strong schools, strong communities districtwide action teams · 12/19/11 1 strong schools, strong...

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Strong Schools, Strong Communities

Districtwide Action Teams

Presentation of Recommendations to Superintendent Silva

December 19, 2011 December 19, 2011 1

Welcome

Michelle Walker Chief Officer of Accountability, Planning and Policy

December 19, 2011 2

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Strong Schools, Strong Communities Strategic Plan Implementation Process and Roles

Superintendent

Action Teams What: Action Teams led by district facilitators with representation from SPPS staff, family and community members. Strategic Plan provides framework for Action Teams to follow in implementation.

How: Each Action Team will review information specific to its area and will review evidence-based practices, local assets and options for service. Action Teams will develop plans for implementation, which will be submitted through the Cabinet to the Superintendent for approval.

When: May to Dec 2011

Action Teams !  Achievement Gap !  Transition to Middle Grades !  Specialized Academic Programming !  Aligned Learning !  Integration/Choice !  Partnerships !  Shared Accountability

•  Culturally relevant practices •  Culturally proficient human resources

!  Site Governance !  Budget and Finance

Cabinet What: Superintendent’s Cabinet leadership team supported by a strategic plan project coordinator and project staff

How: Meet weekly to review operations and plans; advise project staff on best ways to accomplish work; make decisions, establish priorities and procedures to support Solution Action Teams’ work.

When: Ongoing

Board of Education What: Seven-member governing body responsible for setting district policy and overall direction of SPPS.

How: Set framework and timeline for implementation of Strong Schools, Strong Communities strategic plan in keeping with district policies and priorities.

When: Ongoing

Recognitions

Valeria S. Silva Superintendent

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Recommendations to the Superintendent

by the

Budget & Finance Districtwide Action Team

Presented by: Phillip Friedlund Alec Timmerman

December 19, 2011 5

Budget & Finance Action Team Charge

•  Track budgetary implications of Strong Schools, Strong Communities (SSSC) implementation

•  Propose solutions to align resources with SSSC goals

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Areas of Focus

•  Revenue Enhancement •  Best Practices/Cost Reduction •  School/Program Allocations •  Policy •  Enrollment Stability

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Revenue Enhancement Recommendations

•  Invest in Promoting SPPS (Marketing department or leadership position) –  Educate voters to pass referendum (work with key business partners

to address SSSC needs – private donations) –  Increase overall enrollment (continue One Thing I Love)

•  Streamline Free & Reduced Lunch application process •  Explore additional resources through individuals (ex: alumni

associations, SPPS Foundation) and expanding community partnerships

•  Grants being more Area-based (Area grant writers/site councils) •  Corporate advertising opportunities (textbooks, lockers, school

events, athletics) –  Work with HS students (graphic arts or business classes) or College

Interns on marketing projects that Promote SPPS –  Leverage use of social media

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Best Practices/Cost Reduction Recommendations

•  Take action toward a District self-insurance option for employee health care benefits when feasible

•  Promote Talent Management Practices: Continue and increase support for principals and administrators to fully utilize in-house talent

–  Improve employee morale & productivity

–  Mitigate institutional knowledge loss

•  Ongoing assessment of anticipated cost savings from District alignment (Goal 3) and take appropriate action

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School/Program Allocations Recommendations

•  Fund Teacher Collaboration (PLC) at every site during the student day

–  Need a cost benefit analysis for FY13 Budget Process –  Major factor in closing the achievement gap –  Peer accountability

•  Implement a 2-year budget cycle –  Consider implementing budget cycle earlier – January instead of

March

•  Assess allocation of discretionary “viability” dollars to determine how much is needed and take appropriate action

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Policy Recommendations

•  Legislative Liaison priorities –  Address school aid payment delays –  Secure funding for Pre-K and All-Day Kindergarten –  Work in coalition with other organizations on Pre-K/

All-Day Kindergarten •  Evaluate and support the intervention process

(Reading, Math, Extended Day) •  Evaluate success factors and create models from

those best able to close the Achievement Gap


Enrollment Recommendations

•  Replace Parent Information Fair with increased pathway exposure through evening events

