Partnership Zone School (Round 2) Profile: Marbrook Elementary School

On September 1^st, 2011, Secretary Lowery and the Department of Education announced the 6 schools chosen to participate in round 2 of the statewide Partnership Zone Initiative (for more information about the Partnership Zone, see our previous blogs). This blog is the fifth of a six part series detailing these six schools (Bancroft Elementary, Bayard Middle, Dover High, Lewis Dual Language Elementary).

Marbrook is an elementary school in the Red Clay school district located just outside of Elsmere. It currently serves 586 students in grades K-5, 83% of which are low income, 69% Hispanic/Latino, and 52% ELL. Marbrook has had a steadily rising population for the past few years (from 413 in 2006) much of the increase seeming to come from Hispanic, ELL, and low income students (based on population proportion trends).

Based on 2011 DCAS spring scores (50% of the determination for PZ schools), Marbrook students:

• Demonstrated much lower proficiency in both ELA and math than the district average (which in turn was lower than the state average). Gaps were as wide as 24% vs. the district and 34% vs. the state in ELA (4^th grade), and 22% and 36% respectively in math (4^th grade).

Based on DSTP historical trends (2008-2010, the other 50% of the determination), Marbrook students:

• Have seen dramatic declines in ELA proficiency (as much as a 23 percentage point decrease)—far steeper falls than either the district or state have seen. All grades have at some point in the past outperformed the district and grades 3-5 the state, but no grade does at present.
•  Have seen the same in math proficiency (as much as a 21 percentage point decrease versus a slight overall increase in the district and state). All grades outperformed the district and state in 2007 but no grade does at present.

Marbrook’s selection as a PZ school is the clearest representation of the steep downward trend that placed them in the PZ. In 2009 Marbrook was selected as one of just 321 schools in the nation (less than 0.5%) to receive the Blue Ribbon award. Up until that point they were outperforming the district and state in all grades, surpassing AYP targets in 2008.

Since then the school has had precipitous declines in proficiency and growth. 2011 will be the 2^nd year Marbrook has not met AYP, and this year students drastically underperformed the district and state in proficiency. Marbrook needs strong leadership and innovation to reverse its decline and drive Marbrook to once again be an example of excellence in education in our state. The DDOE is reviewing requests for qualification from organizations who may be invited to present their innovative and proven strategies for success to school and districts later this month.

Help Red Clay make the right decisions at their next School Board Meeting on Wednesday, September 21^st at Warner Elementary. For additional information on Red Clay and the Partnership Zone, there will be a meeting at 6pm at Marbrook Elementary. 

Related Topics: AYP, Blue Ribbon, DCAS, DSTP, high-need, lead partner, Partnership Zone