2018 - 2019 WASC VISIT REPORT
Taft Charter High School 5461 Winnetka Avenue Woodland Hills, California 91364
Los Angeles Unified School District
Daniel Steiner, Principal
Visit: February 24-27, 2019
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Schools
Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report
Los Angeles Unified School District
Austin Beutner – Superintendent
Monica Garcia-Board President
Nick Melvoin – School Board Member District 4
Joseph Nacorda – Local District Northwest Superintendent
L. Remon Corley – Instructional Director
Taft Charter High School
Daniel Steiner – Principal
WASC Team:
Jose Loza – Assistant Principal
Nicole Bradford – World Languages Teacher
Katie Coe – Teacher Librarian
Amy Herman – Social Studies Teacher
Aaron Hasson – Technology Coordinator
Yun Yu – Magnet Coordinator
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WASC Visiting Committee
Chair Mr. Timothy J. Liggett, Principal Whittier High School, Whittier
Members Ms. Bhavini Bhakta, Assistant Principal Arcadia High School, Arcadia
Ms. Terri Brown, Instructional Coach Granite Hills High School, Apple Valley
Mr. Anthony Chan, Math Teacher South Pasadena High School, South Pasadena
Mr. Reuben Jones, Principal Diamond Bar High School, Diamond Bar
Ms. Barbara Kelley, Assistant Principal A.B. Miller High School, Fontana
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CONTENTS
I: Progress Report
II: Student/Community Profile and Supporting Data and Findings
III: Organization
IV: Standards-Based Student Learning: Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment and Accountability, Assessment and School Culture
V: Summary from Analysis of Profile Data
VI: School-wide Action Plan
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PREFACE
Explain the school self-study process used to accomplish the expectations of the self-study. By addressing the expectations of the self-study, the school will have addressed the following items:
● The involvement and collaboration of all staff and other shareholders to support student achievement. ● The clarification and measurement of what all students should know, understand, and be able to do through school-wide learner outcomes and academic standards (note the selected school-wide learner outcomes examined by the school). ● The gathering and analyzing of data about students and student achievement. ● The assessment of the entire school’s program and its impact on student learning in relation to school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and ACS WASC/CDE criteria. ● The alignment of a long-range action plan to the school’s areas of need; the development and implementation of an accountability system for monitoring the accomplishment of the plan.
The WASC self-study process has been designed and enhanced through collaboration between faculty, staff, students, and parents. All stakeholders have been an integral part of this process and have become the support system for accomplishing the outcomes outlined in our self-study. In the fall of 2017, the Taft Charter High School WASC committee, consisting of administrators, teachers, coordinators, and our teacher librarian, began the process of updating our self-study report. The WASC committee team attended the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) WASC Self-Study Support for High Schools in the fall of 2017 to be trained in the new self- study manual and to prepare to begin the self-study process by leading their respective groups through various areas of study.
Taft Charter High School(TCHS) used different forums to collect input from a variety of stakeholders. Input was gathered at the School Site Council (SSC) meetings, Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) meetings, Coffee with the Principal parent meetings, Lunch with the Principal student meetings, Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) meetings, faculty meetings, and department meetings. Parents, students, and community representatives were present and provided input regarding the needs of the students.
In the fall of 2017, the WASC committee reviewed the school’s mission and vision statements and the student learning outcomes (SLOs) based on the mid-cycle visit report in 2016. The direct
Page 5 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report and online feedback survey on these statements and outcomes were available to faculty, staff, parents, and students. After receiving input from all stakeholders, the WASC committee revised and approved the final version of the mission statement, vision statement and SLOs in the spring of 2018.
Our self-study journey continued in the fall of 2017 with a faculty and staff online survey to select the top three choices for a focus group. Based on the survey results, five focus groups were then created that reflected a balanced representation from various departments as well as classified, certificated, non-classroom teachers, and assistants. Four focus and home group meetings were held during professional development days in the spring of 2018 in order to examine student achievement in the areas of Organization, Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, and Culture. The groups began the process of reviewing data, identifying areas of growth and strength, and developing an action plan to meet student learner outcomes. Using the data from the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), the members examined our progress in the Critical Areas for Follow-Up from the mid-cycle report. The work of the focus groups and home groups were written and shared through Google Drive in order to make the information accessible to faculty and staff members.
Over the course of the fall of 2018, focus and home groups continued their analysis of the school-wide program. After the Focus and Home Groups completed their work, the WASC Committee members met bi-weekly in the fall of 2018 to write, revise and finalize the action plan and to complete our self-study report. The Action Plan was developed by using feedback from the stakeholders, data analysis from the California Dashboard, SPSA, LCAP, and student work, as well as our self-study findings. The WASC Committee and the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) will continue to monitor and adjust the Action Plan as needed. The Action Plan will guide and focus the development, structure, and analysis of the work to focus primarily on the instruction and student support needed to be successful in our learning environment.
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I: Progress Report
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Over the past six years, TCHS has seen significant school-wide changes and developments in areas such as new governance, new personnel, new programs, additional courses and curriculum changes, changes in facilities and technology, and a complete revision of our student management system.
During the time since our last accreditation process, our school has transitioned into an affiliated charter school. After a school-wide vote in 2013, TCHS wrote and adopted our charter in May of 2013. This gave us the autonomy to create our own local educational agency in which we develop our own LCAP plan in order to receive state funding directly. This process has given TCHS more latitude in the use of LCAP and LCFF funds as well as the ability to receive charter grants. With the increased monetary resources, TCHS has obtained more flexibility at the local site level for spending funds to reduce class sizes, create specific professional development for both teachers and administrators, and increase staffing for supervision, improve attendance, and other pupil services. As an affiliated charter, our school has also increased the involvement of our community partners, students, and our staff through different charter subcommittees, including the Budget Committee, Data Committee, Curriculum/Instructional and Professional Development Committee, Personnel Committee, Community Outreach Committee, and Student Services Committee.
In the past six years, significant changes have also taken place in both leadership and staffing. We have an entirely new administrative staff leading our school since our last WASC visit. Our current principal, Mr. Steiner, was hired through the Charter Hiring Process in 2015. This process involved an interview by the hiring committee, made up of community members, parents, students, and staff, followed by a town hall meeting with the three final candidates. After receiving input from all TCHS stakeholders, the final selection was made by the Principal Selection Committee.
Since 2013, TCHS has also added a full-time Pupil Services and Attendance counselor, a full- time A-G counselor, and a new teacher librarian specializing in digital literacy to assist in closing the achievement gap and increase student achievement across the curriculum. These leaders are visible and approachable to both students and staff in order to work on our school’s shared vision.
Since the last accreditation visit, LAUSD has implemented a new evaluation system for all teachers through an online platform. To ensure all students have access to effective instruction, the District’s teacher evaluation process, Educator Development and Support: Teachers (EDST), supports the development of increasingly high-quality teaching and learning practices. EDST includes observations, conferencing opportunities, professional goal setting activities, and a series of reflective activities throughout the year. This process incorporates effective practices in coaching and feedback and encourages professional reflection and growth. The foundation of EDST is the LAUSD Teacher and Learning Framework (TLF).
Our school has seen several facility changes since our last visit. TCHS has been sharing our school site with an independent charter school, Ivy Academia, a K-5 school since the fall of 2014. TCHS has had to coordinate the use of facilities, custodial staff, and general safety plans Page 8 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report with Ivy Academia. A new plant manager was hired in 2017 to oversee the coordination of sharing these facilities, as well as hiring more custodial staff to facilitate the needs of both schools. Since the last visit, there have been changes in facility usage and cleanliness. TCHS has made numerous improvements on our campus to better serve our students, staff, and parents. We have also implemented the use of non-classroom personnel across campus for supervision during nutrition and lunch in order to continue to maintain a safe environment for everyone.
TCHS has made improvements to its facilities to accommodate the increase of technology in the classroom. TCHS converted two rooms into computer labs for teachers to reserve for their classroom use, added an engineering and robotics lab in the Annex (H139), and created a film studio in H141. A centralized Copy Center for teachers was created where teachers submit copy requests that are then completed and returned by a staff member. A Parent Center Conference Room has also been added to our campus for outreach needs and parent training.
Our campus has seen significant developments with the increase in technology. Technology and digital literacy has been a major focus within classrooms and to support this goal, TCHS has added approximately 1700 Chromebooks housed in 40 mobile carts positioned strategically across the campus so that all teachers have the ability to access and use this technology in their classrooms. In an effort to increase technology instruction in every class, every teacher has been provided with a Chromebook device.
In 2014, LAUSD completely revamped how schools and offices share student information through the creation of a new MY Integrated Student Information System (MiSiS). This allowed one universal system where information could be accessed at any school site across the district. In 2017, LAUSD also completely transitioned to an online learning management system using the vendor Schoology. Schoology was adopted by LAUSD in order to provide a universal interface system that connects with MiSiS. This allows all LAUSD schools to share and manage grade information, attendance records, student information, immunizations records, and other important information with school staff, students, and parents. All teachers and students have been given an LAUSD email account to access this interface and 100 % of teachers are required to use Schoology for submitting grades in the 2018-2019 school year. Here at TCHS, Schoology replaced Jupiter Grades, which was used as an electronic gradebook since the 2013-2014 school year.
With the increase in technology, our school hired a full-time Problem-Solving Data Coordinator to coordinate, train, facilitate, and support all students, staff, and parents regarding technology and any subsequent issues that may arise. With this increased technology, we have used professional development to focus on providing the resources and training to teachers so that they have the ability to use technology as a tool for rigorous standard based instruction. Classes, workshops and professional development have been offered by our Problem-Solving Data Coordinator, (as well as other in-house technology coaches), in Google Classroom, Schoology, Khan Academy, Quizlet, EdPuzzle, Kahoot, Google Suite, NewsELA, and Texas Instrument Graphing Calculators. We have two Google certified educators on staff who have led professional development on multiple Saturdays regarding the implementation of Google Suites and all its respective programs into the classroom.
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Since our last accreditation visit, TCHS was selected by LAUSD to participate in the CORE Waiver Program. The goal of the CORE Waiver Program was to engage with other educational communities by collaborating with different high schools within LAUSD to improve student achievement within the CORE Waiver partner schools. From 2014 until the 2017-2018 school year, TCHS was a part of a triad that included Jefferson and Gardena High Schools. At the start of the 2017 school year, Gardena High School opted out of the CORE Waiver Program; TCHS continued the partnership with Jefferson High School for the final year of the program. Part of the CORE Waiver partnership involved the CORE Waiver team of each school visiting the partner schools once a year. Through observation and discussion during these visits, the TCHS CORE Waiver Team members had the opportunity to share best practices and gain new perspectives on different teaching strategies that have been put into action at TCHS, such as embracing the Habits of Mind and having an Essential Question for each lesson. CORE Waiver team members also collaborated at workshops with the other schools’ CORE Waiver team members in developing techniques to help close the achievement gap.
The TCHS Library has recently undergone significant changes in access and staff. 24 computer stations are now available and provide on campus access for students to complete homework, print assignments, and use digital and print library resources. The library is open before, during, and after school from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm for full access to all resources, including a digital extension of a full library website. Our full-time teacher librarian, a certified Google Educator, provides students and staff the technology support necessary to utilize the library media center to its fullest potential, including learning management system platforms and Google Suites.
Since our last accreditation visit, our campus has experienced positive changes to the curriculum. For example, in October 2015, the LAUSD School Board approved a Gifted / Highly Gifted / High Ability STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Magnet program to open at TCHS for the 2016-2017 school year beginning with a ninth-grade class. In the third year of the Magnet program, students are currently offered Career Technical Education pathways in Engineering Design and Computer Science. By the 2020-2021 school year, the program will expand to a four-year comprehensive program with a capacity of 500 students.
Since the last WASC visit, TCHS has focused on implementing the Common Core State Standards in English/Language Arts, math, and literacy across the curriculum. Our science teachers, in order to prepare them for adoption of the new standards, attended Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) training provided by LAUSD and our local district.
In an effort to create educational equity for all students, LAUSD implemented a change in the graduation requirements. Starting with the graduating class of 2016, LAUSD graduation requirements now require students to complete the CSU A-G course requirements as well as the California Department of Education (CDE) and LAUSD additional requirements. A-G, CDE and LAUSD course requirements require a passing grade of “D” or better for graduation eligibility. This district wide effort aligns with the goal of having all graduating LAUSD students be both
Page 10 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report college and career ready.
During the time since our last accreditation, the English, Math, and Social Studies departments have adopted new textbooks that allow them to support common core standards, integrate current material to help add to their lesson, and create more engaging assignments. Online textbooks and supplemental resources are now available to all students in these four core subjects.
TCHS has added several new courses to increase student engagement and academic rigor. TCHS has added AP courses to prepare our students for college and career readiness. These courses include AP Human Geography, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Music Theory, and AP Micro-Economics. TCHS has also added the following classes to provide a well-rounded education: Photography, Advanced Graphic Design, Computer Programming and Game Design, Introduction to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering, Engineering Design and Development, Sports Medicine/Athletic Training, Expository Reading and Writing Course (ERWC), Academic Decathlon, and Ethnic Studies.
Our students are encouraged to attend monthly AP Readiness workshops at UCLA. This program is a collaborative program with UCLA, our community partner, to provide the tools necessary for students to succeed in AP classes. The AP Readiness Program is designed with two interconnected goals in mind. The program aims to improve the teaching abilities of AP instructors while simultaneously giving students the skills they will need to be successful in college level classes. AP Readiness allows students to work with master instructors, who prepare them for the rigorous curriculum that they will face in AP courses. LAUSD provides buses each Saturday for students to be able to attend these workshops.
TCHS utilizes the online blended learning and credit recovery program, Edgenuity, in high schools to assist at-risk students who are not on track for meeting graduation standards. Currently, our counselors have Individualized Graduation Plan meetings with students twice a year and enroll students in Edgenuity classes as needed in order to support them in meeting all graduation requirements on time.
TCHS’s college counselor has led the effort to implement supplementary programs to support student learning and help with college and career readiness. Naviance, a comprehensive college and career readiness online platform that helps districts and schools align student strengths and interests to postsecondary goals, improves student outcomes and connects learning to life. LAUSD has provided funding for middle and high school students to implement Naviance across all grade levels. This platform also allows students to complete the Common Application for college applications and counselors and teachers to create and submit letters of recommendations for students.
The Academy of Integrated Arts and Technology (AIAT) program, which began in the 2018-19 school year, is designed for twice-exceptional students identified as gifted/highly gifted who are also eligible for special education services. Students are in full inclusive small cohorts co-taught by a general education teacher and a special education teacher Page 11 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report with one additional paraprofessional as support staff. The program utilizes differentiated instruction to meet the needs of gifted and twice-exceptional students for post-secondary education and the workplace. Currently, the AIAT program is composed of ninth grade students and the program will expand to a four-year comprehensive program by the 2021- 2022 school year. The general education and special education teachers meet bi-monthly to collaborate, in addition to attending summer training workshops. The AIAT teachers continue to work closely with the LAUSD Special Education Division Specialists as TCHS implements this new program at TCHS. The AIAT staff articulates vertically with the Portola Middle School staff, where the middle school AIAT academy is located, in order to make the transition from middle school to high school a smooth one.
The Core Autism Program is a specialized program within the Special Education Department developed in the fall of 2016. The program is split between the students enrolled in our Special Day Program classes and the students that are mainstreamed into fully-inclusive general education classes with a one-to-one Behavioral Intervention Instructional Specialist who accompanies the students on an as needed basis. All students in this program are a part of a Communication Skills course that provides the opportunity for academic and social support. In order to further support our student needs, all of our special education teachers have attended professional development training in autism in the last two years.
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing department has expanded to include the alternate curriculum designed for students with moderate to severe disabilities who are not able to access the core general education curriculum without significant modifications. This year, the DHH department has enrolled seven students who are now in the newly implemented DHH Alternate Curriculum Program.
A Restorative Justice Advisor was assigned to TCHS in the 2015-2016 school year for a two-year program in order to initiate and facilitate restorative practices by promoting and strengthening positive relationships among all stakeholders, support our student needs, and train our staff and faculty in restorative ideology and practices. Restorative Justice emphasizes community building and commits to restoring positive relationships. Once the two-year program concluded, a staff member was assigned the role of the Restorative Justice Teacher in order to continue these practices and encourage the improvement of pro-social relationships within the school community.
School-wide Critical Areas for Follow-Up: Based on the recommendations of the Visiting Committee in 2013, the following were identified as School Critical Areas of Follow-up for TCHS:
a.) Increase the achievement of all students in English Language Arts b.) Increase the achievement of all students in Math c.) Improve the rate of all students graduating in four years who are college and
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career ready d.) Continue to improve data analysis with the intent to guide instruction and improve student learning e.) Develop a comprehensive research-based professional development plan based on data analysis. This plan needs to be tied to instructional practices that highly impact student achievement. f.) Develop a comprehensive intervention plan for struggling students, during and outside of the school day g.) Increase collaboration time, including department and across all disciplines, to improve student achievement h.) Provide staff with a timely professional development schedule that is tied to instructional practices, data analysis, and Common Core
Ongoing Follow-Up Process:
Since the last WASC committee visit, the administrative team and the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) have worked to revisit, revise, and implement our school’s action plan. Both the administrative and data teams continue to examine school-wide data and align our yearly goals based on this data. The administrative team recommends budget priorities to support our goals and, with input from the ILT and the Professional Development Committee, plans appropriate staff development and communicates these decisions to our stakeholders. Staff members serve on committees to develop and implement programs, make recommendations on significant changes to programming and program development, and create professional development that reflects our action plan goals.
In the fall of 2015, the Administrative and WASC committee members met to examine significant developments and changes that have occurred during the first three years of the cycle at TCHS and also examine areas of critical growth. The committee also examined a variety of data sources to identify significant changes, growth trends, and any areas of concern from the original Self-Study in 2013. TCHS had its three-year Mid-Cycle WASC visit in the spring of 2016.
In the fall of 2017, the TCHS WASC committee, in conjunction with the ILT, reviewed our ESLRS and previous mission and vision statements. After receiving input gathered from parents, faculty, and staff members, these committees rewrote both the mission and vision statements and developed TCHS’s new Student Learning Objectives (SLOs). These new documents were then presented to all stakeholders for any further input. After examining this additional input, and then completing a final revision process based on the information, the new TCHS mission and vision statements and SLOs were finalized and adopted in the spring of 2018.
In the spring of 2017, our staff met in five focus groups and department home groups and began the self-study process by reviewing a variety of data sources (SBAC, PSAT Scores, AP Scores, CELDT Scores, etc.) and through analysis determined our critical student learning needs and how to continue addressing them. Stakeholders also addressed significant developments over the past three years and examined our critical areas of follow up. Finally, the TCHS WASC Page 13 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report committee (WASC Committee Chairs, Focus Group Leaders and Site Administration) summarized the findings for this report. The TCHS ILT reviewed both the 2013 and the 2016 reports to revise and clarify them.
The progress reports have been shared with all stakeholder groups (staff, parents, student committees, and district personnel) at staff development WASC group meetings, SSC, monthly Coffee with the Principal for parents, and monthly Lunch with the Principal for students.
Reflection, Analysis on Progress Supporting Evidence, and Impact on Student learning for Action Plan Goals:
The TCHS action plan addresses the critical areas for follow-up as described below:
Goal 1: Increase the achievement of all students in English Language Arts.
Each year, the English department administers the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s interim assessment (IA) in the fall. This IA allows teachers to check student progress throughout the year, giving them information that they can use to improve their instruction and help students meet the challenge of college and career ready standards. These tools are used by the ELA and math departments to check students’ progress at mastering specific concepts at strategic points during the school year. In the 2018-2019 school year, the English teachers will now be implementing the IAs in the fall and in the spring to better prepare our students for the SBAC assessments in the 11th grade.
Students who are new to the United States are placed in an English Language Development (ELD) program based solely on their initial ELPAC scores (formerly the CELDT score). Our ELD Coordinator regularly attends district meetings to discuss changes in instruction, assessment, and reclassification as the district rolls out the ELD State Standards and English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) implementation. The ELD Coordinator has led professional development on the Standards English Learners (SEL) and English Language Learners (ELL) and strategies to prepare the students for the SBAC and college and career readiness.
In an effort to differentiate instruction to allow all students to access the curriculum, TCHS has started to utilize Readtheory and NewsELA in ELA classes. NewsELA is a database of current events tailor-made for classroom use. Indexed by broad topics (e.g. War and Peace, Arts, Science, Health, Law, Money), stories are both student-friendly and can be accessed in different formats according to each student’s Lexile level. A professional development session in Fall 2018 featured how English teachers can use NewsELA to differentiate nonfiction reading for both English Learners (EL) and English Only Learners (EOL).
English tutoring is available on a volunteer basis during lunch by English teachers and after school tutoring is offered to all students who would like to attend. Page 14 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report
Goal 2: Increase the achievement of all students in math.
Each year in the fall semester, the math department administers the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s interim assessment (IA) to all 9th through 11th grade students. This IA allows the math department and individual teachers the ability to check student progress throughout the year, giving them information that they can use to improve their instruction and help students meet the challenge of college and career ready standards. These tools are used by the department to develop and adjust pacing plans to check students’ progress at mastering specific concepts at strategic points during the school year. In the 2018-2019 school year, the math teachers will now be implementing the IA’s in the fall and in the spring to better prepare our students for the SBAC assessments in the 11th grade.
Professional development sessions have focused on the utilization benefits of the free online program, Khan Academy, to align math skills using technology. This is similar to how the students’ math skills are assessed on the SBAC assessment in the 11th grade. Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empowers learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. Our Math Missions guide helps learners from kindergarten to calculus using state-of-the-art adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps. We continue to encourage our teachers to set up classes and assign specific tasks to align with the math standards being taught in all subjects.
TCHS has also funded school site licenses for the software program Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS), a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment, and learning system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to quickly and accurately determine exactly what a student knows and does not know in a course. ALEKS then instructs the student on the topics he or she is most ready to learn. As a student works through a course, ALEKS periodically reassesses the student to ensure that topics learned are also retained. ALEKS courses are extremely thorough in their topic coverage and ALEKS requires students to demonstrate their knowledge through formats that are not structured as multiple-choice questions. A student who shows a high level of mastery of an ALEKS course will be successful in the actual course he or she is taking.
Math tutoring is available on a volunteer basis during lunch by math teachers and after school tutoring is offered to all students who would like to attend.
Goal 3: Improve the rate of all students graduating in four years who are college and career ready.
TCHS implemented the A-G Diploma Program in 2015. The purpose of the A-G Diploma Program is to provide comprehensive, evidence-based child welfare, attendance services, and support, in order to increase A-G course passage and graduation rates, promote college and career readiness, and achieve the goal of zero dropouts in the Los Angeles Unified School Page 15 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report
District. The A-G Diploma Program re-engages students who are not on track to meeting the A- G requirements for graduation by working with all stakeholders to implement interventions with the vision of graduation and college and career readiness for all students. The A-G Diploma Program provides early identification, intensive case management, enrollment in appropriate educational programs and a zone of support, parent engagement, and support for transitions. Our full-time A-G Diploma Counselor works collaboratively with the counseling staff to monitor students not meeting the A-G graduation requirements and has a caseload of at-risk students each semester.
TCHS’s school-based Pupil Services and Attendance (PSA) counselor services the school using a three-tiered approach. Utilizing universal, targeted, and intensive strategies allows for a holistic approach to attendance. Universal strategies include school-wide activities and dissemination of information. Targeted strategies, such as groups for at-risk students, allows for early identification of students in need of support. And finally, intensive strategies, including case management and community referrals, are provided to students who are in danger of educational failure due to their absences. Our full-time PSA counselor works with students who are not enrolled, chronically absent, and/or who do not respond positively to instructional programs due to serious emotional, familial, psychological, mental, and other environmental impediments, or traumas. This counselor works with teachers, counselors, administrators, the nurse, and coordinators to develop a plan to meet the needs of the individual students for academic success.
Twice a year, counselors meet students individually for their Individual Graduation Plan meetings. If students are not meeting the A-G or LAUSD graduation requirements, intervention strategies are utilized for credit recovery through Edgenuity, blended learning/online classes, and alternative program enrollments through Thoreau, our continuation school. The students have the option to recover credits and return to our school site once they are on track for graduation.
Goal 4: Continue to improve data analysis with the intent to guide instruction and improve student learning.
In the fall of 2015, TCHS instituted a Data Team comprised of administrators, a Problem- Solving Data coordinator, and other certificated staff to gather, analyze, and present data to our staff at ILT and faculty meetings in order to help guide future instruction to improve student learning. The entire faculty is presented with school-wide results on our ELA and math SBAC, PSAT, AP, and CELDT scores as well our Graduation, Dropout, Attendance, and A-G on-track rates for our students. While we analyze the data for the school as a whole, we also examine sub groups to analyze the information and determine how we can best address the academic needs of these specific sub-groups, i.e. ethnicity and socio-economic groups.
TCHS’s Data Team collects data through student, parent, and faculty surveys to identify school- wide strengths and challenges that need to be addressed. This data is then shared with our faculty and other stakeholders in order to help guide instruction for the upcoming year.
Since 2016, our entire faculty has participated in peer observations throughout the school year
Page 16 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report during instructional time to observe teaching techniques. We have also conducted classroom observations after school without any students present to observe different classroom environments that students are experiencing. Each teacher filled out an observation survey each time they observed a classroom. The administration and data committee reviewed the findings and shared the results with the entire faculty. Through these observations, we are better able to prioritize needs for upcoming PD sessions.
Since 2017, administration highly encouraged all faculty to utilize a self-made teacher evaluation form for our students to give feedback to teachers at the end of the school year. The purpose of the evaluation form is to survey the students on different aspects of the teacher’s teaching practices. Teachers use the feedback to self-reflect on their instructional practices and help them guide future instruction. Results are confidential and are intended for personal reflection by teachers to improve student learning in the classroom.
Goal 5: Develop a comprehensive research-based professional development plan based on data analysis. This plan needs to be tied to instructional practices that highly impact student achievement.
The TCHS Professional Development plan is created to ensure that all students are reaching college and career readiness when they graduate. The PD and Data Committees meet to collaborate, make suggestions, and then develop the professional development plan for the next school year by aligning these suggestions with our school-wide goals while maintaining student achievement as our main focus. Also, LAUSD mandates and facilitates professional development on district initiatives. This includes PD sessions on the English Learner and Standard English Learner Master Plan, Supporting Foster Youth Success: Laws, Policy and Best Practices, LAUSD Schoology Gradebook, the new English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC), LAUSD Graduation Requirements, Implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Framework, and Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy (CLRP).
The PD team created a Professional Evaluation form to give feedback to the PD and administrative teams on the effectiveness of the professional development for the entire year. Through this evaluation process, our PD team determines which sessions need to be restructured or discontinued for the next cycle. This survey includes a section for suggestions for the next school year.
Goal 6: Develop a comprehensive intervention plan for struggling students, during and outside of the school day.
As stated in Goal 3, TCHS implemented the A-G Diploma Program in 2015. The A-G Diploma Program provides early identification, intensive case management, enrollment in appropriate educational programs and establishes a zone of support, parent engagement, and support for transitions. Our full-time A-G Diploma Counselor works collaboratively with the counseling staff to monitor students who are not meeting the A-G graduation requirements and has a
Page 17 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report caseload each semester.
A Pupil Services and Attendance (PSA) counselor provides service to students who are in danger of educational failure. Our full-time PSA counselor works with students who are not enrolled, chronically absent, and/or who do not respond positively to instructional programs due to serious emotional, familial, psychological, mental, and other environmental impediments, or traumas. This counselor works with teachers, counselors, administrators, the nurse, and coordinators to develop a plan to meet the needs of the individual students for academic success.
Edgenuity, a series of blended learning/online credit recovery courses, are available to all students who are in danger of not being on track for graduation. Counselors enroll students in Edgenuity classes during their junior and senior years so that students can maintain appropriate credits for each grade level.
After school tutoring is available from 3:30PM - 4:30PM in English, math, science, social studies and foreign language once per week. All students are welcome to attend these sessions led by faculty members. Many of the other faculty members offer tutoring before school, during lunch, or after school to support student learning in their classroom.
A full-time probation officer is assigned to TCHS to address at-risk students both academically and behaviorally. The officer works closely with the A-G counselor, PSA counselor, and the Restorative Justice Representative to monitor the students and implement intervention strategies to promote academic success.
Foster Youth Achievement Program is a specialized program within the LAUSD’s Pupil Services Unit that is dedicated to enhancing educational outcomes and academic achievement for students living in foster care (e.g. with relative caregivers, foster care, and group homes). Our part-time Foster Youth Counselor provides case management and counseling services to students and their families, conducts comprehensive academic assessments, works with children's social workers to ensure school stability, expedites and assists with prompt school enrollment and transfer of student records, participates in case-conference and educational meetings, consults and trains Local District (LD) and school staff, community agencies, and Department of Children and Family Service (DCFS) social workers, assists in locating District services and community resources available to at-risk students, and engages in research and data collection aimed at improving educational policies and identifying best practices for students living in foster care.
The part-time Department of Transition Services teachers assigned to TCHS are responsible for coordinating the planning and delivery of transition services for all students with disabilities, beginning at age 14 (or younger, if appropriate) to prepare them for transition from school to adult living. They work collaboratively with the Special Education department to ensure a smooth transition for our students to be college and career ready.
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Our full-time school psychologist and itinerant psychologists work with all members of the educational team (e.g. principals, teachers, and related service providers) and the school community (e.g. parents or other caregivers, community groups) to improve student mental health and welfare, student engagement, family engagement, and the school climate by implementing targeted prevention and interventions, services, and mental health consultation. LAUSD’s School Mental Health (SMH) is a national leader in the development and implementation of two key strategies, which create safe and supportive school environments: utilizing a trauma-informed approach and implementing evidence-based clinical practices.
Goal 7: Increase departmental collaboration time across all disciplines to improve student achievement.
To increase collaboration time, all professional development days are utilized for professional development time. LAUSD-required faculty trainings are held after the collaborative professional development meetings.
Peer observations have been incorporated into our evaluation process with teachers being encouraged to visit classrooms both in and out of their content area. With technology being one of our WASC goals, many teachers have spent time observing their peers effectively using Google Classroom, Google Suites, Schoology, NewsELA, GoGuardian, Naviance, and other various applications in the classroom. Each teacher is required to complete an observation form during each classroom visit in order to provide feedback for the observed teacher to reflect on their own teaching and instructional strategies and suggestions from other peers.
TCHS administration has also increased funding for on and off-site professional development opportunities for teachers, coordinators, and administrators. For the last three years, beginning in the 2015, our school participated in the CORE Waiver Program, with Jefferson High School and Gardena High School, to offer collaboration opportunities with colleagues on a different campus. Other training that teachers have participated in include AP Training Workshops, Texas Instrument National Conference in Chicago, CUE Conference, STEAM/STEM/Magnet Schools of America Conference, Gifted and GATE Training, Army Veterans Hospital Educator Training, Textbook Adoption trainings, Autism Training, GATE/Autism Trainings, etc.
Much of our training can be accessed online via LAUSD MyPLN, an interactive portal that provides professional development training to all classified and certificated staff. This portal provides a wide range of topics that include child abuse training, suicide prevention training, social emotional training, as well as gifted and special education training.
At the end of the 2018 school year, TCHS provided all faculty with the opportunity to attend a three-day retreat in Oxnard. The training was provided by instructors from the Habits of Mind Institute to help TCHS incorporate the 16 Habits of Mind school-wide. Staff also learned and practiced techniques regarding how to utilize grouping techniques in their instructional practice.
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At the start of the 2018 school year, TCHS instituted a new teacher training program administered by TCHS National Board certified veteran teachers in order to provide professional development on a variety of topics including LAUSD and TCHS procedures, utilizing the LAUSD grading portal, handling the evaluation process, classroom management strategies, as well as best practices.
Goal 8: Provide staff with a timely professional development schedule that is tied to instructional practices, data analysis, and Common Core.
The Professional Development team sends out a yearly schedule to all faculty and staff showing the upcoming professional development topics planned for the school year. We have since instituted three focus areas during the school year for best instructional practices and created professional development that focuses on these areas. TCHS reviews data with our faculty to identify trends in areas such as graduation rates, SBAC scores, CELDT scores, AP Scores, and Attendance Rates. We compare this data to local schools in our area for analysis and reflection. We have also created professional development to meet the needs of common core training, specifically concerning the adoption of our common core aligned textbooks.
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II: Student/Community Profile Data and Supporting Data and Findings
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STAFF – FOCUS GROUPS
Organization Curriculum Instruction Assessment Culture STEINER, DANIEL TAPIA, JAVIER AVIV, AMY LOZA, JOSE MCNAB, NEEZER ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR FORBES, CINDY DRUCKER, SHINING, CHRIS GODSEY, APRIL CANO FOCUS CO- STACY FOCUS FOCUS CO- ANDREA FOCUS FOCUS CO- LEADER CO-LEADER LEADER CO-LEADER LEADER TAPPER, LANCE KISSEN, JESSICA O'NEILL, TAMMY REYES, REGINA GODSEY, BRIAN FOCUS CO- FOCUS CO- FOCUS CO- FOCUS CO- FOCUS CO- LEADER LEADER LEADER LEADER LEADER AYVAZIAN, ALBARRACIN, ARENA, BAEZA, BERGIN, VALERIE ANDREA DIANNA MARIA MARIA BLAIR, BETANCOURT, BETANCOURT, BLAUVELT, BROWNELL, SCOTT ERICKA LEO SUZANNE BRIDGET BRADFORD, BRODY, BLAZIC, CANCILLA, CAPINHA - NICOLE GABRIEL PATRICIA MARY VIADERO, EILEEN CONNORS - CAMPBELL, CASAS, DICHTER, DOMINGUEZ, LONG, MICHAEL GINA CASSANDRA JEFFREY JOSE CRUMMIE, CHTEINE, CLEARY, FAGAN, DRUCKER, FLORINE TATIANA LINDA BRIAN MARK DERRY, COPE TORTORICE, DEHAAN, FREGEAU, FARIAB, RICHARD ROSE ANN GABRIELA DONNA SHOHREH FELICIANO, DORMIZZI, FAKHERI, GONZALEZ, FEIGELSTOCK, ROSA DANIELA SHOLEH JANINE SUZANNE GODINA, DOUGLAS, FERRERIA, HASSON, FELIX, HORACIO DAVID RICHARD AARON ANNA GRUBER, DRUCKER, GASTELUM, HERNANDEZ, GLANDER, DAN BRITTANY MARIE LAURA PAT GRUEN, GORDON, HAJJ, KIM, GONZALEZ, TINA SUSAN LINA CHRIS ERIKA HENDERSON, HERNANDEZ, HARLOW, KOTEEN, GRANBERRY, ZARINA JULIANITO KEVIN JASON MIKELL HOSKINS HESS, HERMAN, LEWIS, HARRIS, PITTLER, JULIE MICHAEL AMY KAREN YOLANDA JOHNS, HOLLAND, HETLAND, LOBEL, KOBIELUSZ, ZAKERY MEG MARK MIRIAM JOHN KAPLAN, HORWAT, ICREVERZI, LOTT, LAZAREK, CONNOR KARIANNE OVIDIU CRYSTAL STEVE KAUFFMAN, INFANTE, KODAMA, MAHON, LONG, KATIE MARTA MATT CHRIS JUSTIN KWAN, INGRAM, KULWIN, MALIK, LUNDBERG, LILY KATIE JEANNE SHAZIA SHAYLENE LASKY, JACOBS, LANDRY, MC KINLEY, MARISCAL, RYAN JERRILYN LINDSEY DENNIS SERGE
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MACH, LIM, LINDSEY, MCFERGUSON, MARKUS, LELE ALVIN HENRY HANK MARILYN DEBORAH MORENO, MANGAWA, LUEVANO, MEDINA, MERWITZER, CESAR AURIELYN STACEY JAVIER MINDY NUGUID, PADRON, MC FADDEN, MERCADO, MULIODIREDJO, JOANNA JOSUE STEPHEN ARMAN ALBERT PARRA, PASMYN, MITCHELL, MERINA, PEASE, JESSE AUBREY TOM MICHAEL STEPHANIE RAMOS, QUIROA, MURPHY, NAMIN, RYDER, NATALIA IVONNE ANGELINA ELIHAM LISA SEHRES, ROVERUD, PHAM, NAZARIAN, SIMPKIN, WILLIAM ROALD DIANE NINA TOM TARTAGLIA, WHITE, SIDANSKY, O'KEEFE, SWAGGERTY, LOUIS CATRINA DENISE JACLYN JERE VILLANUEVA, WHITLEY, SOTO, PODOLSKY, TUCKER, KATHRINE GIL OMAR ERIKA EDWIN WILLIAMS, YOUNG, VALERIO, SANCHEZ, VARGAS, STEVEN ALLISON ALLAN BARBARA MARCY YOUNG, YU, WILF, SASSON, WEST, AMY YUN HOWARD HARRIET KATHY TACUB, ARBY
INTRODUCTION
SECTION A - GENERAL BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
I. COMMUNITY
Taft Charter High School (TCHS), established in 1960, is one of 94 senior high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. TCHS is a part of Local District Northwest, one of six local districts that comprise LAUSD. The campus is located on thirty-five acres northwest of Los Angeles in the upper-middle class community of Woodland Hills.