•  Replicate and grow successful/high demand academic programs (ex: GT, IB, AP)

•  Market neighborhood schools collectively •  Partner with local businesses to build community •  Survey parents for feedback at conferences to obtain information of

what is working to retain families/students (District Administration presence)

•  Support the need for intentional, targeted transition activities for students entering middle schools and high schools – include parents

•  Investigate Online K-12 school option (target out-of-District students)


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Budget/Finance District Action Team Members

•  Mary Doran •  Alka Goyal •  Joanne Freidlund •  Philip Friedlund •  Kevin Huepenbecker •  James Kielkopf •  Patricia Lange •  Beth LeRoux •  Joseph Meyer

•  Nelson Perez •  Douglas Revsbeck •  Jayne Ropella •  Alec Timmerman •  Scott Stensrud

Community co-chair •  Marie Schrul

Staff co-chair •  Jaber Alsiddiqui

Staff Resource Lead •  Rebekah Doyle – Notetaker



by the

Shared Accountability Districtwide Action Team

Presented by: Eleanor Clemmons, Neng Lee, Kelley Nelson, and Luis Ortega


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Shared Accountability Action Team Charge

1.  Align processes for monitoring and reporting on Strong Schools, Strong Communities progress

2.  Maintain commitment, communication and coordination across diverse stakeholder groups

Includes culturally relevant practices and culturally proficient human resources.


Student Success Support Framework


Relationships are

essential

Schools at the heart of the community

Students at the heart of the school

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Definition: Student Success

Student Success is defined by outcomes that are built on a series of environmental and social building blocks.

Building Blocks •  Taking responsibility for themselves, supported by a

safe environment that empowers them •  Having academic resources/opportunities to meet their needs •  Setting goals and working towards them •  Interacting effectively with others and building relationships

Outcomes = a product of the building blocks •  Meeting grade level proficiency or above and being on track to graduate •  Making at least one year’s worth of progress each year •  Making more than one year’s growth for those who are behind •  Being prepared to succeed in post-secondary and adult life


Essentials for FAMILIES

in supporting student success

1.  Strong emphasis on relationship building between teachers and families

2.  A tool kit for all families on how best to support their students

3.  Streamlined, district-mandated, two-way communication using a multipronged approach


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Essentials for TEACHERS

in supporting student success

1.  High expectations and standards – for themselves and students

2.  Culturally proficient and age appropriate beliefs, attitudes and practices

3.  Clear expectations from district and school leadership

4.  Deep knowledge of content, student achievement data and standards

5.  Professional development that promotes growth in instructional practices

6.  Co-teaching or teams that work well together


Essentials for COMMUNITY in supporting

student success •  The Community needs a defined process

to engage with schools and the District. This accountability process includes: –  Clear mutual expectations –  Roles and responsibilities –  Focus groups or other approaches to build understanding and buy-

in from our community partners.

•  Coordination is now needed with the Partnerships Team to be clear how accountability can support their recommendations and create an energizing vision and action roadmap for partnerships.


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How

We need to: •  Help others see that student success is important,

as well as see how they can support that success •  Build connections between caring adults in the

community to support students –  Seek marketing assistance (pro bono if possible) to build

awareness, understanding and support. –  Take this team’s recommendations to stakeholder groups

for feedback, in order to build ownership and passion for student success.

•  Make this a living document – these recommendations are the beginning of a process that must be ongoing and become part of our culture


Shared Accountability Action Team Members

•  Mary Frances Clardy •  Eleanor Clemmons •  Shalonda Flowers •  Joao da Fonseca •  John Grieman •  Keith Hardy •  Sarah Woxland Johnson •  Stacey Kadrmas •  Neng Lee •  Roy Magnuson •  Justin McMartin

•  Kelley Nelson •  Kara Bixby •  Luis Ortega •  Jeff Risberg •  Afolabi Runsewe •  Jenny Schlukebier •  Dr. Charles Gill

Community co-chair •  Joe Munnich – Staff co-chair •  Tim Caskey – Staff Resource Lead •  Stacey Lackner – Notetaker


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by the Partnerships

Districtwide Action Team

Presented by: Meghan Barp

Julie Schultz Brown


What is a partnership?

