Tefft one of 10 schools recognized with national award

Tefft Middle School has been named one of 10 "2010 Breakthrough Schools" by the National Association of Secondary School Principals for its work raising academic performance and closing the achievement gap for minority students.

The Streamwood school is the only Illinois school to earn the honor, which recognizes middle and high schools that serve large numbers of students living in poverty and are high achieving or dramatically improving.

"It's a fabulous (feeling)," Principal Lavonne Smiley said. "It's really not about getting an award, but the success in closing the achievement gap."

In 2002, just 56 percent of Tefft students were meeting benchmarks in reading and math on standardized tests, according to state report cards.

Today, 86.7 percent of students are meeting or exceeding standards.

Over the past seven years, the percentage of minority students and low-income students at Tefft has steadily increased. Tefft last year had a 55.1 percent Hispanic and black student population, with 55.3 percent of students coming from low-income homes. In 2002, only 41.8 percent of students were Hispanic and black, and 36.8 came from low-income homes.

Smiley said a cadre of association officials from Washington, D.C. visited the school in October, interviewing parents, students and teachers.

The experience apparently was enough to put the school in position for the coveted honor.

Smiley said the school has spent the past several years implementing innovative strategies to raise student achievement.

Among them were the establishment of quarterly learning targets in each subject and new measures to make sure students are staying on track.

Students who miss even one homework assignment are required to attend after school tutoring sessions, Smiley said.

Additionally, students chart their own performance throughout the year, and lead their own parent-teacher conferences.

"We really have seen a lot of success with it," Smiley said. "You're empowering kids. ... It drives them to see progress. They can say, 'in October I was here and now it's January and look at where I am now."

Despite strong scores and the national recognition, Tefft is considered a failing school in the eyes of federal No Child Left Behind law.

Students learning English, as well as special education students, failed to meet benchmarks in reading, causing the entire school to fail.

Smiley learned of the Breakthrough School recognition last week, and kept mum on the news until Wednesday.

Students will be told Friday at a school assembly.

Selected schools will receive a $5,000 grant and be featured in the association's monthly magazine, Principal Leadership.