Ottumwa Needs Assessment Winter 2014

School Improvement Needs Assessment

Conducted by the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) 1

Needs Assessment Components

Characteristics Common to High Performing Schools

• Clear shared vision, purpose, and goals • High expectations for student learning • Leadership and teamwork at all levels • Rigorous content standards and a comprehensive assessment system 2

Needs Assessment Components (Cont’d) Characteristics Common to High Performing Schools

• High quality instruction • Professional development focused on improvement • Access to and use of data • Family and community connections 3

Survey Respondents

• 7 Board Members • 21 Administrators • 245 Teachers • 49 Other Staff Members • 171 Parents/Community Members • 837 Students 4

Roles of the Board/Leadership Teams

• Set clear expectations & create urgency around the need to improve.

• Create conditions for success.

• Hold the system accountable to the expectations.

• Build public will. • Learn together as a team. 5

Findings

The results of the Needs Assessment are displayed graphically in the next sets of slides. Results are compared for district board members and staff, district parents and community members, and students.

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Caution

The survey results represent peoples perceptions/opinions about the current district status. It is not uncommon for perceptions to be different than reality.

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Goals and Expectations

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Indicators of High Expectations

1. People indicate that they can get better.

2. There are ambitious/stretch goals.

3. There is a lack of excuses.

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Percentage of Students Believed to be at Grade-Level

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Survey Item#1 - "The current level of student achievement is about what we can expect."

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Survey Item#2 - "This district does not make or accept excuses for the current level of student achievement." 12

Survey Item#6 - "Virtually all children can learn at high levels."

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Survey Item#11 - "Student achievement barriers, such as poverty and lack of family support, can be overcome by quality teaching & learning."

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Indicators of Goals & Priorities

1. There are clear goals with measurable targets.

2. At least one goal identified as highest priority.

3. There is a shared understanding of what the district is trying to improve.

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Survey Item#3 - "There is a shared understanding of what we are trying to improve in this district."

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“Top Priorities” from Parent Survey

Implementing/meeting standards Improved instruction Improved achievement scores Improved student attitudes/behavior Graduation rate Meeting individual student needs Smaller class size Reading/Literacy Parent communication Writing Safety Parent involvement Textbooks/Materials Math Student engagement in learning College readiness Grading and report cards Teacher professional development Technology Bussing 8 8 7 6 6 5 5 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 17

“Top Priorities” from Staff Survey

Reading/Literacy Graduation rate School climate/culture/morale Improved achievement scores Implementing/meeting standards Writing Math Improved communication Improved instruction Improved student attitudes/behavior Teacher professional development Leadership Meeting individual student needs Teacher collaboration Student responsibility for learning Parent involvement Student engagement in learning Technology Science Closing achievement gaps 32 27 17 12 11 10 10 8 7 6 5 5 4 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 18

“Top Priorities” from Student Survey

Mutual respect among students Improved teaching Anti-bullying Student achievement Lunch improvements Diploma/Graduation Student behavior Student activities Sports Technology Better teacher materials/supplies/textbooks Math Technology Reading Student engagement Individual student help Gym activities/exercise Real world applications Facilities Less homework More instructional time Increase passing time 13 8 8 5 5 5 4 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 19

Goals and Expectations Strengths:

1.

2.

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All respondent groups believe that more students can be expected to achieve at grade level.

Board members and administrators strongly agree that virtually all students can achieve at high levels and that barriers can be overcome.

Most staff and students believe there is a shared understanding of what the district is trying to improve.

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Goals and Expectations Recommendations:

1.

2.

Create urgency around the belief that virtually all students can learn at high levels, that barriers can be overcome, and that major improvements can and will be made in student achievement. Identify one or two top priorities, based on student achievement data and ensure that all publics are informed and are in support.

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Leadership and Teamwork

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Indicators of Leadership and Teamwork

1. District leadership teams are established.

2. People can identify how they have a voice.

3. Everyone is clear on roles and responsibilities.

4. Leaders protect the focus and ensure goals are met.

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Survey Item#16 - "We have effective leadership teams in this district."

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Survey Item#4 - "I have a voice in decision making."

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Survey Item#14 - "Local school boards can impact their school system in ways that improve student achievement."

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Leadership and Teamwork Strengths:

• Staff and parents strongly believe that the school board can make a positive difference on student achievement.

• Most students and staff believe that the district has strong leadership teams.

