Transcript Document

Supporting Schools in
Need of Improvement
Virginia’s System of Support
Dr. Kathleen M. Smith, Director
Office of School Improvement
Why was the support needed?
• In 2007-2008, there was a concern that districts with
persistently low-performing schools in the process of
implementing reconstitution plans approved by the State
Board of Education would not be able to “self-correct.”
• Recognition that more schools—and more districts—might
face the prospect of developing and implementing
reconstitution plans.
• The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) needed to
address these concerns within limitations of staff time and
other resources.
How did it happen?
• The U.S. Department of Education repurposed the regional
comprehensive centers to build state capacity. The
Appalachian Regional Comprehensive Center was looking
for a way to help VDOE.
• The Center on Innovation and Improvement published the
Handbook (CII) on Restructuring and Substantial School
Improvement and was looking for a place to test its
efficacy.
• The Virginia Foundation for Educational Leadership (VFEL)
wanted to expand its role in building leadership capacity.
Elements of the First and
Second Initiative
• Use of the research-based CII’s Handbook on
Restructuring and Substantial School Improvement
for development and implementation of the Web
conference program and online virtual planning tool.
• Emphasis on district support for school improvement.
• Leadership support provided at the school-level both
for the principal and lead teachers.
• Integration with VDOE coaching model, already in
place, for schools and districts.
• Requirement for the district to lead monthly
“alternative governance” meetings at the school.
• Reports regarding district and school progress were
sent directly to the Virginia Board of Education’s
Committee on School and District Accountability.
How many schools?
First year…..
19 districts, 30 schools, mostly
chronically low-performing
middle schools.
Second year….
36 schools, both middle
and elementary, all Title I eligible,
most in school
improvement
and/or low-performing.
Funding for the First and
Second Initiative
• State funding (approximately $500,000 each year) and
federal funding (1003a set aside).
• One full-time and one part-time dedicated staff
persons.
• Twelve coaches contracted with funding above.
Research-Based District Indicator
Discussed in a Web Conference
and Online Follow-Up
• District and change process
Indicator: The district operates with districtlevel and school-level improvement teams.
The districts had to have a district improvement
planning process to support their lowest performing
schools and the districts had to be involved in the
school’s improvement planning process through the
implementation of the monthly alternative
governance meetings. These processes had to be
documented on the district and school online tool.
Center on Innovation and Improvement’s
Online Tool
Afforded the state educational agency (SEA)
with an opportunity to monitor the school
improvement planning process through the
monthly alternative governance meetings
“virtually.”
Polling Question
Using the polling tool, indicate if your SEA:
a. Can view the school improvement planning
process ongoing throughout the year in all of the
schools that the SEA is working with from the
desktop.
b. Regularly reports the progress of initiatives
undertaken by low-performing schools to
improve the results of student achievement, not
just the results, to the State Board of Education.
c. All of the above.
d. None of the above.
Results for the First Two Initiatives
2007-2008
Of the 30 schools, 20 or 66% moved out of
restructuring sanctions by the state or No Child Left
Behind (NCLB).
2008-2009
Of the 36 schools, preliminary data shows that 26 or
72% moved out of state and/or NCLB sanctions
(including corrective action and restructuring).
Third Initiative Beginning in
2009-2010
Funding--1003(g):
$104,000 per school
Number of Schools: 41 districts (73 schools)
Sanction:
Year 1 or Year 2 of School
Improvement in 2008-2009 or in
holding in 2008-2009
1003g Conditions of Award
Key word is fidelity. Example:
From a principal –
I received your e-mail yesterday regarding the required
Breaking Ranks in the Middle (BRIM) training. I was
surprised to see there is a registration fee of $525 associated
with this workshop. Unless I have somehow missed something
somewhere along the way, this is the first mention of this
registration fee. Yes, I am aware that we have received
$104,000 but in creating a budget for those funds, I did not
include this additional expense. Also, starting the training on
the second day at 7:30 a.m. makes it more difficult for those
who plan to commute and thus save hotel and evening meal
expenses.
