Local Assistance Plan Schools: Self-Reflection Process and Required Plan May 13, 2016 Presented by Alexandra Pressley Office of Accountability New York State Education Department

Background Information New York State’s school and district accountability system has been approved by the United States Department of Education through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility Waiver initiative. The approved waiver is posted on the Office of Accountability website at: The approved waiver requires New York to identify Priority and Focus Districts and schools, as well as support continuous improvement in other Title I schools that are not making progress in improving student achievement and narrowing achievement gaps. The Local Assistance Plan schools are those schools that are not making progress in improving student achievement and narrowing achievement gaps. Pursuant to Commissioner’s Regulations §100.18, the New York State Education Department (NYSED or “the Department”) is required to identify Local Assistance Plan (LAP) Schools annually. 2

Identification A school was identified as LAP for the school year if the school failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for an accountability subgroup for the same accountability measure for the , and school year results. 3

The BIG Picture In accordance with Commissioner’s Regulations, a district with LAP Schools will be required to work with the identified schools to conduct a self-reflection, using the Local Assistance Plan Self- Reflection Process Document. The school, in collaboration with the district, is then required to use the results of the Self-Reflection to create an intervention plan for the school year, using the Local Assistance Plan template. Within the plan, the school will be required to clearly identify the supports and interventions that are to be implemented in the in the school, based on the results of the Self-Reflection process. The Self-Reflection Process Document and Local Assistance Plan template are posted on the following webpage: 4

Local Assistance Plan Requirements The Self-Reflection Process and plan will meet the regulatory requirement for LAP Schools by including the following information regarding: –the process by which the plan was developed and how school leadership, staff, parents, and students, if appropriate, were given meaningful opportunities to participate in the development of the plan; –the additional resources and professional development that will be provided to LAP Schools to support implementation of the plan; and –the actions the school and district will take to improve the performance of the subgroup(s) for which the school was identified and the timeline for implementation of the actions. 5

Timeline The Local Assistance Plan, created by the school and district, and based upon the results of the Self-Reflection, must be approved by the local board of education for the district (or Chancellor in New York City) and posted to the district’s website by Friday, July 29,

Diagnostic Tool for School & District Effectiveness (DTSDE) New York State’s lowest achieving schools require targeted and specialized assistance in order to build school and district capacity to support sustainable school change. Necessary supports for effective school change must be based on, as well as be responsive to, the comprehensive needs of the school, driven by an assessment of the optimal conditions for learning as defined by research-based best practices, and delivered in a high quality manner and embedded in school practice. The Rubric articulates the State’s theory of action regarding the optimal conditions for district and school effectiveness. The Rubric has been created to measure how close to or far away a particular school is from the optimal conditions identified. 7

Diagnostic Tool for School & District Effectiveness 8

Rubric Organization 9 DTSDE Tenets Tenet 1 – District Leadership and Capacity Tenet 2 – School Leader Practices and Decisions Tenet 3 – Curriculum Development and Support Tenet 4 – Teacher Practices and Decisions Tenet 5 – Student Social and Emotional Developmental Health Tenet 6 – Family and Community Engagement

Statements of Practice (SOP) Each tenet contains Statements of Practice that are intended to show what effective school practices in that particular tenet look like. Each SOP is described across four stages – within each stage there is descriptive language regarding what the SOP looks like in that stage. The SOPs are comprised of an IMPACT and sub-statements of practice that describe what the practices in each Stage MAY LOOK LIKE. 10

Rubric Organization: Stages  Each column describes a developmental stage in attaining the SOP  Stage 1= Beginning; Stage 4 = Advanced 11

DTSDE: IMPACT statements Each SOP has a corresponding IMPACT STATEMENT 12

Using the Rubric The Rubric outlines the continuum of improvement. The SOPs must be looked at holistically. The rubric is not to be used as a checklist. Always reflect back on the “meaning” of the SOP and why it is essential for school improvement. 13

Step 1: Determining the Reason for Identification If your school has one subgroup identified as a result of performance on state assessments or gaps in performance between the group and the all students group: –Complete the Self-Reflection Process Document. –Use the results of the Self-Reflection to guide creation of the Local Assistance Plan. 14

