The Challenge
With just 17 percent of students passing Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) math tests, Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD) was struggling in 2003. Student morale was low, teachers were frustrated, and administrators were deeply concerned about making adequate yearly progress (AYP) under the No Child Left Behind federal guidelines. "Our students had the lowest AIMS scores statewide," said Arthur Lebowitz, assistant superintendent for instruction and accountability for PUHSD. "About half of the 1,800 students enrolled in algebra classes were earning a D or F. We knew we had to do something innovative to turn things around."

About PUHSD
PUHSD serves the 220-square-mile urban section of Phoenix and educates more than 24,000 students in ten schools, all with Title I designation. The student body comprises 74.6 percent Hispanic, 10.6 percent Caucasian, 9.9 percent African-American, 3.5 percent Native American, and 1.4 percent Asian, with the vast majority of students coming from low-income families. Seventy-five percent of these students are eligible for free or reduced-priced lunches.

First Step: A Different Approach to Algebra Education
Assistant Superintendent Lebowitz sought help in devising a strategy to improve students' AIMS math scores, and was subsequently introduced to Dr. Tim Kanold, superintendent of Stevenson High School District in Illinois and long-time proponent of professional learning communities. Under the professional learning community model, administrators, teachers, and other stakeholders increase their effectiveness and student performance by continuously seeking and sharing ways for improvement. Kanold encouraged Lebowitz to pilot the model with algebra teachers in PUHSD's lowest-performing schools. "Professional learning communities are built upon a foundation of groups of teachers who work interdependently to improve student achievement," said Kanold. "By sharing expertise, creating shared goals, and pooling resources, they can dramatically improve both teacher and student performance."

Second Step: Professional Learning Communities Implementation
To gauge where PUHSD stood from an instructional point of view, Kanold provided on-site classroom observation and feedback as well as comprehensive curriculum, instruction, and assessment training to all algebra teachers. He also led team-building exercises to promote a cohesive environment. Upon adoption of the professional learning community model, teachers share accountability for students' failures across the classroom divide; therefore a team mentality is critical. 

After the initial work was completed, algebra teachers formed professional learning communities and began implementation of the following strategy:

Establish SMART goals
Professional learning communities set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, time-bound) goals every semester, focusing on a particular issue such as how to use test data more effectively or better measure student comprehension levels. PUHSD's professional learning communities honed in on a plan to help students at risk of receiving a D or F in algebra.

Professional learning communities select a leader to receive specialized training and facilitate meetings, but share responsibility for SMART goal setting, implementation, and follow-through. "It can be difficult to form a cohesive group in the beginning because teachers historically worked independently," explained Lebowitz. "But they do eventually gel and reach a consensus."

Erase inequities in student learning
A critical component of successful professional learning communities is adopting congruent curriculum and assessment for all students. Working together on a weekly basis, professional learning communities develop summative and formative assessments, homework assignments, and researched-based lesson plans to ensure students receive the same instruction, materials, and support. The three questions that drive professional learning communities are:

1. What should the students be learning?
   
2. How do we know the students have learned it?
   
3. What do we do if they have not learned it?

Change the mindset
Through collaboration, professional learning communities change the mindset of teachers and students to foster a successful environment. For example, PUHSD teachers do not believe in allowing students to fail algebra. Teachers began pursuing students at-risk for failing and worked with their colleagues to develop effective intervention methods. In turn, many of the poor-performing students started applying themselves because teachers took an active interest in their studies.

Monitor progress
Teachers observe each other to ensure they're adhering to protocols established by their professional learning communities and provide constructive criticism or positive reinforcement on a regular basis. School principals also play an integral role, meeting frequently with teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of recommendations made by professional learning communities.

Results
By implementing professional learning communities and acting upon opportunities for improvement, PUHSD has enjoyed significant progress, including:

• an impressive 300 percent increase in AIMS math scores, with a 53 percent passing rate, up from 17 percent just three years ago
• the greatest gain in AIMS math scores in 2005, which far outpaced the rate of improvement statewide. As a result of PUHSD's success, several Arizona districts now apply the professional learning community model.
• more than 3,800 students currently enrolled in introduction to algebra, compared to 1,800 students in 2003

Conclusion
Propelled by students' impressive achievements, PUHSD administrators quickly expanded the professional learning communities model to include all core subjects. Currently, there are more than five hundred professional learning communities at PUHSD, and the number keeps growing. "Individually we have the power to change a childs thinking, but collectively we have the power to change every childs life," said Lebowitz. "By working together, we have truly made a difference."