First In Math® Case Study: Double-Digit Increases for School District of Philadelphia
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Data for the 2004-2005 school year again points to steady improvement, with many schools scoring double-digit increases in math proficiency. In addition, analysis of the data suggests that schools with high levels of participation in the First In Math® program posted higher increases in math proficiency.
During the 2003-2004 school year, the School District of Philadelphia implemented the First In Math® Online program in more than 2,600 third- through eighth-grade classrooms throughout the district, and the program proved to be a resounding success. Data for the 2004-2005 school year again points to steady improvement, with many schools scoring double-digit increases in math proficiency.
This year, the threshold for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) jumps to 45%, meaning that 45% of a school's student population is required to score at the "proficient and above" level on state standardized tests. The 2005 Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) results for the School District of Philadelphia showed a 14.7% increase in 5th grade students to 45.4% scoring at the proficient and above level. Improvement among their 8th grade counterparts was a 8.3% increase, for a total of 39.2% scoring proficient and above.
In addition, analysis of the data suggests that schools with high levels of participation in the First In Math® program posted higher increases in math proficiency.
CASE HISTORIES - Northwest Region
One of the largest regions in the district, the Northwest Region includes 31 schools, 355 classrooms and 12,780 students that were actively involved in the First In Math® (FIM) program.
After implementing the FIM program two years ago, ALL Northwest Region elementary and middle schools were able to meet government-mandated Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standards in mathematics for the 2004-2005 school year.
The region ranked second in the district in the First In Math® program, and exhibited dramatic increases in PSSA scores, with 22 of its 33 elementary and middle schools posting double-digit increases from 2004 to 2005.
5th grade student scores increased an average of 14.6%, mirroring the district's 14.7% increase. 8th grade student scores increased an average of 16.8%-double the district's 8.3% increase.
5th Grade
School District of Philadelphia Northwest Region Schools
(#2 FIM REGION - 4,381,872 Award Stickers Earned)
2005 - 2004 PSSA Test Scores in Math
Second Year In A Row with Double Digit Increases
School Name
% Proficient& up 2005
% Proficient& up 2004
% Change05- 04
Enrollment2004
# StudentsProficientand up2005*
# StudentsProficientand up2004
Charles W Henry School
71.1
55.4
15.7
57
41
32
Cook-Wissahickon School
76.6
69.1
7.5
59
45
41
Day, Anna B School
55.7
33.4
22.3
90
50
30
Dobson, James School
91.0
50.0
41.0
28
25
14
Edmonds, Franklin S School
91.7
55.0
36.7
106
97
58
Ellwood School
59.1
46.1
13.0
87
51
40
Fitler Academics Plus
84.2
50.9
33.3
59
50
30
Houston, Henry E School
49.3
33.3
16.0
82
40
27
Howe, Julia Ward School
71.1
76.8
-5.7
53
38
41
Jenks, John S School
54.7
37.2
17.5
53
29
20
Leverin,g William School
44.4
38.6
5.8
47
21
18
Lingelbach, Anna L School
53.0
51.9
1.1
54
29
28
McCloskey, John F School
41.3
18.4
22.9
69
28
13
Mifflin, Thomas School
66.6
46.4
20.2
30
20
14
Pennell, Joseph School
40.9
29.9
11.0
84
34
25
Pennypacker, Samuel School
49.0
45.7
3.3
89
44
41
Prince Hall
50.0
40.7
9.3
101
51
41
Rowen, William School
43.1
41.4
1.7
89
38
37
Shawmont School
79.7
67.2
12.5
71
57
48
Wister, John School
34.9
21.9
13.0
63
22
14
Total Students
1371
810
611
% Total Students Proficient and up
59.1
44.5
% Change Regionwide 2005 - 2004
14.6
* Assumes the enrollment figures for 2005 are the same as 2004.
