Maryland’s Journey— Focus Schools Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, and Where We’re Going Presented by: Maria E. Lamb, Director Nola Cromer, Specialist Program Improvement and Family Support Branch Division of Student, Family and School Support Maryland State Department of Education

Background Focus Schools 2.4% - Ethnic Group 2.4% - Racial Group 2.4% - EL 92.8% - Special Education

The Past – Title I 1003(a) Funds to Focus Schools  $50,000 base + $50/child

The Past – Sample Strategies Provide a full-day extended year program targeted to the students who are performing at Basic level on the Maryland State Achievement Test. Special education teachers and selected classroom teachers will participate in twice weekly after-school planning designed to focus additional support on effective instruction for all special education students. The school will contract with an organization to obtain technical assistance and modeling for teaching math through movement.

The Right People The Right Time The Right Services

The Past – Developed around the following beliefs: People are a school’s greatest asset. Schools and their communities are unique. What works for one will not necessarily work for another. There is a sequence to improvement. A lot needs to happen, but not all at once.

The Past – Breakthrough Center MSDE’s Focus Schools Network Staff  Title I  Title II  Special Education  Academic Policy and Innovation  Breakthrough Center

The Past – Focus School Network – Shift towards an integrated system of collaborative state and local support  1 st Focus Network Meeting - Title I Central Office staff and representatives from each Focus School Breakthrough Center

The Past – Title I 1003(a) Funds to Focus Schools  $50,000 base + $50/child

The Past – Changes to Focus Grant Application  Uses of Funds Guidance  Required schools to list: Strategies that were implemented in the prior year and describe whether the strategies were effective Staff who would monitor and evaluate the implementation the strategies

The Past – Focus School Network Activities  Fall and Spring convenings Central Office – Title I, Title III and Special Education, and school staff Setting the Foundation for a System’s Focus on Closing the Gaps Identifying Evidenced- Based Strategies that are Aligned with Root Causes Selecting and Implementing Strategies that will Assist in Closing the Gaps Stories from Three Focus Schools High Performing Schools

The Past – Focus School Network Activities  Virtual Book Study Students with Disabilities Can Meet Accountability Standards by John L. O’Connor

The Past – Title I 1003(a) Funds to Focus Schools  $50,000 base + $50/child

The Past – Sample Strategies Collaborative planning sessions involving the general education teacher, special education resource teacher, and paraprofessional in order to identify instructional implications of specific strategies used to address specific needs of students with varying abilities and/or students with IEPs. Building capacity of staff around addressing the needs of the lowest performing students by exploring equitable instructional practices (small group, differentiated instruction, rigor) through book studies and professional development sessions.

The Past – Sample Strategies Regular education and special education teachers will participate in monthly professional development designed to focus additional support on effective classroom instruction for the lowest-performing students. Dual certified lead teacher to work collaboratively with special education and general education staff to model instruction, analyze data, and assist teachers to select appropriate strategies for the lowest-performing students.

The Past – Because this school year was a pilot year for the PARCC Test, and all children were not given the same assessment, Maryland was given a “Pause” by the US Department of Education from exiting Focus Schools for this year and the school year as well.

The Past – Title I 1003(a) Funds to Focus Schools  $50,000 base + $50/child

The Past – Changes to Focus Grant Application  Required LEAs to: List those other central offices that would be involved in providing specific, focused technical assistance to Focus Schools Indicate types of guidance and technical assistance that would be provided to assist Focus Schools in identifying and implementing strategies that would assist in closing the achievement gap

The Past – Additional Support to Focus Schools  Monthly Focus Newsletters

The Past – Sample Strategies Weekly guided collaborative planning sessions for al staff. During these sessions, teachers will receive coaching support from the reading specialist, math curriculum coach, ESOL teacher, and special education resource teacher. Data coach will work in conjunction with the professional development teacher, the special education teacher, and classroom teachers to identify student needs and match appropriate instructional strategies.

The Past – Sample Strategies Monthly learning walks to provide opportunities for administration and staff members to observe current instructional practices, students’ response to learning, and strategy instruction used to address specific needs of students with varying learning abilities.

The Past – During the school year, Maryland developed, submitted and had its ESEA Flex Renewal Request approved

The Present – Title I 1003(a) funds are being provided to Focus Schools  Because the allocation in prior years was based on enrollment rather than need, many schools and LEAs articulated that they had more funds than they actually needed to support their focus schools. In response to this feedback, beginning in , Maryland will allocate 1003(a) funds based on individual school needs. Grant funding will range from $30,000 to $120,000 per school per year.

The Present – Changes to Focus Grant Application  Revised Needs Assessment Identify the data Identify who is affected by the problem including the grade level(s) Provide information as to how the achievement of the identified subgroup compares to the achievement of “all students” and other subgroups  Root Cause(s) What are the main factors that have impacted achievement for this subgroup

The Present – Changes to Focus Grant Application  Justification for Continuing Strategies from

The Present – Sample Strategy Teachers will participate in vertical and grade-level articulation planning to develop effective lesson plans that integrate the necessary supports and scaffolding to meet the needs of all learners.

The Present – January, 2016  Which Focus Schools will exit Focus status  Which will remain in Focus status At that same time, Maryland will identify new Focus Schools that bring its total number of Focus Schools to 42

The Present – Supports for Focus Schools  “ Priority access” to the State’s general options of support including: state developed newsletters, webinars, online and in-person professional learning and professional training opportunities, and early childhood resources  Continued support from the Breakthrough Center  Training on Implementation Science to assist Focus Schools implement, sustain, and scale-up evidence-based strategies

The Future – and Beyond Supports for Focus Schools  “ Priority access” to the State’s general options of support including: state developed newsletters, webinars, online and in- person professional learning and professional training opportunities, and early childhood resources  Continued support from the Breakthrough Center  Training on Implementation Science to assist Focus Schools implement, sustain, and scale-up evidence-based strategies  $30,000 to $120,000 per year from Title I 1003(a) funds

The Future – and Beyond Requirements of LEAs With Continuing Focus Schools  Convene a Focus School Support Team (FSST) that oversees the implementation of selected interventions and LEA level support Ensure technical assistance is provided Coordinate the support, monitor and assess the progress Assist in the facilitation and coordination of differentiated supports for principals and teachers Meet periodically with MSDE to discuss progress, school data and the coordinated and differentiated support provided

Maryland’s Journey – Focus Schools

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