1. 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement State System of Support Alabama: The Roundtable Dr. Susan Hanes Dr. Tom Kerins Dr. Carole Perlman

2. 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement Sources of Information Two-day site visit with SEA 147-item interview protocol aligned with evidence-based framework Artifacts and worksheets from SEA Telephone interviews with superintendents and principals served by System of Support

3. Evolution of System of Support 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement Began a decade ago with Teachers of the Year serving as Special Services Teachers to assist districts and schools By 2001, separate support systems for Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools Lacked coordination, consistency, sustainability 2005: Accountability Roundtable Classroom Improvement (non-Title 1) and Title 1 programs work together as one unit Other programs added under single umbrella 11 regions now coordinated in one system 2006: State Support Teams established

4. Factors Contributing to School Improvement 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement Leadership Professional Education Personnel Evaluation New Principals Academy Persistent Support Listening Posts Focus on Improvement Plans Data-Driven Decision Making Disaggregated data to principals New data warehouse next year

5. Lessons Learned 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement Planning is required Leadership experience needed on Roundtable Each initiative needs a “Champion”

6. Providing Incentives for Change 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement Public dissemination of assessment scores for districts and schools Competitive financial rewards for districts and schools making improvement Torchbearer schools recognized—high poverty, high performance Financial rewards to faculties getting results Considering rewards for principals and teachers choosing to serve low- performing schools

7. Building Systemic Capacity 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement Waivers for districts to hire school improvement specialists Training for “turnaround specialists” SEA agreement with pre-service institutions to prepare teachers for state initiatives Feedback to universities from Novice Teacher Evaluations and Evaluation of Teacher Preparation Programs Bi-monthly Table Talk newsletter Educational Research newsletter Grants to regions to train teachers for National Board Certification New Continuous Improvement Residency Program

8. Building Local Capacity: Structures and Roles 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement State Education Agency—the Roundtable Intermediate Agencies—11 Regional Inservice Centers External Partner Organizations—SERVE, A+ Best Practices Center, Alabama Education Association, Hope Foundation, SECC Distinguished Educators—Peer Mentors and Regional School Improvement Coaches School Support Teams—State Support Teams Coordination—Deann Stone is Accountability Roundtable Coordinator; her roles is continuous coordination throughout the system

9. Building Local Capacity: Differentiated Support 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement Determining Need: State Assessments, Pyramid of Strategies, site visits Piloting an Instructional Review with Classroom Observations Point of Impact: Unified systems of rewards and sanctions tied to performance at both district and school level Intensity and Duration: Pyramid of Strategies determines intensity and duration of support

10. Building Local Capacity: Delivery of Services 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement Districts categorized by a) generally low performance, b) low performance in specific student groups Plan based on Pyramid of Strategies Customized training and support for each district Peer Mentors at school level State Support Teams at district level Resource allocation tied to improvement plans

11. Providing Opportunities for Change 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement District Improvement Checklist—8 Points

12. Evaluation of System of Support 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement Evaluated within past year based on perceptions and processes Developing system to evaluate based on outcomes Learning posts are source of feedback

13. Views from the Field 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement Superintendents in districts receiving services from System of Support Principals in schools receiving services from System of Support

14. Discussion Questions 10/22/2015Center on Innovation & Improvement 1.How effective is this outline, based on the framework from the evidence review, in profiling a State System of Support? 2.How typical is Alabama in its transition from compliance to support in school improvement? 3.What else would you like to know about a State’s System of Support?