Houston County Export Export
Goals
G 1 Literacy Achievement
Houston County Schools will improve Literacy achievement as measured by a 3% increase in the number of grades K-1 students scoring At/Above 50 PR on the Spring 2025 administration of the Universal Reading Screener (URS) and grades 2-12 students scoring Met or Exceeded Expectations on the Spring 2025 administration of state assessments.
Performance Measure
Increase the percentage of:
Grade K students who are At/Above 50 PR on the URS from 10% to 13%
Grade 1 students who are At/Above 50 PR on the URS from 25% to 28%
Grade 2 students who have Met or Exceeded Expectations from 8.2% to 11.2%
Grades 3-5 students who have Met or Exceeded Expectations from 26.3% to 29.3%
Grades 6-8 students who have Met or Exceeded Expectations from 19.7% to 22.7%
Grades 9-12 students who have Met or Exceeded Expectations from 31.5% to 34.5%
Sections
- Academic Achievement & Growth
S 1.1 High-Quality Instructional Materials
Utilizing high-quality reading and Language arts materials in classrooms that align with state standards and instructional shifts will ensure all students, including those with disabilities, have access to resources they need to meet or exceed expectations. Administrators and teachers, including special educators, will need on-going professional learning and support to implement materials. The Access for All Learning Network (AALN) Grant will purchase curriculum materials for use by special education teachers as well as other needed instructional materials that will allow students with disabilities to participate and spend more time in the general education setting mastering the grade level content and skills.
Benchmark Indicator
Weekly lesson plans evaluated by school administrators.
Weekly classroom walkthroughs conducted by school administrators using the IPG tool.
Quarterly literacy walks conducted by district and school administrators using the IPG tool. Walk-through data collected using the IPG tool will be analyzed to identify district trends observed during tier I instruction in an effort to support teachers in teaching grade-level standards using complex texts and assuring rigor.
A 1.1.1 Literacy Walks
In partnership with the Access for All Learning Network (AALN) Grant, district supervisors and principals will conduct quarterly literacy walks using the IPG tool in grades K-8 throughout the school year. These walks will assist in ensuring rigor of the standards, identify areas of progress, identify professional learning needs, ensure students with disabilities are included in rigorous instruction in the general education setting, and examine the impact of provided resources on the quality of instruction.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Cindy Ryan, K-5 Supervisor; Channy Quinn, 6-12 Supervisor; Kelly Brown, Special Programs Supervisor | 2025-05-16 |
S 1.2 High-Quality Literacy Instruction
Providing high-quality literacy instruction daily throughout the year while following a standards-based curriculum and using effective strategies that teach foundational and knowledge building skills, increase reading complexity, and enhance sophistication and style will lead to the increase in the number of students who meet or exceed expectations state assessments.
Benchmark Indicator
Principals and supervisors will analyze data/insights from quarterly literacy walks for an increase in positive evidence (more "Mostly" and "Yes" on the Tennessee Instructional Practice Guide (IPG) K-12 Knowledge Building Lessons and the TN Foundational Skills Instructional Practice Guide) and conduct professional learning as needed to impact instructional practices throughout the school year.
Principals and supervisors will analyze on-going TEAM observation data throughout the school year to determine areas of professional need for teachers, including special educators.
Principals will analyze student performance on weekly common formative assessments and review in weekly grade-level/department meetings throughout the school year to evaluate instructional practices and effectiveness.
Principals and supervisors will analyze student performance quarterly benchmarks and review in grade-level/department meetings throughout the school year to evaluate instructional practices and effectiveness.
A 1.2.1 Professional Learning
District supervisors will work with school principals to plan and develop professional learning to meet the district's vision for excellence in literacy instruction. PD will include expectations for unit and lesson preparation, and how the Tennessee Instructional Practice Guide will be used as a measure of instructional practices.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Cindy Ryan, K-5 Supervisor; Channy Quinn, 6-12 Supervisor | 2025-01-06 |
G 2 Math Achievement
Houston County Schools will improve math achievement as measured by a 3% increase in the number of all students in grades K-1 scoring On or Above Grade-Level Placement on the Spring 2025 administration of the math curriculum diagnostic, grades 2-12 students scoring Met or Exceeded Expectations on the Spring 2025 administration of the math state assessments.
Performance Measure
Increase the percentage of:
Grade K students who are on or above grade level placement on the iReady Math Diagnostic from 64% to 67%.
Grade 1 students who are on grade level placement on the iReady Math Diagnostic from 37% to 40%
Grade 2 students who have Met or Exceeded Expectations on TCAP math from 12.9% to 15.9%
Grades 3-5 students who have Met or Exceeded Expectations on TCAP math from 14.9% to 17.9%
Grades 6-8 students who have Met or Exceeded Expectations on TCAP math from 21.9% to 24.9%
Grades 9-12 students who have Met or Exceeded Expectations on EOC math from 14.3% to 17.3%
Sections
- Academic Achievement & Growth
S 2.1 High-Quality Math Instruction
Providing high-quality math instruction, by following a standards-based curriculum and using effective strategies that teach concepts and procedures, will lead to more students performing on track or mastered on formative state assessments.
Benchmark Indicator
Principals and supervisors will analyze data/insights from monthly math walks for an increase in positive evidence (more "Mostly" and "Yes" on the Tennessee Instructional Practice Guide (IPG)) and conduct professional learning as needed to impact instructional practices throughout the school year.
