The 8-Step Continuous Improvement Model Good morning everyone. I will be presenting the 8 step continuous improvement model. As you view this presentation, I want you to think about how you can fit your school’s program into this model. Presented by Kathryn Carr-LeRoy, Division of Mathematics and Science Education

The 8-Step Continuous Improvement Model

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Why the 8–Step Continuous Improvement Model? Is based on Best Practices Provides for continuous monitoring of performance Addresses the achievement gap between all sub groups Supports Data-Driven Decision Making Why is the 8 step model such a great tool to use for improving your school’s performance. Because first of all it is based on best practices that have worked in many different school systems. This research based program allows schools to continuously monitor student performance. It addresses the achievement gap that all school districts are facing, and especially here in Miami-Dade County where we have an incredibly diverse population. And most of the model supports data driven decision making. Data is be the vehicle that helps your school evaluate its student performance.

Step 1: (PLAN) Test Score Disaggregation Data –FCAT and additional academic data sources Identify strong and weak objective areas Prioritize skills needing improvement Analyze the data to monitor trends in each core subject area Utilize student scores to identify instructional groups Use as a goal setting document Step 1 is the plan. This is where your school should disaggregate data. I know we hear that word often – it means to break apart. Data disaggregation can be a catalyst for action. A school can assess existing conditions and procedures, patterns, and practices that may be helping or hindering student achievement groups. A school can also use it to determine what percentage of students are mastering the essentials at each grade level, and whether the various subgroups are mastering the skills to the same degree. In addition this portion of the process helps us prioritize the skills that need improvement, identify instructional groups, and analyze trends in achievement in the core subject areas. When planning, a school can break the data apart by class, teacher, socioeconomic status, grade. Much of this is done for you by the state, and on the SPI report. Use this data to identify opportunities for improvement.

Disaggregating the Data By class, schools, feeder patterns Grade levels Proficiency in English Race Gender Quartiles Socioeconomic status Course-taking experience Teacher PD ESE, Bilingual, and Title I

Analyze and Interpret Data Large Scale Assessment Classroom Assessment Scores on the FCAT SSS are reported in several ways.

Academic Data Sources Formative/Summative assessments 1. FCAT Norm-Referenced Tests (grades 3-10), and SAT-9 (grade 2) 2. Chapter and Unit Assessments Benchmark, Publisher authored, Accelerated Reader assessments Criterion-referenced assessments: 1. FCAT Sunshine State Standards Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Science 2. District standards-based tests Reading, Writing, Mathematics, and Science These are academic data sources that can be used – list them.

Non-academic data sources Grade distribution Retention rates Suspension Truancy Student feedback surveys School Climate Surveys Attendance records PD records Volunteer logs Parent Participation logs Homework logs Media Center records And these are some non academic data sources. A school can disaggregate the data by these additional outcome indictors.

Step 2: (PLAN) Timeline (Calendar) Development Develop a school wide timeline that encompasses all tested benchmarks and that incorporates the M-DCPS Testing Calendar (scope & sequence) Create instructional calendar before the school year begins Emphasize weekly targets for instruction on an ongoing basis and communicate them to all stakeholders The schoolwide timeline should encompass all benchmarks and skills that will be tested on the FCAT, and all other standardized tests. The timeline should incorporate the entire scope and sequence of the curriculum and should include the district’s testing calendar. The instructional calendar helps to place the instructional focus where it needed the most. Then it is communicated throughout the entire school site and integrated into every teacher’s instructional framework. Weekly targets are emphasized and every staff member reinforces the concepts that are on the calendar. The instructional calendar is not your scope and sequence. It is simply a guide that tells stakeholders what objectives, skills, or benchmarks will be taught during a certain week. It helps to ensure that every concept that is on the state assessment will be covered in the classroom. It helps to align the written curriculum with the taught curriculum with the tested curriculum. It’s also a great time management tool, because it helps to get you started from the first day of school and helps your staff and students to remain focused throughout the year. In addition, it helps parents to understand what their children are supposed to master by the end of the school year. Approaches to the calendar include dividing the standards into the number of instructional days between the opening of school and the testing day. This only works of course if a schools scores don’t change much from year to year. More than likely, you will schedule the standards to be taught from the

Step 3: (DO) Instructional Focus Using the instructional focus calendar, deliver the targeted lessons Lesson Bank can be created by schools Instructional focus is mandatory; delivery of the content is FLEXIBLE

Step 4: (Study/Check) Assessment After skills have been taught: Administer assessments (test frequently using brief, focused assessments) Analyze data Identify problems and/or errors Identify and share strategies that are/are not working to identify mastery and non-mastery of skills Teachers can quickly determine whether the majority of students have grasped the content or if more time needs to be devoted to a particular skill/benchmark

Steps 5 and 6: (Act) Tutorials and Enrichment Assessment results determine whether or not a student is in need of additional review or enrichment Enrichment Maintain skills; continue to learn and sharpen skills Tutorial Refocus abilities to learn the skill or benchmark

Step 7: Maintenance Formal reviews of skills Intensify focus before the FCAT are scheduled throughout the instructional calendar tested concepts and skills (mock testing) Administrative team assumes a lead role in monitoring school wide progress

Step 8: Monitor (Study/Check) Ongoing, structured grade level, department, and team meetings Administrative team leads in monitoring school wide progress

Finally…… Serious focus on SSS Serious focus on rigorous curriculum and instruction for all Serious intervention for those who need help Serious accountability Demonstrated by state assessments