State of ArizonaDepartment of Education

Tom Horne, Superintendent of Public Instruction

National Network of State School Improvement Leaders Webinar

Supporting Systemic Change in High Schools

October 28, 2010

Implementing SIG – A State’s View

Angela DenningDeputy Associate Superintendent

State DemographicsArizona’s Context

– About 1800 schools, 380 are high schools– About 500 charter schools– High populations of English Language

Learners (ELLs)– Schools on Tribal lands or have high

populations of students who are Native American

School Improvement Grant

Schools in Improvement Persistently Lowest-Achieving

New Partnerships

• Personal Contact to Share Information– Phone Call to Superintendent

• Informational Meeting– Leadership Team

• Specialist assigned

• Data Summit

• Budget Guidance

• ADE Collaboration

Application Review Process

• Application Review teams consisted of three ADE Educational Program Specialists.

• Step One: Review team members will review each application and provide a score for each section based on the rubrics.

• Step Two: Using the online Arizona LEA Tracker (ALEAT) tool, the LEA creates a detailed action plan that includes goals, action steps, tasks, timeline, person responsible and budget allocation using the application components.

• Step Three: The detailed budget sheet is posted on to the ADE’s Grant Management System.

LEA Capacity

Indicators from our state Standards and Rubrics for LEA/School Improvement

1. Effective Leadership

2. Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development

3. Assessment Systems

4. Culture, Climate and Communication

5. Resource Management

LEA Capacity Carefully Examined

Behavior for successful restructuring of persistently low achieving schools

What are the strengths? What is in place?

What are the weaknesses? What needs to be put in place?

What changes will be made to address the weaknesses and improve on the strengths?

Standard 1: Leadership Systems

Administrators are chosen for getting results, influencing others and willingness to change

District has a comprehensive plan for recruiting and retaining highly effective teachers and leaders.

There is a process to evaluate principals' abilities to demonstrate behavioral competencies of instructional leadership

Information

School Improvement Granthttp://www.ade.az.gov/schooleffectiveness/SI/

Summary of Awards

LEA Applications

Arizona SIG Overview

• 23 LEAs were eligible to apply for the 2009 SIG with a total of 28 schools– 15 LEAs were awarded the 2009 School

Improvement Grant

• 12 schools will implement the Transformation model while 7 schools will implement the Turnaround model.

• 6 Charter Holders, 9 traditional School Districts

Arizona SIG Overview

• 11 HIGH SCHOOLS, 3 middle schools, 4 elementary schools and a K-12 school

• 5 of the 11 high schools are charter schools

• 8 schools (3 HS) are located on Tribal lands

• 11 schools (5 HS) are in rural areas• 8 schools (6 HS) are in urban areas

(Phoenix or Tucson)

Expectations

Bold dramatic changes that ensure drastic increases in student achievement

Fully and completely implement the chosen intervention model

Focus on quality not quantityChange the way LEAs and Schools do

businessChange behaviors that increase the

probability goals will be achieved

Continuous Improvement Model

13

Persistently Lowest-Achieving

Support for our Tier I and Tier II schools

• Monthly Leadership Institute– Partnership with AZ LEADS, K-12 Literacy and Title I

• Mentor Coach for the Principal

• Collaboration with agency stakeholders – coordination of efforts

• Monthly Site Visits

• Funds through School Improvement Grant

14

Collaborative EffortsIntra-Agency Collaboration

– Cross-Unit Collaboration committee– K-12 Literacy Unit– AZ LEADS– Title I– High School Renewal– Effective Teachers and Leaders

External Collaboration– ASU NEXT Grant – External Providers through RFP Process

Evaluation and Monitoring Persistently Lowest-Achieving

• Ongoing communication with LEA• Weekly ALEAT monitoring• Monthly site visit and progress

report

• LEA Quarterly Report • LEA Annual Report

• SII Evaluation of Effectiveness and Impact

Monthly Progress ReportUsing data and notes from observations, complete the Monthly Progress Report

Strategy: Use rigorous, transparent, and equitable evaluation systems for teachers and principals that: 1.) Take into account data on student growth as a significant factor as well as other factors, such as multiple observation-based assessments of performance and ongoing collections of professional practice reflective of student achievement and increased high school graduation rates; and 2.) Are designed and developed with teacher and principal involvement.

Key Indicators Rating0 1 2 3

Evidence/ Examples/ Artifacts ALEAT Information

Red Flags

Teachers and principal evaluation process and procedures are in place

District currently in process of revising evaluation system, including process and procedures. Stakeholder team meeting 2 x a month. Expected outcome by December 2010.

Teachers and principal evaluations are based on multiple data sources including student achievement and growth

Classroom observations are scheduled at least 1x week by principal, form used, feedback given

Professional development based on the evaluation process and instrument has been provided to all concerned stakeholders

Principal has provided PD on the classroom walk-through form and defined expectations

Evaluation system has been developed with teacher /principal/stakeholder involvement

District currently in process of revising evaluation system. Stakeholder team includes, teachers and principals.

