Profile
Warfield Elementary
Details
Where: Indiantown, Florida
Type: Suburban
District: Martin School District
Grade Level: K-4
Demographics: 75% Hispanic, 17% Black, 5% White
67% Limited English Proficient
96% Free or Reduced-Price Lunch
(Florida Department of Education, data from 2005-06 school year)
Contact: Loreen Francescani, Principal
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Highlights
Warfield Elementary School uses an inclusive, English immersion approach for their English learners, the majority of whom are of Guatemalan descent and speak either Spanish or one of several Guatemalan Indian dialects, which lack a written language. Distinctive features of the school include:
- A continuous improvement model for instruction; data disaggregation and analysis, facilitated by a reading coach and writing/math coach, drive all instruction
- Instructional calendars for all content areas and grade levels that show standards being taught, instructional activities, and assessments to monitor student progress
- A schoolwide reading program based on an external model along with a core textbook series
- Data available to teachers on fast turnaround, either in profiles produced by the reading coach or through reports from district and state databases
- Whole group instruction based on the instructional calendars, combined with flexible small group instruction based on students’ needs
- Interventions provided within the classroom, including several that are technology-based
- Instructional strategies that are research-based; for example, a vocabulary program that is based on Isabel Beck’s research
- All teachers with an ESOL endorsement on their teaching certificates
- Paraprofessionals who speak the children’s native languages to ease the transition into school and support teachers in working with students
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Summary of Approach
Practices covered:
- Screen and Monitor Progress
- Provide Reading Interventions
- Teach Vocabulary
The school has accomplished a complete turnaround over a nine-year period. In 1999, Warfield adopted a literacy-focused, systematic, comprehensive reform process that accelerates reading achievement of ALL students. This introduced the staff to data-based instructional planning, which has been a key ever since.
Warfield uses a variety of reading assessments to monitor the progress of all of their students, including their English Learners. Together these assessments cover all the key components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) that are relevant at each grade level. Teachers administer the assessments and the school’s reading coach is responsible for data entry and getting results to teachers.
The heart of what they do is to assess mastery and then group to build the next set of skills. All students are provided a minimum of 90 minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction daily, which includes time for whole group instruction as well as small group differentiated instruction. Writing is also a focus at Warfield and is taught every day.
Vocabulary instruction has been one area of focus and illustrates their emphasis on research-based strategies. They have learned from Isabel Beck’s research through study groups and piloting, and now use instruction based on her research. All classes have important words identified using Beck’s criteria that they are learning each week.
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Achievement Data
Warfield is a restructured school. It has gone from a D school in 2001-2002 to an A school in 2004-2005. All subgroups at Warfield have demonstrated increases in the number of students proficient in both reading and mathematics over the last five-year period. As a result of these extraordinary increases in proficiency, Warfield has met criteria for AYP in all subgroups as set by the state of Florida for No Child Left Behind. (Florida Department of Education, data from 2006-07 AYP Report)
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