Action Planning Template
Goal: Improve the 6th grade economically disadvantaged STAAR results in Math and Reading
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Define the 6th grade Economically Disadvantaged sub-population group by meeting with Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction	Felix Duran, Chad Rothbauer (asst. superintendent), Patrick Frank (site supervisor)	August 2013	AEIS Report and use DMAC to identify students	Create a spreadsheet of previous testing scores of sub-population group
Meet with 6th grade Reading and Math Teachers (including  STAAR Teachers) to inquiry about interventions and strategies	Felix Duran, Mrs. Hicks, Mrs. Trojack, Mr. Linn, Mr. Rodiek, & Ms. Kahnank	September 2013	Data from DMAC and AEIS report	Teachers will understand the plan of research. I will disseminate all needed information to teachers.  Also, I will follow with a journal of reflection.
Gain research from other middle schools in the area to see what resources or interventions are successful at their respective school	Felix Duran & surrounding middle schools	September 2013	Interventions and data from other schools	This will help gain a perspective of other districts after school programs, interventions, and strategies to determine if they could be successful at our middle school. Follow with journal reflections.
Begin to implement strategies and interventions	Felix Duran and 6th grade teachers	October 2013	After school tutor and computer lab	This will help determine research and make or add any additional changes to interventions. Follow with journal reflections.
Gather grades and data from six-weeks benchmarks and report cards to monitor progress of selected implementations and strategies	Felix Duran and 6th grade teachers	October 2013 – March 2014	DMAC reports and identified students spreadsheet that was created	This step will assist in gaining data on interventions. Make any necessary changes. This will also help to see if modifications/accommodations of any students need to be changed. Follow with journal reflections.
Administer STAAR Tests	Entire campus	April 2014	State Test	Testing results
Conduct Interviews of teachers 6th grade math and reading teachers (including STAAR teachers)	Felix Duran and selected teachers that participated	May 2014	Testing results and data collected	This will see if there was successful correlation of interventions/strategies toward the 6th grade economically disadvantaged students in Math and Reading
Analyze and interpret data and findings	Felix Duran	May 2014	Data, research, & interviews	This will help justify if implementations and strategies should be used towards 7th and 8th grade.
Share results and make recommendations	Felix Duran, Mr. Frank, and superintendents	June 2014	Data, graphs, and tables	I will share recommendations based on data and research to suggest implementation of selected interventions and strategies. I will also email results to all teachers in the middle school.

Revised:

What actions can the faculty take and how can implementation of interventions/strategies help increase the 6^th grade Economically Disadvantaged students STAAR scores in Math and Reading?

 

Week two EDLD 5301 RESEARCH:

 I was able to use the Dana text and videos to learn about how action research could impact a lot of different areas in a school setting. This also helped me narrow down a topic that I am interested in gaining more insight on. I was fortunate to be able to meet with both my superintendent and my principal to discuss and gain input on my proposed research project. We came to the conclusion that we would like to understand what “we” (our school district) could do to help increase our economically disadvantaged students STAAR results. My plan is to focus specifically on incoming 6^th grade student’s math and reading scores.

I look forward toward my research on this topic. I feel like it may be challenging, but my administrators were encouraging and offered support towards completion of this project. I am lucky to work for these types of leaders!!! Also during my reading in the Dana text, I came across a section of how Marion McCray used inquiry to find solutions to increase her lower quartile of students in exam scores. Most of these kids also fall into sub-population group I will be focusing on.

If you have any interventions that seem to be working for your respective school districts please let me know. This may work at ours as well. Also, if you could recommend any websites, articles, or other projects similar to mine it would be greatly appreciated.

Proposed Action Research Plan: How to improve the 6th grade economically disadvantaged students STAAR results in Math and Reading?

Any comments to evolve this plan would be great!!!

What I have learned about action research and how I might be able to use it

 In the last few days of reading the Dana text, I can say I have a working knowledge of term “action research.” In my words, I defined action research/inquiry as a cognitive concept to gain an understanding of a particular issue by asking questions and find a possible solution through data and research.  I still want to learn more about this cognitive framework as I progress forward in this course and into my master’s program.  By viewing quotes in the book, I was better able to bring the term into a better perspective for my understanding.  It seems like it is a lot of work and time consuming. However, the book provides suggestions and benefits that can help a school flourish. I learned that in order for a leader to be successful, one must be willing to be committed and be able to serve as a role model for teachers and students.  

 The book gives a variety of ways on how action research can make an impact on a school setting and I can see how I could use this when I become an administrator. One main way to use inquiry is to make a justified and collaborative decision to shape education in a school. This could be done through committees or leadership teams. A leader must also create a sense of “buy-in” from teachers if one is to create leadership teams or committees to research a “wondering”.  This will make it easier to facilitate any type of change.

 How educational leaders might use blogs

I admit that I have not used blogs for personal use. However, I can see a benefit of using a blog as an educational leader. One might use it to communicate with students on book reviews, homework, or a topic of choice. This is beneficial to students, because it will help create a more creative learning environment by being able to comment toward other students in a controlled setting. Teachers and administrators could use blogs to discuss issues at schools and to have discussions on teaching resources or practices.