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Leadership and Teamwork Recommendations:

1. It should be made clear how all have a voice in decision making and can participate on leadership teams.

2. All stakeholders should help to determine priorities, based on data.

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Student Achievement

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Indicators of Student Achievement

1. The percentage of students meeting standards is high 2. There are improvement trends over time 3. Achievement gaps closing 30

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Iowa Student Proficiency

Iowa Assessment vs National Assessment

ITBS NAEP 83 78 81 75 73 65 43 39 33 33 34 25 4R 4M 8R 8M 11R 11M 43

Average Daily Attendance

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Graduation Rate

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Graduates’ Future Plans

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ACT Scores

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Student Achievement Strengths:

1. The daily attendance rate is high.

2. The graduation rate is high.

3. The poverty gaps for students eligible for free/reduced lunch are relatively small.

4. The district ACT average is above the national average.

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Student Achievement Needed Improvements:

1. Many five-year achievement trends are flat or declining.

2. Many students are not meeting the relatively low state proficiency standard.

3. Many more students should be college-intending and fewer should be “unknown”.

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Three Curricula

1. Written Curriculum – Standards and Grade-level Expectations 2. Assessed Curriculum – Tests and Other Achievement Measures 3. Taught Curriculum – Teaching and Learning 50

Standards and Benchmarks

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Indicators of Standards/Benchmarks

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Attainable? - The number and content of expectations must be such that learners and teachers have enough time to ensure mastery.

Comprehensive? – All major content of the Iowa Core must be included.

Rigorous? – There must be a good distribution across the levels of cognitive demand (Bloom’s Taxonomy, revised 2001).

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Survey Item#5 - "Our district standards are clear and rigorous."

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Survey Item#7 - "Important areas of student learning are missing in our current curriculum."

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Standards and Benchmarks Strength:

Most students and staff believe that the district standards are clear and rigorous. This is an indication that the clear and rigorous Iowa Core Curriculum standards are being embraced in the district.

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Standards and Benchmarks Recommendations:

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3.

Align to both the content and rigor of the Iowa Core Standards (Common Core).

Prominently display the standards expectations in classrooms, on the website, and in parent documents.

Use the standards to drive classroom instruction at the secondary level.

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Assessment System

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Indicators of Assessments

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2.

3.

Aligned to standards? – The assessment system must measure the student expectations in the ICC.

Rigorous? – The assessment items must have a blend of cognitive demand to match the ICC.

Balanced? – There must be multiple formats (e.g. multiple-choice and performance tasks) and criterion referenced items.

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Survey Item#17 - "Our district's assessments do a good job of measuring important student learning."

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Assessment System Strength

Most students believe that the district assessments do a good job of measuring student learning.

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Assessment System Recommendation:

Carefully design a comprehensive assessment system, of multiple formats, aligned to the content and rigor of the ICC.

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Classroom Instruction and Professional Development

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Indicators of Classroom Instruction

1. Instruction actively engages the students.

2. There is evidence of research-based instructional practices.

3. Instructional tasks include a blend of cognitive demand/rigor.

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Survey Item#9 - "Our students are actively engaged in classroom learning tasks."

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Survey Item#15 - "We use research-based instructional practices in this district."

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Indicators of Professional Development

1. Student learning needs drive the professional development.

2. Adequate time is allocated for collaboration.

3. Professional development is focused on improving instruction.

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Survey Item#8 - "Student learning needs drive our teachers' professional development."

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Survey Item#10 - "We have adequate time for teacher collaboration."

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Survey Item#12 - "We need to focus major attention on improving professional teaching practices in the classroom."

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Instruction & Professional Development Strengths:

Most board members, administrators, and teachers believe that the students are actively engaged, that teachers use research-based instructional practices, and that learning needs drive professional development.

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Instruction & Professional Development Needed Improvements

• Efforts should continue to improve instructional rigor and relevance and student engagement.

• More time should be provided for teacher collaboration.

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Board and Staff Perceptions of Parental Involvement and Satisfaction

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Indicators of Parental Involvement/Satisfaction

1. Parents are satisfied with the school.

2. Parents report being involved in their child’s education.

3. Parents report being informed of their student’s progress.

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Survey Item#13 - "Parents and community must be partners with the school district in order to improve student learning."

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Survey Item#18 - "Our parents are informed of their student's progress."

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Parent/Community Involvement Strengths (As perceived by Parents & staff):

• Staff and parents overwhelmingly believe that parents must be partners in improving student learning.

