NH Steps to Success Process A Workshop for NH Department of Education Staff Thursday, August 29, 2013 August 29, Using the Indistar Tool

Welcome! Who are we and what are we doing here? August 29,  Meeting Purpose, Intended Outcomes  Agenda overview  Introductions  Facilitators  Participants Please introduce yourself, tell your role at the department, and why you’re interested in learning more about Steps to Success and Indistar.

What is Steps to Success? August 29, What is the Steps to Success Process? A continuous improvement process designed to build the knowledge, skill and capacity of the educators responsible for providing a quality learning program for all students in the school What is it used for?  Comprehensive self-assessment of current educational practices compared to indicators of effective practice  Structured framework for developing and monitoring a plan for improvement  With the Indistar tool, built in documentation, reports, and mechanisms for providing support via remote ‘coaching’

What is Indistar? August 29, What is Indistar? * A password protected web-based workspace for recording, organizing, and retrieving the work of the school team  self-assessments,  action plans,  progress reports * A vehicle for tracking school team activities and for providing remote coaching feedback on school progress.

How do schools use Steps to Success? August 29,  Assess Current Practices  ‘inputs’ to the educational system  compared to best practices (Wise Ways)  Rate current Level of Implementation  Priority – i.e., how much impact does it have on student learning?  Opportunity – how easy/ hard to implement?  Provide EVIDENCE of current practices IIA02 - Units of instruction include standards-based objectives and criteria for mastery. (89) 1. Choose your level of development or implementation for this indicator No development or implementation (if you choose this, move on to 1 - A) Limited development or implementation (if you choose this, move on to 2) Full implementation (if you choose this, move on to 2 - C) 1 - A. IF "No development or implementation" is selected choose one: Not a priority or interest (if you choose this, move on to 2 - C) Will include in plan (if you choose this, move on to 2) 2. Priority Score: (after selecting a Priority Score, move on to 3) 3 - highest priority 2 - medium priority 1 - lowest priority 3. Opportunity Score: (after selecting an Opportunity Score, move on to 4) 3 - relatively easy to address 2 - accomplished within current policy and budget conditions 1 - requires changes in current policy and budget conditions 2 - C. If "Not a priority or interest" - Please explain why this indicator is not a priority or interest. ________________________________________________________________ 2 - C. If "Full implementation" - Please provide evidence that this indicator has been fully and effectively implemented. ________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 4. Please describe the current level of development or implementation. ________________________________________________________________

How do schools use Steps to Success? August 29,  Create Plan for Priority Objectives  Assign person responsible  Describe how will look when fully implemented (i.e., vision)  Target date for full implementation  TASKS = incremental steps toward full attainment of objective – as many as needed  Person responsible for TASK  Date TASK will be completed  Record notes to guide implementation IIA02 - Units of instruction include standards-based objectives and criteria for mastery. (89) PLAN Assign a team member to manage and monitor your work toward this objective. ________________ 2. Describe how it will look when this objective is fully met. Also describe the information you will need to provide evidence that this objective is fully met. ______________________ _______________________________________________ 3. Establish a date by which your description above will be a reality: ______________________ TASKS T-1. Create a series of tasks that will lead to full implementation of this objective. Be sure to include tasks for gathering and analyzing the information needed to show evidence of full implementation. TASK 1: __________________________________ T-1a. Assign a person to be responsible for this task ____ T-1b. Establish a date this task will be completed. ______ T-1c. Record notes from your discussion that will be helpful to the person responsible for this task. ________________ Attach additional tasks to this objective as needed ________________________________________________________________

Starting the Work: Recommended Sequence  LT Organizing meeting: norms, roles and responsibilities  Comprehensive Data Review - DDD  Critical factors influencing achievement / Achievement Gaps (e.g. fishbone)  Crosswalk existing plan(s) with Turnaround Principles  Assess (or review existing)current practices compared with Wise Ways  Plan to address Turnaround Principles  Monitor and record progress August 29, 20137

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How does Steps to Success accommodate different schools’ needs? August 29, Schools can enter anywhere across the Improvement Cycle  Assess current practices – against indicators of effective practice  Plan for change where gaps identified  Implement plan  Monitor plan implementation – internally and EXTERNALLY  Revise plan as needed when new data available (data on both inputs and outcomes) *For P & F schools who have a plan in place, use Indistar to monitor and report progress. *For P & F schools new to the process, assess own practice compared with research- based best practices (aka, Turnaround Indicators). *For P & F schools with plans not showing promise, re-assess and revise plans.

