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Four of Utah's persistently lowest achieving schools will work to turn around their performance with nearly $6.2 million in federal grants, the State Office of Education announced Friday.
The money, however, means they have to make dramatic changes — replacing the principal, in some cases; extending the school day and/or school year; using educator evaluation systems that take student growth data into account; providing additional teacher training; rewarding educators who improve student achievement and removing those who ultimately don't after receiving additional support.
The schools include Horizonte Instruction and Training Center in Salt Lake City, Wendover High, Eagle View Elementary in Roosevelt and Tse'bii'nidzisgai Elementary in Monument Valley. They'll join seven Utah schools that received the grants last year and are already implementing changes. Schools will spend the money over three years.
"It gives them the resources to dig deep into their educational practices, their strategies, their instructional delivery," said Ann White, Title I coordinator at the state office.
Schools receiving the grants nationwide must implement one of four improvement models: replace the principal and half the teachers; convert the school to, or re-open it, as a charter; close it; or replace the principal, improve the school through curriculum reform, training for educators, extended learning time and other strategies. All four of the latest Utah schools to get grants chose the fourth model.
Horizonte, an alternative high school, plans to use its $2.2 million to lengthen its school day by a half hour for students in seventh through twelfth grades. The school also plans to hire math and language arts coaches to work with teachers to improve their instruction and help the school transition to new academic standards being adopted statewide. And it hopes to hire more instructional assistants to help in the classroom. Teachers will be able to earn extra money for improving student achievement.
Horizonte is an alternative school, but acting principal Mindi Holmdahl said she's confident Horizonte can boost achievement. "There are a lot of unique challenges our students face, but we believe our students are more than capable of succeeding in this endeavor," she said.
Holmdahl, who has been acting as a temporary principal, said she hopes to be hired as principal long-term.
Eagle View Elementary, created several years ago after West Middle School was closed for failing to make progress under No Child Left Behind, plans to use its nearly $1.8 million to offer preschool, lengthen the school day and buy iPads for students to use in grades five through eight, said principal Robert Stearmer. He said the school has made progress, and the money will help it advance further. For example, he said, several years ago 86 percent of the school's incoming kindergartners were not ready for kindergarten, and now that figure is down to about 50 percent.
"We're making good strides, and this grant will allow us to make great strides," Stearmer said. Stearmer plans to stay on as leader of the school. Schools that receive the grant money may keep their principals who were assigned within the last two years to implement change.
Tse'bii'nidzisgai Elementary, which will open in the fall in Monument Valley (replacing Mexican Hat Elementary), hopes to hire a new principal , offer performance pay to teachers, beef up its afterschool offerings, hire an instructional coach and offer more teacher training, among other things, said Lynnette Johnson, San Juan district student services director. The school will get $1.2 million.
"These kids are among the poorest in the state and definitely struggle with achievement, and this is the turning point, I think," Johnson said. "We want to make this school great and help the kids do a great job."