1. Using the Nine Characteristics to Test Assumptions in School Improvement G. Sue Shannon OSPI Senior Researcher WERA/OSPI Assessment Conference December 2007

2. Identifying Assumptions  What are some common assumptions in education and school improvement? Priming the pump -- samples  Student achievement is determined by a student’s background.  Alignment is matching learning standards with the textbook and WASL.  Student achievement follows the normal bell-curve.

3. Testing Assumptions  Brainstorming What are other prevalent or common assumptions?  ???  Confirming or refuting assumptions with research

4. Overview of the Session  Review the revision process of the Nine Characteristics of High- Performing Schools Resource  Highlight areas of new discussion  Examine characteristics related to teaching & learning  Share compelling ideas and use sections to confirm or refute

5. Nine Characteristics Resource Review Process  Reviewers examined original document & suggested revisions & new resources.  Author reviewed recent research studies & professional literature.  Author revised document to expand & deepen the discussion of the characteristics.  Reviewers read & commented on second edition.

6. Nine Characteristics of High-Performing Schools 1. A clear & shared focus 2. High standards & expectations for all students 3. Effective school leadership 4. High levels of collaboration & communication 5. Curriculum, instruction & assessments aligned with state standards

7. Nine Characteristics (continued) 6. Frequent monitoring of learning & teaching 7. Focused professional development 8. A supportive learning environment 9. High levels of family & community involvement

9. Second Edition: Expanded Areas 1. Effective processes for improving schools 2. Expanded perspectives on effective leadership 3. Relational trust 4. Quality instruction, grading practices, monitoring 5. Professional learning communities

10. Expanded Areas (continued) 6. Cultural competence & culturally responsive teaching 7. Family & community engagement in schools 8. High school improvement 9. District improvement 10. Need-based allocation of resources (funding, staffing, & support)

11. Curriculum, Instruction & Assessments Aligned with State Standards  Curriculum development Deep alignment Curriculum mapping, planning  Effective instruction Frameworks to guide teaching Standards & effective teaching practices  Assessment

12. Frequent Monitoring of Learning & Teaching  Monitoring student learning  Communicating student learning  Monitoring teaching & school process

13. Group Participation  Organize in small groups of 2 or 3  Read assigned sections on teaching & learning (five & six)  Jigsaw discussion  Share compelling ideas. What assumptions were confirmed or refuted?  Follow-up Reflection

14. Jigsaw Activity  What are one or two compelling ideas in the section?  What are the implications of these ideas in your classroom or school?  What potential obstacles are there to implement the ideas? What will it take to overcome the obstacles?  What idea needs more investigation? What is an unanswered question?

15. Acting on What We Know  To succeed, schools need to “gear up to achieve fast, tangible results” (Schmoker, 2005)  Educators work collaboratively to ensure a common curriculum seek out & refine practices that have the most positive impact on student achievement

16. Acting on What We Know  Judge student work by same essential criteria across a department or team  Provide examples of quality work to help students learn & self-evaluate. (DuFour 2005)  Conduct results oriented meetings focused on learning & teaching (Schmoker, 1996)

17. Follow up Reflection & Discussion To follow up at home, take stock of local practices in view of nine characteristics, particularly sections 5 & 6:  How did we deeply align curriculum, instruction, & assessment?  How does alignment in our school/district reflect cognitive demand in the standards?  How do our instructional practices & assessments reflect principles of learning?  How do we know our practices are research-based?  How is our teaching culturally responsive?  How do we monitor learning and teaching?  How have we aligned our grading practices with a standards-based system?

18. Effective Meetings for Results  Before the meeting – Develop agenda, name facilitator, timekeeper, & recorder  During the meeting – Desired outcomes for meeting (1 minute) Strategies that worked (5 minutes) Chief challenges (3-5 minutes) Proposed solutions (8-10 minutes) Action plan (10 minutes)  Specific solutions to focus on between now & next meeting.  Determine who is responsible for specific tasks  After the meeting – document team’s focus (Schmoker, 1996)

19. What “It’s Being Done” Schools Do that is Different  They teach their students.  They don’t teach to the state tests.  They have high expectations for their students.  They know what the stakes are.  They embrace and use all the data they can get their hands on.

20. “It’s Being done” continued  They use data to focus on individual students, not just groups of students.  They constantly reexamine what they do.  They embrace accountability.  They make decisions on what is good for kids, not what is good for adults.

21. “It’s Being Done” continued  They use school time wisely.  They leverage as many resources from the community as possible.  They expand the time students— particularly struggling students— have in school.  They do not spend a lot of time disciplining students, in the sense of punishing them.

22. “It’s Being Done” continued  They establish an atmosphere of respect.  They like kids.  They make sure that the kids who struggle the most have the best instruction.  Principals are a constant presence.  Although the principals are important leaders, they are not the only leaders.

23. “It’s Being Done” continued  They pay careful attention to the quality of the teaching staff.  They provide teachers with the time to meet to plan and work collaboratively.  They provide teachers time to observe each other.  They think seriously about professional development.

24. “It’s Being Done” continued  They think seriously about professional development.  They assume that they will have to train new teachers more or less from scratch and carefully acculturate all newly hired teachers.  They have high-quality, dedicated, and competent office and building staff who feel themselves part of the educational mission of the schoo l.

25. It’s Being Done continued  They are nice places to work.  The adults expect their students to learn, and they work hard to master the skills and knowledge necessary to teach those students. Chenowith, K. (2007). “It’s Being Done”: Academic Success in Unexpected Schools. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.