Coherence: “The Quality of Being Logically Integrated” Local District 7 Principals’ Conference February 14, 2007 Webster’s Dictionary defines coherence as “the quality of being logically integrated.” Coherence, means that the elements of a school district work together in an integrated way to implement an improvement strategy by strengthening coherence among actions at the district, school and classroom level. Our conferences have been focused on learning about those key leadership tasks, such as culture, structure and systems, resources, stakeholders, and environment, that must be managed in a way that is coherent with an explicit strategy to improve teaching and learning in every classroom. Researched-based tools and strategies have been introduced to assist you with identifying better ways to manage your complexities of your job and school site.

Without a competent caring individual in the principal’s position, the task of school reform is very difficult. Reform can be initiated from outside the school or stimulated from within. But in the end, it is the principal who implements and sustains the changes through the inevitable roller coaster of euphoria and setbacks. Our learnings have stressed the changing role of the principal in that leadership calls for principals to act as partners with teachers, involved in a collaborative quest to examine practices and improve schools. As we strive to create coherence at our schools and maintain a focus on the “right things”, it becomes very clear that we must make knowledge sharing a core value at schools. We have learned that when the right structures for sharing knowledge are provided, teachers will create the solutions.

Changes to the 2006 Base Academic Performance Index Growth targets will be calculated separately for each numerically significant subgroup and set at 5 percent growth towards an API of 800. Both subgroup and school-wide growth targets will be set at a minimum of 5 points until an API score of 800 is reached or exceeded. This means that the method used to determine subgroup targets will now be the same as that used to determine school-wide targets. (in prior years, subgroup targets were 80% of the school-wide target. 2. In prior years, the minimum school-wide target was set at one point until an API of 800 was reached.) This may not be new news for many of you, but I wanted to take this opportunity to revisit this information with you because stresses the importance of how you have worked with your school in targeting the needs on our focus students.

API Target = 5% Growth Toward an API of 800 or… Comparison of API Target Calculations Using the Old 2006 and New 2007 Models Old 2006 Model: For the school… API Target = 5% Growth Toward an API of 800 or… API Target = (800 – API Score) X 0.05 For any subgroup… API Target = 80% of the School Wide Target or… API Target = School API Score X 0.80 New 2007 Model: For the school… API Target = 5% Growth Toward an API of 800 or… API Target = (800 – API Score) X 0.05 AND for any subgroup… What is the implication for your school? n.lalwani, ‘07 Note: As the right box explains, in 2007 the same calculation will be used to determine the API targets for the school and for its subgroups. This impetus for this new calculation is to address the issue of narrowing the achievement gaps between groups.

Calculation of API Targets and Its Impact on Whether API Goals Are Met In a District 7 Elementary School Group Base API '05 06 Target Calculation 06 Target 06 Growth Met '06 Target? New Target Calculation New Target Met New Target? School 593 (800-593) X .05 10 7 No Af. Am. 535 School Target X 0.8 8 12 Yes (800-535) X .05 13 His or Lat 629 -2 (800-629) X .05 9 Soc Dis Eng Learn 622 -17 (800-622) X .05 n.lalwani, ‘07

Calculation of API Targets and Its Impact on Whether API Goals Are Met In a District 7 Middle School Group Base API '05 06 Target Calculation 06 Target 06 Growth Met '06 Target? New Target Calculation New Target Met New Target? School 537 (800-537) X .05 13 10 No Af. Am. 484 School Target X 0.8 12 Yes (800-484) X .05 16 His or Lat 548 8 (800-548) X .05 Soc Dis 535 (800-535) X .05 Eng Learn 536 6 (800-536) X .05 Stu W Dis 354 (800-354) X .05 22 n.lalwani, ‘07

Calculation of API Targets and Its Impact on Whether API Goals Are Met In a District 7 High School Group Base API '05 06 Target Calculation 06 Target 06 Growth Met '06 Target? New Target Calculation New Target Met New Target? School 488 (800-488) X .05 16 17 Yes Af. Am. 466 School Target X 0.8 13 7 No (800-466) X .05 His or Lat 500 21 (800-500) X .05 15 Soc Dis 489 18 (800-489) X .05 Eng Learn 496 9 (800-496) X .05 Stu W Dis 342 19 (800-342) X .05 23 Are you on course n.lalwani, ‘07

Providing Appropriate Services for Students Who Traditionally Struggle Key task 1.4 “Leaders take care to provide appropriate learning opportunities for all students. Instruction is differentiated while avoiding the disadvantages of a tracked curriculum. Special education and programs for ELs and SELs are thoughtfully integrated into the general instructional program.” By focusing on teaching and learning in classroom informs you of the professional development needs of your teachers to meet the diverse learning needs of your students. The very group in API Our focus groups, African American males, EL, special education need different learning opportunities and experiences in order to access the core curriculum Last month we introduced Talk Moves as a strategy to be used by teachers to promote understanding and critical thinking about math and to provide access to the content and think through math problems. Our focus group of students--subgroups often lack the experience that would enable them to articulate and explain their thinking to others. Talk Moves is a strategy that assist us with helps them to facilitate their expression of thinking and understanding of the content. This morning we are privilege to present to you Guillermo Mendieta who has been renown for making teaching and learning of mathematics more meaningful and engaging for EL. He has written a book called “Pictorial Math. In pictorial math, key concepts become clear through his visual representations of key concepts that build a bridge b/t the abstract and concrete.