Dr. Kathleen M. Smith Director, Office of School Improvement (804)

Turnaround Zone Lead Turnaround Partner for Reform Support Readiness to LEARN Readiness to ACT Readiness to TEACH Local School Board Internal Lead Partner Superintendent and Division Staff Time: Authority over scheduling, longer day, longer year Money: More budget flexibility, more resources Program: Flexibility to shape program to students’ needs and turnaround priorities People: Authority over selection, compensation and work rules

Lead Turnaround Partner Request For Proposal Requirements Recommend changes to the school calendar according to student and program needs, for example, year-round schools or extending the length of the school day. Work with the school division to obtain a commitment from teachers to allow for additional time for instruction and professional development. Provide formative and ongoing reports on program effectiveness to include, but not limited to, student achievement, parental involvement, student attendance, and student discipline. Employ research-based strategies that provide an immediate and dramatic turnaround in student achievement. Work with the school division to recruit and recommend teachers and a leader(s) who have a proven record of success of increasing student achievement. Recommend necessary restructuring of teacher and leader contracts.

Requirements, continued Develop and engage teachers and the leader in professional development aligned to programmatic goals. Promote student motivation for learning. Secure parental commitment and involvement through school choice. Promote parental capacity to support student engagement, motivation, and learning within school, at home and in the community. Work with the school division to expand community support to garner human resources needed for reform. Evaluate teacher and leader performance and outcomes and make staffing recommendations accordingly. Develop constructive relationships with existing school personnel. Require commitment from parents to allow for additional time for instruction (such as after school support). Provide comprehensive, coherent, manageable and integrated instructional and support programs.

Requirements, Continued Recommend which existing programs are to be continued and which programs are to be eliminated. Consistent with the state Standards of Learning recommend alignment of curriculum, instruction, classroom formative assessment and sustained professional development to build rigor, foster student- teacher relationships, and provide relevant instruction that engages and motivates students. Organize programming to engage students’ sense of adventure, camaraderie, and competition. Develop and implement evidence-based discipline programs that minimize time out of school and/or class. Identify and recommend supporting partners to address social, emotional and behavioral issues (e.g., over-age students).

Created a Crosswalk LTP RFP Indicators and Transformation Tool Kit Indicators There is a hyperlink on this photo.

Required every Tier I and Tier II school and division, used Indistar. Selected either the RFP indicators or the Transformation Tool Kit indicators.

Decided that Professional Technical Assistance was needed for both the Lead Turnaround Partners and the School Divisions

Hired Corbett Consulting Provide five full-day technical assistance meetings over the course of the first year. Require each school, division and lead turnaround partner to attend. Require each school, division, and lead turnaround partner to amend plan after the inservice. C Corbett Education Consulting

Indicators Selected for Technical Assistance Strand B:Moving Toward School Autonomy Strand G: Leading Change (Especially for Principals) Strand D: Working with Stakeholders and Building Support for the Transformation Strand H: Evaluating, Rewarding, and Removing Staff Strand K: Reforming Instruction Strand I: Providing Rigorous Staff Development Strand J: Increasing Learning

Strand B: Moving Towards School Autonomy 1.Examine current state and district policies and structures, and make modifications 2.Reorient district culture toward shared responsibility and accountability 3.Establish performance objectives 4.Align resource reallocation (money, time, people) with program 5.Consider establishing a turnaround office or zone 6.Negotiate union waivers (if applicable) 11 C Corbett Education Consulting Strand B: Autonomy

1. Examine current state and district policies and structures and make modifications What policies and structures need to change for you to do your job successfully? Who is impacted by such changes? Who has the authority to make the changes? Who could block/inhibit the successful implementation of those changes? Pilot the changes in the SIG schools/districts If successful, scale up to the rest of the district/state Tool: Manifesto for Principals, Mass Insight Education and Research Institute, C Corbett Education Consulting Strand B: Autonomy

Timeline for policy/structure implementation September- October Identify district policies / structures that need revision Identify timeline for changes (i.e. quick and easy, pilot trial, long-term district wide) November- December ILP leads immediate policy/practice change Workgroups form (as needed) for more controversial complicated changes Implement quick and easy or pilot changes January-March ILP monitors quick and easy or pilot changes ILP works with district to develop long- term changes April-June ILP monitors quick and easy or pilot changes Long-term change plans are developed Summer 2011 Formalize and institutionalize quick and easy and pilot changes into practice Scale up changes district wide when applicable Educate staff on long-term changes & implement 13 C Corbett Education Consulting Strand B: Autonomy

2. Reorient district culture toward shared responsibility and accountability What is the overall goal of the transformation?* Each entity involved in the transformation should have performance measures and objectives – school, teachers, principal, ILP and district team, Lead Partner, state How were those objectives determined? Are the objectives formalized in an agreement or MOU? Who monitors progress against the objectives? What are the consequences for not meeting those objectives? Tool: District Behavior Shifts to Enable Success, Learning Point Associates, Tool C Corbett Education Consulting -- The elimination of the achievement gap between the average achievement levels within the Zone and the state's average achievement levels for non-poverty students Increasing graduation rates and the elimination of "drop-out factories," defined as a high school in which no more than 60% of the students who start as freshman make it to the senior year. 2 * 1. Goal defined by New Schools Venture Fund 2. “Drop-out Factories” as defined by the Alliance for Excellent Education Evaluation Metrics, Mass Insight Education and Research Institute, 2009 Strand B: Autonomy

Timeline for shared culture implementation September-December (Summer) Hold staff retreats/inservices to clearly explain the process & expectations Develop annual goals Develop monthly goals Hold monthly staff meetings to discuss progress & problems Hold parent open houses or breakfasts to explain process & responsibilities of parents/community Implement team/grade level weekly meetings for reflection & problem solving Track progress in a public location (i.e. staff lunch room) Create distributed leadership teams Gather & gain support of key staff to act as culture/transformation ambassadors January-March As a staff, reflect and celebrate on progress made to date Set monthly goals moving forward April-June Discuss changes to implement for Celebrate accomplishments Summer 2011 Hold staff retreat to discuss all upcoming changes, set goals, develop action plans as a staff Begin to handover some responsibilities to key staff members Hold community/parent meetings to discuss upcoming changes 15 C Corbett Education Consulting Strand B: Autonomy

3. Establish performance objectives Performance objectives should be SMART (specific, measureable, attainable, realistic and timely), and most importantly linked to the ultimate goal of the transformation 16 C Corbett Education Consulting Student Performance* School Climate* External Climate* * Evaluation Metrics, Mass Insight Education and Research Institute, 2009 Strand B: Autonomy

Performance objective timeline September- October Develop goals for all entities Clearly post all goals and objectives Develop action plans for each objective Ensure the appropriate data system exists to track/monitor progress Identify staff to lead data analysis November- December Complete mid- year evaluations of all entities Establish action plan for any off-track objective January-March Continue to track progress on all objectives Adjust strategies as needed April-June Celebrate successes Identify objectives that will not be be met Identify causes for off-track objectives Summer 2011 Enforce consequences if specific objectives are not met Develop objectives for , with an emphasis on student achievement 17 C Corbett Education Consulting Strand B: Autonomy Drastic changes in school culture and environment should be evident in the first year. Student achievement should improve, but will not likely skyrocket until year 2.

Results There is a hyperlink on this picture.