Support Staff Awarded Contract

Norwalk's school support staff has a new contract after a year of working without one. On Wednesday, an arbitration panel awarded a contract that includes a small raise and a change in health care plans to the Norwalk Federation of Education Personnel, led by president Donna Riddell.
The union represents 425 aides, clerks, secretarial and support staff and is the city's second-largest bargaining unit, after the teachers' union.

The four-year contract, retroactive to last year, includes a 2 percent incremental raise for the next three years, but no raise for this year. The bulk of the savings will come from a change in heath care plans — the union will join the High Deductible Health Savings Account Plan that was established for teachers last year when their contract was renegotiated. According to a Board of Education statement, the heath care changes "will more than offset the increase in wages, providing much needed relief to Norwalk taxpayers."

The union will not have any increases in longevity payments, a yearly stipend for employees that have worked for the schools for more than 10 years. In addition, a cap was put on sick leave accumulation. Union members will still be allowed to have their children attend Norwalk schools as a professional courtesy.

For the past year, the support staff has been in contentious negotiations with the school board, which led to the need for an arbitration panel this summer.

"This is the worst arbitration we've ever had to go through," Riddell said. "The Board of Education members were argumentative, rude and disrespectful. We were willing to negotiate, but they [the BOE] chose arbitration instead."

Jack Chairamonte, chairman of the school board's negotiating committee, disagreed, saying that some of the union's demands such as a 3.5 percent raise were untenable. "We all the respect for the support staff, but you can't negotiate with union leaders who have kicked their heads in the sand."

Teacher Convocation Takes New Approach

A version of this story appear on TheDailyNorwalk.com  (there are photos on the site, too)

For the first time, the Norwalk teacher convocation was addressed not by an administrator, but by a teacher and a principal. Lavone Roberson, a third-grade teacher at Naramake Elementary School, spoke to a packed audience of school teachers, staff, city officials and representatives from all the school unions Monday at the Brien McMahon High School auditorium.  Roberson, a fourth-year teacher, told them that she is a proud product of the Norwalk Public Schools and the daughter of NPS social worker Jackie Roberson.  "It is here that I became a lifelong learner and a passionate educator."  Roberson, a Naramake teacher, also spoke about collaboration.  "Teaching is a team sport. You will win if you play together."

James Martinez, prinicipal of Fox Run, asked his colleagues to "be present for the kids."  "Listen to what they say and what they don't say.  Be a guiding light."

Superintendent Susan Marks said that she had a lot in common with first-year teachers, since she’s a first-year superintendent.  Since the summer, 56 new teachers have been hired and several more are coming on board in the coming weeks, according to Fay Ruotolo, director of human resources for the district. 

Marks reminded the staff that, according to experts,  teacher effectiveness and leadership quality is the most important factor in student achievement.  "It's about the people."  Marks also said that she plans to visit the schools often.  "You can't be a superintendent from behind a desk."

Bruce Mellion, president of the Norwalk Federation of Teachers, challenged the city to create a new Briggs High School and replace some of the elementary schools.  "You are under attack by those who didn't choose this profession," he said referring to demands for union concessions.  "Remember you are the best and brightest."

After the convocation, a group of Kendall teachers milled outside the building discussing the morning's event.  Adrienne Moriarty, a fourth-grade teacher for the past 27 years, said she is excited about having a new superintendent, but is taking a "wait and see"  attitude about Marks.  Moriarty said that she found the morning event, especially Roberson's speech, "inspiring."  "You remember why you are here and why you became a teacher."

Schools Get $600K Gov. Aid to Save Jobs

Norwalk Public Schools will receive almost $600,000 from Washington to help pay for extra teachers, literacy specialists and other needed school positions.  Part of the funding may be reserved for next year.

Earlier this month, just days before schools across the country are slated to start, Congress passed the $10 billion Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistance Act signed by President Obama. In a time of constrained budgets, the injection of federal funds is meant solely to help save and create education jobs. In addition to teachers, the districts can use the funds for any employee of the school district including, aides, secretaries and custodians.

Connecticut received $110 million that will save 1,000 to 1,300 jobs, according to the State Department of Education. The money is allocated based on the relative population size and poverty level of each district.

Superintendent Susan Marks says the funds for Norwalk will be used for additional teachers and aides.    “We have to make sure all our current positions are paid for, see what was lost and prioritize who else we need this year,” says Marks.  “We also need to think about what to hold for next year.”  According to the grant guidelines, funds may be delayed for 2011-12 staffing needs.

