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AED 519
Instructional Leadership
Analysis and Synthesis of an AEIS Report
and the 2013 Accountability System
In order to examine the educational significance of the AEIS Report, answer the following questions
according to the information found on the report.
1) Determine the academic standing of the school.
George Washington Carver 6th Grade STEM Learning Center Academic Rating is Improvement Required.
2) Identify the major areas of need.
GWC needs improvement in Math and Reading scores. According to the Performance Index, GWC did not
meet Index 2: Student Progress.
3) Identify the major areas of strength.
GWC exceeded Index 1: Student Achievement. The English Language Learners (ELLs) population equally
matched or outperformed the overall campus. Other strengths included are 99% testing participation which is
comparable to the state and higher attendance rates than the state or district.
4) Where does evidence of sustainability occur?
Currently, I do not see much data to support sustainability but I will update this question once I see evidence
of it.
5) Identify and considerations concerning the instructional staff.
Sixty-three percent of our instructional staff are beginning teachers. This is a major concern when the
schools academic standing is listed as Improvement Required (IR). My concerns are as follows:

How can GWC recruit experience (more than 5 years) and exceptional instructors to insist the school
in raising its standard performance with TEA?

What instructional strategies could be implemented that would increase students performance?

What can our instructional leaders do to retain key staff?

Besides Region X, Lancaster ISDs staff development, and etc.,what other professional development
think outside the box can be provided?

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6) How are programs affected by budgeting issues? How will others be affected?
Of course, the school budget is geared toward the STEM programs such as our synergetic lab (it increases
rigor) and a large portion of our budget is for the SPED Department (the lowest performing on the STAAR
exam,)
7) What are possible affecting situations facing the grade levels?
The grade level is impactful within itself because there is only one grade. The entire staff has only one
calendar school year (equivalent to 8-9 months) to make a behavioral and academic impact with the students.
Also, the retention rate of our teachers is affecting the grade level. The teachers are not returning for the
following school year. With this, new teachers have to learn the rules, policies, and culture of the
environment. When teachers are learning, the students are witnessing the teachers weaknesses and will hone
into them.
8) Is mobility an issue? No. It is not.
9) Is attendance an issue?
No. Attendance is not an issue. The school has one of the highest attendance rates in the school district and
within the state of Texas.
10) Identify and discuss at least two other areas that might impact the school in the upcoming year.
The Special Education Department is an area of concern for GWC. If our scores do not improve this year,
we will remain on the IR list. It has been discussed that our AP and Principal may not return if the scores
have not met standards as well as all teachers will have to apply for their jobs again. This will certainly
change the dynamics of the school. We need consistency. According to my research, the school has had a
new principal every year for the past last five years, except for these past 1.5 years. Another indicator is the
girls are outperforming the boys. In our meeting, it was suggested to perform pull-outs for our African
American boys. If we could get the African American boys to increase their scores by 14 points overall, we
could possibly be in good standings with TEA.

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Part II
Investigate the explanation of the new accountability system, find your school AND district 2013 report.
Provide a 2-3 page (double-spaced, 12 point Times New Roman) explanation about the differences between
the new reports and the AEIS report. Also, explain the report from your district. Submit your paper AND
your districts 2013 accountability report.
From my findings and interviews with my principal, Ive concluded that the AEIS report was not
accurate nor helpful when researching the data of George Washington Carver (GWC) 6th Grade STEM
Learning Center. According to Principal Hurd, GWC is going on its third year in existence. Prior to it being
a STEM Learning Center, it was an all fourth grade center. Comparing the AEIS reports with the schools
history, the data matches perfectly. The AEIS reports do not have the appropriate school name. The Campus
Name is the New Middle. This is also at the time when Lancaster ISD redistricted its schools.
Needlesstosay, the data for AEIS is missing or inaccurate. I believe that AEIS will phase out within the next
two years and TEA will use TAPR.
To further understand my schools academic rating status with TEA, I pulled its School Report Card
(SRC) for the 2012-2013 school year. The snapshot of the school was simple and easy to understand. Unlike
the AEIS report, the School Report Card gave me the three indexes that our school would be scored on to
determine its academic rating. The SRC provides all the same information as the AEIS; however, the format
and look is much cleaner and easier to read. Furthermore, the AEIS report could be considered outdated. As
an administrator, I believe the SRC is a simple and clean document that I would share with my staff. I think
it is important for the staff to have a snapshot on our ratings (without going into too many details) and the
SRC provides that. The staff can immediately see the School Information and Rankings. It focuses on the
weaknesses and the staff can hone into that as they brainstorm action plans to improve them.
Another report that I pulled was the Texas Academic Report Card (TARC). This report was 95%
exactly like the AEIS in format and reporting data. Ive noticed that TARC had the correct name of the
campus as well as the reporting academic rating status on the front page (this was not listed on the AIES
report.) TARC has confirmed the exact academic rating as SRC, which is Improvement Required.
Compared to the districts TAPR report, the district Met Standard; however, it stated a PBM Special
Education Monitoring Results Status on the first page under the rating. The monitoring status noted that
local interventions implemented were needed. The suggestion is being enacted at GWC. In their lesson

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plans, teachers must create tiered interventions weekly. Also, Math and ELAR classes must use the
iStation and Study Island programs for 1.5 hours weekly within their classrooms. The game-simulated
programs adjust the kids level according to how they answer the questions. For example, if a student
continues to get answers correct, the program will increase the difficulty of its questions and curricula. The
last intervention strategy that has been implemented are pull-outs. The Math Intervention Specialist, Ms.
Chandler pulls 5 students out of their elective classes to give them small-groups in targeted TEKS. I am
hoping these strategies not only meet the districts intervention requirements but will also help remove GWC
off the IR list.
Considering GWCs Improvement plan from LISD, their interventions closely matches the districts
Vision 2020 Key Strategy. It states, We will provide a customized learning environment to ensure that
all learners reach self-sustaining learning potential. (LISD 6th Grade Center Improvement Plan
2013-2014) The customized learning is evident using using tiered pull-outs offered by the Math Intervention
Specialist. Also, Lancaster ISD will provide students with opportunities to use information and
communication technology to develop skills for productivity, creativity, critical thinking and
collaboration (LISD 6th Grade Center Improvement Plan 2013-2014). An indicator of this goal
implemented is in the weekly use of the iStation and Study Island electronic programs. These programs chart
the students growth and show mastery of TEKS that are aligned with TEA. Utilizing technology enhances
the instruction. It also gives 21st century skills. These skills are collaboration, critical thinking, creativity,
and communication.
In reflection, I will need to assess all reports in order to obtain a broader picture in moving forward
for my school. I do see the importance of including teachers in reviewing basic reports to under how
their school is rated. Although this is my first year at GWC as a Department Head it would have been
beneficial to have seen my schools academic rating. I would have set a different goal. Data is not only
beneficial but also crucial in raising the bar or setting higher standards. I am certain that if the staff at GWC
were aware of the data, our school would have improved instead of decreasing within two years. What do
you think the data says?

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