Space matters: The A+ Schools Program and the ABCs of education

Educational Foundations, Spring 2002 by McKinney, Monica B

In the North Carolina ABCs of Public Education, a high stakes accountability program, the "A" stands for student and teacher "accountability," the "B" stands for a focus on the "basics" of reading, writing, and mathematics, and the "C" stands for local "control." While the state sets expectations for achievement and yearly growth, it is up to the schools to determine how to achieve them. Students in third through eighth grades are tested with standardized End-Of-Grade (EOG) exams in reading and math, and fourth- and seventh-grade students also take a writing exam. High school students in Grades 9-12 take End-Of-Course (EOC) exams in English, mathematics, science, social studies, and history courses as well as a 10th grade comprehensive test in reading and mathematics. The model sets growth and performance standards for all schools in the state utilizing these test results and other selected components such as drop out rates. Schools receive titles such as "school of excellence," "no recognition," or "low performing" based on their performance. Teacher bonuses accompany strong results while low achieving schools face removal of their principals and/or staff and the arrival of state assistance teams. Results are reported in local newspapers, on the North Carolina Public Schools' web site, and on local television news broadcasts. While annual testing was not new to the state in the 1996-97 school year that marked the beginning of the ABCs for Grades K-8 (the high school model was implemented in 1997-98), the increased stakes and publicity for individual schools were.

Methodology

The data used in this article stems largely from a five-year evaluation of the A Schools Program that began in 1995 at the same time the program was first implemented. During this time, the evaluation team spent 527 days in the schools. The team conducted parent, teacher, and student surveys at various intervals; interviewed, both individually and in focus groups, teachers, students, and other school personnel as well as parents and other community members; conducted observations in grade level and arts classrooms; and attended numerous performances (and less formal "informances"). Ten intensive case studies supplemented the general data collected at all sites.

Data from one of the case study elementary schools provided the focus for this analysis. The data collected included interview transcripts and fieldnotes collected by the author during 25 days of fieldwork at the school over the course of three years as well as data collected by other team members at other times. These were reviewed for comments and observations related to space and the influence of the ABCs. The evaluation data has been supplemented by additional research on classroom and school spaces conducted by the author. This data includes additional interviews with eight teachers (fifth-grade classroom, fourth grade classroom, art, music, drama, physical education, computer, and media) and fieldnotes from another 23 days of observations. While familiarity with this school was a prime consideration in its choice for this analysis, the school is representative of many throughout the A network and is not considered unique.