Strengthening the Statewide System of Support Center on Innovation & Improvement

NCLB and SSOS “Each State shall establish a statewide system of intensive and sustained support and improvement for local educational agencies and schools receiving funds under this part, in order to increase the opportunity for all students served by those agencies and schools to meet the State’s academic content standards and student academic achievement standards” (No Child Left Behind Act of U.S.C.A. § ).

A Technical Assistance Tool For a Comprehensive Center to assist an SEA self-assessment team To describe, analyze, and plan the improvement of a statewide system of support

Strengthening the SSOS is not a... Compliance tool Rating system Means of comparing one state with another Model for a SSOS

Strengthening the SSOS is a... Framework within which many strategies may fulfill the same purposes Process to— – develop a complete profile of the current SSOS – consider new approaches – develop a plan for improvement with “quick wins” and longer-term objectives

Elements of Strengthening the SSOS SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory—completed by the SEA team SSOS Self-Assessment Interview Form—completed by the CC consultants with the SEA team SSOS Self-Assessment Report—completed by the CC consultants and revised with input from SSOS personnel Plan to Strengthen the SSOS—completed by the SEA team with assistance from CC consultants

Strengthening the SSOS examines... SSOS and SEA organizational structure and coordination SSOS operational coherence and completeness Self-assessed strengths and challenges

Steps in the Process First 60 days Step 1: CC and SEA agree to engage in process Step 2: SEA forms self-assessment team of 3 to 5 key personnel in SSOS Step 3: CC orients self-assessment team to framework and process (2 hours) Step 4: SEA self-assessment team completes SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory and assembles key documents

Steps in Process Next 30 days Step 5: CC and SEA team complete SSOS Self- Assessment Interview Form in interview (1 day) and CC completes interviews with SSOS clients Step 6: CC develops draft SSOS Self-Assessment Report Step 7: SEA team convenes wider group of SSOS personnel and partners to review and revise report (1 day) Step 8: CC completes final SSOS Self-Assessment Report

Steps in Process Next 10 days Step 9: CC and SEA self-assessment team meet to develop Plan to Strengthen the SSOS (1 day) Thereafter Step 10: CC continues to provide TA for SEA in implementing and monitoring the plan

Functions of the SEA Provide information Set standards Distribute resources Monitor compliance Assist with improvement Intervene to correct deficiencies

SEA Functions, Processes, and Supports Shaded Areas Represent Statewide System of Support Degree of Shading Symbolizes Intensity and Duration of Support

The Statewide System of Support Operates within the functions of the SEA Includes partners outside the SEA Supports the improvement of the functions of the district and school

The SSOS Framework Incentives Capacity Opportunities And Evaluate the Process and Results

Sum Greater Than Parts Incentives without capacity cannot spur meaningful and sustainable change, nor can opportunity without incentives and capacity (Elmore, n.d.; Malen & Rice, 2004; Massell, 1998; Mintrop & Trujillo, 2005). Devoting more resources to capacity-building activities like professional development without changes in the incentive structure appears equally problematic (Elmore, 2002). Incentives, capacity, and opportunity: individual legs of a three-legged stool as opposed to separate components that could be applied effectively in isolation.

Why Incentives? Definition: Incentives are inducements designed to motivate personnel to change or improve behavior that influences education outcomes. Incentives are an important part of the process because without strong motivation to take on the hard work that change entails, no amount of capacity or opportunity can make change happen (Hanushek, 1994).

Incentives State-level incentives for improvement come in many forms, described here under the following headings: Public disclosure: standards, accountability, and information about results Negative incentives: consequences of low school performance Positive incentives: contingent funding, autonomy, and recognition Market-oriented incentives: changing the “market” structure of public schooling

Why Capacity? Definition: Capacity entails the district or school’s ability to respond to incentives in ways that improve outcomes and includes investment in new ideas, instructional methods, and human capacity. Building district and school capacity—supported by incentives and opportunities—is the core of efforts to help schools improve (Massel, 1998; Mazzeo & Berman, 2006).

Capacity Building Capacity at Two Levels – Systemic Capacity (the State system of education) Create and disseminate knowledge Enhance supply of personnel equipped for improvement Provide strong data system to support improvement – Local Capacity (the district and school) Coordinate SSOS services, components, personnel Differentiate support to districts and schools Deliver services to districts and schools (provide and allocate resources for support)

Why Opportunities? Definition: Opportunity represents the environment in which schools operate, particularly policies that enable schools to operate successfully absent “rules that limit and routinize instruction” and limit allocation of staff and money (Hill & Celio, 1998, p. 75). Organizations need to have the flexibility to change, as proponents of standards-based reform have long maintained (e.g., Smith and O’Day, 1991; National Governors Association, 1986). Research on change efforts such as the New American Schools comprehensive school reform initiative (Berends, Bodilly, & Nataraj Kirby, 2002) and Edison Schools (Gill et al., 2005) document the importance of giving educators the flexibility to implement significant changes.

