1. Unified Improvement Planning Basics II: Action Planning
11/14/2018
Unified Improvement Planning Basics II: Action Planning
October 2013
chad

2. Introductions Name Role School/District
What are you most excited to learn about today? 2

3. Today’s Session Objectives:
Understand the fundamentals of the action planning steps of the Unified Improvement Planning process.
Understand the elements that support UIP.
Understand expectations and processes for target setting.
Understand expectations for major improvement strategies, including action steps, key logistics and implementation benchmarks.
Time to consider planning needs at the local level.

4. Topics UIP Overview UIP Process Reflection and Local Planning Purpose
UIP Resources
UIP Process
Reviewing Previous Steps (Data Analysis)
Annual Performance Targets
Interim Measures
Major Improvement Strategies
Action Steps, including Timeline, Key Personnel, Resources
Implementation Benchmarks
Reflection and Local Planning 4

5. What is Unified Improvement Planning?
Alignment
A system to align improvement planning requirements for state and federal accountability into a “single” plan.
Documentation
A common format for schools and for districts to document improvement planning efforts. Schools/districts on accountability clock must demonstrate a coherent plan for dramatic change and adjustments over time. Reviews conducted by CDE and the State Review Panel.
Transparency
A process for including multiple voices, including staff, families and community representatives. Plans are also posted publicly.
Best Practice
A statewide strategy to promote improvement planning based on best-practice, including use of state and local data and engagement in a continuous improvement cycle.
Support
A mechanism for triggering additional supports through CDE (especially for schools/districts on accountability clock).
This process reduces the total number of separate plans schools and districts are required to complete with the intent of creating a single plan that has true meaning for its stakeholders.

6. Continuous Improvement

7. Unified Improvement Planning Processes
Gather and Organize Data
Preparing to Plan
Section IV: Target Setting
Section IV: Action Planning
Section III: Data Narrative
Review Performance Summary
Describe Notable Trends
Prioritize Performance Challenges
Identify Root Causes
Set Performance Targets
Identify Major Improvement Strategies
Ongoing:
Progress Monitoring
Identify Interim Measures
Identify Implementation Benchmarks
Version 1.4

8. Components that support UIP
Template
Addenda
Quality Criteria
Handbook 8

9. UIP Template & Addenda
Layout designed to explicitly guide schools and districts through a focused planning process
Pre-populated report
Flexibility to “tell your local story”
Addenda created to support schools and districts in meeting specific program requirements
Unified ≠ Simplified
The template layout is designed to support the process
Pull out their template, follow along, write in their page numbers

10. Section I Section II Section III Section IV
State +
Federal
Performance
Data
Grant Info
Data Narrative
Data Used
Notable Trends
Priority Performance Challenges
Root Causes
Processes Used
School Target Setting Form
Targets
Interim Measures
Major Improvement Strategies
Contact
Improvement Plan Info
Review Progress on Last Year’s Targets Worksheet
Data Worksheet
Action Planning Form
Associated root causes
Action Steps
Timeline
Key People
Resources
Implementation Benchmarks
Status of Action Steps
Version 1.4

11. Quality Criteria
Identify elements in a quality plan -makes clear standard for proficiency
Developed in conjunction with district leaders
Identifies program requirements to be met in each section of the plan
Basis for review by CDE
Refer to quality criteria handout

12. UIP Handbook Provides the guidance for the process
Includes as glossary to serve as a reference for the terminology used in the UIP process
Includes helpful hints for the process 12

13. UIP Big Idea: Timeframe
11/14/2018
UIP Big Idea: Timeframe
The UIP should be a two year plan that gets revised on at least an annual basis
Revision process should be updated with current information, then planning projected out
Modifications should be made based on determinations from data (interim measures/implementation benchmarks)
Notable Trends, Priority Performance Challenges
Target Setting,
Action Planning
Root Cause Analysis
What has been happening?
Where do we need to go? ?
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Interim Measures,
Implementation Benchmarks

14. Topics UIP Overview UIP Process Reflection and Local Planning Purpose
UIP Resources
UIP Process
Reviewing Previous Steps (Data Analysis)
Annual Performance Targets
Interim Measures
Major Improvement Strategies
Action Steps, including Timeline, Key Personnel, Resources
Implementation Benchmarks
Reflection and Local Planning 14