Sampling the Steps Process August 29,  Simulate a school team meeting: Mt. Adams  Recommended members, roles, responsibilities  Use the Assess Protocol to examine current practices  Revisit recent assessment of level of development  Use the Plan Protocol to define TASKS  Vision of full implementation  Measures of full and effective implementation  Coaching Comments  Monitor Plan Progress, Impact

What is needed to get full benefit from the Steps process and Indistar tool?  Internal capacity building:  Assign Department staff responsible  Specify roles, responsibilities, time commitments  Coaching support:  Provide training for Districts, schools and other pd providers  Establish systems managed by Department staff to monitor the quality of coaching August 29,

What is needed to get full benefit from the Steps process and Indistar tool ? August 29, Disseminate information: Inform P & F schools Provide orientation, guidance Ensure access and support Take full advantage of Indistar: Encourage schools to use the tool Design strategies to extend use to other state initiatives

13 Pause and Reflect -- Break “We do know that in healthy human systems people support one another with information and nurture one another with trust.” Wheatley, Margaret J. and Myron Kellner-Rogers. 1996, A Simpler Way. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. p 39 August 29, 2013

The Indistar Tool: TOUR August 29, Navigate to 2. Practice sites – nhsample/nhsample = includes sample entries for fictitious Mt. Adams School; full access to retrieve, but not editable nhschool/ nhschool = access to materials, can post ‘practice’ entries; PUBLIC – no restrictions; caution on entering real information 3. Passwords – Access Levels School – full editing access for process managers, principals District Liaison – read-only for schools assigned, enter coaching comments School Consultant/ Coach – same as DL District – read-only for schools; full access for District workspace Guest – read only; team members, staff WITH CAUTIONS

Indistar Tour: The DASHBOARD DASHBOARD for Mt Adams School My Online Tools -- Support for School Improvement, “Steps to Success” – School Indicators -- Transformation Implementation Indicators (for SIG schools ONLY) -- NH Turnaround Indicators Document Upload (aka File Cabinet) -- Location to post completed Summary of Local Data -- Four folders set up for you; option to create new folders August 29,

The Indistar DASHBOARD (cont’d.) TABS: Home – My Online Tool(s) Forms to Complete September (Oct, Nov) Monthly Reports NH SINI Goals and Objectives SIG – Leading Indicators Annual Form SIG – Lagging Indicators Annual Form SIG – Interventions Annual Form Required Reports Same list as FORMS, with SUBMIT button Docs and Links Document Upload guidance Summary of Local Achievement Data Assess, Plan Protocol ASSESS Worksheet August 29,

Indistar Tour: Main Menu Page  ID Banner – editing options  Above the banner:  Resources and Reports  Resources -- how to export  Reports – *Indicator Checklist Report  Plan Your Meeting  Meeting Agenda Setup  Worksheets  Wise Ways August 29,

Indistar Tour: Main Menu Page --Sidebar  Coaching Comments  Where Are We Now?  Help – description of items on Main Menu page  School Team  Demographics - post school profile in File Cabinet  Assessment - post Assessment Summary in File Cabinet August 29,

Questions on Indistar DASHBOARD and MAIN MENU August 29,

Indistar Tour: Main Menu Page Cycle Links August 29, What: Document the team’s work Who: Process Manager, Principal When: After team meetings

Indistar Tour: Main Menu Page ASSESS  Use ASSESS Worksheet during team meetings; Process Manager posts summaries (tabs) 1. Select Indicator 2. Indicators to Assess 3. Indicators Assessed 4. Assess Indicator  *NEW* FILTERS  KEY Turnaround Indicators  CORE Turnaround Indicators  CHOICE Turnaround Indicators August 29,

Indistar Tour: Main Menu Page -- CREATE PLAN  Select Indicators to PLAN based on (a) data review for gaps; (b) crosswalk with Turnaround Principles  Use PLAN Protocol during team meetings; Process Manager posts results  *Enhanced focus = #2: “... Describe the information you will need to provide evidence that this objective is fully met”  *New* Feature: 5c – Is this a recurring task? August 29,

Indistar Tour: Main Menu Page - - MONITOR PLAN  “In the Plan” caution  Sortable headers  *NEW* Progress updates  When? Monthly  Where? Update or Complete Task Status  Comments: (example) “September 25 LT Mtg – LT contracted with SLDS Data Coach Nancy Numerical to facilitate our “deep data dive”. We completed our first review on 09/25 and will continue our data analysis on our next LT meeting, October 5.”  Delete This Task -- with care! August 29,

Questions on ASSESS, CREATE, MONITOR? August 29,

Next Steps August 29, SCHOOLS 1. Crosswalk existing plans with Turnaround Principles/ Indicators. Update ASSESS for aligned indicators. Update PLAN informed by Data. 2. Complete comprehensive Data Review. 3. Complete or update plan for Indicator ID Consult with NH DOE Turnaround Liaison to request needed supports (Turnaround Coach, Principal Mentor, Data Coach). NH DOE 1. Explore Turnaround Indicators (nhsample/nhsample). Identify alignment with your program’s best practices. 2. Propose options for Schools to use Steps to Success/ Indistar to report performance in your program area.

26 Thanks for your participation “We change only if we decide that the change is meaningful to who we are... If the work of change is at the level of an entire organization or community, then the search for new meaning must be done as a collective inquiry.” Wheatley, Margaret J Leadership and the new science: Discovering order in a chaotic world. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, p148. August 29, 2013