How It’s Being Done in Burlington Public Schools! Susan Astone Ellen Johnson John Lyons Deborah Dressler Dr. Eric Conti Superintendent of Burlington Public Schools

We’re all working together; that’s the secret…. -- Sam Walton

OF THEIR SUCCESS! OF THEIR SUCCESS! 3

Burlington Public Schools Elementary Neighborhood Schools Grades K-5 – Fox Hill – Francis Wyman – 530 – Memorial – Pine Glen – 300 Class Size – students Special Education Students – 13.9%

Our Strengths & Our Challenges-2009 Highly Motivated Teachers Quality Instruction Central Administration Support Community Values Educations Financial Support Informed and Supportive School Committee Fragmented Schedule Splintered Resources No Common Planning Time/Lack of Teacher Collaboration Inconsistent Understanding of Curriculum and Expectations Referral Rate Too High/Hit Rate Too Low Many Retentions District Wide Child Study Teams Without Parent Participation

Our Performance and Outcomes ELA MCAS Scores were consistently flat ELA MCAS scores were lower than expected based on demographics, skill level of teachers, quality of instruction and hard work 65%-70% of all students were not meeting grade level expectations in reading & math despite quality curriculum and instruction Special Education was viewed as “the solution ”

Our Solution Response to Intervention

Master Schedule 4 Essential Non-Negotiables – 90 Minutes of Uninterrupted Time for ELA – 75 Minutes of Uninterrupted Time for Math – Daily Common Planning Time for Teachers – 30 Minutes of Non-Overlapping Intervention Time – Weekly Grade Level Data Meetings

Assessment Universal Screening 3x a year- DIBELS – Kindergarten I-Ready Reading– Grades 1-5 DRA2 – K-5 Symphony Math K-2 I-Ready Math Grades 3-5 Progress Monitoring Reading - DIBELS Math – Curriculum Based Measures

Tier 1 ELA Core Curriculum Read Alouds, Shared Reading, Guided Reading, Independent Reading (Blended Literacy) Learning Centers Fundations K-3 Non-Fiction Writing K-2, ( 3-5) I-Ready Reading Lessons

Tier 2 ELA Interventions & Organizational Structure Phonemic Awareness-Florida Center for Reading Research Phonics : Double Dose of Fundations and Wilson Reading Fluency - Read Naturally Comprehension –Leveled Literacy Intervention by Fountas & Pinnell Small Similarly Skilled Groups of 3-5 Students Increased time on Learning 2-3 times a week Progressed Monitored every 2-3 weeks Data Analysis every 1-2 weeks Adjustment to Intervention Practice

Tier 3 ELA Interventions & Organizational Structure Orton Gillingham SRA Reading Mastery SRA Corrective Reading RAVO Highly Individualized & Focused Skilled Instruction Small Similarly Skilled Group of 2 Students or Individual Instruction Increased time on Learning 4-5 times a week Progressed Monitored every 1-2 weeks Data Analysis every 1-2 weeks Adjustment to Intervention Practice

Core Math Curriculum & Tier 2 & 3 Supplementary Curriculum Tier 1 Core Curriculum Envision Math Tier 2 Supplementary Interventions Symphony Math ST Math I-Ready Math Lessons Focus Math Tier 3 Intensive Intervention Saxon Math

Behavior Tier 1 Building a School-wide Positive Behavior System Building a Classroom Positive Behavior System Guidance Counselors Teaching Life Skills Curriculum, Dr. Greg Hanley Tier 2 Guidance Counselors-Individualized Behavior Plans Guidance Counselors – Social Thinking Tier 3 School psychologist-In-Depth Behavior Plans Consultation with BCBA

The Principal’s Journey and Growth for Leading Response to Intervention Increased Capacity for Strengthening Sound Curriculum and Instructional Knowledge- Instructional Leader Increased Capacity for Understanding Students as Learners- Instructional Leader Increased Capacity to Maximize Time, Resources and Focus- Efficient & Supportive Leader Increased Capacity for Analysis, Collaboration, Problem- Solving, Solution Oriented- Collaborative Leader Increased Capacity for Increasing Achievement and Growth in Students- Teacher Leaders

Progression Reading Reading, Math – Reading, Math 2011 – 2012 – Reading, Math, Behavior 2012 – Reading, Math, Behavior

Increased Staffing – Currently staffed with Math Coach, Literacy and Math Tutors – Additional Literacy and Math Tutor Hours 2010 – 2011 – Literacy Coach and “RTI Tutors” – Building Level School Psychologist, District-Wide BCBA

Moving Forward Next Steps to Ensure our Continuous Growth & Learning Sustaining Fidelity to Master Schedule Reflecting and Using Data from our Universal Screening Tool Increasing Understanding and Implementation of Common Core Curriculum Understanding and Aligning Common Core Expectations with Burlington Public School Expectations Increased Efficiency and Common Expectations at Grade Level Meetings Increase Knowledge of Scientifically Research Based Interventions & Strategies Efficient and Viable Problem Solving Process that Effectively Narrows the Learning Gap Increased Understanding about the Meaning of our Assessment Data

Principal Dilemmas Translating our Student Performance on District Assessment Measures to State Assessment Measures. Developing and Strengthening the Capacity of New Administrators and Teachers Ensuring Commitment and Fidelity to the Response to Intervention Process to Distribute Decision Making to Teacher Leaders Aligning Curriculum School-Wide

Success Continues Continuous Progress in all Facets Data- Driven Decisions the Norm Reaching 80/15/5 in Reading Adoption of a New Math Program Reduced Behavior Referrals to Principal Cultural Shift for Teaching, Practicing and Reinforcing Behavioral Expectations Special Education Referrals Decreased and Accurate Teachers Leading - Increased teacher knowledge, collaboration, and shared decision making, Strong parental support and participation

How It’s Being Done The conditions necessary for the equity and excellence for all students Karin Chenoweth (2007) 1. Outstanding Teaching 2. Teacher Collaboration 3. A Laser-like Focus on What We Want Students to Learn 4. The Use of Individual and Common Student DATA to Inform Instruction 5. The Use of Intervention Strategies for Students Who did not Master the Material 6. Personal Relationship Building

Burlington Lessons Learned Teacher Knowledge Matters Time Matters Curriculum Matters Collaboration Matters Data-Based Decision Making Matters Relationships Matter Persistence & Motivation Matters

If your experiences would benefit anybody, give them to someone. -- Florence Nightingale