Transcript Slide 1

Unified Improvement Planning
School Level:
Day Two
Sponsored by the Colorado Department
of Education
Re-Introductions
Center for Transforming Learning and Teaching

Julie Oxenford O’Brian
[email protected]

Mary Beth Romke
[email protected]
www.ctlt.org
Introductions


Introduce yourself to the folks at your table:

Name/Role

How did it go with your team as you engaged in Data
Analysis and Root Cause Identification (UIP
Template, Section III)?

What are your most pressing remaining challenges
for your team in completing Section III ? Capture on
sticky notes.
We’ll collect the challenges.
One in a series of CDE sponsored sessions
on UIP. . .
1.
School Level Support for Schools assigned a Priority
Improvement or Turnaround Plan under state
accountability
Day Two
2.
District Level Support for Districts with schools assigned a
Priority Improvement or Turnaround Plan Under State
Accountability
3.
District Level Support for Districts Accredited with
Turnaround or Priority Improvement plans under state
accountability or identified for improvement under ESEA,
including Titles I, IIA and/or III
4.
Using the Unified Improvement Plan for Title I
Requirements (Webinar Only)
Today’s Purpose

Answer your questions about Data Analysis
(Section III of the Unified Improvement Plan).

Ensure you are prepared to facilitate your
school–level planning team in:

Identifying annual targets and interim measures

Developing major improvement strategies and
implementation benchmarks
Materials
Norms
The standards of behavior by
which we agree to operate
while we are engaged in
learning together.
Page 3
Participant Outcomes
Engage in
hands-on
learning
activities and
dialogue with
colleagues.
Complete
readings.
Facilitate
processes
locally.

Provide and receive feedback about
Data Analysis Worksheet and Data
Analysis Narrative (Section III) based
on Quality Criteria for UIP.

Establish annual targets.

Select and describe interim measures.

Identify major improvement strategies
and associated action steps

Describe possible implementation
benchmarks.

Establish a calendar for monitoring
school/district progress.

Facilitate local understanding of plan
review.
Activity: Progress Monitoring

Go to Progress Monitoring page 5.

Describe what these learning targets mean to you.

Create a bar graph which describes where you currently
believe you are in relationship to each of learning target.

Leave the “reflections” column blank for now.
Learning Target
Provide and receive feedback about Data Analysis
Worksheet and Data Analysis Narrative
This means:
I review another school’s plan and apply
the quality criteria to provide advice about
how they can improve their plan.
I don’t
know
what
this Is
I need
more
practice
I’ve
got It
I can
apply it
in a new
way
Reflections
How you participate. . .
Participating from three perspectives:
 Learner
 Facilitator
 Planner
Action Planning Facilitation Planner
Agenda
Section III
Review
Implementation
Benchmarks
Annual
Targets and
Interim
Measures
Plan Review
Major
Improvement
Strategies
Planning to
Plan
Your questions about Data
analysis and Root Cause
Identification
Review: Significant Trends

Include all performance indicator areas.

Include at least three years of data.

Identify where the school did not at least
meet state and federal expectations.

Consider data beyond that included in the
school performance framework (gradelevel data).
Review priority need(s)
Priority needs are. . .

Specific statements about the school’s performance
challenges

Strategic focus for the school

About the students in the school
Priority needs are NOT

What caused or why we have the performance challenge

Action steps that need to be taken

Concerns about budget, staffing, curriculum, or instruction

About the adults.
Priority Need Examples
For turnaround and priority improvement schools:

Math achievement across all grade-levels and all
disaggregated groups over three years is persistently
less than 30% proficient or advanced.

Median Student Growth Percentiles in reading across all
grade levels and all disaggregated groups is below 30
and has declined over the past three years.

For the past three years, English language learners
(making up 60% of the student population) have had
median growth percentiles below 30 in all content areas.
Page 7
Priority Need Non-Examples

To review student work and align proficiency levels to
the Reading Continuum and Co. Content Standards

Provide staff training in explicit instruction and adequate
programming designed for intervention needs.