While exact positions have not been determined, Marks has some ideas where the money will go.
As of today, the district has hired four additional teachers because of greater than anticipated enrollment.  Only three reserve positions were budgeted, according to Marks.  At Cranbury and Fox Run Elementary schools, full-time literacy specialists and aides were cut because the district lost Title I federal funding.  Also, Marks says the staffing situation in the high schools will need to be evaluated.

In the coming weeks, Marks will make recommendations to the Board of Education and its Finance Committee on how to allocate the funds. “We’ll know within the month how to use the funds.”  The federal dollars go directly to the school coffers and not to the city.  “Of course, the city is also very interested in how we use the funds,” says Marks.

Here are preliminary allotments to neighboring towns and cities:
Darien  $94,489
Easton:  $34,724
Fairfield:  $209,910
Greenwich: $199,890
New Canaan $87,449
Norwalk $590,269
Stamford:  $466,531
Weston: $55,463
Westport: $116,255
Wilton $91,050

After-School Programs Selected for Year

A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com

Three elementary schools will have new after-school care providers this school year. Cranbury and Silvermine Elementary schools selected After the Bell, a program organized by the Norwalk Public Schools and the Norwalk Education Foundation. "We are pleased that the program is expanding," said Lauren Rosato, foundation executive director.  For the past two years, After the Bell has been operating in Kendall and Rowayton Elementary Schools.

Tracey Elementary School is switching to ACHIEVE. The three schools previously worked with the YMCA for after-school services. This year, the YMCA will partner with After the Bell.

After the Bell provides on-site before- and after-school care from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. as well as homework help and enrichment activities such as dance, cooking, arts and sports. Teachers and staff members teach the enrichment classes, which are open to the entire school. Funded in part by local foundations, After the Bell has sliding-scale tuition.

Each year, elementary school principals select their providers in consultation with parents and staff. "We chose After the Bell this year because it has a better connection with the school day and is better suited to parents' needs," says Robin Ives, principal at Cranbury. Ives adds that After the Bell has a direct link with the classroom because students get help from teachers they know.

Although the YMCA is no longer the sole provider of after-school care for Cranbury and Silvermine, it still will provide staff to After the Bell, says Heather Klein, newly hired director of child-care services at the YMCA. "Our staff are very excited and open to this arrangement," says Klein.

Here is a list of providers at the 12 elementary schools:
Brookside: ACHIEVE
Columbus: YMCA
Cranbury: After the Bell
Fox Run: YMCA
Jefferson: ACHIEVE
Kendall: After the Bell
Marvin: ACHIEVE
Naramake: Family Resource Center
Rowayton: After the Bell
Silvermine: After the Bell
Tracey: ACHIEVE
Wolfpit: ACHIEVE

Report Recommends Additions at Five Schools

A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com.

A report presented to the Board of Education on Tuesday evening recommends building additions at five Norwalk elementary schools: Columbus, Cranbury, Jefferson, Naramake and Rowayton.
Partners for Architecture of Stamford was hired by the BOE in February to study space utilization and the impact of projected enrollment at all 12 elementary schools. The BOE commissioned the study because overcrowding is an issue at several of the elementary schools. During the presentation, Partners for Architecture noted that Rowayton, Jefferson and Naramake currently have portable classrooms. Several schools do not have separate art classrooms and must wheel art supplies from class to class on a cart. In one school, a closet is used as a special education classroom.

"We went through every space at every school, from the 100-year-old attic in Rowayton to the dungeon basement of Wolfpit," said Rainer Schrom, principal at Partners for Architecture. Mark Gorian, NPS facilities director, oversaw the study and accompanied Schrom to all 12 schools.
The report, which cost $38,000, recommends ways to reconfigure school space for maximum efficiency, as well as building the additions. "The report is a tool for future decisions and helps us to prioritize," said Superintendent Susan Marks, noting there are space needs at other schools also.
The report was commissioned, in large part, to determine how best to spend $6.2 million -- the remainder of a previous capital appropriation for school improvements. Additions at all five schools will cost $13 million, according to the report's estimates.