TCHS receives most of its local students from Woodland Hills Charter Academy and Portola Middle School. In addition to its local population, TCHS serves students from the greater San Fernando Valley, most of whom come to TCHS under open enrollment and as part of the School for Advanced Studies (SAS) Program and the Gifted STEAM Magnet. TCHS also receives students from the Greater Los Angeles Area under the Permit-with-Transportation program.
The census data for Woodland Hills has remained largely unchanged since the 2013 WASC visit. According to the latest US census data, the community of Woodland Hills has a population of 59,661 people, consisting of 78% White, 7.6% Latino, and 7.1% Asian, 3% African American, and 4% other. The Los Angeles Times reports that approximately 63% of the population owns their homes. The median household income is approximately $90,000 annually. The median age Page 23 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report is 40, which is above the average of Los Angeles. Of the population ages 25 and older, 47% have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
According to Zillow.com, the median sale price for an average home (including condominiums) in Woodland Hills is $674,800 while the average sale price for homes in Los Angeles County is $606,900.
TCHS is located near several institutions of higher learning: Los Angeles Pierce College (1.3 miles away), California State University Northridge (6.6 miles away), and Los Angeles Valley College (10 miles away).
State/Federal Program Mandates
The curriculum of TCHS is aligned with the California State Framework, Standards, and the California Education Code. Our school receives Title I funds from the federal level and follows the mandates of the program.
Parent and Community Organizations
TCHS’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) actively supports all academic departments with an annual stipend, athletic teams, visual and performing arts groups, clubs, and special class projects. TCHS’s Band Booster Club is also very active in raising funds for the marching band and assisting during performances. The Parent Center is staffed full-time with a parent center representative and provides parent education workshops, acts as a liaison between parents and the school, and updates parents on a regular basis via email, Connect-Ed, Constant Contact email system, and meetings.
School/Business Relationships
TCHS maintains and promotes positive interactions with a number of business and community partners in the West Valley community.
The UCLA-LAUSD Collaborative is a multi-year effort to increase the graduation and college admittance rates of African-American (AA) students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). To support this effort, LAUSD has collaborated with UCLA and the College Board to provide strategic support to principals, teachers, and counselors at selected high schools across the district to close achievement disparities that exist between AA students and other student sub groups. As one of the selected high schools for this program, our focus has been to increase enrollment access and passing rates for underrepresented ethnic groups. Within the last three years, there has been an increase in the total number of students enrolled in AE, Honors, and AP classes as well as the number of underrepresented ethnic groups enrolled in AE, Honors, and AP Classes, and how many AP exams have been administered at TCHS.
The AP Readiness Program is designed with two interconnected goals in mind. The program aims to improve the teaching abilities of AP instructors while simultaneously giving students the skills they will need to be successful in college level classes. AP Readiness allows students to work with master instructors, who prepare them for the rigorous curriculum that they will face in
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AP courses. Concurrently, their AP teachers observe and learn from the master instructors, gathering a framework for how to successfully conduct an AP course. This unique program allows for students and teachers to learn together. Both teachers and students also become an essential part of a network of AP support and excellence. Since the fall semester of 2017, TCHS students have participated in the AP Readiness Program in both STEAM and the Humanities on one Saturday per month.
The Social Studies Department works in collaboration many community partners to provide supplementary educational opportunities through additional in-class resources as well as off- campus field trips. TCHS students have participated in field trips to the Getty Museum, Japanese American National Museum, U.S. Federal Bankruptcy Court, the California Superior Court, and the Ronald Reagan Library. TCHS has received funding for these trips through various organizations including the Ahmanson Foundation, Azusa Pacific University, the Getty Foundation, Japanese American National Museum, and the Reagan Library. We have also received supplementary materials and guest speakers from our local council members and our local U.S. Congressman.
Sponsored by the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, Teen Court functions as an actual court for young people who commit non-serious crimes where they are questioned, judged, and sentenced by a jury of their peers. Teen Court jurors are selected from the high school’s student body. Teen Court offers the young person who is found guilty the opportunity, upon successful completion of his or her sentence within six months, to have no record of a criminal conviction. Teen Court also prevents the harm caused to a young person by unnecessary involvement in the juvenile justice system. For the students who participate as jurors, clerks, and bailiffs, Teen Court offers valuable lessons about how courts operate and what it is like to be a part of the justice system. Many Teen Court jurors later express an interest in studying law. The public benefits from Teen Court because it enables the juvenile justice system to focus its resources on higher risk offenders. The Court currently operates 38 Teen Courts in high schools throughout Los Angeles County. TCHS has participated in Teen Court for 15 years and the sessions are held once a month after school from 3:30PM - 5:30PM in our multi-purpose room.
For the last eight years, TCHS has partnered with Cedar Sinai Hospital to organize three blood drives per year. Any student who is seventeen years old and older can volunteer to donate blood. Each year, Cedar Sinai Hospital has generously awarded scholarships to outstanding students who have demonstrated academic excellence and citizenship at Senior Awards Night in May.
TCHS has established an articulation agreement with Pierce College to have college courses offered on TCHS’s campus after school. Typically, we offer 5-8 classes per semester. Our students are thus able to earn college credit through concurrent enrollment at Pierce College.
Starting in the 2017-18 school year, TCHS and LAUSD partnered up with Sprint to provide free Chromebooks and Wi-Fi hotspots to our lower socioeconomic students. The “1 Million Project” aims to bridge the homework gap by providing free high-speed Internet to students enrolled in 9- 12th grade that do not have high-speed Internet access at home.
The Woodland Hills Chamber of Commerce works with Business Management classes each year to provide mock job interviews for students in order to prepare them for the job market.
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L’Atelier Fashion Department has established a partnership with the West Valley Occupational Center where fashion students learn real life and hands on experiences through the sewing classes.
TCHS has partnered with the Rotary Club of Woodland Hills. In 2017-2018, the Rotary Club sponsored a portion of funds for new band uniforms for the Marching Band.
Village Nation provides seminars to boost the capacity of caring adult mentors and support them in creating culturally responsive learning environments that engage and inspire African American youth and encourage them to embrace their natural intelligence and leadership capabilities. This group has collaborated with LAUSD to provide the African American Spring Semester Parent Empowerment Summit hosted at TCHS on March 9, 2018.
LA HI-TECH provides Information and Communication Technology career pathways for secondary and postsecondary students in an atmosphere of academic rigor and contextualization through collaborative partnerships that lead to gainful employment and meet the needs and demands of industry employers in the Los Angeles Region. TCHS’s partnership with LA HI- TECH has resulted in funding for new computer labs and staff training to vertically articulate between high schools and college career pathways. Currently, two Career Technical Education teachers at TCHS have aligned their respective course curriculums to earn high school and college credits concurrently.
TCHS has a NASA/Johnson Space Center Certified Lunar Sample Disk and Meteorite Sample Disk educator on staff. This certification, carried through both NASA and JPL, allows TCHS to access some of the Johnson Space Center national archives of lunar and meteorite samples. Each disk encapsulates six authentic Astromaterial samples in a six-inch diameter clear Lucite disk. Each Meteorite Sample Disk contains six different types of Meteorite samples. Each Lunar Sample Disk contains three Lunar rock and three Lunar soil (regolith) samples collected by Apollo astronauts. TCHS students are allowed to view and hold the samples while researching both the geological formation of and the history around these national treasures.
TCHS Gifted STEAM Magnet has established a partnership with the Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) Educational foundation. The foundation’s classroom grant program encourages student curiosity in science and math, offering grants up to $1,000 to local schools in PPG communities across the U.S. Each project has a PPG employee champion who supports the school throughout the application process. Recent grants have brought chemistry equipment into high schools and given students a chance to create chemical reactions, not just read about them. Grant money in the 2017-18 calendar year funded student research into hydrogen fuel cells and solar panel efficiency for our Principles of Engineering course. The student projects were revealed to our PPG Champions in December 2017 when the local Pasadena representatives visited TCHS and observed the students in class and their grant-funded materials at work.
The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) has established a partnership with Manhattan Bagel where the venue has provided continuous donations of bagels and baked goods for various school events on campus. These events include campus tours and parent and faculty meetings.
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Through the Ralphs Community Contribution Program, TCHS PTO has established a partnership where individual purchases will be counted toward fundraisers for clubs, special programs, and teams at TCHS and earn a rebate for the purchaser.
TCHS has partnered with the Leichman Career and Transition Center, which provides vocational, community, and work experiences that lead our students towards greater independence. The students create and deliver greeting cards each month, which are on sale and displayed in our Main Office.
II. STAFF DESCRIPTION
TCHS has 109 full-time certificated staff members and five administrators. All of our faculty members are credentialed and more than half of the certificated staff has a doctorate or masters degree. TCHS has an experienced faculty as the average service time in education is 17.9 years and the average time of service at TCHS is 10 years, allowing for stability of programs.
Credential Types Full Preliminary District National Board Credential Credential Intern Certification 103 10 1 5
Certificated Staff Ethnicity African-American Asian Hispanic White 3 11 17 71
Educational Level Bachelor Masters Doctorate 50 61 4
In addition to the certificated staff, TCHS has 65 full-time classified employees. The classified staff supports TCHS operationally and instructionally. It includes eight office staff, 11 building and grounds workers, 17 special education aides, eight ASL interpreters, four Instructional Aides for the DHH, eight cafeteria workers, and a Parent Center Director. These staff members are an integral part of the educational process at TCHS.
III. ACS WASC ACCREDITATION HISTORY
Since the last WASC committee visit, the administrative team and the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) have worked to revisit, revise, and implement our school’s action plan. Both the administrative and data teams examine school-wide data and align our goals yearly based on the
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TCHS goals. The administrative team recommends budget priorities to support the identified goals in the school single plan (SPSA) and the LCAP goals with input from the ILT. The Professional Development Committee creates a yearly professional development plan for the school year to provide the tools and resources to achieve these goals.
In the fall of 2015, the Administrative and WASC committee members met to examine significant developments and changes that have occurred during the first three years of the cycle at TCHS, while additionally examining areas of critical growth. The committee also examined data from a variety of sources that include MyData, reports from the College Board, California Dataquest, California Dashboards, LAUSD Focus Dashboards, and parent, student, and staff surveys to identify significant changes, growth trends, and areas of concern from the original Self-Study in 2013.
In the fall of 2017, the TCHS WASC committee, in conjunction with the ILT, reviewed our ESLRS and previous mission and vision statements. These committees sought input from all stakeholders including parents, students, faculty, and staff members and then rewrote drafts of both the mission and vision statement and our new Student Learning Objectives (SLOs). After presenting these documents to all stakeholders and making some necessary revisions, all three were adopted after a final revision process in the spring of 2018.
In spring of 2017, our staff met in WASC focus groups and department home groups and began the self-study process by reviewing a variety of data sources (SBAC, PSAT Scores, AP Scores, CELDT Scores, etc.) and through analysis, determined our critical student learning needs and how to begin addressing them. Stakeholders also addressed significant developments over the past three years and examined our critical areas of follow up. Finally, the TCHS WASC committee (WASC Co-Chairs, Focus Group Leaders, and Site Administration) summarized the findings for this report. Both the 2013 and the 2016 reports were reviewed by the TCHS ILT to revise and clarify the material as necessary.
The progress reports have been shared with all stakeholder groups (staff, parents, student committees, and the district) at staff development meetings, WASC group meetings, SSC, monthly Coffee with the Principal for parents, and monthly Lunch with the Principal meetings for students.
Revision of Vision, Mission, and School-wide Learner Outcomes
The process to revise TCHS’s vision, mission, and school-wide learner outcomes (SLOs) began in the spring of 2017. Revised statements were proposed by the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT), input was solicited from staff in department meetings and from parents and students through the School Site Council, Coffee with the Principal, and through the use of electronic surveys. The final versions were adopted in the Spring of 2018 and are included below.
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TAFT CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
VISION Taft Charter High School will serve our diverse student community by preparing students for the 21st century through rigorous classes providing college and career readiness. Our students will gain the necessary academic, technological, and interpersonal skills to successfully compete in today’s global society.
MISSION Taft Charter High School will provide students with opportunities to foster their individual interests and talents through innovative programs and multi-faceted instruction allowing students to develop a voice and become lifelong learners.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon graduation, Taft Charter High School students will be able to
Synthesize Creative Thought: think critically and problem solve by formulating, designing, organizing, and creating their own work through the application of theories, concepts, and analytical methods.
Demonstrate Informational Competency: find, evaluate, ethically use, and communicate information through library, media, and technological literacy.
Collaborate: lead and work cooperatively with others through the use of multi-cultural awareness and interpersonal skills. Students will have respect for diversity and interact positively with people from different backgrounds and lifestyles.
IV. LCAP IDENTIFIED NEEDS AND DESCRIPTION OF GOALS, ACTIONS, AND SERVICES THAT APPLY TO THE SCHOOL
Working with TCHS stakeholders, TCHS has identified six goals that focus TCHS needs for the next three years. These goals are aligned with the District’s Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) goals.
Goal #1 – 100% Graduation: TCHS will increase the number of students who successfully complete high school and are college and career ready. This will be done through a variety of counseling and monitoring processes such as attendance verification.
Identified Need #1: Increase completion of high school with A-G requirements being met and decrease the gaps of A-G completion rates for specific subgroups. Increase student attendance through clear monitoring and intervention procedures. Increase student participation in Career
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Technical Education. Maintain our open access to higher-level courses. Provide students with access to high quality core curriculum, enrichment, and intervention in preparation for college and career readiness.
Metric #1: High school graduation rates. High school dropout rates. A-G progress reports. A-G completion rates. Chronic absenteeism rate. Attendance rates.
Goal #2 – Proficiency for All: TCHS will increase student proficiency in ELA and math measured by an increase in the number of students who score "MET" or "EXCEEDED" the standard on both the English Language Arts and Math sections of the CAASPP and continue to increase our reclassification rate of English Learners. We will expand our use of equipment and technology in many forms to help fulfill both of these student areas of need in a timely manner.
Identified Need #2: Continued implementation of all state standards. Literacy instruction across all curricular disciplines. Continue the expansion of technology to increase the use of different resources in order to fulfill the needs of our students.
Metric #2: Performance on SBAC assessments (ELA and Math). Performance on statewide CAASPP assessments (ELA and Math). English Learner (EL) reclassification rate.
Goal #3 – 100% Attendance: TCHS will increase student attendance and support student learning with a matching decrease in chronic absenteeism. We plan to create and support important positive steps in a student's academic career including, but not limited to, Dean's list and Principal's list of high achieving students, recognition of student low absenteeism, and recognition of student participation in athletics.
Identified Need #3: Increase incentive for student attendance through recognition, support, intervention, and equitable opportunities on campus for student involvement.
Metric #3: Attendance Rates. Chronic absenteeism rate.
Goal #4 – Parent, Community, and Student Engagement: TCHS will increase the number of parents who provide input regarding school conditions, support student learning at home and school, and increase student engagement. Parent and Family workshops and speakers will be focused on these areas with an eye toward increased parental participation in their student's life.
Identified Need #4: There is an ongoing need to ensure that all students are given equitable opportunities and support to participate in programs at TCHS. There is an ongoing need to increase parent involvement as well as parent education, including navigating the education system and involving our community partners and parents in decision making at TCHS. Continue efforts to improve and expand our communication with parents, both with teachers and the school as a whole. Need to expand connections with community resources.
Metric #4: Student Club Attendance Rates. Parent Education Meeting Attendance. PTO Attendance. Coffee with the Principal Attendance. Parent and student survey on school climate.
Goal #5 – Ensure School Safety: TCHS will increase targeted reductions in student sub groups
Page 30 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report in regard to student suspensions. We will also continue to reduce the number of instructional days lost to suspensions. TCHS will also continue to maintain a safe and positive school environment.
Identified Need #5: Provide a safe learning environment with clear and concise behavioral expectations for students. Promote a balanced environment (academic, extracurricular, life skills, etc.). Increase support services targeting the social and emotional well-being of students.
Metric #5: Suspension rate. Expulsion rate.
Goal #6 – Provide for Basic Services: TCHS will provide basic services for our students and school. We will assign 100% of our teachers in accordance with their credentials including EL authorizations, give them access to 100% of the standard-aligned instructional materials necessary for a fully functional educational program, and maintain our campus overall "good" rating of our school facilities.
Identified Need #6: Properly assign teachers based on credentials. Identify and recruit credentialed substitutes. Provide materials to students that are aligned to the standards and update textbooks and technology to support 21st-century education. Provide clean, safe, and well- maintained facilities to all.
Metric #6: School Report Card. Teacher, Parent, and Student Surveys concerning school safety and cleanliness.
SECTION B — SCHOOL PROGRAM DATA
I. PROGRAM OF STUDY FOR ALL STUDENTS
TCHS is a traditional high school, which offers its students a comprehensive program of study consisting of core academic and elective courses that lead to a high school diploma upon completion of 210 units of credit or to a certificate (Special Education). All courses, except those for Special Education students in SDC and English Learners in ELD 1 and 2, Health, and Physical Education/Athletics, meet CSU/UC standards, thus allowing eligible students to meet or exceed the minimum A-G requirements. To meet the varying academic needs of all students, students may access the following academic programs: Advanced Placement (AP), Edgenuity Learning for credit recovery, and Special Education and English Language Development classes. Vocational programs include the Regional Occupational Program (ROP), and Career Technical Education (CTE). In addition, TCHS offers an array of non-core electives including courses in business, computer science, engineering, sports medicine, ethnic studies, art, music, and health sciences. An extensive extracurricular program provides students additional opportunities to extend their learning and interests.
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II. PREPARING STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE AND CAREERS
College and Career Center Programs
TCHS offers a number of programs to prepare students for college and careers. The College and Career Center runs the AP, CTE, ROP, and VAPA programs on our campus. In addition to these programs, dual enrollment courses are offered on-site and at the college campus through Los Angeles Pierce College, the local community college, allowing students to receive high school and college credits for course completion. TCHS teachers articulate with Pierce College professors to align their class syllabi to allow TCHS students to earn college credit for high school classes.
The College and Career Center also provides college and career preparation components to prepare our students for college and career pathways. The College Center invites college and university representatives for annual campus visits on a regular basis as well as hosting a yearly career day for students to discover technical career pathways. The College Center also hosts workshops for parents and students concerning the navigation of the college and FAFSA application process.
Each year, juniors apply to become a Peer College Counselor. After a rigorous interview process, students are selected to be a Junior Peer College Counselor (JPCC) who are then specifically trained to become a Peer College Counselor in their senior year. These students work closely with the College Counselor to be trained in knowledge about high school and college requirements, applications process, financial aid, SAT and ACT testing registration and requirements. The JPCCs and PCCs are available during nutrition and lunch for any student to come to the College Center for any questions. These students lead class talks and presentations about upcoming events, workshops, and testing information through the English classes.
The College Counselor attends workshops and meetings to keep abreast of any new information as well as establish new relationships with representatives and businesses, such as Mock SAT and financial planning. In addition, our College Counselor has identified a need to provide opportunities for our sub groups to visit local universities and provides field trips to those students that show interest.
Advanced Placement Program (AP)
The Advanced Placement Program serves approximately 31% of TCHS student population, currently offering 21 AP courses on site. AP course options have increased since our last accreditation visit in order to align with student interest and need. All students may access the rigorous coursework offered in AP courses, which may lead to college credit upon successfully passing an external examination. Many of the previous restrictions to AP courses have been eliminated and a student can enroll in these classes through the maintenance of successful grades in their previous courses or through the request of both the student and parent. The counseling department also utilizes PSAT result data to identify students with AP potential and specifically encourage those students to enroll in AP courses.
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Career Technical Education (CTE)
Two Career Technical Education (CTE) teachers have an articulation agreement with Pierce College to offer dual high school and college credit in our Arts, Media and Entertainment Industry Sector in Graphic Design and Video Production. TCHS teachers articulate with Pierce College professors to align their class syllabi to allow TCHS students to earn college credit for high school classes.
Our CTE program currently has expanded to include Engineering Design and Information and Communication Technologies. We plan to establish articulation agreements with community colleges to offer dual credit in our engineering and computer science courses being offered. TCHS has also expanded our CTE program to include courses for the health science and medical technology industry sector with a pathway that focuses on patient career and therapeutic services and providing students with hands-on training experiences led by a certificated teacher in Sports Medicine.
L’Atelier
TCHS provides a career-based education program, L’Atelier, focusing on creating career readiness in the fields of culinary arts and fashion design. This inclusive program offers real world experiences where students can practice and perfect the skills necessary to achieve success in any workplace. The unique focus of L’Atelier reaches out to, accommodates, and benefits all learners. L’Atelier instructs the whole student by promoting and teaching personal wellness as well as fiscal and social responsibility.
Through the fashion design element of this program, students have obtained hands on experience by enrolling in sewing classes at West Valley Occupational center, participated in field trips to the Los Angeles Fashion District to view and evaluate visual merchandising, developed their own fashion magazines and their own fashion designs, as well as run their own L’Atelier Boutique and organize and produce their own culminating professional fashion show.
The L’Atelier Culinary Arts Program works with many community partners, including Leichman Learning Center and Whole Foods, to teach TCHS students culinary skills, business management prowess, and professional etiquette. TCHS has worked in conjunction with these partners at local community events and catered school meetings.
The Regional Occupational Program (ROP)
TCHS has two Regional Occupational Program (ROP) teachers, one in graphic arts, and another in the field of fashion. Our fashion teacher maintains a relationship with fashion institutes in Southern California. Guest speakers from Otis Parsons and Fashion Institute of Technology are invited to come share enrollment information and the various aspects of the fashion career fields. Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, all ROP classes taught at TCHS are certified by the California State Department of Education with select classes meeting the UC A-G approved admission requirements. TCHS has established an articulation agreement whereby students are able to receive college credit for enrollment in Graphic Design.
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All ROP classes combine hands-on training with classroom instruction and are based on the California Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards. These standards are aligned to the Common Core Standards and prepare students for college and career.
Visual and Performing Arts Program (VAPA)
TCHS has a phenomenal Visual and Performing Arts Program with students being able to access and engage in a plethora of elective choices including band, dance, theater production, theater ensemble, stage crew, color guard, choral music, yearbook, drawing, calligraphy, advertising design, drawing, photography, and video production.
TCHS Instrumental Program
The instrumental program at TCHS provides for an incredibly diverse curriculum. Performance ensembles consist of the “Taft Marching Toreadors” (a 71-person ensemble including Woodwinds, Brass, Drum line, Color Guard, and Pit Percussion). Three Drum Corps International Veteran Color Guard instructors teach team members the art of sabre, rifle, flag, and movement. Several Marching Tech instructors provide students with daily instruction on movement technique. Music technique is developed on a daily basis. The Marching Toreadors currently hold the LAUSD Championship Title for 1A bands and also achieved 3rd place at the Southern California Band and Orchestra Association Marching Championships. The Marching Toreadors provide public community service through their annual performances in the annual “Light the Night” for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, “Race for a Cure” for the American Cancer Society, the San Fernando Veterans Day Parade, the Canoga Park Memorial Day Parade, and multiple performances every year at “Candy Cane Lane.”
The TCHS Concert Band performs an annual Holiday Concert, Spring Concert, Graduation Performance, and participants also take part in the Los Angeles Secondary Music Associations Solo and Ensemble Competition. TCHS boasts two full TCHS Jazz Big Bands that perform annually at the LAUSD Jazz and Blues festival, the Pasadena Community College Jazz Festival, and also host a Dinner/Dance that regularly sells out. The TCHS String Orchestra performs an annual Holiday Concert, a Spring Concert, and joins together with the Concert Band to perform at the Annual LAUSD Instrumental Summit and at Graduation. Students of the orchestra are also adjudicated at the LASMTA’s annual Solo and Ensemble festival.
Vocal and Guitar Program
The Vocal and Guitar Program consists of the Beginning Choir, Advanced Vocal Ensemble, and Beginning Acoustic Guitar classes. Performances occur throughout the school year including a Holiday Concert, Community Outreach Caroling at “Candy Cane Lane.” Students also perform at the local Sunrise Adult Center, participate in the Los Angeles Secondary Music Teachers Solo and Ensemble Festival, Adjudication and Master Classes at the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Choral Summit, and in a graduation performance. A highlight for the Vocal Ensemble culminates in a performance at Disney Concert Hall with the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Select students also take the opportunity annually to audition for the California Association of Music Educators Conference “All-State” Choir, Vocal Ensemble, Chorus and Jazz Choir. The
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Instrumental and Vocal Instructors are current members of the National Association of Music Educators, American Choral Directors Association, and the Southern California Vocal Association.
TCHS Theatre
TCHS has an award-winning Theatre Arts Program. We are members of the International Thespian Society, an internationally recognized honor society for High school theatre students. We offer four levels of theatre arts classes: Intro to Theatre, Ensemble Theatre (intermediate performance theatre), Play Production (advanced performance theatre), and Stage Crew (Technical Theatre). Students from the entire school engage in and perform two main stage productions per year, a play in the fall and a musical in the spring. Our spring musical involves collaboration with our vocal and instrumental music programs. We participate in the California Educational Theatre Association Festival, the fall Drama Teachers Association of Southern California Festival, and competition, as well as the National Youth Arts Awards. Arts partnerships include Center Theatre Group and the Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts at Cal State Northridge. TCHS’s theatre program is open to all students who elect to participate by taking a theatre class or by audition or performing with a stage or technical crew.
Visual Arts
Visual arts students exhibited creative drawing, painting, design, and calligraphy works in the CSUN High School Invitational Art Show. They also have received numerous first, second, and third place awards, including Best in Show, at the Canoga Park Arts Festival. They have also participated in the Brad Sherman's Congressional Art Competition, earning second place and honorable mention.
The Visual Arts class also sponsors the Hugs in a Blanket Club. The club mission statement has expanded to include not just donating blankets to children, but to all who are in need in our community. We have now donated blankets to impoverished adults in Guatemala and hospitalized adult patients. We will be donating to veterans in the near future.
Video Production and American Image Cinema class
TCHS offers an award-winning Media Program that helps students to develop professional skills in all aspects of the entertainment industry. They learn from professionals in the field through field trips, visiting the sets of professional productions, and through guest speakers visiting the TCHS campus to interact with our students. Industry professionals serve on an Advisory Board, assisting in program choices that keep the program up to date with industry standards and practices.
TCHS student videos and short films win awards and recognition each year in competitions such as the Los Angeles Student Film Festival, the Burbank International Film Festival, and the My Hero International Film Festival. Our students have participated in Student Television Network to share their work with other students across the country and they have also participated in panels to discuss their films on stage at the Skirball’s Video Slam Competition.
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Through articulation with Pierce College, students in video production and photography classes earn both high school and community college credit for each class. Both the Video Production and Photography courses are accomplished CTE programs, providing college and career readiness for students interested in media arts.
III. ONLINE INSTRUCTION
TCHS, in collaboration with Henry Thoreau Continuation School, provides all students access to online instruction-mainly for credit recovery. Students may elect to take one or two online classes during the school day. All classes are taught by highly qualified credentialed teachers in the content area. In addition, courses incorporate and foster skills that encourage collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, and communication. While these classes do not require students to have a certain amount of “seat time,” students are required to log in every school day. Students may access these classes from home or school. Students electing to take the online learning courses are scheduled at the end of the school day to ensure that they will have access to use the computers on site if necessary. Currently, 112 TCHS students are participating in 29 Edgenuity courses.
IV. SUPPORT AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMS
English Learners
Approximately 5% of the student population (120 students) at TCHS is designated as English Language Learners (EL) with 38 of them classified as Long Term English Learners (LTEL). The English Language Development (ELD) program is comprised of a Targeted Student Population Advisor and 7 ELD teachers. Currently, 120 students participate in the following ELD courses of study: ELD 1 (5), ELD II (10), ELD III (28), and ELD IV (18).
Following LAUSD procedures, our students are aligned in the above-mentioned classes. For our ELD 1 and 2 students the balance of their course is based on their language level, giving these students the best opportunity to succeed. The majority of the students designated as English Language Learners are mainstreamed into general education classes with scaffolding. The district also provides a part-time Title III Coach who services our EL student population and teachers.
Socio-economically Disadvantaged Students
68% of the TCHS’s population is identified as socioeconomically disadvantaged and participate in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program (FRLP). As such, TCHS is a school-wide Title I program which serves 100% of the student population in all content areas. The Title I program currently provides staffing for three math teachers, one English teacher, one science teacher, a problem solving data coordinator, three days of our nurse’s schedule, an office technician, and a Title I Coordinator. Title 1 has provided a number of Chromebook carts for the four core academic subjects. Title I has provided for our community representative that operates the Parent Center.
Foster Youth
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The District has assigned a foster youth counselor at TCHS to provide students with supplies, on- site counseling, and support as needed. These students can also receive an alternative course of study that leads to graduation. Students who come to TCHS as Foster Youth and meet specific requirements can qualify to graduate with only state required graduation credits which is lower than LAUSD’s credit requirement for graduation. In the 2018-19 school year, TCHS has sixteen students designated as Foster Youth.
Other Local Support and Intervention Programs
Edgenuity
To provide students an opportunity for credit recovery, Edgenuity, an online curriculum, is offered by the district for credit recovery after school at TCHS. Students are able to complete their Edgenuity courses on site in the computer lab or at home. A certificated teacher monitors and oversees student progress through Edgenuity software. Most core content area courses are offered and students not only have the ability to recover credits but also to complete courses of study that meet the CSU/UC A-G requirements.
After-school Tutoring Program
TCHS offers tutoring programs staffed by certificated personnel for all students in the core academic subjects along with world languages. Tutoring is available Monday through Thursday from 3:30 - 4:30 pm and students may receive tutoring in any subject.
9th Grade Support Program
As part of the 9th grade curriculum, students take a College and Career Readiness seminar taught by English teachers. This class focuses on providing the foundation necessary for students to be college and career ready. This class was established in the 2017-18 school year.
Summer Bridge Program
Data from the School Experience Survey in the 2017-2018 school year indicated that some 9th grade students have reservations about their experience at TCHS. For the summer of 2018, TCHS implemented a school funded “Summer Bridge Program” for incoming 9th grade students. The program lasted one week and 5 sessions were conducted with more than half of the incoming 9th graders participating in the program. Each lesson in the week-long program was designed to improve student experiences on campus and address concerns recognized through the school experience survey. Data from a survey conducted during the program reflects an improvement in the student experience at TCHS.
Saturday Academy
As approved by the district, dates are selected for each site to hold and offer Saturday
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Academies. Saturday Academy provides students an opportunity to participate in courses for enrichment, advancement, and remediation in various disciplines. Past examples of Saturday Academy courses have included AP reviews, band and theatre practices, study halls, tutorials, and science labs. Currently TCHS has a partnership with UCLA to provide support in AP readiness in the humanities and STEM. Students attend an all-day session at the UCLA campus one Saturday a month.
Alternative Education
Students may attend Thoreau Continuation HS located on the TCHS campus to recover credits. Students can return to TCHS after being back on track to graduate on time with their respective graduating class or they can decide to graduate with their peers at a district-wide graduation ceremony held for all students graduating from a continuation school. Currently, Thoreau has 87 students enrolled at their campus.
Summer School
TCHS, in conjunction with LAUSD, offers summer school for credit recovery in the core subject areas and selected enrichment classes. TCHS students are allowed to enroll in any LAUSD school throughout the district that offers summer school. In addition to credit recovery, a summer program is offered as an extended school year (ESY) for students serviced by the special education program at selected school sites throughout the district.
V. SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL LEARNING NEEDS
Special Education Program
Currently, TCHS has 283 students identified as Students with Disabilities, which represents 12% of the student population. The Special Education department is comprised of one Coordinator, three Psychologists, nine Related Services Itinerants, 19 Special Education teachers, Supervisor of Special Education Assistants, 22 Special Education Assistants (some of which are 1:1), seven Deaf and Hard of Hearing Interpreters, and one LVN (1:1). Student placement and services are determined by each student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). TCHS currently offers six different programs to service our student population.
Our Least Restrictive Environment offered consists of 4 teachers assigned as Resource Specialists who work with 127 students in the Resource Specialist Program (RSP). General Education classes are offered to RSP students in all core content areas with a co-teaching (General Education and Special Education Teachers) model in Mathematics and English Language Arts. RSP students may also be placed in a study skills class to assist in and remediate concepts covered in core classes.
We currently have seven teachers assigned to the Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Special Day Class (SDC) Program working with 99 students. A Special Educational Teacher and Assistant serve students in the SLD program in all of the core instructional classes and have approximately 14 students in each class. The curriculum is standards-based and accommodations
Page 38 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report are provided to meet the unique learning disabilities of the students.
We currently have two teachers assigned to the Core Autism (AUT) SDC Program with 14 students. Students in the AUT Program are served in all of the core instructional classes in a co- teaching model by two Special Educational Teachers and multiple Assistants per class. These students also take a Communication Skills Elective in the AUT SDC Program to assist them in their social skills.
We currently have two teachers assigned to the Academy of Integrated Arts and Technology (AIAT) Program with 13 students. This program is intended to service students who are twice- exceptional (2E), which the district defines as students who currently have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and are also either identified as gifted or high achieving. This program serves a unique population in the district and it is the first of its kind. These students are serviced in all honors classes with approximately 20 students in each class. 50% of the student population in this program is considered 2E while the rest of each class is general education students identified as gifted. Each class has a co-teaching (General Education and Special Education Teachers) model with an additional Special Education Assistant. This allows students to achieve their greatest academic success while also working on social and executive functioning skills.
We currently have three teachers assigned to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) SDC Program. This program has students in both the General Education and Special Day Class Program. Classes are taught in American Sign Language and Interpreters are provided to assist students in their non-SDC Classes in which the teacher does not sign.
We currently have one teacher assigned to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alternate Curriculum Program (DHH ALT). This is a unique program within the district that services students in the DHH community that are also on the Alternate Curriculum. These students also engage in Community Based Instruction (CBI). CBI is designed for students that need intensive instruction in functional and daily living skills. They have the opportunity to engage in business enterprises that they design and run and this allows them opportunities to interact with the community.
SECTION C — DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
I. SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS
Parent Education Level
Parent reported educational data was collected from student enrollment forms for 2018-2019. Our data indicates that approximately 9% of parents have not graduated high school, while 15% are high school graduates, and 45% have at least some college experience.
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Parent Education Level
30.0%
19.4% 15.0% 15.4%
10.5% 9.4%
GRADUATE COLLEGE SOME COLLEGE HS GRADUATE NON HS DECLINED TO SCHOOL GRADUATE GRADUATE STATE/UNKNOWN
Education Level Percentage Number of Responses Graduate School 10.5% 350 College Graduate 19.4% 644 Some College 15% 500 HS Graduate 15.4% 511 Non-HS Graduate 9.4% 312 Declined to State/Unknown 30% 995
Title I
In the past three years, the percentage of socioeconomically disadvantaged students participating in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program has increased. Part of this increase can be attributed to a campaign to encourage all students to return a lunch application. The extra funding has allowed TCHS to purchase classroom resources, reduce class sizes, fund the Problem Solving Data Coordinator position, provide three additional days of nursing services, and hire other support personnel. Additional monetary resources have been used to purchase technology, such as Chromebooks, for classroom resources.
Percentage of Title I Students with Free or Reduced Lunch
Free and Reduced Lunch
66% 68% 56%
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 56% 66% 68%
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II. STUDENT ENROLLMENT
Since our last Self-Study report, our student enrollment has remained steady. The last three years, TCHS has seen an increased enrollment for 9-11th grade students due to the implementation of the TCHS STEAM Magnet, which opened in the 2016-2017 school year. By the 2019-2020 school year, the program will expand to a four-year comprehensive program with a capacity of 500 students. We expect an increase in our senior class next year with the STEAM Magnet’s first graduating class.