Opportunities Provide Opportunities for Improvement – Remove barriers to innovation and improvement – Create new space for schools

Evaluation Goals, objectives, benchmarks Monitor and report progress Evaluate and improve the system

Improvement: What buttons does the SSOS push? Functions of the District and School Leadership and Decision Making Curriculum and Instruction Human Capital Student Support

Functions: Leadership and Decision Making Leadership and Decision Making – Allocation of resources to address learning goals – Decision-making structures and processes – Information and data systems

Functions: Curriculum and Instruction Curriculum and Instruction – Alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment with standards – Curriculum – Formative and periodic assessment of student learning – Instructional delivery (teaching and classroom management) – Instructional planning by teachers – Instructional time and scheduling

Functions: Human Capital Human Capital – Performance incentives for personnel – Personnel policies and procedures (hiring, placing, evaluating, promoting, retaining, replacing) – Professional development processes and procedures

Functions: Student Support Student Support – English language learners—programs and services – Extended learning time (supplemental educational services, after-school programs, summer school, for example) – Parental involvement, communication, and options – Special education programs and procedures – Student support services (tutoring, counseling, placement, for example)

Orientation for the SEA Self-Assessment Team Agenda for Orientation Session 2 Hours in Person or Via Webinar Welcome and Introductions Power Point on Statewide Systems of Support Questions and Discussion Power Point on Strengthening the Statewide System of Support Questions and Discussion Review of the SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory and Key Documents Next Steps: Tasks and Timeline Gathering the Key Documents Completing the SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory Scheduling the Interview Session Designating Principals and Superintendents for Interview Questions and Discussion

Interview with Superintendents and Principals Optional for SEA Conducted by CC Protocol in Manual

Key Documents from SEA 1.SSOS’s goals, objectives, and benchmarks. 2.Organizational chart that depicts the offices and entities within the SEA and outside the SEA that make up the statewide system of support. 3.Role descriptions for each person, office, or entity within the statewide system of support. –Description of the role of distinguished educators. –Description of the role of support teams. –Description of the role of other consultants. 4.Criteria or rubric to determine services districts and schools receive from the SSOS. –Description of criteria to determine which districts and schools receive services. –Description of the criteria and assessment methods to determine the intensity and duration of service. –Description of the criteria and assessment methods used to determine the type of service. 5.A list of key URLs to State websites that assist schools and districts with improvement and a brief description of the purpose of each.

SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory Completed by Self-Assessment Team by discussion and team consensus Submitted to CC prior to Interview Key Documents also submitted

Interview with Self-Assessment Team Conducted by CC in full day without interruptions Self-Reflection Questions Exploration and Elaboration of Inventory – Modify if clarifications warrant – Capture the full story in narrative form – Put the pieces together Summary Appraisal to Inform Plan

SSOS Self-Assessment Report Prepared by CC Written as narrative case study following TOC outline in Manual Based on: – Key Documents – SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory – SSOS Self-Assessment Interview Form – Interviews with Principals and Superintendents

Vetting and Refining the Report First with SEA Self-Assessment Team Then convene for a day wide group of SEA and non-SEA partners in SSOS Objective: Acquaint a large group of SSOS personnel with the framework and process Objective: Arrive at a Report that portrays the current SSOS with broad acceptance

Plan to Strengthen the SSOS Prepared by SEA Self-Assessment Team with facilitation by CC Schedule a full day without interruptions Develop Mission and Purpose of SSOS Complete Priority/Opportunity Indexes Complete Quick Win Objectives Complete Longer Term Objectives Plan coordination with SEA functions Schedule meetings and touch-bases to monitor Plan CC’s further TA

Embedding the Plan Letter to SSOS from Commissioner/ Superintendent to give direction Communication with Governor, Legislators, other State departments Self-Assessment Team to monitor progress Leadership Team to drive change

A Big Job for the SEA and CC “ This transition in the state role from oversight to capacity building requires states to redesign existing support systems or create new ways to ensure that districts and schools have the resources needed to bring all students to proficiency” (CCSSO Policy Brief 9-06).