Investments that can Boost Student Achievement

Achieving Educational Equity

through

Allocation and Re-allocation of Resources AASA August 2010

Thinking About Resources Differently

How can Eugene 4J School District:

• Make strategic resource decisions to support teaching and learning?

• Target resources to narrow the achievement gap?

4J Story – One District’s Journey

• 4J serves about 17,000 students  Declining enrollment • • • • 24 elementary schools with 6 magnet schools 8 middle schools with 4 programs 4 high schools with 8 programs 3 charter schools • 25% minority and 40% poverty • Wallace LEAD District & MSAN

Turning tough times into opportunity

Tough times provide an opportunity to rethink resource allocation

systems that:

Role of the Board

Boards can take actions and create conditions, tools and 1. Assist with efforts to reallocate resources more strategically; 2. Prioritize and address equity challenges through differential resource investments; 3. Communicate with the broader community regarding priorities and action plans that make the case for change, and 4. Take steps to increase the likelihood that differential investment strategies pay off.

Board Philosophy for Resource Allocation

• Some schools, particularly those serving low income and/or low achieving students, may require additional resources to acquire the same student outcomes in meeting district and state academic goals • The district will allocate human, financial and community networking resources to close the gap and help all students achieve their potential (providing unequal input for equal output)

Stakeholder Engagement `

Stakeholder Engagement is Essential

▫ Start with internal stakeholders: your staff, including

union leadership

▫ Draw in external stakeholders: parents, community ▫ Engage in a conversation about community values as well as strategies and actions

4J Story Targeting Resources to Improve Student Achievement

People Time Money

Student Achievement

Schools of the Future Public recognition of equity concerns and need for resolution 1999-2001

4J Journey

Board Work • Board commitment to close achievement gap • Equity grants to neediest schools 2001-03 Access & Options Ways to enhance school choice access and equity 2003-04 Board Action • Academy School funding • School choice lottery system changes 2004-05 Shaping 4J’s Future Excellence, equity & choice affirmed as core principals Inter-school transfer limit Move toward differentiated staffing 2006-08

4J Story Financial Resource Allocation

• All schools receive a common basic staff and supply/materials allocation by level • Differentiated general fund resources: ▫ Additional staffing based on socio-economic status ▫ Targeted allocations to schools with higher poverty levels • Title I funds are distributed only to elementary schools with highest poverty rates • Some Title II and V funds are differentiated to schools based on need

4J Story – Early steps to target funds

Identified 9 “academy” schools based on poverty Goals:

▫ Increase achievement ▫ Close the achievement gap ▫ Bring more neighborhood students back to the schools • • • • Minimum of $100,000 per year per school Includes .5 FTE for school improvement coordinator All schools had accountability to the board Staff members could opt to leave the school if they did not buy into the new vision

Differentiated General Fund – 2010-11

•

Literacy infusion funds

- $1.0 million to all schools, weighted for ELL, special education and poverty •

Equity Funds

students in poverty and achievement gap ▫ ▫ - $300,000 to schools based on proportion of 6 elementary, 2 middle and 2 high schools Amounts range from $43 to $77 per pupil •

Additional weighted staffing to all schools based on socio economic status (SES)

▫ 11.3 FTE licensed staff ▫ 20.9 FTE classified staff •

Intervention funding

on SES ▫ - $300,000 to secondary schools based 3 middle and 1 high school

One School’s Journey

River Road/Camino del Rio serves approximately 370 students in grades K-5 and has the highest percentage of low- income and minority students in the district • • • • • •

45% of the students are minority, primarily Latino 85% qualify for free and reduced lunch 20% are English Language Learners 20% qualify for special education Mobility rate is 33% The year before academy funding the school had the lowest standardized test scores in the district, some of the lowest in the state and missed AYP.

One School’s Journey

• How the resources were used: Created a vision for the school ▫ 5 school visits to highly effective schools serving kids in poverty ▫ 10 book study groups • Implemented use of highly developed diagnostic reading measures. Constant use of data.

• Adopted a new school-wide reading program • Professional development in reading, math, writing and data analysis • Release days for staff to plan collaboratively

One School’s Journey

Strategic Use of Resources

▫ Revisit use of Title funds ▫ Reorganization of special education and ELL ▫ Reorganization of the after-school program ▫ Focus on reading and math ▫ Series of surveys revealed that the community wanted a dual language program

OAKS Math

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The Strategic Budgeting Doctrine

• No matter what you say, how you allocate your dollars, time and people reflects your true priorities.

• You can’t do everything—there is not enough time, mindshare, or dollars, but you can do a FEW things well.

• A one-year budget plan will not yield long-term results.

• Don’t let the tail wag the dog— grants only matter if they support your long-term strategies for improvement. EDUCATION RESOURCE STRATEGIES, INC.

Investing for Equity

Final Thought - Equitable Results

• Differential investment of resources is no guarantee of equitable results • A continual adjustment process is called for, whereby district leaders watch for equity consequences, both intended and unintended,

and adjust their frameworks and related resource allocations accordingly.