accountability and continous improvement

7/27/2019 Accountability and Continous Improvement

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Department o eDucation anD training

School Accountabilit

and Perforance

Iproveent Fraework


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ScHooL accountaBiLitY anD perormance improVement rameWorK

BacKgrounD

The Northern Territor Departent of Education and Training (DET) is an organisation with a

strong perforance agenda which expects the achieveent of high standards b all eploees.

The perforance agenda is anchored in the understanding that there is a reciprocal relationship

between school leadership, qualit teaching and student learning. The developent of our

people is crucial in sustaining an organisation which is agile and responsive. Given the right

support and developent, eploees will enjo increasing successes and job satisfaction. Theperforance agenda focuses on those aspects of the organisation that atter ost:

qualityeducationalexperiencesforallstudents;

responsivenesstoourclientsstudents,parentsandthecommunity;and

strongschoolleadershipandvision.

The Departent of Education and Training is characterised b:

strongandeffectiveleaderswhoseprimaryfocusistoestablishacultureoflearning;

learningbeingpivotaltoachievement;

employeeshavingacontemporaryknowledgeoftheirwork; anoutstandingculturewhereeveryonehasasenseofbelongingandprideintheirwork;

welldevelopedsystemstoevaluateandmonitorperformanceensuringselfevaluationand

selfreflection;

theuseofdatatoinformdecisionmakingfromtheclassroomout;and

highlevelsofstaffandcommunityinteractionstoreviewperformanceandachievement.

Through qualit strategies, progras, people, partnerships and sstes, the Departent of

Education and Training will grow educated, skilled and sart Territorians.

Accountabilit and Perforance Iproveent in Schools

introDuction

The Accountabilit and Perforance Iproveent Fraework (APIF) 2006 is a sste of

accountabilit that sets clear expectations of standards for perforance and prootes a culture

of evidence-based decision aking and continuous iproveent for DET and schools. This

inforation provides specific guidelines to schools for ipleentation of polic, progras and

practice to eet local and sste perforance goals and targets, including those set b the NT

and Australian Governents.

School iproveent requires a professional coitent to proble solving, innovation, critical

reflection and continuous professional learning.

School iproveent is reliant on school leadership that engages people at all levels of the

organisation in the learning process b creating a culture of inquir which develops new

capabilities and revolutionises teaching and learning. Strategies ust work fro the classroo

out and have a botto line of enhancing student progress, achieveent and developent.


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School AccountabilitThe APIF recognises that to achieve high levels of educational outcoes, accountabilit related

to student learning is the responsibilit of individual teachers. Teachers need to be supported b

strong school leadership and strong partnerships with parents and counit ebers. The

Strategic Iproveent Plan and the Annual Operational Plan ust focus on:

curriculum,teaching,learningandassessment; staffdevelopment;and

resourceuse.

The school counit, including the school council, has a role to pla in school iproveent

b providing feedback and inforation which contributes to and endorses the schools strategic

planning and review processes.

Continuous Iproveent Ccle (see Diagra 1 and Figure 1)High perforing schools regularl onitor and review their perforance to guide their

actions. Schools are required to self review the effectiveness of progras and practices to

bring about iproveent.

Self review enables an analsis of current perforance and the effectiveness of strategies

ipleented to support perforance iproveent. It provides the basis for perforance

reporting and future planning.

Foral review processes, including an analsis of school perforance, are to be conducted.

The specific approach is deterined and guided b the Director School Perforance (DSP).

The Strategic Iproveent Plan is the one authoritative docuent which contains the specific

expectations and coitents that will be addressed. It is developed ever four ears but is

continuall reviewed and aended annuall through the Annual Operational Plan. Progress

towards achieveent is reported in the School Annual Perforance Report.


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Developed and

implemented at the

school level

Department o eDucation anD training Strategic pLan

A SmART TERRITORy

exl

rvw/

evl

Conducted

b DSP

pss Sl rf/

evl

Staffareinvolvedwithparents,

students and counit sharing

inforation and seeking feedback.

Teamsinteractandreview

perforance and achieveentof targets

Staff,parents,studentsand

counit develop andipleent change initiatives

Understandexpectations

and clarif standards

Establisheffectiverelationships

based on outcoes

Involvepeopleinworkingoutbetter was to develop solutions

and eet challenges

ebld hh pl p

Principalsdevelop

a perforance

plan to reflect theircoitent to action

in addressing schoolpriorities and targets.

Review1&2

(6 hs/12 hs)

Through a coaching conversationand based on evidence the Principal

and Director School Perforance

identif aspects of leadership that are

working well and those that reain a

challenge. The perforance plan isaended as required.