Mayor Richard Moccia, ex-officio member of the BOE, said, "We want to do everything, but we have to look at what we can do." He recommended moving forward on the capital spending as soon as possible. "We have to see where we can get the most bang for our buck." The district would need to request any additional funds during the capital budgeting process, said Marks.
Board Member Sue Haynie suggested looking into why students are transferring from their neighborhood schools into the overcrowded ones. Board Member Jack Chiaramonte said, "I know redistricting is an ugly word, but how else are we going to change things." Schrom said that redistricting was not part of the scope of the project.

The full report, including a school-by-school breakdown of needed improvements, is available on the Norwalk Public School website.

AYP Results, Cranbury and Roton Removed from NCLB list

A version of this story appears on TheDailyNorwalk.com

Although a No Child Left Behind report released on Wednesday has cited Norwalk as a school district “In Need of Improvement”, Superintendent Susan Marks says this year’s results are “somewhat encouraging”.

Cranbury and Roton Elementary schools were taken off the now infamous “In Need of Improvement” list because they made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) two years in a row.  Fox Run Elementary, Tracey Elementary, Nathan Hale Middle School and West Rocks Middle School made AYP this year and have been put on the “Safe Harbor” list. If they make AYP again next year, they’ll be removed off the “Needs Improvement” list.

However, Rowayton School was designated as a school “In Need of Improvement” for the first time this year because of subgroup test scores.  All of Norwalk’s high schools are considered “In Need of Improvement”.  Norwalk High and Brien McMahon have been on the list for the past 5 years and Briggs for the past 7.

Since the No Child Left Behind act was passed in 2001, the government has been using scores from grade 3-8 Connecticut Mastery Tests and the grade 10 Connecticut Academic Performance Test to assess whether schools have made adequate yearly progress. This year, 80 percent of student had to be proficient to pass muster. The standard must be met by the whole school and by each subgroup of 40 or more students, including minority, ELL, low-income, and special needs students.  If a school or subgroup does not achieve AYP for two consecutive years, the school is identified as in need of improvement.

According to a report issued by the State Department of Education, Norwalk’s designation as a district “In Need of Improvement” is due to inadequate “subgroup math and reading achievement”.  Reading scores are a problem for the city’s elementary and middle schools, while math is the challenge for high school students.

“I am going to meet with the principals regularly and I’ll be deploying resources from Central Office to focus to make sure we are consistent in math and reading across elementary, middle and high school,” said Marks.


Schools that made AYP*:
Brookside, Columbus, Cranbury, Fox Run, Kendall, Tracey, Elementary Schools
Nathan Hale, Roton and West Rocks Middle Schools


Schools that did not make AYP:
Jefferson Elementary: whole school reading and subgroup math and reading 
Marvin Elementary:  whole school reading and subgroup reading
Naramake Elementary: whole school reading and subgroup reading
Rowayton School: subgroup reading
Silvermine Elementary School: whole school reading and subgroup reading
Wolfpit School: subgroup reading
Ponus Ridge Middle School: whole school math and reading, subgroup math and reading
Side By Side Community School:  whole school reading, subgroup math and reading.
Norwalk High School: whole school math, subgroup math and reading
Briggs High School: whole school math and reading
Brien McMahon High School: whole school math, subgroup math and reading


Schools on the NCLB list as "in need of improvement":
Jefferson Magnet School:  Year 4
Rowayton School: Year 1
Silvermine Elementary School: Year 4
Ponus Ridge Middle School: Year 3
Fox Run Elementary School:  Year 1, Safe Harbor*
Tracey School: Year 2, Safe Harbor
Nathan Hale Middle School: Year 4, Safe Harbor
West Rocks Middle School: Year 2 Safe Harbor
Side by Side:  Year 4
Norwalk High School:  Year 5
Brien McMahon High School:  Year 5
Briggs High School:  Year 7

 *To make AYP, a school and its subgroups need to meet designated proficiency standards (approximately 80 percent this year).  A school can also make AYP through the “safe harbor” provision, by increasing the proficiency scores by 10 percent in all subgroups. 

Marks Seeks Collaboration with Unions

A version of this story appears on TheDailyNorwalk.com

I sat down with Susan Marks earlier this week to discuss school issues.  When the topic of contract negotiations came up, Marks went immediately to her bookshelf and pulled out the classic book on negotiations. “Getting to Yes” Roger Fischer and William Ury of the Harvard Negotiation Project.  “I support interest-based bargaining,” she said.  “I’m anxious to utilize this process here—it’s all about relationship building.”