Enrollment by Grade Level
Enrollment by Grade Level
679 689 666 647 643 603 608 598 577 569 576 567 540 537 525 505
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 2018 - 2019
9th 10th 11th 12th
Grade 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 2018 - 2019 9th 679 577 603 643 10th 689 666 569 598 11th 540 647 608 537 12th 525 505 576 567 TOTAL 2433 2395 2356 2345
2018 – 2019 Enrollment by Gender
Enrollment by Gender
1222 1203 1205 1182 1183 1192 1138 1135
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 2018 - 2019
Female Male
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Gender 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 2018 - 2019 Female 1182 1183 1138 1135 Male 1222 1203 1205 1192
2018 – 2019 Enrollment by Ethnicity
TCHS’s student ethnic balance has remained fairly consistent since the last WASC report in 2013. TCHS has one of the highest white populations (40.5%) among all other LAUSD high schools. The next largest group at TCHS is Latinos at 38.8%, followed by African Americans at 8.3%. This is in contrast to the ethnic proportions of LAUSD in which Latinos comprise 73.4%, Whites 10%, African Americans 7.8%, and Asians 3.7% of the overall district enrollment. While TCHS’s population is 40% white, it is composed of such diverse sub groups as Armenian, Iranian, Persian, and Russian students.
Ethnicity # of Students % of Students American Indian / Alaska Native 8 0.3% Asian 145 6.2% African American 193 8.3% Latino 910 38.8% White 953 40.5% Filipino 81 3.4% Pacific Islander 1 0.1% 2 or More 52 2.3% Unknown 1 0.1% Overall 2,354 100%
2018 - 2019 Primary Language
TCHS is the most diverse comprehensive high school in LAUSD. Our student population has a total of 42 different primary languages (other than English) that are spoken at home. More than half of TCHS’s diverse student population speaks a primary language at home other than English. Of the languages other than English spoken at home, Spanish is the most spoken language with 27%, followed by Farsi at 8.5%, and then Russian with 3.6% with the other 38 languages making up the remaining 9.9%. This diversity is one of our greatest assets at TCHS.
Primary Languages of TCHS Students
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Special Needs and other focused programs
TCHS currently has a total of 246 Special Education students, comprising 10.5% of the student population. Out of the 246 students, 147 are SDP and 99 are RSP students. In 2018, TCHS started a new Academy of Integrated Arts and Technology (AIAT) program with an enrollment of approximately 33 students. The AIAT program is designed for twice exceptional (2E) students identified as gifted/highly gifted who are also eligible for special education services. This year, the DHH department has enrolled 7 new students, in addition to the existing 27 students, for the newly implemented DHH Alternate Curriculum Program.
III. LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
EL language proficiency data indicates an increase in the number of EL students from 2015 to 2017, but a decrease in the number of reclassified language learners over the last three years. SBAC ELA data indicates that only 6% of the EL students in comparison to 61% of the overall school data that met or exceeded standards. SBAC math data shows only 3% of the EL students in comparison to 30% of the overall school data met or exceeded standards. This gap in achievement is one of our focus goals in our LCAP and school-wide plan.
SBAC ELA: EL
85 83 77 71
26 11 13 16 4 4 3 6 0 0 0 0 4 4 3 6 0 3
NOT MET NEARLY MET MET EXCEEDS MET & EXCEEDS CHANGE-1
2014 – 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
YEAR NOT NEARLY MET EXCEEDS MET & CHANGE MET MET EXCEEDS 2014 – 2015 85 11 4 0 4 2015 - 2016 83 13 4 0 4 None 2016 - 2017 71 26 3 0 3 - 1 2017 - 2018 77 16 6 0 6 + 3
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SBAC MATH: EL
92 78 80 69
8 13 15 17 0 9 15 3 0 0 9 0 0 9 15 3 9 6
NOT MET NEARLY MET MET EXCEEDS MET & EXCEEDS CHANGE-12
2014 – 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
YEAR NOT NEARLY MET EXCEEDS MET & CHANGE MET MET EXCEEDS 2014 – 2015 92 8 0 0 0 2015 - 2016 78 13 9 0 9 + 9 2016 - 2017 69 15 15 0 15 + 6 2017 - 2018 80 17 3 0 3 - 12
% Reclassified
36.0%
22.4% 21.9% 17.5%
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 2018 - 2019
School Year # EL # Reclassified % Reclassified 2015 - 2016 161 36 22.4% 2016 - 2017 196 43 21.9% 2017 - 2018 183 32 17.5% 2018 – 2019 160 57 36%
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Language Classification
641 686
373 342 183 160
EL IFEP RFEP
2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
School Year EL IFEP RFEP 2016 - 2017 183 373 641 2017 - 2018 160 342 686
SECTION D — DATA ADDRESSING THE EIGHT STATE PRIORITIES
I. LCFF PRIORITY 1 – BASICS (TEACHERS, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FACILITIES)
Professional Development
At the start of the 2015-16 school year, TCHS established a PD committee to plan PD through the use of data that is aligned with the LCAP and SPSA goals. The committee focused on the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and Teacher and Learning Framework (TLF) focus elements as adopted by LAUSD and TCHS.
The TCHS PD Committee developed a PD plan in conjunction with our CORE Waiver partners, Jefferson and Gardena High Schools, that focused on the following areas: Implementation of Technology in the Classroom, the 16 Habits of Mind of Successful People, and TLF Focus Element 3b2 “Purposeful and Productive Instructional Groups.”
Access to Instructional Materials aligned with Common Core Standards
All content subject areas utilize state and district adopted textbooks and instructional materials aligned with Common Core Standards. Teachers are given in-depth training on instructional materials and auxiliary materials that accompany the basic textbook materials. TCHS is required to certify (through the Williams consent decree) that all students have the required textbooks for all of their core classes each year.
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School Facilities
In addition to 115 regular classrooms, the TCHS campus includes a multi-purpose room (Taft Hall), a library, four computer labs, an engineering and robotics lab, a college office, a textbook room, the Toreador Center (housing additional administrative offices and the Copy Center), and a Parent Center. Sports facilities include a football field, baseball field, softball field, and a gym. The co-located Ivy Academia Charter School that was placed on the TCHS campus in 2014 uses twenty of the classrooms on the far west end of our campus.
Some renovations have occurred since our last WASC visit. The gym was renovated in 2014 to provide new flooring, new seating, and to update facilities to meet ADA guidelines. During that same year, TCHS’s front parking lot had solar electric panels installed and a new electronic marquee was erected along Ventura Boulevard.
TCHS is scheduled to have Taft Hall converted from a multipurpose room into an auditorium with a new sound system, acoustical treatment, improved lighting, and stadium style seating.
II. LCFF PRIORITY 2 – IMPLEMENTATION OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS
TCHS has fully implemented state standards in all courses. Course materials and textbooks align with state standards and instruction follows district and/or site pacing guides for each subject. Science has not fully implemented the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), but is incorporating the instructional shifts necessary to address the three-dimensional model of NGSS.
III. LCFF PRIORITY 3 – PARENT ENGAGEMENT
Efforts to Seek Parent Input in Decision-Making
Parents are actively involved in decision-making through participation in SSC, PTO, ELAC, and through the LCAP process at TCHS. TCHS has a Parent Center staffed by a Parent Community representative that acts as a liaison between TCHS and the entire community. The principal also holds a monthly Coffee with the Principal meeting with parents and community members. In addition, different groups have parent organizations that support specific groups on campus. TCHS has a very active Band Booster Club that has supported the band through helping to buy new uniforms and instruments. TCHS’s PTO supports all the athletic teams and extra-curricular clubs as well as individual academic departments with funds to buy supplemental material for their classes.
Parent participation is exemplified by the percent of parents that complete the LAUSD’s School Experience Survey. More than half the parents, 67% in 2017 and 55% in 2018, have completed the survey in the last two school years. These rates of parent participation are the highest for any comprehensive high school in LAUSD.
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IV. LCFF PRIORITY 4 – PERFORMANCE ON STANDARDIZED TESTS
SBAC ELA Data
California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) data from the CAASPP in English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy indicates that the percent of all students who met or exceeded the standard increased by 23% from 2015 to 2017, but subsequently decreased by 6% in 2017-18 for a net gain of 15%. For African Americans, we have seen continuous growth every year with the percent of Met and Exceeds going from 30% in 2015 to 58% in 2017-18, thus decreasing the achievement gap. For Latinos, in 2016 we saw a 23% increase in the percent that met or exceeded the requirements. However, over the two years following we have seen the numbers level off with a combined 9% decrease. Increasing the overall achievement levels in ELA scores and eliminating the achievement gap for EL, SPED, African American and Latino students is a TCHS goal.
SBAC ELA: Four Year Trend
67 60 61
44 35 35 30 32 32 26 28 28 26 20 20 19 20 18 16 16 13 7
NOT MET NEARLY MET MET EXCEEDS MET & EXCEEDS CHANGE -6
2014 – 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
YEAR NOT NEARLY MET EXCEEDS MET & CHANGE MET MET EXCEEDS 2014 – 2015 26 30 28 16 44 2015 - 2016 20 20 32 28 60 + 16 2016 - 2017 13 19 35 32 67 + 7 2017 - 2018 18 20 35 26 61 - 6
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SBAC ELA: African American
57 58
40 38 36 36 33 31 30 30 26 26 22 23 21 20 19 21 15 10 10 6 1
NOT MET NEARLY MET MET EXCEEDS MET & EXCEEDS CHANGE
2014 – 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
YEAR NOT NEARLY MET EXCEEDS MET & CHANGE MET MET EXCEEDS 2014 – 2015 40 30 20 10 30 2015 - 2016 31 33 26 10 36 + 6 2016 - 2017 22 21 38 19 57 + 21 2017 - 2018 26 15 36 23 58 +1
SBAC ELA: Latino
60 59 51
38 37 35 37 29 31 26 26 26 24 23 25 23 19 21 15 15 8
NOT MET NEARLY MET MET EXCEEDS MET & EXCEEDS CHANGE-1 -8
2014 – 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
YEAR NOT NEARLY MET EXCEEDS MET & CHANGE MET MET EXCEEDS 2014 – 2015 26 37 29 8 37 2015 - 2016 24 25 31 19 60 + 23 2016 - 2017 15 26 38 21 59 - 1 2017 - 2018 23 26 35 15 51 - 8
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SBAC Math Data
In SBAC Math, overall we have seen an increase of 12% from 2015-17, however in 2018 our overall scores in Math decreased by 8% in the meets and exceeds category. For African Americans, between 2015 and 2018 we have seen a 9% increase in the meets and exceeds category. As it pertains to Latinos’ achievement on the SBAC Math, we saw an increase by 9% in the 2016 schools year followed by a decrease of 8% over the next two years ultimately showing the numbers to remain stagnant.
TCHS has identified a greater achievement gap for African Americans in math than in ELA.
SBAC Math: Four Year Trend
50 45 40 39 38 35 30 24 25 25 24 26 23 23 21 16 14 10 12 10 9 3
NOT MET NEARLY MET MET EXCEEDS MET & EXCEEDS CHANGE -8
2014 – 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
YEAR NOT NEARLY MET EXCEEDS MET & CHANGE MET MET EXCEEDS 2014 – 2015 50 24 16 10 26 2015 - 2016 40 25 23 12 35 + 9 2016 - 2017 39 23 24 14 38 + 3 2017 - 2018 45 25 21 10 30 - 8
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SBAC Math: African American
64 62 58 55
26 28 25 23 19 21 19 15 5 9 5 2 2 4 10 11 1 10
NOT MET NEARLY MET MET EXCEEDS MET & EXCEEDS CHANGE -2
2014 – 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
YEAR NOT NEARLY MET EXCEEDS MET & CHANGE MET MET EXCEEDS 2014 – 2015 64 26 5 5 10 2015 - 2016 62 28 9 2 11 + 1 2016 - 2017 55 25 19 2 21 + 10 2017 - 2018 58 23 15 4 19 - 2
SBAC Math: Latino
62 55 52 49
29 29 24 24 23 21 22 15 15 15 16 12 3 3 7 1 9
NOT MET NEARLY MET MET EXCEEDS MET & EXCEEDS CHANGE-2 -6
2014 – 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
YEAR NOT NEARLY MET EXCEEDS MET & CHANGE MET MET EXCEEDS 2014 – 2015 62 23 12 3 15 2015 - 2016 52 24 21 3 24 + 9 2016 - 2017 49 29 15 7 22 - 2 2017 - 2018 55 29 15 1 16 - 6
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For students with disabilities, we have seen an increase of 14% to 27% from 2014-18 in the number of students who have met or exceeded standards on the SBAC ELA. For SBAC Math, the data has been steady at 7% over four years. In comparison to the overall school data, there is a significant achievement gap for students with disabilities on both ELA and Math.
SBAC ELA: SPED
85 83 77 71
26 16 11 13 4 4 3 6 0 0 0 0 4 4 3 6 0 3
NOT MET NEARLY MET MET EXCEEDS MET & EXCEEDS CHANGE-1
2014 – 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
YEAR NOT NEARLY MET EXCEEDS MET & CHANGE MET MET EXCEEDS 2014 – 2015 68 18 7 7 14 2015 - 2016 67 24 9 0 9 - 5 2016 - 2017 47 29 19 5 24 + 15 2017 - 2018 53 20 23 4 27 + 3
SBAC MATH: SPED
88 87 87 84
7 9 8 9 5 2 5 7 2 0 0 0 7 2 5 7 3 2
NOT MET NEARLY MET MET EXCEEDS MET & EXCEEDS CHANGE-5
2014 – 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
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YEAR NOT NEARLY MET EXCEEDS MET & CHANGE MET MET EXCEEDS 2014 – 2015 87 7 5 2 7 2015 - 2016 88 9 2 0 2 - 5 2016 - 2017 87 8 5 0 5 + 3 2017 - 2018 84 9 7 0 7 + 2
AP Data
The number of students taking AP courses has significantly increased over the past three years. We have eliminated barriers by standardizing the application process across all the disciplines and the counseling office now identifies AP potential students through the PSAT results. Although LAUSD only allocates funding for 10th graders to take the PSAT, TCHS has funded the test for 9th and 11th graders in order to identify AP potential for our students across grade levels. TCHS is also a participant in the UCLA Collaborative, which focuses on increasing accessibility to Honors and AP courses for African American students, which are under- represented in Honors and AP courses.
Ethnicity # of # of # of % of % of % of Students Students Students Students Students Students Enrolled Enrolled Enrolled Enrolled Enrolled Enrolled in AP in AP in AP in AP in AP in AP 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018
American Indian / 4 5 7 (+2) 30.8% 33.3% 58.3% Native American Asian 67 81 (+14) 80 (-1) 44.7% 50.6% 52.6% African American 18 52 (+34) 42 (-10) 7.0% 18.0% 19.4% Latino 96 168 (+72) 171 (+3) 11.6% 18.6% 20.2% White 308 373 (+65) 383 (+10) 32.5% 38.0% 39.7% Filipino 14 22 (+8) 27 (+5) 20.6% 31.9% 33.3% Pacific Islander 3 0 (-3) 1 (+1) 37.5% 0.0% 25.0% Total Students 510 701 (+181) 711 (+10) 22.1% 29.0% 31.2%
Although the number of students enrolled in AP classes has increased significantly in the last three years, the number of students taking the AP exam has decreased. To increase the number of students taking the AP exam, TCHS has instituted an Advanced Placement Agreement for 2018- 2019 whereby the students and parents agreed to the terms of enrolling in an AP class, including the agreement to take the exam in May 2019.
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AP Class Enrollment
1,408 1,289 1,241 1,154
887 828
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
# of Students Enrolled # of Students Enrolled Tested
School # of # of % of Students # of Students % of Students Year Students Students Enrolled Tested with a with a Enrolled Tested Qualifying Qualifying Score Score 2015 - 2016 887 828 93.3% 628 75.8% 2016 - 2017 1,289 1,154 89.5% 792 68.6% 2017 - 2018 1,408 1,241 88.1% 877 70.7%
Over the past three years, the percentage of students with qualifying scores has decreased in 2016-2017 and slightly increased in 2017-2018. In order to increase our overall passage rate, TCHS students are encouraged to attend UCLA AP Readiness workshops once a month. With the expansion of both STEM and Humanities subjects in 2018-2019 and a complimentary bus provided by LAUSD, the attendance at the UCLA AP Readiness workshops has increase from last year to this year.
AP Test Passage Rate
93.3% 89.5% 88.1% 75.8% 68.6% 70.7%
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
% of Students Enrolled Tested % of Students with a Qualifying Score
PSAT 2017-2018 Data
In the past, LAUSD funded the PSAT for 10th grade students while 9th and 11th grade students registered to take the test at their own expense. However, in 2017-2018, TCHS provided funding for all 9th and 11th grade students to take the PSAT. With all three grade levels being tested on
Page 53 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report the PSAT, counselors are able to identify AP Potential students and encourage these students to take an AP course. In 2018-2019, there has been a significant increase in the AP enrollment rate overall.
Grade Concorded English/Evidenced Math Total Total Number Level Reading and Writing Score Score Score Tested
9TH 445 440 885 585 10TH 469 454 923 528 11TH 477 459 936 515
SAT Data
There has been an increase in the Reading/Writing and Math Scores from 2015 to 2017. However, we are unable to determine a trend for last year, as no data is currently available for the 2017-2018 school year.
School Concorded English/Evidenced Math Total Year Reading and Writing Score Score Score
2015 - 2016 511 517 1028 2016 - 2017 561 542 1103 2017 - 2018 N/A N/A N/A
ACT Data
The ACT data has been steady for the last three years. With 98 students tested in 2015-2016, there has been a slight decrease in the number of students tested to 90 who have taken the ACT in 2017-2018. The composite score has remained steady all three years.
ACT Scores
24.3 23.9 24.1 23.7 23.8 23.6 23.7 23.5 23.3 23.3 22.9 23.1 23 22.9 22.5
ENGLISH SCORE READING SCORE MATH SCORE SCIENCE SCORE COMPOSITE SCORE
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
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School English Reading Math Science Composite Year Score Score Score Score Score
2015 - 2016 22.9 23.8 24.1 23.0 23.6 2016 - 2017 23.7 24.3 23.5 22.9 23.7 2017 - 2018 23.1 23.9 23.3 22.5 23.3
English Reclassification Rate
While TCHS has a very diverse student population with many different languages spoken, we have seen a decrease in the number of EL student enrollment in the past few years and now this group comprises 5% of our current student population. LAUSD’s target for our reclassification rate has been 22%. Although TCHS had a slight dip in the 2017-2018 school year, we have met or exceeded the overall goal. This past year we made up for our slight dip by achieving well over our goal at 36%.
% Reclassified
36.0%
22.4% 21.9% 17.5%
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 2018 - 2019
School Year # EL # Reclassified % Reclassified 2015 - 2016 161 36 22.4% 2016 - 2017 196 43 21.9% 2017 - 2018 183 32 17.5% 2018 - 2019 160 57 36%
Classification
762 641 686
373 342 309 183 160 120
EL IFEP RFEP
2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 2018 - 2019
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School Year EL IFEP RFEP 2016 - 2017 183 373 641 2017 - 2018 160 342 686 2018 - 2019 120 309 762
English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) Data
Starting in spring of 2018, students who are new to the United States are enrolled in an English Language Development program based solely on their initial ELPAC scores (formerly the CELDT score). To reclassify, students need a 3 score or above in Oral, Writing, and Overall to receive a passing score on the Summative ELPAC Test.
Overall ELPAC Scores for 2017-2018
Overall ELPAC Scores
16
11 11 10 10 8 8 7 6 6 5 4 4 2 3 0 0 0
1 2 3 3 MAX 4 3 MAX OR MORE
9th 10th & 11th 12th
Grade 1 2 3 3 Max 4 Total # Total # of 3 Level (1150-1472) (1473-1510) (1511-1552) 1553 (1554-1900) of Max or Students Above
9th 7 11 5 0 6 29 6 10th & 11th 16 11 8 0 4 39 4 12th 2 3 8 0 10 22 10
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Overall Oral ELPAC Score for 2017-2018
Overall Oral ELPAC Scores
15 14 14
11 11 11 9 7 6 5 5 4 4 1 2 0 0 0
1 2 3 3 MAX 4 3 MAX OR MORE
9th 10th & 11th 12th
Grade 1 2 3 3 Max 4 Total # Total # of 3 Level (1150-1472) (1473-1510) (1511-1552) 1553 (1554-1900) of Max or Students Above
9th 5 7 6 0 11 29 11 10th & 11th 9 11 15 0 4 39 4 12th 1 2 5 0 14 22 14
Overall Writing ELPAC Score for 2017-2018
Overall Written ELPAC Scores
23
14 11 9 7 4 6 6 6 0 0 0 3 1 0 3 1 0
1 2 3 3 MAX 4 3 MAX OR MORE
9th 10th & 11th 12th
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Grade 1 2 3 3 Max 4 Total # Total # of 3 Level (1150-1472) (1473-1510) (1511-1552) 1553 (1554-1900) of Max or Students Above
9th 14 6 6 0 3 29 3 10th & 11th 23 9 6 0 1 39 1 12th 4 7 11 0 0 22 0
Student Participation in ELPAC Testing in 2017-2018
ELPAC Student Participation
38
24 22 5 1 0
9TH 10TH & 11TH 12TH
Passing Score Non-Passing Score
Grade Passing Non-Passing Total # of Total % of Passing Level Score Score Students Students 9th 5 24 29 17.41% 10th & 11th 1 38 38 2.6% 12th 0 22 22 0%
Based on the 2017-2018 ELPAC data, students are not passing or reclassifying through the summative ELPAC test. Teachers need to focus on instructional strategies for English Language Learners to pass the ELPAC test and reclassify successfully.
V. LCFF PRIORITY 5 - PUPIL ENGAGEMENT
TCHS’s graduation rate increased from 2015-2017 from 86% to 96%. However, the rate decreased to 94% in the 2017-2018 school year. For 2015-2017, all subgroups showed growth in graduation rate. In 2017-2018, there was a decrease in Filipino and African American subgroups.
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Three-Year Graduation Rate
Race / 2015 – 2015 – 2016 2016 – 2017 2016 – 2017 2017 – 2018 2017 – 2018 Ethnicity 2016 Total Graduation Total Graduation Total Graduation Graduated Rate Graduated Rate Graduated Rate
Latinos 161 83% 179 94% 197 94% American Indian/ 2 100% 4 100% 4 100% Alaska Native Asian 27 93% 38 97% 37 97% Pacific Islander 5 60% N/A N/A 3 100% Filipino 18 78% 13 100% 15 87% African American 47 79% 61 95% 66 88% White 217 90% 189 96% 239 96% Total 478 86% 484 96% 561 94%
Graduation Data: Student Count
597 556 561 478 504 484
2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018
Total Number Enrolled Number of Graduates
Percentage of Graduates
96% 94%
86%
2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018
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Cumulative Yearly Attendance Rate
Schoolwide Attendance Rate
96.9%
96.3% 96.2%
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 School-wide Total 96.9% 96.3% 96.2%
TCHS has continually maintained its overall attendance at above the 96% district goal. This is accomplished by utilizing a three-tiered model of intervention (universal, targeted, and intensive strategies). This model allows for a school-wide approach to attendance that targets students on various levels.
Chronic Absentee Rate
Students with less than 91% Attendance Rate (Chronic is more than 14 absences in a school year)
Students with less than 91% Attendance
16.1% 12.8% 12.5% 11.8% 12.2% 11.9%11.5% 10.4% 9.8% 9.3% 9.8% 9.0% 7.7% 8.4% 8.4% 8.2% 5.8% 6.2% 6.1% 4.3%
GRADE 9 GRADE 10 GRADE 11 GRADE 12 SCHOOLWIDE TOTAL 2014 - 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018
Grade 2014 - 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 Grade 9 7.7% 8.4% 9.8% 8.4% Grade 10 4.3% 9.3% 12.8% 11.8% Grade 11 5.8% 8.2% 12.2% 16.1% Grade 12 6.2% 10.4% 12.5% 9.8% School-wide Total 6.1% 9.0% 11.9% 11.5%
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The LCAP goal for chronic absenteeism for the 2018-2019 school year is for chronic absenteeism to be at 11% or less. TCHS will attempt to reach this goal by providing targeted and intensive intervention strategies to ensure the success of our at-risk students. This includes ongoing case management of students with 15 or more absences in the 2017-2018 school year, monthly meetings for students in the below basic and far below basic attendance bands, and parent meetings for students with excessive absences. Students who continue to have problems with attendance despite these interventions will be referred to School Attendance Review Team (SART) and School Attendance Review Board (SARB) in an effort to collaborate with the community and provide outside resources.
VI. LCFF PRIORITY 6 - SCHOOL CLIMATE
Suspension Rate
TCHS has made an effort to lower suspensions rates. We have seen a decrease from 2015 to 2018 of 1.4 %. During the 2017-2018 school year, our data showed that 1.3% of the suspensions were comprised of Asians, 2.5 % were African American, 1.3 % were Hispanic, and 0.2% were white. There has been a significant decrease in suspension rates for our African-American students.
Days of Suspension
Ethnicity 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 African American 37 30 6 American Indian / Alaska Native 2 1 0 Asian 4 3 2 Hispanic 28 26 12 White 40 15 2 Filipino 1 1 1 Total 113 75 23
In a five-year trend analysis, TCHS has ranked consistently below the county and statewide suspension rate. However, the number of suspensions at TCHS slightly exceeds the LAUSD rate all five years.
Five-Year Suspension Rates by Ethnicity School Year 2013 – 2014 2014 – 2015 2015 – 2016 2016 – 2017 2017 – 2018
Ethnicity Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate African 26 6.2% 22 4.8% 10 3% 14 3.9% 6 2.5% American American 0 0% 0 0% 1 9.1% 1 9.1% 0 0% Indian Asian 0 0% 1 0.6% 1 0.7% 0 0% 2 1.3%
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Filipino 0 0% 2 2.6% 1 1.4% 0 0% 1 1.3% Latino 24 2.5% 22 2.4% 11 1.2% 13 1.1% 12 1.3% Pacific 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Islander White 15 1.4% 19 1.3% 8 0.8% 6 0.6% 2 0.2% Two or More 0 0% 2 4.2% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% Races Total 66 2.3% 69 2.2% 32 1.2% 34 1.2% 23 0.9%
Five-Year Suspension Rates by School, District, and County Trends School Year 2013 – 2014 2014 – 2015 2015 – 2016 2016 – 2017 2017 – 2018
Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate Taft Charter 66 2.3% 69 2.2% 66 2.3% 69 2.2% 23 0.9% LAUSD 12,208 1.3% 8,292 0.9% 12,208 1.3% 8,292 0.9% N/A N/A Los Angeles 76,127 2.8% 53,606 2.2% 76,127 2.8% 53,606 2.2% N/A N/A County Statewide 503,189 4.3% 420,878 3.8% 503,189 4.3% 420,878 3.8% N/A N/A
In a five-year trend analysis, TCHS has had one expulsion case within the last five years. Aside from 2016-2017, TCHS has not had any expulsions cases.
Five-Year Expulsion Rates by Ethnicity
School Year 2013 – 2014 2014 – 2015 2015 – 2016 2016- 2017 2017 - 2018 Ethnicity Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate African 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 0.33% 0% 0 American American 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0% 0 Indian Asian 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0% 0 Filipino 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0% 0 Latino 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0% 0 Pacific Islander 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0% 0 White 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0% 0
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Two or More 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0% 0 Races Total 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 0.04% 0% 0
Five-Year Expulsion Rates by School, District and County Trends School Year 2013 – 2014 2014 – 2015 2015 – 2016 2016 – 2017 2017 – 2018
Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate Total Rate Taft Charter 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1 0.04% 0 0% LAUSD 146 0.02% 94 0.01% 119 0.02% 125 0.02% N/A N/A Los Angeles County 745 0.05% 582 0.04% 588 0.04% 5491 0.03% N/A N/A Statewide 8,564 0.13% 6,724 0.10% 5,758 0.09% 5,701 0.09% N/A N/A
STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Athletics
Student athletes have the opportunity to participate in three seasons of competition, representing 48 teams in 22 sports. TCHS competes in the City Section of the CIF. TCHS sports teams have won a number of league and CIF championships as well as competing in numerous state CIF playoff competitions. We currently have 783 students (432 males and 351 females) participating in athletics on our campus.
Sports Team Season Levels Baseball Spring Varsity and Juniors Varsity Boys and Girls Basketball Winter Varsity, Junior Varsity And Frosh/Soph Cheer Year-Round Varsity and Juniors Varsity Boys & Girls Cross Fall Varsity and Country Frosh/Soph Boys Golf Spring Varsity
Girls Golf Fall Varsity
Football Fall Varsity and Juniors Varsity Boys Soccer Winter Varsity, Junior Varsity And Frosh/Soph Girls Soccer Winter Varsity and
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Juniors Varsity Girls Softball Spring Varsity and Juniors Varsity Boys & Girls Swim Spring Varsity and Juniors Varsity Boys Tennis Spring Varsity and Juniors Varsity Girls Tennis Fall Varsity and Juniors Varsity Boys and Girls Track & Spring Varsity and Field Juniors Varsity Boys Volleyball Spring Varsity, Junior Varsity And Frosh/Soph Girls Volleyball Fall Varsity, Junior Varsity And Frosh/Soph Boys Water Polo Fall Varsity
Girls Water Polo Winter Varsity
Baseball Spring Varsity and Juniors Varsity Boys and Girls Basketball Winter Varsity, Junior Varsity And Frosh/Soph
Activities
The Associated Student Body (ASB), our student government group, provides leadership opportunities to our student body as well as working to enhance student life at TCHS.
Each year, ASB students organize three blood drives through the partnership with Cedar Sinai Hospital. This event is held all day and many students and community members are able to come to TCHS and donate blood.
Each winter, ASB students organize an annual toy drive to donate to the entire student body at an underprivileged elementary school. TCHS has worked with Pacoima Elementary School and Telfair Elementary School. Toys are collected from TCHS students in the months of November through early December. These toys are distributed to the students in each classroom at the selected elementary school site.
ASB provides support for 85 clubs and organizations on our campus. The TCHS staff is involved in advising, coaching, and sponsoring the clubs and activities on our campus. Our clubs and organizations vary from honors and interest groups to service clubs. TCHS is dedicated to creating opportunities that allow for students to feel a sense of belonging.
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Club Name African Americans Find Your Calling SCP Club Going to College
American Cancer Society Get Lit Club Sex Squad
Animal Rights Club Glee Club Social Justice Club
Anime Club GSA Socialization Club
Archery Club Helpful Hippies Space Club
Art and Calligraphy Club Hugs in a Blanket Speech and Debate Club
Art and Drawing Club Humans Unite Sports Club
ASB Club Interscholastic Equestrian Team Sports R Us
Asian Empowerment Club Jewish Club Spread a Smile Club
Best Buddies JSU Spreading Smiles
Biology Club Key Club SRLA
Black Student Union Knights and Ladies Senior Steering
Cans for the Community Korean Club Steering Juniors
Cartoon Club Latinos United Club Steering Sophomores
Chess Club Medical Club Steering Freshmen
CHLA Miles for Charity Stocks and Cryptos
Craft Club MMA Club Student Corps
Creative Writing Club Model UN Sunglasses Club
CSF My Gem My Fight Super Smash School
Cuisine club Nintendo Club Supplies 4 Students
DHH Club PAHVE Table Top Design Club
Disney & Studio Ghibli Club Paranormal Club Teen Court Club
Do Something Club Persian Club Teens Helping Other Teens
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Dog Rescue Club Philosophy Club The Guild
Drama Club Project Linus Torah Studies Club
Engineering Club Robotics Clubs Tutoring Club
Excellent Math Club Rock and Roll Club Youth and Government Club
Fem Club Russian Club
FIFA Club SAT Club
Arts
TCHS students are actively involved in fine and performing arts on campus. Many of our students engage in a variety of activities each year such as Jazz Band, Marching Band, Concert Band, Drumline, Dance Team, Choir, Vocal Ensemble, Drama, and Color Guard. The Theater Department produces a play in the fall, and collaborates with the Music Department to produce a musical in the spring. We also have numerous students involved in Yearbook, Journalism, Photography, and L’Atelier Fashion. These students and their sponsors engage in countless hours of extracurricular time as they seek to fuel their passions.
VII. LCFF PRIORITY 7 ACCESS TO A BROAD COURSE OF STUDY
College and Career Readiness
LAUSD implemented a change in the graduation requirements for the classes of 2016 and beyond in an effort to create educational equity for all students and TCHS has since adopted this change as well. LAUSD graduation requirements require students to complete the minimum CSU A-G course requirements. In addition to the A-G course sequence, students must complete the California Department of Education (CDE) and LAUSD additional requirements. A-G, CDE, and LAUSD course requirements require a passing grade for graduation eligibility. This district- wide change has been an effort to address the concern that all students that graduate from LAUSD high schools are both college and career ready.
We have also added some supplementary programs to support student learning and help with college and career readiness. Naviance is a comprehensive college and career readiness solution that helps districts and schools align student strengths and interests to postsecondary goals in order to improve student outcomes and connect learning to life. LAUSD has provided funding for middle and high school students to implement Naviance across all grade levels.
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Our students are encouraged to attend monthly AP Readiness workshops hosted at UCLA. The AP Readiness Program is designed with two interconnected goals in mind. The program aims to improve the teaching abilities of AP instructors while simultaneously giving students the skills they will need to be successful in college level classes. AP Readiness allows students to work with master instructors, who prepare them for the rigorous curriculum that they will face in AP courses. LAUSD provides buses on these Saturdays for students to be able to attend these workshops at UCLA.
TCHS has also increased our Career Technical Education course offerings since our last accreditation in an effort to increase our opportunities to explore and experience different college and career pathways. Two Career Technical Education (CTE) teachers have an articulation agreement with Pierce College to offer dual high school and college credit in our Arts, Media, and Entertainment Industry Sector in Graphic Design and Video Production. Our CTE program currently has expanded to include Engineering Design and Information and Communication Technologies. We plan to establish articulation agreements with community colleges to offer dual credit in our engineering and computer science courses being offered.
LAUSD has utilized the online blended learning and credit recovery program, Edgenuity, in high schools to assist students who are at risk of not meeting graduation standards. Currently, our counselors have Individualized Graduation Plan meetings twice a year and enroll students in Edgenuity classes as needed to ensure that all our students will meet all graduation requirements on time. Since 2017-2018, LAUSD has funded Winter Plus Program whereby students are able to enroll in Edgenuity classes over winter break and through March to meet graduation standards. This program has been offered again for the 2018-2019 school year.
Grade Passage Rate
Overall Grade Passage Rate
91.9% 90.1% 91.4%
83.6% 81.8% 82.5%
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Passage with C or Better Passage with D or Better
Year Passage with Passage with Fail C or Better D or Better 2015-16 81.8% 90.1% 9.9% 2016-17 82.5% 91.4% 8.6% 2017-18 83.6% 91.9% 8.1%
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English Grade Passage Rate
94.0% 92.3% 93.4%
85.9% 84.3% 84.0%
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Passage with C or Better Passage with D or Better
Year Passage with Passage with Fail C or Better D or Better 2015-16 84.3% 92.3% 7.7% 2016-17 85.9% 93.4% 6.6% 2017-18 84% 94.0% 6%
Math Grade Passage Rate
81.2% 82.5% 84.5% 68.0% 69.3% 71.7%
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Passage with C or Better Passage with D or Better
Year Passage with Passage with Fail C or Better D or Better 2015-16 68.0% 81.2% 19.8% 2016-17 69.3% 82.5% 17.5% 2017-18 71.7% 84.5% 15.5%
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Science Grade Passage Rate
87.3% 86.7% 83.1% 74.5% 72.2% 71.4%
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Passage with C or Better Passage with D or Better
Year Passage with Passage with Fail C or Better D or Better 2015-16 74.5% 87.3% 12.7% 2016-17 72.2% 86.7% 13.3% 2017-18 71.4% 83.1% 16.9%
Social Science Grade Passage Rate
97.2% 94.9% 95.6% 90.4% 88.3% 88.5%
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Passage with C or Better Passage with D or Better
Year Passage with Passage with Fail C or Better D or Better 2015-16 88.3% 94.9% 5.1% 2016-17 88.5% 95.6% 4.4% 2017-18 90.4% 97.2% 2.8%
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Creative Arts Grade Passage Rate
97.9% 96.4% 96.5% 95.0% 90.7% 91.1%
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Passage with C or Better Passage with D or Better
Year Passage with Passage with Fail C or Better D or Better 2015-16 95.0% 97.9% 2.1% 2016-17 90.7% 96.4% 3.6% 2017-18 91.1% 96.5% 3.5%
Physical Education Grade Passage Rate
96.6% 96.6% 94.2% 93.7% 92.6% 90.2%
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Passage with C or Better Passage with D or Better
Year Passage with Passage with Fail C or Better D or Better 2015-16 90.2% 94.2% 5.8% 2016-17 92.6% 96.6% 3.4% 2017-18 93.7% 96.6% 3.4%
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World Languages Grade Passage Rate
86.9% 90.9% 82.2% 78.6% 70.1% 75.6%
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Passage with C or Better Passage with D or Better
Year Passage with Passage with Fail C or Better D or Better 2015-16 70.1% 82.2% 17.8% 2016-17 75.6% 86.9% 13.1% 2017-18 78.6% 90.9% 9.1%
Students meeting UC A-G Requirements for 2017-2018 (CDE Dataquest)
Based on the CDE Dataquest data, the adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) is the number of students who graduate from high school in four years with a regular high school diploma divided by the number of students who form the adjusted cohort for the graduating class. The four-year cohort is based on the number of students who enter grade 9 for the first time adjusted by adding into the cohort any student who transfers in later during grade 9 or during the next three years and subtracting any student from the cohort who transfers out, emigrates to another country, transfers to a prison or juvenile facility, or dies during that same period.
For the ACGR, a “regular high school diploma” is the standard high school diploma awarded to the preponderance of students in a State that is fully aligned with the State’s standards and does not include a general equivalency diploma, certificate of completion, certificate of attendance, or any other similar or lesser credential, such as a diploma based on meeting Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals. Additionally, for the ACGR, a high school is a secondary school that grants a regular high school diploma and includes, at least, grade twelve (Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) section 8101(28)).
Based on this data, 63% of TCHS’s regular HS diploma graduates met the UC/CSU requirements upon graduation. This rate is on par with LAUSD’s rate, but higher than the county or the statewide rates.
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Regular HS Cohort Graduates Graduates Meeting Name Diploma Graduation Meeting UC/CSU UC/CSU Graduates Rate Requirements Requirements Rate Taft Charter 458 89.5% 289 63% LAUSD 35,569 79.7% 22,836 64% LA County 98,480 80.8% 55,123 56%
Graduation Rate
89.5% 79.7% 80.8% 82.7%
63.0% 64.0% 56.0% 50.0%
TAFT CHS LAUSD LA COUNTY STATEWIDE
Cohort Graduation Rate Graduates Meeting UC/CSU Requirements Rate
VIII. LCFF PRIORITY 8 - OTHER PUPIL OUTCOMES
Expenditures per student / budget
TCHS receives the majority of our funding from our local district, LAUSD, to spend on staffing, instructional resources, maintenance, etc. TCHS receives approximately one million dollars in federal funding from our Title 1 grant. Our school utilizes these funds to support our EL, Special Education, and low-income students in becoming college and career ready by providing pay for our Problem Solving Data Coordinator, six additional teachers on our campus to lower class size, instructional aides, an on-campus nurse, after school tutoring, as well as additional technology on our campus. TCHS also received the Charter Effectiveness Grant and College Readiness State Charter Block Grant. This funding has been used in a variety of ways, including funding our PSA counselor, sending our teachers to a variety of professional development conferences, including Advanced Placement training, as well as providing additional supplemental textbooks and materials for the classroom.
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SECTION E—SCHOOL-WIDE LEARNER OUTCOMES (SLOs)
TCHS will prepare its graduates to be Critical Thinkers, Communicators, Collaborators, and College and Career ready citizens. Multiples measures are used to determine the degree to which students are achieving all of the identified SLOs. These multiple measures include, but are not limited to, staff peer observations, learning snapshots, the district’s school survey results, teacher observations, and student reflections on the SLOs survey and the end-of-course evaluation surveys by teachers.
Number indicates the percent agreed or strongly agreed in which the SLOs was evident by student reflections.
SLOs Survey Results
79.8% 66.7% 58.0% 59.7% 62.0% 50.2% 53.0% 54.0%
CRITICAL THINKING COMMUNICATION COLLABORATION & COLLEGE AND CAREER COOPERATION READY
9th-11th SLOs Survey 12th SLOs Survey
SLOs Survey Results: SLOs Survey Results: 9th – 11th Grade 12th Grade (November 2018) (November 2018) Critical Thinking 50.2% 53.0% Communication 54.0% 58.0% Collaboration & Cooperation 59.7% 66.7% College and Career Ready 62.0% 79.8%
SECTION F—PERCEPTION DATA
Analysis of responses on the SLOs Student Survey for 9th-12th, SLOs Senior Survey, and LAUSD Student School Survey reveal both similarities and differences in the responses. The SLOs surveys had questions about the school connectedness, club participation, the College Office, the Library, the Counseling Office, A-G course requirement awareness, and general college and career readiness.
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For each survey, data below indicates the percent of individuals who strongly agree or agree with the statements.
The results on both surveys show that 68% of the underclassmen and 67.7% of the seniors felt that the school is meeting their needs. While 72.2% of the underclassmen responded as not having visited the College Office, 53.6% of the seniors responded as having visited the College Office as underclassmen. While many of the freshmen have not had an opportunity to visit the College Office yet, students do have more opportunities to receive services offered by the Peer College Counselors and the College Office as they progress in grade level.
Almost 50% of all grade level students responded as to not going to the Library and almost 34% of all grade level students felt that the Library was not useful or seldom useful. The vast majority of our students are not utilizing the digital research database and general computer usage currently available in the Library.
Even though most our students visit the Counseling Office 2-5 times a year, the level of satisfaction felt by the services offered is quite high at 36.8% for underclassmen and 45.6% for the seniors. While 61.9% of the underclassmen are aware of the A-G requirements, 80.2% of the seniors are aware of the A-G requirements.
72% of the seniors responded that they use technology in the classroom either 4 or 5 days a week as opposed to 55.7% of the underclassmen. About 8.5% of all students reported as never working cooperatively in groups, while around 24.5% of all students responded to working in groups 4-5 days a week.
Participating in clubs is a primary concern for a sense of connectedness. Despite having over 85 active clubs on campus, 44.4% of the underclassmen and 28.1% of the seniors reported as never having joined any clubs.
Questions regarding the Student Learning Outcomes indicate that by senior year, almost 60% of the students agreed or strongly agreed with the three SLOs.
Student Learning Outcomes School Survey for 9th – 11th Grade Students
SURVEY QUESTIONS: 1244 RESPONSES RESULTS Grade Level 474 = Freshmen 393 = Sophomores 377 = Juniors
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How well do you feel the school is meeting your needs as a student? Poor = 7.8% Fair = 24.3% Good = 40% Very Good = 20% Excellent = 8%
Have you visited the College Office this year? No = 72.2%
Maybe = 6.8% Yes = 21%
How often do you go to the Library? Never = 19% Seldom = 33.7% Occasionally = 36% Often = 7.7% Very Often = 3.6%
How useful is the Library to you? Not Useful = 17.3%
Seldom Useful = 15.9% Useful = 26.7% Quite Useful = 20.5% Extremely Useful = 19.5%
How often do you go to the Counseling Office? 2-3 times/year = 63.3% 3-5 times/year = 24.2% Monthly = 9.3% Weekly = 1.8% Daily = 1.5% How satisfied are you by the level of support you receive in the Very Dissatisfied = 7.8% Counseling Office? Dissatisfied = 9.1% Neutral = 46.3% Satisfied = 25.3% Very Satisfied = 11.5%
Do you know who your school counselor is? Yes = 57.1% Maybe = 12.8% No = 30.2% How aware are you in your progress towards meeting the A-G Not at all = 7.4% requirements? Slightly = 12.1% Somewhat = 18.5% Moderately = 34% Extremely = 27.9% How many days a week do you use technology in at least one class? Never = 5.8% 1 = 10.7% 2 = 9.5% 3 = 18.3% 4 = 10.9% 5 = 44.8%
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How many days a week do you work in pairs or groups? Never = 9.2% 1 = 20.3% 2 = 22.4% 3 = 23.6% 4 = 8.3% 5 = 16.3%
When working in groups, how are the groups created? By Teacher = 41.9%, By Students = 31.6% Randomly = 26.5%
How many clubs have you joined on campus? None = 43.3% 1 to 2 Clubs = 46.3% 3 to 4 Clubs = 9.4% 5 or More = 1%
Upon graduation, Taft Charter High School students (YOU) will be Strongly Disagree = 3.8% able to Synthesize Creative Thought: think critically and problem Disagree = 6.1% solve by formulating, designing, organizing, and creating their own Neutral = 40% work through the application of theories, concepts, and analytical Agree = 30.5% methods. Strongly Agree = 19.6% Upon graduation, Taft Charter High School students will be able to Strongly Disagree = 3.3% Demonstrate Informational Competency: find, evaluate, ethically use Disagree = 6.4% and communicate information through library, media, and Neutral = 36.5%, technological literacy. Agree = 34.6% Strongly Agree = 19.3%
Upon graduation, Taft Charter High School students will be able to Strongly Disagree = 3.1% collaborate, lead, and work cooperatively with others through the use Disagree = 4.9% of multi-cultural awareness and interpersonal skills. Students will Neutral = 32.4% have respect for diversity and interact positively with people from Agree = 34.6% different backgrounds and lifestyles. Strongly Agree = 25%
Student Learning Outcomes School Survey for 12th Grade Students
SURVEY QUESTIONS: 360 RESPONSES RESULTS
How well do you feel the school is meeting the needs as a student? Poor = 7.2% Fair = 25% Good = 38.3% Very Good = 21.9% Excellent = 7.5%
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Have you visited the College Office as an underclassman? No = 35.3% Maybe = 11.1% Yes = 53.6% Were you made aware of the university admission requirements? No = 22.4% Maybe = 12% Yes = 65.5% Have you visited the College Office this year? No = 18.7% Maybe = 0.8% Yes = 80.4% Have you ever had a Peer College Counselor (PCC) come to your No = 15% classroom to present information? Unsure = 7.8% Yes = 77.2% Have you met with a PCC in the last two years? No = 41.1% Unsure = 15.6% Yes = 43.3%
If yes, how effective or helpful were the PCCs in assisting you with Not at all = 9.5% college and career readiness? Slightly = 10.4% Neutral = 27.1% Somewhat = 24% Very = 29% How often do you go to the Library Never = 14.4% Few = 34.4% Occasionally = 38.6% Often= 6.7%, Very Often = 5.8%
How useful is the Library to you? Not Useful = 17.3% Seldom Useful = 15.9% Useful = 26.7% Quite Useful = 20.5% and Extremely Useful = 19.5%
How often do you go to the Counseling Office? 2-3 times/year = 34% 3- 5 times/year = 40.9% Monthly = 17.5% Weekly = 4.2% Daily = 3.3%
How satisfied are you by the level of support you receive in the Very Dissatisfied = 7.6% Counseling Office? Dissatisfied = 13.2% Neutral = 33.5% Satisfied = 30.1% Very Satisfied = 15.5%
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Do you know who your school counselor is? Yes = 89.7% Maybe = 3.9% No = 6.4% How aware are you in your progress towards meeting the A-G Not at all = 4.2% requirements? Slightly = 8.1% Somewhat = 7.5% Moderately = 29.9% Extremely = 50.3%
How many days a week do you use technology in at least one class? Never = 2.8% 1 = 5.9% 2 = 8.4% 3 = 10.9% 4 = 11.5% 5 = 60.5%
How many days a week do you work in pairs or groups? Never = 8.1% 1 = 21.2% 2 = 20.6% 3 = 25.6% 4 = 7.5% 5 = 17% When working in groups, how are the groups created? By Teacher = 29.2% By Students = 41.8% Randomly = 28.9% How many clubs have you joined on campus? None = 28.1% 1 to 2 Clubs = 52.5% 3 to 4 Clubs = 14.7% 5 or More = 4.7% Upon graduation, Taft Charter High School students (YOU) will be Strongly Disagree = 2.8% able to Synthesize Creative Thought: think critically and problem Disagree = 8.5% solve by formulating, designing, organizing, and creating their own Neutral = 35.6% work through the application of theories, concepts, and analytical Agree = 29.7% methods. Strongly Agree = 23.4% Upon graduation, Taft Charter High School students will be able to Strongly Disagree = 2.8% Demonstrate Informational Competency: find, evaluate, ethically use Disagree = 7% and communicate information through library, media, and Neutral = 33% technological literacy. Agree = 33.4% Strongly Agree = 25.8%
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Upon graduation, Taft Charter High School students will be able to Strongly Disagree = 2.2% Collaborate; lead and work cooperatively with others through the use Disagree = 5.3% of multi-cultural awareness and interpersonal skills. Students will Neutral = 25.6% have respect for diversity and interact positively with people from Agree = 30.1% different backgrounds and lifestyles. Strongly Agree = 36.8%
LAUSD 2017-2018 School Experience Survey Results: Student Responses
LAUSD student survey comprises of questions regarding academic, school climate, and social emotional learning. 66% responses were recorded from the students. Questions regarding academics included academic focus, cognitive engagement, future orientation, and technology.
For academic focus, students were asked about teacher input, support provided by teachers, fair grading policies, and learning environment. 51%-60% of the students agreed or strongly agreed to the academic focus questions.
For cognitive engagement, students were asked about learning new information, collecting data for conclusion, projects or assignments, thinking in writing, and solving problems in new ways. 49% of the students responded to learning new ways to solve problems, while 52-68% of the students agreed or strongly agreed to learning new information, collecting data for conclusion, projects or assignments, and thinking in writing.
For future orientation, questions comprised of future plans, A-G requirements, counseling services, and college and career readiness services. While 81% of the students agreed or strongly agreed that school is important for reaching future goals, 39%-43% of the students either met with the counselor to learn about the progress towards graduation or having been informed about college admissions criteria or career/college options.
For technology, students were surveyed about technology availability at home. 87% of our students responded to having access to technology at home.
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For school climate, students were asked about bullying, connectedness, expectations and behavior, opportunities for participation and leadership, and safety. 72%-93% of the students agreed or strongly agreed to the statement that the following bullying behaviors occur 0-1 time: spread rumors or lies, sexual comments/jokes/gestures, made fun of, physically shoved/slapped/hit, or online bullying.
For connectedness, there were two areas of concern. 48% of the students responded that adults treat students with respect and 48% responded that teachers care when students are absent. Positive responses include 74% of the students feel accepted for who they are and 90% feel LGBTQ students are accepted at TCHS.
For expectation of behavior, the two negative responses are 41% feel that students are treated fairly when they break school rules and 42% feel that students treat adults with respect. The
Page 80 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report majority of the students also responded that they were informed of school rules, what the expected behavior is, and what will happen when school rules are broken.
For opportunities for participation and leadership, 79% of the students felt there are a lot of chances for students to be involved in school activities outside of the classroom. However, 43% felt that students have a voice in the decision-making process and that 53% felt that teachers encourage students to get involved in the decision-making process.
Students responded most positively to the safety questions on the survey. 91% felt safe at school and around the neighborhood around our school. 87% felt that a teacher or an adult would take action if bullying was reported and 76% felt that kids are kind to each other for the most part.
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For social emotional learning, students were asked about growth mindset, self-efficacy, self- management, and student social awareness.
For growth mindset, students were asked about their ability to overcome challenges, feelings of not being able to learn, and the capability of learning. 60%-71% of the students agreed with the negative statements that they are unable to overcome challenges, not capable or learning certain things, or will not do well if naturally not smart in the subject. The overall growth mindset of our students is negative, and efforts to increase a positive growth mindset in our students need to be a primary concern.
The negative growth mindset responses were reinforced by the negative feedback on the self- efficacy questions. Only 36%-47% of the students believe that they can do well on tests, master the hardest topics, or meet all the learning goals.
For self-management, 67%-84% of the students mostly responded positively to following directions, paying attention, and staying calm even when others bother or criticize them.
For student social awareness, 42% of the students were not able to describe their feelings within the last 30 days, while 70% of the students got along with students who are different from them. For the most part, students care about other people’s feelings, complimented others’ accomplishments, and were respectful toward students with different views.
Overall, there are three primary concerns for our students. Enforcing a positive growth mindset, a positive self-efficacy among our students, and the connectedness perception that students feel adults do not treat them with respect or care that they are absent. However, students feel very safe at school, do not feel bullied, and feel accepted for who they are.
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LAUSD 2017-2018 School Survey Results: Parents
LAUSD parent survey comprises of questions regarding academics and school climate. 53% of responses were recorded from the parents. Questions regarding academics included future orientation and high quality schooling. The parent survey data indicates a general positive perception of TCHS’s academic program. 79%-96% of the parents felt that school staff encourages students to explore different career choices, helps them understand high school graduation requirements, and UC/CSU requirements. They also feel positively that the school expects their child to graduate from high school and attend college. Similarly, 78%-94% of the parents feel that the school provides high-quality schooling.
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Questions regarding school climate included customer service, parent engagement, resource availability, and safety. 81%-93% responded positively to customer service questions which included being welcomed by clerical staff, teachers treating parents with respect, and teachers being concerned about their child’s progress.
While the majority of the parents responded positively to parent engagement, 69% of the parents felt that the school informed them of volunteer opportunities, while 88% felt welcome to participate in school activities. They felt positive about how the school communicates through letters, emails, and phone calls.
Similar to the students’ responses, parents also responded most positively to safety questions. 89%-96% of the parents responded to the discipline being fair, being informed about consequences for breaking school rules, children being safe on school grounds, and bullying taken seriously at school.
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LAUSD 2017-2018 School Survey Results: Staff
LAUSD staff survey comprises of questions regarding academics and school climate. 70% of responses were recorded from the staff. Questions regarding academics included A-G requirements, academic focus, college readiness, focus on English learners, instructional improvements, and tools for college admissions.
For A-G requirements, 52% of the teachers communicated individually with students, while 93% knew how the courses they teach fit into the requirements.
For academic focus, most responses were highly positive on how the school sets high standards for all students, promotes academic success, emphasizing helping students academically, teaching relevant lessons, encouraging rigorous courses, and attend college.
For college readiness, over 90% of the staff responded that the school encourages, expects, and helps students to attend college. They also felt that it is part of the teacher’s job to prepare students for college.
For focus on English learners, staff can identify the EL and can target instruction to help students reclassify.
For instructional improvement, there were primary concerns from the staff regarding opportunities for being observed by school leadership, peer observation, working collaboratively for improving instruction, or having time to work in grade-level or department-level meetings to align grading practices. However, teachers responded positively to working collaboratively about the curriculum and changing individual instructional practices to meet the state standards.
For tools for college admissions, the majority of the staff feels that most students understand college requirements, the application process, and financial aid process. They also responded favorably to teachers helping students plan for college, taking time outside of class to assist in the application process, and preparing for college essays. Only 49% responded to using class time to assist with the college application process.
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SECTION G — SUMMARY AND CRITICAL LEARNER NEEDS
Demographics • There has been decrease in the size of the student population; however, there has been an increase of 12% of students identified as socio-economically disadvantaged. • The percentage of Students with Disabilities at TCHS has increased with the addition of the Autism, the Academy of Integrated Arts and Technology, and the DHH Autism Alternate Curriculum programs. • The percentage of TCHS students designated as English Learner (EL) has slightly increased from 2015 to 2017.
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Parent Engagement • Parent engagement has increased through participation in SSC, PTO, ELAC, and LACAP process, along with monthly Coffee with the Principal. • LAUSD Parent School Experience Survey responses of 67% in 2017 and 55% in 2018 are highest for any comprehensive high school in LAUSD.
Student Performance • There has been a significant increase in the measures of Met or Exceeds on the CAASPP data from 41% in 2014-2015 to 67% in 2016-2017, but a slight decrease of 6% in 2017- 2018. • There has been a continual growth in the percent of Met and Exceeds by African Americans by 28% and by Latinos by 13% in four years. • There is a significant achievement gap in the percent of Met and Exceeds by Students with Disabilities and the EL students. • TCHS’s AP enrollment rate has increased significantly overall with 887 students in 2015- 2016 to 1,408 students in 2017-2018 with the implementation of AP Potential Identification and the campaign to “Just Try One” across the campus. • TCHS re-designated 36% of EL students as Fluent English Proficient in 2018-19, an increase over the previous years.
Pupil Engagement • TCHS’s graduation rate increased from 86% in 2015-2016 to 94% in 2017-2018. • School-wide attendance rate has held steady at above 96% the last three years. • There has been an increase in chronic absenteeism from 6.1% to 11.5% over four years.
School Climate • Suspension rates had shown a downward trend from 2013-16, however suspension rate increased in 2016-17. • Suspension rates for African Americans have decreased by 3.7% and 1.2% for Latinos over four years. • There are opportunities for students to participate on 48 teams in 22 sports and over 85 clubs and organizations.
College and Career Readiness • There has been an increase in UC A-G rate overall and in larger subgroups. • Three additional Career Technical Education career pathways for a total of five CTE pathways are now offered at TCHS. • Overall school grade passage rate has held steady in the 80% range for students passing with a C or higher and in the 90% range for students passing with a D or higher. • Over 63% of TCHS graduates in 2017-2018 met the UC/CSU requirements which is higher than the county and statewide totals.
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Perception • Perception data on LAUSD School Experience Survey for both students and parents rated 90% on feeling safe on campus and in the surrounding neighborhood. • 79.8% of the seniors feel college and career ready. • 90% of the staff responded to encouraging students to be college and career ready. • Negative responses by students on self-efficacy and growth mindset are areas of concern.
Preliminary Critical Learner Needs
Upon review of the school’s demographic and performance data, TCHS has identified two critical learner needs in increasing the college and career readiness by graduation and proficiency rates. Increasing the ELA and Math achievement for all students and increasing the A-G passage rates are aligned with the School-wide Student Learner Outcomes.
1. Increase the achievement of all students in English Language Arts and Mathematics • Close the achievement gap in identified subgroups • Increase the proficiency rate for SBAC Math across all subgroups • Increase the reclassification rate for EL students
2. Improve the rate of all students graduating in four years who are college and career ready • Increase the rate at which students are meeting the UC/CSU requirements by graduation • Provide intervention programs with periodic monitoring process for students to be on- track for graduation • Increase enrollment and completion in CTE pathways
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III: Self-Study Findings
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Task A: Organization: Vision and Purpose, Governance, Leadership and 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, the district Local Control and Accountability Plan (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 school-wide learner outcomes and academic standards.
Indicators with Prompts
Vision – Mission – School-wide Learner Outcomes – Profile A1.1. 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, a belief that all students can learn and be college and career ready, and aligned with district goals for students.
A1.1. 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 (Local Control and Accountability Program), identified future global competencies, current educational research and an overall belief that all students can learn and be college and career ready.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Based on our students’ needs and current educational research, including the Habits of Mind and the Teaching ● Vision Statement and Learning Framework, the TCHS school vision ● Mission Statement statement was adopted with college and career readiness ● SLOs in mind. We encourage our students to work toward our ● Faculty Mission & Vision Student Learner Outcomes (SLOs), development with Survey Results information provided through the LCAP and school profile in mind. Major collaboration took place by all stakeholders in the redevelopment of our mission and vision statement as well as the development of our SLOs. All our stakeholders work together to help students succeed academically and support them in the learning process. The TCHS faculty and staff believe that all our students can achieve at high levels and the utilization of content standards to monitor progress is used campus wide. With a consistent graduation rate, an increase in ● Graduation Rates the percentage of students meeting the A-G ● A-G Passage Rates requirements, and a focus on raising the SBAC test scores, TCHS has a direct focus on student success.
● School Demographics Data
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TCHS has an incredibly diverse campus representing a multitude of cultures, ethnicities, and nationalities. We strive for acceptance, tolerance, and empathy. Our faculty and staff strive to provide many opportunities for students to work collaboratively and cooperatively to develop the necessary skills to be productive global ● School Website citizens. ● Technology Inventory ● Full Time IT Specialist Technology continues to be an integral part of engaging ● Teacher Librarian students, facilitating learning, and empowering them to ● Library Website be better prepared for their futures with an understanding of how to use technology appropriately in their future careers.
The TCHS campus is a safe and secure environment, which promotes lifelong learning, critical thinking, and decision-making skills. All of our efforts that surround the school fall under and focus on the belief that there is a place for everyone on our campus.
Development/Refinement of Vision, Mission, School-wide Learner Outcomes A1.2. Indicator: There are effective processes in place to ensure the involvement of all stakeholders in the development and periodic refinement of the vision, mission, and school-wide learner outcomes.
A1.2. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the processes that engage representatives from the entire school, the district board, business, and the community in the development and periodic refinement of the vision, mission, and school-wide learner outcomes.
Findings Supporting Evidence
In a comprehensive high school with an enrollment of ● Schoology 2,346 students, information is distributed to our parents, ● Jupiter Grades students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders through ● TCHS Website email, school website, Schoology, Jupiter Grades, and ● ILT Meeting Agendas ConnectEd. The current Vision, Mission, and Expected ● ILT Meeting Minutes Student Learning Outcomes statements were shared with ● SSC Meeting Agendas the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT), School Site Council (SSC) and the Charter Council (CC) for initial feedback by the WASC team. Students and parents gave input during the development and adoption of the Vision, Mission, and SLOs during Coffee with the Principal and Lunch with the Principal.
In January 2018, an email was sent to all staff members, ● Faculty Email which provided a Google link for suggestions on ● Faculty Mission and Vision
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revisions and refinement. A hardcopy was also provided Statement Survey Results in their mailboxes for feedback. ● Coffee with the Principal In our monthly Coffee with the Principal meeting with Agenda our parents, the same feedback form was distributed for ● Coffee with the Principal the online or hardcopy feedback form. Minutes
The WASC committee reviewed all the suggestions and ● WASC Agenda revised the statements. The final statements were ● SLOs Poster Across accepted and approved by the Instructional Leadership Campus Team. Copies of the Vision, Mission, and SLOs were printed for classroom reference.
The Vision, Mission, and SLOs will be discussed in ILT on a yearly basis and changes on a by need basis will be discussed and incorporated.
Understanding of Vision, Mission, School-wide Learner Outcomes, District LCAP A1.3. Indicator: Students, parents, and other members of the school and business community demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to the vision, mission, the school-wide learner outcomes, and the district LCAP.
A1.3. 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 school-wide learner outcomes.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS’s Vision, Mission and SLOs are posted on the ● TCHS Website TCHS website and these statements were passed out to the faculty and posted in classrooms across the campus. To evaluate student understanding of the TCHS SLOs ● Classroom SLOs Poster and whether or not they feel they could achieve these Across Campus goals, a student SLOs survey was created. Students were asked to evaluate the likeness of the ability to achieve the SLOs upon graduation. 70% of our student population ● SLOs Student Survey participated in the survey and within this group, over Results 90% of students felt that they could achieve our Student Learner Outcomes upon graduation. In an effort to create additional buy-in from all stakeholders and to meet the expected school-wide learner outcomes, the school will provide opportunities for students, staff and parents to communicate our goals through assemblies, faculty, and department meetings.
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A2. Governance Criterion
The governing board has a) policies and bylaws and the school’s purpose is aligned with them to support the achievement of the school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and college- and career-readiness 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 school-wide action plan and its relationship to the Local Control and Accountability Plan.
Indicators with Prompts
Governing Board and District Administration A2.1. Indicator: The district policies and procedures are clear regarding the specific duties and roles of the governing board and district administration in their relationship to the school and staff.
A2.1. Prompt: Determine the clarity of board policies and procedures regarding the roles of the board and district administration, including supporting the school’s vision, mission, school- wide learner outcomes, monitoring student progress, engaging parent and community participation in site governance, implementing complaint procedures, and reviewing program effectiveness in alignment with the district LCAP requirements.
Findings Supporting Evidence
District policies and procedures are available from the ● Board Documents LAUSD website and memorandums, bulletins, and ● District Board Meeting references, which are accessible to all stakeholders. Agendas/Minutes When new policies are created or policies are updated ● District and Site the Local District Superintendent communicates to Administration Feedback principals through biweekly communications. The Forms information is disseminated to all relevant stakeholders ● LCAP and then school policy and procedures are revised and/or ● District Policy implemented based on district policy. An example of this ● Principal Meetings is the “Uniform Complaint Procedures Bulletin” which ● Achieve.lausd.net outlines the process for complaints concerning professional attire in the workplace and procedures to address employee concerns are to be addressed and processed. This bulletin given to the employees at the start of the year, is available on the LAUSD website, and can be found in the main office for reference.
Governing Board and Stakeholder Involvement A2.2. Indicator: Parents, community members, staff, and students are engaged in the governance of the school.
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A2.2. Prompt: Evaluate the ways the school community and parents are a) informed as to how they can participate in the school’s governance and b) engaged in the governance of the school through their participation on the School Site Council, ELAC, district LCAP committees and other advisory or shared decision-making groups that provide guidance or direction to the school.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Each year, faculty, staff, out of classroom personnel, ● SSC/Charter parent, and student representatives are elected to our Council/ELAC/LCAP/PTO School Site Council (SSC), Charter Council, and ELAC. Agendas and Minutes Letters are mailed and distributed to students through ● TCHS Website classes to inform parents of the opportunity to serve on ● Parent School Compact these governance councils. In addition, all stakeholders ● TCHS Calendar are invited to participate in our charter subcommittees. ● School Budget The Parent Center and the Parent Teacher Organization ● Parent School Compact (PTO) sends emails to inform parents of upcoming events ● Parent and Family and opportunities in which to participate. The calendar Engagement Policy section on the TCHS website posts SSC, Charter Council, ● District Oversight (Emails, ELAC, LCAP, and PTO meeting dates and any Meetings) stakeholder is welcome to attend as a guest. The governing council reviews data, make decisions, and facilitates policy at the school site level. Our local district continues to remain involved in school policy by monitoring progress, offering feedback, and providing oversight of decisions that are made and implemented.
Uniform Complaint Procedures A2.3. Indicator: The school leadership understands and utilizes the Uniform Complaint Procedures from the district.
A2.3. Prompt: Evaluate the degree to which the school leadership ensures understanding and use of the district’s Uniform Complaint Procedures. (Priority 1).
Findings Supporting Evidence
The Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) brochure is ● Student and Parent included in the LAUSD Parent and Student Handbook, Handbook which is distributed to all students through their third period in September each year. The bulletin is posted in ● UCP Brochure and Bulletin the Main Office and the administrative offices throughout campus. School staff directs parents to the UCP information when issues or problems are not ● Parent/Student Contract resolved at the school site level. Signatures
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A3. Leadership: Empowerment and Continuous Planning and Improvement 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 school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and college and career readiness standards. The school leadership and staff annually monitor and refine the single school-wide 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 A3.1. Indicator: The school’s broad-based, collaborative planning process is a continuous improvement cycle that a) assesses data to determine student needs, b) collaboratively determines and implements strategies and actions, and c) monitors results and impact on student success.
A3.1. Prompt: Determine the effectiveness of the continuous school improvement planning process to ensure that it is broad-based, collaborative and fosters the commitment of the stakeholders.
Findings Supporting Evidence
The school’s broad-based, collaborative planning process ● PSAT/ACT/SAT Scores is continuous and the improvement cycle has a focus on ● AP Scores data driven evaluation of student success, the ● EL Reclassification Rates collaboration of stakeholders to implement up to date ● Graduation Rates learning and intervention strategies, and monitoring their ● Interim Assessment Data effects and revising these strategies as needed. The ● A-G Monitoring effectiveness of the school’s continuous school ● LCFF Local Indicators improvement planning process ensures collaboration and fosters the commitment of the stakeholders to impact students in a positive way. ● Professional Development The Professional Development (PD) and Data Agendas/Minutes committees of the charter council look at all forms of ● Various Assessment Scores data from formative and summative assessments such as PowerPoint Presentations the A-G completion rate, the graduation rate, the ● ILT Meeting PSAT/ACT/SAT passage rates, AP passage rates, EL Agendas/Minutes reclassification rates, department assessment scores, and ● Faculty Meetings AP scores, from surveys from all stakeholders, like our Agendas/Minutes teacher observation forms and our professional development forms, and various tools to measure the effectiveness of our programs, which include the Teaching and Learning Feedback, SPSA Evaluation, and
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the LAUSD School Experience Surveys. This data is used to plan professional development meetings and offer the results and feedback to the ILT committee and the administration.
The administration shares information with faculty and ● Period by Period staff during period-by-period meetings, as well as faculty Agendas/Minutes meetings that take place after professional developments ● PTO Agendas/Minutes to offer feedback and allow the faculty to voice concern, ● Coffee with the Principal ask questions, and give input. The administration also Agendas/Minutes shares the information provided through the collection of data with parents at PTO meetings, Coffee with the Principal Meetings, and periodic letters home to parents/guardians.
Administration and counselors strive to put students’ needs first. The master schedule is built around the ● IGP Forms students’ requests for courses after the counselors visit ● Counseling Office with students in all English classes during the Spring Calendar semester. Student demand drives the master schedule and ● Lunch with the Principal teachers have the opportunity to submit class preference Agendas/Minutes forms to the counseling office and are considered in the formation of the master schedule.
Students lend valuable feedback to stakeholders through the Associated Student Body (ASB), Class Steering, student publications, and Lunch with the Principal.
Single School Plan for Student Achievement Correlated to Student Learning A3.2. Indicator: The school’s Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) is directly correlated to and driven by the analysis of student achievement data and aligned with district LCAP.
A3.2. Prompt: How do staff ensure that the analysis of student achievement of the critical learner and college and career readiness needs, school-wide learner outcomes, academic and career readiness standards, and the California School Dashboard data are incorporated into the SPSA and impact the development, implementation, and monitoring of the SPSA and the LCAP?
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS’s School Site Council (SSC) and Charter Council ● A-G Dashboard (CC) analyzes student achievement of the critical learner ● MMED Dashboard and college and career readiness needs, school-wide ● MyData Dashboard learner outcomes, and academic and career readiness ● Focus Dashboard standards, through multiple data measures including A-G ● California Dashboard
Page 98 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report audits, grade passage rates, California Dashboard data, ● CDE Dashboard graduation rates, standardized test scores, and other assorted standardized measures of academic achievement. TCHS also analyzes how these measures impact the development, implementation, and monitoring of the LCAP goals at the site level.
TCHS believes all students can achieve at high levels in and outside of the classroom. Many extracurricular activities, academic programs, electives, and CTE curriculum support the SLOs and college and career readiness, and places student achievement at the ● Summer Registration forefront as all stakeholders’ responsibility. Teachers Calendar have access to testing data for their students through ● College Office Calendar MyData, and for their subject and discipline provided by ● TCHS LCAP the TCHS administration and their departments.
Additional staff development is needed to ensure that all teachers are accessing this data to use alongside their classroom assessment data. The goal is to use this data school-wide to develop instructional best practices, and help student learning by promoting higher achievement for students. Teachers have made significant progress in looking at formative and summative data, including course-wide common assessments, but are still working to regularly include data. Assessment score analysis has led to data driven interventions, grading rubrics, common lessons and assessments, and helps departments focus on the needs of all students.
Administration and staff provide support to Special Education, 504, and EL students through program • IEP Plans monitoring. Case managers and counselors are assigned • 504 Plans to assist special education students, or clusters of • EL Action Plans students with IEPs in core areas. Staff members are • Bridge Coordinator encouraged to attend and participate in IEP and 504 • EL Coordinator meetings in order to support these students' needs. All
IEPs have a three-year plan, continuum of placement in least restrictive environment, and transition planning. All teachers are provided copies of their students IEP and 504 plans, and EL Action Plans. Additionally, counselors meet with parents and students during the registration in the summer to articulate their A-G progress. TCHS has a collaborative staff, where all staff members are expected to play a role in the development of instruction, curriculum, assessment that leads to the
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increase of student achievement for all. These programs and practices form a routine that supports students as well as the district goals, site goals, and LCAP.
The SSC evaluates the SPSA every Fall from the prior year. The College and Career Center is available on campus for student and community connections, college • SSC Agenda/Minutes presentations, and opportunities to visit various LAUSD college and career fairs.
LCAP is a district-wide accountability report, which also helps guide TCHS goals and student service approaches through parent, teacher, administrator, and community input.
Staff Actions/Accountability to Support Learning A3.3. Indicator: The school leadership and staff demonstrate shared decision-making, responsibility, and self-reflection on actions and accountability for implementing practices, programs, actions, and services that support student learning.