Review3(18months)

A foral process which

aligns with principal appraisaland contract renewal

processes. A report which

rates principal perforance

including coendations and

recoendations is developedand becoes a part of future

career planning discussions.

Strategic

iv pl

(Developed ever

4 ears but a living

docuent which isreviewed and aended

as required. Identifies

ke priorities, strategies

and targets).

AnnualOperational

Plan&Budget

(Reflecting the

ipleentation of kestrategies and priorities).

SchoolAnnualReport

(Evidence based report

docuenting progress,

achieveent and

developent).

Diagram 1


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Note: while the annual cycle is fxed, the strategic improvement and principal perormance cycle is dynamic and can

be commenced at a time that is appropriate to signifcant changes within the school and negotiated with the Director

School Perormance.

KEY

Annual Cycle Principal Perormance Cycle (2yr) Strategic Improvement Cycle (4yr)

igure 1: eViDence-BaSeD improVement cYcLe

Ever four ears, schools establish a Strategic Iproveent Plan. The Iproveent Plan is abrief stateent of strategic intent and is to be widel visible throughout the school. The align

with the DET Strategic Plan. The Iproveent Plan includes:

improvementgoalsinKeyResultsAreas;(SeeTable1)

locallysetperformancetargets,linkedtoDETandnationaltargets,tomeasureschool

progressovertime;

broadstrategiestoaddressimprovementgoalsandperformancetargets;

explicitcomponentsasrequiredbythenationalorNTfundingagreementse.g.Smarter

Schools National Partnerships, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan,

DigitalEducationRevolutionNationalPartnership; SchoolCommunityPartnershipAgreementsforfocusschoolsasrequiredbytheAboriginal

andTorresStraitIslanderEducationActionPlan2010-2014;and

apublishedattendancestrategy.

Ongoingmonitoring&refnemento

fSIPasa

livingdocumen

t

On

goin

gmonito

ring

&re

fnem

ent

ofSIPas

alivingdocument

Ongo

ingmon

itorin

g&re

fnem

ento

fS

IPa

sa

livingdocumen

t

Action

Action

Action

ActionAct

ion

Actio

n

Ac

tion

DSP

form

al

revi

ew

&

contract

rec.

Refect&developPPP

DSP

f/back,

coach,review

DSP

f/back,

coach,

review

Refect&

reresh

PPP

Action

Refect&

developPPP

DSP f/b

ack, co

ach, re

view

DSP

f/back,

coach,

review

DSP

formal

review&

contract

rec

AOP

implem

entatio

n

Refect&

develop

newAOP

AOP,budget&AnnualReportfnalised

AOP

implem

entation

Refect&

develo

p

newAOP

AOP,budget

&Annual

Report

fnalised

AOP

implem

entation

AOP,

budget&

AnnualR

eport

fnalis

ed

AOP

implem

enta

tion

AOP,bu

dget& Ann

ualRep

ort fnalised

Refection,

review

&

deve

lop

newA

OP

Refection,

review&

develop

newAOP

1stYea

r

2nd

Year3r

dYear

4th

Yea

r

evd-Bsd

csiv

Sc

hoo

ls

elf

evalu

ati

on

Externa

lScho

olreview

Strate

gicIm

provem

entPlan

Action

Actio

n


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The Strategic Iproveent Plan is reviewed and aended as needed in consultation with

the DSP and the school counit as part of the continuous iproveent ccle. The school

council and the DSP endorse the Strategic Iproveent Plan. This needs to be a concise

docuent addressing ke school priorities and not ore than three to four pages in length.

KeY reSuLt areaS

Thefiveinter-relatedKeyResultAreas(KRAs)providetheframeworkformonitoringandmeasuring school performance. Relevant outputs and outcomes should be locally determined in

conjunction with the DSP, the community and in the context of regional, NT and national priorities.

taBLe 1: potentiaL SourceS o eViDence o perormance

Ky rsl as os d mlss os d s

1. Teaching

and Learning

Curriculumplanningincluding:strategies

for Literac and Nuerac and InforationCounication Technolog

for Learning

AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderEducation

Individual Learning Strategies

EducationalAdjustmentPlans

NTCETAssessmentPlans

NationalAssessmentProgram-

Literac and Nuerac (NAPLAN)for years 3, 5, 7 and 9

NorthernTerritoryCurriculum

Fraework (NTCF) achieveent

T-9net

VocationalEducationalandTraining

inSchools(VETiS)qualificationsbylevel

NorthernTerritoryCertificateof

Education and Training (NTCET)

achieveent

Diagnosticandother

school-based assessent

2. Wellbeing Prioritiesidentifiedinstudent

and staff perception surves

Relevantwell-beingpoliciesand/or progras

Celebrationsofsuccessandprogress

Studentperceptiondata

Staffperceptiondata

Studentsuspensiondata

Studentmobilitydata StaffAbsencesdata

Staffturnoverandretentiondata

3. 3DUWLFLSDWLRQ

Transitions

Rangeofoptionsandflexiblelearningprograms

for individuals and groups of students including

students with special needs.

