Office of Supplemental Educational Programs

Title I Schoolwide Program: Transitioning from a Targeted Assistance to a Schoolwide Program
Office of Supplemental Educational Programs New Jersey Department of Education November 2014

Agenda Welcome and Introductions (Dr. Karen Campbell, Director)
Title I-Historical Background, Federal Requirements (Dr. Anthony Wright, Title I Program Specialist) Fiscal Accountability (Anthony Hearn, Title I Fiscal Specialist) Stakeholder Engagement (Dr. Anthony Wright) Lunch Schoolwide Program Design (Andrea Sunderville, Title I Program Specialist)

Title I, Part A: Intent and Purpose

Title I, Part A: Intent and Purpose
Public Law Section : Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Education Agencies (LEA) provides supplemental funding to state and LEAs for resources to help schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families provide a high quality education that will enable all children to meet the state’s student performance standards.

Title I Established in 1965 as part of the War on Poverty
Largest federal elementary and secondary education program Provides supplemental funds for students in schools with concentrations of low-income students to have an equal opportunity to achieve levels of proficiency.

Scope of Title I-Nationwide
School Year* Over 23 million students served Federal allocation of over $14 billion Over 66,000 schools serving more than 23 million students *US Department of Ed-Data Express (

Scope of Title I in New Jersey
School Year Allocation of $302,805,798 388, 681 students served Over 7,000 in Nonpublic schools 263,596 students served in a schoolwide program Supplemented instructional programs in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Students and CTE Provided support services: guidance, medical, dental, eye care *US Department of Ed-Data Express (

The Need for Title I-The Gaps
Gaps in equity-Low-income students do not have access to equitable levels of: Funding Highly effective teachers and leaders Early learning opportunities Instructional resources, including technology Safe and secure schools

Why Schoolwide? Research shows that schools with high poverty, student needs are more widespread throughout the school population as opposed to concentrating on a select group of ”targeted” and/or intended beneficiaries.

Why Schoolwide Programs?
Incorporate reform strategies into overall instructional program Improving academic achievement of lowest-performing students while upgrading the educational program of the entire school Services benefit ALL students more service delivery options for Title I and other federal program services. Title I students are not singled out. Student needs met more effectively. Federal program resources are available to all students. greater staffing flexibility. Professional development extended to all staff.

The Need for Title I- The Gaps
The opportunity gap : High school graduation rate of low-income students 63% College attendance rate of low-income students 29% College completion rate of low-income students 9%

Purpose of Title I Schoolwide Programs
34 CFR “[t]he purpose of a schoolwide program is to improve academic achievement throughout a school so that all students, particularly the lowest-achieving students, demonstrate proficiency related to the State's academic standards . . .”

Schoolwide Programs ESEA § 1114 & 34 CFR §§200.25-200.29
Authorizes a school to consolidate its federal, state, and local funds to upgrade the entire educational program within the school. The school is NOT required to identify or “target” certain children as being eligible for services based upon multiple, educationally-related criteria. Research shows that in schools with high poverty, student needs are more widespread throughout the school population as opposed to concentrating on a select group of ”targeted” and/or intended beneficiaries. As a result, in a schoolwide setting- federal, state, and local resources should be used collaboratively to ensure that ALL students have the opportunity to meet the state’s academic standards. READ SLIDE

Transition From Targeted Assistance to Schoolwide
TARGETED ASSISTANCE (TA) ESEA §1115 SCHOOLWIDE (SW) ESEA §1114 Title I funds upgrade school’s educational program to meet the state’s academic standards. 40 percent of students must be from low-income families. A comprehensive needs assessment must be conducted. The school must engage its stakeholder group when developing the schoolwide plan Title I funds “target” lowest- performing students. Entrance and exit criteria based on multiple, objective, and uniform criteria Children who have the greatest academic need receive Title I services Districts may need to prioritize the student selection to provide a meaningful program

Going Schoolwide… Does not result in schools receiving additional Title I funds. Does enable schools to utilize their Title I funds more flexibly than is permitted in a targeted assistance program. Must meet all the intents and purposes of the Title I legislation.

Schoolwide: Eligibility Criteria
A school must receive Title I funds. A school’s poverty rate must be at least 40% (except priority and focus schools). 100% of instructional paraprofessionals must meet the requirements in ESEA §1119. The school must demonstrate that it provides additional learning opportunities for their low- performing students.

Schoolwide: Eligibility Criteria
The school must implement a planning year to focus on transitioning from a targeted assistance to a schoolwide program. The school must maintain and submit documentation of stakeholder engagement and the comprehensive needs assessment. The school must receive an approved Intent to Operate a Title I Schoolwide Program form. The school must submit a Schoolwide Plan.

Fiscal Accountability: Schoolwide Programs
ESEA §1114 (2)(B) This section will focus on the fiscal aspects of running a schoolwide program.

