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Achieve 3000 Evaluation
August 2023
Achieve 3000 was used for the first time, district-wide, during Fall of 2020 as a virtual tool to improve grade six through twelfth grade students' text comprehension skills and increase knowledge of academic vocabulary words. The goals for Achieve 3000 support Fulton County's Every Child Reads initiative that seeks to implement curriculum and strategies aligned to the Science of Reading. The ideal outcome of the program is to have students reading on or above grade level. At the middle school level, students use the program in science and social studies. It is used in English Language Arts classes and science and social studies at the high school level.
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Every Child Reads Year 2 Evaluation Brief
Jully 2023
This evaluation aimed to gain insight into teachers' interactions with different elements of the initiative. The evaluation also focused on support and the obstacles encountered in delivering high-quality reading instruction to all students. Furthermore, the district wanted to have information about RELA teachers' understanding of the requirements of the initiative's components and their confidence in effectively utilizing resources provided by the district. By exploring these inquiries, district leaders can precisely understand critical areas that require attention to drive educational improvements in literacy district-wide.
The Department of Program Evaluation (DPE) contracted Gibson Consulting to conduct this evaluation. The findings in this brief were abbreviated from their Evaluation Report.
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Grading Policy Evaluation
July 2023
Fulton County Schools (FCS) implemented new changes to the grading policy to begin in the 2022-2023 school year. An implementation evaluation was conducted to learn about stakeholders’ experiences with the new policy. The New Teacher Project (TNTP), an independent non-profit organization, was contracted by the district to conduct an implementation evaluation on the grading policy. The district compiled three evaluation questions to guide its research.
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I-Ready Impact Evaluation
February 2023
The i-Ready program by Curriculum Associates has two components: i-Ready personalized instruction and the i-Ready diagnostic assessment. The personalized instruction component provides interactive lessons based on the skill levels of individual students. The diagnostic assessment is a nationally normed adaptive formative assessment that can determine initial skill levels for personalized instruction and provides a general assessment of student achievement levels and growth. I-Ready has universal screening assessments that collect information to determine a student’s overall academic performance level and identify students who may benefit from additional services or supports to meet their learning needs. The i-Ready diagnostic has been used as a universal screening assessment in FCS.
The Department of Program Evaluation (DPE) contracted with Georgia State University’s Metro Atlanta Policy Lab for Education (MAPLE) to conduct this impact evaluation. The findings in this brief are abbreviated from their evaluation report.
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2022 FOCUS Summer Learning Research Brief
January 2023
Background: As part of the Fulton County School’s FOCUS Plan, the district designed more rigorous and larger-scale summer learning opportunities to accelerate learning and curb learning loss that occurred during the pandemic. The elementary and middle school Summer Learning was focused on math and reading skill recovery, while high school Summer Learning was dedicated to credit recovery.
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FOCUS 2021-22 Evaluation Synthesis Report
This report summarizes and synthesizes program evaluation efforts of the review team at Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. (Gibson) related to the FOCUS Plan from 2021-22. Gibson’s program evaluation covered several elements within the FOCUS plan, including the following: Summer Learning 2021, Curriculum Mapping and Assessment related to Learning Acceleration, High-Dosage Tutoring/Small Group Instruction, and Extended Learning Time (ELT). This report aggregates each report's essential elements into a synthesis that offers a picture of each program.
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STEM Magnet Schools Evaluation
Completed August 2022
Background: Fulton County Schools opened two STEM magnet high schools in the fall of 2021: Global Impact Academy (GIA) and Innovation Academy (IA). The schools had a unique goal: to encourage students to explore their passions and talents by providing multiple high-demand Career Technology Pathways that incorporate design thinking with an integrated STEM curriculum.
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Fulton Academy of Virtual Excellence (FAVE)
Completed August 2022
Background: FAVE was designed for families of students in grades 3-11 that prefer remote learning as the permanent instructional model for their child(ren). Teachers and students work remotely, utilizing a mix of synchronous and asynchronous instruction to meet grade-level and graduation requirements. The COVID-19 Pandemic learning disruption demonstrated that many students learn successfully through remote learning due to its “anywhere/anytime” approach.
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Every Child Reads, Year 1 Evaluation Brief
Completed July 2022
Background: In 2021, Fulton County Schools (FCS) implemented Every Child Reads (ECR) as a new campaign to "recover" literacy learning in response to educational challenges and disruption resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. ECR focuses on improving literacy instruction in FCS through evidence-based instructional practices and materials and concentrates on the National Reading Panel's "Five Pillars of Reading," which includes phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
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2021 FOCUS Summer Learning Research Brief
January 2022
Background: As part of the Fulton County School’s FOCUS Plan, the district designed more rigorous and larger-scale summer learning opportunities to accelerate learning, support students in the adjustment back to in-person learning, and curb learning loss that occurred during the pandemic. The elementary and middle school Summer Learning was focused on math and reading skill recovery, while high school Summer Learning was dedicated to credit recovery.
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2021 PBIS Evaluation Brief
June 2021
Background: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, data-driven framework proven to reduce disciplinary incidents, increase a school’s sense of safety, and support improved academic outcomes. The premise of PBIS is that continual character education instruction, combined with acknowledgment or feedback of positive student behavior, will reduce unnecessary discipline and promote a climate of greater productivity, safety, and learning.
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2021 Student Success Skills Research Brief
June 2021
Background: The Student Success Skills Framework (SSS) was developed in the 2017-2018 school year. Staggered implementation began in September 2020 and January 2021 with the expectation that SSS instruction would take place for a total of 40 minutes per week over 2+ days. SSS outlines FCS established standards for the skills necessary to demonstrate mastery of academic and interpersonal skills needed for college, career, and life success. The Student Success Skills fall into these categories: Adulting Skills; Soft Skills; and Social Emotional Learning.
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2021 Talented and Gifted (TAG) Brief
June 2021
Background: The Fulton County Schools gifted program considers the “unique learning characteristics, interests, personal needs, and capabilities of gifted children” to address their additional learning needs. This program provides specialized educational experiences that accelerate and enrich the traditional school curriculum.
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2021 Standards Mastery Framework Research Brief
June 2021
Background: Fulton County Schools takes a school-focused, decentralized approach to instruction. The curriculum is not standardized across the district, and schools and teachers have a fair amount of choice in delivering instruction. The development of the Standards Mastery Framework (SMF) began in 2015 to increase mastery for teachers, enhancing teacher learning which, in turn, impacts student learning.
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2021 Literacy Framework Evaluation Brief
Completed June 2021
Background: The Literacy Framework is a district-developed framework designed to provide a roadmap for instruction in the five pillars of reading and writing to ensure that all students read at or above grade level. There are two parts to the framework, one for elementary (K-5) and another for secondary (6-12). District literacy leaders created the Literacy Framework along with RMC Research in the spring of 2015. The initial implementation of the framework began in the fall of 2015, followed by more professional learning in 2016-17. The focus of the professional learning was to ensure systems, structures, and processes were in place for the LF, including a schedule breakdown of time dedicated to literacy and an emphasis on the five pillars of reading. A train-the-trainer model was utilized with principals, Curriculum Support Teachers (CSTs), and coaches to disseminate professional learning to teachers.
