1. AN Improvement PLAN Process FOR The Archdiocese of Chicago
Dr. Mary Kearney, Archdiocese of Chicago Dr. Jorge Peña, Archdiocese of Chicago Mr. Christopher Haruska, Archdiocese of Chicago Mr. Dick Spohr, AdvancED Lead Evaluator Ms Becky Densmore, AdvancED Illinois Director

2. Session Purpose & Parts
Provide a clear picture of continuous school improvement planning.
General views on school improvement plans
Elements of effective school improvement
Steps to creating Archdiocese of Chicago Continuous School Improvement Plan

3. “Knowing the right thing to do is the central problem of school improvement.” (Elmore, 2003)

4. Mobilizing Stakeholders
Why must we improve?
Where are we going?
To improve, how are we going to change?

5. Systemic Improvement
Talking Points
Improvements that impact all levels of the system are systemic…
Improvements that are embedded in the school’s or district’s practices over time are sustainable…
The most successful improvements are those that are both systemic and sustainable

6. ‘Do’ – able & ‘Use’ – able
Guiding Principles
‘Do’ – able & ‘Use’ – able
© 2012 AdvancED

7. A Culture for Change & School Improvement
There is a “culture in place” - a learning community approach to improvement
There is a certain “urgency for change”
Stakeholders possess “will and skill”
Concerns because of NCLB
Schools on a watch list
Share experience
Some schools content
Will and skill – people want to change
Improvement requires both “will” and “skill”
The will to improve-the belief that all students can learn and all stakeholders can contribute to improvement
The skill to improve-knowing the right thing (strategy) to do, the right way (process) to do it, the right resources (time, staff) to support it

8. THE CHANGE PUZZLE (P. Senge)
Skills
Resources
Results
Action
Plan
Trust
Vision
Change
Skills
Resources
Results
Action
Plan
Vision
Sabotage
Skills
Resources
Results
Action
Plan
Vision
Trust
Confusion
Skills
Resources
Results
Action
Plan
Trust
Vision
Anxiety
Skills
Resources
Results
Action
Plan
Trust
Vision
Anger
Skills
Resources
Payoff
Action
Plan
Sporadic
Change
Trust
Vision
Skills
Resources
Results
Action
Plan
False
Starts
Trust
Vision
Breakthrough School Improvement: An Action Guide for Greater and Faster Results
National Study of School Evaluation, © 2005.

9. continuous improvement if ___________________
School Improvement
I believe
continuous improvement
in our school
would be easier
if ___________________

10. Setting the Stage for School Improvement Planning

11. © 2012 AdvancED

12. Continuous Improvement Five Elements
1. Analyze Data: What is your current reality?
2. Set Goals: What future are you pursuing?
5. Evaluate: What have you accomplished?
3. Plan: What actions will you take to improve?
4. Implement: What benchmarks will monitor the actions to improve?
© 2010 AdvancED

13. Step 1. Analyze Data Profile – Starting Point

14. Data Rich- Current Reality

15. Activity #1
Download Continuous School Improvement Template and Example
Complete the table in step 1 for grades 3, 5, and 7
Use 2012, 2013, and 2014 Mean NCE for reading and math
Identify the TN Performance Level on the table for reading and math for grades 3, 5, and 7 for
© 2010 AdvancED

16. Step 2. Measurable Improvement Goals
Two improvement goals, no more than three
Two assigned goals: students in all grades will be performing at the 90th percentile in Reading and Mathematics - 90th Percentile TerraNova Mean NCE = 76 - Explore Reading = 20, Explore Math = 19
Measurable performance learning objectives
© 2010 AdvancED

17. Step 3. Planning Identify: What is to be improved,
How improvement efforts will be implemented, and
How success will be measured
Then, DO IT!
Talking points
Planning must provide the clear, concrete direction necessary for systemic change while remaining flexible enough to accommodate the “nonrational” life in schools.”
(Transforming Schools, 2004) 17

18. Activity #2 Identifying Gaps
At Mother Teresa Academy grade 5 students are performing significantly below the Mean NCE of 76 in reading.
Where are the TerraNova achievement gaps in your school?