Implement interventions for English Language Learners
in mathematics.

Budgetary support for para-professionals to support
students with special needs in regular classrooms.

No differentiation in mathematics instruction when
student learning needs are varied.
Page 7
Effective Feedback
Clear, descriptive, criterion-based,
and indicate:
√ how their response differed from that reflected
in quality criteria
√ how they can move forward (what they might
do next)
Provide feedback about Section III

Choose a partner school team.

On the UIP Section III Feedback Form, capture
your partner school’s:


name,

plan type, and

Title I designations.
With your partner school, exchange UIP Section
III UIP drafts.
Provide feedback about Section III

Use the Quality Criteria for Unified Improvement
Planning, Section III and the UIP Section III Feedback
Form.

On the feedback form, provide written feedback to your
partner school about their Data Analysis Worksheet and
Data Narrative (30 minutes):


To what degree does their section III meet the
relevant quality criteria?

Have they identified “priority needs” that are performance
challenges?

Do you understand the “data story” for their school?
How could they improve their plan?
Responding to Feedback

Check-in with your team (15 minutes):
 How
did it go providing feedback about
another school’s plan?
 What
did you learn?
 How
will you respond to the feedback you
received? What will you do next?

Large-group share out (5 minutes)
Agenda
Section III
Review
Implementation
Benchmarks
Annual
Targets and
Interim
Measures
Plan Review
Major
Improvement
Strategies
Planning to
Plan
Planning Terminology

Consider the planning terminology, page 11.

Use this legend as you review each term:

√
-- I’ve got it
?
– I could use further clarification.
Review terms with ? with the people at
your table.
Action Planning

Consider the Section IV: Action Planning
Overview, page 13.

Form a triad. Assign A, B, C

Read your section (10 minutes):


A = School Goals Worksheet: Establish Annual Targets
and Interim Measures

B = Identify Major Improvement Strategies and
Implementation Benchmarks

C= Monitor Progress
Share: major ideas, local connections, etc (10
minutes)
Action Planning: Three Processes
1.
Ensuring future activities are headed in the right
direction:
Clarifying annual targets
 Identifying interim measures.

2.
Identifying Major Improvement Strategies
Action steps, Timeline ,Resources
 Implementation Benchmarks

3.
Monitoring Progress


Establish a calendar
Monitor interim measures and implementation
benchmarks
Capturing your questions

Take out at sticky notes.

Write your 3 most burning questions about
UIP Section IV: Action Planning

Combine and sort sticky notes at your
table.

Identify 3 for full group. Collect
Clarify Annual Targets: Federal

For Title I schools, in ESEA performance
indicators, annual targets have been set.

See AYP Proficiency Targets and Safe Harbor,
page 15.

Identify and capture targets for priority need
areas.

Content area focused

Disaggregated group focused
Annual Targets: State Indicators

Academic Achievement, Academic Growth,
Academic Growth Gaps, Post-Secondary/
Workforce Readiness

Schools and districts will need to set annual
targets for state performance indicator areas (for
2010-2011 and 2011-2012).

Annual targets must result in schools at least
meeting state expectations within 5 years.

Take out: Setting Annual Targets for State
Performance Indicators, page 19.
Setting Annual Targets
Focus on a
priority need
Review state
or local
expectations
Determine
progress needed
in first two years
Determine
timeframe
(max 5 years)
Describe
annual targets
for two years
Minimum State Expectations

In the School Performance Framework Reports (excerpted
in your packet, pages

The value for which a rating of “meets” would be assigned
for the state metric in each sub-indicator area.

Academic Achievement: the 50th percentile of %
proficient or advanced for Colorado schools.

Academic Growth and Academic Growth Gaps: a
median growth percentile (MGP) of 55 if MGP is < AGP,
and 45 otherwise.

Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness: Graduation
rate at or above 80%, Drop-Out rate at or below the
state average, and Colorado ACT Composite Score at or
above the state average.
Setting Academic Achievement Targets
1.
Consider the 50th percentile of Colorado schools for %
proficient or advanced for:

Your school level (elem, middle, high)

The content area(s) that is the focus of your priority need(s).
2.
Is your school’s %P/A at or above the typical school in
Colorado (50th percentile value)?
3.
If not, how long would it take for your school to meet
that level? (at most 5 years)
4.
How much progress can you make in the next two
years?
Setting Growth and Growth Gap Targets (MGP)

On which students do your priority need(s) focus?

For that group of students, is your school’s median growth
percentile < median adequate growth percentile?

If yes, set a median growth percentile target of not less
than 55.

If no, set a median growth percentile target for not less
than 50.

No penalty for not making targets in one year.

Targets can be set for any state metric, but should include
median growth percentile.
Practice: Setting Annual Targets

Consider Unified Improvement Plan Quality
Criteria: Annual Targets
 What do annual targets need to include?
(Buzz with a partner.)

Choose one of your school’s priority needs.

Identify Annual Targets for at least one priority
need for the next two years (10 minutes).

Using the quality criteria, evaluate your annual
target(s) and revise if needed (15 minutes).

Share out examples.
Interim Measures

Interim measures must be identified for each
annual target.

Data from interim measures should be available
more than once during the school year.

Across all interim measures, data should be
available that would allow schools to monitor
progress quarterly.

Examples: District Benchmark Assessment,
NWEA MAPS, Galileo, Aquity, DIBELS,
commonly administered end-of-unit assessments
What interim measures do you have
available?

Consider your Data Sources Calendar

Work with your team to generate a list of
interim measures available within your
school or district.

Additive share-out of interim measures
available across schools (districts)

Are there gaps in the interim measures
available to you?
Practice

Review UIP Quality Criteria: Interim Measures

Consider your example annual target(s),what
interim measures could you use to monitor
progress towards that target?

Write a description of the interim measure you
will use, include:

Assessment/performance measures administered
during the school year (more than once).

Specify how frequently the data will be available.

Specify what metrics you will consider.
Progress Monitoring

Consider Progress Monitoring Calendar: Annual Targets
and Interim Measures, page 25.

Team Dialogue: How could you use this calendar to:

Describe the performance data that will be used to
monitor progress towards annual targets.

Plan for how school stakeholders will consider
performance data (at least quarterly) in monitoring
progress towards annual targets.
Tools you can Use
Tool
Use
Action Planning Overview
Build background on action planning.
AYP Proficiency Targets and Safe
Harbor
Identify pre-set annual targets for federal
performance indicators.
Setting Annual Targets for State
Performance Indicators
Process to follow for setting annual targets
for state performance indicators.
School Performance Framework
Scoring Guides
Identify state expectations for state
performance indicators (some metrics).
Progress Monitoring Calendar:
Annual Targets and Interim
Measures
Organize and plan progress monitoring
efforts.
Integrating your Thinking

Take out, Action Planning Facilitation
Planner

Make notes about how you will facilitate
your teams efforts to identify annual
targets, and identify interim measures

What tools will you use?
Agenda
Section III
Review
Implementation
Benchmarks
Annual
Targets and
Interim
Measures
Plan Review
Major
Improvement
Strategies
Planning to
Plan
Major Improvement Strategies

Respond to root causes of the
performance problems you are
attempting to remedy.

Action steps are smaller activities that fit
within larger major improvement strategies.

Improvement Strategies and Action Steps
must be associated with resources, people,
and time.
What is a Major Improvement
Strategy

Review Unified Improvement Plan Quality
Criteria: Major Improvement Strategies.

Table Dialogue:

Do any of the criteria need clarification?

What do you anticipate will be the most difficult
criteria for your team to meet? Understand?

