SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT A Presentation For The OSBA State Convention November 11, 2006 by Northwest Regional Education Service District Warrenton-Hammond School District Hillsboro School District

Presenters Jim Mabbot – Superintendent NWRESDJim Mabbot – Superintendent NWRESD Craig Brewington – Supt. Warrenton-Hammond School DistrictCraig Brewington – Supt. Warrenton-Hammond School District Jeremy Lyon –Supt. Hillsboro School DistrictJeremy Lyon –Supt. Hillsboro School District Art Anderson – Director, Department of School Improvement and InstructionArt Anderson – Director, Department of School Improvement and Instruction Marta Turner – Coordinator, Department of School Improvement and InstructionMarta Turner – Coordinator, Department of School Improvement and Instruction

How It Started A meeting, a partnership and a new direction Capacity to do the right work – –Research-based practices/instruction and clear curricular goals – –Powerful Learning

We Know How… The Research

Strategic Leadership versus

The Leadership and Learning Matrix Antecedents / Cause Data Effects / Results Data Lucky High results, low under- standing of antecedents. Replication of success unlikely. Losing Low results, low under- standing of antecedents. Doh! Learning Low results, high under- standing of antecedents. Replication of mistakes unlikely. Leading High results, high under- standing of antecedents. Replication of success likely.

Antecedents of Excellence “Those observable qualities in leadership, teaching, curriculum, parental engagement and other indicators that assist in understanding how results are achieved.”“Those observable qualities in leadership, teaching, curriculum, parental engagement and other indicators that assist in understanding how results are achieved.” Douglas B. Reeves-The Learning Leader

Principles of Effective Accountability Congruence Respect for diversity Relevance Specificity Feedback for continuous improvement Fairness (Focus on achievement, not norms)

Accountability The Key to Public Acceptance The information vacuum Straight questions deserve straight answers – –“How’s my child doing?” – –“Is the school or system really succeeding or failing?” – –“What are the most effective strategies to improve student achievement?”

Putting the Pieces Together ONE Accountability Plan… owned by all… Less Is More Weed the Garden Identify, Monitor, Measure

Data Teams

Why? “Until you have data as a backup, you’re just another person with an opinion.” Dr. Perry Gluckman

Staff and Administrators Are Trained To Use Action Plan Steps 1. Find the data — “Treasure Hunt” 2. Analyze the data 3. Prioritize needs analysis 4. Set, review, or revise annual goals 5. Identify specific strategies to meet goals 6. Determine results indicators

Checkups, Not Autopsies Ongoing information from MSWOngoing information from MSW Creation of Professional Learning CommunitiesCreation of Professional Learning Communities

Making Standards Work

A Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum A Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum “Given the limited amount of time you have with your students, curriculum design has become more and more an issue of deciding what you won’t teach as well as what you will teach. You cannot do it all. As a designer, you must choose the essential.”“Given the limited amount of time you have with your students, curriculum design has become more and more an issue of deciding what you won’t teach as well as what you will teach. You cannot do it all. As a designer, you must choose the essential.” Heidi Hayes Jacobs, 1997

Identifying Power Standards All standards are not equal in importance.All standards are not equal in importance. Narrow the voluminous standards and indicators by distinguishing the “essentials” from the “nice to know.”Narrow the voluminous standards and indicators by distinguishing the “essentials” from the “nice to know.” What do students need to know for life, learning (school) and the test?What do students need to know for life, learning (school) and the test?

Unwrapping Standards And Performance Tasks/Assessments What are students being asked to know and do?What are students being asked to know and do? Writing performance tasks/assessmentsWriting performance tasks/assessments –Common assessments –Used as formative assessment Connection to Data TeamsConnection to Data Teams

Instructional Strategies Identifying Similarities & DifferencesIdentifying Similarities & Differences Summarizing & Note TakingSummarizing & Note Taking Reinforcing Effort & Providing RecognitionReinforcing Effort & Providing Recognition Homework & PracticeHomework & Practice Nonlinguistic RepresentationNonlinguistic Representation Cooperative LearningCooperative Learning Setting Objectives & Providing FeedbackSetting Objectives & Providing Feedback Generating & Testing HypothesesGenerating & Testing Hypotheses Cue, Questions, & Advance OrganizersCue, Questions, & Advance Organizers

A Perspective From Two Districts Craig Brewington, Superintendent Warrenton-Hammond School District Jeremy Lyon, Superintendent Hillsboro School District

END RESULT A comprehensive and systemic alignment and accountability plan.A comprehensive and systemic alignment and accountability plan. A powerful regional collaboration and consortium process.A powerful regional collaboration and consortium process. A system where no child is more responsible than the adults.A system where no child is more responsible than the adults. Improved student achievement.Improved student achievement.

What The Future Can Be “The image of the future would be a group of teachers sitting around a table talking about their students’ work, learning and asking, ‘What do we need to do differently to get the work we would like from the kids?”“The image of the future would be a group of teachers sitting around a table talking about their students’ work, learning and asking, ‘What do we need to do differently to get the work we would like from the kids?” Dennis Sparks 1998, Executive Director of NSDC Dennis Sparks 1998, Executive Director of NSDC

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT Implementing A System of Accountability For Student Learning A Presentation For OSBA by Northwest Regional ESD Warrenton-Hammond School District Hillsboro School District November, 2006