Exploring Fulton as a Charter System

Results of Community Input

Board WorksessionJanuary 20, 2011

A five year contract between the school system and the state

Describes specific operational and instructional innovations and waivers from state law that will be implemented

Defines the common operational and instructional practices that will be in place for all schools

Details the performance that will be improved over the term of the contract

System Charter Description

System Charter Description

Defines the responsibilities of school principals, school governing boards, and the central administration in implementing plans to achieve performance improvements

The Charter System remains under the control and management of the local Board of Education

Waivers and innovations can be phased in over the 5-year charter period

System Charter Description

Current conversion charter schools may join the system charter if they wish

Start-up charters are unaffected by the System Charter status

Why a Charter System?

State law now requires all school systems to convert to an IE2 contract, a system charter contract, or state that they are satisfied with the current structure by June 2013

Charter System Development Process

First semester 2010-11

Determined parameters from Board of Education

• Options that add cost will be considered very cautiously

Held community forums with administrators, teachers and parents

Held input sessions with student groups

Created online forum for input on the website

Charter System Development Process

Purpose of today’s presentation

• Present input from the community to the Board of Education

Next Steps

• Board determines whether and when to pursue charter system status

Develop charter petition

Hold public hearings on charter content

Board votes on final charter petition

Board submits to Georgia Board of Education by November 1, 2011*

March 2012 – GABOE approves Charter System*

August 2012 –Charter System begins for 2012-13 school year*

* Could move a year later and still meet state timelines

Possible Charter System Development Timelines

Exploration Phase - Accomplishments

Hosted seven community forums across the school system in late October and early November

Over 90 Fulton system staff participated as facilitators, scribes, or in other supporting roles at forums

Visited an additional four middle and four high schools to engage students

Created dedicated website, used Twitter and Facebook to enhance electronic communication channels

Actively engage with Fulton’s parents,

teachers, administrators,

students, and the community

Enlist FCS Staff in process and outreach

Utilize new channels to build awareness

Exploration Phase

Accomplishments

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Seven Forum Locations Across Fulton

October 18th Johns Creek HS

October 19th Westlake HS

October 27th Roswell HS

November 3rd Milton Center

November 4th Creekside HS

November 10th Tri-Cities HS

November 11th Riverwood InternationalCharter HS

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Selected locations

Over 900 Attended Community Meetings at Locations Across Fulton

120 135 102

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Online Presence Enhanced Community Outreach

Launched Exploring Fulton as a Charter System Website with updated content in early November• One-stop location for news and

updates

• Active online feedback option

• Links to related information

Received over 80 additional online comments and questions from the community• Included in our report

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COMMUNITY FORUMSINITIAL FINDINGS

EXPLORING FULTON AS A CHARTER SYSTEM

Questions for Community Forums

Describe the ideal school for your student(s) in the areas of:

• Curriculum and instruction

• School culture

• Use of funds

• Hiring of teachers and administrators

• Monitoring results and accountability

Given the reality of current resources, which of these ideas do you think will most increase student achievement?

Prioritization of Input

COMMUNITY FORUM RECOMMENDATIONSSUPPORTED BY WAIVERS TO STATE LAW

Instruction that is Flexible, Relevant and Differentiated -general

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Differentiated teaching strategies and methods

More autonomy in pacing, move on when ready

More levels of instruction

Instruction that is Flexible, Relevant and Differentiated – Upper Grade Levels

On-line, web-based

External, field experiences

Flexible “seat time” in classes, summer, evening, after-school

Student-selected, student- driven

Hands-on, interactive, application versus theory, problem-based

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Expand foreign language

Expand music

Rigor and national standards

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Broader Curriculum Options - general

New ways to earn course credit

Relevance between curriculum and classes

Vocational, career, life skills

Technology

Advanced Placement/college-level

Well-rounded, balanced with arts and athletics

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Broader Curriculum Options – upper grade levels

Student-driven

Flexible sequencing

Vertical alignment with colleges and businesses

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Broader Curriculum Options – Upper Grade Levels

Implement performance-based evaluation of teachers

• Student achievement, growth of students

• Not just test scores

• Student ratings

• Parent ratings

Personnel retention based upon performance, not years of service

Remove ineffective teachers more easily

Better support new teachers

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Teacher Performance

Moderate support for performance-based pay

Some similar comments related to administrators and other staff

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Teacher Performance - Continued