Recently, the Norwalk Federation of Education Personnel, the union of the district’s support staff and the Norwalk Board of Education could not agree on terms of a new contract and went into arbitration, a process by which independent outside parties decide on the terms of the contract.

Marks explains that interest-based bargaining is about aligning interests and building trust. “The school district and the union have many similar interests,” says Marks.  “For example, we both want children to do well in school.  We both want teachers to be happy.  This is our outcome.”

“Getting to Yes”, a bestseller since it was published in 1981, focuses on four basic principals:  separating the people from the problems, focusing on interests not positions, generating options for mutual gain, insisting on using objective criteria.

This type of bargaining is collaborative and requires a team approach says Marks.  “Two parties do not sit across the table in an adversarial way.  They sit next to each other.” Marks calls the method a “mind shift” from the traditional adversarial approach.

Marks says that she is “passionate” about this method, which was used in Montgomery County, the Maryland school district where Marks worked for many years.

“It took a lot of training and time, but through blood, sweat and tears, we got to a point where now [in Maryland] the teachers' union and the district write the contract together,” says Marks. “There is no mediation needed.”

In the midst of talking about negotiations, Marks got up and pulled another book from her shelf, “Choosing Civility: The Twenty-five Rules of Considerate Conduct", by P.M. Forni of the Johns Hopkins Civility Project.  “I want to create a culture of civility here, where people are nice to each other.”

“You can be honest, without being disrespectful,” says Marks.  “The three things people can always expect from me are-- I am polite, I speak my mind and I tell the truth,” says Marks.

Chiaramonte Criticizes Unions

Board of Education member Jack Chiaramonte says he wants people in Norwalk to know he is not happy with the school district’s unions.  “They have given us nothing,” says Chiaramonte who heads the committee that negotiates contracts with them.

In recent weeks, the Norwalk Federation of Education Personnel has been outspoken in its criticism of the BOE.  The NFEP, which represents 425 aides, clerks, secretarial and support staff, says it has been without a contract since July 2009 and has not received the salary increase and benefits it “deserves."  Since the BOE and NEFP have been unable to come to agreement on the terms of their contracts, the two parties have entered into arbitration. In arbitration, an independent body will now decide the outcome by the end of the summer.

Chiaramonte, however, sees matters differently.  He suggests the unions need to pay attention “to what is going on in this country.” “People are losing their homes. Things are still bad out there.  I’ve seen my business tumble,” says Chiaramonte who owns a restaurant in South Norwalk. “Instead of everybody coming together and giving a little, we have the unions who dictate what they want.”

“We can’t afford what they want,” says Chiaramonte who disagrees with Donna Riddell, the NFEP president's characterization of the negotiation process as “demeaning and unfair.”  “It's nonsense.  We couldn’t come to an agreement. That is why we have gone into arbitration. That is the way to get a fair result.”

He is not singling out the NFEP, but includes the teachers and administrators union in his admonition. He says that all the unions “stand together.” “They come to us and say ‘we will not giveback until you do XYZ.  Their package has strings attached.’”

The unions, including the NFEP, say they are being treated unfairly, in part, because two top administrators, Faye Ruotolo, director of Human Resources and Tony Daddona, Assistant Superintendent recently received three percent raises in the form of furlough days.  Chiaramonte responds, “At least they gave us the furlough days. What did the unions give back? They gave us nothing-- a big goose egg.”

“The BOE can only afford so much. The taxpayers can only afford so much,” concludes Chiaramonte.  “Otherwise, it’s the children who end up losing.”

Summer School Goes Online

A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com

Kahdijah Scott actually likes summer school better than regular school. "It's quieter and there are less distractions," says Scott, a Norwalk High School junior who spends part of her day retaking English online.

Scott is one of eight students taking part in online summer school, a pilot project initiated by the state Department of Education and the Norwalk Public Schools for the first time this year. The department is working with Florida Virtual School on a credit recovery program. The district is focusing solely on English this year, but may expand to all core subjects in the future.

Scott studies basic composition, editing, vocabulary and grammar on a computer in the high school computer lab with the assistance of an online teacher. Before the class started, Scott had to take a test to evaluate her level. "I think I'm doing more at summer school than I do regularly," says Scott, who is in summer school for the first time.

"Students work at their individual pace, partner with one another or peers from all over the globe to peer edit and discuss work," says Robert Polselli, Director of Technology for the Norwalk Public Schools, who initiated the project this year. "They also call their virtual teacher to discuss topics and to read aloud."