Schoolwide Programs ESEA § 1114 & 34 CFR §§200.25-200.29
A schoolwide program school must use Title I funds only to supplement the amount of funds that would, in the absence of the Title I funds, be made available from non-Federal sources for that school, including funds needed to provide services that are required by law for children with disabilities and children with limited English proficiency. As a result, programs and services do not have to be supplemental in a schoolwide program; however, Title I funds used to support the program must be supplemental. A district cannot reduce schools’ state and local funding based on an increased Title I allocation. State and local funding to schools must be sufficient to support the school’s basic educational program. There must be documentation that schools have enough state/local funds to fully operate without federal funds. A district must be able isolate the state and local funds needed for schools in current year and prior years.

Supplement versus Supplant
Title I funds MUST supplement, NOT supplant, existing services and may NOT be used to supplant federal, state, local, or nonfederal funds

Supplement versus Supplant
If it is “REQUIRED”, then you can NOT fund it!

Supplement Not Supplant
Schoolwide Programs Programs and services do not have to be supplemental; Title I funds used to support the program must be supplemental. District cannot reduce schools’ state/local funding based on an increased Title I allocation. School’s state/local funding must be sufficient to support the school’s basic educational program. Documentation that schools have enough state/local funds to fully operate without federal funds. District must be able isolate the state/local funds needed for schools in current year and prior years.

Tracking of Funds Funds must be Tracked by Location (normally in NJ schools there is no need and mechanism to track expenses by location) Regular School in a district must figure out “School Level Costs” – Not Counting expenses deemed district level Charter Schools/Single School Districts must separate school and district costs and determine the percentage of each.

Charter/Single Building Districts get more complicated
Tracking of Funds Charter/Single Building Districts get more complicated State/Local Funds (Received from other district if a Charter School), except: Lead Person Business Admin Salary Utilities Repairs/maintenance Janitorial Security State and Local School Level Expenses State and local School Level/State and Local Funds from District

ALLOWABLE USES of TITLE I FUNDS
Necessary and Reasonable OMB Circular A-87- requires the use of funds for a specific purpose be necessary and reasonable for the proper and efficient performance and administration of the program and be authorized and not prohibited under State and local laws and regulations. “At-risk”- in Title I refers to students who are most “Academically” at risk of not meeting the state academic standards. Not to be used as a “catch-all”.

Credit Recovery? Possibly. Ordinarily, use of Title I funds for courses that provide credit needed to meet graduation requirements violates the supplement not supplant requirement in § 1120A(b) of the ESEA. In the absence of Title I funds, an LEA would have to provide sufficient opportunities for students to earn the requisite credits for graduation. May be used for courses not required for graduation.

Advanced Placement Courses? Possibly. In a schoolwide program, Title I funds can be used to pay the cost of taking an AP or IB exam for low- income students only. In a Targeted Assistance Program, Title I funds may be used to pay the cost of taking an AP or IB exam for students coming from low income families who are participating in the Title I program.

“existing” state req ALLOWABLE USES of TITLE I FUNDS College Courses for Enrichment? Dual Enrollment Courses? Possibly. Courses must be above and beyond “existing” state requirements. Hence, providing “supplemental” activities designed to prepare low-achieving students to participate successfully in advanced coursework, such as AP or IB courses, early-college high schools, or dual enrollment in postsecondary credit-bearing courses. i.e. Title I Part A funds can be used to provide intensive summer school classes for low-achieving high school freshmen and sophomores to prepare them for the rigors of taking advanced courses in their sophomore and junior years

Entertainment OMB Circular A-87, Attachment B.14- Specifically prohibits the use of federal funds for entertainment , including “amusement, diversion, and social activities and any cost associated with such costs (i.e., tickets to shows or sports events, meals, lodging, rentals, transportation, and gratuities) ” Diversion- detraction from “business as usual”

Student Incentives The USDE has indicated that an LEA may use Title I funds to provide “non-monetary” rewards of “nominal” value (e.g., Plaque, gift certificate, or book, etc.) in an effort recognize Title I students for academic achievement. Title I funds may NOT be used to pay students a stipend or provide some other type of award as an incentive for student participation in a Title I program. Nothing shy of paying a student to attend class

Parent Incentives To encourage parents of Title I students to participate in school activities in the evening, an LEA may use Title I funds to provide light refreshments. Note, ESEA § 1118(e)(8) authorizes school districts to use Title I funds for “parent-related” activities that are reasonable and necessary for expenses associated with parental involvement activities, including child care and transportation to enable parents to attend “school- related” meetings and training sessions

Examples of Allowable Incentives Using Title I Funds Providing copies of randomly distributed “nominal” door prizes as an incentive for parents to attend a Title I meeting Distributing ice cream or pizza as an incentive for increased attendance Distributing gift certificates to a bookstore as an incentive for students to read. If a book certificate is provided, it must be reasonable and nominal. A $15 or $25 gift card is reasonable, a $50 or $75 gift card would NOT be reasonable Examples of Non-Allowable Incentives Using Title I Funds Giving away bikes, CD players or other high priced items as an incentive for increased attendance Giving cash to students who read a specific number of books or complete a project. It is NEVER allowable to distribute cash to students or parents using Title I funds. Using multiple incentives for many different activities.