What is the difference between a major improvement
strategy and an action step?
School Case Studies

Consider School Restructuring Case Study List,
page 29.

Identify a school that is the closest to your
school.

Team emissary: Get enough copies of the case
study for your team.

Individually read the case study (10 minutes).

Team discussion (10 minutes): What can we
learn from this school’s experience?
How to Identify Major Improvement Strategies
1.
Focus on your root cause(s).
2.
Describe the probable future (if action is NOT
taken).
3.
Identify a desired future (if action is taken, from
the perspective of various local stakeholders).
4.
Identify strategies to get to the desired future.
5.
Articulate a Theory of Action (If, then, and then).
6.
Re-write as a major improvement strategy.
Practice Development Major
Improvement Strategies

Take out: Developing Major Improvement
Strategies Practice, page 41.

Select at least one priority need (or more than
one related priority need).

Identify associated “root cause(s)”.

Write your priority need and associated root
cause(s) at the top of the practice sheet
(5 minutes).
Theories of Action
Theories of action, ensure major Improvement
strategies:
 eliminate
root causes of performance challenges;
 consider
the relationship between where we want to
get to and what we are going to do;
 clarifying
 prepare

the thinking at the time of planning; and
planners to answer: “Why are we doing this?”
Reference “Theories of Action”, page 45
Developing a Theory of Action
1.
Describe the probable future (if no action is
taken).
2.
Identify a desired future (if action is taken, from
the perspective of various local stakeholders)
3.
Brainstorm strategies to get to the desired
future.
4.
Articulate a Theory of Action (If, then, and,
then).
Identify the PROBABLE FUTURE
Based on the priority need (performance challenge) and
root cause(s). . . answer this question:
“If we continue to do what we’ve been doing, what
is the most likely result?”
Work with your team to describe your probable
future and capture it on your Developing Major
Improvement Strategies Practice sheet (10 min).
Identify the PREFERRED FUTURE

If we eliminate the root causes of our performance
challenges, what would our preferred future look like?

What will these different groups be doing differently?


Students

Staff members

Leadership team

Parents / Community
Examples:

All students monitor the progress of their learning towards grade level
expectations on a weekly basis and set personal learning goals.

Teachers daily use data about learning formatively to refocus instruction
on their students’ needs.

Staff members consistently implement identified practices in effective
literacy instruction.
Preferred Future Practice

Work with your team to identify a preferred
future.

Make notes on your practice sheet.

Describe what each stakeholder would be
doing differently: students, school staff,
leadership team, parents/community
members, page 41-42.
Brainstorm potential STRATEGIES

With the preferred future in mind, brainstorm
major strategies that would result in the
preferred future.

Consider the “root causes” that need to be
eliminated.

Don’t get caught up in the specific steps, rather
stay at the major strategy level.

Make notes on your practice sheet, page 42.

Prioritize your strategies (indicate highest
priority).
Articulate a THEORY of ACTION
Theory of Action Format
 If…
[teacher / adult actions]
… [student behaviors / student
learning / etc.]
 Then
 And
… [measures for assessing growth]
What a THEORY of ACTION
looks like:
If…
Then…
And…
This converts an
explanation or
process into an
essential
instructional practice.
This describes what
students will be able to
do as a result.
This identifies how to
assess the
implementation of teacher
practices and student
learning.
If teachers fully
…Then students will
teach and assess the have common, spiraling
new K-5 year-end
expectations and
writing outcomes and vocabulary, which will
share them with
improve their
students…
achievement…
…And ongoing teacher
records will show the
progress students are
making towards meeting
year-end writing
outcomes.
Theory of Action

Articulate your Theory of Action

Make notes on page 43 of your practice
sheet.

Make sure to include If. . ., Then. . ., And. .

