Atlantic Community School District began doing Authentic Intellectual Work in 2009 with a pilot team of 10 teachers. They were also a school in Need of Assistance (Year 1), according to the Federal No Child Left Behind law. In a bold move, Superintendent Mike Amstein and Matt Alexander, Principal and Curriculum and Professional Development Director along with building administrators decided to rollout AIW to the entire district staff of 125, K-12. AIW became their sole districtwide professional learning focus.
“At first it felt like too much, too fast,” says Lead AIW coach, Tina Wahlert, their assigned Consultant for Continuous Improvement from Green Hills Area Educational Agency in the southwestern part of Iowa. However, the learning environment has begun to transform over the past 15 months. Wahlert attributes their success to determination, perseverance, and teacher and administrator leadership. "We are all so impressed with the growth in student achievement, especially the reduction in gaps in reading."
In fact, reading will be a subject of celebration this month as Amstein and the board president accept the “Breaking Barriers to Learning and Teaching” Award later this month on behalf of the district. The Iowa Department of Education gives this award only to those schools which make significant progress in closing achievement gaps in English Language Learner (ELL), Individualized Education Plans (IEP), or Socio-Economic Status (SES). To receive an award, the DE must see an increase in scores of 20% or more in at least two subgroups and no more than a 5% decline in any other subgroup of students.
The Atlantic District will be receiving their award for the remarkable gains in reading on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) of low SES students in Grades 3 and 6 based on their 2010-11 test data.
In 2009-10, the low SES third graders scored 61% in reading on ITBS. Their non-SES classmates scored 80%. In 2010-11, the SES third graders scored 85%, an increase of 22%, exceeding the growth of non-SES students, who scored 78%.
Sixth graders had even more impressive results in reading. In 2009-10, the low SES sixth graders scored 50% in reading on ITBS. The non-SES sixth graders scored 75%. In 2010-11, the low SES student scores jumped 21% to 71%, exceeding the gains of non-SES sixth graders who scored 88%, a 13% gain.
Wahlert points out that for the last two years, 100% of their districtwide professional development time has been focused on AIW. “We have no doubt that the job-embedded PD focus on AIW has contributed to the success of Atlantic students.”
For more information about AIW at Atlantic, contact Matt Alexander (malexander@atlantic.k12.ia.us) or Tina Wahlert (twahlert@ghaea.org)