Expending Funds Documentation required for both school-level and district-level expenditures Documentation must explain: How is the expenditure reasonable and necessary to carry out the intent and purpose of the program? What need, as identified in the comprehensive needs assessment, does the expenditure address? How would the program, activity, or strategy be funded if the Title I, Part A funds are not available?

Expending Funds Documentation must explain:
In a schoolwide program, how will the expenditure upgrade the entire educational program on the campus? How is the expenditure supplemental to other nonfederal funding? How will the expenditure be evaluated to measure a positive impact on student achievement?

Allowable Costs All Costs must be: Necessary Reasonable Allocable
Legal under state and local law

Supplement vs. Supplant for Schoolwide Programs
Use of Funds Supplement vs. Supplant for Schoolwide Programs OMB Circular A-87 All students may participate in Title I funded activities (consistent with the schoolwide program plan). The school does not need to demonstrate that those activities are supplemental to ones that would otherwise be provided by the school. When a schoolwide program does not consolidate Title I funds with other Federal, State, and local funds, the school and district must account for and track Title I funds separately, identifying the activities that the Part A funds support; and A district must be able to show its method for allocating state and local funds is neutral with regard to Title I funds and does NOT reduce state and local allocations in light of its Title I funds

Supplement vs. Supplant for Schoolwide Programs
Example If School A would normally receive $1,000,000 of state and local funds under the school district’s regular allocation procedures, the district could not reduce School A’s state and local allocation because it also receives Title I funds. For example, if the school receives $200,000 of Title I funds, reducing the school’s state and local allocation by $200,000 to $800,000 would violate the “supplemental funds” test.

Schoolwide Programs A school operating a schoolwide program does not have to: Show that Federal funds used in the school are paying for additional services that would not otherwise be provided; Demonstrate that Federal funds are used only for specific target populations; or Read slide

Schoolwide Programs MUST have an approved plan that addresses all schoolwide components. Time sheets are required for all Title I funded staff: 100% funded staff may complete semi-annually Partially funded staff must complete monthly Sample timesheets can be found at: y/monitor/

Schoolwide Programs Approval on a school by school basis
Same fiscal rules apply in OMB A-87, Attachment B Key questions to be addressed: Do the activities budgeted support the intent of the law? [Federal Register: July 2, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 127)] Are all of the activities budgeted clearly articulated in the schoolwide plan?

Fiscal News from Washington
New Haven Audit Report from Office of Inspector General Supplanting in a Schoolwide Program a02f0005.pdf

Policy Letter 4/15/1998 (G-2608) Request to have Title I partially fund the expansion of an innovative laptop computer classroom and at-home computer initiative through a leasing contract. Title I funds, in combination with other funding sources, should not be used to provide services to children not eligible for Title I assistance; this would result in supplanting state and local funds and is not permissible. If the LEA was a schoolwide program district, this approach would generally be allowed as long as it meets full schoolwide plan objectives.

Policy Letter 11/18/1999 (G-2633) Request to use Title I funds to support college awareness presentations is allowable if provided to only Title I identified students. If such presentations are given in a schoolwide program, they can be funded by Title I for all students

Fiscal Options In New Jersey
Two Options Consolidate Funds Not Consolidate

Consolidation of Funds
Financial Implications Schools do not have to associate each expenditure with individual funding sources. Districts must list by function and object code how Title I funds are used. Thusly, combining programmatic flexibility at the school level with fiscal accountability at the district level. Districts must be able to show that Title I schools received at least as much state and local resources as non-Title I schools.

Title I Schoolwide: Requirements
Monitoring Implications The district must: Be able to demonstrate that the intent and purposes of the Federal programs whose funds are met at each schoolwide school using funding consolidation. Meet the reasonable and necessary test as articulated in OMB A-87 circular at each schoolwide school using funding flexibility. Show that schoolwide schools using this flexibility received at least as much state and local resources as non- Title I schools. Continue to maintain inventories and track time and effort for all federally funded staff.

