Core Practices in Math & Science: An Investigation of Consistently Higher Performing Schools in Five States - Coolidge Elementary School - Performance and Practice

Oct 9, 2026

A case study on Coolidge Elementary School within Flint Community Schools examines consistently higher-performing practices in mathematics and science. The study draws on state assessment data from 2004–2006, school demographics, and eligibility for Adequate Yearly Progress, then uses interviews across district administrators, school leaders, and classroom teachers. Performance trends are summarized for proficient and advanced standards, including comparisons to state averages for similar schools, highlighting achievement patterns against comparable, economically disadvantaged student populations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

School Selection Criteria and Study Methods

District and School Profile

Performance Trends: Proficiency Standard

Performance Trends: Advanced Standard

Theme 1: Student Learning - Expectations & Goals

PERFORMANCE AND PRACTICE ©2008 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. Core Practices in Math & Science: An Investigation of Consistently Higher Performing Schools in Five States Coolidge Elementary School Flint Community Schools (Michigan) Introduction Since 1999, the National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA) and its affiliated research teams have studied over 500 public schools across the country in an effort to identify and disseminate effective practices embraced by higher performing schools that distinguish their campuses from their averageperforming peers. Building on the foundation established by this previous research, NCEA sought in the current study to focus specifically on educational practices in the areas of mathematics and science in five states: California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas. Criteria used in school selection in the current study included three years of state assessment data in mathematics and science (2004, 2005, and 2006), campus demographic make-up, percentage of economically disadvantaged students, school size, and geographic location. In addition, all of the schools selected for participation met the state and federal requirements for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2006. Schools categorized as higher performing based on the selection criteria were those “beating the odds” with consistently better student achievement over three years, when compared to peer campuses with a similar student population. Therefore, a list of the state’s highest performing schools may contain schools different from those selected for this study.1 In order to illuminate the roles of different members in a school community, for each selected school, NCEA researchers interviewed district-level administrators, school administrators, and classroom teachers. To supplement the interview data, researchers collected pertinent documents, observed secondary level algebra classes, and invited participants to take part in the NCEA Self-Assessment online. 1 For more detailed information about the school identification process and the list of higher performing schools included in the study, please see the full cross-case report at [http://www.nc4ea.org](http://www.nc4ea.org). Figure 1: Student Demographics Coolidge Elementary School % African American % Hispanic % White % Other District and School Profile The Flint Community Schools serves 18,081 students in 39 schools. Approximately 80% of the students are African American. Formerly a manufacturing center for the U.S. automobile industry, the city of Flint (population 125,000) has suffered from high unemployment and economic decline in recent years, since General Motors closed several plants in the area. As a result, the district serves a high-need student population, with 72% of the students eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Coolidge Elementary School serves 412 kindergarten through 6th-grade students. Coolidge’s student population is 88% African American, 10% White, and 1% Hispanic. Within this student population, 75% receive free or reduced-price lunch services. As a strong proponent of higher standards , NCEA recognizes school efforts to move more students to the state’s higher standard of achievement by accounting for those students in the analysis of consistent higher performance. Tables 1 and 2 summarize performance at both the state’s proficient and advanced standards attained by the students at Coolidge for the years of 2004, 2005, and 2006. The state averages included in the tables represent student performance among schools with a student population similar to Coolidge, particularly based on the percentage of economically disadvantaged students. 2 | Table 1: Performance Trends based on Proficiency Standard | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | 2004 | | | | | 2

FAQs

How were higher-performing schools identified in the study?

Schools were selected using three years of state assessment data in mathematics and science (2004–2006), along with demographic composition, economically disadvantaged percentage, school size, and geographic location. Selected schools met state and federal Adequate Yearly Progress requirements in 2006 and were described as “beating the odds” based on consistently better achievement over three years.

What data sources and activities were used to study each selected school?

Researchers conducted interviews with district-level administrators, school administrators, and classroom teachers. They also collected relevant documents, observed secondary-level algebra classes, and invited participants to complete the NCEA Self-Assessment online.

What performance comparisons are reported for Coolidge Elementary School?

The report summarizes performance at state proficient and advanced standards for 2004, 2005, and 2006. It includes Coolidge results by grade level and compares them with state averages for similar schools, with similar student populations and economic disadvantage.

Oct 9, 2026

Uploaded by PakDamar76