A Framework and Process for School Improvement that Works!

Results from Trusty Elementary School!

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School Improvement Project

Trusty Elementary School !

Fort Smith, AR !

(unionized state) !

•  342 students K-6!

•  95% economically

disadvantaged !

Results from a Osceola Middle School!

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Osceola Middle School is

a rural school in

Northeast Arkansas

(unionized state). !

•  113 students in grades

6-8 !

•  89% economically

disadvantaged !

•  15% of the students

with disabilities!

Experience in Applying and Continually Improving the Model !

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Mississippi – Contracts since 2000 – 544 !Arkansas – In the past 3 years – 238 !Louisiana – In the past 3 years – 287 !Alabama – In the past 3 years – 45!Missouri – Systemic Improvement in Grandview School District – 2012-13 and 2013-14 !Georgia – new state this year: approved School Improvement provider !Northeast – Common Core Literacy and Math; Middle School Quality Initiative (90 schools this year)!

The Process !

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The Process !

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Goals: !!

•  Increase expectations (implementation precedes belief)!•  Build capacity; improve practice (leadership and teacher)

resulting in increased student achievement!•  Build collaborative culture !!

Methods: (45-45-10 estimated)!!

•  Assess current state, set goals, create a plan!•  I do, we do, you do (modeling the work of principal, admin

team, classroom teachers)!•  Professional development one-on-one and through

collaborative learning teams!•  Shift laser focus to instruction and support: !

•  Administrators – with teachers and utilizing admin teams; focus on effective instruction and support needed for teachers and students!

•  Teachers – focus on engagement, effective strategies, who’s making it and what to do about it!

The Shift in Thinking !

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Focus Through Six Essential Practices – Practice of Adults !!

•  Culture and Climate that Promotes Learning !

•  Student becomes center of decisions!

•  A Rigorous Standards Based Curriculum!

•  Shift from textbook or program to standards!

•  A School-wide Assessment Framework !•  Who’s making it, who’s not; what will we do about it!

•  Effective Instruction in Every Classroom !

•  Differentiated supervision and support; all teachers!

•  Organizational Structures that Promote Learning!

•  Time, schedule, calendars, policies, processes!•  Strong Home, School, and Community Partnerships !

•  From excuses or blame to communicating and including!

Continuous Cycle of Improvement and Support Used !

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Implementation Rollout !

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Diagnose: Assess current baseline state of professional practice!!

Plan: Create a plan of action with goals and strategies !!

Set up instructional structures!1.  Leadership structures !2.  Rigorous curriculum resources and

processes !3.  Instructional Focus Calendar !4.  EP focus area requirements!!

Implement: !Continually observe practice, providing support (modeling and feedback), assessing progress, determining next steps; learning one-to-one and in teams!!Monitor: Utilize rubrics, tools, and PD goals to assess progress and plan next steps!!

Resources and Tools Used !

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Framework:Six Essential Practices

Descriptions:Underneath Indicators

Indicators:Underneath Essential

Practices

Skills:Underneath Descriptions

Generation Ready’s Practice to Evidence Continuum

Evidence:Underneath Skills

Essential Practice Rubrics!Teacher Effectiveness Rubrics !

Leadership Effectiveness Rubrics !

Observation Rounds Forms and Targeted

Rubrics !

Learn Library!•  CCSS

Instructional Guides!

•  Conversation Guides!

•  Discussion Protocols !

•  Video Examples !What should I see criteria!

The Automaticity !

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!

•  Who’s making it, and how do you know? !•  Who’s not making it? !

•  How do you know? !•  What are we going to do about it? !

The Process: Typical Day !

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Time ! Activity!

7:00! Monitor student arrival and start up!

7:45 ! Discuss progress since last visit and plan day’s work !

8:15 ! School-wide walkthrough to complete data on engagement and instruction !

9:00 ! Review of school-wide walkthrough with principal and admin; review and discuss data and progress; update goals on plan !

9:30 ! Classroom visit Teacher A; complete observation; debrief; compare results; determine teacher support next steps; schedule feedback !

10:15 ! Classroom visit Teacher B; complete observation; debrief; compare results; plan teacher support next steps; schedule feedback!

10:45 ! Joint feedback conference with Teacher A; model for admin team; principal reviews next support steps with Teacher A !

11:30 ! Modeling of Reciprocal Reading with small groups for Teacher C; Principal and Literacy Coach support and shadow; debrief with teacher; debrief as admin team; plan time with Literacy Coach will model in additional teacher rooms !

1:00 ! Collaborative planning session with grade 6 teachers; review student work and progress and plan strategies or next unit; focus on engagement strategies !

2:00 ! Review work of Response to Intervention Team and student progress; adjust plan !

3:00 ! Feedback conference with Teacher B and C; principal conducts with consultant support; provide feedback to principal following and plan next steps !

4:00 ! Assess progress on school plan and on teacher plans and relate to progress on Essential Practice rubric; based on progress adjust next steps; determine consultant’s next steps to support !

Goal of the Improvement Process !

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Research Base – Actual and Action !

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The framework of improvement uses the Six Essential Practices based (in part) on the research of:!!•  Dr. Ron Edmonds and Dr. Larry Lezotte (Lezotte, 1991);

Effective Schools research!•  Job-embedded coaching (Joyce, 2002) !•  The change process using data and reflective inquiry

(Langer, 1994) !•  The gradual release of responsibility model (Fisher, 2008)

(Csikszentmihalyi, 1997)!

Independent AR Legislative Report 2011!

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AR Students with IEPs - Results in 2010-11!

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