19. 5 Key Actions in Step 3- Planning
Measurable Objectives (TN blue book)
Strategies
Activities
Resources
Timeline (Quarters 1,2, and 3; Trimester 1 and 2)

20. Activity #3- Planning
Identify the measureable learning objectives in reading or math for a grade. These objectives are aspirational and will be found in the next highest performance level. These are your learning improvement targets!
Identify teacher strategies.
Identify the student learning experiences (activities) provide that will ensure students make progress.
Identify resources to fulfill the strategies and activities.
Identify a timeline stating when the learning objectives will be taught and assessed.
Use a sample chart to display the product of their team work time.

21. Step 4: Implementation- Monitoring, and Adjusting Cycle
Implement interventions
Transition from ideas to actions
Monitor interventions
Systematically review implementation…assess growth and document improvement/change through formative evaluation
Adjust interventions
Formative data collection impacts how interventions are adjusted
Talking Points
The importance of implementing your plan (p. 76).
Summative – usually trusted but test results comes too late and schools get the results and use them formatively
Analogy to share –
Tasting soup – Formative
Serving the soup - Summative

22. Determine Intervention Implementation
Is anybody using the interventions?
How do you know if anyone is moving the school improvement plan into classroom lesson plans?
What is your school’s strategy for determining implementation?

23. Regularly Monitor Progress
Student On-Track Report: produced by the Teacher
Teacher Evaluations: produced by the Principal

24. Activity #4- Degree of Implementation: Student On-Track Report
66% of students = group proficiency
Identify % of student not proficient for re-teaching
Grade-level Teams will submit the Summary On-Track to the Principal 3x a year
© 2012 AdvancED

25. Step 5. Evaluation – What Have We Accomplished?
A determination of how successful current improvement efforts have been…provides beginning place for
future improvement efforts
“The essence of school improvement is looking at instruction through the window of assessment.”
Michael Fullan, Change Forces (1993) 25

26. Summative and Formative Indicators
During the year
Immediate feedback
Specific direction
CAN change end-of-year outcome
Examples: classwork, homework, quizzes
Summative
End of year
Delayed feedback
General direction
Can’t change end-of-year outcome
Examples: Student On-Track Report, Chapter tests, standardized tests

27. Diagnostic Questions: Context for Evaluating Interventions
What are the reading and math Mean NCE (March 2015) results in grades 3, 5, and 7 and ACT Aspire core results for grade 8?
What percent of students scored at or above the 90th percentile in reading?
What is the achievement gap in reading between the actual performance and the goal?
What percent of students scores at or above the 90th percentile in math?
What is the achievement gap in math between the actual performance and the goal?
Did the professional development prepare the teacher(s) to fulfill the goals?
How did teacher evaluations for reflect attainment of the measurable objectives for each grade level?
Was the quality of the educational materials satisfactory to fulfill the goals?
What adjustments to the curriculum, instructional strategies, assessments, or educational materials were made when student performance on progress reports and report card grades were analyzed for on-track reporting for each academic quarter?
Was the Planning Process (Step 3) executed with fidelity?
Was the Planning Process (Step 3) used satisfactory to fulfill the goals?
Was the Implementation Process (Step 4) executed with fidelity?
Was the Implementation Process used (Step 4) satisfactory to fulfill the goals?
Were there any unforeseen factors that had a positive or negative impact on the progress to fulfill to goals?
Talking points –
Use chart to show a school improvement plan that addresses these three questions as well as a classroom lesson plan that addresses these questions.
Identify desired results – goal/objectives/targets
Identify interventions -

28. Continuous School Improvement Plan, Assurances, & ASSIST
Upload Continuous School Improvement Plan in ASSIST through the Assurances
© 2012 AdvancED

29. Your Questions
© 2012 AdvancED

30. I Appreciate Our Time Together
© 2012 AdvancED