Definition of Partnership A mutually beneficial relationship between Saint Paul Public Schools and an external entity with the primary goal of improving learner success. Partnerships should:

•  Align with SPPS goals; •  Clearly articulate of respective roles, responsibilities, and

resources of the school and external entity; and •  Ensure realistic timelines and expected outcomes.


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Why are partnerships important?

•  Partnerships are essential to learner success; •  Schools have needs but limited resources

– they can’t do it alone; •  Individuals, groups, and organizations that could provide

services benefiting learners don’t know how to connect; •  SPPS doesn’t have a system for evaluating which

partnerships work better than others; •  Coordination of partnerships between schools is critical to

success.


Recommendations

1.  The Superintendent must continue to champion the role and importance of partnerships in learner success, demonstrating her support in words, resources and systems

2.  SPPS must understand, build and reinforce its infrastructure to create support and expand those partnerships.


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What could this look like?

Recommendation #1 Superintendent as partnership champion: •  A cultural shift creates accountability for partnerships, making them strategic and coordinated. •  Commitment of financial resources •  Establish a community partnerships advisory team:

– Policy – Equity – Accountability/Sustainability


What could this look like?

Recommendation #2 District-wide infrastructure that includes: •  Staffing support •  Infrastructure for organizing partnerships •  Resources or toolkit to manage partnerships


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Possible Model for Partnership Facilitation


Area E Partnership Coordinator!

Area D Partnership Coordinator!

Area C Partnership Coordinator!

Area B Partnership Coordinator!

Area A Partnership Coordinator!

Area F Partnership Coordinator!

SPPS Partnership Facilitator

What could a structure look like?

Recommended Next Steps

•  Form a standing community advisory team. –  Implements approved recommendations for

Partnerships; – Reports to/staffed by the Office of Family Engagement.

•  Aligned timeline to the Strong Schools, Strong Communities strategic plan.

•  Implement asset scan to identify gaps and inequities. •  Engage schools to identify gaps in services and

inequities.


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Partnerships Action Team Members

•  Roger Barr •  Tyrone Brookins •  Kari Denissen Cunnien •  Paul Duncan •  Nick Faber •  Gevonee Ford •  Kari Gonzalez •  Julie Murphy •  Jean O’Connell •  Rebekah Peterson •  Dave Pinto •  Jeff Risberg

•  Mark Robinson •  Evelyn Rolloff •  Christi Schmitt •  Angel Thomas •  Amy Ward •  Karen Woodward •  Christine Yang •  Meghan Barp – Community co-chair •  Julie Schultz Brown – Staff co-chair •  Lynn Gallandat – Staff Resource Lead •  Michelle Bierman – Notetaker



by the

Site Governance Districtwide Action Team


Presented by: Angie Thornhill

Becky Pedersen

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Site Governance Action Team Charge

•  Define the role of sites in implementation of SSSC

•  Propose capacity building to ensure site staff, families, students and community members know how to support SSSC


Approach •  Built from the Strong Schools, Strong

Communities 2014 expectations •  Agreed that site governance is not just

about site councils – it has to be about meaningful engagement of stakeholders

•  Agreed that some types of stakeholder engagement happen at every school (district-wide), while others are site-specific

•  Used International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) for common concepts, language and perspective


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Key Stakeholders

•  Students •  Parents/families

/guardians •  Teachers/staff •  Principals/site

administration •  Community

Each of these groups also have diverse subgroups within them, which look different at different sites


Site Governance Values

Site governance and engagement activities should be based on these values:

•  Student success is the purpose •  Stakeholder engagement is critical to closing gaps •  Engagement is tied to the full

range of schools’ goals – all the dimensions of student success

•  Diversity, inclusion, and equity are critical

•  Process and methods match stakeholder needs


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Recommendations: Schools

•  Stakeholder engagement must: –  Have purpose and be used;

it must matter –  Be authentic, intentional and

evident –  Reflect school community: not

just representative individuals; include broader communities

–  Include multiple opportunities and methods (some common; some unique)