• Strong majorities of all response groups believe that parents are well informed of their students’ progress.

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Parent/Community Involvement Needed Improvements

School leaders and teachers should continue their efforts to communicate with parents and elicit their support.

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Major Findings and Conclusions

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“District does well” - Parent Survey

Hire quality, caring teachers Parent communication Math instruction Recognize student achievements Gifted education Teacher professional development Meet individual student needs Facilities Student activities Balanced course offerings 19 17 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 80

“District does well” - Staff Survey

Teacher professional development Math instruction Promote educational research findings Hire quality, caring teachers Curriculum alignment/Standards Communication Meet individual student needs Sports programs Strive for improvement Literacy/Reading instruction School safety Teacher collaboration Welcome students and parents School climate Support teachers Data-driven decisions Parent involvement Hire quality, caring administrators Fiscal planning and management 30 19 15 14 11 2 2 2 2 10 5 5 3 3 2 4 4 4 3 81

“District does well” - Student Survey

Quality teaching Meet student needs Math instruction School spirit Maintain order/rules Lunch program Student activities Special Education Course offerings School safety Teaching for understanding Anti-bullying Communication 38 8 7 7 7 5 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 82

Major Strengths:

• Board members and administrators strongly agree that virtually all students can achieve at high levels and that barriers can be overcome.

• Staff and parents overwhelmingly believe that the school board can make a positive difference on student achievement.

• Average daily attendance and graduation rates are high.

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Major Strengths (Cont’d):

• The vast majority of staff and parents believe that parents must be partners in improving student learning.

• Strong majorities of all response groups believe that parents are well informed of their students’ progress.

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“Need to Improve” - Parent Survey

Leadership Communication Parent involvement Find quality teachers Meeting student needs Implementing standards Curriculum management Anti-bullying Reduce early outs Behavior management Class size Challenging students Parking and traffic flow Grading policies 15 7 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 85

“Need to Improve” - Staff Survey

Leadership Communication Teacher input Grading policies Collaboration time Professional development Student discipline Staff morale District assessments Improve poor teachers Implement standards Literacy curriculum School culture/climate Technology Consensus-Building/Trust Student responsibility for learning Meet student needs Class size 26 14 12 12 10 8 7 6 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 86

“Need to Improve” - Student Survey

Lunch program Student behavior Quality teaching Anti-bullying High expectations for students Technology Free time Homework Student activities Course offerings Meet student needs Passing time Sports District assessments 2 2 2 2 13 11 9 9 6 4 4 4 3 3 87

Major Improvement Recommendation #1

Create urgency around the need for improvement.

How to get started – Make a presentation to teachers, to students, and to parents. Include the sobering data that show far too many students not achieving and the lack of progress over time. Describe examples of schools that have become high performing, made major improvement, and closed the achievement gap. Describe the actions those schools took, and you will take, to make major improvement.

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Major Improvement Recommendation #2

Design an assessment system to align to the rigor and content of the Iowa Core.

How to get started – To make progress, teachers, students, and parents must know how students are preforming. Download the Guide to Districtwide Assessment from www.ia-sb.org

. Select or create new assessments and first pilot them with a few volunteer teachers. Implement rigorous performance assessments for early reading (e.g. BRI or DRA), for writing, for math problem solving, and for science inquiry.

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Major Improvement Recommendation #3

Ensure that all instruction overtly identifies standards from the Iowa Core, is rigorous and relevant, and engages students.

How to get started – Require teachers to write the Iowa Core standard for each lesson on the board and on student materials. Enlist students to focus on mastery of the standards, to self-assess, to set goals, and to track their own progress. Set up a system to regularly monitor the rigor of instruction and student engagement.

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Major Improvement Recommendation #4

Design professional development focus on improved student achievement.

How to get started – Provide time for teacher collaboration, at least twice a month for at least 90 minutes. Organize teachers in professional learning teams of three to five by grade and/or content. Each time require teachers to identify a student standard, to bring student work samples, and to submit a brief action plan based on their learning.

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Major Improvement Recommendation #5

Ensure that parents know the Iowa Core standards expected of their student and enlist their support and help to attain mastery.

How to get started – Parents want their child to succeed. Provide each parent with a copy of the Iowa Core standards for their student. Ask the parents to help assess and ensure their student’s mastery of those standards. Report student progress to the parent regularly.

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Ottumwa Needs Assessment Winter 2014

School Improvement Needs Assessment

Conducted by the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) 93