Title I Schoolwide: Requirements
Necessary and Reasonable Standard OMB Circular A-87 Title I funds may only be for expenditures that are necessary and reasonable to achieve the legislative and regulatory requirements as articulated in the schoolwide plan. OMB Circular A-87 clarifies that “ [t]o be allowable under Federal awards, costs must…[b]e necessary and reasonable for proper and efficient performance and administration of Federal awards.”( a087_2004#c) The use of Title I funds for activities not included in the schoolwide plan are not allowable, and are therefore subject to recovery

What to Ask When Analyzing Costs
Is the proposed cost consistent with federal cost principles? OMB A-87, Attachment B Is the proposed cost allowable under the relevant program? (Title I, IDEA, etc) Is the proposed cost consistent with an approved program plan and budget? (EWEG) Is the proposed cost consistent with program specific fiscal rules? (Supplement not Supplant) Is the proposed cost consistent with EDGAR?

Stakeholder Engagement
ESEA §1114(b)(2)(B)(ii) Stakeholder engagement is a critical element in the schoolwide process.

Stakeholder Engagement
A complete and thorough engagement of the school and district’s stakeholder group in planning to implement Title I schoolwide programs. Documentation must substantiate that the school engaged all relevant stakeholder groups. Purpose: This planning team is responsible for creating a program that meets local, State, and Federal requirements, as well as community expectations. The team is responsible for designing and conducting the comprehensive needs assessment process, developing the schoolwide plan, and conducting the annual evaluation of the schoolwide plan.

Schoolwide Planning Team/Stakeholder Group
The planning team should reflect the demographics of the school and community. The team must include: Faculty & Staff Parents & Family Members (not affiliated with the school) School & Division Administrators Community Partners (local businesses, police) Students at Secondary Levels The actual number of members on the full schoolwide planning team will vary, but a group of 12 or fewer is recommended. The team must include at least one participant from each stakeholder group. The team may include external technical assistance providers (e.g., institutions of higher education, consultants). Parents and community members must be independent of the schools (i.e., may not be board members, school/district employees).

Recruiting Community Committee Members
Local Businesses Local Churches Community Centers Youth Organizations Local Police/Fire department All of these organizations have a vested interest in ensuring the academic success of all students in the community and can provide additional information/data needed to formulate a comprehensive schoolwide program. Local businesses- Can provide information regarding what skills they are looking for

Stakeholder Engagement Meetings Meetings should be held quarterly and must focus on the school’s transition from a targeted assistance to a schoolwide program. October 2014 – Convene first meeting of Schoolwide Planning Team. January 2015 – Convene second meeting of Schoolwide Planning Team. April Convene third meeting of Schoolwide Planning Team. June 2015 – Convene fourth meeting of Schoolwide Planning Team. October Discuss the vision for school reform in terms of student success. Create a school profile to identify gaps between the present state of the school and where the school should be after reform. At this point, team should begin collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data in the following five areas of focus: student achievement, curriculum and instruction, professional development, family and community engagement, and school climate and culture. January 2015 – Continue data analysis to understand and agree upon the strengths and needs identified by the data. Planning team should be summarizing and reviewing the collected data, conclusions that were drawn, and the needs that emerged in the five areas of focus. April Finalize comprehensive needs assessment process and share findings with all stakeholders. Submit documentation of stakeholder engagement & comprehensive needs assessment to the NJDOE. Schools will receive notification from the NJDOE in May of schoolwide status for If approved, planning team should begin drafting the Schoolwide Plan. June Finalize and submit final Schoolwide Plan as part of the district’s ESEA-NCLB Consolidated Application in the EWEG system.

Sample Meeting Agenda- October
Provide general information on Schoolwide Programs. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Schoolwide Planning Team. Clarify and develop the school’s vision. Prepare and submit the Intent to Operate a Schoolwide Program form to the NJDOE. II. Guiding Questions for Providing General Information on Schoolwide Programs • What is a schoolwide program? • How does a schoolwide differ from a targeted assistance program? • How would our school benefit from a schoolwide program? III. Guiding Questions for Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities of the Planning Team • Do any school-level planning teams currently exist? • How will members be recruited? • Do we have members from each required constituent group on the team? • Which members will organize/oversee needs assessment process? • Which members will lead the development of the schoolwide plan? • Which members will conduct/oversee schoolwide program evaluation? IV. Clarifying the School’s Vision • What is our purpose? • What are our expectations for ALL students? • What are the responsibilities of ALL adults working in the school? • How important are collaboration and partnership in the comprehensive needs assessment process? • How is school staff committed to continuous improvement? V. Create the School Profile • What is the school’s present state regarding: student achievement; curriculum and instruction; professional development; family and community engagement; and school climate and culture?

Sample Meeting Agenda- January
Conducting the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA). What is the purpose of the CNA? How will the CNA help the school reach its vision? What areas should the school address? What type of data does the school need to assess? Analyzing CNA Data What are the school’s strengths and weaknesses? Does the student achievement data align with our school’s vision? What gaps in student achievement have we identified? Other guiding questions include: • What data currently exists? • What data do we need to collect? • Do we have both qualitative and quantitative data? • Do we have multiple sets of data for each area being assessed? • Do we need to design data collection instruments (e.g., surveys)? • What gaps in professional capacity of staff have we identified? • Have we identified ‘root’ causes for all priority problems? • Have we disaggregated and triangulated the data? • What needs/areas should we elevate to priority status?

