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Educational Research; Facts and Research
Topic Started: Oct 30 2005, 05:54 PM (5,780 Views)
c3hull
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heymom
Nov 5 2005, 11:48 AM
Still for it! One study's info doesn't cut it for me.

To heymom: Were you on the Committee? Or, do you just choose to ignore facts and research that was conducted over a number of years, nationwide by hundreds of people? These researchers have Phd's in Educational Research, Md's in Pyschological Behavioral , groups with balanced backgrounds full of doctoral degreed people, etc. .

Furthermore, as I stated on the post with the FACTS, this not NOT one study that I just happened to find. If you take the time to click on the link I provided, you can view the study in full and see all of the NUMEROUS, seperate studies this one references in which it reached the OVERWHELMING, CONCLUSIVE findings.

Also, read Elisa's posts on here, most are under Educational Research. She has cited many more links to articles you may want to read. They ALL indicate the same findings. 5-6 configuration is the WORST choice for our children. So stop putting down those who have spent so much time to find out some REAL information and post it. We ALL would like to KNOW what is best for our kids!
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Administrator
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You know what, I was ready to accept the 5-6, as long as the schools were closer. Please everyone....READ THIS RESEARCH! I no longer support any such configuration. It is strictly the most cost effective way to do things, and thats all.
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Administrator
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Elisa, I can tell you from experience that k-8 works. Thats what we had in catholic school, and it was great. It made a community. Its not at all hard to keep the older kids seperated( stagered lunch times...etc). The only buses we would need would be for high school. You want to talk about keeping the kids together!!!! How 'bout 8 years right in your neighborhood!! This would be the truly innovative thing to do. Ask any catholic schooler and they will tell you the same thing. Above and beyond anything that makes for a happy kid, its stability. We all know that.
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c3hull
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Jimid, the more I have digested all of the "Research" stuff, I'm all for the K-8! Let LPS lease out the Middle Schools like Dickenson. Then NONE of the neighborhood schools would get closed and maybe even reopen Marshall! I finally feel that due to this website being set up, we have all learned so much. I feel so much more confident the current proposal will not pass, especially after reading the email from the Mayor to the Colby's. Thanks everyone!!! :D
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Cindi
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Regarding the enrollment question:

One of the proposal sheets indicates that there is a decline in enrollment of 1100 K-6 and the LPS web site is probably showing enrollment for K-12, this could be the confusion. Does the web site breakdown the enrollment numbers by grade? We want to make sure we are comparing apples to apples.
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Salt Lake City is thinking K-8, like many other districts. The districts that I can find that are going with our proposed model are growing....not decreasing. Check out Salt Lake City.http://www.slc.k12.ut.us/schools/k8/ppt/K-8.ppt#22]Salt Lake City[/URL] And also this k-8 website[url=[URL=http://www.slc.k12.ut.us/schools/k8/]http://www.slc.k12.ut.us/schools/k8/[/URL]] [/URL]
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Please read this on K-8[url=[URL=http://www.slc.k12.ut.us/schools/k8/what.html]http://www.slc.k12.ut.us/schools/k8/what.html[/URL]] [/URL]
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Elisa
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Yes, you are correct. If you search the web you will find much written by school districts efforts to redistrict. Most of them deal with increasing enrollments. The 5/6 school appears to be a way to effectively manage a district that has a GROWTH projection. Hence, that is why Novi and other districts that have lots of new home development use it. They also use this idea on the lower end, such as k-2 schools, or even grade 3-4 or 5 schools. You can find every configuration out there. BUT just because it is out there does not mean it is a valid or superior model. Districts choose grade models, mainly, to deal with enrollment numbers, budgetary concerns (to build a new school or not). Lets not confuse that with the grade span or configuration research. Unfortunately, most school districts that appear to rely on the research for choosing their model are large, struggling urban schools that have been tapped by the government to improve or else. It would seem, that if you reside in a district that is producing accepatable test scores, then you could be reconfigured in the manner that would simply save the most money and make best use of the facilities available. That is what LPS is doing.
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Administrator
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More support for K-8. It seems this configuration is getting the best results [url=[URL=http://www.middleweb.com/mw/resources/HMgradeconfig.pdf]http://www.middleweb.com/mw/resources/HMgradeconfig.pdf[/URL]] [/URL]
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f11
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LPS, transportation for all
Cindi
Nov 6 2005, 12:46 AM
Regarding the enrollment question:

One of the proposal sheets indicates that there is a decline in enrollment of 1100 K-6 and the LPS web site is probably showing enrollment for K-12, this could be the confusion. Does the web site breakdown the enrollment numbers by grade? We want to make sure we are comparing apples to apples.

Could you direct me to the "proposal sheet" that indicates 1100 k-6 decline?

The demographics website states "district" enrollment.

The white handout from the first meetings on Oct. 20th, state
"district" enrollment(1st inner page)

The chart in the back, from the blue booklet that was handed out
on Nov. 1st shows about a 900 student decline from the "peak" in 1999
Also, to take a "snippet" of a chart and call it the gospel is very misleading.

So, I think there is some ambiguity in the information they are putting out there,
and this is what has people upset.
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c3hull
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Here is some more findings!

