Redefining Evidence of Success: Best Practices in New York Just for the Kids-NY Know Your Schools For NY Kids Redefining Evidence of Success: Best Practices in New York Know Your Schools – For NY Kids (Just for the Kids-New York) DATAG Summer Conference July 16, 2009 Janet Angelis & Kristen Wilcox 1

Redefining Evidence of Success: Best Practices in New York Just for the Kids-NY Know Your Schools For NY Kids Redefining Evidence of Success: Best Practices in New York Background Overall findings Exemplars of evidence-based best practice Resources Questions 2

4 studies completed Elementary schools (2005) Middle schools (2007) A report on best practices in New York State elementary schools What makes elementary schools work 4 studies completed Elementary schools (2005) Middle schools (2007) High schools (2008) Middle school science (2009-report coming soon) 3

Our Samples 8-10 consistently HP schools; 3-6 similar but consistently AP schools, based on 3 years of NYS Assessment data Favor poverty (F/RL) Urban, rural, suburban Open admissions PPE cluster near NYS average In consultation with our Advisory Board 4

Representatives of Advisory Board The Business Council of New York State, Inc. Conference of Big 5 School Districts Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability IBM McGraw-Hill Companies NY Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NYACTE) NY Charter School Association NY City Department of Education NYS Association of School Business Officials (NYSASBO) NYS Association of Small City School Districts (NYSASCSD) NYS Association of Teacher Educators (NYSATE) NYS Congress of Parents and Teachers, Inc. (NYSPTA) NYS Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS) NYS Education Department (NYSED) NYS Governor's Office NYS School Boards Association (NYSSBA) NYS United Teachers (NYSUT) School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) State Farm Insurance State University of New York (SUNY) University at Albany   Representatives of Advisory Board 5

Just for the Kids–New York Best Practices Studies 2005-9 Higher-performing Elementary Schools Higher-performing Middle Schools Higher-performing High Schools Higher-performing Middle Schools-Science 6 6

Methods: Data Collection and Analysis Make 2-day site visits Interview teachers and administrators Collect documents Classroom observations (MS science) Analyze, write a case study for each site Conduct and write cross-site analysis Write summary report Cases, reports, and school comparisons available at: http://www.albany.edu/aire/kids/ www.knowyourschools.org 7 7

Some differences between AP and HP Less dissatisfaction with the status quo Remediate when trouble Collaborate “as can” More individualistic vision of success, responsibility Less rich sources of data Belief that some students won’t succeed in school Curriculum more static, handed down from above Teaching to the test Culture of continuous improvement Prevention > remediation Collaboration supported Shared responsibility and vision Embrace variety of data High expectations for all; no blame on student background Differentiated instruction; relevant curriculum Standards > assessments Differences between HP and AP of extent and degree 8

Key Findings: Asking Essential Qs What do the data tell us about our allocation of resources? What do the data tell us about areas calling for attention? What do the data tell us about where we are heading?

Ethos of evidence-based decision-making Key Findings: Creating Ethos of EBDM What do the data tell us about our allocation of resources? Ethos of evidence-based decision-making What do the data tell us about areas calling for attention? What do the data tell us about where we are heading?

Key Findings: Connecting Data to Action What do the data tell us about our allocation of resources? Ethos of evidence-based decision-making Formally Informally Consistently Coherently w/district & school mission What do the data tell us about areas calling for attention? What do the data tell us about where we are heading?

How do we help all students’ learn in our classrooms? How do we define learning? How can the district, school, community support learning? What do the data tell us about our allocation of resources? Ethos of evidence-based decision-making Formally Informally Consistently Coherently w/district & school mission What do the data tell us about areas calling for attention? What do the data tell us about where we are heading?

They try to identify gaps They look closely at student groups Q1: What areas call for attention? They look for trouble They try to identify gaps They look closely at student groups “They” = teachers, administrators, teams, departments

They look for trouble Q1: What areas call for attention? Prevention > remediation They pay close attention to every student every day High schools report every 5 weeks Tuesday’s Child is the key meeting of the week. Cambridge HS Guidance

They try to identify gaps Q1: What areas call for attention? They try to identify gaps They look for what’s missing Westbury Middle School 2005-6; 849 students, grades 6-8 NYS Meeting/Exceeding Standards, Gr. 8 ELA 58% 49% Meeting/Exceeding Standards, Gr. 8 Math 52% 54% Eligible for Free/Reduced Lunch 74% 45% Limited English Proficient 14% NA African-American 46% 20% Hispanic/Latino 51%

