Instructional Coaching Benefits Students in an Alternative Program
The Success Academy is a new alternative program at Anderson High School. The 75+ students are educated by seven teachers throughout the day (focusing on core subjects and freshmen appropriate electives). All classrooms and lockers are located within the same hallway, to ensure maximum support. Research-based strategies are of primary consideration at the Success Academy. Reduced class size, staff and student teaming, a double block of mathematics, and a reading course will provide students with the enhanced instructional support they need. Social studies and science classes are also an important part of the curriculum. The Success Academy has the benefit of ancillary staff including an Instructional Coach and a para-professional to implement and support a school-within-a-school setting with some autonomous leadership at the level of service delivery.
Issues this Best Practice Addresses:
It was designed to meet the needs of our growing population of at-risk students. The Success Academy services approximately 80 students. Data related to attendance, academic achievement, behavior, and discipline were considerations in identifying students with the highest potential for academic failure or dropping out of school.
Major Challenges to Implementation:
Because the teachers and students spend the entire school day close together, it almost becomes a family-oriented atmosphere. And while some aspects of this are good, some of our students have a difficulty living within those confines. They often perceive teachers as “picking on them” when they are intending to show tough love. Along with this, the students often Also, there is a challenge to how the rest of the school views the School Academy. It is often perceived that we do not prepare the students for moving into the regular school, or that we have the troublemakers of the school. Changing this mindset has been an ongoing struggle.
Benefits Derived from Implementing this Best Practice:
Students who were struggling academically have made considerable gains while in Success Academy (both in behavior and in discipline)
Evidence Illustrating Success:
Increased student achievement (both in classroom grades and standardized tests), decreased need for remediation
Submitted by: Amanda Keegan, Anderson High School: Success Academy