School Improvement Planning and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Lol Fearon Warren Logee Connecticut State Department of Education

Objectives: Understand NCLB timeline Learn process for developing school improvement plans and required components Learn what school improvement resources are available and how to access them

School Improvement Planning Q: Who should complete a school improvement plan? A: Any school that is interested in continuously improving student achievement. Q: Who must complete a school improvement plan? A: Any school identified as being “in need of improvement” must complete a plan, have it peer reviewed, and approved by its Board of Education

Identification as “In Need of Improvement” A school becomes identified after two consecutive years of failing to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in the same subject A school exits improvement if it makes AYP for two consecutive years in the area(s) for which it was identified A district can also be identified as being in need of improvement

Adequate Yearly Progress % students Proficient and above in reading and math 95% participation rate on CMT and CAPT or Skills Checklist Additional academic indicators: –Elementary and middle schools: 70% at or above Basic on CMT Writing –High schools: 70% graduation rate

CMTCAPT ReadingMathematicsReadingMathematics AYP Level Suggested Annual Targets AYP Level Suggested Annual Targets AYP Level Suggested Annual Targets AYP Level Suggested Annual Targets % 60% 65% 67% 62% 65% 59% 62% % 71% 75% 74% 77% 80% 72% 75% 78% 69% 73% 76% % 82% 85% 82% 85% 89% 81% 84% 88% 80% 83% 87% % 94% 98% 91% 96% 99% 91% 96% 99% 90% 95% 98% % Intermediate Goals: Percent Proficient on Mathematics and Reading Tests to Determine AYP and Reach 100% Proficient by

Safe Harbor Safe Harbor is an alternate method for making AYP Safe Harbor can be achieved when the school: –Reduces the % of students NOT proficient by 10% in the subject area and group that the school was identified for; –meets the additional academic indicator; and –meets the 95% participation rate requirement

Consequences for Title I Schools # Yrs Not Making AYP # Yrs in Need of Improvement Consequences 2 1 -Public School Choice -School Improvement Plan -Parent/Guardian Notification 3 2 -Public School Choice -School Improvement Plan -Parent/Guardian Notification -Supplemental Education Services 4 3 Corrective Action -School Status Assessment -Public School Choice -School Improvement Plan -Parent/Guardian Notification -Supplemental Education Services -Implement Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action Options: Replace staff relevant to AYP failure New curriculum (Scientifically Research-Based with professional development) Significantly decrease management authority at the school level Appoint outside expert (School Status Assessment can count) Extend school year or day Restructure the organizational structure of the school

Consequences for Title I Schools, cont. # Yrs Not Makin g AYP # Yrs In Need of Improvement Consequence(s) nd Year in Corrective Action: -Public School Choice -School Improvement Plan -Supplemental Educational Services -Parent/Guardian Notification -Continue to implement Corrective Action Plan - LEA and school develop Alternative Governance (Restructuring) Plan 6 5 -Public School Choice -School Improvement Plan -Supplemental Educational Services -Parent/Guardian Notification -Implement Alternative Governance (Restructuring) Plan

Restructuring: Replace staff Hire outside agency/expert Fundamental changes in governance State takeover

What if a school is in need of improvement and makes AYP for 1 year? School is put “on hold” in terms of the consequences, and does not advance to the next level of consequences Same consequences remain in place for the school If school makes AYP again the following year, then it exits school improvement

Small Group Activity Please take out the Sample School Improvement Plan found in the left-hand side of your folder With a partner, use the attached feedback form to determine whether or not all of the required components are evident in the Sample School Improvement Plan (15 minutes)

School Improvement Plan Pair/Share Did you have a school improvement plan last year? Who knows about it? How frequently did you refer to the plan? Did the plan act as a filter for all school activities? Was the plan successful? How do you know?

Steps to Developing a School Improvement Plan 1.Treasure Hunt (Needs Assessment/Data Analysis) 2.Setting Priorities and Goals 3.Develop Actions and Strategies 4.Monitoring Implementation Plan 5.Staff Development & Resource Allocation

Taking Inventory Think about the data that is analyzed most frequently in your school when planning for improvement. Write the data point that is most frequently analyzed on a post-it note. Turn to your neighbor and share the data point that you listed on the post-it note.

DRIP Syndrome Data Rich Information Poor

Why? “Until you have data as a backup, you’re just another person with an opinion.” Dr. Perry Gluckman

Two Types of Data Effect Data: Student achievement results from various measurements Cause Data: Information based on actions of the adults in the system

The Leadership/Learning Matrix (Reeves, 2005) Lucky High results, low understanding of antecedents Replication of success unlikely Leading High results, high understanding of antecedents Replication of success likely Losing Ground Low results, low understanding of antecedents Replication of failure likely Learning Low results, high understanding of antecedents Replication of mistakes unlikely Antecedents/Cause Data Effects/Results Data

Step 1: Treasure Hunt (Data Analysis/Needs Assessment) Involve staff, parents, community members and students (as appropriate) in the process Review disaggregated achievement data and note high priority areas Identify school-wide factors that may be root causes or barriers to progress Identify adult behaviors that may be root causes or barriers to progress

T.U.R.N. the Corner with Data Analysis Triangulate cause and effect data Urgency of action Replication of best practices can only occur when antecedents of excellence are identified Next Steps must be actionable, identified in terms of a timeline, and communicated to school community (Leadership and Learning Center, 2006)

Treasure Hunt Individual Reflection Who will you include in your school improvement plan development and monitoring activities? Do they represent all school community stakeholders? What data will you need to analyze (think cause and effect)? Are the data in a user-friendly format?