Studentdestinationsurvey

Attendancestrategy

AustralianEarlyDevelopment

Index data (AEDI)

AssessmentofStudent

Copetencies

(ASC) data

Studentattendancedata

Realandapparentstudent

retention data

VETiScompletions

NTCETcompletions

AustralianTertiary

Assessent Rank

4. Partnerships AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderSchoolCounit Partnership Agreeent

MemorandumsofUnderstanding

ServiceLevelAgreements

Communityand/orindustryengagementevents

Effectivepartnerships

Prioritiesidentifiedinparentandcommunity

perception surves

Parentperceptiondata

Communityperceptiondata

and Pathways


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Ky rsl as os d mlss os d s

5. Leadership Schoolmission/visionandvaluesstatements

360o feedback

Interpersonalrelationships

Schoolreview

PerformanceManagementprocesses

ProfessionalDevelopmentdata

LeadershipandPDcomponentsofSchoolLiteracyand Nuerac and ICT self-assessents

Alignmentofexpenditurewithstrategicdirections

Expenditureofsupplementaryfundingwithin

period of agreeent

Occupationalhealthandsafety

data

Principalandleadershipturnover(sste level onitoring)

annuaL operationaL pLan

The Annual Operational Plan is a practical guide to ap the processes needed to achieve

the goals and targets identified in the Strategic Iproveent Plan. The Annual Operational

Plan identifies:

short-termkeyprioritiesalignedtothetargetssetintheStrategicImprovementPlan; specificactionsrequiredtoimplementimprovementstrategies;

staffwhoaretoperformtheactions,andtheiraccountabilities;

resourcesandprofessionaldevelopmentneededtoassistimplementation;and

performancemeasuresusedtomonitorannualprogresstowardlongertermtargets.

Director School Perforance and the school council endorse the Annual Operational Plan.

eectiVe inanciaL management practiceS

Financial planning, onitoring and reporting are ke aspects of the Annual Operational Planning

process and as such need to be full integrated.

Schools receive funds fro the following sources:

PCEB(percapitaequitybase)includescleaning,groundmaintenance,essentialservices,

school supplies etc.

SSDStudentServicesDivisionforInclusionSupportAssistants(ISA)orspecificchildren/activities

UMRandnonUMRUrgentMinorandNonUrgentMinorRepairs

School counities ust use resources effectivel. Cash reserves should reflect and align

to identified future resourcing priorities. Progras and activities funded b schools ust be

sustainable and due consideration needs to be given to ongoing aintenance costs and future

asset replaceent.The Annual Operational Plan should be underpinned b a supporting budget which aligns with

school priorities and strategies. Effective financial anageent practices include the following:

budgetingtheprocessofallocatingresourcestoplannedoutcomesreflectedinthe

operationalplan,withsoundcashflowmanagement;

monitoringtheregularreviewofactualperformanceagainstthebudget;

reviewingmakingnecessaryadjustmentstobudgetswhenchangesoccurtoplanned

outcomesorthelevelsofrevenuereceived;and

reporting

attheendofeachmonthreportstostaffandschoolcouncil attheendoftheyear,theoverviewofactualperformanceagainsttheplanandsharingthis

report with the school counit.

Each stage of the ccle requires liaison, input and feedback fro the staff and school council.


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monitoring anD meaSuring perormance

Perforance can be onitored and easured through achieveent of ilestones (outputs)

and progress towards targets (outcoes). milestones and targets ust focus on local priorities

and show clear connection to ssteic and national outputs and outcoes. It is critical

that inforation reported b schools is accurate and tiel. Schools onitor and easure

perforance b coparing their results, appropriate to their context, with:

achievementstandardswithintheNTCurriculumFramework(NTCF),NTCertificateof

EducationandTraining(NTCET)andtheAustralianCurriculum;

nationalstandardswithinbothnationalandinternationalassessmentprograms(suchas

NAPLAN, NAP saple assessents, Progra for International Student Assessent (PISA)

and Trends in matheatics & Science Stud (TImSS) including like schools, NT and national

averageswhereavailable;

literacyandnumeracyexpectationsintheT-9DiagnosticNet;

agreednational,NTandregionalperformancetargets;and

schoolimprovementtargets.