Principals and supervisors will analyze on-going TEAM observation data throughout the school year to determine areas of professional need for teachers, including special educators.
Principals will analyze student performance on weekly common formative assessments and review in weekly grade-level/department meetings throughout the school year to evaluate instructional practices and effectiveness.
Principals and supervisors will analyze student performance quarterly benchmarks and review in grade-level/department meetings throughout the school year to evaluate instructional practices and effectiveness.
A 2.1.1 Professional Learning
District supervisors will work with school principals to plan and develop professional learning for teachers to meet the district's vision for excellence in mathematics instruction. PL will include expectations for unit and lesson preparation, and how the Tennessee Instructional Practice Guide will be used as a measure of instructional practices. Followup professional learning sessions will occur in January 2025.
District supervisors will contract with publishers to provide follow-up training on mathematics materials for all teachers, including special educators, and school leaders. Follow-up PL opportunities will be contracted through publishers as-needed.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Cindy Ryan, K-5 Supervisor; Channy Quinn, 6-12 Supervisor | 2025-01-03 |
A 2.1.2 Instructional Preparation
District supervisors will build capacity in school leaders to facilitate and/or sit alongside teachers during lesson preparations using a lesson/unit preparation guide. Further, district and school administrators will support teachers in implementation of plans through observations-feedback cycles (e.g. coaching).
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Cindy Ryan, K-5 Supervisor; Channy Quinn, 6-12 Supervisor | 2025-03-14 |
S 2.2 High Quality Math Materials
Utilizing high-quality mathematics materials in K-12 classrooms that align with new state standards and instructional shifts will ensure all students, including those with disabilities, have access to resources they need to be meet or exceed expectations. Administrators and teachers, including special educators, will need on-going professional learning and support to implement materials.
Benchmark Indicator
Weekly lesson plans reviewed by school administrators.
Weekly classroom walkthroughs conducted by school administrators using the IPG tooI.
A 2.2.1 Math Walks with Focus Documents
District supervisors and principals will conduct monthly Math Walks in grades K-12 with the Tennessee Instructional Practice Guide for Mathematics (IPG). These walks will assist in ensuring rigor of the standards, identify areas of progress, identify professional learning needs, and examine the impact of provided resources on the quality of instruction.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Cindy Ryan, K-5 Supervisor; Channy Quinn, 6-12 Supervisor | 2025-05-16 |
A 2.2.2 Math Fidelity Checks
Fidelity checks will be conducted through ongoing observations and classroom walkthroughs to monitor appropriate use of new mathematics materials. Supervisors will meet with principals quarterly to analyze implementation of math curriculum and areas of need for additional professional learning.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Cindy Ryan, K-5 Supervisor; Channy Quinn, 6-12 Supervisor | 2025-05-16 |
G 3 Whole Child
Students with unmet social-emotional needs have difficulty participating in regular instruction, therefore, Houston County Schools will improve support for the non-academic needs of all students, including those with disabilities, to decrease chronic absenteeism and discipline referrals and improve academic achievement by May 26, 2025.
Performance Measure
Reduce chronic absenteeism for all students from 28% to 25%
Reduce chronic absenteeism of ED from 38.6% to 35.6%
Reduce discipline referrals for all students from 13% to 10%
Reduce discipline referrals of ED from 17% to 14%
Sections
- Climate and Access
S 3.1 District Student Support Team
A district-wide student support team, that includes central office administrators as well as staff members from Family Resource Center, Coordinated School Health program, school counselors, school psychologist, and school social workers, will meet quarterly. The team's purpose will be to build comprehensive school mental health support and services to enable students to achieve their full potential as life-long learners and become successful citizens.
Benchmark Indicator
Quarterly team meeting agendas (July 2024, December 2024, March 2025, and May 2025).
District Attendance Coordinator will review attendance weekly to analyze trends and make year-to-year comparisons to track improvements/challenges.
School administrators will review discipline reports quarterly to analyze trends and make year-to-year comparisons to track improvements/challenges. School administrators will provide quarterly reports at the end of each nine weeks to District Student Support Coordinator.
A 3.1.1 Needs Assessment
The district team's first priority will be to review and revise the Tennessee School Mental Health Needs Assessment.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Robin Fairclough, Student Support Coordinator | 2024-07-31 |
A 3.1.2 Identify Priorities and Needs
After reviewing and analyzing the needs assessment, the team will identify annual priorities and develop an implementation plan to address needs.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Robin Fairclough, Student Support Coordinator | 2024-09-30 |
A 3.1.3 Professional Development
Staff members will attend relevant professional development to increase knowledge in how to identify students in need of social-emotional and mental heath supports, create culturally-responsive classrooms, and provide trauma-sensitive supports.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Robin Fairclough, Student Support Coordinator; Kelly Brown, Special Programs Supervisor; Cindy Ryan, K-5 Supervisor; Channy Quinn, 6-12 Supervisor; | 2025-05-16 |
A 3.1.4 PreK Positive Relationships & Behavior
In conjunction with the district-wide student support team, PreK teachers will utilize the Suite360 Behavior Intervention Program to teach students ages 3-5 with disabilities about building positive social interactions and relationship building strategies as well as appropriate behavior within the classroom setting. PreK teachers will follow the Preschool Scope & Sequence while covering the social/emotional and behavior lessons contained within the program.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Kelly Brown Director of Special Programs | 2025-05-16 |