August Leadership Institute Academic Presentation

“We rise and fall together” – Tech Boston BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Building systems, structures and processes to identify and solve academic problems impacting our students “If our students fail, we fail. If our students succeed, we succeed.” – Bradley Elementary School

Agenda  The “I” in the “We”  Academic milestones:  Achievement gap  Common Core  Inclusive Practices  Using data to identify instructional problems of practice, and build organizational systems and structures to improve the academic performance for each student in the BPS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics

The “I” in the “We”  Loves to learn, views the world as a classroom without walls, and thinks critically about the issues within it.  Participates actively in a democratic society as a responsible, courageous leader who challenges injustice. BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Acceleration Agenda, May 2010, Vision: The Boston Public Schools Graduate, p.6

Academic Milestones

Expectations / Work this year Defining a path and implementing an action plan (QSP) to eliminate achievement gaps BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics ACHIEVEMENT GAP Continuing the implementation of Common Core - MA curriculum standards & preparing for the PARCC assessments as the means of raising the bar for all students COMMON CORE Increasing the number of students recommended for inclusions while Increasing the number of schools offering full inclusion for students with disabilities INCLUSIVE PRACTICES Image sources:

Eliminating the Achievement Gap Defining Equity The Equity Framework and Courageous Conversations About Race define educational equity as follows:  Educational equity is demonstrated when we raise the achievement of all students while (1) narrowing [eliminating] the gaps between the highest and lowest performing students, and (2) eliminating the racial [gender, ability, socio-economic] predictability and disproportionality of which student groups occupy the highest and lowest achievement categories.  Equity is far more than a state of being or an abstract ideal. It is an operational principle that enables educators to provide whatever level of support is needed to whichever students require it. It assures that all students will have the opportunity and support to succeed…Equity does not mean that every student receives an equal level of resources and support toward his or her educational goals. Rather, equity means that the students of greatest need receive the greatest level of support to guarantee academic success. (1) Singleton and Linton Courageous Conversations About Race, 2006, p (2) Linton The Equity Framework, 2011, p BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics

Preliminary questions related to educational Equity  Do I understand the concept of educational equity, have I personalized educational equity, has educational equity been institutionalized through the policies and practices of my school?  What are the individual learning needs of each student?  What are the support structures needed for each student to meet or exceed proficiency?  What support do I need to meet the individual learning needs of each student?  What does the school need to meet the individual learning needs of each student? BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Eliminating the Achievement Gap

Defining the achievement gap  The “achievement gap” in education refers to the disparity in academic performance between groups of students. The achievement gap shows up in grades, standardized-test scores, course selection, dropout rates, and college-completion rates, among other success measures. It is most often used to describe the troubling performance gaps between African-American and Hispanic students, at the lower end of the performance scale, and their non-Hispanic white peers, and the similar academic disparity between students from low-income families and those who are better off. BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics

Understanding the Achievement Gap Embedded in  our history  our legal systems  our political, economic and social fabric  our central office, schools and classrooms Reflected in  our data  our systems, structures and policies  our schools and classrooms  teaching and learning  relations with families and community BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics

On the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA): US 15 year olds had an average score similar to the average of the other 33 OECD countries. 6 countries had scores higher than the US; 13 had lower scores; and 14 were not significantly different. However, while White and Asian US students had higher average scores than the overall OECD and US average, Black and Hispanic students had lower average scores than the OECD and US average scores. Eliminating the Achievement Gap

Eliminating the Achievement Gap National Context: Black – White Achievement Gaps BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Grade 4 ReadingGrade 8 Math

Eliminating the Achievement Gap National Context: Hispanic – White Achievement Gaps BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Grade 4 ReadingGrade 8 Math

Common Core  Sets a new bar for each student with clear, consistent, and high learning goals that ensure all students are college and career ready  Requires that we strategically support each student in meeting grade-by-grade learning expectations, PK-12 for Math, ELA, and Literacy across content areas, by ensuring instruction that reflects consideration of students’ culture, gender, language and disability while learning through rich tasks BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics

Common Core  Know the shifts  Align materials BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Where we are?  Support aligned instructional practice  Focus professional development  Align assessments  Involve the community What we need to do this year?