A3.3. Prompt: Determine the effectiveness of the processes and procedures for involving staff in shared decision-making, responsibility, and self-reflection on actions, and accountability to support student learning throughout all programs.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Teachers and staff are encouraged to join different ● Professional Data Team councils in order to share in decision-making, Members responsibility, self-reflection actions, and accountability ● Data Team Members to support student learning. Teachers are encouraged to ● Charter Council Team participate in the Professional Development Team, the Members Data Team, the Charter Council, the School Site Council, ● School Site Council Team the Parent Teacher Organization, or the Instructional Members/Roster Leadership Team in order to provide a variety of ● PTO Members/Roster feedback on actions on our campus and create increased ● ILT Members/Roster accountability. There are also teacher leadership positions ● Department Chairs on our campus within curriculum departments, within ● SLC Chairs Small Learning Communities (SLCs), and other programs ● Program Chairs on campus. Teachers that do not participate on a ● Magnet Coordinator leadership team have the opportunity to involve themselves in the decision-making process through the LAUSD Teacher School Experience Survey and other surveys administered by the PD team to offer these faculty members a voice in actions being implemented on ● School Experience Survey the TCHS campus. The administration uses these surveys ● PD Survey
Page 100 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report to reflect and change policies or actions on our campus as ● Observation Survey needed. According to the Teacher School Experience ● Teacher School Experience Survey, 84% feel that TCHS promotes personnel Survey Results participation in decision-making that affects the school practices.
TCHS uses self-reflection and accountability to support student learning throughout all programs. We utilize ● SBAC Dashboard CAASPP, LAUSD Focus, the MyData dashboard, the ● MyData Dashboard College Board, and the California Dashboard to gather ● College Board assessment data. MISIS is used to gather attendance, ● California Dashboard grading, discipline, counseling data concerning our ● MISIS students, and Schoology is used by teachers to input ● Schoology grades and all necessary stakeholders, especially the ● Parent PASSport parents, students, and counselors, have access to grades during any time they have internet access. These data supports are available to the teachers on our campus in order to guide instruction in the classroom.
A3.4. Indicator: The school has effective existing structures for internal communication, planning, and resolving differences.
A3.4. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the existing structures for internal communication, planning, and resolving differences among the staff or administration?
Findings Supporting Evidence
At TCHS, the administration has continued to work to ● Weekly Calendar Postings provide a variety of ways to disseminate day-to-day communications with the staff. Faculty meetings are held ● Weekly Blackboard monthly, often focusing on instruction, but working on Connect phone calls school culture pieces as needed. The current line of communication flows from the administration team to ● Faculty and Staff our Instructional Leadership Team members (ILT) and Schoology group then to departments. In addition, TCHS uses emails, Blackboard Connect phone calls, written correspondence ● Emails from Administrators online, memos in boxes to teachers, and provides staff and Staff Members with a Schoology group that keeps our faculty aware of ● UTLA Representatives news and information in a timely manner. Staff is notified at the beginning of the year about which teachers will be evaluated and by whom, with full transparency. When differences arise, district bulletins and union protocols are followed with support from the union representatives and/or mediators as necessary.
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A4. Staff: Qualified and Professional Development Criterion
A qualified staff facilitates the achievement of the student academic standards and the school- wide 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 A4.1. Indicator: The school has confidence in district procedures to ensure that staff members are qualified based on staff background, training, and preparation. The processes to assign staff members and provide appropriate orientation for all assignments maximizes the expertise of the staff members in relation to impact on quality student learning.
A4.1. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of district procedures to ensure all staff members in all programs, including online instruction, are qualified for their responsibilities and that the process to assign staff members and provide an appropriate orientation process, including online instruction and focused programs, maximizes the expertise of all staff members in relation to impact on quality student learning.
Findings Supporting Evidence
LAUSD Human Resources Department is the first filter on credentialing, proper training, instructional ● Master Schedule preparation, and dispensing information on policies and ● LAUSD Human Resources practices. Qualified applicants are screened and Department interviewed for available positions by the personnel committee of the Charter Council. The LAUSD Human Resources departments ensures that new hires are NCLB compliant and that their credential is properly credentialed through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. As of the beginning of the 2018- ● New Teacher Meeting 19 school year, most certificated staff (99%) at TCHS Agendas are properly credentialed, NCLB qualified, and hold CLAD certification. Many of these are reinforced at the site with reminders, direct information to staff that may need an update, or find themselves with credentials about to expire. At the site, the school administrative assistant helps to facilitate the dispersal of information to all.
New teachers and teachers new to TCHS are provided an orientation during the summer with follow-up sessions throughout the year in order to continue to offer support ● BTGDI Program from administration and department chairpersons or
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other colleagues on campus. New teachers are also provided with the opportunity to participate in the Beginning Teacher Growth and Development Induction (BTGDI) and LAUSD supports these teachers enrolled in ● Professional Development BTGDI with fully credentialed mentors that visit the Certifications campus monthly to observe and provide feedback on instruction and curriculum. Teachers and staff members are offered opportunities to attend training and workshops in specialized and focused programs (i.e. Leadership, GATE, Google Classroom, Engineering, Computer Science, Technology) to maximize expertise.
Defining and Understanding Practices/Relationships A4.2. Indicator: The school implements a clear system to communicate administrator and faculty written policies, procedures, and handbooks that define responsibilities, operational practices, decision-making processes, and relationships of leadership and staff.
A4.2. 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.
Findings Supporting Evidence
The TCHS faculty is provided with a number of ● LAUSD Policy Packet resources that link school policies, responsibilities, and practices. During opening staff and department meetings in August, LAUSD and TCHS policies and procedures are reviewed and/or introduced. The dean and administration provide a packet of information pertaining to policies that concern supervision, field trips, absences, submission of syllabi, reporting child abuse, grading ● New Teachers Meeting policies, and other essential pieces of communication. Agenda New teachers have an additional day of training to ● Coaches Meeting Agenda understand and apply the operation practices for the school. Additional training is also provided to those staff members including coaches that support school athletics, to review policies concerning safety concerns and other ● Disaster Plan LAUSD athletic requirements. The Operations Manager ● Emergency Packets works with all personnel to ensure school and classroom safety, such as earthquake, fire, and active shooter trainings. ● Achieve.lausd.net ● Tafthigh.org In addition, the LAUSD and TCHS website offers many ● Schoology of the bulletins concerning policies and procedures through an online format. TCHS has utilized our online
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grading platform, Schoology, to provide additional documentation to teachers concerning policies through the Schoology Faculty Group this past year. This group also provides a space for discussion concerning policy offering a safe space for clarification of procedures.
Support of Professional Development/Learning and Measurable Effect on Student Learning A4.3. 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 school-wide learner outcomes.
A4.3. Prompt: Determine the effectiveness of the professional development support, time and resources to meet the needs. To what measurable effect has the professional development/ learning activities, including coaching and mentoring, had on student learning?
Findings Supporting Evidence
Our school constantly focuses on providing professional ● Professional Development development for all staff in order to increase student Faculty Survey learning and success. Each year, a survey is given to the ● PD Team Agendas staff members to give feedback on the topics for ● PD Yearly Outline professional development sessions for the upcoming school year. Based on the survey results and incorporating the mandated training topics by LAUSD, the Professional Development Committee develops a plan for all PD dates with relevant topics.
Based on the staff survey, increasing technology usage has been a focused area for professional development. ● PD Calendar Sessions on Google Suites, Google Classroom, Texas ● PD Agendas Instrument Calculators, Quizlet, NewsELA, Kahoot, ● PD Minutes Schoology, and classroom website development are just some of the topics that have been offered to teachers. These sessions were led by faculty members who provide ongoing support to the staff as needed. To measure the effect of teachers understanding and utilizing technology
in the classroom, students were asked in a survey how often they used technology in the classroom on a weekly ● Student SLOs Survey basis. According to the SLOs student survey, only 5.8% ● LAUSD Staff School of students said they never used technology in the Experience Survey classroom and 44.8% claimed to use it five or more times a week. In support of this data, during the last LAUSD School Experience Survey, 84% of teachers claimed to feel comfortable integrating technology in the classroom. According to the PD survey sent to our faculty, teachers
Page 104 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report wanted more time within departments to collaborate and share best practices. One-third or more of our professional developments are within departments to discuss best practices concerning Habits of Mind topics that have included Thinking Independently, supporting students as they Strive for Accuracy, and Persistence. This has been shown in the classroom through teacher observation results as well as student responses in the SLOs student survey. 91% of students claimed that they worked in groups at least once a week in their classrooms. There is some discrepancy in data concerning Professional developments. According to the
LAUSD School Experience survey, 69% of teachers claimed that the professional developments were differentiated for their level of teaching experience but only 30% of teachers claimed to work in department level teams to review and align grading practicing.
Mandated district training does limit the professional development time available for departments and interdisciplinary planning to occur. To be more efficient, the TCHS administration holds separate faculty meetings held after school or period-by-period faculty meetings ● LAUSD PD Memo that focus on LAUSD mandated training topics. Such topics have included but are not limited to First Responder Active Shooter, English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC), Suicide Prevention, Child Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Sex Trafficking, Chemical Storage and Waste Removal, ● EL Coordinator PSAT Proctoring, and Blood Borne Pathogens. ● Magnet Coordinator ● AIAT Coordinator Coaching and mentoring occur among teachers based on ● EDST Mentors who has the expertise in particular areas, including New ● Problem Solving Data Teacher Training opportunities, Schoology, and Coordinator Evaluation Trainings for the EDST platform.
Aside from the on-site professional development opportunities, teachers are encouraged to attend ● Off-Site Professional conferences and workshops that enhance student learning Development Training in their discipline. The administration supports teachers Verification Slips that to attend conferences and workshops provided that new include trainings to: AP strategies and knowledge are shared with their Trainings, California colleagues, such as the Texas Institute training in which Summit, Southern math teachers were trained on proper use and teaching California Band and using graphing calculators. These training directly affects Orchestra Conference, student learning positively as teachers are prepared to CASMEC California Music train students using 21st century strategies. Through off- Educators Conference,
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site professional developments, more teachers have NAMM National become trained in teaching AP level courses, which Association of Music directly affects student learning by offering more course Merchandisers Educational choices. Partnership, Alt- Curriculum Unique Training, CUE Conference, California Education Theatre Association Fall Conference, Texas Instrument Training, JPL Training
Supervision and Evaluation A4.4. Indicator: The school implements effective supervision and evaluation procedures in order to promote the professional growth of staff.
A4.4. Prompt: How effective are the school’s supervision and evaluation procedures?
Findings Supporting Evidence
Through a deliberate and productive ongoing ● EDST Platform conversation at the district level, LAUSD/TCHS has a ● EDST Calendar very specific protocol for how certificated and classified ● EDST Teacher Evaluation staff are evaluated. Teacher evaluations are reviewed Roster annually. Each year a group of teachers are identified ● EDST Support Staff based on various criteria, including but not limited to status, length of service, performance level, and other criteria. Approximately 25% of teachers are evaluated annually through the EDST process. Each administrator ● EDST Administrative is assigned a group of teachers to be evaluated. The entire Feedback process is centered around the teaching and learning framework. The entire process has components that
include various planning, observation, feedback, and reflection components. At the beginning of each school ● Teacher School Experience year, staff that are being evaluated are given instructions Survey Results about how the process will look for that year, including staff pre-assessing themselves to help determine their personal goal for the year.
Site administration is uniform in their evaluations for employees, which has led to common language and goal setting meetings across the school, and common forms used in the formal observation process.
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The evidence that is collected during observations is evaluated based on the teaching and learning framework rubric. In addition to the delivery of instruction teachers are also evaluated on other criteria related to professional responsibilities. Through this process we have found that teachers are able to identify strategies and practices that increase their effectiveness of delivering instruction. According to the Teacher School Experience Survey, 72% of teachers felt that the EDST process supported teachers to improve teaching practices.
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 school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and college and career readiness standards.
Indicators with Prompts
Allocation Decisions and Their Impact A5.1. Indicator: There is a relationship between the decisions about resource allocations, the district’s LCAP and the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), the school’s vision, mission, the school-wide learner outcomes, critical student learning needs, academic standards, and college and career readiness standards. The school leadership and staff are involved in the resource allocation decisions.
A5.1. Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which the resources are allocated to meet the school’s vision, mission, the school-wide learner outcomes, the critical student learning needs, the student needs identified in the district LCAP and the SPSA, the academic standards, and the college and career readiness standards. Determine 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
The Los Angeles Unified School District allocates ● Categorical Budgets categorical and non-categorical funds to schools based on formulas related to enrollment, income status, foster ● Non-Categorical Budgets youth, and specialized groups. Once these resources are allocated to the school site, TCHS evaluates resource needs comprehensively and addresses those needs based upon the mission, vision, SLO’s, and district LCAP guidelines. Additionally, the school evaluates current programs and surveys stakeholders as it relates to a comprehensive needs assessment. The information is
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collected and shared with the School Site and Charter Councils who review and propose budgets to our Local District Office for final approval.
To provide for direct student impact, three additional counselors were purchased to lower their caseload and allow for greater student access to their counselor. ● TCHS School Inventory Twelve additional teachers were paid for in order to ● MyData lower class sizes. In addition, more supplemental resources were purchased to support students in the learning process.
Practices A5.2. Indicator: There are district processes and practices in place for developing an annual budget, conducting an annual audit, and at all times conducting quality business and accounting practices.
A5.2. 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
As stated above, budgets are reviewed and proposed by ● TCHS Budget the SSC and Charter Council and presented to the Local ● LAUSD Audits District for approval annually. Direct oversight, audits, and accounting practices are overseen by LAUSD central office.
Each club or organization on campus has a separate account that is overseen by the PTO or ASB. Most ● PTO Club Accounts monies collected in these clubs is earned through ● Fundraiser Permission Slips fundraising. All fundraising endeavors must earn approval from the administrator in charge of finances on campus before they can occur.
Facilities A5.3. Indicator: The school’s facilities are adequate to meet the students’ learning needs, support the educational program (i.e., accomplish the vision, mission, and the school-wide learner outcomes) and are safe, functional, and well-maintained.
A5.3. Prompt: Determine the extent to which the facilities enable the school to maintain a learning environment to meet the educational health and safety needs of students.
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Findings Supporting Evidence
The health and safety of all students is a top priority. The ● TCHS Website: Teacher Plant Manager works closely with administration and the Facility Request Forms custodial staff to ensure that the facilities are safe, well- maintained, and functional. The Plant Manager follows up on the completion of work order as the need for repairs arise. Students and classrooms are relocated to available rooms whenever there is a health or safety concern.
Campus security is visible and present at key locations around campus all day. Walkie-talkies are also used by administration, custodial staff, the main office, and ● Campus Aides campus aides for prompt and direct communication ● Guest Sign in Sheets around campus. The PA system is also in place. Gates around the perimeter of the school are locked at the start of first period to the end of sixth period. All faculty, staff, students, and guests are required to come through the main office during school hours to maintain safety on campus. According to the LAUSD school experience survey, 97% of staff claims to feel safe on school ● LAUSD School Experience grounds during the day, 96% of parents claim that their Survey child is safe on school grounds, and 91% of students claim to feel safe at school.
All staff has been trained on various emergency ● TCHS Emergency Folders situations, including earthquake, fire, and lockdown ● TCHS Emergency Teams protocols. An emergency packet has been distributed to ● Faculty Meeting Agendas each faculty member that includes the evacuation map (Emergency Trainings) and other pertinent safety information.
Science rooms are equipped with eyewash stations and chemistry hoods.
Instructional Materials and Equipment A5.4. Indicator: The policies and procedures for acquiring and maintaining adequate instructional materials and equipment, such as textbooks, other printed materials, instructional technology, manipulatives, and laboratory materials are effective.
A5.4. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the policies and procedures for acquiring and maintaining adequate instructional materials and technology, such as technology tools and software, the support systems for technology, software, textbooks, other resources and materials, library media resources, manipulatives, and laboratory materials for instruction including online.
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Findings Supporting Evidence
LAUSD has set up district protocol for textbook adoptions in the core content areas. During the adoption ● LAUSD Textbook process, LAUSD allows each school a few district Adoption Protocol reviewed textbook options for each school to review and adopt. Input is gathered from teachers within the department before a textbook is chosen and the department makes the final decision.
Teachers can reserve the library and ask the librarian to conduct an orientation for classes in order to help familiarize them with the organization of the library, ● Library Calendar available materials, how to access them, and the proper procedures for check out. The librarian is also available to support teachers through teaching students the functionality of the TCHS Library website, digital literacy, and how to access online resources. Proper ● TCHS Library Website citation techniques are taught as well. Students also have access to computer stations, printing, and duplication services in the library.
Each year, a technology survey is conducted to find out ● Faculty Technology the needs of the teachers for instructional use (i.e. Survey projector, screens, document cameras, etc.). Software ● Software Licenses licenses such as the math program, ALEKS, and the Chromebook management program, GoGuardian, were purchased based on the needs of the teachers.
This year, TCHS was approved to be a Certiport testing center to provide complimentary Microsoft certification for our students. Currently, our Engineering Design CTE ● Microsoft Certification pathway students are utilizing AutoDesk Solidworks, 3D ● AutoDesk Printers, 3D scanners, VEX robotic kits, and a large assortment of tools and resources. In the future, we will expand certification for AutoDesk and IC3 Digital Literacy for our students.
To assist student achievement in informational ● TCHS Budget competency in the 21st Century. TCHS has purchased 40 ● TCHS Technology carts full of 40 Chromebooks available for each building Inventory and floor for teachers to share.
Well-Qualified Staff
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A5.5. Indicator: Resources are available and used to enable the hiring, nurturing, and ongoing professional development of a well-qualified staff for all programs, supporting the school’s vision, mission, school-wide learner outcomes, and identified student learning needs.
A5.5. Prompt: Determine if the resources are available and used to enable the hiring, nurturing and ongoing professional development of a well-qualified staff for all programs, supporting the school’s vision, mission, school-wide learner outcomes, and identified student learning needs.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) teachers are ● GATE PD Hours Form required to fulfill a minimum of 16 hours of professional development to meet the educational needs of our gifted students. Our Advanced Placement (AP) teachers are encouraged to attend the College Board’s AP workshops to prepare for the curriculum each year. Each year, the GATE teachers receive professional development ● Conference attendance opportunities and funds are allocated to support the verification forms attendance at workshops, conferences, and training.
In March 2017 and 2018, staff members attended the Computer Using Educators (CUE) Conference in Palm Springs to support the school’s vision in preparing our students to have technological skills to compete in the ● CUE Conference global society. The members offered professional Attendance Verification development sessions to share the knowledge gained at the CUE conference.
With two Google certified instructors on our staff, the professional development committee has focused on ● Sign in sheets from Google technology and its proper use in the classroom. They Suites Training offered two separate Google Workshops for any staff member to attend on multiple Saturdays during the fall and spring semester of 2017-2018 school year.
Currently, many teachers utilize class websites, use Google Classroom, Google Drive, maintain online grading programs through Jupiter, and now currently district-mandated Schoology. Teachers have access to Chromebook carts in each building and multiple computer rooms for students to have access to technology.
TCHS has seven Career Technical Education (CTE) certified teachers in Engineering Design, Software ● CTE Professional Development, and Production and Managerial Arts. Development attendance
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These teachers have attended workshops for Project verification Lead the Way and Code.org to support the career pathways offered at TCHS.
Funds are allocated yearly for all faculty and staff ● Ongoing Professional members to seek out professional development Development opportunities through the school year and during summer breaks.
Long-Range Planning A5.6. Indicator: The district and school’s processes for regularly and effectively aligning the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) with site resource decisions ensures the continual availability and coordination of appropriate funds to support students’ achievement of the school-wide learner outcomes, critical student learning needs, academic standards, college and career readiness indicators and standards, and school-wide learner outcomes.
A5.6. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of these processes.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS receives input from multiple stakeholder groups ● School Experience Surveys through surveys and meetings. The data collected is ● SBAC Data shared with our councils and committees. Achievement ● AP Test Scores data is continuously reviewed, including state and ● PSAT Test Scores college board exams, reclassification, graduation rates, ● CA School Dashboard and attendance rates. We compare the achievement data ● Graduation Rates and stakeholder feedback to assess our needs. New ● Attendance Rates policies, protocols, and changes in funding for different ● LAUSD Policy needs are implemented as needed. This information is ● TCHS Policy used when aligning our resources and developing our ● TCHS Discretionary budget. Budget
Task A: Standards-Based Student Learning: Organization Summary, Strengths, and Growth
Summary
The diversity of our student population necessitates and fosters collaborative and cooperative interactions. The current vision, mission, and school-wide learning outcomes were shared with the instructional leadership team, school site council, and charter council for feedback. When policies are updated or created, the information is disseminated to all relevant stakeholders. The governing councils review data, make decisions, and effect policy at the school-site level. Our various stakeholder groups evaluate our progress toward our goals by using various tools to measure their effectiveness highlighting the areas of strength and areas of growth. In reviewing
Page 112 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report data, stakeholders feel they have a voice and influence over school-site decision-making. This allows for enhanced shared responsibility and ownership of the processes and procedures to support student learning. The school supports teachers attending conferences and workshops that provide new strategies and knowledge, which are shared with their colleges and directly affect student learning. Once Los Angeles Unified School District allocates categorical and non- categorical funds to our school, we evaluate current programs and survey our stakeholders as part of a comprehensive needs assessment to prioritize funding. Each year, TCHS conducts a technology survey to assess the status of the instructional technology needs on our campus. This information is used when determining the allocation of resources to enhance the instructional program with addition technology.
Areas of Strength
● Opportunities for a wide range of Professional Development topics that are meaningful and relevant for our staff ● Availability of fiscal resources to implement programs and school projects to support the growth and maintenance of our school and the instructional programs ● Opportunities for students and staff to give feedback on teacher and administration support and performance at the end of the year ● Well-defined and funded emergency and safety plan ● Increased opportunities to serve on committees such as Community Outreach, Professional Development, Data, Charter Council, Safety, and Social Emotional Learning
Areas of Growth
● Continue to refine an effective communication system to disseminate pertinent information discussed at School Site Council and Charter Council to all stakeholders ● Create a technology sustainability plan for long-term maintenance and replacement of equipment ● Continue to develop and support an understanding of the communication tools available to all stakeholders
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 school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and college and career readiness standards in order to meet graduation requirements. Through standards-based learning (what is taught and how it is taught), these are accomplished.
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Indicators with Prompts
Current Educational Research and Thinking B1.1. Indicator: The school uses current educational research to maintain a viable, meaningful instructional program that prepares students for college, career, and life.
B1.1. Prompt: Evaluate how effectively the school uses current educational research related to the curricular areas to maintain a viable, meaningful instructional program for students. Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS provides our teachers with Professional ● Professional Development Development trainings that are based on educational Agendas research in order to provide teachers with up to date and meaningful teaching strategies that help to prepare the TCHS students for college and career readiness as well as in life.
The Science department has adopted the Next Generation Science Standards, which focus on ● NGSS Standards helping students understand the cause and effect of ● NGSS Professional phenomena in the world around them. These Development Training standards give educators the flexibility to design Opportunities classroom learning experiences that stimulate ● District Specialists students’ interests in science and prepares them for ● Science Department college, careers, and citizenship. Teachers in the Equipment Funding science department have been supported in the ● Science department adoption of these new standards through regular Equipment Inventory district trainings and support by LAUSD and local district specialists. School funding for the department has also been allocated to support the changes in curriculum and new textbooks are currently being reviewed for adoption for the 2019 - 2020 school year.
In order to provide up to date teaching methods, including the common core curriculum that has been rolled out, the adoption of new textbooks that ensure ● Textbook Adoption common core and 21st century themes have been (English, Math, & Social adopted in English, Math, and Social Studies Studies) departments. Teachers have been trained in the use ● Common Core Standards
Page 114 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report of these textbooks and the continuation of utilizing the online formats and resources of these textbooks continue.
TCHS has identified a need to stimulate students’ critical thinking skills through the adoption of essential questions across our campus. In an effort to ● Posted Essential foster the development of problem solving strategies Questions and support an understanding of the purposeful ● Professional Development connections to the subject matter and the world Agendas around them, teachers have been trained on the creation of questions that are open-ended, thought provoking, and help students develop their own viewpoints.
The adoption of technology in the classroom has been a main focus on the TCHS campus for the past ● Technology Inventory few years. In an effort to prepare our students for the ● Classroom Assignments 21st century, funding has been allocated to purchase ● Professional Development technology across the campus. Each floor has a Agendas minimum of two traveling Chromebook carts for ● Conference Attendance teachers to utilize in the classroom. In addition, Forms there has been an increase in computer labs that ● Student SLO Bit.ly teachers can reserve, technology courses have been Survey added to our master schedule, and each teacher has ● Professional Development been provided with their own Chromebook and Agendas printer. Most classes also have other technology ● TCHS Teacher’s Summer utilized in their classrooms, including but not Institute Agenda limited to projectors, document readers, document cameras, smart boards, graphing calculators, and even 3D scanners and printers. In conjunction to the increase in access of technology in the classroom, many professional developments have been set aside in the last three years to train teachers in technological teaching strategies in the classroom. Trainings have taken place in Google Classroom, Google Suites, Kahoot, Quizlet, Prezi, Khan Academy, Quizlet, NewsELA, Crash Course, TI- Graphing Calculators, GoGuardian, Turnitin!, Jupiter Grades (previous years), and Schoology. The professional development committee continually seeks input concerning technology training needs.
The administration also allocated funding to send teachers to technology-based professional development conferences, including the CUE Conference where eight staff members attended in
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2018 and twelve staff members attended in 2017, ● TCHS Teachers’ Summer and the Texas Instrument Teacher Training in which Institute Attendance two teachers attended in 2018. According to the Sheets Student SLOs survey, 94% of student in the 9th ● SLOs Student Survey through 11th grade claimed to use technology in the classroom at least once a week and 45% claimed to use it five or more times per week. In accordance to this data, on the LAUSD School Experience survey, 84% of teachers claimed that they felt comfortable incorporating technology into the classroom.
The professional development team has also identified a focus on training teachers on purposeful groupings in the classroom in order to teach students collaborative skills to prepare them for college and careers in the 21st century. Teachers have been ● Gifted Certification Forms encouraged to implement new teaching strategies ● AP Attendance that take away the focus of teacher led direct Certification instruction and allow students to become the active ● College Board Syllabi learners through group activities, purposeful pairing, Approval project-based lessons, and student led discussions. These strategies have been encouraged to allow students to formulate their own thoughts, develop oral communications skills, and allow students to take ownership of their learning. Many different strategies have been discussed and practiced in the classroom, including Socratic method, fishbowl discussions, project-based learning activities for the faculty, and other problem solving activities. Teachers were encouraged to attend a three-day paid summer institute held by TCHS in which training on purposeful grouping strategies was the focus. 47 staff members attended the three-day professional development opportunity. According to the Student SLOs survey, 90% of 9th through 11th grade students claimed to work in groups or pairs at least one day a week and almost 50% of these students claimed to work in groups or pairs at least three days a week. In conjunction to this data, over 65% of seniors claimed to work in either groups or pairs at least three days a week.
All teachers that teach Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students are required to participate in 16 hours of gifted training in order to stay up-to-date on current gifted strategies and implement these strategies in the classroom. The
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majority of teachers that teach AP classes have attended AP training in their course of expertise. Additionally, faculty that teach an AP class are required to submit their syllabi to the College Board for approval and are subject to audits. This process is to verify that the courses taught follow the rigorous format prescribed by the College Board and that TCHS students are provided with high-quality data driven instruction in their curriculum areas to prepare students for the cumulative exam at the end of the year.
There is a slight discrepancy that our professional development team needs to address. According to the LAUSD teacher survey, only 62% of teachers feel that what they learn in professional ● LAUSD Teacher School development sessions address their students’ needs. Experience Survey In order to better address this concern, the PD team ● Professional Development utilizes teacher feedback forms at the end of the Feedback Forms semester to evaluate the helpfulness of different sessions and utilize teacher-led data to guide instructional training programs to better meet the needs of our faculty and staff.
Academic and College-and Career-Readiness Standards for Each Area B1.2. Indicator: The school has defined academic standards and college and career readiness indicators or standards for each subject area, course, and/or program that meet or exceed graduation requirements.
B1.2. Prompt: Determine the extent to which 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, meet or exceed graduation requirements, and, where applicable, expectations within courses that meet the UC A-G requirements. (This includes examination of 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
TCHS offers a wide variety of courses that are ● A-G Approvals for Courses created through curriculum sequencing and student ● A-G Completion interest. The majority of courses offered provide an Percentages/Rates opportunity for students to meet the A-G college ● Graduation Rates entrance requirements, with 100% of our students taking A-G classes through their high school progression. In spring 2018, 94% of our students
Page 117 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report graduated earning a D or higher in the A-G requirements. In contrast, 83.6% of TCHS students that earned a C or higher in their courses, qualifying for CSU minimum requirements.
All courses that are labeled as AP courses have ● Documentation from been approved through a submission and audit College Board process by the College Board to certify that the ● AP Audits course syllabi and instructional plan follow the ● Course Syllabi rigorous requirements needed to pass the AP examination.
All core curriculum, including English, Math, and ● Common Core Standards Social Studies, follow the California State ● State Curriculum Standards Standards and Common Core Standards. The ● NGSS Science course have also adopted and implemented ● Course Syllabi the Next Generation Science Standards in their ● Student Work Samples coursework and new courses that adhere to these standards have been created to meet the NGSS guidelines.
Two Career Technical Education (CTE) teachers ● Articulation agreements with have an articulation agreement with Pierce College Pierce College credit for to offer dual high school and college credit in our HS pathway classes Arts, Media, and Entertainment Industry Sector in Graphic Design and Video Production. The two TCHS teachers collaborate with Pierce College ● Course Syllabi professors to align their class syllabus, which ● CTE Pathway Information allows for our TCHS students to earn dual credits for both college and high school units. Our CTE program currently has expanded to include Engineering Design and Information and Communication Technologies. We plan to establish articulation agreements with community colleges to offer dual credit in our engineering and computer science courses being offered in the near future.
TCHS has two Regional Occupational Program ● Accreditation Agreements (ROP) teachers in graphic arts and fashion. by Western Association of Accredited by the Western Association of Schools Schools and Colleges and Colleges, all ROP classes taught at TCHS are ● A-G Approvals for Courses certified by the California State Department of Education with select classes meeting the UC A-G approved admission requirements. ● Articulation agreements TCHS has established an articulation agreement with Pierce College credit with Pierce College whereby college courses are for HS pathway classes
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being offered on TCHS’s campus after school. Typically, we offer 5-8 classes per semester. Students are able to earn college credit through concurrent enrollment at Pierce College.
Congruence B1.3. Indicator: There is congruence between the actual concepts and skills taught, the school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and the college and career readiness indicators or standards.
B1.3. Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which there is congruence or consistency between the actual concepts and skills taught, the school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and the college and career readiness indicators or standards. Findings Supporting Evidence
Standard-based curriculum continues to be a major ● CCSS Standards emphasis within the TCHS academic program. ● TCHS SLOs Concepts taught in all courses are aligned to ● LAUSD Teacher School California Common Core State Standards, the Experience Survey TCHS Student Learner Outcomes, and the college and career readiness indicators. According to the LAUSD Teacher School Experience Survey, 72% of teachers have changed their curriculum in their classroom to align coursework to academic standards. In conjunction, 96% of teachers feel that the curriculum taught at the school is preparing TCHS students for college.
Almost all departments have adopted common ● Department Pacing Plans pacing plans for their courses, especially within the ● Department Finals core subject matters, to ensure congruence and ● Department Meeting consistency in the concepts and skills taught across Agendas the departments. Some departments, such as math, maintain similar concepts being taught through common department finals.
Teachers also provide student learning objectives in ● Classroom Objectives their classroom to indicate the focus of the (Classroom Observation coursework and show alignment of the lessons to Form) state standards. Data gathered from 306 classroom observations conducted by peers in November 2018 indicated that 95.8% of the classrooms had the agenda, 88.6% had essential questions, and 88.4% had the objectives posted in the classroom.
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TCHS provides students with access to a full-time ● Library Hours Teacher Librarian. The Librarian provides students ● Library Google Calendar and teachers access to a digital database offering ● TCHS Library Website digital literacy curriculum and technology resources Analytics to support students in meeting curriculum standards, ● TCHS Library Search achieving the TCHS SLOs, and achieving the Engine college and career ready indicators. ● TCHS Classroom Visitation Log There is an achievement gap based on our SBAC test results in ELA and math results. In 2018, 61% of our students met or exceed ELA standards on the ● SBAC Results SBAC, while 30% of our students met or exceeded ● ILT Meeting Minutes the math standards on the SBAC test. Math teachers are now focused on increasing our math SBAC scores and are working to implement intervention strategies and benchmark assessments to better prepare our students for the math SBAC test.
Integration Among Disciplines B1.4. Indicator: There is integration and alignment 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.
B1.4. 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
TCHS has a of multitude programs on campus with ● GATE Coordinator a variety of cross-curricular integration across Planning Sheets disciplines, with a focus on differentiated instruction ● Articulation Plan with to meet the needs of all types of learners. Pierce College
For our highly gifted students, TCHS offers an Individualized Honors Programs that allows students to develop a rigorous course schedule, with a focus on AP and honors coursework. These students eventually progress to concurrent enrollment through college courses by either their junior or senior year. ● STEAM Magnet Course TCHS also implemented a gifted STEAM Magnet Offerings program for gifted and high achieving students ● PLTW Exam Results interested in computer science or engineering
Page 120 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report careers. The engineering design pathway curriculum is provided by Project Lead the Way, a nationwide curriculum, to maintain a high integrity curriculum that is focused on cutting-edge and up-to-date industry standards-based discipline. PLTW examinations provide secure and reliable data to determine student success within the engineering coursework. For the computer science pathway, students are now offered AP Computer Science Principles and will be offered AP Computer Science A in Fall 2019.
Many of our high achieving students have also shown interest in Robotics and two robotics clubs have been instituted on campus to allow for students to individually grow and participate in robotics competitions within the community. Similarly, Cyber Patriots has grown from one competition ● Robotics Club Meeting team of five students to over five teams of thirty Agendas students. ● Robotics Club Competition Entries For our middle-achieving students, TCHS provides ● CyberPatriots Meeting programs to support their learning through the Agendas Humanitas Program. This small learning community offers an enriched program in which students learn thematic units across curricular lines and focus on project-based learning in which students collaborate ● Humanitas SLC Meeting in the learning process. Teachers within the Calendar Humanitas program collaborate regularly to ● Humanitas Grade Level maintain rigorous and reliable units in which Unit Plans teachers offer units that are aligned across their ● Humanitas Student Work thematic units, even working together to grade unit Samples assessments.
Within the Social Studies, English, Math, and Science department, teachers offer a variety of manipulatives, videos, and other supplemental materials to foster learning, for all types of learners. Manipulatives like model airplanes in history, models of cells and anatomy in sciences, and model ● Course Syllabi architecture projects in math courses allow students ● Student Work Samples to experience hands-on learning in their coursework (See Google Drive) to prepare for career readiness. Reliable teaching ● Teacher Observation videos are utilized across the curriculum to reteach Results and clarify learning, while maintaining security by ● Teacher Syllabi only allowing teachers access to the majority of online materials. Teachers also utilize resources
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from Khan Academy, Crash Course, TED-Ed, PBS, ● Catalog of Books CNN10, CSPAN, DuoLingo, Seterra Maps, and Available in Textbook MOJO. Other outsourced supplemental tools are Room used to support learning from reliable sources. Some of these include district provided Math SBAC test prep, NewsELA, iCivics, Stanford History Education Group (SHEG), fictional novels, like House on Mango Street, Sula, Catcher in the Rye, Great Gatsby, Unwind, Wuthering Heights, and more, nonfiction books, like Black Boy, Autobiography of Malcolm X, and Into the Wild, and other informational texts to support learning, such as short stories and articles.
For our students that are struggling to progress within their coursework, many teachers across the curriculum, as well as in the SPED and DHH programs, offer intervention programs. Some of ● Khan Academy SAT prep these interventions include district provided Math Sign Up Sheets SBAC test prep, the ALEKS program, DuoLingo, ● UCLA AP Readiness Khan Academy SAT prep, UCLA AP readiness, and Sign- up Sheets Edgenuity. ● Edgenuity Enrollment
Articulation and Follow-up Studies B1.5. Indicator: The school articulates regularly with feeder schools, 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.
