What Is the Self-Study Instructional Audit? An Overview of the Self-Study Instructional Audit Tool Deborah Davis ACC/NW Lab Jon Paden EED

What Is the Roadmap for This Session? Quick description of the Instructional Audit Tool as a basis for the Self-Study Instructional Audit Tool Characteristics of the Self-Study and small group exploration of the Tool Next steps and ways to approach the SS-IAT

What Is an Instructional Audit? A state-selected, independent, audit team conducts a review of district instructional practices - using the Instructional Audit Tool (IAT) Districts meeting certain criteria qualify to receive an instructional audit (e.g., AYP Level 2 or greater) State law establishes the practice to examine 6 domains

What Are the Six Domains? Curriculum Assessment Instruction Supportive learning environment Professional development Leadership

What happens during the Instructional Audit? Audit team develops a snapshot of district instructional practices by the school level: Document review Focus groups & interviews with staff and students Instruction observation The team combines these data sources to triangulate evidence and assign the rating “Meets” or “Does Not Meet”

What Happens As a Result of the Instructional Audit? The audit team produces a Report of Findings for the Commissioner’s review This report complements other data (e.g., SBAs, district conversations) to develop a plan: E.g., stay the course, give recommendations, direct instructional actions, redirect funds for student learning benefit, replace personnel

Is The Instructional Audit Tool Valid? Yes Validation study completed through the Alaska Comprehensive Center, Northwest Lab, and WestEd in 2008 The conclusion: Strong correlation between the audit tool’s assessment of a district and the district students’ proficiency levels

What Is This New Self-Study Instructional Audit Tool? (SS-IAT) Based on Alaska’s Instructional Audit Tool Incorporates changes made to Instructional Audit Tool based on considerable feedback from audited districts To be implemented by districts and guided by an EED Technical Assistance Coach

What are Similarities between the IAT and SS-IAT? Evidence-based Provide diagnostic data to help with creation of improvement plans Based on the six domains and 44 key elements within domains (including parent and community involvement key elements)

And The Differences? IAT conducted by external team IAT conducted over one week IAT uses a dichotomous rating SS-IAT conducted by internal team SS-IAT may take several weeks or months SS-IAT uses a 4-point rubric

So, What Is The SS-IAT? An evidence-based self-study A way to build awareness, buy-in and support for improvement efforts The end product is not a score; instead it is the identification of current strengths and limitations

Your SS-IAT assignment: Number off to six Curriculum Assessment Instruction* Learning Environment Professional Development Leadership* 1. Skim pages 2-9 2. Review materials for your assigned domain 3. Teach home group about your domain 4. Discuss if and how you might use it

What are the Self-Assessment Materials? Overview & Step-by-Step pgs. 2-5 Sources of Evidence pgs. 6-7 Glossary pgs. 8-9 Introduction to Domain & Guiding Questions pgs. 10-46 Domain Rubric “ Domain Summary “

Options for use of the SS-IAT One domain area Some, but not all domains All domain areas

Who is involved? SS-IAT is guided by: An EED-trained technical assistance coach* The Self-Study is conducted by: entire school staff or small group of staff such as the leadership team *or trained district staff in winter 2010

Getting started Review the rubric Discuss the guiding questions Locate the evidence necessary to make ratings for each domain Reach consensus on ratings Determine strengths and areas for improvement

Next steps…by September Technical Assistance Coaches will be trained to guide school teams Tool will be available electronically

Q & A Can we do this self-study process on our own? Does the self-study help with creation of improvement plans? Is it best to do all the Domain areas at once?

Self-Study and PLCs… …a learning community consists of a group of people who take an active, reflective, collaborative, learning-oriented, and growth-promoting approach towards the mysteries, the problems and perplexities of teaching and learning. Mitchell & Sackney, 2001