15. Previous Steps: UIP Basics Part I
Gather and Organize Data
Preparing to Plan
Section IV: Target Setting
Section IV: Action Planning
Section III: Data Narrative
Review Performance Summary
Describe Notable Trends
Prioritize Performance Challenges
Identify Root Causes
Set Performance Targets
Identify Major Improvement Strategies
Reviewing Performance information- What does the performance information tell you?
How does it set the tone for the magnitude of improvement work?
Identifying Priority Performance Challenges, Setting Targets and Interim Measures for areas where a school/district does not at least meet state expectations.
For turnaround schools, there are implications for selection of Major Improvement Strategies and associated implementation benchmarks.
Ongoing:
Progress Monitoring
Identify Interim Measures
Identify Implementation Benchmarks
Version 1.4

16. Continuous Improvement
Decision Point
Develop New Action Plan
Revise current Action Plan
To what degree have your priority performance challenges changed or remained the same?
To what degree have your root causes changed or remained the same?
What degree of buy-in from the staff on the current plan? 16

17. Relationship of Accountability to Unified Improvement Planning
Gather and Organize Data
Preparing to Plan
Section IV: Target Setting
Section IV: Action Planning
Section III: Data Narrative
Review Performance Summary
Describe Notable Trends
Prioritize Performance Challenges
Identify Root Causes
Set Performance Targets
Identify Major Improvement Strategies
Reviewing Performance information- What does the performance information tell you?
How does it set the tone for the magnitude of improvement work?
Identifying Priority Performance Challenges, Setting Targets and Interim Measures for areas where a school/district does not at least meet state expectations.
For turnaround schools, there are implications for selection of Major Improvement Strategies and associated implementation benchmarks.
Ongoing:
Progress Monitoring
Identify Interim Measures
Identify Implementation Benchmarks
Version 1.4

18. Read: Target Setting (p22) to Interim Measures
Handbook Reading 18

19. Target Setting
In what performance indicators is the school/district not at least meeting state expectations (there should also be identified priority performance challenges for these performance indicators)?
What is the state measure/metric being used?
What comparison point is being considered (e.g. “meets” state expectations, district average, “exceeds” expectations, etc.)?
What other measures/metrics may be considered on an annual basis (k-2, non-tested subjects, etc.)? 19

20. How to Set Performance Targets
Focus on a priority performance challenge
Determine a comparison point (expectation against which current performance is compared)
Determine a time frame to meet expectations
Determine progress needed in the next two years
Describe annual performance targets for two years
Version 1.3

21. Consider Minimum State Expectations
Provided in the Performance Framework Reports
The value for which a rating of “meets” would be assigned for the state metric in each sub-indicator area.
Academic Achievement: the 50th percentile of % proficient or advanced for Colorado schools.
Academic Growth and Growth Gaps: MGP of 55 if MGP is < AGP, and 45 otherwise.
Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness: Graduation rate at or above 80%, Drop-Out rate at or below the state average, and Colorado ACT Composite Score at or above the state average.
Version 1.3

22. What is the target? 68 Things to consider about Targets:
What is being measured?
Is it specific enough to know if the target has been achieved?
Is it ambitious, yet attainable?

23. Relationship of Accountability to Unified Improvement Planning
Gather and Organize Data
Preparing to Plan
Section IV: Target Setting
Section IV: Action Planning
Section III: Data Narrative
Review Performance Summary
Describe Notable Trends
Prioritize Performance Challenges
Identify Root Causes
Set Performance Targets
Identify Major Improvement Strategies
Reviewing Performance information- What does the performance information tell you?
How does it set the tone for the magnitude of improvement work?
Identifying Priority Performance Challenges, Setting Targets and Interim Measures for areas where a school/district does not at least meet state expectations.
For turnaround schools, there are implications for selection of Major Improvement Strategies and associated implementation benchmarks.
Ongoing:
Progress Monitoring
Identify Interim Measures
Identify Implementation Benchmarks
Version 1.4