Gregg, Kathy. Elementary School Grade Span Configuration: New Evidence on Student Achievement, Achievement Equity and Cost Efficiency.

http://phkhome.northstarnet.org/ikepto/GradeCenterReport.htm

Summary:
This new research suggests that the most equitable and cost efficient means of delivering high student achievement is through smaller schools with broader grade spans.
. Transitioning students has a negative impact on student outcomes.
. Number of transitions increased the was an increase in high school drop out rate
. Students do not get used to transitioning. They still experience achievement loss even if they had transitioned in the past.
. Transitions disrupt the social structure of schools where learning takes place. (Howley 2002)
. Enrollment per grade is an improved measure of school size, not just the overall enrollment at a school. (Howley 2002)
. A small school size is considered between 200 and 500. (Howley 2000 and Duncombe 2002)
. Many things influence achievement level including socio-economic status.
. Student reported feeling safer and more connected with adults in smaller school settings. (Alspaugh 1998)
. Parents and community members had an increase feeling of confidence in schools in smaller school settings. (Wasley 2001)
. "Evidence rather clearly suggests that the tendency to create narrow grade span configurations reinforces the bad habit of building larger and larger schools." (Howley)
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c3hull
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Here's another! Look at the bottom under references...look at their credentials. These are found on all of the research findings being posted.

Research suggests that increasing the number of transitions between schools, with fewer as opposed to more grades per school, leads to a decrease in student achievement during those transition years.
Smaller schools (fewer students per school) may lead to an increase in achievement.

Child Development

Transition and school size have an effect on academic achievement, behavior, and the comfort level of the student.
The Alspaugh 1995 study on the effects of school grade-level organization on student achievement concluded “that a decline in achievement during the transition year can be expected for all grade spans studied as the schools convert from self contained classrooms.” The study used five school groups with K-4, K-5, K-6, K-7, and K-8 grade-level organizations. Time involved in orientation to new people and surroundings cuts into teaching time. The lack of continuity lessens a child’s sense of community, stability, comfort-level and prohibits strong bonds between students and teachers. Communication across grades is disrupted requiring educators to spend additional time assessing individual strengths and weaknesses.

There is a significant amount of research on school size. Most conclude that smaller schools enable a greater sense of belonging, less alienation, and better interpersonal relations among teachers and students (Cotton, 1996). Small schools foster a caring and inclusive environment. Cotton (1996) reported that the recommended school size is 300-400 for elementary students but did not state the research on which this number is based or the grade-levels comprising this number.

How students are grouped for purposes of instruction is a major component when restructuring the configuration of schools because learning is a social, as well as individual, process (Deason, 2000). Social learning is facilitated when exposed to the behavior of both older students and adults. Schools with many age levels will have more opportunities for cross-age activities and may sustain parental involvement in the upper grades. Teacher acceptance for the responsibility of achievement across grade levels triggers the issues of accountability.

References:
Alspaugh, J. W. & Harting, R. D. (1995) Transition Effects of School Grade-level Organization on Student Achievement. Journal of Research and Development in Education 28(3) 145-149
Cotton, K (1996) School Size, School Climate, and Student Performance. Close-up #20. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.
Deason, R. (2000) Configuration: Impact on Achievement and Attendance. Bell & Howard Information and Learning MI, UMI
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c3hull
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This Sub-committee also reviewed a building grade configuration study performed by Nancy Colflesh. The following is a summary of Dr. Colflesh's study:

Disadvantages of grade-level building configuration:
. more transitions
. lack of continuity with administrators and staff
. historical preference for K-5 configuration
. difficulties scheduling for families with more than 1 child
. separating siblings
. loss of multiage interaction, socially and academically
. loss of neighborhood school
. coordination of transportation and possible increased cost
. possible loss of Title One funds
. possible risk of losing families to other schools if they're dissatisfied with grade-level building configuration
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c3hull
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Here's some more:

Gregg, Kathy. Elementary School Grade Span Configuration: New Evidence on Student Achievement, Achievement Equity and Cost Efficiency. http://phkhome.northstarnet.org/ikepto/GradeCenterReport.htm
Summary:
This new research suggests that the most equitable and cost efficient means of delivering high student achievement is through smaller schools with broader grade spans.
. Transitioning students has a negative impact on student outcomes.
. Number of transitions increased the was an increase in high school drop out rate
. Students do not get used to transitioning. They still experience achievement loss even if they had transitioned in the past.
. Transitions disrupt the social structure of schools where learning takes place. (Howley 2002)
. Enrollment per grade is an improved measure of school size, not just the overall enrollment at a school. (Howley 2002)
. A small school size is considered between 200 and 500. (Howley 2000 and Duncombe 2002)
. Many things influence achievement level including socio-economic status.
. Student reported feeling safer and more connected with adults in smaller school settings. (Alspaugh 1998)
. Parents and community members had an increase feeling of confidence in schools in smaller school settings. (Wasley 2001)
. "Evidence rather clearly suggests that the tendency to create narrow grade span configurations reinforces the bad habit of building larger and larger schools." (Howley)
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Mom_of_five
Principal
Hey C3,

Fantastic summaries of the research! Thanks for putting it all together for us!
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