They try to identify gaps Q1: What areas call for attention? They try to identify gaps They compare themselves to the best This year we’ve started to compare ourselves to Nassau County, which is a higher standard – and our focus is on mastery rather than proficiency. Levittown administrator

Q1: What areas call for attention? They look closely at performance of student groups Black Hispanic White

Middle School ELA Department Q1: What areas call for attention? Middle School ELA Department Agenda (11/3/06) EQ: How can we use test data to inform inst? 8:15-8:45 General Overview How are the tests developed? reported? How do we compare to the region and state? 8:45-10:00 Grade level specific work Item analysis Look at actual test and questions Summarize and share findings 10:15-11:15 Individual teacher/class data Review Lucky Charms report Determine next steps 11:15-11:30 Regroup, debrief

Smallwood (ES) building administrator Q2: What do the data tell us about allocation of our resources? Human, instructional, physical resources are deployed where most needed Flexibility and focus are key What goes on in the classroom is by design. Everything we do is deliberate . . . nothing is left to happenstance. Smallwood (ES) building administrator

Q2: What do the data tell us about allocation of our resources? Human, instructional, physical resources are deployed where most needed Teachers Reassignments New hires in high need areas Different class sizes

Q2: What do the data tell us about allocation of our resources? Human, instructional, physical resources are deployed where most needed Time Block schedules, hybrid block schedules (HS) Flexible grouping (ES) Coordinate with BOCES, breakfast In and out of AIS as needed Before, after school, summer help/tutoring Enrichment Flexibility and focus based on a broad range of evidence

Q2: What do the data tell us about allocation of our resources? STRATEGIC DELIMITERS We will not: Adopt any new program or service unless it is Consistent with and contributes to our mission; Accompanied by an analysis of the resources and the staff development needed for its effectiveness; Accompanied by a plan to asses its ongoing effectiveness. White Plains Strategic Plan, adopted 12/3/07

Shared vision of success means Q3: What do the data tell us about where we’re heading? Shared vision of success means never good enough never being done every student succeeding we are collectively and individually responsible Strive for 5 [5% improvement every year] remains a goal without a goal line. Holland MS teacher

Communication and Planning Q3: What do the data tell us about where we’re heading? Communication and Planning Strategic planning process Reports to board and community beyond state report card Looking ahead My job is to be thinking 3-5 years up. VVS Superintendent

Performance/growth targets- For students Q3: What do the data tell us about where we’re heading? Performance/growth targets- For students For teachers and groups of teachers For administrators We have one thing in mind – what can we do in our school to enhance student achievement? Webster ES

Overall… in higher-performing schools… State assessments (a given, but one genre) Guided by state standards Benchmark tests Collaboratively developed quarterlies, mid-terms Student and parent interviews, surveys Graduates Formal and informal classroom Student self-reflection, assessment Self-generated (action research) Comparisons to other high(er) performers 26

Overall… Higher-performing schools… share a belief that using a variety of evidence to inform strategic action is worthwhile and effective. AP schools . . . - primarily state assessments (and simulations) - collect and analyze data only periodically - rely on outside vendors for analysis

What do the data tell us about our allocation of resources? What do the data tell us about areas calling for attention? What do the data tell us about where we are heading?

Ethos of evidence-based decision-making What do the data tell us about our allocation of resources? Ethos of evidence-based decision-making What do the data tell us about areas calling for attention? What do the data tell us about where we are heading?

Ethos of evidence-based decision-making What do the data tell us about our allocation of resources? Ethos of evidence-based decision-making Formally Informally Consistently Coherently w/district & school mission What do the data tell us about areas calling for attention? What do the data tell us about where we are heading?

Key Findings: Connecting data to action How do we help all students’ learn in our classrooms? How do we define learning? How can the district, school, community support learning? What do the data tell us about our allocation of resources? Ethos of evidence-based decision-making Formally Informally Consistently Coherently w/district & school mission What do the data tell us about areas calling for attention? What do the data tell us about where we are heading?

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% Low income 35

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High School Best Practice Framework 39

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http://www.albany.edu/aire/kids/ www.knowyourschools.org Resources: Resources http://www.albany.edu/aire/kids/ www.knowyourschools.org Best Practices Reports and Summaries Best Practices Frameworks, with documentary evidence Case Studies of higher-performing schools Key word searches (e.g., ELL, sped) To come: Self-assessments tools, book School look-up and comparison 41

Redefining Evidence of Success: Best Practices in New York Just for the Kids-NY Know Your Schools For NY Kids Redefining Evidence of Success: Best Practices in New York Questions? Janet Angelis: jangelis@uamail.albany.edu Kristen Wilcox: kwilcox1@uamail.albany.edu 42