1. What Is the Self-Study Instructional Audit?
An Overview of the Self-Study Instructional Audit Tool
Deborah Davis
ACC/NW Lab
Jon Paden EED

2. What Is the Roadmap for This Session?
Quick description of the Instructional Audit Tool as a basis for the Self-Study Instructional Audit Tool
Characteristics of the Self-Study and small group exploration of the Tool
Next steps and ways to approach the SS-IAT

3. What Is an Instructional Audit?
A state-selected, independent, audit team conducts a review of district instructional practices - using the Instructional Audit Tool (IAT)
Districts meeting certain criteria qualify to receive an instructional audit (e.g., AYP Level 2 or greater)
State law establishes the practice to examine 6 domains

4. What Are the Six Domains?
Curriculum
Assessment
Instruction
Supportive learning environment
Professional development
Leadership

5. What happens during the Instructional Audit?
Audit team develops a snapshot of district instructional practices by the school level:
Document review
Focus groups & interviews with staff and students
Instruction observation
The team combines these data sources to triangulate evidence and assign the rating “Meets” or “Does Not Meet”

6. What Happens As a Result of the Instructional Audit?
The audit team produces a Report of Findings for the Commissioner’s review
This report complements other data (e.g., SBAs, district conversations) to develop a plan:
E.g., stay the course, give recommendations, direct instructional actions, redirect funds for student learning benefit, replace personnel

7. Is The Instructional Audit Tool Valid?
Yes
Validation study completed through the Alaska Comprehensive Center, Northwest Lab, and WestEd in 2008
The conclusion: Strong correlation between the audit tool’s assessment of a district and the district students’ proficiency levels

8. What Is This New Self-Study Instructional Audit Tool? (SS-IAT)
Based on Alaska’s Instructional Audit Tool
Incorporates changes made to Instructional Audit Tool based on considerable feedback from audited districts
To be implemented by districts and guided by an EED Technical Assistance Coach

9. What are Similarities between the IAT and SS-IAT?
Evidence-based
Provide diagnostic data to help with creation of improvement plans
Based on the six domains and 44 key elements within domains (including parent and community involvement key elements)

10. And The Differences? IAT conducted by external team
IAT conducted over one week
IAT uses a dichotomous rating
SS-IAT conducted by internal team
SS-IAT may take several weeks or months
SS-IAT uses a 4-point rubric

11. So, What Is The SS-IAT? An evidence-based self-study
A way to build awareness, buy-in and support for improvement efforts
The end product is not a score; instead it is the identification of current strengths and limitations

12. Your SS-IAT assignment:
Number off to six
Curriculum
Assessment
Instruction*
Learning Environment
Professional Development
Leadership*
1. Skim pages 2-9
2. Review materials for your assigned domain
3. Teach home group about your domain
4. Discuss if and how you might use it

13. What are the Self-Assessment Materials?
Overview & Step-by-Step pgs. 2-5
Sources of Evidence pgs. 6-7
Glossary pgs. 8-9
Introduction to Domain & Guiding Questions pgs
Domain Rubric “
Domain Summary “

14. Options for use of the SS-IAT
One domain area
Some, but not all domains
All domain areas

15. Who is involved? SS-IAT is guided by:
An EED-trained technical assistance coach*
The Self-Study is conducted by:
entire school staff or
small group of staff such as the leadership team
*or trained district staff in winter 2010

16. Getting started Review the rubric Discuss the guiding questions
Locate the evidence necessary to make ratings for each domain
Reach consensus on ratings
Determine strengths and areas for improvement

17. Next steps…by September
Technical Assistance Coaches will be trained to guide school teams
Tool will be available electronically

18. Q & A Can we do this self-study process on our own?
Does the self-study help with creation of improvement plans?
Is it best to do all the Domain areas at once?

19. Self-Study and PLCs…
…a learning community consists of a group of people who take an active, reflective, collaborative, learning-oriented, and growth-promoting approach towards the mysteries, the problems and perplexities of teaching and learning.
Mitchell & Sackney, 2001