Inclusive Practices BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics 55,278 Total Students 10,923 Students with Disabilities (SWD) 4,670 Substantially Separate (42.8% of SWD) 6,253 Inclusion (57.2% of SWD) 3,510 Full Inclusion (32.1% of SWD) 2,753 Partial Inclusion (25.1% SWD) Source: Report sent by Office of Information and Instructional Technology to Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) on 03/01/ % of the students with special needs are currently primarily educated in substantially separate classrooms Overview of Current Student Population in BPS:

Rationale for Inclusion: BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Why is inclusion important?  Parents and staff members say:  Inclusion benefits all students, not just students with special needs  Inclusion helps reduce the achievement gap  Federal and state laws and regulations require:  Students with special needs be educated with their non-disabled peers  Research by experts like Tom Heir shows:  Students with special needs achieve at higher levels in standardized testing when effectively taught in an inclusive setting  Students with significant cognitive disabilities also benefit greatly from inclusive settings Inclusive Practices

Project Plan: BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics The Boston Public Schools (BPS) is committed to meeting the needs of all students, including students with special needs, and supports their right to be educated in the “least restrictive environment” Changing the pipeline Increasing the number of students recommended for inclusions Building capacity Increasing the number of schools offering full inclusion for students with disabilities 12 Changes will occur at an appropriate pace, will be well though out and planned in detail Inclusive Practices

Strategies for expansion of inclusive practices in BPS: BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Expand inclusion at the earliest grades Add inclusive classrooms within inclusive schools Ensure K-12 pathway by expanding inclusion schools Re-evaluate IEPs of students in sub. sep. classrooms Utilize vacant seats in existing schools in the inclusion network Create additional inclusive schools at all levels Expand partial inclusion opportunities at all levels The district will have 1600 – 2500 more students in inclusive settings by year 5 Year 1: Focus on expansion of inclusion in EECs and ELCs Year 1: Opening of the Higginson inclusion school (grades K-2) Focus on culture change throughout the organization Inclusive Practices

Using data and building structures

STRENGTHS  Academic priorities aligned with country  Local expertise recognized nationwide  Measurable evidence of success  Hard-working district  We care deeply about our students BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics OPPORTUNITIES  Leveraging all parts of the district & school organization to support student achievement  Using increasing capacity to analyze quantitative and qualitative data  Leveraging internal expertise  Engaging families, communiites and partners on district priorities PRESSURES  Transitions in the city  Competitive environment WEAKNESSES  Weak systems, structures, procedures and protocols at institutional level. Not aligned to consistently meet academic goals and priorities  Local expertise underutilized  Existing systems do not facilitate transfer of knowledge and information across the district HELPFULHARMFUL INTERNAL EXTERNAL

Co-constructing the Academic Agenda Leveraging our strengths  Principal knowledge and expertise  Teacher knowledge and expertise  Student knowledge and talents  Departmental expertise Systems capacity inventory  Network organization & liaison structure  Increased capacity to produce actionable data  Increased capacity to improve the academic achievement of ELLs and students with disabilities  Examples of schools making significant academic progress  Increased student voice and representation  Engaged families actively participating in the district and in schools Under construction this year  Implementing data sharing processes and protocols for analysis and implementation of QSP  Building systems and structures for communication, accountability and support in schools, in networks and in central office  Designing effective feedback loops (knowledge & practices) in and between schools through the networks and with central office BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics

“If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it.” Albert Einstein  Using data (quantitative and qualitative) to determine what generates the problem  Reduce the problem to a level we can resolve  Determine units of intervention  Take quantum leaps and calculated risks  Produce the instructional action plan - QSP  Continuously evaluate results and make corrections  Engage in on-going learning cycle: reflection, dialogue, analysis  Revise and resubmit as needed BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Using data to identify instructional problems

“If the structure does not permit dialogue the structure must be changed” Paulo Freire BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Student Performance Data Define Problem/Need Create Action Plan: QSP ReviseRe-submit Using data to identify instructional problems

BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics “To enter into dialogue presupposes equality amongst participants. Each must trust the others; there must be mutual respect and love (care and commitment). Each one must question what he or she knows and realize that through dialogue existing thoughts will change and new knowledge will be created.” Paulo Freire Image source:

Building organizational systems and structures BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Superintendent with Academics And Operations Provide strategic direction for the district, lead, coach and develop district staff enlist the support of school communities and partners Deputy Superintendent Academics with Deputy Superintendent Operations Provide strategic direction, lead, coach and develop Network Superintendents and C&I and enlist the support of central office, school communities and partners Network Superintendent with Department Heads Lead, coach and develop school organizations and enlist the supports of central office, school communities and partners Liaisons Provide content expertise, technical assistance and expedite supports and services for schools Principal Lead, coach and develop teachers, students and enlist the support of families, community and partners Teacher Understands the student, understand the content knowledge, and finds a way for the student to relate to the subject matter. Student Knows and demonstrates content knowledge Do the district and each school have an organizational structure that support the instructional plan - QSP?

Building organizational systems and structures QSP Data Identify Problem Define Action Plan ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE School Site Council ILT Grade-Department Level Data Inquiry Professional Development Plan & delivery structure Student Council SYSTEMS & PROCESSES Knowledge transfer Analytical Capacity Documentation of meetings & decisions and expected outcomes Review, revise and restart BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics Do the district and each school have an organizational structure that support the instructional plan - QSP?

Working questions  Do the district and each school have an instructional plan - QSP based on data that we believe will result in improved academic outcomes and eliminate achievement gaps? BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics  Do the district and each school have an organizational structure that support the instructional plan?

The year ahead BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Academics