8th Grade
School District of Philadelphia Northwest Region Schools
(#2 FIM REGION - 4,381,872 Award Stickers Earned)
2005 - 2004 PSSA Test Scores in Math
Second Year In A Row with Double Digit Increases
School Name
% Proficient& up 2005
% Proficient& up 2004
% Change05- 04
Enrollment2004
# StudentsProficientand up2005*
# StudentsProficientand up2004
AMY NW
68.6
32.2
36.4
92
63
30
Charles W Henry School
68.0
48.5
19.5
70
48
34
Dobson, James School
63.6
61.6
2.0
41
26
25
Fitler Academics Plus
63.0
58.5
4.5
55
35
32
Hill-Freedman
89.7
84.7
5.0
79
71
67
Houston, Henry E School
45.6
44.1
1.5
87
40
38
Jenks, John S School
77.4
55.6
21.8
57
44
32
Leeds, Morris E MS
33.7
17.5
16.2
209
70
37
Levering, William School
68.3
43.3
25.0
64
44
28
Mifflin, Thomas School
64.5
47.2
17.3
36
23
17
Shawmont School
72.5
50.5
22.0
93
67
47
Wagner, Gen Louis MS
63.3
50.0
13.3
298
189
149
Widener Memorial
81.9
14.3
67.6
28
23
4
Total Students
1209
742
539
% Total Students Proficient and up
61.4
44.6
% Change Regionwide 2005 - 2004
16.8
Northwest Region's 16.8% increase in 8th grade is double the School District of Philadelphia's increase of 8.3%.
* Assumes the enrollment figures for 2005 are the same as 2004.
NORTHWEST REGION SCHOOLS:
5th Grade Highlights
Dobson, James School. The school experienced a significant increase of 41% on the PSSA in 2005, as Dobson 5th grade students scored 91% proficient and above, up from 50% in 2004.
Edmonds, Franklin S. School. 5th grade students at Edmonds School performed extremely well on the 2005 PSSA in math, they scored a whopping 91.7% proficient and above. This represented a 36.7% jump from the previous year of 55% proficient and above.
Fitler Academics Plus is a great example of how FIM can become part of a school's culture and motivate students to achieve above and beyond in mathematics. Fitler 5th grade students scored 84.2% proficient and above on the PSSA in 2005, a difference of 33.3 percentage points from 50.9% in 2004.
8th Grade Highlights
AMY Northwest. 8th grade students PSSA results showed tremendous improvement through a 36.4% increase from 32.2% proficient and above in 2004 to 68.6% proficient and above in 2005.
Levering, William School. Levering School presented a 25% increase in PSSA results, from 43.3% in 2004 to 68.3% in 2005 for 8th grade students testing proficient and above in math.
Widener Memorial School. This is an excellent example of the diversity of FIM when implemented in a school setting with students who have special needs. Widener is a school for the physically disabled, and many of the students also have cognitive issues, from brain injuries. Widener 8th grade students scored 81.9% proficient and above on the PSSA in 2005, an increase of 67.6 percentage points from the previous year of 14.3% proficient and above.
CASE HISTORIES - Northeast Region.
The Northeast region includes 20 schools, 364 classrooms and 13,104 students that were actively involved in the First In Math® (FIM) program. These students were the top performers in the FIM program-ranked #1 for 2004-2005. The Northeast Region's PSSA test scores showed steady improvement. 5th grade student scores increased 13.6%, close to the district's 14.7% increase. 8th grade student scores increased 10.7%, exceeding the district's 8.3% improvement.
5th Grade
School District of Philadelphia Northeast Region Schools
(#1 FIM REGION - 5,089,341 Award Stickers Earned)
2005 - 2004 PSSA Test Scores in Math
School Name
% Proficient& up 2005
% Proficient& up 2004
% Change05- 04
Enrollment2004
# StudentsProficientand up2005*
# StudentsProficientand up2004
Comley, Watson
74.2
61.8
12.4
70
52
43
Crossan, Kennedy C.
89.6
64.3
25.3
60
54
39
Decatur, Stephen
69.5
44.9
24.6
179
124
80
Farrell, Louis H.