Sample Meeting Agenda- April
Finalize CNA Process. Identify scientifically research-based strategies to address identified needs. Begin developing the Schoolwide Plan. Develop the Evaluation Plan. Submit Stakeholder Engagement & CNA Documentation to the NJDOE. Guiding Questions for Finalizing CNA Process: • Does the CNA connect the school’s strengths and challenges to specific priorities for addressing student achievement? • What additional sources of data need to be collected? Who will be responsible? • Have we identified and summarized the priority needs for student achievement? • How will the identified priority needs be reflected in the schoolwide plan? • How will we disseminate the results of the comprehensive needs assessment? • Have we identified all relevant stakeholders, including stakeholders outside the planning team, to whom we will disseminate the information? III. Guiding Questions for Submitting stakeholder engagement documentation to the NJDOE • Do we have minutes, agendas and attendance records for each schoolwide planning team meeting? • Do the attendance records reflect the involvement of representatives from all stakeholder groups? • Do the minutes reflect thoughtful discussions on each of the three basic requirements for schoolwide programs (comprehensive needs assessment, schoolwide plan development and schoolwide plan evaluation)?

Sample Meeting Agenda- June
Finalize the Schoolwide Plan Does our plan address/describe/explain all required components? Finalize the Evaluation Plan Does our plan have enough detail describing how our program will be evaluated? Submit the final Schoolwide Plan to the NJDOE as part of the ESEA-NCLB Consolidated Application in EWEG. What is the deadline for submission? Who in the district’s central office needs to review our plan for submission via the EWEG system? Guiding Questions for Finalizing the Schoolwide Plan: • Does our plan address/describe/explain the following required components: 1) Comprehensive need assessment? 2) Reform strategies (including citation for scientifically based research to validate the strategies’ effectiveness)? 3) Instruction by Highly Qualified / Highly Effective Teachers? 4) Strategies to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers? 5) Professional development to address the needs of students and staff? 6) Strategies to increase family and community engagement? 7) Strategies for transition from preschool to elementary school, elementary school to middle school and/or middle school to high school? 8) Strategies to include teachers in decision making around assessment results? 9) Activities, programs and/or services to provide assistance to students experiencing academic difficulty? 10) Coordination of federal, state and local services/programs to support implementation of the schoolwide plan? III. Guiding Questions for Finalizing the Evaluation Plan: • Does our plan have enough detail (e.g., who will conduct evaluation, timeline for evaluation, responsible persons, data to be collected, process for evaluating data, public reporting on evaluation plan)? IV. Guiding Questions for Submitting the Schoolwide Plan: • What is the deadline for submission of the district’s ESEA-NCLB application in the NJDOE’s Electronic Web-Enabled Grant system (EWEG)? • Who in the district’s central office needs to review our plan for submission via the EWEG system? • What is the district’s internal deadline for submission of the plan for review?

Documentation of Stakeholder Engagement should include the following:
1 Meeting notices, agendas, minutes, and sign-in sheets: Quarterly stakeholder meetings pertaining specifically to the school’s transition from a targeted assistance to a schoolwide program. Sample meeting agendas can be found online under “Title I Schoolwide Transition Process” via the following link: 2 Samples of district communication distributed to schools on the Title I schoolwide program requirements, or charts demonstrating how Title I schoolwide requirements align with intended goals, objectives, and needs of each school. 3 Evidence of district communications with schools on consolidating and using funds with other federal, state, and local funds in a Title I schoolwide program, to include identifying fiscal and accounting barriers to combining/blending said funds (if applicable). Documentation of Stakeholder Engagement must include, but is not limited to, the following: Meeting notices, agendas, minutes, and sign-in sheets-Sample agendas for these meetings can be found online on the Title I website using the link listed. Samples of district communication distributed to schools on the Title I schoolwide program requirements, or charts demonstrating how Title I schoolwide requirements align with intended goals, objectives, and needs of each school. Evidence of district communications with schools on consolidating and using funds with other federal, state, and local funds in a Title I schoolwide program, to include identifying fiscal and accounting barriers to combining/blending said funds (if applicable). Please note that these are the minimum requirements of stakeholder documentation that must be submitted. Additional evidence of how each school has engaged stakeholders on the transition process may also be included.

Schoolwide Program Design
ESEA §1114(b)(1)(A) The Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) is a required component of the schoolwide process.