Polselli , who did his doctorate in online learning, says e-learning is a good option for summer school students.  In general, he thinks that online learning provides a "viable means to improve the learning opportunities to a more diverse population of learners." The program will be evaluated at the end of the summer.

"It's an interesting approach," says Rick Fuller a senior English teacher at Norwalk High, who oversees the program.  Fuller says he acts more like a facilitator while the students take their class online. "My role is different. The kids have more independence with it." He also says that the courses are surprisingly challenging and there is considerable attention to detail.

Fuller says the online class may not work for everyone. "We chose kids that are motivated. It may not work for kids that are not as independent."

What do you think about online summer school classes, online classes in general?  Do they provide an alternative for kids that need remediation, or kids that need an extra challenge? 

Bruce Kimmel Analyzes Test Scores

Norwalk school officials are in the midst of a detailed analysis of this past year’s CMT and CAPT tests. So far, based on preliminary discussions, it seems the district has been treading water; improvement in some areas, regression in others. It does appear, however, that there has been some improvement in closing the achievement.

Now that we have a new Superintendent, I believe it would be worthwhile to look at these test results differently than in the past. In recent years, most discussions of CMT scores have focused on the percentages of students in different categories and then comparing these percentages to past years. For instance, if the percentage of fourth graders at the proficiency or goal levels increased, the district would conclude that there has been improvement.

But this type of conclusion is superficial and can mask trends and accomplishments among students. While it is a necessary first step, it barely scratches the surface of what’s going on in our schools. In fact, relying on this type of comparative analysis – which is, in part, a consequence of federal law -- can create a variety of problems. New York State provides an excellent example of what can happen if test scores are viewed exclusively through the framework imposed on the nation by the federal No Child Left Behind legislation.

According to federal law, districts are judged by the percentages of students moving from one category to another, such as basic to proficiency, or proficiency to goal, and very little else. The key for states, districts and individual schools, if they are to remain in good standing with the federal government, is to have a certain percentage of students above proficiency. How much students actually improve over the course of a year – generally called a Growth Model – has not yet replaced the federal framework, even though New York City has been piloting such a model for a few years, and with excellent results.

But back to New York State: Several years ago, state education officials noticed there were extremely large clusters of students just below the proficiency level on the reading and math exams. So they adjusted the cut downward; that is, they made it easier to reach the proficiency level. Scores, of course, improved drastically across the state and many schools were able to avoid federal sanctions, even though students were not learning more.

But the problem didn’t stop there. New York, like Connecticut and other states, does not change the types of questions on its standardized tests from year to year. This is done to facilitate valid comparisons over time. However, as districts, schools and individual teachers inevitably become familiar with certain types of questions, they are better able to prepare their students and scores go up. The tests administered last year in New York and Connecticut have not changed much in the last five years.

As information leaked out regarding New York’s testing procedures, outside experts began to examine what was going on. One examination concluded that because of the decision to lower the cuts (which, by the way, also happened in other states), New York’s proficiency level was actually lower than the basic level on the federal government’s main test, called the National Assessment of Educational Progress. And recently, a study by Harvard commissioned by New York found that the recent improvements were “illusory.” As a result, New York officials have announced they will recalibrate how they score their tests.

(Two or three years ago, thousands of New York students answered the same number or a few less questions correctly compared to the previous year’s test, but still managed to move from basic to proficient. To put all this in perspective: Twenty years ago, New York elementary students who scored below the 20th percentile nationally in math were usually held over. In 2009, according to Harvard researchers, students who scored roughly in that same percentile were counted as proficient.)

Back to Norwalk: I do not believe state officials adjusted the cuts to artificially raise scores. But nonetheless, relying on the percentages of students in different  categories sheds little light on student achievement. What the district needs to do is perform detailed analyses of the raw scores, or what are sometimes referred to as scale scores, of our students.

By focusing on this type of data, which I assume is available, the BOE can examine the progress of individual students, cohorts or subgroups as they move through the system. It also provides information about the effectiveness of schools and teachers. Put in more traditional terms, the current system of scoring does not fairly distinguish between the student who goes from 69 to 70 and the student who goes from 40 to 69. The former is applauded for reaching proficiency; the latter is (statistically speaking) deemed a failure.

The BOE spends months on the operating and capital budgets. In contrast, the academic achievement of our students, as measured by standardized tests, is discussed one or two times during a school year. It would probably prove productive, not only for Board members but also for the general public, to examine these test scores with the same degree of diligence that is reserved for the budget.