B1.5. Prompt: Determine the extent to which the school articulates curricular programs and expectations with its feeder schools, local colleges and universities, and technical schools. Explain how the school uses follow-up studies of graduates and others to learn about the effectiveness of the curricular program. Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS holds strong ties to the feeder middle and ● School Tour Schedule and elementary schools in the area, and offered 14 Sign-In Sheets school tours in 2017-2018 for middle school parents ● Magnet Tour Schedule and and students to tour the campus and learn about the Sign-in Sheets programs and activities available on campus. We ● Counseling Department also attend all high school nights hosted by nearby Middle School Visitation middle schools, attending 9 different events this last Schedule year. Every April, counselors visit the feeder middle schools to support incoming freshman and to provide a smooth transition with class selection and matriculation into high school.
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TCHS provides incoming students with a New ● Freshman Orientation Student Orientation Night in May, and this past Night Program summer TCHS rolled out five separate week long ● New Magnet Student and Summer Bridge Programs to support incoming Parent Night Sign-In Sheet freshman in their transition to high school. In ● New SAS Student and addition, a new Magnet Student and Parent Night Parent Night Sign-In Sheet and new School of Advanced Studies Student and Parent Night were hosted in mid-May providing information on program overview, course options, summer programs and extra-curricular activities on campus
The New Student Orientation and summer bridge ● Summer Bridge Program program supported students that will be joining our Calendar student body the following year. The Summer ● Summer Bridge Program Bridge Program was created in response to Student Agenda feedback on the LAUSD Student Survey Reports as ● Summer Bridge Program an effort to ease the transition and address areas in Sign in Sheets which TCHS may not have clarified certain expectations in the past. We have received positive feedback from freshman and their parents so far at events like Coffee with the Principal, and will be looking to the school experience survey to determine results of its success.
A TCHS Explo Night was also developed by the TCHS Complex of feeder elementary and middle ● TCHS Explo Night Flyer schools to highlight programs and activities with ● TCHS Explo Night Video hands-on interactive activities for elementary and (See Google Docs) middle school students to attend on TCHS’s ● Little Toreadors Night campus. This event, as well as other TCHS Flyer Community Events, has been in response to ● Little Toreadors Night community and alumni feedback concerning the Video (See Google Docs) need to articulate what the school offers to the ● Cheer Clinic Flyer community. The Cheer Team, Marching Band and ● Dance Clinic Flyer Dance Team have hosted clinics for middle and ● Marching Band Clinic elementary schools to attend. These students were Flyer given an opportunity to perform at a football game during half time. ● Pierce College Some students begin taking college courses as early Articulation Agreement as ninth grade; articulation agreement between ● TCHS Alumni Group TCHS and Pierce provides 6-7 courses per semester Contact List on campus for college credit after school. With easy access, our students have shown a positive impact that college-bound success has on the campus
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community. After graduating, students can register with the TCHS Alumni groups to keep in contact with the school, and share their successes. The College and Career Office hosts College ● College Office Visitation Representatives from all over the nation on a Calendar weekly basis. This office also hosts different representatives from the military on our campus to inform students of career training opportunities in the military. ● CTE Programs Visitation Many different CTE programs, as well as core Calendar departments, utilize guest speakers in student areas ● Find Your Calling Club of interest to inform students of possible career Agendas opportunities in the surrounding community. The Find Your Calling Club hosts professionals from all over the community to speak on campus during lunch to explore career options with the professionals. ● Magnet Night Flyer For specific programs like the gifted STEAM ● High School Nights magnet and the AIAT Program, TCHS attends the ● Unified Enrollment Event annual Magnet Night and various high school nights Flyer hosted by middle schools.
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 meet the requirements of graduation and are prepared for the pursuit of their academic, personal, and career goals.
Indicators with Prompts
Variety of Programs — Full Range of Choices B2.1. 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.
B2.1. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of 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.
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Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS offers a variety of coursework to support ● Master Schedule students through the process of making appropriate college and career choices that are realistic to their educational opportunities. TCHS effectively supports students in college readiness by requiring all students to pass the UC/CSU A-G requirements in order to graduate from high school. Within the college preparatory coursework, 21 AP courses are offered in different subjects. This variety of rigorous coursework is intended to offer students to explore career fields of interest prior to attending a university.
In addition to college preparatory coursework,
TCHS offers a variety of career readiness course work to allow for exploration in career options. TCHS offers 5 CTE pathways in Engineering Design, Software and Systems Development, Production and Managerial Arts, Patient Care and Design, Visual and Media Arts. All pathways offer st pre-technical training experiences for the 21 - century learner.
Students at TCHS have the opportunity to join or create clubs on our campus to support their college ● ASB Club List and career interests. These clubs are sponsored by faculty members on campus to ensure that these clubs remain appropriate, effectively carry out their mission, and support student growth. Clubs, such as Dog Rescue Club, support students interested in the animal sciences, by providing students opportunities and access to volunteer at local shelters. Students in the Robotics club are supported and guided through the process of creating their own design and competing in competitions. Students in the Teen Court Club volunteer their time through serving as jurors in actual juvenile cases. The Find Your Calling Club supports students through exploration of career pathways by inviting experts in a variety of fields to speak at our school. Currently 70% of seniors and 56% of underclassman that took the ● SLOs student Survey SLOs survey claimed that they were members of at least one club on campus.
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In addition, the freshmen are offered a college and career readiness course to explore future options, to ● Master Schedule understand the coursework needed for future goals, ● IGP Evidence and become comfortable with ways to access ● Student School Experience information and gain support on our campus. Our Survey counselors offer support by meeting with our students yearly to map out their courses, discuss future goals, and provide pathways for success. There are some concerns regarding the success of this program, as only 41% of students claimed that they had met with a counselor at school to discuss progress toward graduation on the School Experience Survey in 2018.
The College and Career Office provide regular access to the office during nutrition and lunch to all students. In addition, this office provides access ● PCC List through Peer College Counselors to support the ● College Office Calendar needs of students that come in. The College Office ● TCHS Calendar also provides SAT/ACT preparatory classes on the weekend and support to both parents and students through multiple trainings offered regularly throughout the year.
Accessibility of All Students to Curriculum, including Real World Experiences B2.2. Indicator: A rigorous, relevant, and coherent curriculum that includes real world applications is accessible to all students through all courses/programs offered.
B2.2. Prompt: Evaluate students’ access to a rigorous, relevant, and coherent curriculum across all programs that include real world applications. To what extent do the instructional practices of teachers and other activities facilitate access and success for all students?
Findings Supporting Evidence
Many elective courses on our campus offer ● Master Schedule students access to real-world applications, hand-on ● Course Syllabi training, and work-based learning. For example, ● Student Work (Student student publications allow access to social media, Work Folder) newspaper, and yearbook design through ● Links to digital publications publishing programs. The drama course offers (journalism) training in stage design, vocational training in ● DOTS Program carpentry, lighting, and sound design. The sports Coordinator medicine courses offer students with work based ● Course Syllabi
Page 126 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report learning under the supervision and documentation of a certified Athletic Trainer, teaching them relevant skills in patient care.
Through the DOTS program on campus, some of our SPED students are offered paid internships at local business off campus to give them access to first-hand experiences in the workplace. Within the
SPED classes, differentiated instruction to support student learning through additional supplemental materials like audiobooks, big print textbooks, and manipulatives are utilized to support the continuation of rigorous and coherent instruction.
To eliminate barriers to student learning in rigorous coursework, much of the past ● AP Readiness List requirements for admittance to AP courses have ● AP Enrollment Data been eliminated and student have been encouraged to utilize our new motto, “Just Try One,” on our campus. Many students have been identified as AP ready according to their PSAT scores and they have been invited to take an AP course on our campus. The recommendation for students who want to take on the AP course is to complete the preliminary course work needed and to sign an AP Agreement. For examples, students must complete Pre-calculus to be admitted into AP Calculus AB. We have seen a great increase in AP participation on our campus, raising to over 10% in the last two years. 31% of our students on campus during the 2017-2018 took at least one AP course.
School activities beyond the classroom continue to support our rigorous, relevant coherent curriculum ● TCHS ASB Club List on campus. Associated Student Body students, ● TCHS Calendar of Events along with service clubs, like Key Club, Knights and Ladies Service Club, and California Scholarship Federation create and participate in afterschool activities that parallel real life experiences. For example, the students collect, wrap, and visit disadvantaged school to hand out Christmas Gifts in our annual “Santa For Students” toy drive.
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Student-Parent-Staff Collaboration
B2.3. 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.)
B2.3. Prompt: Evaluate to what extent parents, students, and staff collaborate in developing, monitoring, and revising a student’s personal learning plan and their college and career and/or other educational goals.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Schoology, a new district-mandated learning ● Schoology management system used by teachers for grade ● Parent Portal books and digital classroom management, is available via Internet for all stakeholders enabling parents, students, counselors, and teachers to monitor and communicate regarding each student’s progress and success in their courses. Parents have access to all of the students’ records including class grades, standardized test scores, homework
assignments, and attendance through the parent portal PASSport. Schoology also is utilized by the College Office to inform students of workshops and college and career recruitment opportunities on campus as well as individual groups on campus also have created Schoology groups to inform students of upcoming events and provide necessary documentations for sharing TCHS’s Faculty and Staff, Robotics Club, CyberPatriots Club, and Class
of 2019.
With the recent adoption of Naviance in middle and high schools, TCHS is focusing on efforts to ● Naviance encourage students to complete yearly tasks in regards to career and college goals. Naviance is a website that monitors activities related to personality types, resume building, and future college and career goals. LAUSD currently interfaced Naviance with Common Application, the nonprofit group set up send college applications to over 700 universities
nationwide, to complete the college application
Page 128 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report process and submit recommendation through Naviance, lessening the workload of students. Teachers will upload recommendation letters and counselors will upload transcripts and recommendations letters directly into Naviance.
TCHS also utilizes social media, like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, to inform our stakeholders ● TCHS Twitter Feed of events, changes occurring on campus, and ● TCHS Instagram Feed successes in meeting our educational goals.
During the summer pre-registration process, counselors collaborate with students and their parents/guardians to create a comprehensive 4-year plan for college and career goals. Each subsequent ● Pre-Registration Flyer year, they meet to monitor progress and revise the ● TCHS Calendar of Events student’s personal learning plan and select courses ● Event Sign-In Sheets based on shared goals through Individualized Graduation Planning sheets. Other informational nights for parents include College Night, Back to School Night, Senior Parent Night, Open House, and Financial Aid Night.
SPED teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, and students collaborate in developing, monitoring, and revising IEPs to ensure that the student is enrolled in appropriate classes to meet their ● IEP Documentation educational goals as well as have access to ● 504 Documentation appropriate accommodations and modifications. ● MISIS Services Counselors facilitate yearly meetings with parents, students, and teachers to monitor progress and provide appropriate accommodations for students with a 504 plan. Teachers are provided with copies of the accommodations required to ensure compliance. The 504 plan and IEP accommodations are now available through MiSiS as well.
Parents of ELs are elected by their peers to take a ● ELAC Meeting Dates leadership role in the committee, ELAC, which ● ELAC Meeting meets formally six times a year. This group meets to Agenda/Minutes educate parents of EL students on TCHS current EL ● ELD Coordinator programs, discusses importance of school Calendar attendance, and provides advice for the faculty of positive and effective strategies for culturally sensitive teachings in order to promote full
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participation of ELs in school activities.
In December of each year, students enrolled in ELD 1, 2, and 3 create or update their four-year plan with the help of the ELD coordinator, parents, counselor, and interpreter as needed. Transcripts from home countries are analyzed and students are granted credit for previous coursework as appropriate. Students who are in danger of not earning enough credits are counseled and alternative methods of earning credits, such as Edgenuity, are discussed.
Post High School Transitions
B2.4. Indicator: The school implements strategies and programs to facilitate transitions to college, career, and other postsecondary high school options and regularly evaluates their effectiveness.
B2.4. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and programs to facilitate transitions to college, career, and other postsecondary high school options.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS effectively implements a variety of programs ● College Fair and strategies to facilitate transitions to college and Announcement careers where all students can gain valuable ● UC/CSU Workshops knowledge, practice, feedback, and support. TCHS ● FAFSA Workshops has a college culture, while continuing to support ● Scholarship Workshops those students who wish to focus on a work-related ● College Visits Field Trips transition after college. Our school boasts 5 CTE ● Naviance pathways that encourage participation in business, ● College Office Calendar arts, sciences, and technology. We have a full-time College Counselor to facilitate our students’ transition to college and beyond. We also have specific supports for students with IEPs in need of assistance in transition. With two DOTS teachers on campus daily, we are able to support students’ transition from high school to careers and colleges of
their choice.
LAUSD, in collaboration with local community colleges, offers multiple college fairs in the area and ● SLOs Student Survey within the city of Los Angeles. Hundreds of college
Page 130 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report representatives attend these fairs to share ● Counseling Office information and lead workshops in topics such as the Calendar application process, financial aid, and majors offered. At these fairs, multiple workshops are offered concerning FAFSA, How to Apply, SAT/ACT Prep, and Financial Aid. Regular announcements (PA) are made on campus, flyers are posted around campus, and Peer College Counselors visit classrooms to inform students of these events. Similar workshops are offered throughout the year during school hours, after school, and on the weekends in order to accommodate the demanding schedules of TCHS students. College representatives visit our campus on a weekly basis, community college testing is held in the college office, and ● SLOs Student Survey scholarship opportunities are announced regularly. In the SLOs survey, 77% of seniors claimed that a PCC had visited their classroom to give them information on college office events and 80% of seniors claimed to have visited the College Office at least once.
At the start of senior year, a counselor visits each government or economics class to distribute the Individual Graduation Plan and transcript to every student. They discuss the vital steps required to graduate and apply for college, including Naviance requirements. Any student that sees a discrepancy in their transcript or has concerns with their future needs is encouraged to make an appointment immediately with their counselor. According to the SLOs survey, 89.7% of seniors knew who their counselor was. However, there is some concern as only 45.6% felt satisfied with the help provided by their counselor.
Through the DOTS program on campus, some of our SPED students are offered with paid internships at local business off-campus to give them access to first ● DOTS Work Experience hand experiences in the workplace. The SPED Log department also provided students opportunities to postsecondary options through LAUSD college and career fair, including the DHH career fair.
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Task B: Standards-Based Student Learning: Curriculum Summary, Strengths, and Growth
Summary
TCHS offers a variety of programs to meet the needs of the students in academics, athletics, special interests, and extracurricular activities. Academically, students participate in a rigorous, relevant, and coherent standards-based curriculum that supports academic standards and college and career readiness standards to meet high school and A-G requirements. Students are able to individualize their course options in non-honors, honors, and AP level course load. There has been a significant increase in students enrolling in honors and advanced placement courses while intervention programs offer students an opportunity for credit recovery to meet A-G and graduation requirements. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate technology and have been attending professional development sessions on technology to effectively teach students through multiple modalities to enhance instruction for student achievement. TCHS implements a variety of programs to equip students with 21st century skills to make a smooth transition from high school to college or career readiness.
Areas of Strength
● Variety of programs offered to meet the individual needs of students in academics, athletics, social-emotional learning and extra-curricular activities ● Use of technology in the classroom to enhance instruction and communication with students and parents ● Access to intervention programs to address the academic needs of struggling students ● Significant increase in student participation in Advanced Placement and honors level courses ● Increase in teachers attending professional development in their specific subject area
Areas of Growth
● Increase participation by identified underrepresented subgroups in honors and AP courses ● Increase opportunities for parent and student workshops (i.e. Schoology, Google classroom, and other web based forms of communication) ● Increase Naviance usage by all grade levels ● Increase collaboration with community partners to ensure students are provided with college and career readiness opportunities outside the classroom (i.e. internships and articulation agreements with community colleges, etc.)
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C: Standards - Based Student Learning: Instruction
C1. Challenging and Relevant Learning Experiences Criterion
To achieve the school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and college- and career- readiness standards, all students are involved in challenging and relevant learning experiences.
Indicators with Prompts
Results of Student Observations and Examining Work C1.1. Indicator: The students are involved in challenging and relevant work as evidenced by observations of students working and the examination of student work.
C1.1. Prompt: Evaluate the degree to which all students are involved in challenging and relevant learning to achieve the school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and the college- and career-readiness indicators or standards. Include how observing students working and examining student work has informed this understanding.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS offers a variety of programs and courses selections ● School Website to meet the academic needs of our students. TCHS ● Course Offerings provides a High Gifted STEM Magnet, an Individualized Honors Program, School of Advanced Studies, AIAT Program for twice-exceptional students, a Humanitas ● Textbooks Program, a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, a ● Student Survey Traditional Honors Program, and an Autism Program. ● Google Drive (Student TCHS offers a multitude of AP courses, CTE courses, Work Samples Folder) Visual and Performing Art Courses, as well as opportunities to take free college courses at TCHS and our local community college, and online recovery courses through Edgenuity.
To help students achieve the academic standards and ● Field Trip Request Forms SLOs, TCHS teachers engage students in a multitude of challenging learning activities through a variety of instructional methods that are aligned to Common Core, State Standards, and/or NGSS standards. These activities in the classroom include multimedia presentations, lecture, individual, and group project-based learning activities, and classroom discussions.
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Some teachers on campus emphasize community-based instruction through educational field trips, such as the Humanitas classes’ attendance to the Getty Museum, and the AP government classes’ attendance to the Reagan Library.
Some teachers scaffold long-term projects or interactive notebooks, in which rigor and depth of knowledge increases throughout the semester, by using class time ● Teacher Syllabi and homework assignments. Some examples of this is the ● Schoology graphic design classes developing personal websites ● Teacher Websites throughout the year, our game design course developing ● Google Drive (Student their own online game, our engineering course and Work Samples Folder) Robotics Club developing their own robot for the Robotics USA competition, and our Film Class created their own films for the Los Angeles Student Film Festival.
Teachers within each of the focus groups collected ● Google Drive (Student student work samples from our many teachers on campus Work Samples Folder) across all curriculums in order to discuss and evaluate student learning on our campus. In the focus group meetings, we found a variety of different assessment strategies to show evidence of student learning that includes essays, both argumentative and persuasive, posters that demonstrated information competency, group video projects in which students evaluate current and past events, individual projects in which students used mathematical equations to develop art, architecture, or a working machine, as well as student portfolios in many different subject matters. ● LAUSD Student School According to the student school experience survey, 57% Experience Survey of students agreed that their teachers utilize writing to express thinking in their assignments, 62% students state that their classes offer group based projects or assignments, and 62% of our students claim that their classes expect them to collect data and provide evidence in their own conclusions. ● Naviance Reports
There has also been an increased use of Naviance, an individualized online college/career preparation tool, to support students as they apply for college and prepare for careers. In the senior class, participation has increased from 77% (Class of 2016) to 95% of students are using Naviance (Class of 2019), with 74.5% of all students on
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campus using Naviance. This increase came as a push from the district, when LAUSD purchased Naviance for all schools (middle and high schools) in the 2017 school year, TCHS had previously purchased Naviance, but with limited success and access. Increase of use could also be associated with the link to the Common App for applications to universities. The college counselor and the peer college counselors support students by carrying a roster of students, and making sure each student is prepared for applications and financial aid information. ● LAUSD Teacher School According to the Teacher School Experience Survey, Experience Survey 96% of teachers feel that their curriculum is preparing ● Graduation Rates their students for college and 97% of our teachers feel ● California Dashboard that it is their job to prepare our students for academic success. Currently our graduation rate is 94%, with all those students passing their A-G courses.
Student Understanding of Learning Expectations C1.2. Indicator: The students understand the standards/expected performance levels for each area of study
C1.2. Prompt: Examine and evaluate the extent to which students understand the standards/expected performance levels that they must achieve to demonstrate proficiency.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Teachers utilize grading rubrics and syllabi to portray to ● Course Syllabi students the expected performance standards as well as ● Pacing Guides which state standards they are responsible for within each ● Teacher Websites assignment. With the transition to Schoology as a ● Classroom Rubrics learning management system, we have also seen some ● Schoology shifts towards standards based grading through ● SLOs Schoology. This will continue to progress as our teachers ● Posted Learning Objectives become more familiar with the digital tools available to them.
Teachers are required to post grades, specifically five ● Jupiter Grades weeks into the semester (Progress Report 1), 10 weeks ● Schoology into the semester (Progress Report 2), 15 weeks into the ● MISIS semester (Progress Report 3), and then a posting of the final grade at the end of the semester (semester grade). Many teachers posted grades in the past using an online grade program, Jupiter Ed, in which the parents and students could check their progress at any point during
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the semester. At the height of our use of Jupiter, 98% of our teachers were utilizing the program. In 2018-2019 school year, LAUSD mandated that all TCHS teachers use Schoology, a district-wide Learning Management System and online gradebook that both students and parents can access. We have 100% of teachers utilizing this online gradebook and they are mandated by the district to have at least two grades per week posted for ● LAUSD Parent School students and parents to see in the gradebook. According Experience Survey to the 2017-2018 parent survey, 83% of parents felt that they were aware of their child’s progress and 88% felt that teachers responded to their needs in a timely manner.
Differentiation of Instruction C1.3. Indicator: The school’s instructional staff members differentiate instruction, including integrating multimedia and technology, and evaluate its impact on student learning.
C1.3. Prompt: Determine how effectively instructional staff members differentiate instruction, such as integrating multimedia and technology, to address student needs. Evaluate the impact of this on student learning.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS teachers within all departments utilize ● Teachers’ Lesson Plans differentiated instruction and technology in order to ● Schoology engage students. As mentioned earlier, our new learning ● Unit Assessment Scores management systems, Schoology, has been a mandated ● IEP/504 Plans gradebook system, implemented campus-wide. In order to ● Behavior Support Plans prepare staff for the transition, an introductory training ● LCAP Counselors was held and trainings on usage were given during multiple professional development days to all teachers on our campus to ensure a smooth transition and application to the tools available. There is a fulltime technology specialist on our campus to continue to support teachers through this transitory year.
Trainings in our campus to increase differentiated instruction as well as technology have been integrated in other professional developments, some required and some optional.
Required professional developments for TCHS faculty ● EL Actions Plan have included trainings on differentiated instruction to ● IEP Trainings include purposeful groupings, Habits of Mind, IEP & EL ● Professional Development Action Plans at a glance, using data to guide instruction Agendas and Sign in like ALEKS in the math department, using Essential Sheets
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Questions in the classroom, and project-based lessons. ● Faculty Meeting Agendas Our required professional developments have also and Sign in Sheets included trainings on the use of technology in the classroom utilizing Schoology, Quizlet, Khan Academy, NewsELA, Google Suite, as well as Google Classroom. TCHS has also initiated optional weekend and summer trainings on Google Classroom, Purposeful Grouping, and Habits of Mind.
To further support of multimedia and technology use in the classroom. All teachers have access to Chromebook carts on campus as well as personally assigned ● Equipment Inventory Chromebooks or laptops, projectors and projector screens, and Smartboards. There are also two computer labs on campus that can be utilized by teachers when the need arises. ● TCHS Professional Professional developments have been guided by input Development Survey from our staff using Google forms. Through comments and surveys, we have found that technology is the ● TCHS Senior Survey primary success of PDs, with 58% of all responses highlighting Technology as a positive PD experience among teachers.
According to the SLOs student survey presented to the ● 2016-2017 PD Evaluation students in 2018, 97.2% of our seniors stated that they ● Senior Bit.ly utilize technology in their classrooms at least once a week ● Underclassmen Bit.ly and 92% of the senior classes use grouping at least once a week.
Current Knowledge C2.1. Indicator: Teachers are current in the instructional content taught and research-based instructional methodology, including the integrated use of multimedia and technology.
C2.1. 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
LAUSD has undergone great efforts to ensure that all ● AP Seminars teachers have awareness of many new methodologies ● Professional Development that are expected to be incorporated in our teachings. Agendas Teachers in the English department have attended ● Gifted Training training on Common Core and ELA SBAC trainings. Certifications Many of our math teachers have attended trainings on ● TCHS Calendar our Common Core and Math SBAC trainings. Our ● Library Calendar
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Special Education Department has been trained on ● ERWC Calendar Autism Awareness and the IEP process. Our science ● Magnet Calendar teachers have had to attend NGSS trainings in order to ● AIAT Calendar support the transition of implementing new science standards, our STEM magnet teachers attend STEM and Gifted trainings, and our AIAT teachers attend trainings on supporting the twice-exceptional students as well as autism training. Most of our social studies department attended training on implementing our new textbooks. All of our teachers that teach gifted classes are required to take courses or attended conferences on gifted training, which may include AP seminars.
For most teachers, multimedia and technology are used ● Google Drive (student work to deliver instruction through use of online distribution samples folder) of resources (textbooks and notes), grades, PowerPoint ● Links to notes, Google and similar presentation software in the classroom, as Classrooms, online videos, well as delivery of notes and resource materials via photos of electronic email and online file servers (i.e. Google Classroom, whiteboards, graphing Jupiter, and Schoology), document readers, electronic calculator stations whiteboards, and utilizing video streams web outlets (YouTube, TV5monde, and Khan Academy, etc.). In math and science classes, students at each level are also encouraged to use calculators and multidimensional ● Course Syllabi calculation tools as well (graphing calculators, Desmos). ● Class Websites CTE classes for engineering and computer science use ● State Fitness Scores 3D printing technology for models and computer ● Unit Tests programming. ● Field Trip Calendar
Many of our teacher have also attended trainings to support the use of technology in classroom and incorporate new strategies. Some teachers attend the Computer Use in Education (CUE) Conference, some ● Gifted Training teachers attended the IT training on utilization of ● Professional Development graphing calculators, and the California Mathematics Budget Allotment Council (CMC) Conference. Teachers in specialized ● Conference Attendance departments are also required to continue to develop Certifications their skills
Over the past three years TCHS also participated in LAUSD CORE Waiver Program to collaborate with ● CORE Waiver Agenda other schools and share best practices and discover successful methodologies. Many teachers participated in the program to share best practices.
Teachers as Coaches
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C2.2. Indicator: Teachers facilitate learning as coaches to engage all students.
C2.2. Prompt: Evaluate and comment on the extent to which teachers use coaching strategies to facilitate learning for all students. Provide examples such as equitable questioning strategies, guided and independent practice, project-based learning, and other non-didactic techniques to engage students in their own learning.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Many examples of student work samples, data from the ● Google Drive (Student Student Survey, and student-led events show evidence of Work Samples Folder: student-led learning. Teachers facilitating their learning Student Work, Rubrics, through coaching were also collected in focus groups. etc.) Many teachers on campus shared examples of student ● Student Work Samples on learning strategies that allow students to take the lead in Classroom Boards Across the classroom through essential questions, utilizing the Campus Socratic method, peer editing or review, gallery walks, ● Teacher Observations learning stations, science experiments, and project-based Forms learning lessons.
There are also many instances on campus in which our students compete or showcase their talents. This includes our Speech and Debate Competitions, in which one of our students earned first placed in the state championship, our Graphic Design and Computer Science Courses developing their own websites, our Film Department ● TCHS Calendar competing in LAUSD’s Student Film Festival, our bi- yearly plays held by play production, our award-winning marching band, Robotics department competing in Robotic Skills USA and Cyber Patriots, our Academic Decathlon team, our DHH program participating the Deaf Academic Bowl, and our Fashion Design Program developing their own yearly fashion show. These are just some of the student-led competitions that our students participate in with great success. These opportunities have allowed for increased student motivation through coaching and opportunities for students to enhance and demonstrate what they have learned. Further, Graphic Design, Fashion, Yearbook, Journalism, Dance, and Drama all showcase student talent in shows and publications throughout the semester. The Taft Tribune Newspaper was recently moved online, and allows students to publish their writing twice a month. Drama produces two shows each year, one play and one musical, and yearbook publishes the highly anticipated yearbook each year for seniors.
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Access to technology in the classroom has also shown an increase in student collaboration and the ability to immediately apply their understanding and evaluation of the lesson into different multimedia formats. Some of ● Google Drive (Student these online formats include student created videos, Work Samples Folder) PowerPoints, cartoons, interactive newspapers, and blogs, graphs, and tables. Some teachers also use the technique ● Teacher Observation of learning stations, where students are given specific Forms group tasks to explore a lesson within their group as a kinesthetic learning experience.
Examination of Student Work C2.3. Indicator: Students demonstrate that they can apply acquired knowledge and skills at higher cognitive levels to extend learning opportunities.
C2.3. Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which students demonstrate a) that they are able to organize, access and apply knowledge they already have acquired; b) that they have the academic tools to gather and create knowledge; and c) that they have opportunities to use these tools to research, inquire, discover, and invent knowledge on their own and communicate this.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Through the implementation of the CCSS, NGSS, and ● CCSS/NGSS/State California State Standards, teachers gather and evaluate Standards evidence of students’ abilities to demonstrate learning ● Course Syllabi through student work samples that show that TCHS ● Faculty Observation students are able to apply their knowledge through the Results multiple academic tools inside and outside the classroom ● Teacher Observations in order to synthesis past knowledge and apply it to their Forms future learning. Through student work samples submitted ● SLOs Student Survey to our focus group, faculty and staff evaluated the Results documentation and found evidence of TCHS students’ ● Google Folder (Student ability to research, inquire, discover, and invent. Evidence) Examples of multi-faceted classroom projects, research- based essays, persuasive essays, and document-based writing samples were seen to show interactions with authentic texts and primary source documents. Evidence also shows students’ ability to hypothesize and discover new knowledge through the application of math and science concepts to real world learning through analysis of experiments and development of both group and individual projects.
Through classroom observation and reflection through a faculty on-line survey, teachers observed classrooms in which students presented in front of class both
Page 140 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report individually and in groups. They also make claims using support in a structured format. In math class, word problems and projects that have students apply mathematical concepts to real life were observed. The ● PSAT Data student learning process and ability to understand and ● SAT/ACT Data apply their knowledge was demonstrated in formative ● AP Scores assessments of teachers’ observation of the utilization of ● SBAC Scores class discussions, classwork, warm-ups, exit slips, peer ● CAASPP Data editing, homework, and posted student work with clear rubrics.
Larger summative assessments are also evidence for students’ opportunity to research, inquire, discover, and invent knowledge and evidence that they have learned. Our electives also show unique ways of summative ● TCHS Calendar assessments in our school’s fashion show or our music program’s field show/concerts, graphic design’s final website, and theater’s play, for example.
C2.4. Indicator: Students demonstrate higher-level thinking and problem solving skills within a variety of instructional settings.
C2.4. Prompt: Evaluate and provide evidence 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
During the analysis of students work, TCHS found that ● Google Drive (Student there were many examples of student work to show Work Samples Folder: evidence of the SLOs. For many staff members and the Video projects, graphic arts community, it is important that students use the projects, production design knowledge they have gained to create positive solutions projects, math labs, essays, to real-world problems. Evidence through student work students’ presentations, and observation showed students ability to articulate group activities, debates, creative, argumentative responses through written interactive lectures, team language. They are able to use reasoning skills to solve building activities, team problems and evaluate other points of view. They are sports, fitness tests, able to access technology in order to enhance learning sportsmanship training) and strengthen and enrich their learning experience. In 2017, all students on the campus were given access to an LAUSD email account and the ability to access technology on and off our campus. They have shown evidence of thinking, reasoning, and problem solving skills through video projects, graphic arts projects, online
Page 141 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report publications, journalism assignments, production design projects, math labs, essays, student presentations, group activities, debates, interactive lectures, team building activities, team sports, fitness tests, and sportsmanship training.
Students also show these skills through a variety of other ● PSAT Scores outlets, including senior college readiness tasks in ● SAT Scores Naviance, through band, drama, fashion, film, and drama ● AP Scores performances, competitions like Robotics USA, ● A-G Course Passage Rates Academic Decathlon, DHH Bowl, Speech and Debate (83.6% C or higher) Tournaments, Peer College Counseling, ● Naviance PSAT/SAT/ACT Scores, and AP testing results. ● TCHS Calendar
C2.5. Indicator: Students use technology to support their learning.
C2.5. Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which representative samples of student work demonstrate that students use technology to assist them in achieving the school-wide learner outcomes and academic standards.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Through the integration of Chromebooks in classrooms ● School Inventory List across campus, graphing calculators in science and math ● Google Drive (Student classroom, and other transformative technological tools, Work Samples Folder: like our 3D printer, we can see an increase of utilization Video projects, graphic of technology to complete assignments across the arts projects, production curriculum on our campus. design projects, math labs, students’ presentations, With the continued implementation of our online learning group activities, student management and grading system (Schoology & Google films, etc.) Classroom), students can communicate with their teachers ● Schoology more effectively, can turn in assignments via the grading ● Technology Inventory program, and can access teachers’ lessons and assignments no matter where they are. We have seen an increase use of online programs to support student learning to support the SLOs. Through the use of Khan Academy, SAT Prep, Google Classroom, Google Suite, Quizlet, Kahoot, NewsELA, Naviance, and many other online learning tools, students can gain access to education more easily and have assistance to classroom. Students use the Google suite (Docs, Slides, Sheets, etc.) to create presentations utilizing online sites, like YouTube, Prezi, and Powtoons.
TCHS also offers a Credit Recovery program through
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Edgenuity, an online learning solution that offers ● Edgenuity Enrollments customizable courses for the students that need to earn ● Edgenuity Sign in Sheets credits. These students are provided with time after school with a certificated teacher to provide them with online access and assistance with the program. With one additional sixth period course developed for seniors to receive supports during the school day as necessary.
C2.6. Indicator: Students use a variety of materials and resources beyond the textbook.
C2.6. 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
Student work posted in classrooms and various displays ● TCHS Calendar across campus provide evidence of students’ skills across the curriculum that highlights learning beyond the textbook. The art department, including film, fashion, and cooking classes, and many other departments regularly utilize community leaders to come to the classroom to discuss real-world applications for their learning. They have the opportunity to interview and interact with individuals in many different fields of expertise. In the past year, our school hosted many different authors, cartoonists, film directors, politicians, government officials, and scientists to speak on our campus.
Many TCHS teachers offers students opportunities to experience hands on learning through field trips. Some of the field trips that have been offered on our campus this ● Field Trip Applications past year include field trips to the Pantages Theatre, the Getty Museum, Los Angeles Superior Court, the Ronald Reagan Library, Japanese American National Museum, UCLA, and the Skirball Museum.
TCHS science teachers, especially with the implementation of the NGSS science standards, provide labs and allow for experimentation in the classroom while providing clear guidelines and offering teacher demonstrations. Robotics and Engineering Courses have ● Observation Forms ● Course Syllabi
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a research component that requires proper citation through Project Lead the Way and SolidProfessor. Students in the Athletic Training classes participate in training exercises and that allow practical application of their skills by participating practical application of their skills outside their classroom.
In our technology classes, web design, graphic design, and game design programs offer TCHS students with opportunities well beyond the textbook. These classes ● Course Syllabi allow for student engagement, real world application, and student driven group work. Our DHH program and ASL students work together to interact and practice their skills, performing their own holiday show at the end of ● School Calendar the semester. TCHS also offers many different opportunities to engage students in learning beyond the classroom experience through extracurricular activities. According to the Student School Experience Survey, 79% of students feel that there are a lot of opportunities for them to get involved in activities on our campus outside of the school day, and 58% of students stated that they ● Student School Experience participate in extracurricular activities. Beyond the 70+ Survey clubs on campus, TCHS offers opportunities to get involved in learning, such as Peer College Counseling or Mandela Day, an each-one-teach-one day of community where students teach each other one skill, bettering our community in small ways on a large scale. ● ASB Club List ● School Calendar
Real World Experiences C2.7. Indicator: All students have access to and are engaged in career preparation activities.
C2.7. Prompt: Evaluate the degree of and the effectiveness of student access to career awareness, exploration and preparation that may include such activities such as job shadowing, internships, apprenticeship programs, regional occupational programs, career academy programs, on-the-job training programs, community projects, and other real world experiences that have postsecondary implications.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS offers many opportunities to explore and prepare ● Course Syllabi students for 21st century career skills, including five 5 CTE ● TCHS Course Offering pathways in Engineering Design, Software and Systems List Development, Production and Managerial Arts, Patient ● TCHS School Calendar
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Care and Design, and Visual and Media Arts. In our Engineering Design pathway, students participate in a collaborative cumulative project in which they have to design and submit a proposal to a panel of expert judges in the engineering fields evaluate its problem-solving abilities. These classes offer students opportunities to explore a career and develop career prepared skills through the applicable skill training. For example, students in the Studio Design Club and Graphic Design class work with real clients, develop designs and layouts for marketing ads, newsletters, production, and print media to meet TCHS’s Advertising Design needs. This class is treated as a true design organization and each student holds a specific job within the organization. Our advanced film course was ● Course Syllabi campaigned by LAUSD to create an Active Shooter ● Course Websites Training Clip, and is now in consideration for the district ● Student SLO survey wide mandatory video. Our fashion design course requires students to create their own designs and present them in the yearly fashion show.