Developing and Implementing a Schoolwide Program
ESEA § 1114 & 34 CFR §§ A schoolwide program consists of the following three core elements: A Comprehensive Needs Assessment; Comprehensive Plan; and Evaluation

Schoolwide Requirement Comprehensive Needs Assessment ESEA §1114(b)(1)(A)
Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) – A process, not an event Centerpiece for planning Framework for development of schoolwide plan Organized & systematic set of procedures used to determine needs, examine root causes, and set priorities for future action ESEA requires that a Title I schoolwide program include a Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) of the entire school, including the needs of migrant students, based on information that includes how students are meeting the state’s challenging academic content and achievement standards. The Comprehensive Needs Assessment is a continual process, not a one-time event. While there may be specific times during the school year when targeted data analysis occurs, the data collection and analysis process is ongoing to ensure that progress is being realized toward the school’s objectives, goals, mission, and vision, as well as assists schools in monitoring and assessing the impact of programs and instruction on student achievement.

Purpose: Examine multiple sources of data to identify priority academic needs and direction for a school Collect data related to student achievement Identify strengths and challenges in key areas that impact student achievement Specify priorities to address students’ academic achievement on meeting challenging state academic standards The Comprehensive Needs Assessment provides schools a systematic method by which to acquire an accurate, thorough picture of the strengths of a school community that can be used in response to the identified educational needs of students. It should be the centerpiece of the planning process - - the database from which the planning team develops its vision of the future. The Comprehensive Needs Assessment should lead to specific actions within a school that will improve instruction and, thereby, academic achievement.

MUST be based on academic achievement data for All students in the school, including the following subgroups: Economically disadvantaged; Students from major racial & ethnic groups; Students with disabilities; Limited English Proficient; and Migrant students. The Comprehensive Needs Assessment is critical to developing a schoolwide program plan, as it reveals the priority areas on which the schoolwide program will focus. READ THE SLIDE INFORMATION.

MUST be developed with participation of relevant stakeholders who will implement schoolwide program MUST assess needs of school relative to each component of the SW program (§200.28) MUST document how CNA was conducted, the obtained results, & conclusions drawn from the results The Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) guides the development of the schoolwide program plan and suggest benchmarks for its evaluation, and, as such, is closely linked to all aspects of the schoolwide program implementation. READ THE SLIDE INFORMATION.

Five-Step Process: Establish a Schoolwide Planning Team/Stakeholder Group Clarify Vision for Reform Create School Profile Identify Data Sources (and collect data) Analyze Data The Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) includes the following five steps, which ultimately link the CNA to the review and development of the schoolwide plan: Establish a Schoolwide Planning Team Clarify Vision for Reform Create School Profile Identify Data Sources Analyze Data

Establish Schoolwide Planning Team/ Stakeholder Group
Sufficiently diverse Representative of school and community demographics Responsibilities: Clarify mission of committee Develop timeline for completing tasks Create a structure for collecting & analyzing data Establish means of communication with all stakeholders Review district vision & school mission statements At a minimum, meet quarterly to review progress towards established goals & objectives The Comprehensive Needs Assessment must be developed with the participation of individuals who will carry out the schoolwide program plan. In order to move forward with its work, the Schoolwide Planning Team/Stakeholder Group must: Clarify the mission of the committee; Develop a timeline for completing all tasks; Create a structure for collecting and analyzing data; Establish a means of communication with all stakeholders; Develop a schoolwide program vision for the school; and Review district’s vission and school’s mision statements.

Establish Schoolwide Planning Team/ Stakeholder Group
Member Composition: Faculty & Staff Parents & Family Members (not affiliated with the school) School & Division Administrators Community Partners (local businesses, police) Students at Secondary Levels Ideally, the Schoolwide Planning Team/Stakeholder Group is comprised of members who are required under ESEA to implement the schoowide plan, such as: District administrators; Principals; Assistant principals: Teachers; Counselors; School social workers; Paraprofessionals; Parents (must be independent of the schools – i.e., may not be board members, school/district employees); Community members (must be independent of the schools – i.e., may not be board members, school/district employees); and, if the plan relates to secondary education, students from such secondary schools. The school should form as many teams/stakeholder groups as necessary to gather and analyze sufficient data in order to identify ALL priority areas of need.

Clarify Vision for Reform
The Vision: Serves as the ‘navigation’ system Defines what the school will look like in terms of student success Provides direction to decision making process by answering the question ‘what’ Captures school’s response to several important questions: What is our purpose? What are our expectations for ALL students? What are responsibilities of ALL adults working in the school? How important are collaboration & partnership in needs assessment process? How is school staff committed to continuous improvement? Prior to beginning the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA), team members should discuss what their reformed school will look like in terms of students success, and the difference between that vision and the present status of the school. This type of conversation assists in identifying the types of strengths and challenges the school must address to achieve meaningful change, improve student achievement, and attain that vision. A collective vision that reflects the intents and purposes of schoolwide programs must be in place before any school reform can take place, and will capture the school’s response to several important questions: What is our purpose? What are our expectations for ALL students? What are the responsibilities of the adults working in the school? How important are collaboration and partnership in the comprehensive needs assessment process? How are school staff members committed to continuous improvement?

