For school board members
Although the focus of Recommendation 10 is on teacher and administrator training, visionary district leaders seek to provide quality professional development opportunities to all levels of the educational hierarchy.
School board members in effective districts recognize the critical role middle grades play in secondary school success and thus in dropout prevention. As a result, the board members work with the superintendent and district staff to ensure that every board member is knowledgeable about:
- Middle school test scores
- Percentage of eighth-grade students taking algebra
- Percentage of middle grade students scoring proficient on CSTs (indicating readiness for high school)
- Percentage of middle grades teachers who are considered highly qualified under NCLB requirements
- The condition of middle grades facilities, instructional materials, and technology supports
- The types of articulation strategies employed in district middle schools to ensure successful transitions from elementary schools and to high schools
- The professional development plans to help middle grades teachers focus on implementing the California Department of Education's (CDE) Twelve Recommendations for Middle Grades Success
In addition, school board members can ensure that parent and student leaders participate in training offered through the California State PTA (Parent Teacher Association) (Outside Source), and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) (Outside Source).
Related Links
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Professional Learning for Those Who Support Middle Grades Educators
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For superintendents and district staff members