Beyond our CTE courses, many of our courses provide specific community outreach and career skills for students to gain real world experiences.
In our economic classes, our teachers provide financial preparedness through lessons concerning personal debt, taxes, budgets, loans, interest rates, and the stock market.
In our yearbook and journalism courses, students develop career building skills through writing, page design, photography, interviews investigating stories, and use of multimedia programs to create finished products documenting experiences for their peers within the year.
As a graduation requirement and in our health classes, all students are required to participate in a community service project. Students log a minimum of 10 hours and then create a portfolio that highlights the process, starting with the application, the hours in which they participated, and the social impact of their time. Students have had a variety of different volunteer opportunities from working with local food banks to volunteering at the local hospital.
In our business management course, students are provided with training on tax filings, retirement planning, job interview skills, and resume building. Students also learn about many different career opportunities in the area with
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Some of our math courses, like our geometry course, assign an architectural design project in their classes. Students design their own room apply their math skills to real world applications using precise measurements.
Our Humanitas Program requires a Senior Project in which students work collaboratively to design, budget, and pitch a school improvement project to district employees and leaders.
Many of our courses, like Film, Art, Music, and Band, allow for students to explore their fields of interest through participating in different competitions to showcase their work. Some students participated in CSUN Student Art ● LAUSD Calendar Show, some students participated in the LAUSD Student Film Festival, and students participated in the Southern California Band and Orchestra Competition, and LAUSD Band and Color Guard championships.
Through the LAUSD Department of Transitional Services we offer an opportunity for our SPED/DHH students to participate in paid internships in the area in which they live. We currently offer 10 paid internships for our students. Also provided within our SPED department, our students are given the opportunity to participate in DHH LAUSD Career Day and GLAD Career day for students interested in exploring different career opportunities.
TCHS also provides a College/Career Center to provide help with college and career readiness. Open for walk-ins ● DOTS Department Log daily during nutrition and lunch, many ninth-grade classes ● College Office Calendar take their students to the office to introduce them to the ● Individual Graduation College Office and explain the requirements needed for Planning Sheets different universities. In accordance with this, students ● AP Seminar Symposium meet with the counselors yearly, to discuss their Individual Agenda and Project Graduation Plan, and discuss if the college and career goals Instructions have changed, and if they are on track for their future ● AP readiness scores interests. The college office identifies students that have ● PSAT/SAT Scores AP potential according to their PSAT scores. The college ● Naviance office administers the ASVAB test to students interested in ● ASVAB Scores fields in the military. Senior students are given multiple ● PCC Meeting Agendas opportunities to attend college and career seminars, including FAFSA trainings, College Admission Information Night, Field Trips to Career Pathways, and College Admission Representatives. The college office also
Page 146 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report provides TCHS students with the opportunity to take college courses at our local community college with no fees. Many announcements are provided to students for opportunities to take these courses on our campus after school.
Students are given the opportunity to interact with local community members, with a focus on the youth, through our Community Outreach Days, like Little Toreadors, and TCHS Explo days gave real world opportunities for students to engage younger students in the community.
Volunteer Opportunities, including those connected with ● Club Volunteer Logs Knights and Ladies, Peer College Counselors, Teen Court, ● TCHS School Calendar Key Club, and CSF offer many opportunities to connect with the community. Many of our seniors are able to get work permits through our campus and work at a variety of local businesses part time gaining valuable work experience.
Task C: Standards-Based Student Learning: Instruction Summary, Strengths, and Growth
Summary
TCHS teachers effectively use a variety of differentiated strategies, which include an online learning management system, Schoology, and other technological resources, i.e. Google Classroom, Google Suites, and more. Students have access to Chromebooks on campus as well as other supplemental materials, like workbooks and novels. TCHS teachers and administration have worked to build a strong culture of collaboration through co-planning, sharing resources, and offering multiple programs so that all students have an opportunity to excel and study what interests them.
Areas of Strength
● Increased use of technology in the classrooms to support instruction ● Variety of instructional strategies and resources (i.e. purposeful grouping, online resources, debates and Socratic methods, essential questions, and supplemental materials such as novels, DBQs, etc.) ● Implementation of EL strategies across disciplines to prepare EL students to reclassify ● Support college and career readiness through hands on learning and student collaboration
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Areas of Growth
● Increase College and Career readiness by increasing the A-G (UC/CSU) passage rate with a C or better ● Develop and implement pacing plans in all subject areas ● Continue to develop and explore effective digital instructional strategies specific to each subject area ● Greater implementation of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in science classrooms with greater emphasis of labs, real world connections, and hands-on activities
D. Standards-Based Student Learning: Assessment and Accountability
Professionally Acceptable Assessment Process D1.1. Indicator: The school uses effective assessment processes to collect, disaggregate, analyze, and report student performance data to all stakeholders.
D1.1. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s assessment processes to collect, disaggregate, analyze, and report student performance data to all stakeholders. This would include the collection of data from state, national, and local sources; the disaggregation of data for ethnic groups, socioeconomic status, and students with disabilities; and the analysis of performance that provides feedback as to how students are meeting the expectations of the academic standards (including Common Core) and the school-wide learner outcomes.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS uses a variety of assessment tools in order to ● SBAC Scores collect data concerning student performance. ● AP exam Scores The school staff uses a variety of assessment tools to ● PSAT Scores monitor student performance and achievement. The ● AP Readiness Results different assessment data is gathered from the following ● ACT/SAT/SAT II Scores tests and assessments: Smarter Balance Assessment ● Science Performance Exams Consortium (SBAC) in Math and ELA, Science Performance Exam, PSAT Scores, and AP Exam Scores. These scores are evaluated by our administrative team and data team and then shared with the entire faculty.
The ELD coordinator annually administers the ELPAC test, formally the CELDT test, to monitor the progress of English Learners. The ELPAC scores are reviewed and ● ELPAC Scores evaluated by our ELD Coordinator, and then made ● CELDT Scores available for students, parents, and teachers, via MISIS and the Parent Portal.
The Physical Education department administers the FITNESSGRAM physical fitness test to 9th graders to
Page 148 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report assess and monitor students’ performance in six fitness areas. FITNESSGRAM data is made available to teachers, parents, and students through Schoology. ● FITNESSGRAM Results
Math courses utilize the UCLA diagnostic exam to assess where student knowledge at the start of class in order to lead instruction throughout the school year. ● UCLA Diagnostic Exam Results Formative and summative assessments are given at various intervals depending on the class, including diagnostic tests, unit/chapter quizzes and tests, benchmark assessments, performance-based assessments, SBAC interim assessments, projects, portfolios, and final exams. The Data Committee shares the data through the Instructional Leadership Team and at faculty/department meetings.
In the 2017-2018 school year, 98% of teachers were utilizing Jupiter Grades (until 2017-2018 school year), an online gradebook accessible to administrators, students, ● Schoology parents, and other teachers to report student performance. ● Professional Development Many teachers utilized this online gradebook to analyze Planning Committee Agendas student achievement in their class and other courses in ● Data Committee Agenda which their students were enrolled. Teachers, parents, ● ILT Agenda and students were able to analyze the different categories in which students were successful and where they struggled. Schoology (starting in 2018-2019 school year) has been adopted by 100% of teachers on our campus. This allows parents, students, teachers, and ● Jupiter Grades Feedback administrators to analyze the data for the areas in which ● Schoology students both struggle and succeed in certain areas.
Schoology also allows teachers to analyze data for assignments online. Statistical data is provided to teachers and the teachers that analyze this data are able to reteach concepts in which large populations of students struggle.
All teachers and administrators have access to LAUSD’s ● MISIS MyData portal and MISIS learning management system. ● LAUSD MYDATA These online platforms allow teachers to access data ● California Dashboard concerning students. Some of the data provided include ● Teacher Survey attendance reports, IEP and 504 accommodations, discipline reports, and EL data.
California dashboard is an online platform to provide parents, students, teachers, administrators, and the community with general data concerning performance on Statewide testing.
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Departments meet annually to review the grade distribution analysis within their department concerning ● Course Performance Results the performance in each of the courses provided and ● Professional Development develop curriculum target goals to increase student Agendas achievement.
Students receive a report card every 5 weeks with final 20-week report cards for both the fall and spring semesters. Additionally, students and parents have access ● MISIS to Schoology, which provides information on grades and ● Schoology classroom assignments. LAUSD Parent Passport Portal ● Parent Survey Results allows parents to access all student data, including attendance, standardized test scores, transcript, grades, immunization, and other pertinent student information. According to the LAUSD School Experience Survey completed by parents, 83% state that teachers let them know about their child’s progress on a regular basis, and 92% state that the school provides with pertinent information they can understand.
Basis for Determination of Performance Levels D1.2. Indicator: The school leadership and instructional staff determine the basis for students’ grades, growth, and performance levels to ensure consistency across and within grade levels and content areas.
D1.2. Prompt: Evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the basis for which standards-based grades, growth, and performance levels are determined.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS utilizes the following methods to inform stakeholders in LAUSD and school community progress.
Student progress is available to parents via the Schoology Parent Portal where parents can monitor grades. Teachers frequently update student grades and post progress reports every five weeks, four times a semester. ● Schoology
Special Education case carriers hold IEP meetings annually according to federal regulations. Input is gathered from classroom teachers who are required to attend IEP meetings and report their findings concerning ● SPED IEP Calendar student achievement. Counselors also hold 504 meetings annually according to federal regulations, concerning ● Counseling Office 504 Calendar
Page 150 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report student’s needs and necessary accommodations in general education classroom assignments.
Parents of English Learners are invited to meet individually with general education classroom teachers to discuss student progress. TCHS staff assists all parents to schedule appointment times for these meetings, attempting to accommodate parent work schedules with meeting times ranging from afternoons to evenings. ● ELPAC Agenda Calendar English teachers provide sample student work to the EL ● ELPAC Meeting Minutes coordinator.
Annual Back to School and Open House Nights are held at the school, where teachers provide course curriculum ● Back to School Night and career pathways information. Teachers also have the Parent Sign in Sheets opportunity to celebrate student work and set up future ● Open House Sign in Sheets parent conferences in order to provide pathways to ● Teacher Correspondence success for students by collaborating with parents. Records
The district office is kept informed about the progress towards academic standards achievement through various meetings held by the district and local district for school ● Administrative Cabinet leaders to meet and plan curriculum guidelines and Agendas support in order to outline pathways for student success.
Community members are updated about student assessment data to inform stakeholders of our students’ performances in relation to other student populations and in order to identify achievement gaps within students’ ● Coffee with the Principal subgroups that need to be addressed. Agendas and Minutes ● Parent Teacher Each year, LAUSD has provided for all 10th grade Organization (PTO) students to take the PSAT free of charge. 9th and 11th Agenda and Minutes grade students have registered on their own to take the ● TCHS Website exam. However, starting in the 2017-2018 school year, TCHS has provided funding for all 9th and 11th grade students to take the PSAT free of charge. PSAT data identifies National Merit Scholars and AP potential ● PSAT Results students. Data for individual students is used in conjunction with Khan Academy to improve student success in English Language Arts and Math. Khan Academy also provides AP test and SAT Subject test preparation.
TCHS uses the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments ● CAASPP Interim Test using the CAASPP portal in math and English Results departments to ensure that students are meeting ● UCLA Diagnostic Test
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appropriate performance levels in these tested subjects. Results Khan Academy exists as an opportunity for students to gain practice in computerized math problems. Math department also uses UCLA diagnostic assessments to determine student levels at the beginning of each school year.
Monitoring of Student Growth D1.3. Indicator: The school has an effective system to determine and monitor all students’ growth and progress toward meeting the school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and college-and career-readiness indicators or standards, including a sound basis upon which students’ grades are determined and monitored.
D1.3. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the system used to determine and monitor the growth and progress of all students toward meeting the school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and college and career readiness standards, including the basis for which students’ grades, their growth, and performance levels are determined.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS has an effective system to determine and monitor ● Common Formative the growth and progress of all students toward meeting Assessments the school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and college and career readiness standards. This includes the common assessments in math, CAASPP interim ● Counselor Calendar assessments in math, English, Science, and Social ● Student IGP Science. ● Counselor phone/email records The A-G counselor visits 9th grade English classrooms to discuss graduation requirements at the beginning of the fall semester. In addition, counselors and the Magnet Coordinator monitor student progress every five weeks. Parents are notified when students are at-risk of not meeting the graduation standards. The counselors meet with students once a year to review the Individualized Graduation Plan to ensure that A-G and LAUSD graduation requirements are being met. ● TCHS Course Catalog
Each spring, counselors and the Magnet Coordinator make presentations through English classes for planning of classes for the following year. Students pursue a complete, rigorous course program to ensure high academic standards to meet college readiness. Honors, Advanced Placement, and Career Technical Education pathway courses are offered to prepare our students for ● CAASPP Data college and career readiness. ● ELPAC Data
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● CELDT Data English Learners are initially assessed and placed in ● EL Writing Samples classes based on their ELPAC (previous CELDT) scores. ● Reclassification They are constantly monitored for progress both formally Monitoring Forms and informally. EL students are formally assessed ● Reading Inventory Test annually using the ELPAC test, with the expectation that Results they will progress one level each year. Students are then recommended for ELD, sheltered, or mainstream instruction based on their combined ELPAC score, their writing assessment and their progress in their academic classes. Students meeting the criteria for reclassification are monitored by the ELD Coordinator for four years to ensure academic success. EL students with IEPs receive an updated Present Level of Performance and parents are informed of their progress at IEP meetings. ● Special Education Department Calendar The Bridge coordinator, special education case carriers, ● IEP Forms and our school psychologist monitor their special ● DHH/SPED Teacher education students regularly throughout the school year Communication Forms and formally assess their academic progress. They have ● IEP Progress Reports annual meetings with the student, parents, and general education teachers to discuss the academic progress of the student and document the findings. Students are then recommended for special education classes or being mainstreamed into general education classes. ● Department/SLC Meeting The teachers collaborate by grade levels, departments, Agendas small learning communities, GATE-specific subjects and ● Gifted Coordinator interdisciplinary teams to share best practices, common Calendar/Agendas planning time, and classroom observations. Many ● Magnet Meeting Agendas teachers on our campus utilize standard rubrics for ● AIAT Agendas assessments to ensure equitable evaluation of student ● Teacher Rubrics work. ● Teacher Syllabi
All stakeholders are involved in the monitoring process of student progress. The stakeholders include LAUSD, ● Leadership Meeting Local District Northwest, teachers, counselors, parents Agendas and students. District representatives visit the school and ● Principal Meeting Agendas departments to provide feedback and information on ● Interim Assessments district standards and goals. Interim assessments in math ● Schoology and English are provided by the district. Parents have access to student information through the Parent Passport Portal and students monitor their own grades through Schoology.
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Assessment of Program Areas D1.4. Indicator: The school leadership and instructional staff periodically assess each program area, including graduation requirements, credits, course completion, and homework and grading policies, to ensure student needs are met through a challenging, coherent, and relevant curriculum.
D1.4. Prompt: Evaluate the processes that the school leadership uses to review and assess the effectiveness of each program area, including graduation requirements, credits, course completion, homework and grading policies, to ensure student needs are met through a challenging, coherent, and relevant curriculum.
Findings Supporting Evidence
The administrative team evaluates various components ● LAUSD Grading of the program area, graduation requirements, credits, Requirements course completion, homework, and grading policies, to ● A-G Course Completion ensure student needs are met through a challenging, coherent and relevant curriculum.
The Assistant Principal in charge of student counseling services works with district specialists and the ● Master Schedule counseling staff to create a master schedule based on student need and graduation requirements. The counseling department routinely monitors the course offerings to ensure a wide variety of A-G courses, CTE courses, and credit recovery courses to ensure academic success of our students. When the need arises, the counseling department will make adjustments to the master schedule or offer new courses to meet our student needs.
The regular analysis of student marks, course completion, and credit recovery are monitored by counselors and intervention strategies are utilized to keep students on track for graduation. An A-G counselor has been hired to monitor at-risk students that are in danger ● A-G Counselor Caseload of not meeting graduation requirements.
Each semester, course syllabi are reviewed by the department chairperson and the administrator in charge ● Department Agendas of the department. Grading policies and homework ● Course Syllabus completion are reviewed to ensure standardized grading policies. Once course syllabi are reviewed, it is submitted to the administration to keep on file for future review if the need arises. At the end of the semester the ● Roll Book Submissions administrator in charge of each department reviews each
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teacher’s roll book to ensure regular grading, retention of parent/student feedback/meetings, and the administration of formative and summative assessment.
The administrative team monitors teacher progress through an in-depth evaluation system, the Educator Development Support for Teachers (EDST). Teachers ● EDST state their goals, submit lesson plans, and respond to feedback online. Administration observes teachers in their classroom and gives feedback to teachers both in person and on the portal to support teacher growth.
The administrative team works closely with the Instructional Leadership Team to review and assess the effectiveness of each program area through monthly ● ILT Agendas meetings. Feedback concerning student progress in TCHS SLOs concerning coherent and relevant curriculum are discussed on a regular basis using data.
School-wide Modifications Based on Assessment Results D1.5. 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.
D1.5. 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
With the adoption of the SBAC testing through ● SBAC Scores (14% CAASPP, TCHS identified a need to train teachers increase in ELA concerning the administration of online assessments. meet/exceeds scores from Department trainings and faculty meetings were set aside 2015-2018/ 4% increase in after this need arose. Each of these departments now Math meet/exceed scores administers online interim assessments through the from 2015-2018) CAASPP online grading system. ● Professional Development Agendas Based on findings from the AP participation rates and AP potential lists, TCHS identified a need to decrease ● AP Participation Rates (9% barriers for AP classes and offer more AP course options increase rate from 2015- on campus. Since this identification, faculty meetings 2017) have focused on increasing AP enrollment for under- ● AP Passage Rate
Page 155 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report represented subgroups, funding has been allocated to train more teachers on AP coursework through the attendance of AP workshop professional developments and seek out and help fund collaborative efforts through AP readiness workshops for teachers and students with our community partner, UCLA.
There has been an identified need to raise SBAC scores, especially with underrepresented subgroups. The math department has been trained in the utilization of Khan Academy and a select group of math teachers have been trained in the ALEKS program, an online math program that can assess a student’s math skills and individualizes ● SBAC Scores in Subgroups their learning in order to increase student achievement. ● Professional Development The main purpose of ALEKS is to use as an intervention, Agendas however no data has been collected concerning scores, as this program has been rolled out at the beginning of 2018.
LAUSD identified a need to increase college and career readiness for students. LAUSD graduation requirements to include the passage of A-G coursework. A variety of programs have been funded to increase the passage rate of the A-G coursework and increase graduation rates. TCHS offers after school tutoring for classes in A-G coursework, which include English, math, science, social ● LAUSD Graduation science and foreign language for students to attend one Requirements day a week. The library hours have increased for study ● Graduation Rates (8% hours before school, during lunch and nutrition, and after increase from 2016-2018) school. For students that are not on track for graduation, TCHS offers Edgenuity credit recovery courses to catch up on credits. In collaboration with the continuation school, Thoreau, a credentialed teacher is made available three days during sixth period and afterschool to support credit recovery. ● Edgenuity Enrollment TCHS offers a “Winter Plus Credit Recovery Program.” ● Edgenuity Sign in Sheets During the winter break, students are able to attend classes with a certificated teacher to work on the completion of Edgenuity courses. The campus is open four hours each day to support student needs in our computer labs. Funds have been allocated to ensure a certificated staff member is available to these students. TCHS funds after school tutoring in all the core subjects by TCHS teachers. In addition, many teachers on our campus have identified a need to support student learning in their coursework and offer tutoring on campus,
Page 156 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report although it is not mandated by administration. Some teachers are available before school, after school, and during nutrition and lunch to support the success of their students. ● Class Websites In order to support 21st century learner, many teachers ● Course Syllabi have incorporated the ability to turn in assignments ● Schoology online via Schoology and/or Google Classroom utilizing ● Google Classroom Google Suite. These teachers identified the need to support student learning in both academic curriculum and proper use of technology. Students have the ability to turn in assignments online with Schoology and Google Classroom. Teachers are available before school, nutrition, lunch, and after school. To make online resources available to our students in classrooms, funds ● TCHS inventory sheets have been allocated for Chromebook carts to be purchased. A minimum of two carts of 40 Chromebooks is available to each building floor. Currently, 40 carts are available across our campus for the utilization of technology in the classroom.
D1.6. Indicator: The school periodically assesses its curriculum and instruction review and evaluation processes.
D1.6. Prompt: Evaluate the process that the school utilizes to review and assess the effectiveness of each program area, including graduation requirements, credits, course completion, and homework and grading policies, to ensure student needs are met through a challenging, coherent, and relevant curriculum.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Both the breadth and depth of the academic programs ● ILT Meeting Agendas offered are data driven, the result of assessment scores, ● Department Meeting and teacher/staff input. Within both department meetings Agendas and faculty meetings, teacher and staff evaluate and ● Faculty Meeting Agendas analyze test results and data according to various categories.
Multiple professional development opportunities for teachers have been driven by assessment results. Both faculty and staff have analyzed the SBAC results, AP exam results, course passage rates, and graduations rates. Within departments meetings also focus on homework and grading policies within departments. Departments also collaborate to discuss ways to increase rigorous lessons that are relevant to our students’ lives, with a
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focus on the TCHS SLOs. Based on data provided, faculty and staff discuss ways to increase student engagement and increase student success, especially for at risk subgroups.
Each spring, counselors present A-G and LAUSD graduation requirements in grade-level English classes. ● Counselor Agendas Students are given a Google link to select course for the ● IGP forms following year. The class selection is used by counselors ● Google Forms (Class to verify that students are meeting graduation standards. Requests)
Every five weeks, counselors monitor student grades through Schoology. Counseling department sends out parent letters to notify parents about struggling students. ● Counselor Agendas Semi-annually, Individual Graduation Plan meetings with ● Counselor Phone/Email students by counselors and coordinators effectively Logs address graduation requirements, course completion and ● Edgenuity Enrollment List credit recovery to ensure that students’ needs are met through a coherent, challenging and relevant curriculum.
Appropriate Assessment Strategies
D2.1. Indicator: The school leadership and instructional staff use effective assessment processes to collect, disaggregate, analyze, and report state/school performance data to all stakeholders.
D2.1. Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness, the appropriateness, and the frequency of the assessment strategies, especially student work, based on the programmatic goals and standards to determine student achievement.
TCHS has enlisted a Data Team to collect, analyze, and ● Data Team Agendas disseminate the information collected to the ● Administrative/Leadership administration, faculty, and staff. The information Team Agendas collected by the data team reports findings on a regular basis in order to evaluate assessments and improve instruction.
Summative assessments are utilized in the form of quizzes, chapter tests, unit test, SBAC interim assessments, and final examinations. Some departments, such as the foreign language and math department, created final exams are administered to all the students to ensure that student learning goals are standard across the department courses. Course passage rates are discussed ● Formative Assessments within departments annually. Most teachers continually ● SBAC Results modify instruction using information and data derived ● Department Final Exams
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from formative and summative assessments in the ● Course Passage Rates classroom. Some teachers utilize Schoology and Google Classroom data to analyze assessment and reteach critical information to students during the school year.
To work with subgroup populations and decrease the achievement gap, annual IEPs are held for SPED students to evaluate student success, implementing accommodations for students when needed and changing the IEP if necessary. Changes and updates are shared with ● IEP meeting teachers to ensure effective and appropriate assessment calendars/notes strategies are used. Similar processes and strategies and ● 504 meeting calendar/notes are used for students with 504 plans. Annual progress is monitored by the state, district, school site, and parents. ELs are assessed yearly on the using the ELPAC. Students who have reached Early Advanced or Advanced on the ELPAC are eligible for the reclassification ● Annual EL reclassification process. Parents are notified by the district office of the meeting letters potential for reclassification and a meeting is held to be ● EL reclassification sure parents understand the process of reclassification and monitoring forms address any parental concerns. Students who are ● ELPAC (CELDT) Results reclassified as fluent, English proficient, continue to be ● EL D & Fail Lists monitored by the ELD coordinator for two years to ● EL Parent Conference ensure student success and provide additional support if Agendas/notes necessary. Parents of any reclassified students who are in the two-year monitoring period on the D and fail list are included in the EL parent conferences.
AP scores are provided to stakeholders, including ● AP Data administration, teachers, parents, students, and district ● AP Score Reports personnel. AP results are broken down into different categories and compared to national averages.
Demonstration of Student Achievement D2.2. Indicator: Teachers use the analysis of assessments to guide, modify and adjust curricular and instructional approaches.
D2.2. Prompt: Examine the effectiveness of the processes used by professional staff to use formative and summative approaches. This includes how professional learning communities and subject matter teams collaborate to collect, analyze, and use assessment data for the basis of curricular and instructional decisions.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Teachers at TCHS use formative and summative ● SBAC Data assessment results to guide, modify, and adjust their ● SLOs
Page 159 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report instruction on an individual basis. Teachers use ● Teachers’ Parent Contact assessment data to determine whether a student has Log mastered SLOs and when a student consistently fails, he ● Counselors’ Parent Contact or she is recommended for intervention by contacting Logs parents, counselors, and possibly the A-G counselor. Many of our teachers require students to show up to after school tutoring, as a further address student needs.
Teachers working in the small learning communities, including the AIAT program, Humanitas program, and ● AIAT Program Meeting STEAM Magnet, meet on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to Agendas collaborate on lessons and address student intervention ● Humanitas SLC Meeting needs. Unit plans and pacing plans are used in these Agendas SLCs to ensure that curriculum goals are met and ● STEAM Program Meeting implemented. Agendas
State mandated assessment results inform placement of students into programs such as EL and SPED as well as the development of program goals to meet the needs of all students. ● IEP Documentation ● EL Documentation TCHS administers and funds the PSAT exam for all students in the ninth through eleventh grade. The exam scores are evaluated by the faculty and staff as a whole. Counselors use the data to identify students that have qualified as AP ready on the PSAT exam and encourages ● PSAT Exam Results them to take AP classes. These students’ progress is ● AP Exam Results tracked by their counselors to help them seek ● IGPs intervention on a need by need basis.
On a yearly basis, the faculty and staff are presented with data from the SBAC and AP results. Departments are given time to meet and discuss the results on state ● Department Meeting mandated testing, common district assessments and Agendas grade level common formative assessments. They ● Faculty Meeting Agendas collaborate as a department to create action plans to increase scores.
Within departments, such as the math and English department, student work is examined and assessment results to modify curriculum and instruction in the classroom. Intervention strategies as discussed and shared. Some training on intervention strategies takes place in these departments. Teachers in the math department have been trained in intervention programs like ALEKS and KHAN Academy and teachers in the English department have been trained in NewsELA, ● Math Department Meeting
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Cornell Notes, ERWC, and Turnitin. Best practices and Agendas lesson plans are frequently shared and common ● English Department performance-based activities are developed to check for Meeting Agendas student understanding. TCHS has been selected to be in a district pilot program to assist Standard English Learners (SEL). Teachers are being trained by district personnel on how to administer a language assessment survey to identify SEL students and support them.
In many departments, implementation of learning ● Google Drive (Student strategies to improve student understanding has been Work) utilized. Differentiated assessments, such as oral ● Student Work (Classroom presentations, projects both individual and group, Bulletin Boards) demonstrations, experimentation, and graphic organizers have been used. TCHS also encourages the use of differentiated instruction to increase student success on assessments. Differentiated instruction across campus includes text that is modified based on student Lexile level, manipulatives, visual aids, cooperative learning, group work, peer tutoring, and supplemental materials.
Teacher and Student Feedback D2.3. Indicator: Teachers provide timely, specific, and descriptive feedback in order to support students in achieving learning goals, academic standards, college and career readiness standards, and school-wide learner outcomes. Teachers also use student feedback and dialogue to monitor progress and learn about the degree to which learning experiences are understood and relevant in preparing students for college, career, and life.
D2.3. 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 school- wide 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 teacher and student feedback.
Findings Supporting Evidence
The TCHS WASC committee created a student survey to assess and determine student awareness of the TCHS SLOs and their perception of their abilities concerning these goals. 89% of TCHS students agreed that upon graduation they would be able to synthesize creative ● SLOs Student Survey thought, think critically, and problem solve by formulating, designing, organizing, and creating their own work through the application of theories, concepts, and analytical methods. 90% of our students felt that
Page 161 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report upon graduation they would be able to demonstrate informational competency through the ability to find, evaluate, ethically use, and communicate information through library, media, and technological literacy. In relation to this, 92% of TCHS students felt that upon graduation they would be able to collaborate and lead and work cooperatively with others through the use of multicultural awareness and interpersonal skills, with respect to the diversity, backgrounds, and lifestyles of others.
According to the SLO student survey mentioned above, over 50% of the seniors are extremely aware of the A-G requirements and are aware their progress and over 80% ● SLOs Student Survey of the seniors feel that they are at least moderately of aware of the A-G requirements and their progress. In contrast, only 62% of underclassman are aware of the A- G requirements and their progress. This shows that the majority of students have awareness, not only of graduation requirements, but also the college and career readiness standards.
There is some discrepancy concerning feedback to students. According to the Student School Survey, only 53% of students feel that teachers give them feedback ● LAUSD School Experience concerning improving their work. In conjunction to this, Student Survey according to the Teacher Survey, only 52% of the TCHS ● LAUSD School Experience teachers claimed to have communicated with individual Teacher Survey students concerning the A-G requirements, even though according to the same survey, 77% of teachers claimed that they felt comfortable discussing A-G requirements with the students and parents.
TCHS administration uses interviews and dialogues with students regularly to determine the extent to which students understand the expected level of performance based on the standards and SLOs in relation to ● Lunch with the principal preparation for college, career, and life. The principal ● Committee Membership hosts monthly lunch with the principal to encourage ● LAUSD School Experience student feedback concerning TCHS success, areas of Student Survey need, and suggestions. Students are also encouraged to participate in the different charter committees, including the hiring committee. According to the LAUSD School Experience Survey, only 43% of students feel that they have a voice in decision making on our campus, however 79% of students have many opportunities to get involved in school activities and to participate outside the
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classroom. TCHS administration, teachers, and staff collaborate to help students find a niche at TCHS. At the beginning of each semester, teachers review the ● Classroom Expectations class expectations and course description with students ● Course Syllabi through the syllabus. At the end of each school year, ● Student Feedback Forms teachers are encouraged to have students evaluate the class. Many of these teachers use this feedback to alter curriculum, introduce new supplemental materials, or change management styles based on student feedback.
Task D: Standards-Based Student Learning: Assessment and Accountability Summary, Strengths, and Growth
Summary The staff at TCHS uses a variety of methods in their assessments process to collect, analyze, and report student performance data. Assessment results are distributed through various reporting methods to stakeholders both inside and outside the school. Such data is disaggregated at various levels including the district, the local school site, departments, and classrooms. Online resources such as Schoology provide parents, students, teachers, and administrators up to the minute feedback on student performance in all classes. Schoology is used by 100% of teachers allowing parents and students to get up to the minute feedback. The district provides an online platform, My Data, for school staff to access assessment data to help drive instruction. A close examination of student assessment data reveals that many students in our identified at- risk subgroups are not meeting the academic standards set forth in CCSS or similar criteria. The TCHS Data team is focused on using data to continuously assist all faculty members to determine appropriate actions to address learner needs. Formative assessments are given regularly in the form of quizzes, multiple instructional checking for understanding techniques, exit tickets, pair/share, random selection, and in-class checking for understanding. Some of these formative assessments are utilized in common amongst some departments. TCHS has started to use different measures to increase the AP participation rates for by all students and major subgroups. TCHS provides funds for all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students to take the PSAT. The results provide a list of students that have AP potential which are then highly
Page 163 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report encouraged to take AP classes. Our AP participation rate has seen a great increase in the last 3 years. Areas of Strength ● Increase use of technology for both assessing, organizing and distributing assessment data ● The use of individualized graduation plan to monitor student progress in meeting graduation and A-G requirements ● Increased identification of AP ready students through PSAT scores
Areas of Growth ● Develop and implement common assessments across all departments ● Increase the number of students meeting or exceeding the standards as measured by the SBAC and decrease the achievement gap between low performing subgroups ● Increase the use of data to drive instruction
E. School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth
Regular Parent Involvement E1.1. Indicator: The school implements strategies and processes for the regular involvement of all stakeholder support groups in the learning and teaching process, including parents of non-English speaking, special needs, and online students.
E1.1. 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
TCHS encourages the regular involvement of all ● TCHS School Calendar stakeholders in the educational process. According to the ● LAUSD School Experience LAUSD School Experience Survey, 91% of parents Survey claimed that the school informs them about school activities in many different ways.
During the summer, TCHS opens the campus for ● Summer Registration students and parents to participate in summer Calendar registration. Upcoming classes, transcripts/credits, and important activities for the year are discussed. Students and parents have the opportunity to meet with their
Page 164 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report counselors to finalize their schedule for the upcoming school year, pick up their textbooks, and purchase required supplies such as their physical education uniforms. This is in an effort to create a smooth transition for parents and students at the start of the year. Each semester, parents are invited to campus to meet ● Back to School Night Flyer teachers and encourage communication between ● Back to School Night stakeholders. In the fall TCHS hosts Back to School Program Night, in which a general meeting informing parents ● Open House Flyer about A-G requirements and other new policies and ● Open House Program protocols, such as Schoology, and offer help as needed. During class rotations, parents visit their student’s teachers in order to familiarize themselves with the courses, including teacher websites, class syllabi, required supplies, and classroom expectations. During the Spring semester TCHS hosts Open House, providing parents with an opportunity to once again meet with teachers and to gain an understanding of what students have learned in their coursework. ● PTO Email List Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and the Parent ● Parent Nights (see Center regularly send out emails and monthly newsletters calendar) to inform parents of upcoming events. Parent volunteers ● PTO Fundraising for various events are recruited through email notifications. PTO representatives attend New Student Orientation, School for Advanced Studies (SAS), and Magnet Parent Nights to inform parents of the PTO functions and signs up parents for membership and obtain their email addresses each year. The PTO sends out donation letters to local businesses and has a banner program to advertise local businesses for supporting our school. Banners can be seen on surrounding fences along Ventura Boulevard. According to the latest school experience survey, 88% of parents felt welcome to participate at the school.
Two Career Technical Education (CTE) teachers have an ● Articulation Agreement articulation agreement with Pierce College to offer dual ● Articulation Initial Planning high school and college credit in our Arts, Media and Sheets Entertainment Industry Sector in Graphic Design and Video Production. Our CTE program currently has expanded to include Engineering Design and Information and Communication Technologies. We plan to establish articulation agreements with community colleges to offer dual credit in our engineering and computer science courses being offered.
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The College Center invites college and university representatives for annual campus visits on a regular basis. The College Counselor attends workshops and ● College Office Calendar meetings to keep abreast of any new information as well as establish new relationships with representatives and businesses, such as Mock SAT and financial planning. In addition, the College Center also hosts multiple college readiness nights with parents and students to inform and teach parents and students about helpful tools and timelines for the college application process.
Regional Occupational Program (ROP) fashion teacher maintains a relationship with fashion institutes in Southern California. Guest speakers from Otis Parsons and Fashion Institute of Technology are invited to come share enrollment information and the various aspects of the fashion career fields. ● Fashion Design Syllabi
The culinary arts teacher maintains a relationship with culinary institutes for regular visits to the classroom. The guest speakers have led demo lessons on food preparation and shared recipes with students.
The Bridge Coordinator works with the parents of SPED students regarding transitioning to high school, ● Culinary Arts Syllabi reviewing and updating IEPs, and placing students in least restrictive environments for student success.
ELD Parent Conference are held each semester after the first progress report has been posted. The parents of ● SPED Calendar students who received a D or fail in any classes are ● IEP Calendar invited to attend a meeting with the academic classroom teachers. Bilingual staff members make contact with and invite parents in their home language. Together, parents, teachers, and the EL coordinator work as a team to strategize supports based on the needs of each individual student. ● EL Parent Conference Calendar The English Learner Advisory Board (ELAC) meets formally three times a year. Parents of ELs are elected by their peers and trained to take on a leadership role. The group regularly educates parents on the school’s current programs for ELs, discusses the importance of school ● ELAC Coordinator attendance, advises the administration and EL ● Faculty Meeting Agendas coordinator of positive and effective strategies for culturally sensitive teaching and this information is disseminated to teachers via the EL coordinator.