Step 1: Determining the Reason for Identification If your school has more than one subgroup identified: –Consider all identified subgroups when answering each of the prompts in the Self-Reflection Process Document. For some prompts, the answers may be different for each of the identified subgroups. In those instances, the school should provide a response for each subgroup, which would result in multiple responses for the individual Statement of Practice prompt. For other prompts, the answers may be the same for the different identified subgroups. In those instances, the school can provide one response for the multiple identified subgroups. –Once the Self-Reflection Document is complete, please use the results of the Self-Reflection to guide creation of a Local Assistance Plan to address all identified subgroups. 15

Step 1: Determining the Reason for Identification (cont.) If your school has subgroup(s) that have been solely identified for failing to meet the participation rate requirement, please do one of the following: –Option 1: Proceed with completing the Self-Reflection Process Document and creation of the Local Assistance Plan for the identified group. Provide narrative responses to the questions listed in the “Promoting Participation in State Assessments” section. –Option 2: Complete the Self-Reflection Process Document and create a Local Assistance Plan for a subgroup identified by the school or district as in need of improvement based on internal assessments. The school will need to provide information on the assessments that were used to make the determination. Provide narrative responses to the questions listed in the “Promoting Participation in State Assessments” section. 16

Step 2: Gathering your team. The Local Assistance Plan (LAP) Self- Reflection Process Document provides school- based teams the opportunity to reflect on the practices that exist within the school in preparation for identifying the appropriate next steps on their LAP that will support increased student academic achievement. The school must list the name and title of each individual working on the Self-Reflection team. The expectation is that teams will have representation of parents, teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders. 17

Step 3: Completing the Self- Reflection Process Document Review the Diagnostic Tool for School and District Effectiveness rubric. The DTSDE rubric and more information on how to use the rubric can be found on this website: stic-tool-institute/home.html. stic-tool-institute/home.html In your review of the rubric, be sure to look at the impact statements for each Statement of Practice (SOP). Discuss your interpretation of the rubric and support documents with your team to establish a common understanding of what is stated in the documents. 18

Self-Reflection Process To complete this form, as a group: 1.Review each SOP in the Tenet, and the corresponding Impact Statement. 2.Take time to consider how you would answer the Modified LAP Guiding Question/SOP Prompt. 3.Answer the prompts regarding evidence of impact. 19

Self-Reflection Process Document Components 20

Tips for completing the Modified LAP Guiding Question/ SOP Prompts Avoid providing a list of activities, unless you can provide evidence of how you know they are having an impact and adding value to the school, especially in terms of student achievement and the quality of education. Statements of Practice 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 3.2, 4.2, 5.2, and 6.2 revolve around the leadership at the school. The phrase “The school leaders” has been provided at the start of each of these SOPs to remind schools to frame their answers through the leaders’ decisions and practices. 21

Tips for completing the Modified LAP Guiding Question/ SOP Prompts Within each Modified LAP Guiding Question/SOP Prompt, there is an expected impact, which provides an indication that the practices undertaken are making a difference and adding value to the school. You will find the expected impact for each Guiding Question in bold, green text. When answering “Yes” to any question, be sure that all aspects of the Modified LAP Guiding Question/SOP Prompt have been realized, including the impact portion of the question, which is noted green. Your answers to the Modified LAP Guiding Question/SOP Prompt should range between 10 words (one sentence) and 200 words. 22

Evidence of Impact Prompts Avoid providing a list of activities, unless you can provide evidence of how you know they are having an impact and adding value to the school, especially in terms of student achievement and the quality of education. The prompts look slightly different for each tenet. The main purpose of the prompt is to spur discussion on the evidence that the school has that a particular strategy or activity is working or not working. This information is the most useful in creating the Local Assistance Plan, since it requires the school to determine where changes need to be made in order to achieve the intended impact. 23

Evidence of Impact Prompts 24

Evidence of Impact Prompts 25

Evidence of Impact Prompts 26

Step 3: Complete the Whole School Reflection 27 This section should be completed based upon a holistic review of the information gathered in the Tenet sections. The Whole School Reflection should serve as the starting point for creation of your Local Assistance Plan.

