Santa Fe Public Schools Our Common Commitments Improving our lives through education.

SFPS Mission and Vision and Superintendent’s Vision for SFPS Our Mission: SFPS exists to ensure that very student graduates prepared to be a productive citizen of our local and global community. Our Vision: SFPS will provide every student with a high quality education in a system devoted to equity, diversity, and social justice. Every student will have multiple learning opportunities to meet challenging standards in a safe, caring and respectful environment. Every student is expected to graduate prepared to take advantage of lifelong learning opportunities.

Superintendent’s Vision The power of knowledge Liberation through literacy Relevance through relationships

Neither make nor tolerate excuses. Get the data out and take responsibility for student learning. - Russlynn Ali, The Education Trust

What are Common Commitments? A Few Critical Reform Initiatives – Implemented at least 90% of the time by 90% of the People Based on Research about Best Practices in Instruction Core Values about what is important.

Why are Common Commitments Important? Provide Clarity and Consistency Create Classroom, School and District Efficacy Address the Achievement Gap A Good School System = A Good Place to Live The Moral Imperative – It’s the “right thing” to do Urgency Based on Data Current Systems Not Meeting Needs

What Does It Mean (to have common commitments)? Systems Aligned (EPSS, Professional Development, Assessment, Evaluation) Teaching is a reflective and collaborative practice Support and Training For Staff Must Be Provided Monitoring is Critical Ongoing Assessment is Crucial.

Why Now? Why the Urgency? Our Student Achievement Data (NMSBA) Our Drop Out Data Limited Resources – The Need to Concentrate on What Works - Include Arts and Electives NM Requirements for Teacher and Administrator Professional Development Plans Teaching to Standards is not Standardization...

A Look at Our Data: Student Achievement Data Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 Reading and Math on the New Mexico Standards Based Assessment (NMSBA) Graduation/Dropout Data Cohort (Four Year Longitudinal Data) Event (Senior Year) Our Demographics

Overall District Student Achievement Data NMSBA Grade 3 School Year Groups (N=884) ReadingMath % Proficient Goal Goal All Native American African American Asian Hispanic Caucasian SPED Econ. Disadv ELL

Overall District Student Achievement Data NMSBA Grade 4 School Year 2008—2009 Groups (N=485) ReadingMath % Proficient Goal Goal All Native American Asian African American Hispanic Caucasian SPED Econ. Disadv ELL

Overall District Student Achievement Data NMSBA Grade 5 School Year Groups (N=929) ReadingMath % Proficient Goal Goal All Native American Asian African American Hispanic Caucasian SPED Econ. Disadv ELL

Overall District Student Achievement Data NMSBA Grade 6 School Year Groups (N=997) ReadingMath % Proficient Goal Goal All Native American Asian African American Hispanic Caucasian SPED Econ. Disadv Ell (tested in Span)

Overall District Student Achievement Data NMSBA Grade 7 School Year Groups (N=713) ReadingMath % Proficient Goal Goal All Native American Asian African American Hispanic Caucasian SPED Econ. Disadv Ell (tested in Span)

Overall District Student Achievement Data NMSBA Grade 8 School Year Groups (N=695) ReadingMath % Proficient Goal Goal All Native American Asian African American Hispanic Caucasian SPED Econ. Disadv ELL

Overall District Student Achievement Data NMSBA Grade 11 School Year Groups (N=593) ReadingMath % Proficient Goal Goal All Native American African American Asian Hispanic Caucasian SPED Econ. Disadv.NA3556NA2140 ELL

ACT Results YearEnglishMathematicsReadingScience SFPSStateSFPSStateSFPSStateSFPSState

ACT Results ACT reports College Ready at: –English 18 –Math 22 –Reading 21 –Science 24 Recommendations Create a common focus Establish high expectations Require rigorous curriculum Provide student services Measure and evaluate progress

Our Middle School Dropout Data Grades 7 and 8 Event Dropout Rate Event Dropout Rate District2.0%1.94% Alameda2.20%2.77% Capshaw2.0%1.24% De Vargas2.60%2.95% Ortiz1.2%.81%

Our High School Graduation Data Grades 9 through 12 Cohort Graduation Rate Event Rate Graduation Cohort Graduation Rate Event Graduation Rate District53.94%86.58%55.15%88.86% CHS42.46%83.98%50.96%92.13% SFHS65.43%89.28%59.34%85.30%

Our HS Dropout Data Grades 9 through 12 Cohort Dropout Rate Event Rate Dropout Cohort Dropout Rate Event Dropout Rate District29.60%5.95%13.80%6.51% CHS31.32%6.40%13.99%5.01% SFHS27.88%5.50%13.62%8.01%

Our Demographics Santa Fe CommunitySanta Fe Public Schools 13,557 students  20 elementary schools, 1 bilingual early childhood center  4 middle schools  2 comprehensive high schools, 1 alternative HS  4 charter schools  3 schools made AYP  0 middle or high school made AYP 49% Hispanic 45% White, White, non-Hispanic 3% Native Native American 37% Other-than-English spoken at ELL students ( Other-than-English) 12% below federal poverty free/reduced lunch

What Are Our Common Commitments? 1.Standards Based Instruction 2.Data Folders 3.Common Assessments 4.Balanced Literacy 5.Conceptual Math 6.Writing Integrated into All Subjects 7.High School Redesign

Common Commitments... 1.Instruction and assessment will be aligned with NM standards and benchmarks –Essential learning targets –Standards-based progress reports and accompanying assessments –Pacing Guides –Curriculum in a Box

2. We will maintain individual Student Data Folders for students not performing at grade level to inform instruction and focus on results. Common Commitments...

3. We will administer common, teacher- developed assessments for reading and mathematics in grades K - 8, and in high schools, for the 4 core content areas, 4 times per year. The results of the common assessment should inform instruction. Even the most valid and reliable assessment cannot be regarded as high quality if it causes a student to give up.”- Rick Stiggins

Common Commitments... 4.We will work toward implementing conceptual math programs district-wide, K We will implement the best practices of balanced literacy during dedicated literacy blocks, K - 8.

Common Commitments We will implement Writing Across the Curriculum –We will work to train all teachers to become writing teachers –We will use writing within subjects to promote deep thinking and understanding of subject matter.

Common Commitments… 7. Continue high school redesign and reform efforts through: Development of master schedules to accommodate teacher planning and collaboration time Full development of SLCs and Career Pathways Implementation with fidelity of Common Assessments in the four core areas of English Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.

How Do Common Commitments Relate to the SFPS EPSS? SFPS EPSS –Focus on teaching and learning –Focus on relationships/collaboration/student support –Focus on results –Improve instruction to engage all students

Next Steps Aggressive focus on teaching and learning Reestablishment of dedicated time for instructional visits Standardized protocols Taking communication to the next level The establishment of higher levels of accountability for school and district leaders

If we expect the best, and we do, then we must offer our best. Quality is never an accident. It is the result of high intentions, persistence and sincere effort. __anonymous

In other words… Improving our lives through education.