24. Interim Measures Interim measures must be identified for each target.
Data from interim measures should be available more than once during the school year.
Across all interim measures, data should be available that would allow schools to monitor progress at least quarterly.
Examples: District Benchmark Assessment, NWEA MAPS, Galileo, Acuity, DIBELS, commonly administered end-of-unit assessments
Measures, metrics and availability should be specified in the School Goals Form.
Version 1.4

25. How do Performance Targets Shape Interim Measures
Interim measures should:
Provide data several times during the school year about the degree to which progress is being made towards each performance target.
Provide data about the same students as the performance target
Provide data about the same content focus.
Version 1.3

26. Interim Measures
Interim Measures: Is there enough detail to identify if progress is being made?
Considerations:
Frequency of administration?
What changes would you expect to see to make your target?
Does DRA2 measure math performance?
Will DIBELS tell you if you are addressing your Priority Performance Challenges for 4-6th grade students?

27. Alignment: Priority Performance Challenges and Targets27

28. Target Setting Activity
What are some targets would you consider for this sample Priority Performance Challenge with this SPF:
Math achievement and growth (and for all student groups) and for all has been low and flat for the last three years, not increasing above 60% proficient and advanced, with MGP not exceeding 51%. 28

29. What targets would you consider for this sample PPC:
11/14/2018
What targets would you consider for this sample PPC:
Math achievement and growth (and for all student groups) and for all has been low and flat for the last three years, not increasing above 60% proficient and advanced, with MGP not exceeding 51%.
N=107, MGP 44, MAGP 52
N=37, MGP 51, MAGP 86 29

30. Reflection: Target Setting
Next Steps: What actions need to happen?
Description: What is needed? Skills, Resources, Time Held
Timeframe: What is the deadline/timeframe in which the actions need to happen?
People Involved: Which stakeholders need to be involved or communicated with. Consider:
Teachers
Parents
Students
School Accountability Committees
Board Members (District or Charter)
Community 30

31. Unified Improvement Planning
Gather and Organize Data
Preparing to Plan
Section IV: Target Setting
Section IV: Action Planning
Section III: Data Narrative
Review Performance Summary
Describe Notable Trends
Prioritize Performance Challenges
Identify Root Causes
Set Performance Targets
Identify Major Improvement Strategies
Reviewing Performance information- What does the performance information tell you?
How does it set the tone for the magnitude of improvement work?
Identifying Priority Performance Challenges, Setting Targets and Interim Measures for areas where a school/district does not at least meet state expectations.
For turnaround schools, there are implications for selection of Major Improvement Strategies and associated implementation benchmarks.
Ongoing:
Progress Monitoring
Identify Interim Measures
Identify Implementation Benchmarks
Version 1.4

32. Reviewing Prior Year Major Improvement Strategies
With your team, discuss the following questions:
How successful have our major improvement strategies from last year been at improving our performance in prioritized areas?
To what degree have our prior year major improvement strategies been implemented?
To what degree are our existing major improvement strategies likely to eliminate the root causes of our updated priority performance challenges?
Version 1.3

33. Reviewing Prior Year Major Improvement Strategies
Identify for each Major Improvement Strategy:
Continue, just update status of action steps.
Continue, with modification to action steps.
Do not continue.
Version 1.3

34. Identifying New Major Improvement Strategies
Focus on a priority performance challenge and the root cause(s).
Consider research.
Identify a desired future (if action is taken to dissolve root cause(s), from the perspective of various local stakeholders).
Identify strategies to get to the desired future.
Articulate a Theory of Action (If, then, and).
Re-write as a major improvement strategy.
Version 1.3

35. Additional Information to Consider
CDE provides a variety of resources and technical assistance related to areas where schools and districts may have performance gaps.
Are there resources available that should be considered?
English Language Learners Walk Through and Program Review Tool
Positive Behavior Implementation Support Implementation
Policies and Practices Related to Student Failure and Dropping Out: Tools and Resources
RtI Implementation Rubrics               
Self-Assessment for Building a Healthy Human Capital System in Schools and Districts
TELL Colorado
Version 1.3

