Looping at South Valley Prep: the same teachers from 6th through 8th grade
At South Valley Prep, a tuition-free public charter middle school in Albuquerque's South Valley, students stay with the same core team of teachers from 6th through 8th grade. This is called looping.
What is looping?
Looping is when students keep the same teacher for more than one school year.
At SVP, students loop within the same strand and with the same core team of teachers from 6th through 8th grade.
SVP has two strands, A and B. Each strand has its own math, humanities and science teachers.
How looping works at SVP
See all SVP programsStrand teachers at SVP
These teachers are listed on the Our Team page with their strand. SVP's science and special education teachers are on that page too.
Does looping work?
Two studies have looked at students who had the same teacher more than once.
Students scored higher in their second year with a teacher
Andrew Hill and Daniel Jones studied students in grades 3 to 5 who had the same teacher two years in a row. What they found:
- Scores went up a little in both math and reading.
- The gains were larger for students of color.
- When many students in a class had the teacher before, classmates who were new to that teacher also did better.
Higher test scores and fewer suspensions
Researchers from Brown University and the Rockefeller Institute of Government studied 1.3 million students in grades 3 through 11. Here is what changed when students had a teacher for a second time:
- They scored slightly higher on tests.
- They missed slightly fewer days of school.
- They were about 10% less likely to be suspended.
High-achieving students gained the most on tests, and boys of color showed the biggest change in behavior. The benefits also grew when more of the class had the teacher before. The authors say this suggests looping, where a whole class stays with its teacher, may have even larger benefits.
Read the working paperWhat that means for SVP
The effects in these studies were small, and SVP wasn't part of either one. We can't promise the same results here. To see how SVP students are doing, go to the School Dashboard.
Questions about looping at SVP
Have a different question? Call the front office at (505) 222-5642 or email asksvp@southvalleyprep.org.
Which teachers stay with my child?
The math, humanities and science teachers for your child's strand. P.E. and health are taught by a separate teacher.
What is a strand?
A strand is a group of students who loop together with the same core team of teachers. SVP has two strands, A and B.
What is Advisory?
Advisory is run by your child's homeroom teacher and school administration. Students use it to address academic, social and emotional needs. The SVP handbook calls Advisory integral to the school's mission.
Does SVP charge tuition?
No. SVP is a tuition-free public charter school for grades 6 through 8.
How do I enroll my child?
Apply online at southvalleyprep.org/apply. You'll need your child's birth certificate, proof of residency and immunization record. SVP takes applications all year. If a grade is full, your application goes into a lottery for the next opening.
Other SVP programs