Local School Flexibility

Hiring and surplus decisions based upon local school criteria and selection

Staffing ratios

“Buy positions” based upon school needs

Flexible hours for certain positions based on school needs

Input from teachers and parents in how funds are spent

Cluster alignment

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School culture

Increased, mandatory parent involvement and accountability

Allow required uniforms for students

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COMMUNITY FORUM RECOMMENDATIONSNOT REQUIRING WAIVERS TO STATE LAW

Assessment

Value-added, growth measures

Local school flexibility on district assessments

Portfolios

More qualitative measures

Product-driven demonstration of mastery

Frequent, interim progress monitoring and reporting to parents

Results to parents and students in a timely manner

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Technology

Online textbooks

Use to deliver instruction

Equitable

More

Integrated

Updated

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Professional Development

Professionally-led by subject experts

School-based

For all staff

Collaborative planning

Continuous

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Class Size

Reduce class size

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School Calendar

Extended

Balanced

Year-round

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STUDENT DISCUSSION GROUPSINITIAL FINDINGS

EXPLORING FULTON AS A CHARTER SYSTEM

Student Discussion Groups - Overview

Over 70 representative 8th and 9th graders participated in eight facilitated groups in early December

Two Fulton staff members experienced in focus group facilitation and analysis led the discussions

• Arthur Mills, Organizational Advancement

• Korynn Schooley, Assessment and Accountability

Included additional school clusters to those where forums were held

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Eight Student Group Locations

December 1st Milton HS

December 2nd Renaissance MSLangston Hughes HS

December 7th Hopewell MS

December 8th McNair MS

December 9th Banneker HS

December 10th Centennial HSHolcomb Bridge MS

Selected clusters

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Student Discussion Groups - Format

An open discussion with the students centered on these questions:

• How do you feel you learn best?

• What makes you enjoy your school learning experience?

• What could be improved?

• Which topics that we discussed did you feel the strongest

about?

Each group discussion lasted about an hour • One class period to reduce missed class-time

Local principals and staff selected a representative sample of students from their school

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A Good Teacher Makes the Difference

“I learn best in interactive class settings with real-world relevant topics.”

“I feel the pace of work is often too

fast.”

“I appreciate the high expectations and freedoms I’m

provided by my teacher.”

“I want a good

teacher.”

“I like when I can personally

connect with my teacher and

know they care.”

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How Did Students Define a Good Teacher?

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Delivers engaging instruction

Effectively uses technology

Aligns class pace with students’ needs

Maintains a supportive and organized classroom culture

“I want a good

teacher.”

Engaging Instruction

Students recognize which teaching methods positively impact their individual learning

• Interactive work with teams

• Hands-on projects and labs

• Experiential learning coupled with basic lecture

“Interactive studies and labs are very helpful, when you see what happens.“

“I remember everything she [my teacher] says because she got on the chair and did a chant…and then did a song with all the prepositions. It was corny, but helpful!”

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Effective Use of Technology

Students repeatedly mentioned a desire for more uses of technology to engage their class

• PowerPoint lectures and study aids

• Smartboards – especially in Math classes

• Outside learning materials that connect lessons to the real world

“It depends on the teacher…some [teachers] are more original than others”

“It’s almost a reward to write on the Smartboard so when you get to write you remember what you’re doing”

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Class Pace Aligned with Students’ Needs

Students consistently communicated frustration with class schedules, the pace of units, and a perception of overall inflexibility

• Desire more consistent feedback on progress

• Often would find more time to review concepts helpful

“Sometimes classes go too fast and we don’t get a chance to really understand what’s going on.”

“Sometimes they [the teachers] go too fast to try and get something in for the curriculum.”

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Students want to know their teacher genuinely cares about their learning

Maintaining a conducive learning environment was also a common theme

• Strong desire exists for more fair and consistent discipline

“In some classes, it feels like the teachers don’t control the classroom. Some of the students don’t care to learn, so it disrupts the class.”

“I used to have a class where our teacher constantly reminded us about how important our education is and so when we did well we feel really accomplished. He had expectations of us.”

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Supportive and Organized Classroom Culture

Student Discussion Groups - Observations

Consistent themes emerged across middle and high schools in all areas.

Students were highly interactive, opinionated, and very self-aware.

Students were open to flexible and creative methods that enhance their learning.

It was clear the students appreciated their voices had a chance to be heard.

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AREAS OF CONCERN FROM COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND ONLINE COMMENTS

EXPLORING FULTON AS A CHARTER SYSTEM

Implications for teacher jobs

• Confusion with “restructuring”

• Mistaken assumption that all would need to reapply for their positions

Implications for school themes and choice

• Mistaken assumption that schools would need to differentiate from each other

• Concern that attendance zones would be eliminated

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Areas of Concern

Complexity and risk of local school governance councils

• Who?

• How?

• When?

• What?

• Training?

• Oversight?

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Areas of Concern - Continued

Administrative costs to implement a charter system

• Training

• Development, review, approval, monitoring, accountability for system and schools

Potential for added costs due to new initiatives

Assurance that charter system initiatives have a research-based alignment with student achievement

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Areas of Concern Emerging in Online Comments

RECOGNITION OF CENTRAL STAFF AND LOCAL SCHOOLS

EXPLORING FULTON AS A CHARTER SYSTEM

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Anderson, Carice Fasan, Florence LaForge, John C Scott, Vickie P

Anderson, Linda D Gaddy, Richard M Long, June Seda, Pamela

Barger, Amy P Gamble, Jackquline Lott, Woody Shaffer, Emmett G

Beaverson, Barbara Gayles, Pamela L Maggert, Constance R Simpson, Lynn P

Bellcross, Wayne Gillette, Daniel W Matthews, Christopher Stansberry, Celeste

Bennett, Tishangi Gore, Montreal McKie, Wayne Stephens, Karol

Blanton, Brenda M Greenlee, Marisa Meadows, Lynne P Stowell, Laura

Bonner, Monique Greenway, Martha Medlock, Annulet Taylor, Samuel E

Booth, Jessica L Guillory, Patricia H Miller, Tawana D Toller, Allison

Box, Leonard F Gunter, Doryiane Mills, Arthur Wade, Ronnie

Burke, Patrick Hale, Susan Moody, Janet Brown Washington, Eulonda H

Carey, Douglas P Ham, R. Sam Morales, Robert Waters, Alyssia

Cason, Randall A Harness, Terry G Moran, Iris J Watlington, Terry

Clements, Joseph A Hart, Shannon Moss, Sherrie M White, Catherine

Clemons, Cheryl Raiford Helton, David Muma, Mark Woody, Mitzi

Cranford, Haywood C Holly, Russell R Munn, Tom Yarbrough, Kathleen A

Dell, Joseph S Hopkins, Kelly Pass, Donna Yerich, James

Dereef, Marvin Hughes, Jeffery E Peek, Michael H Young, Angela

Dorenkamp, Susan J Ingraham, Deana Pettes, Dorothy A Young, Lance

Dove, Joshua Ivey, Jessie M Politis, Kathy

Dunn, Timothy A Jaffe, Debbie Pruitt-Annisette, Brenda Dallas, Marilyn

Ellis, Gary M Jean, Yvette Rice, Daryl Nichols, Natasha N

Ellison, Daphne, P Johnson, Patty Rice, Lydia Phillips, Tameria

Erickson, Judie Knotts, David J Rumbaugh, Will

Erickson, Nancy B Krause, Amy Schooley, Korynn

Special Thanks – Central Office Staff

Special Thanks – Local School Hosts

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Johns Creek HS Creekside HS

Buck Greene, Principal Kevin Robinson, Principal

Mike Ilnseher, Assistant Principal Constance Morman, Parent Liaison

Westlake HS Tri-Cities HS

Byron White, Principal Dan Sims, Principal

Kisha Howard, Assistant Principal Audrey Williams, Assistant

Roswell HS Riverwood HS

Ed Spurka, Principal Ed Echols, Principal

"Coach" James Coyle, Assistant Principal Kari Schrock, Assistant Principal

Independence HS at Milton Center

Tabatha Taylor, Principal

Gary Fox, Head Custodian

Special Thanks – Local School Hosts

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Milton HS McNair MS

Cliff Jones, Principal Paul Brown, Principal

Brandi Terrell, Assistant Principal

Renaissance MS

Maureen Wheeler, Principal Banneker HS

Christian Harden, Assistant Principal Will Bradley, Principal

Kwame Carr, Assistant Principal

Langston Hughes HS

Michael Robinson, Principal Centennial HS

Tomeka Crum, Assistant Steve Miletto, Principal

Jennifer Cassidy, Assistant Principal

Hopewell MS

Bill Thompson, Principal Holcomb Bridge MS

Joy Schroerlucke, Principal