Chair: Linda Miller, Great Lakes West Comprehensive Center Statewide Systems of Support: The RCC & State Story

A Big Job for State Education Agencies “ This transition in the state role from oversight to capacity building requires states to redesign existing support systems or create new ways to ensure that districts and schools have the resources needed to bring all students to proficiency” (CCSSO Policy Brief 9-06).

The Big Picture NCLB defines statewide systems of support, but we propose that definition should be the floor not the ceiling of state’s role in improving schools. State boards, legislatures, and governors can create incentives and opportunities. State departments of education are primarily charged with building systemic and local capacity, but they can also create incentives and opportunities. Besides technical capacity, a key role for SEA should be to establish “reform press;” a strong sense of urgency that change must occur.

The Big Picture (Continued) Strategic approach may require state-level policy changes and advocacy and a reconsideration of the “givens” (e.g., state laws and policies, and distribution of human capital). Efforts to improve schools should be driven by school and district needs rather than expediency given existing structures/systems. Critical goal is to implement systems that move beyond existing SEA/LEA improvement efforts and serve as a catalyst for meaningful change that alters the educational opportunities for children in low-performing schools.

The State Context States utilize a variety of approaches and theories of action to provide support, but they must develop a common language and process for oversight and delivery of services. States often must organize their agencies to provide leadership and vision.

Request for Comprehensive Center Support In 2007 the CII Institute highlighted state efforts: – It jump-started many projects across the nation. – Each state and regional comprehensive center determined when and how to use the CII resources provided.

Ten Steps to Strengthen SSOS Step 1: Contact is made between the SEA and the Comprehensive Center and an agreement to engage in the assistance process is reached. Step 2: The SEA forms a self-assessment team consisting of 3 to 5 key personnel responsible for major components of the SSOS. Step 3: The Comprehensive Center orients the SEA self-assessment team to the Framework for an Effective Statewide System of Support and the SSOS Assessment and Planning Process. The orientation may be conducted in person or by webinar and takes about two hours. Step 4: The SEA self-assessment team reviews Strengthening the Statewide System of Support, completes the SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory, and assembles documents requested prior to the interview.

Ten Steps to Strengthen SSOS Step 5: The Comprehensive Center staff interviews the SEA self- assessment team, completing the SSOS Self-Assessment Interview Form. At the SEA’s discretion, the Comprehensive Center staff interviews LEA representatives to obtain a customer perspective related to SSOS services currently provided. Step 6: The Comprehensive Center staff uses the data collected on the SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory, key documents, SSOS Self- Assessment Interview Form, and interviews with LEAs to prepare an analysis report (SSOS Self-Assessment Report) intended to inform a plan for strengthening the SSOS. This report contains sufficient descriptive information to illustrate the sections of the framework.

Ten Steps to Strengthen SSOS Step 7: The SEA convenes a wider group of personnel and partners already involved in the statewide system of support to discuss, comment on, and amend, as necessary, the content of the SSOS Self- Assessment Report. Step 8: The Comprehensive Center staff revises the SSOS Self- Assessment Report based on the feedback from the wider group. Step 9: The Comprehensive Center staff meets with the SEA self- assessment team for a day to identify strengths and weaknesses from the report, as revised, and develop a Plan to Strengthen the Statewide System of Support, including a monitoring plan. Step 10: The Comprehensive Center staff continues to provide assistance to the SEA related to plan implementation, monitoring progress, and evaluation as specified in the plan.

Overview The 3 primary components of the 10 step process include: –The SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory –The creation of the SSOS Self-Assessment Report –Plan to Strengthen the SSOS

Where Do We Go From Here? Possible Future Work – Helping state to monitor the implementation of the plan – Assisting state in identifying or working with PD providers – Supporting state in development of long-term plan for support – agency strategic plan – Supporting state in building a cross division team – building trust both internally and externally with districts, schools, and providers

The States Respond Purpose: Why we did it Process: How we did it Lessons Learned & Next Steps – RCC – State

Contact Information Sam Redding, Marilyn Murphy, Linda Miller, Visit the CII website at