Abacus Program Guides School Curriculum

OCALA -- ABACUS, a student tracking program that shares a name with the Japanese counting machine, was cited by SchoolMatch as the foundation of many curriculum reforms in the Marion County public school system.

ABACUS Instructional Management System will let teachers do three things, said Debbie Mueller, the school district's project manager for curriculum alignment.

"It allows them to manipulate the curriculum, it allows them to develop assessments that are directly tied to their curriculum and it allows them to monitor their student's performance on each one of those objectives," Mueller said.

Marion County's use of ABACUS was one of the commendations listed by SchoolMatch, an independent audit of the school system's effectiveness.

"We're impressed with the fact that they have it," said SchoolMatch President and CEO William Bainbridge. "We're hoping they can implement that a little better."

Bainbridge said ABACUS could help close gaps in learning that occur when students move from one school to another, and help the district keep its curriculum in line.

Two years ago, the school district started putting the system in place at six schools: Anthony, Fessenden, Reddick-Collier elementary schools; Fort McCoy School; North Marion Middle School and North Marion High School.

This year another 10 schools got the program: Romeo, Dunnellon, Harbour View, Emerald Shores, Eighth Street elementary schools; Dunnellon, Osceola middle schools; Dunnellon, Forest, Lake Weir high schools.

"By the end of this year, 40 schools will be on," Mueller said.

The cost of putting the ABACUS in every school will be about $200,000, not including teacher training costs.

ABACUS has been introduced in a geographic pattern so data on student performance can be transferred from one school for another. For example, Fessenden fifth-grade student scores can be transferred to North Marion Middle School.

The program isn't perfect. Mueller said that training is extensive.

North Marion High School Principal Walt Miller said a high learning curve coupled with a perceived low utility has hurt a more in-depth use of the program.

"Although we can see a great need for it and it's very valuable, it was very time-consuming in the beginning," Miller said.

The program has been modified since then to provide more information, Miller noted.

Penny McKee, assistant principal at Fort McCoy School, said ABACUS is helping the school align its curriculum.

"Skills are introduced and built on from year to year," McKee said.

In addition, teachers can use it to devise tests based on achieving Sunshine State Standards.

"A teacher can go in and create a test using ABACUS. You give it to students, they bubble answers on a bubble sheet, and the answers are in the program," McKee said. "You can create tests and keep track of student progression."

Once ABACUS is up and running Mueller said, teachers should be able to find resources to help them teach lessons and design tests.

But more important, when those test results are fed back into the computer, the actual skill level of a student can be monitored.

"It updates each student's individual file," Mueller said. "With all this information there's probably 50-100 different reports they can prepare both for school personnel and parents."

That means, if a student moves from one school to another their records go too. Teachers will know what a student has mastered from day one, rather than a few weeks later.

"This teacher knows immediately that this is what the child has done at (another school)," Mueller said. "She can begin, almost immediately from when the child walks into her room, to keep them right on track."

"The ABACUS system really is a tool for the teacher to make things run a little smoother or a little quicker," she added.

The process of getting ABACUS into the schools has been slow, Mueller admitted. At first, one computer in each school is dedicated to it. For the program's fullest potential to be exploited, it should be networked, with a computer in each classroom for the teacher.

When every school is on the ABACUS system, it'll be easier to keep curriculum on track, Mueller said, adding that language arts, math, science and social studies courses are already being modified to align with Sunshine State Standards.

"We do at least have now a common ground for each grade level," Mueller said.

"It'll make addressing students needs more effective, "McKee agreed. "You know about the students sooner and you can key in on what the students' specific needs are.

"Since it ties into sunshine state standards and Marion County's curriculum ties into that, you know you're teaching what's expected in the state of Florida."