CAN 
US/Global
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Evidence of ExcellenceMarch Mountain High SchoolMoreno Valley, California
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One unified vision made a culture of success possible
Demographics
350 STUDENTS / 17.9% ENGLISH LEARNERS / 9.5% SPECIAL NEEDS
77% HISPANIC OR LATINO / 14.4% BLACK / 4.7% WHITE / 2.7% MULTIRACIAL / 0.8% NATIVE HAWAIIAN OR PACIFIC ISLANDER
Challenge
Providing high-quality direct instruction in only 12 weeks is not an easy task for any school leader to manage. Yet, as a former teacher and now principal, Steve Quintero took on the challenge with more than graduation in mind for his students. March Always Raises Children Higher (M.A.R.C.H.) puts continuation students from March Mountain High School together with traditional students from March Valley High School, with students rotating every 12 weeks.
The 26 teachers inside the continuation school are challenged with delivering a year’s worth of curriculum before the next round of new students enters the class. Their mission, without the use of packets or computer programs, is to teach and help students recover and retain skills they initially did not master in a traditional or comprehensive high school. Principal Quintero knew the school needed collaboration.
When the state later determined the school was in need of a Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) plan—due to its high suspension rates and low scores in English and math—Quintero’s district, seeing that improvement was necessary, reached out to Solution Tree.
Implementation
March Mountain engaged in Accelerated Learning processes and practices with Solution Tree coach Eddie Velez. The school was not operating as a professional learning community. Velez immediately took inventory of where each department and teacher stood in the PLC process.
Leadership teams met more frequently to ensure the school’s guiding principles were being incorporated in planning and sessions. Principal Quintero created weekly flex days with 90-minute time slots to allow teachers to meet, plan, and focus on growing their collaborative teams. They also allocated time for classroom walkthroughs, data review, and reflection in order to determine the most effective methods to ensure students learned the essential standards.
Velez was able to sit and workshop with several departments, including English, math, history, and social studies, concentrating on the big ideas and six characteristics of a PLC:
- Focus on students
- Collaborative culture with a focus on learning for all
- Collective inquiry into best practices and current realities
- Action orientation or learning by doing
- Commitment to continuous improvement
- Results orientation
These ideas and characteristics allowed M.A.R.C.H. to hone its strengths and weaknesses and grow as a school.
The PLC process helped us hone in on the skills and standards that we felt were essential to make sure our students received direct instruction, so when they leave us, they are prepared for the next steps in life.
Results
Over the last two years, the high school has gone from a struggling campus facing many challenges to one where students are graduating and also accepting scholarships and offers from four-year institutions. Their ELA scores have increased by more than 40 points compared to the prior year.
The staff now understands the true meaning of collaboration in the PLC process, and teachers are committed to doing more to see their students graduate. They’re no longer preoccupied with mere compliance and checking off boxes; now, they’re truly invested in their students’ learning. Principal Quintero’s celebration of students who have gained university admissions has been a great encouragement to students and teachers that high-level achievement is possible.
This transformation from March Mountain High School is a testament to their collaborative efforts. With a newfound focus on student success, the entire school community is now invested in ensuring every student reaches their full potential.
March Mountain HS ELA Growth on CAASPP
one-year comparison
(Schoolwide Distance from Standard shown)
WHY ACCELERATED LEARNING?
Transform underperforming schools by giving every student access and opportunity for deeper learning. Build strong school leadership, assess the current reality, sustain progress through structured protocols, and foster small, incremental gains that drive lasting success for schools in significant need, such as those in CSI, TSI, and ATSI status.
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Please note that all Evidence of Excellence stories, data, and personnel reflect the specific period of Solution Tree’s active partnership with the school or district. Staffing and leadership roles may have changed since publication.
