Regional Need
In the cross-state needs assessments conducted in spring 2005 and again in spring 2006, elementary school students consistently performed better than secondary school students in both English Language Arts, and math. This issue of declining performance during the middle school years is common across all Mid-Atlantic states. Thus, an important focus area for MACC is to help build states' capacity to close the academic achievement gap in literacy and mathematics between elementary and secondary schools.
One area that is critical to supporting students to achieve at higher levels beyond the elementary years is the education they receive during their transition years from elementary school to high school (sixth through ninth grades). Over the next four years, MACC will address this regional need by building the capacity of state education agencies (SEAs) to support effective policies and practices for the elementary to high school transition years.
Project Purpose
To build the capacity of Mid-Atlantic SEAs to support districts and schools in improving the structures and practices that promote literacy and mathematics achievement at the middle and high school levels.
Year 2 Regional Project Description
Based on SEA participant feedback at the Middle-High School Transition Forum (held in April 2006) and on MACC's informal discussions with SEA leadership across the region, district leadership development for the elementary to secondary transition years will be MACC's primary focus area for Year 2. MACC proposes to address district leadership development for two reasons: (1) NCLB requires SEAs to support district-level improvement, and (2) district leadership is necessary for sustained school improvement efforts. Thus, MACC's Year 2 regional focus in the area of elementary to secondary transition is to build the capacity of Mid-Atlantic SEAs to develop and support district leadership for effective policies and practices during these year.
In Year 2 as part of this regional initiative, MACC plans to:
- Conduct regional needs assessment to determine the challenges district leaders face in improving student achievement in the elementary to secondary transition years;
- Produce and disseminate a state of the region report on the challenges;
- Solicit and disseminate a Center on High Schools research synthesis on effective practices for the elementary to secondary transition years;
- Conduct an alignment of evidence-based strategies with identified challenges;
- Plan in collaboration with the SEAs a regional forum;
- Conduct a regional forum: Leadership for the Elementary to Secondary Transition Years; and
- Provide planning and follow-up technical assistance with each SEA.
For more details, contact:
Project Coordinators: Barbara Hicks, Emily Crandall, Charlene Rivera, and Yvonne Thayer