Like most states, Tennessee schools are overloaded with economically disadvantaged children and thus in need of highly effective teachers, i.e., teachers who produce above-average achievement growth–especially in preK-3. Without such teachers, disadvantaged kids typically start behind and stay behind.
The good news is that there are schools throughout the country that train the teachers they hire to become highly effective. Steubenville, OH is a prime example. Over 80% of their students are economically disadvantaged but all learn to read well by third grade. Nationally, only about 1/3 of all students reach that benchmark.
So, how does Steubenville do it? They make sure that their teachers are trained in effective practices, and they systematically track the results. Success for All is the district’s choice for the all-important early reading instruction; and by taking the same approach year after year, Steubenville ensures that virtually all students, including those labeled disadvantaged, stay on track for 3rd grade proficiency.
So, why aren’t more schools doing the same? The primary reason is that few districts are as careful as Steubenville about ensuring the effectiveness of their reading instruction. Most rely primarily on the training teachers get from their teacher preparation–programs that are typically inconsistent, unaccountable, and antagonistic toward packaged programs like Success for All.
Data published by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) illustrates the problem.