Recommendations: Schools (continued)

•  Conduct a stakeholder identification and analysis process

•  Decide on engagement objectives tied to different pieces of SSSC

•  Create stakeholder engagement plan

•  Monitor and report on engagement process and results


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Recommendations: Schools and District

•  Site Advisory Council in every school, to: – Facilitate, gather, and report

input from school stakeholders and report back to stakeholder groups

–  Identify and bring together resources to accomplish school goals

– Serve as a resource for schools


Recommendations: District

•  Develop and implement robust measures of authentic and meaningful stakeholder engagement

•  Ensure clear communication between district administration and site advisory councils

•  Update “What Site Councils Can Do” document •  Provide implementation resources for sites


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Recommendations: District •  Clarify how to raise issues and resolve concerns

beyond the site level

–  Promote district-wide advisory groups and opportunities

–  Share “Steps to Problem Solving” (what to do when system doesn’t respond)

–  Publicize Ombudsperson


Site Governance Action Team Members

•  Dorene Brookins •  Anne Carroll •  David Durant •  Dayna Kennedy •  David Kirchner •  Kazoua Kong-Thao •  Michelle Leba •  Ethan Laubach •  Kim McConley

•  Eric Mitchell •  Rebecca Pedersen •  Patrick Romey

Staff Co-chair •  Angie Thornhill

Community Co-chair •  Tyrize Cox

Staff Resource Lead •  Joe Munnich – Notetaker


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by the

Aligned Learning Districtwide Action Team

Presented by: Jennifer Flood

Mary Cathryn Ricker Kate Wilcox-Harris


Aligned Learning Action Team Charge

•  Communicate clear expectations for components of Aligned Learning

•  Propose a system for consistent and sustained implementation and monitoring of key instructional practices


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Agenda

•  Aligned Learning Defined •  Expected Results •  Aligned Learning Do’s and Don’ts •  Principles and Tenets for Implementation •  Top 5 Recommendations


Aligned Learning


Bridging the science of learning and the art of teaching

for the benefit of every learner

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Aligned Learning Defined

Aligned Learning is standards-based instruction using research-based strategies that align:

• what we teach

• who we teach

• how we measure what we teach


Definition: What we teach

What we teach:

•  Content aligned with MN PreK-12 Academic Standards

•  Content articulated vertically within each school grade to grade and horizontally among all schools in the district

•  Curriculum and sequencing guides in all content areas and grade levels

•  High-quality materials to support individual learner needs


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Definition: Who we teach

Who we teach:

• Every student meeting and challenging each student at their academic level

• Use of culturally relevant teaching strategies – relevance, rigor, realness & relationships


Definition: How we measure

How we measure what we teach:

• Common assessments across all content areas and grade levels

• Articulated data practices used to inform instruction


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Expected Results

Aligned Learning will result in: •  Improved student achievement •  Consistent access for students, parents and

families to high quality instruction •  Individual student learning needs met •  Guaranteed adherence to consistent delivery of

curriculum •  Informed instructional decision-making •  Greater continuity in the education of our most

mobile students


Aligned Learning

!Aligned Learning will…

• Meet individual student needs •  Invest in the core mission of teaching

and learning over the long-term • Build internal leadership capacity

through collaboration between families, teachers and administrators

• Create stronger links between instruction, assessment, interventions and professional development

• Provide consistent learning outcomes across the district


"Aligned Learning will NOT…

•  Require teachers to follow a daily script

•  Be a short-lived initiative that diverts time, attention and focus

•  Require teachers or principals to use tools, systems or processes they did not provide input on

•  Mandate a one-size-fits-all approach to educating students

•  Eliminate effective practices with a proven record of improving achievement

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Guiding Principles and Tenets of Aligned Learning Implementation

Students and Families •  Provide equity and opportunity •  Address individual student needs •  Ensure consistent learning opportunities in and across all schools •  Minimize disruptions for mobile students

Teachers, Principals, Administration •  Strengthen professional practice and build a culture of professional

accountability across the district and at every level of the organization

•  Involve teachers in ongoing calibration of Aligned Learning •  Offer additional opportunities for sharing between and among

teachers and administrators •  Respect the art of teaching; do not require a day-to-day script


Recommendations 1.  Articulate curricular and sequencing expectations for all content

areas, especially for the arts, social studies and science instruction.

