Unified Improvement Planning New Principal UIP Meetings

Agenda Resources (blog, people) Unified Improvement Plan with Populated Data Unified Improvement Planning Process Example Plans and Plan Criteria Performance Frameworks Data Analysis Root Cause Identification Target Setting Action Planning

Colorado Unified Planning Template for Schools Major Sections: I.Summary Information About the School II.Improvement Plan Information III.Narrative on Data Analysis and Root Cause Identification IV.Action Plan

Timeline for School Accreditation and Plan Submission UIP Handbook p. 48

SVVSD Timeline for School Accreditation and Plan Submission Turnaround and Priority Improvement – Dec. 1 – turn into Area Assistant Superintendent and Tori Teague for review and feedback – Jan. 2 – with revisions completed turn into Tori Teague – March 30 th – submit revisions from State Review Panel feedback to CDE Other Schools – March 1 st – to Area Assistant Superintendent – April 1 st – with revisions completed turn into Tori Teague  All Plans must be reviewed by School Accountability Committees, District, Turnaround, and Priority Improvement plans must be reviewed by District Accountability/Accreditation Committee and Board of Education

Planning Terminology UIP Handbook, p Review each of the terms listed Terms: – Performance Indicator – Measure – Metric – Root Cause – Major Improvement Strategy – Action Step – Interim Measure – Implementation Benchmark

Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) Section I: Summary Information – Examine section 1 – Mark sections with a that you need more clarification on – Discuss with a partner… What data surprised you? What data are you most proud of? At initial glance, what is an area of weakness? Questions

Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) Section II: Improvement Plan Information – Additional Information about the School Most schools will not answer yes to any If you are not sure ask…(usually Regina) – Improvement Plan Information State Accreditation (most schools) If not sure ask…(Regina)

Section III. Narrative on Data Analysis and Root Cause Identification Data Narrative – do last or as you go Progress Monitoring of Prior Year’s Performance Targets Step 1 – Review Current Performance Step 2 - Identify Notable Trends Step 3 – Prioritize Performance Challenges Step 4 – Determine Root Causes

Example Plans and Criteria – Examples – UIP Quality Criteria (School Level) Read Data Narrative Section of Quality Criteria: – Place a where you have questions – Discuss with a partner

Section III, Step 1: Review Current Performance and Identify Trends Read Step 1 & 2 p in UIP Handbook Make a list of data your school has available for school improvement planning What questions can your data answer?

Gather and Organize Data Required reports: – School Performance Framework – Growth Summary Report – Post Secondary Readiness Data – Other Local Data Must use more sources of data (Galileo, PALS, SRI, Dibels, etc.) Must consider at least three years of data

Data Sources in our District Schoolview.org – reports listed in previous slide Alpine Achievement – – Colorado Assessments - TCAP, CoAlt, CO-ACT, Colorado Growth Model, ACCESS for ELLs – Data Warehouse – Galileo, SRI, iReady, PALS, AP, DIBELS, Theme Tests and many more – Plans – APAS - READ, Literacy, RtI, ALP, 504, ELL Infinite Campus

Section III, Step 3 Prioritize Performance Challenges Use Data Driven Dialogue to identify data trends, priority performance challenges, and root causes Priority Performance Challenges are a summary of the data trends (examples on p. 16 in UIP Handbook) – For the past years, English Language Learners (making up 15% of the student population) have had median growth percentiles below 30 in math, substantially below the minimum state expectation of 55

Section III, Step 3 Prioritize Performance Challenges Data Driven Dialogue  Step 1 – Predict (Activate & Engage)  Step 2 – Explore (Explore & Discover)  Step 3 – Explain (Organize & Integrate)  Step 4 – Take Action

Step One: Predict (Data Driven Dialogue) The purpose: To activate interest and bring out our prior knowledge, preconceptions, and assumptions regarding the data with which we are about to work. Prediction allows dialogue participants to share the frame of reference through which they view the world and lays the foundation for collaborative inquiry. The steps include: 1.Clarify the questions that can be answered by the data 2.Make predictions about data 3.Identify assumptions behind each prediction Prediction Sentence Starters: I predict...I expect to see...I anticipate... Assumption Questions: Why did I make that prediction? What is the thinking behind my prediction? What do I know that leads me to make that prediction? What experiences do I have that are consistent with my prediction?

