Louisiana Tech University/Monroe City Partnership for School Reform
Louisiana Tech University is supported by BOR  for a K-16 Partnership for School reform project with Carroll and Wossman High schools in the Monroe City School System. The vision that unites the Partnership is that these schools will be transformed in such a way that the academic and career aspirations of the students attending them will be elevated to the extent that the pursuit of postsecondary education becomes a logical and expected outcome of high school graduation. Guided by that vision, the mission of the Partnership is to
increase the SPS of both schools to 100 by 2009.

The mission of the Partnership is supported by the following program goals which are the same for both Partnership schools:
1. Increase the percentage of students achieving basic or above on the GEE 21 math assessment to 68% (currently 33.9 at Carroll and 50.9 at Wossman) by 2009;
2. Increase the percentage of students achieving basic or above on the GEE 21 English assessment to 68% (currently 40.9 at Carroll and 45.9 at Wossman)by 2009;
3. Increase the number of students achieving basic or above on the math component of the iLEAP (grade 9) to 68% (baseline not yet available, goal based on GEE data) by 2009;
4. Increase the number of students achieving basic or above on the ELA component of the iLEAP (grade 9) to 68% (baseline not yet available, goal based on GEE data) by 2009;
5. Increase the average daily attendance to 96% (Currently 87.8 at Carroll and 88.2 at (Wossman) by 2009; and
6. Decrease the dropout rate to 3.6% (Currently 71 at Carroll and 5.4 at Wossman) by 2009.

Managed by a widely representative Partnership Council, The Partnership will address barriers that inhibit academic success through a systemic approach that mutually engages students, teachers, faculty, parents, and the community.

The Partnership initiatives fall into three broad categories as follows:

Project 100: Student Learning and Achievement;
Project 200: Nourishing Cultural Change, and;
Project 300: Strengthening School/District Leadership.

Within these broad areas, the following specific projects will be undertaken:

Project 101: ELA Professional Development Project
Project 102: Mathematics Professional Development Project
Project 103: EPAS Professional Development Project
Project 104: After School and Saturday Tutoring Programs
Project 105: Accelerated Reader Programs
Project 201: Summer/Academic Year Learning Projects
Project 201.1: Summer Enrichment Camps
Project 201.2: Academic Year Explorers Clubs
Project 201.3: Family Camp Nights
Project 202: College Connections
Project 203: Family Math, Science, ELA Nights
Project 204: Community/School Celebrations
Project 301: EDCI 589C: Data Driven Leadership for School Improvement and Professional  Learning Communities
Project 302: PD for Guidance Counselors

The design of these projects for Year 1 are based on current school data, and were developed in collaboration with school and district personnel. Year 2 and Year 3 will continue using data to drive the shared planning and decision making that will be the hallmark of this partnership.

About Louisiana Tech University/Monroe City Schools Partnership for School Reform:

Even in a state where one in every three children lives in poverty and, according to the
Anne E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count 2004, conditions for children are among the worst in
the nation, the city of Monroe stands out. Louisiana Tech University seeks funding to support a partnership with two of the high schools in Monroe where fully 70% of the children attending those schools live in poverty as evidenced by their eligibility for free or reduced priced lunch. These underserved children perform at lower levels on State and national tests, and have higher than average dropout rates. Reflecting the research, many live in homes where there is little parental involvement in the child’s education and where there is a general lack of intellectual stimulation (Hossler, Schmit, and Vesper, 1999). Not surprisingly, according to the Louisiana Accountability System, both Carroll High School and Wossman High School earned Academic Warning performance labels in 2004 with School Performance Scores (SPS) of 55.1 and 57.5 respectively. In a needs assessment survey conducted in conjunction with the planning phase for this proposal, both school principals indicated that social and economic disadvantages were among the top reasons that their students did reach “world-class achievement levels”.  

During the initial planning for the Louisiana Tech University/Monroe City Schools
Partnership for School Reform (the Partnership), university and school district personnel
assessed reform needs at these schools by examining existing school plans in relation to
accountability data. School personnel were surveyed and follow-up interviews were held with
university and district staff. These reviews validate what the research emphasizes, that careful school-based planning that promotes “whole school” and “whole student” approaches is required to achieve and institutionalize systemic reforms in underperforming schools. Therefore, the specific activities and initiatives of the Partnership will be tailored to the needs of the individual schools as determined by continuous collaborative school-based planning. Specific weaknesses and gaps identified through the planning process include system-wide low aspirations; the need to strengthen classroom, school, and district leadership; and student behavior problems. Although the Partnership is seeking Board of Regents (BOR) support as a Selective Reform project, clearly a comprehensive package of reforms is necessary to effect change in the Partnership schools. As a result, the funds requested through this proposal will be used to support multiple reform initiatives that are fully integrated with and guided by school based planning with the full support of the university, school district, and the community. The strength of the Partnership is founded in a unified vision for these schools where these integrated activities address, in a converging manner, the broad array of needs identified.

While the effectiveness of the project will be quantitatively evaluated through the
Accountability System, the vision that unites the Partnership is that these schools will be
transformed in such a way that the academic and career aspirations of the students attending them will be elevated to the extent that the pursuit of postsecondary education becomes a logical and expected outcome of high school graduation. Guided by that vision, the mission of the Partnership is to increase the SPS of both schools to 100 by 2009.

The mission of the Partnership is supported by the following program goals which are the
same for both Partnership schools:
1. Increase the percentage of students achieving basic or above on the GEE 21 math
assessment to 68% (currently 33.9 at Carroll and 50.9 at Wossman) by 2009;
2. Increase the percentage of students achieving basic or above on the GEE 21 English
assessment to 68% (currently 40.9 at Carroll and 45.9 at Wossman)by 2009;
3. Increase the number of students achieving basic or above on the math component of the
iLEAP (grade 9) to 68% (baseline not yet available, goal based on GEE data) by 2009;
4. Increase the number of students achieving basic or above on the ELA component of the
iLEAP (grade 9) to 68% (baseline not yet available, goal based on GEE data) by 2009;
5. Increase the average daily attendance to 96% (Currently 87.8 at Carroll and 88.2 at
Wossman) by 2009; and
6. Decrease the dropout rate to 3.6% (Currently 7.1 at Carroll and 5.4 at Wossman) by
2009.

The Partnership will address barriers that inhibit academic success through a systemic
approach that mutually engages students, teachers, faculty, parents, and the community.
The Partnership initiatives, described more fully in the work plan, are designed to accomplish the project goals and fit into three distinct, yet interrelated and mutually supportive categories which are briefly described below. It should be noted that Monroe City was recently awarded $5 million to implement a six-year GEAR UP project. With those funds, similar initiatives will be implemented at the Junior High schools that feed the Partnership schools. Cooperative planning with their GEAR UP project ensures long-term sustainability of Partnership initiatives and contributes to system-wide institutionalization. Each initiative addresses specific objectives of the K-16 PSR program individually. As a whole, these integrated and interdependent initiatives are designed to achieve the vision and goal of this project by elevating student learning and achievement.