School Improvement Overview September 17-18, 2015 Tyson Carter School Improvement Coordinator Idaho State Department of Education

School Improvement The purpose of School Improvement Planning is to improve the quality teaching and learning in Idaho schools and districts. School Improvement Plans provide:  The framework for analyzing problems;  Identifying underlying causes; and  Addressing instructional issues in a school or district that has not made sufficient progress in student achievement.

School Improvement Plan A School Improvement Plan should embody a plan that is:  Comprehensive;  Specific;  Focused primarily on the school’s instructional program; and  Incorporate strategies that are scientifically based that will:  Strengthen the core academic subjects in the school; and  Address the specific academic issues that caused the school to be identified for school improvement.

School Improvement Plan Required Components I.Incorporating strategies based on scientifically based research that will strengthen the core academic subjects in the school and address the specific academic issues that caused the school to be identified for improvement, and may include a strategy for the implementation of a comprehensive school reform model. II.Adopt policies and practices concerning the school’s core-academic subjects that have the greatest likelihood of ensuring that all groups of students enrolled in the school meet the State’s proficient level of achievement on the State academic assessment. III.Provide an assurance that the school will spend not less than 10% of the funds made available to the school for each fiscal year that the school is in improvement status, for the purpose of providing to the schools teachers and the principal high quality professional development that (1) directly addresses the academic problem that causes the school to be identified for school improvement; (2) meets the requirements for professional developments activities … and (3) is provided in a manner that affords increased opportunity for participating in that professional development.

Required Components Continued iv.Specify how professional funds clause (iii) will be used to remove the school from school improvement status. v.Establish specific annual, measurable objectives for continuous and substantial progress by each group of students … and enrolled in the school that will ensure that all such groups of students will, in accordance with adequate yearly progress…,meet the State’s proficient level of achievement on the State academic assessment. vi.Describe how the school will provide written notice about the identification to parents of each student enrolled such school, in a format and, to the extent practicable, in a language that the parents can understand. vii.Specify the responsibilities of the school, the LEA, and SEA serving the school under the improvement plan; include the technical assistance to be provided by the LEA and the LEA’s responsibilities. viii.Include strategies to promote effective parental involvement in the school. ix.Incorporate, as appropriate, activities before school, after school, during the summer, and during any extension of the school year. x. Incorporate a teacher mentoring program.

What Should A Plan Look Like? District plans must align with the research on effective school improvement practices in one or more of the following permissible intervention categories: Tiered interventions (Tier 1,2,3) designed to address the range of students’ needs; Needs analysis that led to interventions tied to specific subgroup needs; Providing strong leadership; Ensuring teachers are effective; Redesigning the school day, week, year; Strengthening the schools instructional program; Using data to inform instruction; Establishing a safe school environment; Providing mechanisms for family and community engagement; Establish specific annual, measureable objectives for continuous and substantial progress by each group of students specified.

Who should be involved in a School Improvement Plan? LEA Administrators School Leaders Teachers Counselors Paraprofessionals Parents –(Parents really need to be involved in the planning) Patrons

School Improvement Plans for On April 21, 2015 Idaho’s Flexibility 1 Year Waiver was renewed. As part of the Waiver, new Priority and Focus schools will be identified to the U.S. Department of Education by January 31, Part of this renewal authorized the Idaho State Department of Education to pause the Accountability System that Idaho was using. Currently the ISDE is working on a new Accountability System that is due March 31, For these reasons, school districts in Idaho are not required to write new School Improvement Plans for the school year. However school districts are expected to ensure that schools in School Improvement continue implementing the School Improvement Plan for the school year. Schools should revise as necessary to include on-going and most recent data.

Grants, Services & Support School Improvement Grants are competitive sub-grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) that demonstrate the greatest need for the funds AND the strongest commitment to use the funds to provide adequate resources in order to raise substantially, the achievement of students in their lowest- performing schools.  School Improvement Grants (SIG)  1003(g)  1003(a)  Examples of resources:  Idaho Superintendents Network (ISN)  Idaho Principals Network (IPN)  Idaho Building Capacity Project (IBC)

District-Level Supports & Activities Instructional Focus Visits Idaho Building Capacity Project (IBC) Training for Trustees Idaho Superintendents Network (ISN)

School-Level Supports & Activities Idaho Building Capacity Project (IBC) Idaho Principals Network (IPN) Total Instructional Alignment ACT/SAT Assessments Dual Credit Opportunities Expanding Early Childhood

Difference between 1003(a) and 1003(g) Funds SIG 1003(a)- 1) Districts apply for direct services (IBC, NISL, ISN) and/or flow-through funds which are available to Idaho’s Title 1 schools who could receive up to 50% of their Title 1 allotment. 2) Districts and schools must use flow-through funds to implement a school’s improvement plan and carry out the intervention requirements associated with the school’s improvement status, as determined by ESEA Section 1116.