Create School Profile Purpose: Function:
Snapshot of present status of a school in order to identify gaps between present status and where school should be after reform Function: Identifies five areas of focus in CNA to address in schoolwide plan Student Achievement Curriculum & Instruction Professional Development Family & Community Engagement School Context & Organization Provides structure for on-going, data driven decision making Provides baseline information for measuring progress & accountability Every member of the Schoolwide Planning Team/Stakeholder Group must understand the present status of the school in order to identify the gap or discrepancy between that present status and where the school should be after reform. A school profile is a data-driven description of the school’s student, staff, and community demographics, programs, and vision. As the starting point, the school profile can identify the focus areas of the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA), as well as critical areas to address in the schoolwide program plan. At a minimum, the Schoolwide Planning Team/Stakeholder Group should assess the school’s present status with respect to the following five (5) areas of focus: Student Achievement Curriculum & Instruction Professional Development Family & Community Engagement School Context & Organization The school should form as many committees as necessary in order to gather sufficient data in these 5 areas of focus. Given this, informed decisions and decision-making regarding the school profile are, therefore, based on data, rather than assumptions or perceptions.

Identify Data Sources Quantitative & qualitative data related to 5 focus areas in school profile Types of Data Sources of Data Student Demographics School Culture & Climate Academic Achievement College & Career Readiness Instructional Data Family & Community Engagement School Operations & Management Surveys Focus Groups State & Local Assessments Lesson Plans & Student Work Curriculum & Assessment Materials Observation Reports The team/stakeholder group must be purposeful about gathering sufficient key data sources to assess the strengths and needs of the system without gathering so much data that it becomes difficult to facilitate the process. Both quantitative and qualitative data in the 5 areas of focus previously mentioned must be collected and analyzed. Quantitative data, such as student achievement results, enrollment counts, dropout rates, and graduation rates, typically is readily available through school and district records and reports, and demographic statistics from community-based or other organizations. In order to collect qualitative data (i.e., information that is not numerical), the Schoolwide Planning Team/Stakeholder Group may need to utilize vehicles such as written surveys or interviews, classroom observations reports, focus groups, etc.

Final Step in Comprehensive Needs Assessment Process
Analyze Data Final Step in Comprehensive Needs Assessment Process Discover ‘Root’ causes Patterns, trends, & anomalies/outliers Identify gaps, needs, and goals Identify emergent needs in five focus areas Draw conclusions The analysis of data is the most labor intensive step in the Comprehensive Needs Assessment process. As a result, team members should work slowly to understand and agree upon the strengths and needs identified by the data. Keep in mind that data is easier to interpret and analyze if it is presented in varied formats (i.e., graphs, charts, tables, and other user-friendly formats). Team members need to look for patterns, trends, and anomalies in the data in order to identify and define ‘Root’ causes of lower academic achievement. After a thorough analysis, team members should summarize the collected data, conclusions that were drawn, and the needs that have emerged in the 5 areas of focus in order to share the team’s findings with all stakeholders (even stakeholders outside the team), as it will be used as the basis for the goals and strategies that will be developed in the schoolwide program plan.

Analyze Data Disaggregate data – Gender Race & ethnicity
Economically disadvantaged Limited English proficiency Triangulate data when possible (at least 3 data sources) Example: When analyzing student achievement results, triangulate test scores with: Lesson Plans Curriculum Materials Assessment Materials Establish process for other stakeholders to review data and team’s findings Data should be disaggregated based on applicable groups, and may be examined longitudinally (across multiple years), by grade levels, classrooms, or schools to identify patterns, trends, strengths, and needs. If you want your data to lead toward making meaningful changes, an important principle to follow is triangulation. Data triangulation means using three independent data sources to examine apparent issues or circumstances. The process is recommended as it allows you to validate the data by cross verifying the same information.

Comprehensive Plan Schoolwide Reform Strategies: Integrating scientifically based research strategies step-by-step Step 1-School collects data that gives a complete, accurate picture of the current state of the school. Step 2-School community analyzes data to determine and prioritize needs. Step 3- After prioritizing needs, school writes goal statements to address prioritized needs. Step 4- School develops potential strategies to achieve stated goals.

Schoolwide Reform Strategies: Integrating scientifically based research strategies step-by-step (cont’d) Step 5- School begins topical literature review, identifying research base of potential strategies. Step 6- School uses abstracts to determine if the research addresses the theoretical bases of a program or practice; issues of implementation; and evidence of the effects of that program or practice on student achievement. Step 7- If the examination of the abstracts reveal to relevant to the needs of the individual school(s), the study should be further examined in full detail. Step 9- School must determine if the examined research is of high quality, replicable, and relevant.