Write your theory of action as a major
improvement strategy, page 43.
Major Improvement Strategies
Action
Steps
Timeline
Key
Personnel
Resources
Implementation
Benchmarks
For each major improvement
strategy you must define action
steps.
What are Action Steps?

Review Unified Improvement Plan Quality
Criteria: Action Steps.

Table Dialogue:

Based on state accountability plan type and Title I
program designations, what action step criteria apply
to your school?

What do you anticipate will be the most difficult
criteria for your team to meet? Understand?

What is the difference between a major improvement
strategy and an action step?
How to develop Action Steps

Do a force field analysis in reference to
your major improvement strategy
 Identify
driving forces
 Identify
restraining forces
 Prioritize

restraining forces.
Identify action steps that would eliminate
or weaken your restraining forces (in
priority order).
Force-Field Analysis: Mind-set

Change is a dynamic process that generates energy and
movement in individuals and in organizations.

Change can be viewed as a dynamic between forces
seeking to maintain a status quo, and forces seeking to
drive the status quo to change.

When driving forces are the stronger force, change
moves forward. When restraining forces are stronger
or equal to the driving forces, movement can be blocked
or stalled.
– Ken Lewin (Force Field Analysis developer).
Page 47
What does a Force-Field Analysis do?
1.
helps people to think together about all the facets of a desired
change;
2.
develops consensus as an environmental scan, enabling
participants to articulate key dynamics relevant to an upcoming
change
3.
aids in comparing the positives and negatives of a situation;
4.
encourages creative thinking;
5.
promotes agreement about the relative priority of restraining versus
driving factors; and it
6.
provides a starting point for the selection of action steps.
Page 47
When should a force field analysis be used?

after a root cause analysis

after major improvement strategies have been
identified

when it is unclear which actions to prioritize

when planners want to put new actions into the
existing context

when a team wants to maximize the success of
a new venture either by approaching change
from the perspective of strengthening driving
forces or by reducing restraining forces.
How is a force field analysis conducted?
1.
Select a major improvement strategy.
2.
Brainstorm and list on the left side of a T-chart the existing
forces/factors that support or are driving the school TOWARD the
strategy.
3.
Brainstorm and list on the right the existing forces/factors that are
holding the school back or driving it AWAY from the strategy.
4.
Clarify, explain, reach agreement on the items that have been
charted.
5.
Eliminate duplications and combine items as needed.
6.
Rank the “restraining forces” from most to least important (can be
done individually and combined, or as a group)
7.
Begin identifying action steps by addressing the items with the
highest ranking numbers.
Practice Force Field Analysis

Use the force field analysis notecatcher on
page 48 (or a flip chart).

Write your major improvement strategy at
the top of the page.

Brainstorm driving forces and restraining
forces (15 min).

Prioritize your restraining forces (5 min).
Develop Action Steps

Start with the highest priority restraining
forces (work towards the lowest priority)

For each, identify action steps to reduce or
eliminate the restraining force.

For each, you will need to determine:
 Timing
(when it will be implemented)
 Person
responsible
 Resources
(that will be used)
Practice: Action Steps

Select your top two priority restraining
forces.

Identify at least two action steps to
counteract your restraining forces.

Capture your action steps on a flip chart.
Agenda
Root Cause
Review
Implementation
Benchmarks
Annual
Targets and
Interim
Measures
Plan Review
Major
Improvement
Strategies
Planning to
Plan
Implementation Benchmarks


Implementation Benchmarks are. . .

how schools will know major improvement strategies
are being implemented;

Measures of the fidelity with which action steps are
implemented; and

what will be monitored.
Implementation Benchmarks are NOT:

Performance measures (assessment results).
Selecting Implementation Benchmarks

Review the Unified Improvement Planning
Quality Criteria: Implementation
Benchmarks

Table Dialogue (5 min):

Do any of the criteria need clarification?

What do you anticipate will be the most difficult
criteria to meet? Understand?

