Running head: LAKEVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1

Lakeview Elementary School: Report Analysis

Melissa Perlman

EDU515 Measurement and Metrics

Dr. Niralee Patel-Lye

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Lakeview Elementary School: Report Analysis

This analysis will comprehensively discuss Lakeview Elementary School based on its

2013/14 school report. The intent of this paper is to recognize patterns and analyze areas in need

of improvement utilizing the concept of Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM). The major

trends outlined in the school report concern declining standardized test scores and a less than

desirable attendance rate mixed with chronic absenteeism. After identifying areas in need of

change, the importance of the data analyzed will be discussed and linked to objectives that the

school is trying to achieve.

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Lakeview Elementary: School Description

Lakeview Elementary School is a primary school situated in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Waterbury is classified as an urban residential area located in the northwestern part of the state.

Lakeview Elementary is part of the Lakeview School district which spans roughly 25 square

miles. Lakeview Elementary houses grades K-3 and is accredited by the State of Connecticut

Department of Education. Lakeview began operation in the fall of 2003 and an addition was

included in 2011. Based on the data from 2013/14, Lakeview Elementary has 1,173 students

enrolled to date. The school has 530 female students and 643 male students, making up 45.2%

and 54.8% of the entire student body, respectively. Lakeview Elementary has a culturally-

diverse student body with an ethnic breakdown as follows: Hispanic 69.9%, Black/ African-

American 20.6%, White 4.4%, and Asian 5%. The teacher population is not as ethnically-dense

as the student body with a breakdown as follows: White 50%, Hispanic 37.5%, Black/ African-

American 11.3%, and Asian 1.3%.

Within the aforementioned student body, English Language Learners make up 37.2% of

the school’s population. 11% of students at Lakeview Elementary are considered disabled with

an Individualized Education Program (IEP), which is 2% less than the district average of 13%.

IEPs are a byproduct of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2006 which allows for

special-needs learners to have an individualized educational experience (Slade, Eisenhower,

Carter, & Blacher, 2018). When compared to the district average, Lakeview has a 47.1%

occurrence rate of disabled students who spend 79.1 to 100% of their time with non-disabled

peers. This is vastly different than the 38.2% occurrence within the district. Lakeview

Elementary is labeled as high-poverty. 100% of its students receive free/reduced lunch.

Lakeview Elementary: School Values, Objectives, and Tactical Strategies

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Lakeview Elementary School has a solid set of values ingrained in the philosophy of the

school’s day to day operations. The following statement summarizes the school’s overall

mission:

Our staff is committed to excellence, as they work to prepare our students to achieve
their future educational and career goals. 79.4% of our staff has a Master’s degree and
90% of our courses are taught by teachers who are certified in the subject area. Our
students are encouraged to strive for excellence every day: in the classroom, on the
athletic fields, and in the community. As our students work to begin their future, they
leave Lakeview ready to face the 21st-century economy.

The school recognizes that, “mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health are essential for

optimal learning,” and that, “high-quality education produces responsible citizens and vibrant

communities”. Lakeview Elementary parameters revolve around what is best for the student

body. The school prides itself on honoring relationships and cultural diversity, treating others

with respect, being an institution of integrity, responsible resource allocation, open

communication, and striving for excellence daily.

Based on the school’s objectives, Lakeview aims to prepare each student for their middle-

school and continuing years of education. The goal of the organization is for each student to be

able to read, write, use critical thinking skills, and problem-solving as their education continues.

These students are to be molded into well-rounded individuals with a passion for learning and

contributing to the community on a global scale. Each student is to be recognized for their own

set of skills, interests, and abilities. Below is a list of tactics which Lakeview Elementary plans

to implement so that the institution remains in line with its values and student objectives. The

tactics have been pulled directly from the 2013/14 report as follows:

1) We will develop and implement an engaging, innovative, and rigorous curriculum that

will optimize learning.

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2) We will adopt a system-wide approach to inspire and empower students beyond

traditional academics.

3) We will engage all facets of the community as partners and align people and resources

strategically to maximize impact.

In order for these objectives to be met and strategies to be implemented, it is important that

decisions based on data and analysis are made by educational leaders.

Data Analysis: Current Issues Impacting Lakeview Elementary School Performance

According to Ikemoto and Marsh (2007), “DDDM in education typically refers to

teachers, principals, and administrators systematically collecting and analyzing data to guide a

range of decisions to help improve the success of students and schools” (p. 108). Lakeview

Elementary needs to utilize data-focused and analysis-focused methods of DDDM while

examining its overall performance in a complex-sense (Ikemoto & Marsh, 2007). The most

important issues to be addressed are Lakeview’s poor test scores and sub-par levels of attendance

mixed with chronic absenteeism. Another issue involves the school’s increasing student

population paralleling with the school’s lack of resources. However, it is important to note that

students understanding core concepts and showing up for class are the school’s main priorities at

present.

The Connecticut Department of Education recognizes 15 performance indicators which

an institution should abide by. Lakeview Elementary has 3 of the potential 15 indicators. A

School Performance Index (SPI) is considered up to par with Connecticut testing standards at a

target value of 88. According to the Lakeview Elementary School report, the school’s overall

performance score is considered challenged at 42.7. Standardized test scores are poor based on

data pulled from the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) scores when compared to Connecticut’s
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target SPI value. From the 2009/10 school year to the 2012/13 school year, Lakeview’s SPI has

only jumped from 40.8 to 42.7, an increase of 1.9 points.

