathematics assessments. TASKS RESPONSIBLE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ MEANS TO ASSESS TIMELINE REPORTING PERSON(S) RESOURCES/FUNDING IMPROVEMENT INVOLVED 1.1 Implementation of  School Training provided by Pearson. Follow  Improved proficiency 2016-17  Staff Meetings Common Core based administrator up training to be conducted online on SBAC  Advisory Board mathematics  Teachers and through staff meetings and  Improved proficiency  SARC textbooks.  Instructional inservices. on ACCUPLACER  LCAP Services and EAP  MSCS Website (MCOE) Resources: textbooks (teacher  Improved student  MSCS Course edition), CCCSS math standards and performance in math Offerings framework, course outlines courses

Fund: PD/General 1.2 Implementation of  School Collaboration time to review pacing  Improved proficiency 2016-17  Staff Meetings Algebra II Support administrator guides and assignments. Develop on SBAC  Advisory Board Class in addition to  Teachers calendar for Problem of the Month for  Improved proficiency  SARC the Algebra I and  Instructional the upcoming year. on ACCUPLACER  LCAP Geometry Support Services and EAP  MSCS Website Class. (MCOE) Resources: textbooks (teacher  Improved student  MSCS Course edition), CCCSS math standards and performance in math Offerings framework, course outlines courses

Fund: General 1.3 Adoption of new  School Training provided in performance task  Improved proficiency 2017-18  Staff Meetings benchmark administrator and application based assessments. on SBAC  Advisory Board exams/finals aligned  Teachers Training will focus on assessments  Improved proficiency  SARC to each math area.  Instructional specifically developed by the Silicon on ACCUPLACER  LCAP Services Valley Mathematics Initiative (SVMI) and EAP (MCOE)  Improved proficiency Resources: textbooks (teacher on benchmarks/finals edition), CCCSS math standards and framework, SVMI materials

Fund: PD/General

Goal 1: Increase student proficiency on local and state mathematics assessments. TASKS RESPONSIBLE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ MEANS TO ASSESS TIMELINE REPORTING PERSON(S) RESOURCES/FUNDING IMPROVEMENT INVOLVED 1.4 Implement computer  School Training provided by Instructional  Decreased number of 2018-19  Staff Meetings based tools and administrator Services on the various intervention students below  Advisory Board programs related to  Teachers tools available to students at various standard on SBAC  SARC supporting students in  Instructional levels that is linked with assessment  Decreased number of  LCAP mathematics. Services data. Training in the program that is number of students  MSCS Website (MCOE) adopted will be provided. below standard on  Instructional benchmarks/finals Aide Resources: online tools, technology  Increased number of platforms students completing math sequence Fund: General 1.5 Purchase of  School Training provided by Instructional  Decreased number of 2018-19  Staff Meetings intervention software administrator Services on the various intervention students below  Advisory Board linked to assessment  Teachers tools available to students at various standard on SBAC  SARC data (i.e., NWEA).  Instructional levels that is linked with assessment  Decreased number of  LCAP Services data. Training in the program that is number of students  MSCS Website (MCOE) adopted will be provided. below standard on  MSCS Course  Instructional benchmarks/finals Offerings Aide Resources: CCCSS math standards  Increased number of and framework, RTI model for math students completing math sequence Fund: General 1.6 Develop a tool or  School Professional development will be  Improved proficiency 2019-20  Staff Meetings measurement to administrator provided on the use of various tools on SBAC  Advisory Board assess the  Teachers to monitor the effectiveness of the  Improved proficiency  SARC effectiveness of  MCOE tutoring and classes on student on ACCUPLACER  LCAP tutoring on student performance. and EAP

performance.  Improved proficiency Resources: assessment data, student on benchmark/finals information, course outlines

Fund: General

Goal 1: Increase student proficiency on local and state mathematics assessments. TASKS RESPONSIBLE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ MEANS TO ASSESS TIMELINE REPORTING PERSON(S) RESOURCES/FUNDING IMPROVEMENT INVOLVED 1.7 Implement  School Professional development on  Improved proficiency 2020-21  Staff Meetings ACCUPLACER test administrator ACCUPLACER prep material and on SBAC  Advisory Board prep classes to help  Teachers programs. Collaboration time to  Improved proficiency  SARC students prepare for  Merced develop course outlines and on ACCUPLACER  LCAP the college placement College curriculum for course. and EAP  MSCS Website exam.  MSCS Course Resources: ACCUPLACER Offerings information, assessment results, college course requirements

Fund: General

Goal 2: Enhance, develop, and organize programs that better prepare students for college and career.