Support Personnel Lack Contract

A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com

Norwalk Public School support personnel have been without a new contract since July 2009 and they think it’s not fair.  Donna Riddel, President of the Norwalk Federation of Educational Personnel, spoke during the public comment section of the Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday evening.  “The way we have been treated for the last year is deplorable, demeaning, unfair and quite frankly unacceptable.”

The NFEP represents 425 aides, clerks, secretarial and support staff and are the second largest bargaining unit in the city, after the teachers’ union.  The NFEP is asking for a salary increase and improved benefits that they say they “rightly deserve.” The union and BOE’s negotiations committee could not come to an agreement about the contract terms and negotiations are now in arbitration--to be decided upon by an independent body by the end of the summer.  The union members work under their old contract until the new terms are decided.

In her public statement, Riddell said, “this arbitration cost could have gone towards the funding of the economic package instead of lining the Board’s lawyers pockets.”

Riddel who has been secretary to the principal at Tracey Elementary school for the 20 years, also takes issue with the recent contracts awarded to two top administrators that awarded a 3 percent raise in the form of furlough days.  “The Board of Education voluntarily provided rich contracts to the Assistant Superintendent and Human Resources Director,” said Riddel, also remarking that the support personnel are “the lowest paid employees."

“I am sensitive to the economic times, but how could the administrators get such contracts?” said Riddell after the meeting.  “We are supposed to be in it together.”

BOE Negotiations Committee chair Jack Chiaramonte could not be reached for comment and Jodi Bishop-Pullan, a member of the committee said that she could not comment on negotiations since they are confidential.

High School Scores Stagnate

A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com

There was not much good news in the 2010 Connecticut Academic Performance Test results.  According to analyses provided by Diane Filardo, Testing and Evaluation Specialist and Superintendent Susan Mark, the needle has not moved much on test results either over time or from last year to this year.  In this way, Norwalk mirrors the stagnant CAPT results across the state.

The State Department of Education released the results of the CAPT last Friday. All Connecticut grade 10 students are required to take this standardized test that measures math, science, reading and writing. The scores are measured as advanced, goal, proficient, basic and below basic.

There was backwards slide in Math.  Only 31 percent of student met “goal” compared with 37 percent last year and 32 percent in 2007.  There were modest gains in science and reading “proficiency”, but not at “goal”.  The one spot of encouraging news was in writing--51 percent of students of reached "goal" as compared to 40 percent last year.

Filardo says that some progress has been made in narrowing the achievement gap for African American and Hispanic students. In addition, Norwalk has a higher percentage of its minority students achieving proficiency and goal than their peers across the state.  Still, the gap remains significant in Norwalk and statewide.  For example, in reading, 58 percent of White students achieve "goal", whereas 19 percent of Norwalk's African-American students and 24 percent of Hispanic student achieve the same measure.

For Marks, the lackluster scores stress the importance of rigor and high expectations for all  students.  “We need to make sure all kids are being expected to achieve at a high level.”  says Marks.  "In my expericence, the gap has narrowed in places where this inclusion happens." Marks says this means a challenging curriculum and getting more students ready for Honors and Advanced Placement classes. “There should be no gatekeepers.  My goal is increase all students in those classes.”

The State, too, is planning to address the stagnant scores and increase the rigor of the high school curriculum over the next several years.  This past May, a legislation was passed that would increase the graduation requirements for high school.  In addition, Connecticut recently adopted national standards that would increase the amount of material to be taught in all grades K-12, but with a special emphasis on high school. 

Percent of students at/above “Goal”

                                Norwalk         State
Grade 10
Math 2007                      32            45
Math 2010                      31            49

Science 2007                 35            45
Science 2010                 34            46

Reading 2007                 36            46
Reading 2010                 37            46  

Writing 2007                    41            53
Writing 2010                    51            60

Mastery Tests Show Gains Over Time

A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com

Diane Filardo, Norwalk's Testing and Evaluation Specialist, has spent the last few days analyzing the 2010 Connecticut Mastery Test results and says that Norwalk elementary and middle schools scores are continuing to trend upwards and that the gap with state averages-- while still present—is closing.