Quarterly Progress Report

IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS1. Describe the action steps you have completed from your Goal 8 of the

ALEAT plan in the last quarter. (All boxes will expand as you type.) 2. Describe the successes you have had regarding the implementation of the

action steps.3. Describe the challenges you have faced and the adjustments you have

made to meet the challenges.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT4. Using the data from diagnostic testing down to the teacher and student

level, describe the progress you are making regarding student achievement. (Attach any documents that show student level data.)

NEXT STEPS5. What will you do in the next quarter to continue the improvement

process? List action steps from the LEA plan and any adjustments you will make to meet unexpected challenges.

Data Collection and Use

• Collect data from all visits

• Use data to – Determine effective level of TA– Determine PD needs– Make adjustments to Monthly Leadership

Institute– Determine next steps

• Individually by school• All schools

Results and Outcomes

The end outcomes and results are: effective educational systems are being

implemented with high quality and,

the majority of students are proficient on Arizona’s state academic standards.

Question to Ponder

• AZ strategically did not differentiate support to high schools for this first year, based on data from their applications.– How have other states approached

support for high schools receiving the school improvement grant?

National Network of State School Improvement Leaders Webinar

Supporting Systemic Change in High Schools

October 28, 2010

An Arizona High School’s PerspectiveLisa Long, Principal

Michael Dunbar, Turnaround Specialist

LEA: Pima Partnership High School

• Non-Profit

• Community based services since 1991

• Diverse non-profit board as well as school board

• Mission-driven: committed to serving youth that the “system” has failed

LEA – Charter Holder

• Site-based decisions are expected and supported

• Decisions are based on student need on-site

• Flexible budget control structures

• Resources allocated at the student level

• Procurement happens in a timely manner

• Grant writing support

Pima Partnership High School

Demographics•Ethnic breakdown: 70% Hispanic, 15% African American, 7% American Indian, 7% White and 1% Asian•Socio-economic status: 96% qualify for free or reduced lunch status•Identified as Special Ed: 15%•Adjudicated Youth: 10%•Fifth and Sixth year “Seniors”: 30%

Pima Partnership High School

Academic Labels

•Reason for Persistently Lowest Achievement Label: Graduation Rate

•AZ LEARNS Label: Performing

•Accredited through North Central Accreditation

Academic Data

Math

Reading

Writing

12% met 12% approach 77% ffb

44% met 48% approach 8% ffb

39% met 55% approach 6% ffb

PPHS Plan

School Improvement Efforts Overall Goal:

Focus on Student Engagement– Teach4Success: WestEd Walk-Through Protocol

– Technological Tools: Integration of digital tools to facilitate the learning of 21st Century students

– RTI: Appropriate student placement through data analysis

– Job-embedded professional learning: Extended year professional development coupled with focused learning

– Healthy Minds/Healthy Bodies: Infusing a program that focuses on a healthy body which is the basis for dynamic and creative intellectual activity

Turnaround ModelRequired Components

• Replace Principal • Screen existing and replace at least 50% of staff • Recruit and retain staff• Ongoing/job embedded professional development

– 5 week intensive professional development coupled with a yearly PD calendar

• Hire a turnaround leader• Use data to implement programs

– Data drives all decisions from academics to financial

• Promote continuous use of data– Academic data gathered from various formative to summative results

drive instructional program

• Increased learning time– Block scheduling, community college opportunities, and partnering with

vocational district

• Community-oriented supports– Boxing, Onsite Health Clinic, YMCA, City of Tucson College Night

• Evaluation systems– Weekly walk-through protocol providing coaching feedback, increase of

summative evaluation

• Rewards – Pay for performance criteria identified, new hire and hard to fill stipends,

opportunities for career growth

• Curriculum Alignment– Collaboration days, 3-tier approach to plans including curriculum maps,

unit plans and lesson plans, new template that reflects research-based instruction

• Response to Intervention– 3-tier model aimed at aligning interventions most in need, new master

schedule

Turnaround ModelRequired Components - continued

• Technology Infused– Technological tools used throughout schools

• Middle to high transition– Freshman Academy

• Credit Recovery– Program started and resources purchased

Turnaround ModelRequired Components - continued

Lessons Learned Thus Far

• Implementation is a marathon not a sprint

• Relationships, Relationships, Relationships - KEY

• Every member of the school community has to believe that each student can be successful

• Remaining steadfast to our mission vs. compliance to federal guidelines

Information

http://thepartnership.us/newsite/charter-high.php

Questions?

Angela Denning - Angela.Denning@azed.gov

Michael Dunbar - mdunbar@thepartnership.us

Lisa Long - llong@thepartnership.us