Rationale Self-Study findings show that 10% or less of students had met the a-g requirements in the previous three years. Assessment data from the EAP and ACCUPLACER show that less than 20% of those assessed tested at a college level. The program at MSCS was developed to provide a non- classroom-based college prep program, but must incorporate more CTE courses to better prepare students for all paths after high school. All students should have every opportunity to prepare for the college and career of their choice. Supporting Data  SBAC ELA College-Level Readiness – 20%  SBAC Math College-Level Readiness – 0%  ACCUPLACER – 41% college ready in ELA, 17% college ready in math  A-g Completion Rate – 10%

Growth Targets  At least 10% of 11th graders will score at Standard Exceeded on the SBAC (EAP) in Math 2016-17  At least 25% of 11th graders will score at Standard Exceeded on the SBAC (EAP) in English  A-g Completion Rate of 15%  At least 15% of 11th graders will score at Standard Exceeded on the SBAC (EAP) in Math 2017-18  At least 30% of 11th graders will score at Standard Exceeded on the SBAC (EAP) in English  A-g Completion Rate of 20%  At least 20% of 11th graders will score at Standard Exceeded on the SBAC (EAP) in Math 2018-19  At least 35% of 11th graders will score at Standard Exceeded on the SBAC (EAP) in English  A-g Completion Rate of 25%

Schoolwide Learner Outcomes Addressed Motivated Academic Achievers, Critical Thinkers, Self-Directed Learner

Goal 2: Enhance, develop, and organize programs that better prepare students for college and career. TASKS RESPONSIBLE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ MEANS TO ASSESS TIMELINE REPORTING PERSON(S) RESOURCES/FUNDING IMPROVEMENT INVOLVED 2.1 Update a-g math  School Attend trainings to develop a better  Revised course list 2016-17  Staff Meetings courses to CCCSS. administrator understanding of and updates to  Improvement in a-g  Advisory Board  Teachers adding/modifying a-g courses in UC completion  SARC Doorways.  Number of students  LCAP enrolling in  MSCS Website Resources: Textbooks, Report Writer, UC/CSU/Merced  A-g Course Course Outlines College the semester Offerings following graduation Fund: PD/General 2.2 Update a-g ELA courses  School Attend trainings to develop a better  Revised course list 2016-17  Staff Meetings to CCCSS. administrator understanding of and updates to  Improvement in a-g  Advisory Board  Teachers adding/modifying a-g courses in UC completion  SARC Doorways.  Number of students  LCAP enrolling in  MSCS Website Resources: Textbooks, Report Writer, UC/CSU/Merced  A-g Course Course Outlines College the semester Offerings following graduation Fund: PD/General 2.3 Update a-g science  School Work with the Instructional Services  Revised course list 2017-18  Staff Meetings courses to NGSS administrator department to create labs for Earth  Improvement in a-g  Advisory Board including the creation of  Teachers Science course. Attend any trainings completion  SARC a new a-g science  Instructional that will help in designing and  Number of students  LCAP course. Services implementing new course. enrolling in  MSCS Website (MCOE) UC/CSU/Merced  A-g Course Resources: NGSS Standards and College the semester Offerings Framework, Textbooks, Report following graduation Writer, Course Outlines

Fund: PD/General

Goal 2: Enhance, develop, and organize programs that better prepare students for college and career. TASKS RESPONSIBLE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ MEANS TO ASSESS TIMELINE REPORTING PERSON(S) RESOURCES/FUNDING IMPROVEMENT INVOLVED 2.5 Revise four year plan to  School Attend training and workshops on  Improvement in a-g 2018-19  Staff Meetings a six year plan. administrator developing college and career plans. completion  Advisory Board  Teachers Attend trainings on UC/CSU/  Number of students  SARC  Registrar Community College requirements. enrolling in  LCAP  Merced UC/CSU/Merced  MSCS Website College Resources: college and career plans, College the semester Counselor MSCS enrollment packet, college following graduation enrollment requirements  Exit interview feedback Fund: PD/General