36. Example: Data Source for Action Planning
How could this self-assessment be used to develop action steps? 36

37. Factors to consider in Action Plan
School Demographics: Are there specific needs for student groups (i.e. action steps to support needs of English Language Learners are identified)
Progress monitoring built into action steps
Stakeholder groups within action plan
What steps will ensure MIS are effective for student populations?
How will both student performance data and implementation benchmarks be examined in an ongoing way?
Do different stakeholders take different actions (parents, teachers, BOCES staff?) 37

38. Action Steps
Cumulative effect of action steps will lead to implementation of Major Improvement Strategy
Each step associated with key personnel, timelines and resources
Possible to “check off”- yes, we did it! 38

39. Unified Improvement Planning
Gather and Organize Data
Preparing to Plan
Section IV: Target Setting
Section IV: Action Planning
Section III: Data Narrative
Review Performance Summary
Describe Notable Trends
Prioritize Performance Challenges
Identify Root Causes
Set Performance Targets
Identify Major Improvement Strategies
Reviewing Performance information- What does the performance information tell you?
How does it set the tone for the magnitude of improvement work?
Identifying Priority Performance Challenges, Setting Targets and Interim Measures for areas where a school/district does not at least meet state expectations.
For turnaround schools, there are implications for selection of Major Improvement Strategies and associated implementation benchmarks.
Ongoing:
Progress Monitoring
Identify Interim Measures
Identify Implementation Benchmarks
Version 1.4

40. Implementation Benchmarks
Measures implementation
How will we know we are implementing the action plan well?
Tend to fall into two categories:
Output- trainings held, walkthrough document developed, hiring criteria identified
Outcome- Teachers will score student writing samples with 95% consistency on writing rubric by December 2014, 90% of classroom walkthroughs will exhibit use of formative assessment practices by April 2014. 40

41. Action Plan Activity 41

42. Implementation Benchmarks: How do you know?
Artifacts of implementation, but not the impact or effectiveness of their implementation.
More specific implementation benchmarks allow school staff to determine whether identified action steps are making being implemented with fidelity so they can be associated with student learning. Consider:
Classroom observations indicate 100% use of cooperative learning structures by May 2013. 42

43. Major Improvement Strategies
Reflection:
Major Improvement Strategies
Next Steps: What actions need to happen?
Description: What is needed? Skills, Resources, Time Protected, etc.
Timeframe: What is the deadline/timeframe in which the actions need to happen?
People Involved: Which stakeholders need to be involved in development and/or communication. Consider:
Teachers
Parents
Students
School Accountability Committees
Board Members (District or Charter)
Community 43

44. Unified Improvement Planning
Gather and Organize Data
Preparing to Plan
Section IV: Target Setting
Section IV: Action Planning
Section III: Data Narrative
Review Performance Summary
Describe Notable Trends
Prioritize Performance Challenges
Identify Root Causes
Set Performance Targets
Identify Major Improvement Strategies
Reviewing Performance information- What does the performance information tell you?
How does it set the tone for the magnitude of improvement work?
Identifying Priority Performance Challenges, Setting Targets and Interim Measures for areas where a school/district does not at least meet state expectations.
For turnaround schools, there are implications for selection of Major Improvement Strategies and associated implementation benchmarks.
Ongoing:
Progress Monitoring
Identify Interim Measures
Identify Implementation Benchmarks
Version 1.4

45. Topics UIP Overview UIP Process Reflection and Local Planning Purpose
UIP Resources
UIP Process
Reviewing Previous Steps (Data Analysis)
Annual Performance Targets
Interim Measures
Major Improvement Strategies
Action Steps, including Timeline, Key Personnel, Resources
Implementation Benchmarks
Reflection and Local Planning 45

46. Plan Development and Revision
Who will write the plan?
How can feedback on the plan be gathered and incorporated?
How will the plan contents be reviewed with key stakeholders?
How will plan results (implementation and outcomes) be monitored and communicated to key stakeholder groups:
Teachers
SAC/DAC/Board
Parents/Community 46

47. Wrap up & feedback
Please provide us with feedback using post-it notes at your table
- Things that worked well for this session
- Things that we should change
- Questions you still have
- A-ha’s from today’s session ? !