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Use of Community Resources E1.2. Indicator: The school uses community resources to support student learning.
E1.2. Prompt: Evaluate to what extent the school solicits and employs business and community resources to support and extend learning. Determine how effectively community member’s expertise and services, such as professional services, business partnerships, guest speakers, job fairs, field trips to local employers, and evaluation of student projects and classroom presentations, provide real-world applications of the learning standards and school- wide learning outcomes.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS collaborates with Leichman Career Preparatory ● Leichman Career and Transition Center whereby SPED students attend Preparatory and Transition Foods and Nutrition/Fashion Design classes. They Center Articulation receive career preparatory lessons while learning social Agreement skills interacting with our students. The Woodland Hills ● DOTS Coordinator Commerce representatives have conducted mock ● DOTS Internships interviews with our students to prepare them for employment. SPED students also have the opportunity to gain paid internships with local community businesses, like Ralphs and CVS, to establish work experiences for students at TCHS. These positions are acquired by our LAUSD Department of Transitioning Students (DOTS) Coordinator who reviews students work schedules, maintains a close relationship with their employers, and observes students in the workplace.
Guest speakers are frequently scheduled through teachers for their appropriate subject and lessons at hand. The
Find Your Calling Club schedules weekly guest speakers from every discipline to speak to students during their ● Find Your Calling Club club meetings at lunch. Distinguished professionals have Agendas included district attorneys, lawyers, NASA engineers, computer programmers, costume designers, chefs, TV broadcasters, and journalists. Weekly announcements are made to invite all students to attend.
LAUSD hosts multiple College Fairs within the ● LAUSD College Fair community for students to visit and participate in college readiness workshops. The Northwest districts hosts the
college fair at our local community college, Pierce College, on a Saturday in October. Students are encouraged to attend with this event through the use of school flyers posted throughout the campus, announcements made over the PA system, and in classes
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by teachers ensuring students are aware of this free event. Other college affairs throughout the year at different locations are announcement as well.
College Night for all grade levels have partnered with businesses to promote SAT/ACT preparation through ● College Night Agendas Tried and True Tutoring Services and financial aid planning with Smart Track. Complimentary services are offered to TCHS students to take mock tests and consultations regarding financial aid services. ● LAUSD STEAM Fest Northwest STEAM Fest in 2017 and TCHS EXPLO in Agenda 2018 were collaborations between articulating ● TCHS EXPLO Agenda elementary, middle, and high schools in our local district to showcase the programs each school has to offer. ● Northwest Parent Summit Agenda Northwest Parent Summit was held in March 2018 to engage positive involvement and communication between parent, students and the faculty.
Safe, Clean, and Orderly Environment E2.1. 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 and Uniform Complaint Procedures.
E2.1. Prompt: Determine the extent to which the school has implemented policies and committed resources to ensure a safe, clean, and orderly environment that nurtures learning. Evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s practices and procedures for all aspects of student safety including: effective operating procedures for internet safety, bullying, drug and alcohol abuse education and intervention, conflict intervention, use of derogatory or hateful language especially in the context of race or gender, disaster preparedness and other safety topics of local concern that may interfere with learning.
Findings Supporting Evidence
At the beginning of each semester yearly, expected ● Student Handbook and behavior and discipline policies are presented to 9th and Academic Policy 10th grade students through PE classes. The Dean, School Police Officer, and the Assistant Principal of Discipline relay information regarding dress code, bullying, drugs and alcohol, internet safety, conflict resolution, hate crimes, and other pertinent information regarding the safety of the students. Policies are posted in classrooms and in the administrative offices on campus.
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TCHS has recently updated campus supervision and safety procedures on campus. Only the main gate at the front of school is open to teachers in the morning. There ● Campus Aides is a campus supervisor at this gate when open from 7am ● Campus Supervisors to 7:50am. This gate is closed and is locked with the ● Administration Duties “master” lock during the school day. There are two back entrances that are open to foot traffic from 7am to 7:50am. One back gate is monitored by our campus security and another is monitored by campus security from the Ivy Academia, the charter elementary school that also utilizes our campus. These gates are locked with the master lock at 7:50am and all foot traffic must go through the main entrance starting at 7:50am. All gates are locked with the master lock during the school day and only administrators, the custodial staff, and emergency faculty leaders hold the key for those that need to enter and exit the campus, such as busses. Any guests must come to the front entrance and sign in on campus. Guests are required to wear a guest pass during their entire visit. Campus Security is stationed at key locations throughout the campus to maintain campus security throughout the school day. Campus aides, the ● LAUSD School Experience school police officer, counselors, and administration are Survey: strategically placed throughout the campus during Student/Teacher/Parent Nutrition and Lunch to maintain safety during student breaks. Our Campus Security Officers, administration, counselors, and school leaders are provided with radios ● RUP forms - Database in to ensure constant contact throughout the day to ensure Library security on campus during the day. On a daily basis, teachers stand at their doors during passing periods to ● LAUSD Student School encourage students to get to class on time. According to Experience Survey our LAUSD school experience surveys, an overwhelming majority of students, teachers, and parents feel safe on the TCHS, will over 90% agreement by all stakeholders.
To use computers on campus students are required to sign and turn in a completed Responsible Use Policy (RUP) form that is filed in the library. Students are reminded of these computer-use expectations each time they reset their password, when they agree with the ● Restorative Justice policy. Students are required to use their LAUSD email Program/Lead Teacher and password when utilizing the Internet on campus. LAUSD monitors all communication through their email logins and attempts to reduce online bullying and other at risk behaviors through this method. According to LAUSD school experience survey, 94% of students
Page 169 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report claimed that they had been bullied no more than once online.
Restorative Justice Program was funded by LAUSD for ● Faculty Meeting Agenda two years. The restorative justice officer trained the staff ● Achieve.lausd.net/MyPLN and our students by emphasizing community building ● Active Shooter TCHS and restoring positive relationships. Practices promoted Video and strengthened positive school culture and pro-social relationships to improve within the school community. Once the two years concluded, TCHS allocated funds to continue the program with one of our teachers on campus. This teacher works part-time to work on the continuation of restorative justice practices.
The district has provided professional development ● School Police sessions on bullying, active shooter, sex trafficking, and ● Annual Emergency Drills mental health services. These required trainings are provided by district staff and administration on campus.
Many videos and trainings are also provided by LAUSD online through the MyPLN platform. TCHS faculty and student recently participated in the creation on an Active Shooter Training Video submitted to LAUSD to support teachers and students in the case of such an incident. ● TCHS Calendar
The district has provided a school police officer and a ● Campus Beautification probation officer on our campus to ensure safety on Sign in Sheets campus throughout the day. The Dean’s Office has collaborated with school police to conduct drills for shelter-in-place and active shooter on campus. Annually, the earthquake drill is conducted and includes the search and rescue team surveying the entire campus for strategically placed “victims” in preparation of an actual event.
In response to our last WASC visit, TCHS has made an ● TCHS School Calendar effort to improve TCHS cleanliness through the school ● Town Hall Agenda day. TCHS has increased funding to support cleanliness on campus by hiring more janitorial staff. Classrooms, hallways, and the campus are cleaned on a daily basis. There is some concern of cleanliness on campus after nutrition and lunch and ways to create more buy-in by students to keep the campus clean. Campus Beautification Days are held twice a year in which ASB and Leadership classes organize the events whereby students volunteer on a Saturday and work with the custodial staff to make our campus clean and aesthetically beautiful. The event encourages students to
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take pride in their school and provides students with an opportunity to gain volunteer hours.
Town Hall: Students Who Care meeting was held with the principal, school board member and the local superintendent to discuss school safety with students, parents and the staff. An invitation to attend was provided online through a YouTube channel link.
High Expectations/Concern for Students
E2.2. Indicator: The school demonstrates caring, concern, and high expectations for students in an environment that honors individual differences and is conducive to learning.
E2.2. Prompt: Evaluate to what extent the school has created and supported an atmosphere of caring, concern, and high expectations for students in an environment that honors individual differences. Determine how effectively school policies, programs, and procedures support student learning by examining information such as proportionality of discipline data, use of positive behavior strategies by staff, restorative justice practices, celebrations of students’ heritage and ethnicity, and other information or practices that support a caring, learning environment.
Findings Supporting Evidence
TCHS has a culture that honors students’ individual ● THCS Demographics: differences on campus. TCHS has one of the most California Dashboard diverse campuses in LAUSD with over 50 different home languages spoken. Administration, counselors, and teachers work together to foster an atmosphere that respects the differences of others and builds tolerance.
Student individuality is valued through the various events held on campus such as the following: Day of Silence to ● TCHS Calendar highlight the silencing and erasure of the LGBTQ community in schools, Denim Day to highlight the fight to end sexual assault, Black History Month to celebrate the achievements of the African-Americans, Cancer Awareness Month to wear pink to support the fight against cancer, Talent Show to showcase student acts,
Coffee with the Principal where any student is welcome to come speak with the principal about any issues monthly, concerts highlighting dance, orchestra, annual band events, and annual drama events.
Each year, students have the ability to create new clubs on campus fostering a community of students who share ● ASB Club List
Page 171 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report a common goal or interest. In 2017-2018, there were over ● TCHS Calendar 85 student clubs on campus celebrating different cultures, ● LAUSD Student School volunteering spirit, special interests and positive goals. Experience Survey The student clubs allow students to feel a sense of belonging to the school community. According to the LAUSD school experience survey, only 58% of students participate in extracurricular activities, such as clubs. TCHS continues to work to increase student participation in these activities by supporting students with Club Rush during lunch each semester.
The A-G Counselor works four days a week with our at- ● A-G Counselor Caseload risk students to ensure that they are on-track for graduation. She offers credit recovery options, and social services for the students who need additional support outside of the school environment.
The Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor works with students who have not met the district’s attendance goals. ● PSA Counselor Caseload For students who have medical conditions, she offers short and long-term alternate programs for enrollment as well as counsels students on the social services that are available to families. ● School Psychologist The school psychologist and itinerant psychologists are Caseload on campus to work with students who have IEPs with counseling services. They evaluate students who are referred for testing through the SSPT and offer individual sessions with students on a regular basis. After School Tutoring Program is available to all students in math, science, English, French, Spanish and social ● After School Tutoring science. Community volunteers are available in math ● Library Hours tutoring. The library is also available to students at the beginning, during nutrition and lunch, and afterschool to provide students with a safe space to study.
Student Support and Progress Team meets monthly to discuss at-risk students and develops a plan to support the students academically, socially and emotionally. ● Student Support and Progress Team Social Emotional Learning Committee (SEL) worked on campus-wide programs and events to promote positive goals. According to the LAUSD Student School ● SEL Committee Experience Survey, only 60% of student that they were ● TCHS Calendar part of the school. Based on the results, SEL committee ● LAUSD Student School organized events such as “Each One Teach One” which Experience Survey allows students and staff of all backgrounds to come ● Summer Bridge Program
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teach someone a skill during lunch time, as well as Attendance Mindful Mondays, a lunchtime yoga program that encourages mindful meditation and healthy positive coping mechanisms that alleviate student anxiety and stress. This past summer, TCHS also instituted the Summer Bridge Program for incoming freshman. This program was created to help ninth graders with their transition to campus, provide them with teacher mentors, create new connections with other freshman and alleviate anxiety during the year.
Atmosphere of Trust, Respect, and Professionalism E2.3. Indicator: The school has an atmosphere of trust, respect, and professionalism.
E2.3. Prompt: Evaluate the degree to which there is evidence of an atmosphere of trust, respect, and professionalism. Examine the quality and consistency of communication and collaboration between and among the school’s leadership, staff, and stakeholders; this includes the degree to which stakeholders are involved in the review of the Single Plan for Student Achievement and District’s Local Control Accountability Plan, and to what extent they are included in decision-making.
Findings Supporting Evidence
The Leadership Team, which includes all administrators, ● TCHS Calendar counselors, and coordinators, holds weekly staff meetings in the Principal Conference Room to update the status and goals for all instructional and operational programs. All team members update the entire team on the status of programs they supervise or administer. The calendar is reviewed two weeks in advance to plan and coordinate all scheduled activities and events.
Administrators and Department Chairperson(s) that ● ILT Meeting Agendas participate on the ILT team meet monthly to work to ● Department Agendas communicate and disseminate information concerning Data, Budget, Professional Development, and other school site concerns. Department chairs share this information and discuss findings within departments. This collaborative effort allows stakeholders to have a voice in the decision-making process.
There is evidence of an atmosphere of trust, respect, and professionalism on campus. Online surveys are utilized to gather input from various stakeholders regarding budget, ● Staff Surveys technology, and material needs, curriculum, professional ● School Experience development requests, administrator evaluations, and Surveys: Students, Parents
Page 173 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report various topics as needed from various teams on campus and Staff including the Data Team, Professional Development ● SPSA Team, Charter Council, and School Site Council. These teams are just a few examples of ways that teachers can become involved in leadership on campus.
School Site Council is open to any guest to attend, and there are plans for the minutes to be available to stakeholders online. There is some concern that our faculty lack the knowledge contained in the TCHS Single ● SSC Agenda Plan for Student Achievement and Local Control ● LCAP Accountability Plan and a focus on encompassing more stakeholders needs to be addressed in the future.
Adequate Personalized Support E3.1. Indicator: The school has available and adequate services to support student’s academic and personal needs.
E3.1. Prompt: Evaluate the availability and effectiveness of academic and personal support services, including referral services, to support students in such areas as physical and mental health, and career, academic and personal counseling, including an individualized learning plan.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Student Support and Progress Team (SSPT) made up of ● SSPT Team an assistant principal, counselors, and an intervention ● SSPT Referrals counselor, meets monthly and is available for all teachers to refer at-risk students throughout the year. Teachers can refer at-risk students to the SSPT by emailing or calling one of the members of the team.
The LAUSD student management platform, MISIS, is ● MISIS Referral System the platform for teachers to take attendance daily. Teachers have been recently trained on the referral capabilities through MISIS. Teachers can refer students for attendance violations, discipline violations, health needs, or college counseling. Many different referral options are available and the appropriate staff on campus are notified of the referral. Additionally, teachers can now refer students to SSPT through MISIS.
Students in need of academic counseling services can visit the counseling office during nutrition or lunch to ● Counseling Office meet with the counselor on duty or they can email their Caseload counselor who will call them in during class to speak
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with them individually. Teachers can also call or email counselors to call in students when they have concerns.
Department of Transitional Student (DOTS) provides ● DOTS Coordinator transitional services to all students with disabilities ● DOTS Caseload beginning at the age of 14 years. Students are offered ● DOTS Classroom services in education, employment, and independent Visitation Calendar living through the DOTS office. The DOTS coordinator also visits the SPED classrooms to administer aptitude tests and provide advice on college and career options. ● School Nurse Sign in The school nurse, psychologist, counselors and the Sheets dean’s office work collaboratively to support students in ● School Psychologist physical and mental health. Students are encouraged to Workload seek assistance in any of these offices. Probation Officer, ● Dean’s Office Sign in Restorative Justice Advisor, and the Dean’s Office work Sheets collaboratively to ensure the safety of all students. ● Restorative Justice Discipline violations are handled immediately and safety Calendar plans are set in place for student as needed. ● PSA Caseload
The Psychologist and Pupil Services and Attendance (PSA) Counselor are available whenever a student is in need of counseling. Individual safety and learning plans are set to meet the psychological and academic needs of our students as needed.
The College and Career Center is available for students during nutrition and lunch for college and career ● ASVAB Testing Calendar guidance. Peer College Counselors are available during ● Peer College Counselor these time periods to help students and there is a full- Schedules time college counselor to help student career and college needs. The College and Career Office offers the ASVAB Career Exploration aptitude tests every year to 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students.
The TCHS website grants all stakeholders access to ● TCHS Website important materials 24 hours a day. Information available ● Schoology includes TCHS policies, calendars, teacher emails, clubs, athletics, and A-G requirements. Access to support and resources, such as the PTO or EL coordinator, are provided as well. Students and parents can utilize Schoology, the grading management system, to access their grades and contact teachers 24 hours a day.
Support and Intervention Strategies Used for Student Growth/Development
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E3.2. Indicator: Strategies are used by the school leadership and staff to develop and implement personalized multi-tiered intervention approaches to learning and alternative instructional options.
E3.2 Prompt: Evaluate the effectiveness of the types of strategies used by the school leadership and staff to develop and implement personalized multi-tiered intervention approaches to learning and alternative instructional options which allow access to and progress in the rigorous standards-based curriculum.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Using data from our student population analysis, TCHS ● Master Schedule has developed multi-tiered intervention approaches to learning and alternate instructional options to allow access to and progress in the rigorous standards-based curriculum.
Academic programs include Individualized Honors for highly gifted students, traditional Honors for gifted ● SAS Coordinator students, Academic Enrichment for bridge to honors ● Magnet Coordinator students, Humanitas for interdisciplinary curriculum, and ● Humanitas Coordinator Gifted STEAM Magnet for highly-gifted and high-ability students. Many of these programs utilize coordinators to help guide students and support teachers within these programs.
We have the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Autism, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Alternate Curriculum, Special Day Class and Resource programs, as well as the Academy of Integrated Arts and Technology program to service twice-exceptional students to service our students with ● Bridge Coordinator special needs. TCHS funds a Bridge coordinator to ● DHH Coordinator support students with IEPs and ensure that they are ● AIAT Coordinator placed in the classes that support their learning needs. Other programs, such as the DHH program and AIAT program also utilize a coordinator to guide students and support teachers in these programs.
For students who are English Learners, we offer Sheltered classes utilizing Specifically designed ● ELD Coordinator academic instruction in English (SDAIE) methods and English Language Development classes. Sheltered classes are offered in all of the core subject and meet A- G requirements. Students are placed into sheltered classes based upon evaluation of a student’s CELDT scores and writing assessment scores. An EL coordinator monitors EL student progress and helps to support EL
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students and parents while offering sheltered teachers guidance in SDAIE methods and instruction.
Counselors meet with students twice a year to discuss their progress in their Individual Graduation Plan. Counselors help guide students in choosing classes that ● IGPs support their goals and offer support and intervention ● Counselor Caseloads when they are not meeting their goals. Interventions ● Counseling Calendar include tutoring referrals and Edgenuity course recovery enrollment.
Support Services – Multi-Tiered Interventions and Student Learning E3.3. Indicator: The school leadership and staff ensure that the support services and related activities have a direct relationship to student involvement in learning based on the school- wide learner outcomes and academic standards, e.g. within and outside the classroom, for all students, including the EL, high achievers, special education, and other programs.
E3.3. Prompt: Evaluate the extent to which student learning needs are accurately identified in a timely manner and the appropriate support and intervention services are provided. Examine how the school monitors the effectiveness and appropriateness of intervention for each student within and outside the classroom.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Student Support and Progress Team (SSPT) meets each ● SSPT Agendas month to determine the intervention and resources available to students who have been referred by teachers and counselors. Students are monitored by the counselors to ensure that they meet set goals.
The Bridge Coordinator has access to all Individualized Educational Plans (IEP) and disseminates the copies of ● Bridge Coordinator accommodations to all teachers with resource services for students who are mainstreamed into general education classes.
Counselors and coordinators distribute a list of students that have 504 plans to all faculty members at the start of ● GATE each school year. 504 plans are revised if the student ● Title I needs additional or alternate accommodations. ● Special Education Services ● 504/SST Restorative Justice Program, Probation Officer, Pupil Services and Attendance Counselor, A-G Counselor, Psychologist, and itinerant psychologists collaborate to identify and support at-risk students.
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The SAS and Magnet Coordinator identify students who are at-risk for academics, attendance, and behavior every five-week grading period.
Student conference, parent conferences, tutoring referrals, and counseling services are offered to students through the periodic monitoring by the various offices to evaluate if effective intervention strategies are being utilized.
Utilizing the referral process found in MiSiS, all stakeholders on campus can monitor previous strategies
or interactions on campus across all classes. MiSiS allows us to monitor the effects of discipline strategies, ● MiSiS and provide the proper interventions for students who are struggling. There has been a push this year to document strategies that have been attempted before a student is referred to the dean.
Equitable Academic Support to Enable All Students Access to a Rigorous Curriculum E3.4. Indicator: Through the use of equitable support all students have access to a challenging, relevant, and coherent curriculum.
E3.4. Prompt: Evaluate the school’s effectiveness in regularly examining demographic distribution of students for disproportionality throughout the class offerings (e.g., master class schedule and class enrollments).
Findings Supporting Evidence
The Assistant Principal of Student Counseling Services ● Master Scheduling collaborates with counselors to ensure that the master ● AP Course Offerings schedule reflects the academic and special interest needs ● CTE Pathways of our student population. Each year, students meet with their counselors to discuss their IGP and then complete an online course request submission. Based on these submissions, the master schedule is determined. The ● IGPs requests are shared with department chairpersons who ● Assistant Principal will ensure that class enrollment reflects the number of sections per student requests. Course offerings are an indirect relation to student requests. TCHS makes an effort to offer a variety of courses that meet the A-G needs of students and adhere to their interests. The Assistant Principal of Student Counseling Services balances courses within MiSiS based on gender when possible.
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The AP/Honors Fair takes place in the Spring, in which teachers of AP and Honors courses can inform students ● TCHS Calendar about the course opportunities in each department for AP and Honors classes. AP and Honors classes are open to all students through an online request form. Parent information nights are held to inform parent of AP course offerings and expectations.
To increase enrollment by identified subgroups, TCHS has implemented the “Just Try One” campaign, encouraging all students to take at least one AP course. TCHS also utilizes the PSAT AP potential list to enroll ● “Just Try One” Campaign students that are identified as AP ready. TCHS has seen ● PSAT AP Potential Lists a significant increase in enrollment across our identified ● AP Enrollment Data subgroups. In the past two years, there has been a 12% increase in AP enrollment by African American students and an 8% increase amongst our Latino students. TCHS plans to continue efforts to increase the diversity in AP and Honors courses.
Co-Curricular Activities E3.5. Indicator: The school ensures that there is a high level of student involvement in curricular and co-curricular activities that link to school-wide learner outcomes, academic standards, and college and career readiness standards.
E3.5. Prompt: Evaluate the availability to and involvement of students in curricular and co- curricular activities. Determine the effectiveness of the extent to which co-curricular activities link to the school-wide learner outcomes and academic standards. Examine the process that the school utilizes to evaluate the level of involvement for all students in a variety of activities.
Findings Supporting Evidence
Club Rush is a semi-annual event during lunchtime ● ASB Club List whereby student club leaders have an opportunity to ● Club Rush Sign Up Sheets inform and recruit members. The purpose of the clubs ● Club Constitutions varies, but many are for entertainment, enrichment, ● TCHS Calendar academic honor roll, community service, and ● Spirit Days volunteering spirit. Participation in community and school service is encouraged in many clubs on campus. With more than 85 clubs currently on campus, students have many opportunities to participate in co-curricular activities. Many of these clubs meet during lunchtime in order to provide opportunities for students who may not otherwise be able to participate in clubs meet up with like-minded individuals.
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A wide variety of team and individual sports provide ● Athletic Program List TCHS students with access to co-curricular activities that ● City/CIF Records support the school-wide mission and vision. Our athletic ● Athletic Director programs participate in prestigious tournaments across the national and many of our student athletes have participated in city championships within their sport of choice. All student athletes must fulfill a minimum G.P.A of 2.0 with no more than two unsatisfactory marks in cooperation/work habits in order to be eligible for participation. Academic learning goals are fostered while encouraging student participation in athletics. The Athletic Director manages paperwork for students and does regular grade checks of student athletes.
A variety of fine and performing art classes, each with ● Extracurricular Art multiple levels, encourages high participation rates and Organizations (Jazz Band, supports a well-balanced student. Band and vocal Marching Band, Drumline, ensemble course are offered to promote the exploration Orchestra, Flag Team, and appreciation of music. Many of our award-winning Dance Team, Play TCHS Band students participate during zero period and Production, Fashion, etc.) after school, in order to continue their participation while pursuing rigorous coursework during the day. Dance classes are also available to all students and the Dance
Team is highlighted in every pep rally. The award- winning Dance Team also holds yearly Dance Concerts ● Master Calendar and participates in tournaments across the state. Our highly recognized Fashion Program offers our students a unique outlet to express themselves through art in the fashion field. Students with the fashion program participate in the yearly Fashion Show on campus. Art class offerings have also increased to include but not limited to calligraphy, drama, play production, graphic arts, and culinary arts.
● ASB Associated Student Body and Student Leadership, such ● ASB Events (Homecoming, as Senior Steering, implement school-wide campaigns Spirit Week, etc.) and plan events to involve all students. ASB students ● Freshman, Sophomore, collaborate with different high schools to share ideas on Junior, and Senior Steering how to involve more students in school-wide activities. ● TCHS Calendar Each year, successful events from previous years remain while new events are planned to garner more participation. ● CSF Membership The California Scholarship Federation (CSF) is an ● CSF Volunteer Hours Log important club on campus that honors outstanding high Sheets school students who demonstrate excellence in areas of academics, service, leadership, and character. Students
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enrolled in CSF volunteer many hours on and off campus through various organizations within the community to build leadership skills and prepare students for future career paths.
Task E: School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth: Summary, Strengths and Growth Needs
Summary
TCHS implements a wide variety of school-based programs, activities, sports, and other community events. All stakeholders are provided opportunities to be involved through the highest levels, and are supported through meetings and communication. TCHS strives to provide transparency by providing information, meeting minutes, and agendas online as well as access to teachers, grades, and assignments through 21st-century technologies like learning management systems such as Google Classroom and Schoology.
Our campus has strong community ties through ROP Programs and articulation agreements with CTE teachers on campus. With plans to further develop these articulation programs, TCHS students look forward to continued and expanded access to advanced college courses on campus. TCHS is invested in utilizing community resources in order to collaborate with outside agencies for the direct benefit of supporting student learning. TCHS has established a strong relationship with Leichman Career Preparatory and Transition Center to support special needs students as they receive career preparatory lessons while also learning social skills and interacting with our students. TCHS hosts guest speakers from every discipline to speak to students during their club meetings at lunch and throughout classes on campus at the discretion of the teachers. TCHS has established a collaborative system to advertise annual off-campus events such as college nights, LAUSD articulations between our elementary, middle, and high schools, and Parent Summits.
In order to maintain a safe, clean and orderly campus, TCHS consistently shares its expectations for school safety to students and parents, and the district provides professional development to assist the adults on campus to be able to identify and maintain a safe campus on a daily basis, as well as in emergency situations. TCHS’s counselors work as a team with administration and teachers to support all facets of student life such as attendance, graduation, credit recovery, career and college placement, social emotional well-being, and pupil services. Tutoring is available four days a week as well as credit recovery support through Edgenuity. Discipline violations follow a progressive discipline model with counseling and Restorative Justice being at the core, utilizing digital tools like MiSiS for communication and transparency to all stakeholders. Each year, students have the ability to create new clubs on campus fostering a community of students who share a common goal or interest. In 2017-2018, there were 85 student clubs celebrating different cultures, volunteer spirit, and special interests all with positive Page 181 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report goals in mind. All clubs on campus are sponsored by a faculty member in order to provide guidance and focus.
The data gathered from online surveys show evidence of an atmosphere of trust and respect on campus. Collaboration is a key aspect of trust and transparency during the collaborative sessions where decisions are being made that will impact stakeholders on campus (School Site Council, Charter Council, Instructional Leadership Team, and department meetings). Digital access in a Schoology group allows information to be organized to provide access to all teachers on campus, and other minutes and reports available on the school website as necessary.
To support students’ academic and personal needs, the school holds a monthly Student Support Progress Team (SSPT) meeting. TCHS employs the assistance of a school nurse, psychologists, probation officer, Restorative Justice teacher, Dean, Bridge Coordinator, and numerous counselors to implement a multi-tiered approach to intervention so that all students can successfully access the rigorous standards-based curriculum. In order to support the needs of our highest achieving students, TCHS has an SAS program and a highly gifted STEAM magnet. To further our outreach to all students, TCHS’s special education department recently expanded to include a highly-gifted autistic academy (Academy of Integrated Arts and Technology) and newly expanded deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) program to include students with intellectual disabilities.
TCHS boasts a very robust co-curricular program ranging from interscholastic athletics to robotics and theater. All of these programs are high achieving, award-winning, and focus on preparing future leaders in the community. TCHS also encourages students to find their place at TCHS, and supports a wide variety of clubs on campus that range from service organizations to special interests.
Areas of Strength
● Utilize community resources to benefit our student population and help to guide their future college and career choices ● Improvement of campus cleanliness ● High rate of student inclusion is evident throughout all extra-curricular activities ● All stakeholders feel safe on campus and in the surrounding neighborhood
Areas of Growth
● Continued efforts in community outreach and marketing the school ● Create student buy-in to maintain campus cleanliness ● Increased participation across grade levels in extracurricular participation, such as athletics, clubs, and other school organized groups
Page 182 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report IV: Summary from Analysis of Identified Major Student Learner
Needs
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Summarize the identified major student learner needs based on profile and Focus Group findings and California School Dashboard Results for student groups.
Upon review of the summary of data implications, the preliminary critical learning needs, and the focus groups findings, TCHS has identified the critical learning needs are in college and career readiness with a focus on increasing the graduation rate. We are specifically targeting students meeting the A-G requirements, improving overall student achievement in Math and ELA as measured on standardized exams, with an emphasis on increasing the achievement levels of identified at-risk subgroups to close the achievement gap, and an increase use of data from formative and summative assessments to drive classroom instruction, and school-wide intervention programs.
Through the analysis of data, TCHS has identified a critical learning need in the area of graduation rates with a special focus on students meeting the A-G requirements. According to data collected, TCHS has a graduation rate of 94%, which has risen since our last accreditation, but only 62% of students met the A-G UC/CSU requirement. TCHS plans to focus on this need through the utilization of support and intervention strategies, increased utilization of supplemental materials, and community outreach and partnerships.
Since the last accreditation, TCHS has focused on improving overall student performance results on the ELA and Math CAASPP assessments with a special focus on the success of identified at- risk subgroups in an effort to close the achievement gap. The ILT, academic departments, and focus groups have identified a critical area of need in this area across disciplines. TCHS has seen some improvement of students meeting and exceeding the standards in ELA. In 2016-2017 67% of TCHS students received a score of meets or exceeds on the ELA CAASPP SB test. However, last year (2017-2018) students that received a score of Meets or Exceeds on the ELA test dropped to 61%. In 2016-2017, 38% of TCHS students met or exceeded in the math standard and in 2017-2018, TCHS also had a decrease in math with only 30% of TCHS students that met or exceeded in the math standard. TCHS has also identified a special focus of SPED, EL, Hispanic, African American, and socioeconomically disadvantaged subgroups in meeting and exceeding these standards. TCHS will focus on stakeholder buy-in strategies, intervention strategies, and teacher support to improve results.
In response to the last accreditation process, TCHS identified a need to evaluate multiple data points to drive instruction. TCHS created a Data Team to collect, desegregate, and evaluate different data points, such as SBAC, PSAT, AP scores, and marks analysis by departments and disseminate the information to stakeholders. With the adoption of Schoology, TCHS has identified a need to build upon classroom data and the analysis of the collected data to drive future instruction. While some teachers have learned to generate and utilize tests and quizzes through Schoology effectively in the classroom, there is still a need for additional professional development. By use of Schoology in this way we hope to generate and utilize data reports on formative assessments throughout the year, in order to drive instruction. This, in turn, will create avenues for conversation, collaboration, and sharing of best practices.
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● Increase the graduation rate with a focus on students meeting the A-G requirements ● Improve overall student performance results on the ELA and Math CAASPP assessments with a special focus on the success of our identified at-risk subgroups in an effort to close the achievement gap ● Increase the use of data from various sources including formative assessments, summative assessments, and surveys to drive classroom instruction
Page 185 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report V: School-wide Action Plan
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As the WASC Action Plan is aligned with the SPSA and LCAP, the growth needs will be addressed through the following school goals.
School Goal # 1: Increase the graduation rate with a focus on students meeting the A-G requirements.
TASKS RESPONSIBLE MEASURABLE TIMELINE PERSON(S) OUTCOMES
Provide Individual Administration, MiSiS Focus Ongoing Growth Plan visits to Counselors, and A-G Graduation Progress develop a plan for Counselors Report students to meet A-G Graduation requirements
Develop a system to Administrators, Bi-monthly Meetings Ongoing identify students at counselors, nurse, risk and conduct psychologist, Dean, Student Success and and Certificated Staff Review number of Progress Team students that meetings (SSPT). participated in process
Provide tier 2 support Administrators, Tutoring Sign-In Ongoing through after school department chairs, Sheets intervention tutoring counselors, certificated staff Midterm and Final Grade marks
Provide credit Administration, Edgenuity classes Ongoing recovery Counselors, and completion data opportunities for Certificated Staff students not meeting the graduation Summer School standards Enrollment Data
Winter and Spring Plus Program Enrollment Data
Design, implement, Administration Review Course Ongoing and maintain course Counseling Offerings offerings with department, Annually during
Page 187 Taft Charter High School - ACS WASC Self-Study Report emphasis on college Instructional Review Master Spring semester preparation and Leadership Team Schedule career pathways Annually during Student Interests Spring semester Surveys
AP Fair Applications
Embedding the Administration, College application Will begin in the college application College Counselor, and financial aid data Spring of 2019 and and financial process Counselors, and continue through into instructional Teachers subsequent school assignments by the years use of Naviance built into the school day
Increase opportunities Counselors, College Site College Visit Ongoing for college exposure Counselor, Teachers, Data to students by Administrators, and providing college site Club Sponsors visits Student participation in college sessions on site
College Field Trip Data
Expand articulation Administrators, Dual and Concurrent End of Each Semester agreements for dual College counselor, Enrollment Data and concurrent counselors, and CTE enrollment with local teachers community colleges Course offerings
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School Goal #2: Improve overall student proficiency in ELA and Math standards measured by performance results on the ELA and Math CAASPP assessments with a special focus on the success of our identified at-risk subgroups to close the achievement gap.
TASKS RESPONSIBLE MEASURABLE TIMELINE PERSON(S) OUTCOMES
Review of Math and Administrators, PD agendas Ongoing ELA standard based Instructional curriculum to ensure Leadership Team, Class syllabi proper alignment and Math and ELA mapping of ELA and Department chairs, Math state standards, Certificated staff Peer observations SBAC blueprints,
SLOs, and common core standards to Interim Assessments ensure student achievement. Student work analysis
CAASPP Results
Implement tier 1 Administration, Classroom Ongoing instructional Instructional Observation Data strategies to support Leadership Team, at-risk students Department Chairs, Certificated Staff CAASPP Results
Interim Assessment data
Grade analysis
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Increase the use of Administrators, License Usage Ongoing online programs and Instructional Reports applications such as Leadership Team, ALEKS, NewsELA, Math and ELA Grade Analysis Read Theory, online Department chairs, periodicals, online Certificated staff Interim Assessment textbooks, and Khan Results Data Academy. CAASPP Results
Provide professional Administration, PD Calendar Ongoing development Instructional opportunities to Leadership Team, develop an Department Chairs, Conference understanding of the Certificated Staff Attendance academic needs of significant subgroups Peer and in Mathematics and Administration ELA. Observations
School Goal #3: Increase the use of data from various sources including formative assessments, summative assessments, and surveys to drive classroom instruction.
TASKS RESPONSIBLE MEASURABLE TIMELINE PERSON(S) OUTCOMES
Implement timely and Administration Periodic Ongoing consistent review of Assessment student data/ periodic Results data Data Charter Start and end of each assessments/ performance task and Subcommittee semester project-based results Student work analysis to identify student PD Committee needs and inform
instruction. Classroom Problem Solving Data observations Coordinator
CAASPP Results Certificated Staff Data
Department
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formative and summative assessments
Department agendas
Develop and Administration Instructional Start of the school implement Leadership Team year collaborative Agendas Data Charter protocols for data analysis Subcommittee Continuous Periodic Assessments PD Committee results data
Instructional Leadership CAASPP Results Team data
EL Reclassification rate
Department Agendas
Create culminating Administration Survey Results End of each Semester school-wide surveys for feedback and reflection Instructional Leadership Team
Certificated and Classified Staff
Parents
Students
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Provide Professional Administration CA Dashboard Continuous Development to assist staff to gather and desegregate student Professional and classroom data to Development Committee MyDATA Portal drive instruction to Usage Data assist at risk sub LDNW support staff groups LAUSD Focus Portal Data
Schoology Data
Professional Development Attendance Data
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