Schoolwide Reform Strategies: Essential Questions Is there a theoretical base for the practice or program being considered? Questions about the theoretical base Judging quality of the theoretical base What are the ideas behind this practice or program? What are its guiding principles? How does it work? Why does it work? Is there a clear, non-technical description of the central idea and goals of the practice or program? Is there a clear description of the instructional activities that are central to this program or practice? Is the practice clearly tied to an established learning theory (i.e., language acquisition, child development)?

Schoolwide Reform Strategies: Essential Questions Is there evidence that this practice or program has been successfully implemented and has produced positive outcomes in a variety of situations? Has it been successful in a context similar to that of the school considering this practice? Judging quality of implementation and replicability Questions about implementation and replicability Has the program or practice been widely used? Where is the reform likely to work? Under what circumstances is it most effective? How many schools have used this practice or program? Did the schools using it fully implement the practice or program? In what settings has it been implemented? Has improved student achievement been convincingly demonstrated in a variety of settings?

Schoolwide Component- Evaluation 34 CFR § 200.26 (c)
A school operating a schoolwide program must— Annually evaluate the implementation of, and results achieved by, the schoolwide program, using data from the State's annual assessments and other indicators of academic achievement; Determine whether the schoolwide program has been effective in increasing the achievement of students in meeting the State's academic standards, particularly for those students who had been furthest from achieving the standards; and Revise the plan, as necessary, based on the results of the evaluation, to ensure continuous improvement of students in the schoolwide program.

Planning the Annual Evaluation: Is the school implementing the SW Program Plan as it was intended? Did the school improve student achievement in meeting the State’s academic standards? at desired level, particularly for students furthest from achieving these standards? Who will conduct the evaluation?

Identification of Purpose and Intended Audience: Percentage of students reaching proficiency on State’s academic assessments Operation of the school: Instructional strategies, participation of stakeholders, degree of parental involvement, & other elements as detailed in SW Plan All stakeholders with an investment in the success of the school

Identification of Issues & Development of Guiding Questions: Program Review (begins at same time SW Plan is being designed): While developing measurable goals & strategies, consider how success of those strategies would be determined Envision what progress toward short- & long-term goals would ‘look like’ at the end of school year Key review points: Inputs- Activities Short-term impacts - Longer-term impacts Guiding Questions: Relevant to SW Program Plan’s goals & objectives Important to a significant number of stakeholders Of continuing relevance & interest Attainable, given time, resources, & staff constraints

Identification of Data Collection Instruments: Data sources answering each guiding question & aligned to goals Quantitative Data Qualitative Data Collection of Data: Everyone must understand why evaluation is being conducted Consider specific needs of subjects (anonymity; interpreter) Obtain any required clearance or permission Gather information from as many members of a sample group as possible to ensure results are statistically significant

Analysis & Interpretation of Results: First step after data are collected – Check for Accuracy Analyze on different levels, as appropriate Clearly describe the school’s progress in implementing the SW Program Plan and increasing student achievement Indicate areas of improvement/revision

Reporting: Clear and concise terminology Format (text and visuals) Include: Background information Guiding questions Description of evaluation procedures Explanation of how data was analyzed Findings Conclusions with recommendations

ACTIVITY

Schoolwide Program Evaluation
What were the staff’s perceptions of the plan? School’s response: The staff was very supportive. They became familiar with the plan and implemented the best practices. NJDOE’s response: Expand this response to include the measurement instrument the school used to determine that staff were supportive about implementing the program.

Schoolwide Program Evaluation
Example from Plan State Assessments-Partially Proficient: Describe why the interventions did or did not result in proficiency. School’s response: Students did not reach proficiency, however growth was demonstrated. NJDOE response: In the past ( ), data was provided. Please provide data that supports growth was demonstrated. Note: In the plan, this evaluation requires formative data on the impact of each specific intervention.

Web Site Resources “Designing Schoolwide Programs” addresses the program requirements: “Schoolwide Programs” addresses the general schoolwide requirements: tml “Title I Fiscal Issues” addresses consolidating funds in schoolwide programs: US Dept. of Education

Next Steps: Required Stakeholder Engagement Documentation & Comprehensive Needs Assessment
Submit Stakeholder Engagement Documentation for each school by Friday, April 24, 2015; Submit Comprehensive Needs Assessment for each school by Friday, April 24, 2015; Receive notification of approval from the Office of Supplemental Educational Programs by Friday, May 29, 2015; and Submit the final Schoolwide Plan to the NJDOE as part of the ESEA-NCLB Consolidated Application in EWEG (date TBD).

The Office of Supplemental Educational Programs
CONTACT US… The Office of Supplemental Educational Programs

Office of Supplemental Educational Programs

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Office of Supplemental Educational Programs"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

Office of Supplemental Educational Programs

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Office of Supplemental Educational Programs"— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback