Chapter I: The Problem and Its Background

Introduction Student achievement is not simply a matter of what happens in school. Academic achievement can be defined as excellence in all academic disciplines, in class as well as extracurricular activities. It includes excellence in sporting, behavior, confidence, communication skills, punctuality, assertiveness, arts, culture, and the like. It is a good way to enhance the drive of student to achieve a lot. It is about academic excellence, exemplary deportment, special awards, essential life skills, and responsibility to the community. In terms of academics, all students will obtain, understand, analyze, communicate and apply knowledge and skills to achieve success in school and life. In terms of essential life skills, all students will demonstrate aptitude, attitudes, and skills to lead responsible, fulfilling, and respectful lives. In terms of responsibility to the community, all students will understand and model the important attributes people must have to contribute to an effective and productive community and common good of all. In brief, it involves both product and process, and achievement is assessed both individually and collaboratively. A key component of both the product and the process in this "new literacy" classroom is that the students need to be conversant in multiple forms of representation—they must collect and process a certain amount of information, including non-print material such as photographs, video footage, and phone interview data. Also, students need to be able to think and talk about what they have done. The thinking and talking about the work is as much an expected achievement as is the product of the work. Student achievement is measured based on state-offered standardized tests. It is one way to know the knowledge and skills obtain by an individual in their learning in school.