Step One (Chart Paper) (Data Driven Dialogue) Predictions Assumptions

Step One: Predict – Hints (Data Driven Dialogue) Predictions may go fairly quickly at this point because staff members have already seen some of the data Develop assumptions concurrently Groups do not need to agree upon these Give groups a mostly blank data table to help with predictions (so they have some idea of what data they are predicting)

100 0 OverallGrade 4Grade 5BoysGirlsFRLNonFRLELLnonELLIEPnonIEP TCAP Growth Percentile

Step Two: Explore (Data Driven Dialogue) The purpose: Generate priority observations or fact statements about the data that reflect the best thinking of the group. The steps include: 1.Interact with the data (highlighting, creating graphical representations, reorganizing) 2.Look for patterns, trends, things that pop out 3.Brainstorm a list of facts (observations) 4.Prioritize observations 5.Turn observations into priority performance challenges Avoid: Statements that use the word “because” or that attempt to identify the causes of data trends. Sentence starters: It appears... I see that... It seems...The data shows...

Step 2: Explore - Hints (Data Driven Dialogue) It is very important to take the time to really explore the data…remind people to not jump to “because” or “action steps” and to really look at what the data is telling them Give people one piece of data at a time Refine Observations: – In math 58% of 5 th graders were proficient or advanced compared to 52% of 4 th graders. – The ELL population increased from 10% last year to 30% this year.

UIP - Section III: Analyze Trends in the Data and Identify Performance Challenges After completion with staff of Data Driven Dialogue steps for Predict and Explore to… Identify areas of strength Identify areas of need Prioritize needs …the first two columns (trends and priority performance challenges) of the data analysis worksheet on p. 6 can be filled out

How good is good enough? State Performance Indicators: – School and District Performance Frameworks – State expectations defined for each performance indicator Federal Performance Indicators:

Trends and Priority Performance Challenges Trends must include at least 3 years of data. Priority Performance Challenges must be identified for every performance indicator for which school performance did not meet state or federal expectations: – Achievement – Growth – Growth Gaps – Post Secondary/Workforce Readiness

Trends and Priority Performance Challenges Read p. 4-5 of UIP School Quality Criteria Put where you have questions Discuss with partner…what surprises you?

Step Three: Explain (Data Driven Dialogue) The Purpose: Generate theories of causation, keeping multiple voices in the dialogue. Deepen thinking to get to the best explanations and identify additional data to use to validate the best theories. The steps include: 1.Generate questions about observations 2.Brainstorm explanations 3.Categorize/classify brainstormed explanations 4.Narrow (based on criteria) 5.Prioritize 6.Get to root causes 7.Validate with other data Guiding Questions: What explains our observations about out data? What might have caused the patterns we see in the data? Is this our best thinking? How can we narrow our explanations? What additional data sources will we explore to validate our explanation?

Step 3: Explain – Hints (Data Driven Dialogue) Help groups stay open to multiple interpretations of why…develop multiple theories of causation Separate the generation of theories of causation from theories of action (do not go to action steps in this step)

UIP Section III, Step 4 Root Cause Analysis A cause is a “root cause” if: 1.The problem would not have occurred if the cause had not been present 2.The problem will not reoccur if the cause is dissolved 3.Correction of the cause will not lead to the same or similar problems ***the school should have control over the root cause

Steps in Root Cause Analysis 1.Generating explanations (brainstorm) 2.Categorize/classify explanations 3.Narrow (eliminate explanations over which you have no control) 4.Prioritize 5.Get to root cause 6.Validate with other data

Non-examples of Root Cause Student attributes (poverty level) Student motivation Brainstorm a few ideas with your table team of explanations that might appear to be root causes but don’t qualify

Root Cause Examples The school does not provide additional support/interventions for students performing at the unsatisfactory level Lack of clear expectations for tier 1 instruction in math. Lack of intervention tools and strategies for math. Limited English language development. Inconsistency in instruction in the area of language development. Low expectations for all subgroups. Low expectations for IEP students.