The State Department of Education released the results of the CMTs last Thursday. All Connecticut public school students are required to take these standardized tests that measure math, reading and writing in grades 3-8. Science is tested in grade 5 and 8. These tests are used to determine if a school makes "adequate yearly progress" under the federal No Child Left Behind law. Under NCLB, Norwalk is a district "in need of improvement." The scores are measured as advanced, goal, proficient, basic and below basic.

In elementary math, the strides are particularly noteworthy. While the scores are by and large part similar to last year's results, they show considerable improvement from 2006. For example, only 47 percent of third graders met "goal" in math in 2006. This year it was 64 percent—a 17 percent gain. Grade 5 math showed a notable increase, posting a 10-point gain in goal from 2009—58 percent to 68 percent.

Elementary and writing reading scores are also increasing over time but not at the same pace as math. Fifth grade reading was particularly "disappointing" according to Filardo. The scores went from 58 percent at "goal" last year to 55 percent this year. "I am not happy with the literacy scores," said Dr. Susan Marks, Norwalk's new superintendent, who considers these scores a "baseline" for her work in the district.

Middle schools posted some significant increases from last year. Grade 7 "goal" scores went up in all areas, most notably from 51 to 63 percent in math. In reading, grade 6 scores went up 8 points in reading but down in math. Filardo said grade 8 scores did not look as good--there was a backwards slide in math and writing from last year.

Filardo also said that a higher percentage of Norwalk's Hispanic students reached "proficiency" (a measure beneath goal) compared to their peers statewide across the grades in all content areas.

Percent of Students at  Goal

                     2010 Norwalk     2010 State     2006 Norwalk     2006 State
Grade 3
Math                   64                     63                      47                     56
Reading              51                     57                      46                     54
Writing               56                     58                      53                     61

Grade 4
Math                   62                     67                       44                      59
Reading              54                     60                       46                      58
Writing                59                     64                      52                      63

Grade 5
Math                  68                     73                       51                       61
Reading             55                      62                      53                       61
Writing              65                      68                     60                        65

Grade 6
Math                  53                     71                      47                        59
Reading             66                     75                      57                        64
Writing              51                     66                      56                        62

Grade 7
Math                  63                     69                      40                         57
Reading             71                     78                      57                         67
Writing              49                     61                      46                         60

Grade 8
Math                  54                     68                       42                       62
Reading             61                     73                       57                       67
Writing              45                      63                      54                       45

Marks Opens Her Door

A version of this story appears in The Daily Norwalk

Dr. Susan Marks, Norwalk’s new superintendent, is starting her third week on the job and has already visited 10 of the city’s 19 schools.  “I’m information gathering but people also want to meet me,” says Marks whose first official meeting with the Board of Education is on Tuesday evening. 

Marks believes in openness and visibility.  So much so, that she has rearranged the furniture in her large office so that her desk faces the always-open door allowing her to see and be seen by passersby.  “Hello there, I’ll be right with you,” she says to appointments as they enter her assistant’s waiting area.

“I’ve been meeting with principals, walking through buildings and talking about programs,” says Marks, who has so far visited Norwalk High School, Brien McMahon High School, Nathan Hale Middle School, West Rocks Middle School and, Tracey, Kendall, Silvermine, Fox Run, Jefferson and Rowyaton Elementary schools..  “I’m hearing a lot about the need for support, consistency of messages, and professional development,” she said. 

In addition to schools, Marks has met with leaders from Norwalk Community College, Stepping Stones, Norwalk Education Foundation and Norwalk Children’s Foundation. “I’m reaching out and building relationships,” she says.  “We need to find money for the school system,” she says.  “We need to look for public and private funds.”  In fact, Marks has already begun writing an application for a Smaller Learning Communities grant, a federal grant for large public high schools to create smaller tailored programs within the larger school to improve student achievement. 

Marks who previously worked as Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources in Montgomery County, Maryland, a much larger district than Norwalk, says she has noticed differences between the two systems.  “There is not as much alignment and central office consistency here.  I keep hearing that every school does its own thing.”

She says while there are naturally “less people to do everything”, she wonders why curriculum writers only work 11 months.  She also questions why there is no summer school for elementary school children.  “I understand it may be because of budgets, but education is really a 12 month thing.”  Marks also says she is accustomed to more “formality” meaning more communication in the form of memos. “As superintendent, I would expect that.”

“I have been hearing ‘this is the way we’ve always done it,’” says Marks.  “ I am most interested in results so maybe we have to look at things differently.  I respect the way things have been done.  We have to take off from there.”