The Baldwin County Public Schools’ Four Part Plan:

Your child’s academic success is of paramount importance to the Baldwin County Public School System! Over the past four years, under Mr. Eddie Tyler’s leadership as superintendent, backed by an unprecedented commitment from our Baldwin County Board of Education, we have implemented a four-part academic success plan, which is a holistic academic initiative that is designed to help students, teachers, and administrators be the very best they can be. The four parts to the plan involve improvements in student literacy, helping teachers become more diversified in their instructional techniques, making academic decisions based on real-time data, and assisting administrators with monitoring student achievement within their schools. Each part of the plan is essential and supports the other parts. Implementation of the plan has helped the district become increasingly academically successful, as evidenced by improvement in state-mandated test scores. The Baldwin County Public Schools’ Four-Part Plan allows all district personnel to be on the same page, to support each other on the journey toward academic improvement, and to focus on what is most important, the educational success of all students.

A brief look at Baldwin County Public Schools Four-Part Academic Success Plan:

1. Guided Reading
Supported by Scholastic
Emphasis on student choice in reading
We have trained 300+ K-6 teachers in Guided Reading
We first implemented a Guided Reading pilot in three middle schools and five high schools
In 2018-2019, all 46 schools implemented Guided Reading

2. eMINTS
eMints is a teaching initiative
Emphasis on using different methods of teaching
Emphasis on building community in the classroom
Two-year training program
2018-2019 (and beyond): We offer teachers stipends for attendance at night trainings
2018-2019 (and beyond): We pay for substitutes for teacher day training
2018-2019 (and beyond): We tie eMints to National Board certification (district pays $2000 in application fee)

3. Analytics
This is a HUGE game changer!
This is a product of Scantron
All data sources are on one electronic platform
All data in iNOW transfers into Scantron Analytics, such as:
TEST SCORES: ACT scores, all state assessment scores, Scantron Achievement Series scores (formative assessment), Scantron Performance Series scores (summative assessment), WorkKeys, and classroom grades, along with,
Discipline information
Attendance information
Student academic watch list
Standards attained/not attained
Data helps us restructure how we “do school” and shows us where we need to focus for improvement
There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between saying that data drives instruction and actually requiring that data drives instruction.

4. Curriculum Leaders
We hired curriculum leaders in all middle and high schools
We continue to use instructional coaches and reading coaches in all elementary schools
What is the job of a curriculum leader?
– Monitor student achievement in the entire school
– Work hand-in-hand with the principal to improve student academic achievement
– Co-plan, co-teach, mentor teachers
– Conduct data meetings with teachers, usually by grade span or core content area