Five Why’s (Explanation) 1.Why? Because: 2.Why? Because: 3.Why? Because: 4. Why? Because: 5.Why? Because:

5 Why Example ELL students are not engaged in learning in the core content classes. Why? Because… – Core curriculum is not accessible to ELL students. Why? Because… – ELL students’ English skills are not proficient enough to participate in discussions, ask questions, and comprehend core content. Why? Because… – There is inconsistent English language support for students in core content classes. Why? Because… – Lack of implementation of INSIDE and EDGE ELL curriculum as parallel support for ELL students in core content classes.

Root Causes Read p. 5 of UIP School Quality Criteria In pairs write a root cause

Work At Your School So Far Share in table groups the work you have done with your school staff and/or school accountability committee so far – What has been your process? – What is your next step?

UIP Section III Finalize Data Narrative Read the Data Narrative for School (p. 5 template) Review UIP School Quality Criteria p. 2-3 Discuss at table: – What parts of the plan so far do you see as your strength area to write? – What parts do you feel will be more challenging?

UIP Section III Finalize Data Narrative Checklist Brief description of school General process for development the UIP (who participated and how) Accountability status (plan type and indicators where performance did not meet expectations) How current performance compares to prior year’s target

UIP Section III Finalize Data Narrative Checklist Notable trends (at least 3 years of data), what data was considered and how the team determined the trends were notable Priority performance challenges, and how and why priorities were identified Root cause(s) of each priority performance challenge, how root causes were identified and what additional data was reviewed to validate each one

Step Four: Take Action (Data Driven Dialogue) The Purpose: Prepare to take action based on the data. The critical steps include: 1.Change “observations”/problem statements into goals 2.State the goals as SMART Goals 3.Determine what will indicate that the problem has been solved or the goal(s) have been met. 4.Identify strategies and action steps that will eliminate or correct the “root cause(s)” of the problem 5.Identify what data to track over time to determine if action steps are having the desired effect Cautions Make sure that there is a direct causal link between the goal or solution and the action steps that are being taken. Clearly define what success looks like and measure it. Don’t be afraid to change course if action steps are not having the desired effect.

Step 4 - Hints (Data Driven Dialogue) Action plan must be able to eliminate the root cause Action steps must be within the power of the group to implement (budget, capacity, etc.) Action plan should be a commitment to action by the group

UIP Section IV: Action Plan School Goals Worksheet Need to set targets for every performance indicator where the school failed to meet state expectations. – Achievement – Growth – Growth Gaps – Post Secondary/Workforce Readiness Do NOT need to set targets for every line

UIP Section IV: Action Plan Read UIP Quality Criteria: Section IV (p. 6-9) – Code the Text: ! Surprises you Affirms what you already know ? A question you have Discuss in table groups

UIP Section IV: Action Plan Annual Targets %53%58%63%68%73% %65%69%73% Meet Goals in 3 Years Meet Goals in 5 Years

UIP Section IV: Action Plan Action Plan Worksheet Read an example of the Action Plan Discuss at tables: – How is this similar to other action plans you have written? – How is this plan different?

School Improvement Planning You now have the tools, processes, and resources to complete your school improvement plan. Please feel free to ask questions when you need clarification. Remember you have support, please call and ask for what you need.

SVVSD Timeline for School Accreditation and Plan Submission Turnaround and Priority Improvement – Dec. 1 – turn into Area Assistant Superintendent and Tori Teague for review and feedback – Jan. 2 – with revisions completed turn into Tori Teague – March 30 th – submit revisions from State Review Panel feedback to CDE Other Schools – March 1 st – to Area Assistant Superintendent – April 1 st – with revisions completed turn into Tori Teague  All Plans must be reviewed by School Accountability Committees, District, Turnaround, and Priority Improvement plans must be reviewed by District Accountability/Accreditation Committee and Board of Education

Next Steps Timeline Depends on Plan Type – Lead staff (and possibly School Accountability Committee) though data driven dialogue (Steps 1-4, through action planning) – takes about 3 group meetings… 1.Data Driven Dialogue through root cause 2.Root cause refinement 3.Action planning – Complete a rough draft and turn into me of your School Improvement Plan by November 15 th (Turnaround, Priority Improvement) February 1 st

Next Steps Meet again Make sure you call or me questions for support and clarification Tori Teague , 57242

Support Area Assistant Superintendents – Regina Renaldi, David Burnison, and Mark Mills Connie Syferd and Tori Teague improvement-planning/