All Good Schools that qualify as Improving and High Performing must complete an extensive self-assessment using data, both quantitative and qualitative, to support self-described performance specified in each of the nine indicators.

The first two indicators, the threshold indicators determine the category that a school qualifies in - High Performing, Improving or Aspiring:

Elementary and Middle Schools

High Performing Schools must meet basic requirements that

• At least 75 percent of the students have met or exceeded Michigan standards on MEAP or other acceptable achievement standards in two of three academic subjects: mathematics, science and reading/language arts
• At least 60 percent achievement in the third subject
• Accreditation by Michigan Education YES! be either A or B; or be in the top two categories of other nationally recognized accreditation programs
• Meets its state appointed target (Adequate Yearly Progress) under the No Child Left Behind program or meet state AYP targets

Improving Schools must meet basic requirement that

• At least 10 percent increase of students that meet achievement standards over the prior year in two academic subjects: mathematics, science or reading/language arts
• Accreditation by Michigan Education YES! Be A, B or C or an average rating in other nationally recognized accreditation programs.
• Meets its state appointed target (Adequate Yearly Progress) under the No Child Left Behind program or meet state AYP targets or be in the first year of school improvement

Aspiring Schools must meet basic requirement that

• At least 60 percent of the students meet or exceed acceptable achievement standards in two of the three areas – mathematics, science and reading/language arts  OR must have at least a 5 percent increase in two of the three areas. 
• Students meeting the achievement standards increased by at least 5 percent over the prior year

High Schools

The National Advisors and the Skillman staff have reviewed high school data (state assesment scores, ACT, graduation rates, retention rates, attendance, etc.) and have determined that too few high schools in the City of Detroit meet the criteria for High Performing that have been identified for elementary and middle schools. 

However, the goal of the Good Schools is not only to identify and recognize schools that have already met high standards,  but to help schools reach and maintain those standards.  Therefore, the first three-years (2006-07 through 2008-09) of the high school initiative will be pilot years.  During these first years, the Resource Center will collect data to determine those high schools that qualify to be identified as Promising. Additional classifications may be added if warranted by the data. 

Schools will have to provide extensive student outcome data and complete the self-assessment.   

High Performing and Improving Schools must show

• Student attendance rates at 90 percent for all, and for each subgroup.

Elementary, Middle and High Schools

(Indicators 3-9)

The school leaders know how to run a good school.  They change things that need to be changed.  The leaders get people to work together even when they don’t all agree.  The leaders ask for the opinions of staff, parents and students.  The leaders respect each person’s ideas.  Everyone feels like they have a say in making the school as good as it can be.  The mission and vision statements at this school are easy to understand and focus on student learning.  Every decision made in this school helps achieve the mission and vision.   Staff, students and parents are recognized for good work by school leaders.  There is public recognition of how well the school is doing.

To make decisions, the school staff uses facts from test scores, student records, research studies, state and district standards, and other sources.  They continue to collect new facts to see if their decisions helped students.  Instead of just using one or two big tests each year to mark themselves, they also use many frequent, smaller ways to see if what they are doing helps students.  If new facts tell them to change what they are doing, they change.  The school’s progress is an open book to parents and community. 

The school and classes are organized to challenge students to learn and perform.  All students are expected to learn material that might be hard for them at first.  The material all students are expected to learn is right for their grade and is what they need to know to do well in the next grade.  The school has a homework policy.  Students are given homework that helps them remember what they learned in school.  The school has a way to quickly catch students who are falling behind and help them.  The school has a visual and/or performing arts program for all students.

There are services at this school for health, tutoring, mentoring, and everything else needed to help students develop and learn.  All eligible students who need the services get them.  There is an extra- curricular program that operates before, after, and/or during school.  This extra program has many different fun and helpful activities that meet the needs and interests of all students.  All students are welcome in the program.  Many students attend and benefit from the program.

The school feels like a really nice place to be.  Students and adults get along among themselves and with each other. People are respected for their differences.  Everyone in the school enjoys learning from each other.  There are many opportunities to learn about people from different countries and backgrounds.  Staff, parents and community care about every detail that affects the students.  The school has programs for things like school safety and cleanliness, behavior problems, and drug prevention.  Frequent checks are made to see if the programs make a difference. 

All staff participate in professional development activities.  The activities match the school’s mission and vision and aim to improve student achievement.  Facts about student achievement are used to decide what professional development activities to have.  After these activities, facts about student achievement are used to see if the professional development activity worked.  Both new and old teachers are supported.  The school regularly looks at how teachers are teaching and what they are teaching.  Teachers welcome this review.  Everyone is committed to learning better ways to help students.