Home > Successes > Waterford / SuccessMaker > Whittier Elementary School

Whittier Elementary School

Location and District Description

• Whittier Elementary School is located four blocks from the west side of Chicago in Oak Park, Illinois. The school is a part of the Oak Park Elementary School District which is located 10 miles west of the Chicago Loop.
  
  

• At the district level, there are approximately 4,940 students enrolled in two middle schools and eight elementary schools. The district serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade with an attendance rate of 96 percent.
  
  
• Statistics for the district show the student population is 2 percent Limited English Proficiency (LEP), 18 percent Individualized Education Program (IEP), and 17 percent low income. The district has a mobility rate of approximately 16 percent. The demographic makeup of the district is 60 percent Caucasian, 32 percent African American, 4 percent Hispanic, and 4 percent Asian.
  
  
• The district has been honored with the "SchoolSearch™ Bright Red Apple™ Award of Excellence" for the ninth year. The award is based on five important factors: (1) Academic Performance, (2) Pupil/Teacher Ratio, (3) Expenditure Per Pupil, (4) Educational Level of Teachers, and (5) Average Teacher Salary.

Site Description

Whittier Elementary School serves approximately 420 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school has an attendance rate of 96 percent.

• Statistics show that Whittier's student population is 1 percent LEP, 27 percent IEP in eight self-contained classrooms, 4 percent Hephzibah Children's Home, and 19 percent low income. Whittier Elementary School has a mobility rate of 12 percent.
  

Challenges Presented

• Whittier Elementary School identified the need to increase student's academic performance while incorporating technology in a meaningful way into instructional programs.
• Another challenge identified was to find a way to increase student's reading and math test scores.

Solution

Whittier researched quality instructional programs and found Pearson Digital Learning products met their criteria. The school implemented Waterford Early Reading Program™ and the SuccessMaker® program in 1997. Programs are funded by grants and Title I funding.

The Waterford program was first implemented in the Language Arts Resource Room in 1997. Waterford's Levels I and II were implemented in 1999 in multiage classrooms for kindergarten and first grade students; and later that school year, Level III was added. Waterford was expanded to special education and second grade classrooms in 2000. By 2002, the Waterford program was used by all elementary students.

During the first year of implementation of the SuccessMaker program in 1997, Title I students in third and fifth grades were selected to use the program. By 1998, all students in the elementary school were utilizing the program.

Results

Whittier Elementary School assessment scores based on proficiency percentiles were evaluated to determine a level of achievement in Waterford and SuccessMaker that corresponds to a passing score on state tests. Data indicates that performance is on the rise since implementing the programs.

The Test of Phonemic Awareness (TOPA) helps identify students who experience difficulty with phonemic awareness. This test was first administered to Whittier kindergarten students in 1998. Students who scored at or below the 30 percentile required intervention services. Students who scored between 31 and 50 percentile were in a watch status.

In summary over 3 years depicted in the graph below, the number of intervention students decreased 14 percent; watch students decreased 4 percent; and appropriately developing students increased 18 percent.

The SuccessMaker program was first implemented at Whittier to target Title I students in third and fifth grades for reading and math. Title I student's scores on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) have shown remarkable improvement and have met and exceeded standards. Due to these positive results, SuccessMaker was implemented to all students in third and fifth grades. The student's ISAT scores have shown significant increases in both subjects and have met and exceeded standards as well.

For third grade students, ISAT reading scores have increased from 68 percent in 2001 to 80 percent in 2005; IEP students scored 36 percent in 2001 to 70 percent in 2005 — a 34 percent increase. ISAT math scores have increased from 77 percent in 2001 to 86 percent in 2005; IEP students scored 42 percent to 75 percent — a 33 percent increase.

For fifth grade students, ISAT reading scores have increased from 70 percent in 2001 to 78 percent in 2005; IEP students scored 17 percent in 2001 to 64 percent in 2005 — an outstanding 47 percent increase. ISAT math scores have increased from 70 percent in 2001 to 88 percent in 2005; IEP students scored 17 percent to 55 percent — a 38 percent increase.

The graph below shows that students at Whittier have met and exceeded standards in language arts and math; and have surpassed students at the district and state level. In 2002, students scored an average of 72 percent. By 2005, student's scores increased to 82 percent — a 10 percent increase.

The Waterford and SuccessMaker programs work hand-in-hand and help students bridge learning gaps in language arts and math. The programs also enable teachers to give students additional assistance as an intervention to help meet and exceed standards. The students are more engaged and motivated in the learning process. Waterford and SuccessMaker has instilled a love of learning in the students.

Moving Forward...

Due to the positive results shown by students utilizing the Waterford and SuccessMaker programs at Whittier Elementary School, Oak Park Elementary School District has also implemented the programs in their district. The district purchased a site license for Waterford in 1999. By 2000, the district fully utilized the Waterford program in all eight elementary schools. The district has also increased the number of licenses for SuccessMaker from 28 to 75 in 2001. Three elementary schools implemented the SuccessMaker program and are currently doing beta testing.

Contact us for additional information on how Pearson Digital Learning can help you achieve results with SuccessMaker Enterprise and Waterford Early Learning.