Step 3: Complete the Whole School Reflection 28

Support from the Regional Special Education Technical Assistance Support Centers (RSE- TASC) –A Special Education Improvement Specialist may be available to: –Assist with instructional walkthroughs of the school –Participate as a Self-Review Team member –Provide training on explicit/specially designed instruction and what to look for during classroom observations –Contact information for the RSE-TASC may be found at: asc/locations.htm asc/locations.htm 29

Students with Disabilities Subgroup If your school has been identified as LAP for the SWD subgroup, please make sure to review the following information/practices during your Self-Reflection process: –Data on students with disabilities –See “LAP Self Review School Information Sheet: Additional Considerations for Schools focusing on Students with Disabilities” at m m –School practices relating to special education services –See “Guiding Questions for LAP Self-Reviews – Students with Disabilities Subgroup” at LAPSelfReview.doc. LAPSelfReview.doc –Delivery of explicit and specially designed instruction –See “Explicit and Specially Designed Instruction Walk-Through Tool” at LAPSelfReview.pdfhttp:// LAPSelfReview.pdf 30

Creating a Local Assistance Plan 31

Creating a Local Assistance Plan Part I: Whole School Reflection Identify the date the Local Assistance Plan Self-Reflection Document was completed. Identify the individuals who helped complete the Local Assistance Plan Self-Reflection Document. In thinking about the information gathered using the Local Assistance Plan Self- Reflection Document, and the school as the whole, answer the prompts. 32

Creating a Local Assistance Plan Part II: Plan for Overcoming Barriers and Addressing Needs Complete the following chart to create a plan for overcoming barriers for the identified subgroup and/or addressing any needs that must be met for the identified subgroup. 33

Creating a Local Assistance Plan 34

Creating a Local Assistance Plan Barrier/Need to be addressed – Choose from the barriers or needs identified in Part 1. Strategy to be implemented - Describe the strategy that will be used to address the barrier/need. Resources to be used – Describe what resources (human capital, funding, etc.) will be used to support the strategy. Specialized PD involved – Describe any necessary professional development that must happen to ensure effective implementation of the strategy. 35

Creating a Local Assistance Plan 36

Creating a Local Assistance Plan Mid-year Benchmark Goal – Describe what will have been accomplished by the middle of the school year in terms of staff efforts and student outcomes. End of the Year Quantifiable Goal - Describe what will have been accomplished by the end of the school year in terms of student outcomes. Person(s) responsible –Determine who will be responsible for implementation of the strategy. Time period for implementation – List key dates for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the strategy. 37

Creating a Local Assistance Plan 38

Collaboration on Development of the Plan The Diagnostic Self-Review is intended to be completed by the school leadership team, in collaboration with district representatives. Schools must describe how the Self-Review Document and Report Template was developed pursuant to Commissioner’s Regulation

LAP and Participation Rate If your school has subgroup(s) that have been solely identified for failing to meet the participation rate requirement, the school must provide narrative responses to the questions in Part III: Promoting Participation in State Assessments. 40

Approval and Posting of the Plan The Local Assistance Plan (LAP) must be approved by the district’s Board of Education (for NYC, it must be approved by the Chancellor).Evidence of Board (or Chancellor) approval must be kept on file at school and district offices. The LAP must be posted, along with evidence of Board (or Chancellor) approval, to the district’s website, no later than July 29, The LAP and the completed Self-Reflection Process document must also be kept on file at both the school and district offices. 41

LAP and 1003(a) School Improvement Grant Funds The Department will make available to districts with Title I LAP Schools, a grant of $20,000 per school to support implementation of LAP plans in the school year. Potential LAP Schools are not eligible for grants. Districts will receive further information in May 2016 regarding these grants. 42

LAP and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) The Department is required by Commissioner’s Regulations and the state’s approved ESEA Flexibility Waiver to identify LAP Schools for the school year. Although the Every Student Succeeds Act was signed into law on December 10, 2015 by President Obama, states are required to fulfill the terms of their approved ESEA Waivers until a new state accountability plan aligned with ESSA is approved by the United States Department of Education. As the USDE issues guidance to states regarding the development of new state accountability plans, the Department will share that information with the field. 43

Resources To view the technical documentation on the identification of Focus Districts, Focus Schools, Priority Schools, LAP Schools, and Reward Schools, please visit: To learn more about the Diagnostic Tool for School and District Effectiveness, please visit: institute/home.html. institute/home.html For further information on the District Comprehensive Improvement Plan, please view webinars posted at:

Questions? Please contact the Office of Accountability via at 45