National Heritage Academies Teachers Tackle Learning Loss and Excel in Test Scores

National Heritage Academies (NHA) schools, where teachers and students have excelled in overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic and have shown improvements in test scores. These success stories demonstrate the effectiveness of different strategies employed by teachers across NHA's network of schools. Here is an analysis of the mentioned examples: In Colorado, Melissa Mendez, a Fourth Grade Teacher at Mountain View Academy, attributes the improved test scores to her dedication and use of various teaching methods. She provided after-school tutoring, even during virtual learning, and implemented center rotation and intervention groups to personalize instruction. Additionally, she incorporated engaging activities like a Candyland-like game and Math War to make learning enjoyable. In Louisiana, LaTisha Starks, a Math Teacher at Advantage Charter Academy, focused on addressing the learning loss caused by virtual learning. She organized her teaching content to ensure that foundational skills were covered before advancing, and she personally created test questions to guide students in understanding the problem-solving process. The students' positive scores on the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) test demonstrated the effectiveness of her approach. In North Carolina, the workshop model implemented at Peak Charter Academy has contributed to its success. Students begin in mixed ability groups and then transition to ability groups based on their understanding of the subject. This personalized instruction approach, implemented in all subjects, has resulted in Peak outperforming the local district and the state in every grade/subject combination. The incorporation of different stations, such as reading, writing, and hands-on activities, allows students to develop multiple skills in each lesson. At Alliance Academy of Cincinnati in Ohio, Jennifer Zappia, a Fourth Grade Language Arts Teacher, helped students improve their writing skills through the use of graphic organizers. These tools aided students in constructing paragraphs and identifying themes. As a result, Alliance Academy's state test achievement exceeded expectations compared to schools with similar demographics. Furthermore, other NHA schools, such as Aspire Charter Academy in Indiana and Milwaukee Scholars, have also achieved notable success. Aspire Charter Academy is the highest-performing school in its area, surpassing the local district and closest schools in overall proficiency. Milwaukee Scholars has closed the learning loss gap and outperformed the local district in overall proficiency. Overall, these examples highlight the dedication, creativity, and effective teaching strategies employed by NHA teachers to address learning loss and improve test scores. The success stories demonstrate the positive impact of personalized instruction, engaging activities, organization of teaching content, and the workshop model on student achievement.