Oklahoma Struggling Schools Choose 5th Option for SIG

OKLAHOMA CITY and BALTIMORE, April 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Success for All Foundation (SFAF) today announced a new partnership with five schools in Oklahoma City's Western Heights Public School District, funded by the USDOE's School Improvement Grants (SIG) for Priority and Focus schools.   Mr. Joe Kitchens, Superintendent of Western Heights Public Schools, reacted when he found out his district was awarded the grant, "Knowing of the significant positive academic change that has taken place across America in schools that have adopted the Success for All reform model, I was ecstatic at the moment we heard of the State Board of Education's decision to fund our school system.  So much so---that I hugged the SDE official in charge of school improvement in front of the State Board of Education.   I believe it was a great moment for Western Heights District."  

High poverty, low-achieving schools are eligible for SIG federal funds, which include 5 different options for schools to improve student achievement.  These five Western Heights schools and SFAF have partnered for a 4-year commitment to improving academic outcomes, and making sure every student is successful under the SIG grant's 5^th option.  This 5^th option allows schools to adopt an evidence-based whole-school reform strategy while keeping their principal and current staff in place (unlike the other 4 options which require firing the schools' principal and teachers).   By opting for the SIG 5^th option, schools can choose to adopt a "proven whole-school reform model" that meets at least a moderate level of evidence support, which includes having been tested against a control group in at least one rigorous experiment. The 5^th option will let schools keep their leaders and staffs, but adopt a school-wide approach that has been used in many similar schools and found to be effective.

SFAF provides extensive professional development for school leaders and teachers, and curriculum proven to improve academic achievement that includes standards and supports for instruction and learning, school leadership, student nonacademic issues, and family and community engagement. It is named as an approved provider for the SIG 5^th option by the DOE.

Last year, SFAF partnered with Briggs Public Schools (also using SIG 5^th option funding) in neighboring Tahlequah, OK.  When asked how he selected the Success for All program for his schools, Superintendent Mr. Stephen Haynes said, "I came to this district as a new superintendent and saw strong staff, and a resilient community, but struggling students.  I didn't want to replace the staff in the schools, so we chose the SIG whole school reform model to improve student outcomes by implementing a research proven program and using the schools' existing staff."   Since then, they have shown growth in the percentage of students reading on grade level from 34% to 68%. 

About Success for All Foundation

Founded in 1987, the nonprofit Success for All Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that every child, from pre-kindergarten to grade 8, becomes proficient in reading and learning – opening up new doors for a lifetime of achievement. Not only has SFA been proven time and again to help with student reading ability and math performance, it also addresses non-academic concerns, improving behavior, attendance and parental involvement.

For more information about Success for All, go to http://www.successforall.org.

Contact:
Kenly Novotny
410-616-2440
[email protected]

SOURCE Success for All Foundation