2.  Design a clear three-year plan for roll out and communicate expectations to all stakeholder groups. Implementation plan should include: •  Comprehensive library of curriculum and sequencing guides; •  Integrated diagnostics and assessment plans; •  Data analysis and intervention models; and •  Advanced differentiation and acceleration models.

3.  Design professional development to more carefully match specific teacher and administrator learning needs.

4.  Create feedback systems that ensure Aligned Learning accountability.

5.  Monitor Aligned Learning implementation for consistent implementation across the district.


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Aligned Learning Action Team Members

•  Rebecca Biel •  Jerry Blakey •  Vaughn Bodelson •  John Brodrick •  Rosilyn Carrol •  Marty Davis •  Jennifer Flood •  Lisa Gruenewald •  Delores Henderson •  Lindan Vue •  Daniel Mesick •  Susan Mondry •  Margie Motzel

•  Sara Oemichen •  Jean O’Connell •  Christine Osorio •  Kaye Thompson Peters •  Concha Fernández Del Rey •  Jennifer Schultz •  Jocelyn Sims •  Felicia Widi •  Kathleen Wilson •  Mary Cathryn Ricker – Community co-chair •  Kate Wilcox-Harris – Staff co-chair •  Matthew Mohs – Staff Resource Lead •  Holly Miller – Notetaker



by the

Specialized Academic Programming Districtwide Action Team

Presented by: Heidi Bernal

Katherine Kwong


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Specialized Academic Programming

Action Team Charge

•  Charge #1: Clarify articulation of specialized programs to ensure consistent and equitable access

•  Charge #2: Identify areas where specialized academic programs are not aligned with aligned learning practices; propose solutions to address

•  Charge #3: Monitor how programs meet learner needs; propose solutions when they do not


Specialized Academic Programming (SAP)

The work of the SAP Districtwide Action Team includes:

• Gifted and Talented • Language Immersion • Montessori


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CHARGE #1: Clarify articulation of specialized programs to ensure consistent and equitable

access

Current State: Unique Attributes and Challenges

•  All programs –  Distinct entry points –  Scarcity of openings at common entry points –  Families currently need to be system savvy. –  Relatively low mobility of students –  Students have unique needs at entry/exit points.

•  Immersion and Montessori –  Students are more successful with early start. –  Attrition at higher grades –  Students need specialized skills to join late, limiting ability to add students later.

•  Gifted and Talented –  Limited assessment opportunities –  Inconsistent access to GT services from school to school –  Students can join at any point, but lack of openings prevents this.


CHARGE #1: Clarify articulation of specialized programs to ensure consistent and equitable access

Recommendations

•  Provide a consistent assessment tool and/or skills measurement to determine whether student is prepared for each specific program

•  Ensure equitable recruitment through a public outreach program to include proactive parent education to enable informed decisions

•  Supply transition plans for each SAP for exit/entry of students in their programs


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CHARGE #2: Identify areas where specialized academic programs are not aligned with aligned learning practices; propose solutions to address

Current State: Opportunities and Challenges

•  Clear articulation for each SAP across all relevant grade levels is not yet fully developed

•  Specialized programming requires specialized support and resources

•  Budgeting process does not always recognize the unique educational and resource needs of SAPs to assure sufficient materials and supporting resources (e.g., library books in a specific language or for different reading abilities)

•  Standards may be addressed in a different order or at a different pace in SAPs


CHARGE #2: Identify areas where specialized academic programs are not aligned with aligned learning practices; propose solutions to address

