Action Research Plan - update as of July 6, 2012

I re-posted my original Action Research Plan from March 17, 2012 so the updates would be more meaningful to readers.
In our Course EDLD 5301 we were asked to formulate an Action Research project and work on it throughout our internship. Periodically, other classes ask that we report on our progress and document the work being done and what impact our plan may have on our campus or in our district.

I am very happy with the outcome of my work on district committees to improve the 8th grade Technology Proficiency in Austin ISD.  When I began my research, I discovered that less than half of all 8th grade students passed the proficiency test adopted by our district.  While looking for an explanation for these dismal results, I discovered that only about 60% of students even took the exam.

The details are included in my Action Research document, however, I will outline the work briefly.
Questions: What can the district do to increase the proficiency test scores of 8th grade students in AISD to meet the requirements of NCLB, the Texas Long Range Technology Plan, and AISD eRateTechnology Plan.
 by 2013
Evidence 1.4.1 - 100% of 5th and 8th grade students take the online TLA in May. 70% of students will receive a "proficient" score.


Austin ISD has 19 middle schools.
May 2011 - Results

• approximately <60% of all 8th grade students were tested 

(2011-12 enrollment of 9th grades students compared to total number of students reported  test results.)

• <50% were proficient

While dissecting the data, these questions were raised.

• Why did some campuses successfully test the majority of their students and some campuses tested none of their students?
• Why did some campuses only test 20- 50% of their students?
• Why did <50% of the tested students pass the proficiency test?

I contacted several members of our technology support team and found that most had no idea why we were testing 8th grade students.  There was a large turnover of personal in that department and the lead person had left the district.
Once I provide key people with the actual details of our AISD tech plan, a committee was formed, I was invited to join, and we began meeting and formulating a plan for the 2012 testing period.

Our lead members from Instructional Technology, Josie Hughes and Deborah Rang led the charge by getting a document blessed by upper administration that was sent to all principals at the middle school campus.  This document outlined the importance of the testing and that is was not an "optional" test.
Counselors had been using the "busy" test for low performing students.

The 2012  preliminary results are very favorable and I will be analyzing the data later this summer.
However, the good news is that :

• every campus administered the test
• almost 75% of all students were tested

I expect that our proficiency rate increased as well. 

 Our committee will begin meeting earlier next year to implement a plan to use 5th grade student results to determine electives choices for students entering middle school.  

Recommendations from my Action Research Plan:

• that a technology rich CTE course be mandatory for students not demonstrating 5th grade proficiency.
• proficiency test administered in the fall and students not demonstrating proficiency be place in additional technology rich CTE course.

More details to follow.