Step 2: Setting Priorities and Goals Identify 2 or 3 high priority areas of need Set 3-5 Tier I Indicators that are written as SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound) goals –Example: The percentage of K-6 students with disabilities scoring at proficiency or higher in reading will increase from 52% to 79% as measured by the CMT administered in March 2011.

Are these SMART? 1.7 th grade will increase the percentage of students who are proficient in reading. 2.The percentage of students who graduate will increase to 95%. 3.The percentage of 6 th grade girls who are proficient in estimation will increase from 62% to 75% as measured by CMT 2010.

Setting Priorities and Goals Individual Reflection Is it clear whether your goals are stated in terms of percentage or percentage points growth? How do the goals become operationalized in the classroom? How are the goals communicated to staff? Students? Parents? Community?

Step 3: Develop Action Steps and Strategies Determine Tier II Indicators that quantify the actions that adults will take to reach improvement goals –Example: Percentage of K-6 teachers implementing performance assessments at least once a quarter will increase from 10% to 100% as measured by lesson plans and student portfolios reviewed in December Identify timeline, person(s) responsible, professional development and resources that are required to implement action steps

Action Steps and Strategies Individual Reflection How will the strategies provide you with leverage in other areas? Are the strategies phrased in terms of adult behaviors? How will the strategies change instructional practices?

Step 4: Monitoring Implementation Describe how, when, and by whom each strategy will be monitored Set specific dates and benchmarks to communicate progress regularly throughout the year Plans must be monitored on two levels: 1. Implementation 2. Efficacy

Monitoring Implementation Individual Reflection How is the implementation of your plan monitored? How is the effectiveness of your plan monitored? How do you communicate monitoring results to the school community? How do you determine whether or not the strategies should be revised?

Step 5: Staff Development & Resource Allocation Identify new skills sets that will be needed to successfully implement strategies Embed professional development into routine practices, such as looking at student work in data teams All resources should be allocated through a data- driven decision making process so that the identified strategies can be successfully implemented

How Do We Allocate Teacher Quality – Our Most Important Resource? Source: Yun, J. T. & Moreno, J. F. (January-February 2006).“College Access, K-12 Concentrated Disadvantage, and the Next 25 Years of Education Research.” Educational Researcher, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp

Staff Development and Resource Allocation Individual Reflection How have you determined where to place faculty? What new learning must occur for staff to implement the plan? How have you allocated resources to support the implementation of your plan?

If You Think That Document Drills Will Improve Student Achievement, You ’ re Wrong % Proficient Format of Plan Source: Reeves, D. B., The Learning Leader, ASCD, 2006.

Remember: What gets measured and monitored gets done Plans can only drive school improvement when they are regularly reviewed and revised through a Data Team process Plans will most likely be realized when representatives from the people who are responsible for carrying them out are included in the planning process Plans are only as effective as the leadership that monitors their implementation

Connecticut Accountability for Learning Initiative (CALI) The goal of CALI is to develop and offer a model of state support to districts and schools to support the process of continuous school improvement and to accelerate the closing of Connecticut’s achievement gap Title I schools/districts identified as being “in need of improvement” and Priority School Districts are being supported through CALI

CALI Professional Development includes: FOR ALL EDUCATORS: Best Practices in Educating our English Language Learners (ELLs) Basic Training Best Practices in Educating our English Language Learners (ELLs) Advanced Training Data-Driven Decision Making/Data Teams (DDDM/DT)* Making Standards Work (MSW) Effective Teaching Strategies (ETS)* Common Formative Assessments (CFA)* Improving School Climate (ISC)* Scientific Research Based Interventions (SRBI, also known as Response to Intervention)* *Certification training available FOR COACHES & LEADERS: Coaching Instructional Data Teams Coaching Effective Teaching Strategies The Change Academy: Leading Change & Getting Everyone on Board Classroom Data: Feedback, Follow Up & Follow Through School Climate for Leaders School Improvement Planning & No Child Left Behind FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS: CALI Overview*

38 Connecticut Accountability for Learning Initiative

Accessing CALI Title I schools identified as being in need of improvement and schools in Priority School Districts can access CALI professional development for free Schools who are not eligible for free training can register for a fee ($85.00 per day, per person for basic training and certification training, except for DDDM/DT, MSW, ETS, and CFA certification where the charge is $ per session, per person). Any school can contact their local Regional Education Service Center (RESC) or the State Education Resource Center (SERC) as each has certified trainers in all CALI modules

Resources Connecticut State Department of Education: Connecticut Accountability for Learning Initiative: School and District Improvement Guide: CALI Event Registration:

Questions? Comments? Iris White Associate Education Consultant Connecticut State Department of Education 165 Capitol Avenue, Room 227 Hartford, CT P: F: