THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. IT DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX, SEXUAL

ORIENTATION, MARITAL STATUS, DISABILITY, AGE OR VIETNAM ERA VETERANS STATUS IN EMPLOYMENT, OR ITS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION The Townsend Building

401 Federal Street Suite 2

Dover, Delaware 19901-3639

DOE WEBSITE: http://www.doe.k12.de.us

Mark T. Murphy Secretary of Education Voice: (302) 735-4000

FAX: (302) 739-4654

May 26, 2015

Superintendent Daugherty:

Thank you for your continued work, and conversations, around Red Clays three Priority Schools. We appreciate your commitment, and that of the entire Red Clay team, to improving educational opportunities for all of your

students, and we look forward to our ongoing partnership in better serving our children.

As a follow-up to our conversation earlier this week, below please find confirmation of outstanding requirements,

available funding, and a detailed outline of the path forward.

Financials

As previously discussed, Highlands ES, Warner ES, and Shortlidge ES will each receive $1,000,000 over the next

three years. This funding will be disbursed quarterly, as we confirm that Red Clay is making progress and

meeting commitments outlined under the MOU and school plans. In addition, please ensure that you have

allocated at least 10% of your Title I funds to your three Priority Schools, beyond the allocation the schools have

received historically.

Conditions

Plans

Red Clay received conditional approval of all three School Plans earlier this year. To date, the Department has not

received revised plans that incorporate changes based on the last round of feedback. If Red Clay requires any

additional support to complete these plans, please let the Department know immediately. We have extended the

deadline, again, for submission of the revised plans, which must be submitted in final form by July 15,, 2015.

Funding disbursements will begin only after final plans are approved.

In order to allow for greater clarity and focus in the implementation, please submit with the final schools plans an

Executive Summary, no longer than 15 pages, that outlines major initiatives and expected accomplishments at

each school.

Budget

From the outset of this process, and based on available resources, the school plan budgets were capped at

$1,100,000. The budgets submitted to the Department for each Red Clay school are substantially higher; thus, the

budgets have not yet been approved.

Please re-submit budgets for each school in line with the cap. All budgets submitted should include both whole-

school budgets (with all funding included) that covers last year as well as projected budgets for the next three

years, plus the budget allocations specific to Priority School work (inclusive of Priority School funding and the

additional Title I allocations). As part of the revised plan feedback process, DDOE will provide the district with a

prioritized list of what components of the submitted budgets will be funded as part of this work. This should be

reflected in subsequent plan revisions. As a note, many of the conditions on the plans do not require additional

funding, but may require resource re-allocation.

Note: The budget amendment process for Priority Schools will be different than in prior years. More details on

this process will be provided once plans are approved.

THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. IT DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX, SEXUAL

ORIENTATION, MARITAL STATUS, DISABILITY, AGE OR VIETNAM ERA VETERANS STATUS IN EMPLOYMENT, OR ITS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION The Townsend Building

401 Federal Street Suite 2

Dover, Delaware 19901-3639

DOE WEBSITE: http://www.doe.k12.de.us

Mark T. Murphy Secretary of Education Voice: (302) 735-4000

FAX: (302) 739-4654

Leadership

The nominated principals at each of the three Priority Schools received conditional approval. As one of the

conditions, School Plans must now detail the following, specific to each candidate:

What are the defined metrics of success for the principal? Please include measurable, quantifiable, specifics of how the district will determine whether or not the principal has been effective between July 1,

2015 and March 31, 2016. These metrics must include student achievement, school culture and

management, and family engagement and satisfaction. Please note, that DDOE may add additional

metrics to ensure that a comprehensive performance summary is developed.

What specific professional development and support outside of the district will be provided to these principals in order to ensure that they are given the opportunities to develop in: holding high expectations

for all students, leading and holding staff accountable for results, creating a positive and achievement-

oriented school culture, and respecting low-income communities?

What is the districts commitment if any of the principals do not meet these metrics? This information should be clearly stated in the School Plans.

Support

As part of the School Plans, the DDOE expects the plans to include an explicit commitment to continued

partnership with UVA, specifically to support and develop the three principals. Currently, the Plans indicate that

the parties have agreed to full participation in the two-year program.

DDOE will provide a Priority School Liaison role to the three schools. The Liaison will collect data for reporting

and support purposes, and will also be available to provide direct support to the schools. Each principal must meet

with the Liaison individually for at least 30 minutes each week, and for an additional 30 minutes weekly to

discuss and troubleshoot plan implementation.

Monitoring

Monitoring will occur throughout the school year, and will include both planned and unscheduled visits. Schools

should expect to have at least two visits per week. The DDOE Liaison and the principal will meet at the start of

the school year to establish check-in procedures when Liaison staff arrive, as well as other guidelines. Monitoring

must include unrestricted access to classrooms for observations, as instruction is the most critical component of

what occurs in a school. The Principal, as well as at least one member of the school leadership team, must

participate in a monthly performance management routine. Both the principal and DDOE may extend the

invitation to other relevant parties, as needed.

Please note that all monitoring reports and documents will be provided to the school and that the monthly reports

will be publicly posted. Please do not hesitate to contact DDOE with any questions that you may have. We look

forward to the work ahead.

Respectfully,

Penny Schwinn

Penny Schwinn

Chief Accountability and Performance Officer