Virginia WebEx Program Division Support for Substantial School Improvement 1

Sponsored by Virginia Department of Education Kathleen Smith, Office of School Improvement Virginia Foundation for Educational Leadership Randy Barrack, Executive Director With assistance from Appalachia Regional Comprehensive Center and Center on Innovation & Improvement 2

Virginia WebEx Faculty [List names and affiliations] 3

Pre-Reading The Handbook on Restructuring and Substantial School Improvement is the background text for this series of WebExes Pages 1-44 should be read before the first WebEx 4

WebEx Session 1: Division Support for School Improvement – Part 1 Agenda for the Session 1. Welcome and Introduction to Series – 5 minutes 2. Introduce Indicator 1 – 5 minutes 3. Discuss Indicator 1 Questions – 10 minutes 4. Introduce Indicator 2 – 5 minutes 5. Discuss Indicator 2 Questions – 10 minutes 6. Introduce Indicator 3 – 5 minutes 7. Discuss Indicator 3 Questions – 10 minutes 8. Introduce web-based planning and reporting process – 5 minutes 5

Welcome Our purpose is to help divisions provide their schools with the support and direction necessary for improvement We will emphasize support and direction for schools in need of “substantial improvement” The schools may or may not be in the process of restructuring The division support system, however, will benefit all schools and the division itself 6

Substantial Improvement By substantial improvement, we mean a school that needs comprehensive reform rather than improvement of a specific program and/or component By substantial improvement, we also mean that change must occur over a short period of time rather than incrementally over a long period of time 7

The WebEx Series 7 WebEx Sessions Attended by division-level teams Presented by the VDOE WebEx faculty of veteran division administrators 20 Success Indicators (about 3 per session) Content, discussion, post-session team tasks Web-based planning and reporting system 8

Focus on the “How” An Indicator is an element that research connects with successful school improvement Missing link in research is the “how” behind the Indicator This project will focus on the “how” as each division team carefully addresses the Indicators, plans improvement, documents their work, and shares their experience 9

Priorities We all want to directly address school improvement now, and we know the divisions are working with their schools. The first priority of this series of WebExes is to strengthen the division and its ability to systematically support school improvement. In the final session, we will introduce a similar process the division may utilize for each school’s improvement planning and implementation. 10

WebEx 1 Indicators Indicators of Success 1. IA02 - Community. The division includes civic leaders, and community organizations in division and school improvement planning and maintains regular communication with them. 2. IA07 - Achievement Targets. The state sets minimum division, school, and student subgroup achievement targets. The division sets maximum division, school, and student subgroup achievement targets. 3. IA11 - Data System. The division ensures that key pieces of user-friendly data are available in a timely fashion at the division, school, and classroom levels. 11

Community and Civic Support IA02 - Community. The division includes civic leaders and community organizations in division and school improvement planning and maintains regular communication with them. 12

“When the division operates within a framework of civic and community responsibility for school success, the difficult options of restructuring [substantial school improvement] meet with greater support and understanding.” Kenneth Wong, Handbook on Restructuring and Substantial School Improvement 13

Communication and Coordination Close linkages among school division, school board, community leaders can be beneficial in reforming schools Civic/community support must be nurtured at the division level and for each school Civic/community support are nurtured through intentional, coordinated efforts of division, with regular and effective communication 14

Superintendent and School Board Present united front Publicly provide support for reform; help sell vision to community Ensure that student learning is the top priority for attention and resources Engage in periodic self-evaluation of their own performance Galvanize broad-based support for initiatives. 15

Discussion: Build Civic Support 1. How do the superintendent and board show unity of purpose with division/school improvement? 2. How does the division build civic, community support for school improvement? Mayors and elected officials Civic and community leaders 3. What communication systems must be put in place to keep everyone informed? 16

Achievement Targets IA07 - Achievement Targets. The division sets division, school, and student subgroup achievement targets. 17

Setting Achievement Targets Determine reasonable trajectories for improvement for – division – Each school How specific? – Grade level – Subject area – Student subgroups Incremental trajectory vs. immediate turnaround – Which schools need which trajectory? 18

Discussion: Achievement Targets 1. Who is involved in setting achievement targets? 2. How are division targets explained to stakeholders? Who gets what information? 3. How are different trajectories for different schools explained to each school’s stakeholders? 4. What are division staff, principals, teachers expected to do with the information? 19

Data System IA11 - Data System. The division ensures that key pieces of user-friendly data are available in a timely fashion at the division, school and classroom levels. 20

Build Technical Capacity Division research and evaluation units shift emphasis from compliance monitoring to building accessible data systems Create a single, comprehensive data system rather than multiple ones for special purposes (e.g., special education, categorically funded programs) Focus on diagnostic uses of data ARDT PALS EIMS -- 21

Formative Assessments Types of formative assessments – State or division-created formative assessments – Teacher team (school grade level or subject area) formative assessments – Vendor-provided formative assessments Example: Northwest Evaluation Association’s assessments Focus and strengthen use of formative assessments at all three levels—division, school, classroom Focus teacher team efforts on modifications in instructional planning based on formative assessment results 22

Use Data to Drive Decisions Determine appropriate data to disseminate to parents, principals, teachers, school board, civic and community leaders Use data to make decisions about programs and to allocate resources Use data to monitor progress, keep attention on goals 23

Productive Data Use Data should focus primarily on student learning, at least at first, then secondary data, for example - – Attendance – Discipline – Parent and teacher perceptions – Classroom observations of “patterns of practice” – Analysis of lesson plans (individually and in teams) Staff members need training and time to analyze data and apply conclusions to instruction School boards need training in understanding data and applying to decision making 24

Discussion: Division Data System 1. How does the division develop a comprehensive data information system that is user friendly and timely? 2. How can training in data use be provided for – – School board and community/civic leaders – Division staff – Principals – Teachers – Parents 3. How can data effectively inform instruction? 25

Division Team Tasks from WebEx Select: Division Support for Substantial School Improvement 2. Register your division (if not already registered) 3. Form your team (add non-WebEx participants?) 4. Plan tasks for each indicator-based objective 5. Monitor progress regularly 26