What is the difference between interim measures and
implementation benchmarks?
Practice: Implementation
Benchmarks
Action Step

Work with your table
group. Use a flip chart
page.

For at least 2 action
steps, brainstorm
possible implementation
benchmarks.

Apply the UIP Quality
Criteria for
Implementation
Benchmarks to your list.
Implementation
Benchmark (s)
When will you monitor implementation
of your action steps?

Consider the Progress Monitoring Calendar: Action
Steps and Implementation Benchmarks, page 49-50.

When will data be available for each of your
implementation benchmarks?

What metrics will you consider?

Who will monitor progress? When?

Make notes for the implementation benchmarks you
have identified.
Tools you can Use
Tool
Dramatic Change
Use
Failed Turnaround Strategies
Suggestions for Major Improvement Strategies
What Rural Districts are Doing
Suggestions for Major Improvement Strategies
Theories of Action
Provide a process for developing a theory of
action
Force Field Analysis
Provide a process for identifying critical action
steps
Progress Monitoring Calendar
Provide a template for planning progress
monitoring.
Reminder of what constitutes dramatic change
Integrating your Thinking

Take out, Action Planning Facilitation
Planner

Make notes about how you will facilitate
your teams efforts to develop major
improvement strategies, and identify
implementation benchmarks

What tools will you use?
Agenda
Root Cause
Review
Implementation
Benchmarks
Annual
Targets and
Interim
Measures
Plan Review
Major
Improvement
Strategies
Planning to
Plan
What School Plans will be reviewed by
the State?

The state will NOT review all school plans.

Based on SB09-163, the state will review:


Priority Improvement Plans

Turnaround Plans
Based on ESEA, the state will:

Monitor districts to determine if school plans are in
place (e.g., desk review, onsite visits)

This includes Title I schoolwide, targeted assistance
and school improvement/corrective action/
restructuring schools.
Who Will Review School Plans?

Districts are expected to review all school plans.

Local school boards must adopt priority improvement and
turnaround plans.

The principal and superintendent (or his designee) must adopt
school performance and improvement plans.

A state review panel appointed by the commissioner will
review all state required turnaround plans.

The state review panel MAY review priority improvement
plans.

District must use peer review if school is on Title I
Improvement, Corrective Action or Restructuring within 45
days of submittal.
What criteria will be used to review
plans?

Unified Improvement Plan Quality Criteria

Checklists of ESEA Requirements for Title I
schools identified for: Corrective Action, School
Improvement, Restructuring

Checklist for Title I Targeted Assistance
Programs

Checklist for Title I Schoolwide Programs
Page 53
How will school plans be reviewed?

Consider
The “Review of School Plans” excerpted from the
District Accountability Handbook, page 63.
 Unified Improvement Plan Quality Criteria
 Title I requirements, including checklists for TA and
SW programs.


With your team/table group discuss:

What are the critical steps in this review process?

Who will review our plan?

How will we respond to any feedback we receive
through the review process?
School Accountability Committees

Consider the School Accountability Committees
information excerpted from the District Accountability
Handbook, (page 65).

Working with your table answer the following questions:


What are the required seven members of a SAC?

What are SACs responsible for in relationship to
Unified Improvement Planning?

How have you engaged your SAC in improvement
planning?
Note: DACs are not required to review school plans.
Agenda
Root Cause
Review
Implementation
Benchmarks
Annual
Targets and
Interim
Measures
Plan Review
Major
Improvement
Strategies
Planning to
Plan
Planning to Plan

Go back to your Action Planning
Facilitation Planner.

Fill in any gaps related to taking the next
steps in developing your school’s unified
improvement plan.

On sticky notes. . . identify remaining
support needs.
Give us Feedback!!

Written: Use sticky notes
+ the aspects of this session that you liked or
worked for you.
 The
things you will change in your practice or
that you would change about this session.



? Question that you still have or things we didn’t
get to today
Ideas, ah-has, innovations
Oral: Share one ah ha!