Franklin Middle School
In what could be described as a pre-emptive strike, the Hillsborough School District has made some big changes at one of its Middle Schools. To head off any chance of falling onto the state's list of critically low performing schools, the instructional program has been changed at the school.
In "Assignment: Education".. Bill Ratliff tells us what's taking place at Franklin Middle School.
This was the scene at Franklin Middle School in Tampa, with less than a week before school. Teacher Beverly Burnett and of teacher Dorothy Danzey work to get Burnett's classroom ready for the new school year. Motivational signs and rules signs are going up on this day. What you don't see are the changes in how these teachers will be teaching.
This is Sulpher Springs Elementary. Last year it went to a new instructional program that included extended class time.. school day.. and school year. The goal was to get the school off the state's list of critically-low performing schools. It worked. Sulpher Springs came off the list this year.
Now.. The same approach is being taken at Franklin Middle School. But it's not on the state's list. So why the change? Superintendent Earl Lennard says student test scores at Franklin had declined over the last three years.
--[Supt. Earl Lennard says:] ".. and so we would like to see the test scores and some of the other instructional programs move along a little quicker."--
And Lennard says while there be more emphasis and focus on instruction at Franklin, at least 50 percent of the students will also be put in advanced classes.
According to Franklin's new principal, the rationale behind that is to challenge the middle schoolers.
--[Principal Sandra Williams says:] "If you set the bar high enough and expect that that student can perform at that level he will. --
And what does a veteran teacher like Dorothy Danzey think of all the changes?
--[Bill Ratliff off camera asks:] "Pretty confident the test scores will go up?" [Teacher Dorothy Danzey says:] "Sure they will. They certainly will." Bill Ratliff, Newschannel 8.
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