McKinney ISD campus principals with Asst. Superintendent of Elementary Student Support Suzy Woodard (front, far left), Sr. Director of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Melanie Magee (front, center right) and Asst. Superintendent of Secondary Student Support Dr. Melinda DeFelice (front, far right)

McKinney, Texas – McKinney ISD is pleased to announce that every MISD elementary and secondary school has achieved Level 2 Certification in the Marzano High Reliability Schools™ (HRS) program.

In 2017, MISD announced that every school in the district had attained Level 1 Certification in the HRS hierarchy. Since then, principals, teachers and district leaders have been working to attain Level 2 “Effective Teaching in Every Classroom,” which focuses on the responsibility of both school leaders and teachers in ensuring high-quality instruction.

“I am extremely proud of the job that our principals and our campuses have done over the last year and a half to achieve HRS Level 2,” said MISD Superintendent Dr. Rick McDaniel. “As I’ve said before, one of the things that I appreciate about Marzano is that it is not just another new program. It’s a framework that allows us to continually assess what we are doing and to continue moving forward. Our focus on the Level 2 component has helped us ensure consistency across the district in what and how we are teaching, while maintaining the highest standards. I could not be more proud of our campus leadership and staff for the hard work that they have put into this.”

The HRS program was created by Marzano Research to help transform schools into organizations that take proactive steps to ensure student success. Using a research-based five-level hierarchy, educators learn to assess, monitor and confirm the effectiveness of their schools.

The Marzano framework, based on 50 years of educational research, defines five levels of performance that a school must master to become a High Reliability School—where all students learn the content and skills they need for success in college, careers and beyond.

1. Safe and Collaborative Culture
2. Effective Teaching in Every Classroom
3. Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum
4. Standards-Referenced Reporting
5. Competency-Based Education

In the Marzano program, schools collect data and validate performance to move through each level of the hierarchy. Once a school’s information has been submitted for evaluation, certification is determined by Marzano Research analysts who work in cooperation with data teams and visit each campus to observe procedures and practices and interview staff.

“As you move through the levels, it represents a complete transformation in how schools are run,” said CEO Robert J. Marzano.

Using the HRS framework and indicators, schools can drive sustained, positive and significant impacts on student achievement by synthesizing multiple complex initiatives into one system.

At the February meeting of the MISD Board of Trustees, Dr. Melanie Magee told the board that representatives from Marzano were so impressed with MISD’s efforts that they filmed the work of one campus and requested permission to use materials that several other campuses were implementing.

“At a Solution Tree conference in Phoenix, Arizona,” Magee added, “McKinney ISD was mentioned … at the keynote about the work that we had done. So, we are here tonight to honor and to celebrate our principals and all of the work that they have done to get us where we are as district.”

The board presented each of the campus principals with a certificate and Board President Curtis Rippee addressed the group.

“We love our principals,” Rippee said. “You guys are awesome. And, while we don’t know nearly as much about High Reliability Schools as you do, we’ve heard enough to know that you guys are doing incredible work, and it is not easy. Dr. McDaniel updates us often about the hard work that you’re doing in that regard … We’re proud of our principals, and we’re proud of this designation. And, thank you for all of your hard work.”

MISD Elementary Schools Earning Level 2 HRS Certification (with Principals Noted):
Bennett (Amy Holderman), Burks (Al Conley), Caldwell (Dr. Kelly Flowers), Eddins (Sharon Havard), Finch (Erika Echegaray), Glen Oaks (Molly Hovan), Reuben Johnson (Michelle Baumann), Lawson Early Childhood School (Susie Towber), Malvern (Rhonda Gilliam), McClure (Interim Principal Maria Hafner), McGowen (Kim Luyster), McNeil (Tracy Meador), Minshew (Inetra Nelson), Press (Chris Clark), Slaughter (Nick DeFelice), Valley Creek (Megan Richards), Vega (Mike Forsyth), Walker (Melanie Raleeh), Webb (Kyle Luthi), Wilmeth (Kristin Ellis) and Wolford (Fran Gratt)

MISD Middle Schools Earning Level 2 HRS Certification (with Principals Noted):
Cockrill (Dr. Amber Epperson), Dowell (Holly Rogers), Evans (Darla Jackson), Faubion (Dr. Jimmy Bowser) and Scott Johnson (Dr. Mitch Curry)

MISD High Schools Earning Level 2 HRS Certification (with Principals Noted):
McKinney Boyd (Dr. Jennifer Peirson), McKinney High School (Alan Arbabi), McKinney North (Jae Gaskill)

About Marzano Research
Marzano Research is a joint venture between Solution Tree and Dr. Robert J. Marzano. In service to educators, the company synthesizes Dr. Marzano’s scope of educational research, world-renowned for its breadth and depth, into accessible components teachers and principals can use for concrete gains in student learning. Continuous action research ensures Marzano Research strategies are always at the forefront of best practice.

Source: Marzano High Reliability Schools

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