67.4
67.0
0.4
104
70
70
Fitzpatrick, Aloysius
60.4
37.1
23.3
166
100
62
Fox Chase
68.0
45.1
22.9
56
38
25
Frank, Anne
84.9
85.1
-0.2
140
119
119
Greenberg, Joseph
83.3
56.7
26.6
69
57
39
Hancock, John
89.0
82.6
6.4
72
64
59
Loesche, William H.
89.1
70.4
18.7
147
131
103
Moore, J. Hampton
64.7
56.7
8.0
172
111
98
Rhawnhurst
77.8
72.3
5.5
72
56
52
Rush, Benjamin MS
24.4
12.5
11.9
49
12
6
Solis-Cohen, Solomon
64.5
50.0
14.5
151
97
76
Spruance, Gilbert
60.4
53.5
6.9
145
88
78
Total Students
1652
1174
949
% Total Students Proficient and up
71.1
57.4
% Change Regionwide 2005 - 2004
13.6
* Assumes the enrollment figures for 2005 are the same as 2004.
8th Grade
School District of Philadelphia Northeast Region Schools
(#1 FIM REGION - 5,089,341 Award Stickers Earned)
2005 - 2004 PSSA Test Scores in Math
School Name
% Proficient& up 2005
% Proficient& up 2004
% Change05- 04
Enrollment2004
# StudentsProficientand up2005*
# StudentsProficientand up2004
Baldi, CCA MS
73.3
62.7
10.6
393
288
246
Farrell, Louis H.
75.3
67.0
8.3
101
76
68
Greenberg, Joseph
82.3
75.0
7.3
85
70
64
La Brum, Gen J. Harry
41.8
30.1
11.7
126
53
38
Rush, Benjamin MS
51.4
41.8
9.6
326
168
136
Spruance, Gilbert
51.5
45.6
5.9
134
69
61
Wilson, Woodrow MS
59.2
45.3
13.9
476
282
216
Total Students
1641
1005
829
% Total Students Proficient and up
61.2
50.5
% Change Regionwide 2005 - 2004
10.7
Northeast Region's 10.7% increase exceeds the School District of Philadelphia's increase of 8.3%.
* Assumes the enrollment figures for 2005 are the same as 2004.
NORTHEAST REGION SCHOOLS:
5th Grade Highlights
Crossan, Kennedy C. School. Crossan 5th grade students showed a dramatic increase of 25.3% in PSSA scores, as the school went from 64.3% to almost 90% (89.6%) students proficient and above.
Decatur, Stephen School. 5th grade students at Decatur school presented a 24.6% increase in PSSA scores by scoring 69.5% proficient and above in 2005, as compared to the previous year of 44.9%.
Fitzpatrick, Aloysius. Fitzpatrick School witnessed an amazing increase in 5th grade from 37.1% to 60.4% proficient and above-a 23.3% jump to make AYP.
Greenberg, Joseph School. The school experienced an increase on the PSSA from 56.7% of students proficient and above in 2004, to 83.3% of students proficient and above in 2005.
8th Grade Highlights
Baldi, C.C.A. Middle School. Baldi Middle School is another great example of how FIM can motivate students at the middle school level to achieve higher levels of success in mathematics. Baldi had the #1 FIM student (a 7th grader) in the nation last year. 8th grade students from Baldi scored 73.3% proficient and above on the PSSA in 2005-a 10.6% increase from the previous year of 62.7%.
La Brum, General J. Harry Middle School. Last year, La Brum Middle School participated in the piloted FIM Winner's Circle, an incentive program designed to increase student achievement with FIM through weekly drawings and prizes. 8th grade students showed an 11.7% increase in PSSA scores last year, from 30.1% in 2004 to 41.8% in 2005.
Wilson, Woodrow Middle School. The school experienced a 13.9% increase on the PSSA in 2005, with 8th grade students scoring 59.2% proficient and above-up from 45.3% the previous year.