2.6 Expand opportunities for  School Provide opportunities for staff to  Improvement in a-g 2018-19  Staff Meetings students to visit colleges administrator attend events at local universities and completion  Advisory Board and universities around  Instructional colleges. Provide time to meet  Number of students  SARC the state including Aide annually with Merced College faculty enrolling in  LCAP technical and trade  Teachers to review college expectations. UC/CSU/Merced  MSCS Website colleges. College the semester  College Counselors Resources: community business list, following graduation school activities calendar.  Exit interview feedback Fund: General Fund

2.7 Expand business  School No professional development  Improvement in a-g 2019-20  Staff Meetings partnerships to increase administrator required. completion  Advisory Board presentations of career  Guest  Number of students  SARC opportunities related to Speakers Resources: community business list, enrolling in  LCAP curriculum.  MCOE school activities calendar. UC/CSU/Merced  MSCS Website  Community College the semester Members Fund: General Fund following graduation  Advisory Board  Exit interview feedback

Goal 2: Enhance, develop, and organize programs that better prepare students for college and career. TASKS RESPONSIBLE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/ MEANS TO ASSESS TIMELINE REPORTING PERSON(S) RESOURCES/FUNDING IMPROVEMENT INVOLVED 2.9 Develop and implement  School No professional development  Improvement in a-g 2019-20  Staff Meetings workshops for non- administrator required. completion  Advisory Board English speaking  Teachers  Number of students  SARC families to educate them  Guest Resources: community business list, enrolling in  LCAP on preparing their Speakers school activities calendar. UC/CSU/Merced  MSCS Website students for college.  Merced College the semester College Fund: General Fund following graduation Counselor

2.10 Add more CTE courses  School Work with ROP on developing and  Revised course list 2020-21  Staff Meetings to school program. administrator implementing CTE course that aligns  Improvement in a-g  Advisory Board  Teachers with the school program. Provide completion  SARC  ROP teachers time to collaborate.  Number of students  LCAP Coordinator enrolling in  MSCS Website  Merced Resources: CTE course UC/CSU/Merced  MSCS Course College requirements, graduation College the semester Offerings Counselor requirements, course outlines following graduation

Fund: General Fund

Appendices

Appendix A – MSCS Course Listing The following is a list of courses that are offered at MSCS. Some are onsite in the form of a support class while others are offered at other locations through ROP.

COURSE TITLE COURSE ID a-g COURSE ID ENGLISH English I (9th Grade) A0100 A33100 English II ( 10th Grade A0105 A33105 English III (11th Grade) A0110 A33110 English IV (12th grade) A3120 A33115 EL English A0115 CAHSEE ELA X0145 MATH Academic Math F3000 Business Math F3005 Pre-Algebra F0300 Algebra I F33100 Geometry F33105 Algebra II/Trig F33110 CAHSEE Math X1050 SCIENCE Earth Science I3000 Physical Science I0100 Life Science H0100 Biology H33000 STATE REQUIREMENTS Health X0110 Cultural Geography Q3000 Q33000 SOCIAL STUDIES World History (10th Grade) C0100 C33000 U.S. History (11th Grade) B0100 B33000 American Economics (12th Grade) E0100 E33000 American Government (12th Grade) D0100 D33000 FINE ARTS/DRAMA/FOREIGN LANG. Art I J3000 Fine Art J0100 J33000 Art II J3005 Spanish I J33005 Spanish II J33010 Spanish III J33015

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PE PE (Physical Education) 1st Year G0100 PE (Physical Education) 2nd Year G0105 ELECTIVES Computer Literacy M3100 Computer Applications X0100 Family Consumer Science X3000 Leadership X0120 Journalism X3015 Financial Literacy X3015 Summer Humanities X3020 ROP Web Design X0235 ROP Auto X0270 ROP Marketing Foundations Electives X0000 Working Professionals X0210

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Appendix B – UC Approved Course List Merced Scholars UC Approved Course List The following courses at MSCS meet requirements for admission to UC and CSU.