Perforance can be onitored and copared both at a point in tie and also over tie.measuring perforance over tie can provide evidence of:

impactofstrategiesandfocusedeffort;

ratesofimprovement,particularlyincomparisontopreviousperformance;and

progresstowardslocal,regional,NTandnationaltargets.

Those schools which are high perforing track student progress on a regular basis and

can deonstrate through evidence based practice that the are adding value to each and

ever student.

ScHooL annuaL perormance reportSchoolsprovideanAnnualPerformanceReporttotheircommunitiesagainstthefiveKRAs,

the schools performance targets and the performance standards based on like school, NT and

national averages. The report is limited to a maximum of 10 pages. The DSP and school council

endorse the information contained in the schools Annual Performance Report. The School Annual

Performance Report must separately identify supplementary funds allocated to meet the needs

of the schools target student cohort, and the relative achievement levels of target students. This

requirement is waived if low student numbers create a risk of individual students being identified.

The report is to be submitted annually to the Director School Performance by the end of Term 1.

perormance reVieW

All staff are required to have a Perforance Plan identifing actions, standards and targets

aligned with the Strategic Iproveent Plan. Principals and delegated staff anage

Perforance Review and use the process to build staff capabilit. The review should include

explicit leadership developent, while positivel focusing staff perforance on student learning

to align resources and professional learning. The process fors the foundation for the creation

of a culture of inquir which develops new capabilities and revolutionises teaching and learning.

The core challenge is to establish classroo routines and practices that represent personalised,

evidence based, focused teaching and learning.


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compLiance

Copliance is a critical aspect of effective school anageent and accountabilit. The school

principal ensures that appropriate progras are in place and that resources are targeted at and

reach identified areas and students, to facilitate their achieveent of outcoes.

The School Copliance Checklist is part of a web-based tool designed to assist schools to

copl with ke legislative, regulator and polic requireents in the broad areas of facilities

anageent, financial anageent, governance, huan resource anageent, occupational

health and safet and risk anageent.

Schools Toolkit

guiDeS, tempLateS anD tooLS

The following guides, teplates and tools have been developed to assist schools to ipleent

the APIFs ccle of perforance analsis, self review, planning and ipleentation, onitoring

and reporting.

perormance anaLYSiS anD SeL reVieW

SchoolSelfReviewguideandtemplate

SchoolReflectiontool

TeacherReflectiontool

PerformanceReviewguides,templatesandtools

DataAnalysisandReportingtool

pLanning, impLementing, monitoring anD reporting StrategicImprovementPlanguideandtemplate

AnnualOperationalPlanguideandtemplate

AnnualPerformanceReportguideandtemplate.

The guides, teplates and tools listed above, along with other useful resources for schools, can

be found on the DET staff site.


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Roles and Responsibilities

WHat are DirectorS ScHooL perormance accountaBLe or?

The work of Directors School Perforance ust challenge principals to confront realit as to

change behaviours, priorities and practices. The will work with principals so that the lead

change which penetrates deepl into the classroo bringing about ssteatic iproveentsin teaching and learning. most significantl, the work of the Directors School Perforance

ust drive the school perforance agenda so that principals ebed practices of internal

accountabilit. Through a coaching odel, Directors School Perforance will gain the

coitent of principals while also developing their skill to deliver on the priorities, strategies

and targets of DET.

WHat are ScHooL principaLS accountaBLe or?

The work of the Principal is to aintain a focus on instructional leadership to enhance student

progress, achieveent and developent. Principals create high perforing schools b:

focusingonstudentsandtheirlearning;

focusingonteachersandtheirteaching;

buildingcapacityandpeoplepowertotakechargeofchange;

definingandarticulatingdirection;

leadingacultureofinquiryandlearning;

committingtostrategiestoachievespecifictargets;

maintainingmomentumandurgency;and

continuallymonitoringandevaluatingprocesses,achievementanddevelopment.

WHat are teacHerS accountaBLe or?Qualit teaching is pivotal to student learning and is the decisive eleent in iproving student

outcoes. Teachers have a responsibilit and accountabilit to:

meethighstandardsofteaching;

getstudentstomeethighstandardsofeducation;and

addvalueeachandeverydaytostudentlearning.

As instructional leaders, teachers will take responsibilit for their professional learning

so that classroos are characterised b:

precisefocusedteaching;

engagedlearning;

highexpectations;and

intentionallyinvitinginteractions.


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accountability and continous improvement

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