ExCELExcellence: A Commitment to Every

Learner

Hesperia Unified School District

(760)244-4411, ext. 209

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND 100% of Students Proficient by

the year 2014

At least 95% of Special Education Students participating in State Assessments

 

THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATIONWASHINGTON, D.C. 20202

April 16, 2002

Jim Huckeba, Ph.D. Director of Special Services Hesperia Unified School District 9144 Third Avenue Hesperia, CA 92345-3634

Dear Dr. Huckeba: It was an honor to meet you recently in New Orleans at the National School Boards Association annual convention. I am looking forward to receiving the information on IDEA that we discussed during the convention. It is an honor to be serving our great nation as the Secretary of Education. As Secretary I am enjoying the opportunity to work to fulfill President Bush's vision for restoring local control to America's school systems and to provide a safe and fair learning environment for every child. We are at a pivotal time for education in America, and I am grateful to be able to be working with so many people across the country dedicated to improving America' s education system.

Thanks for all that you are doing to ensure that no child in Hesperia is left behind.

 

 

Our mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the Nation.

Purpose To increase the opportunity for

all students at-risk of school failure to become at-promise within the general education environment.

Strategies

To increase the capacity of teachers to serve at-promise youth in the general education classroom.

To improve the reading performance of at-promise youth.

To improve the personal responsibility and behavior of at-promise youth.

WHERE TO START Belief system that is proactive. Focus on what is important.

Traditional service delivery models are

inefficient and expensive

Fragmentation

Overregulation

Why ExCEL?

Fragmentation

Categorical Programs

Resource Pull Out

Traditional Reading Groups

Overregulation Learning Disability Discrepancy

Formula

Fail First Approach

School On The Mesa

Special Education Data

A Search for Solutions

Success for All

Neverstreaming

ExCEL

What is ExCEL?

Early Intervention, Prevention and Acceleration Using Research Proven Strategies

Based on frequent assessment of all students

Students are clustered by assessed instructional need

What is ExCEL? Ongoing Staff Collaboration

Data Based Decision Making

High Academic Expectations

Belief That All Students Can Learn

Benefits of ExCEL

No more waiting for students to fail before receiving services

No more falling through the cracks

No more waiting for a label to receive services

Benefits of ExCEL

Improved Academic Achievement Decreased Special Education Expenses Decreased Behavior Problems Improved Student and Staff Morale Improved Student and Staff Attendance New Teacher Support No Additional Cost

Staff Collaboration

COLLABORATION WEDNESDAYS

Minimum day each week. Promotes collaboration between whole staff, grade levels,

and curriculum committees. Offers ongoing dialogue relating to curriculum, instruction,

and student achievement. Provides opportunities for lesson planning and data review. Commitment to decrease Staff Absences. Staff recognizes

the importance of consistent attendance.

Staff Collaboration

COLLABORATIVE TEAM MEETING Meet in grade level teams

Review assessment data to determine:

Achievement levels of students in reading and math

Establish team goals

Standards Based Instruction

K-12 Pacing Plans based on the California Content Standards.

Fontana Focus Lessons

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Elementary Schools

First Year API Growth

Target Growth

Car CW Euc HV JC Jun King LS Map MG MT Top

Base 551 534 512 622 531 608 571 580 569 671 587 504

2000 624 599 584 724 549 691 649 650 616 699 648 554

2001 620 631 599 628 571 703 666 666 621 713 668 590

2002 680 676 643 688 603 742 697 676 670 729 734 601

2003 718 675 690 716 683 780 713 714 707 771 765 660

2004 713 664 716 728 689 784 689 702 717 773 743 681

Car = Carmel JC = Joshua Circle Map = MapleCW = Cottonwood Jun = Juniper MG = MapleEuc = Eucalyptus King = Kingston MT = Mesquite TrailsHV = Hollyvale LS = Lime Street Top = Topaz

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

Car CW Euc HV JC Jun King LS Map MG MT Top

Base

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

0

50

100

150

200

250

Carmel Cottonwood Eucalyptus Hollyvale Joshua Circle Juniper Kingston Lime Street Maple Mesa Grande Mesquite Trails Topaz

Elementary Schools

BaseGrowth

Growth from Base Average148Growth

Growth From Base Average 147

K-12 SST REFERRALS--54%

0

50

100

150

200

250

SST's

1997199819992000200120022003

Elementary RSP & SDC Students HUSD Pupil Count -- 55%

050

100150200250300350400450

ElemResource

Elem SDC

1998199920002001200220032004

Elementary Special Ed Percentage

00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

44.5

5

Resource Self Cont

199920002001200220032004