Lakeview Elementary School has an attendance rate of 83.3% with a relatively high

occurrence of chronic absenteeism based on statistics from the 2013/14 school report. 16.2% of

the school’s female population and 17.0% of the male population are considered to be chronic

absentees. Chronic absentees are defined as missing 10% or more of Lakeview’s 182 school

calendar days. Of these absentees, Black/African-American students comprised 17.4% followed

by Hispanic students at 16.8%. 15% of English Language Learners and 25.4% of the disabled

student population are also labeled as chronically absent. 190 of the school’s 1,173 students

were classified as chronic absentees. In the 2012/13 school year, 147 students were classified as

truant. Interestingly enough, the Lakeview Elementary suspension/expulsion rate is at 7.2%

compared to the district’s overall rate of 15.9%.

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Teacher performance and attendance are on par with district standards. As a matter of fact,

qualified teachers deliver 100% of the core subjects at Lakeview Elementary. This is more than

the district average of 97.8% teacher qualification standards. However, an attendance rate of

83.3% may have an impact on students fully grasping lesson concepts. Combine this with the

fact that for the 61.1 full-time general education faculty there are only 0.8 instructional

specialists who support teachers. The school is struggling financially and already much of their

resources go towards classroom instruction and nourishment for students who cannot afford

lunch. As the student body continues to grow, the school will keep facing lack of funds needed

to harbor a successful learning environment.

While Lakeview Elementary has a solid set of objectives and plans to move forward, the

institution is currently at a standstill. Stiggins (2006) states, “We assess to gather evidence to

inform instructional decisions and to encourage students to try to learn. Both purposes must be

well served for schools to be effective” (p.2). The school cannot expect their K-3 students to be

prepared for middle-school and continuing education if concepts are not being grasped by the

student body. CMT scores show that students are not understanding core concepts even though

they are being taught by well-qualified instructors. The lack of inspirational and motivating

instruction may contribute to the 83.3% attendance rate and chronic absenteeism. More

instructional support needs to be provided to teachers and curriculum delivery is in need of

further development. As for responsible resource distribution, it seems the school needs to come

up with ways for students to become well-rounded in ways alongside academia. Many students

are impoverished and may benefit from extracurricular activities to keep them engaged during

classroom hours.

Importance of Data Analysis: Lakeview Elementary’s Current Situation

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The data extracted from this report is very important because it paves the way for valid

insights to be made concerning school-wide issues so that Lakeview can begin to make decisions

on how to progress forward. According to Stiggins (2008), “Decades of increasingly

sophisticated technical advances have resulted in a deep understanding of how to produce, scale,

and interpret test scores that consistently and accurately reflect the intended achievement target”

(p.2.). The CMT data is important because it shows that there is an obvious lack of

understanding regarding material taught every year. The numbers have barely moved showing

that test preparation needs to be improved upon or lesson delivery is in need of construction. It

is helpful that Connecticut has an SPI standard so that Lakeview can see where they stand

compared to other schools within the district and state.

Knowing the attendance rate combined with rates of chronic absenteeism is important

because it is another factor which may contribute to lower test scores. Classroom instruction

aside, if a large percentage of students are frequently absent, this can aid in explaining poor

school performance. The more data and variables which can be analyzed, the more there is for

educators to base their decision-making upon. According to Ikemoto and Marsh (2007),

“Educators might utilize multiple types of data, including: input data, such as school

expenditures or the demographics of the student population; process data, such as data on

financial operations or the quality of instruction; outcome data, such as dropout rates or student

test scores; and satisfaction data, such as opinions from teachers, students, parents, or the

community” (p.108). In essence, the data compiled within the school report allows for the issues

concerning test scores and attendance rates to be understood. Without this data, Lakeview would

be unable to analyze patterns and make decisions concerning the well-being of their K-3

students.
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Conclusion

Lakeview Elementary School is undoubtedly struggling. This is plainly seen from the

school’s standardized test scores, attendance rate, and overall school performance being well

below state standards. School leaders need to make decisions which will positively impact the

student body or performance will continue at a sub-par level at best. Classroom instruction and

delivery need to be better constructed so that concepts are not only understood but made

interesting to the learner. Resources should be allotted in a way that is more effective so that

students are motivated to remain in school, especially as the student population continues to

increase. The availability of statistical data allows for educational professionals at Lakeview

Elementary to practice DDDM and hopefully put the school on a successful track in line with its

objectives and strategic plan.

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References

Lakeview Board of Education. (2014). 2013-2014 Lakeview Elementary School profile.

Retrieved from https://post.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-4237633-dt-content-rid-

31563882_1/courses/EDU515.301086045299/Rubrics%20%26%20Assignments/

Elementary%20School%20Data%20for%20Strategic%20Planning.pdf

Slade, N., Eisenhower, A. a., Carter, A. S., & Blacher, J. (2018). Satisfaction With Individualized

Education Programs Among Parents of Young Children With ASD. Exceptional

Children, 84(3), 242-260. doi:10.1177/0014402917742923

Stiggins, R. J. (2006). Balanced assessment systems: Redefining excellence in assessment.

Portland, OR: Educational Testing Service.

Stiggins, R. (2008). A call for the development of balanced assessment systems. Assessment

Manifesto. Portland, OR: ETS Assessment Training Institute.

Ikemoto, G. S., & Marsh, J. A. (2007). Cutting through the “data-driven” mantra: Different

conceptions of data-driven decision making.