a – History / Social Science (2 years required) Two years of history/social science, including one year of World History, Cultures or Geography; and one year of US History or one-half year of US History and one-half year of American Government/Civics  American Government (semester  U.S. History course)  World History  Cultural Geography b – English (4 years required) Four years of college preparatory English.  English I  English III  English II  English IV c – Mathematics (3 years required, 4 years recommended) Three years of college preparatory mathematics that includes the topics covered in Elementary Algebra/Algebra 1, Geometry and Advanced Algebra/Algebra 2.  Algebra I   Geometry   Algebra II  d – Laboratory Science (2 years required, 3 years recommended) Two years of laboratory science, including two of the three fundamental disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.  Biology To meet the a-g requirement for d-Laboratory Science, students make take a science class at Merced College that meets this requirement (please see a college counselor for correct course). e – Language Other than English (2 years required, 3 years recommended) Two years of the same language other than English.  Spanish I   Spanish II  Spanish III f – Visual and Performing Arts (1 year required)  Fine Art I  The Art and History of Floral Design – Merced County ROP Course  The Art of Animation – Merced County ROP Course  Creative Design and Merchandizing– Merced County ROP Course  Graphic Arts – Merced County ROP Course  The Art of Digital Photography – Merced County ROP Course

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g – Elective (1 year required) One year (two semesters), in addition to those required in "a-f" above. All courses must be listed under "a-f" above with the exception of courses marked with a circle () in Mathematics, Language Other than English, and VPA; plus the following:  Economics (semester credit only)  Environmental Horticulture– Merced County ROP course  Virtual Enterprise (semester credit only) – Merced County ROP course  Veterinary Science– Merced County ROP course  The Art of Digital Photography– Merced County ROP course  Foundations in Education– Merced County ROP course  Food Science – Merced County ROP course  Agricultural Communications – Merced County ROP Course  Marketing Foundations (semester credit only) – Merced County ROP Course

Denotes courses that cannot be used to fulfill the “g” elective requirement.

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Appendix C – Graduation Requirements MSCS POLICY - #2013 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS – HIGH SCHOOL 9TH – 12TH GRADES

A diploma of graduation from high school shall be awarded to each student who has taken and passed the California High School Exit Exam and has satisfactorily met the coursework requirements for graduation. These requirements are: 1. Satisfactory completion (take and pass) of 220 semester credits in grades 9th through 12th. 2. Satisfactory completion (take and pass) of the course requirements for their English Learner (EL) or Special Education program equivalent to the following sequence below:

REQUIRED SEMESTER CREDIT REQUIRED SEMESTER CREDIT SUBJECTS SUBJECTS ENGLISH ...... 40 CREDITS SOCIAL STUDIES...... 35 CREDITS 9th English I 10 9th Geography 5 10th English II 10 10th World History 10 11th English III 10 11th U.S. History 10 12th English IV 10 12th Economics 5 12th American 5 Government

MATHEMATICS ...... 20 CREDITS Must complete 20 credits of mathematics during the 9th-12th grades and must complete a course (or courses) that covers the standards of Algebra I during the 7th-12th grades. The Algebra portion of the requirement may be met either partially or fully by conclusion of the 8th grade. Any algebra course(s) taken during the 9th-12th grades may be included in the 20 credits of mathematics required for graduation.

HEALTH (9th grade - State Requirements) ...... 5 CREDITS

SCIENCE ...... 20 CREDITS (One course in Physical Science and one in Life Science required)

FINE ARTS/FOREIGN LANGUAGE ...... 10 CREDITS

PHYSICAL EDUCATION (P.E.) ...... 20 CREDITS

Students must complete the COMPUTER LITERACY component as a graduation requirement. Upon passing an equivalency test and completing all required assignments students can receive 5 credits.

ELECTIVES ...... 65 CREDITS Some elective units may include mandatory courses assigned by the Principal or designee to remediate students who have not yet passed the California High School Exit Examination or who are failing to make adequate progress in the academic program.

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TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION: 220 CREDITS

Note: Students who have not passed any section of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) will be required to attend a CAHSEE Support Class designed to help them pass the exam. Special Note: A Certificate of Completion, in lieu of a diploma, will be awarded to those students who do not pass the CAHSEE but do satisfactorily complete the 220 semester credit. Participation in graduation ceremonies is a privilege and may be revoked at the discretion of the Personalized Learning Teacher or administration.

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Appendix D – Alternative Income Form

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Appendix E – School Quality Snapshot

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Appendix F – Additional Information

The following links provide additional information regarding the school program.

School Accountability Report Cards http://www.mcoe.org/deptprog/career/MCScholars/Pages/schoolaccountabilityreports.aspx

Local Control Accountability Plan http://www.mcoe.org/deptprog/career/MCScholars/Pages/lcff.aspx

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