SIG 1003(g) – 1) Available to our lowest 5% or priority schools and lowest 10% or focus schools. 2) Districts and schools must use the funds to implement one of four intervention models established by the Department of Education (Transformation, Turnaround, Restart or Closure). Difference between 1003(a) and 1003(g) Funds

Priority School Criteria 1)Among the lowest 5% of Title I schools in the State based on the proficiency and lack of progress of the “all students” group 2)Title I-participating or Title I-eligible high school with graduation rate less than 60% over a number of years. 3)Tier I or Tier II SIG school Implementing a school intervention model

Focus School Criteria 1)Among the lowest 10% of Title I schools in the State that have the largest within-school gaps between the highest-achieving subgroup(s) and the lowest-achieving subgroup(s) or at the high school level, has the largest within-school gaps in the graduation rate 2)Has a subgroup or subgroups with low achievement or, at the high school level, a low graduation rate 3)A Title I-participating high school with graduation rate less than 60% over a number of years that is not identified as a priority school

School Improvement Grant SIG 1003 (g) The School Improvement Grants (SIG) program is authorized by section 1003(g) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). USDE subsequently awards grants to States to enable the States to provide sub grants to local educational agencies for the purpose of providing assistance to schools needing improvement.

Which Schools are Eligible to Apply for SIG Funds? Priority Schools (that are not current SIG schools) Focus Schools SDE will prioritize LEA awards based on lowest- achieving schools that have the greatest need; demonstrate the strongest commitment to use the funds to provide adequate resources for schools to meet their goals; and demonstrate the ability to substantially raise student achievement

Which Schools are Eligible for SIG? Eligible for SIG funding, BUT Must Use a School Intervention Model Tier I Schools that fall under these two parts of the definition are considered the “Persistently Lowest-Achieving” schools in the state. Tier II Eligible for all SIG funding opportunities* Tier III These are all of the remaining Title I funded schools that are also in Improvement, Corrective Action, or Restructuring. Not Eligible for Any SIG Funding Everyone else These are all non-Title I funded schools in Improvement, Corrective Action, or Restructuring; PLUS any schools that are not in improvement status regardless of Title I funding. *If in an LEA with Tier I or II schools, Tier III schools’ eligibility depends on if the LEA serves the Tier I and II schools.

How Were Schools Identified? To identify the lowest-achieving schools, states had to take into account both— The academic achievement of the “all students” group in a school in terms of proficiency on the State’s assessments under section 1111(b)(3) of the ESEA in reading/language arts and mathematics combined; and The school’s lack of progress on those assessments over a number of years in the “all students” group.

1003(a) School Improvement Funds To be eligible for 1003(a) school improvement funds, LEAs must apply on behalf of schools served by Title I funds that are identified for improvement by the Idaho accountability system. This includes the following categories of schools: Priority Schools (federal definition – ESEA Flex Waiver) Focus Schools (federal definition – ESEA Flex Waiver) Schools that did not meet Annual Measurable Objectives (this may include schools that were identified as Turnaround status schools, Rapid Improvement status schools, or Continuous Improvement status schools)

1003(a) School Improvement Funds cont. When applying for 1003(a) funds LEAs may request : I. optional services provided directly by the State Department of Education, and/or i. Idaho Superintendents Network (ISN) ii. Idaho Principals Network (IPN) iii. Idaho Building Capacity (IBC) II. flow through funds to be used at the LEA’s discretion for identified Priority and Focus Schools that are not currently receiving SIG 1003(g) funds.

A district that is applying for 1003(a) funds to use at its own discretion must meet the following requirements: The district may only request funds for identified Priority and Focus Schools that are not currently receiving SIG 1003(g) funds in an amount not to exceed $ 8,500. Requested funds must explicitly match at least one of the intervention categories. Districts must provide a detailed, thorough description of how the funds will be used, including specific materials, services, supplies, equipment, etc. to be purchased and the estimated cost. When the district is requesting funds for more than one Priority and/or Focus School, the district must organize descriptions separately for each school. Funds available from 1003(a) are Title I-A funds. Therefore, they are subject to the requirements of the Title I program. Such as, funds may be used to improve the entire school if the school operates a Schoolwide Title I Program. If the school operates a Targeted Assistance program, the funds may only be used for targeted Title I assistance.

Idaho Building Capacity  Highly distinguished educators trained by the State to assist school and district leaders  Capacity Builders (CBs) are assigned to all participating schools and districts within the IBC network.  CBs coach leaders and leadership teams through the steps of improvement with weekly on-site coaching  Capacity Builders are provided with a toolkit of school improvement resources and, in partnership with school and district leaders, help create and implement a customized school improvement plan

Idaho Superintendents Network  The ISN supports the work of district leaders in improving outcomes for all students by focusing on the quality of instruction  The network is comprised of committed superintendents who work together to develop a cohesive and dedicated leadership community focused on teaching and learning  Topics for discussion may include: improved outcomes for students, working with stakeholders, transforming district central offices for learning improvements, analyzing teaching and learning, and the moral purpose of leadership

Idaho Principals Network  The IPN is a professional learning community structured for building level administration  The IPN provides a learning environment focused on increasing the effectiveness that directly relates to instructional leadership, managing change, and improving the overall effectiveness of the Instructional Core  Strands of study may include: evaluating leadership frameworks, instructional rounds and classroom observations, implementing professional growth plans based on self-evaluations

School Improvement Website -District and School Improvement -School Improvement Grant 1003(a) -School Improvement Grant 1003(g) -Idaho Building Capacity (IBC) -Idaho Superintendents Network (ISN) -Idaho Principals Network (ISN)

Ideas for a New SIG Application Take a some time and look the current SIG applications, 1003(g) &1003(a): – – Please give feedback on what you would like the SIG applications to look like. What information do you find the most useful? The least helpful?

Questions? Tyson Carter Coordinator, School Improvement/ Educator Effectiveness Idaho State Department of Education (208)