BY DANA DiFILIPPO
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Cincinnati Public Schools' strategy of team-basing -- in which students stay with the same teachers for several years -- didn't improve student achievement in its first year, according to a study presented to school board members Monday.
Teachers at the eight schools that implemented team-based schooling last year said they spent more time on administrative needs than instructional issues, the study found.
The findings did not surprise district administrators, who say they didn't expect immediate results.
"We do expect to see some improvements this second year, especially among the eight schools" that piloted the team-based program, said Kathleen Ware, associate superintendent for instruction and strategic planning. She said she hopes to see significant achievement gains within five years.
The district hired the Consortium for Policy Research in Education, a coalition of universities, to evaluate the team-basing effort. The study cost $160,000. An evaluation of the second year of team-basing is expected to cost $194,208.
Despite the administrative and achievement concerns, team-based teachers reported collaborating more with their peers than non-team-based teachers, researchers found.
They also said they discussed teaching more, had more chances to observe each other teach and felt more involved in school decision-making processes.
Team-basing also helped teachers more effectively diagnose students' problems, focus more closely on promotion standards and create a family atmosphere in school, the study reported.
Jonathan A. Supovitz, a University of Pennsylvania researcher who presented the findings Monday, urged district administrators to more visibly support the team-basing model. District leaders also should adopt a policy to restructure teams when they aren't effective, he said.
Team-based schools are one of several tools administrators are using to boost student performance under the district's five-year strategic plan, Students First.
At many district schools, fewer than 10 percent of students have passed all sections of Ohio proficiency tests.
Under the model, teams of teachers stay with a common group of students for several years. Schools get more autonomy over staff and resources.
The eight schools studied were Bramble Developmental Academy, Crest Hills Year-Round School, Gamble School, Hyde Park School, Hughes Center, Shroder School, Swifton School and Vine School. Twelve more schools adopted the team-based model this year, and 20 more plan to implement it next year.
Researchers visited the eight schools and surveyed teachers and administrators in all 79 of the district's schools. "We do expect to see some improvements this second year.' -- Kathleen Ware, associate superintendent for instruction and strategic planning