SEA Response and Follow-Up Telephone
Call with the Principal
The conditions for grant award allow for fidelity of implementation. These
conditions were specific and stated the need for you to attend this
training. We have also stated in a telephone conference, Web
conference, and at the institute that if you did not wish to use 1003(g)
funds for the BRIM training, you could use 1003(a) as well as Title II
funds.
We cannot make the time convenient for all, but we did our best to keep
you from having to attend 2 ½ days and have made sure this training
will be only two days, thus the training will begin at 7:30 a.m.
As I stated this summer in an e-mail to you and copied to your
superintendent, it is not about the drive, but about the students in your
school who have not successfully passed the Standards of Learning
(SOL) assessments.
The need for these students, at least for me, is much greater than any
drive I would have had to make, and I have made many amendments to
my schedule over the years for the sake of the children that I served. I
am sure that you have done so as well.
I have placed a call to your superintendent to discuss this matter and
other concerns that you may have regarding the conditions of grant
awards totaling over $300,000 to your district. If you have further
questions, please feel free to contact me at (804) 334-6614. We look
forward to meeting you at the training. Kathleen
District Requirements
District representative will develop a
district support team to include
district staff members from:
Title I
Instruction
Special Education
ESL and/or other relevant instructional area (if
needed)
District Requirements
(continued)
District support team will:
Develop and implement a district
plan to support schools in
improvement using the CII tool.
Attend seven district-level
Web conferences during
the year.
District Requirements
(continued)
District team members will:
Meet with the schools in
improvement planning team at
least monthly.
Serve as the liaison between the
central office and the schools in
improvement.
Note: A ratio of one district liaison per three schools is required.
School Requirements
Principal and coach will develop a
school support team to include assigned district team
member and school staff members from:
Title I
Instruction
Special Education
ESL and/or other relevant instructional area (if needed)
School Requirements
(continued)
School support team will:
Develop and
implement a
school plan to
support schools in
improvement using
the CII tool.
Meet at least monthly
with the district
representative and will
maintain minutes of
the meetings using the
CII tool.
Submit quarterly
reports to the
VDOE.
Quarterly Reports Focus on Students Who Failed
the Standards of Learning Assessment in 2008-2009
or At Risk of Failing in 2009-2010
http://www.vassp.org/Mentor%20Coach%20Resources.htm
School Requirements
(continued)
Principal will:
Attend seven school-level
Web conferences during
the year.
Attend Breaking Ranks in
the Middle/Elementary
training offered by VFEL.
_________________________________
_________________________________
Coach and other team
members should attend if
possible.
Grant funds can be used to pay
for this training.
Training will be offered
regionally.
School and District
Teacher Training
Coach and district contact will:
 Attend a week-long institute and three additional
meetings and will be trained by VFEL as teacher training
leaders.
 Be grouped by districts by VDOE (according to proximity
and likeness of districts) to provide teacher trainings to
principals and at least two teachers from each school in the
group four times during the year.
Note: Teachers selected for training sessions must be good at
what they do and capable of serving in a leadership capacity
at the school.
Coach and District Contact Attend
Four Teacher Leader Trainings:
One at the Coaches Institute and three others held
in November, January, and March
Coach and district contact join district groups
pre-determined by VDOE
Teacher Training 1
Teacher Training 2
Teacher Training 3
VDOE staff deployed to assist training
Teacher Training 4
Polling Question
Using the polling tool, indicate if your SEA:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Uses coaches or distinguished educators to work
with schools.
Requires the district to attend ongoing training
regarding how to support schools in improvement
and plan effectively for this purpose and requires
the district to train lead teachers and principals.
Requires district staff to participate in and/or lead
the school’s improvement team.
Uses a quarterly monitoring tool that focuses on
the students who failed the assessments
At least 2 of the above activities.
Uses all of the above.
Demonstration of School Support
System
Contact:
Sam Redding [email protected]
Marilyn Murphy [email protected]
Visit their Web site at www.centerii.org
Or
[email protected]
(804) 786-5819
The contents of this presentation were developed
under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
However, those contents do not necessarily represent
the policy of the Department of Education, and you
should not assume endorsement by the federal
government.