Recommendations

•  Assess curriculum, instruction, evaluation, professional development, and support services for key aligned learning elements

•  Reconcile SPPS curriculum requirements with SAP methodology

•  Develop full programmatic articulation plans for students preK-12 for each SAP

•  Provide resources to support unique needs of the specialized programs


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CHARGE #3: Monitor how programs meet learner needs; propose solutions

when they do not Current State: Programmatic Similarities

•  Necessitate strong, specific methodology to meet diverse learners’ needs

•  Require specialized training/certification and skills for staff to support student learning

•  Meet unique needs of these families to support their learners in these specialized programs


CHARGE #3: Monitor how programs meet learner needs; propose solutions

when they do not Recommendations

•  Provide continuous investment in professional development

•  Invest in infrastructure/resources to meet the unique needs of these programs

•  Examine pathway in-depth to be systematic and connected

•  Expand and improve diagnostic tools and measures


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Specialized Academic Programming Action Team Members

•  Heidi Bernal •  John Brodrick •  Anne Carroll •  Carol Gronfor •  Mar Her •  Amy Hinrichs •  Renee Jensen •  Stacey Kappes •  Katherine Kwong •  Fatima Lawson •  Mary de Leon-Denton

•  Glynda Rutledge •  M. Lynn Shellenberger •  Katie Sterns •  Kathryn Vadnais •  Pangjua Xiong •  Nancy Hall •  Harold Scott •  Roberta Cordano

Community co-chair •  Andrew Collins & Sharon Freeman

Staff co-chairs •  Darlene Fry – Staff Resource Lead •  Kathleen Wilson - Notetaker



by the

Transitions to Middle Grades Districtwide Action Team

Presented by: Craig Anderson, Jason Brown, Melisa Rivera and Tim Williams


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Action Team Charge

•  Identify issues of implementation from student, staff, curriculum and operational perspectives

•  Define priorities for ensuring a smooth transition for students as we move to a 6-8 middle school model


Guiding Principles •  Student focus

•  Developmental needs •  Excellence for all •  Equity •  Child/family is center of the planning •  Best practices that support learning, assessment and achievement •  Student data (enrollment, attendance, suspension)

•  Parent/Community is actively pursued, valued and involved

•  Multiple perspectives/multiple stakeholders provide input •  Research based/successful middle school models

•  Relevant article review

•  Appropriately trained and licensed teachers, highly motivated to meet the needs of middle school students


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Top Priorities •  Programming

•  Interdisciplinary Teams •  Cultural Proficiency •  Differentiated Instruction – 6

step data team process •  Comprehensive Standard

Based Curriculum and Assessment

•  Transitions •  Purposeful social emotional

supports, aligned and vertically articulated

•  Academic vertical articulation and collaboration

•  Cultural awareness •  Transition opportunities

•  Parent/Community Involvement

•  Building and sustaining relationships between Student/Parent/ Community/School

•  Awareness of students/social issues, assurance of safety

•  Cultural awareness •  Professional

Development •  Impacts above 3

Priorities


Assumptions

•  All children can learn; all teachers will teach

•  Stronger relationships with students and families over time (3 years)

•  We would build stronger schools and stronger communities

•  Increase student achievement through increased student and family engagement

•  Equity for all •  Space, Enrollment/

Sustainability, and Budget available to support recommended programming

•  We will be partnering with community-based organizations on common goals

•  We will meet the licensing requirements

•  Students will have the opportunity for post-secondary and career exploration


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Programming

•  Interdisciplinary Teams •  4 core content areas depending on sufficient student enrollment •  Advisory with an identified curriculum, consistent across all sites

•  Cultural Proficiency •  Equity teams •  PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention Support)

•  Differentiated Instruction •  6 step data team process (LLC – Leadership & Learning Center) •  RTI (Response To Intervention)

•  Comprehensive Standards-Based Curriculum and Assessment

•  Common core, power standards •  Pacing guides / sequencing •  Standards based grading


Transitions

•  Purposeful social emotional supports, aligned and vertically articulated

•  Strong community partnerships that provide support – mental health, mentoring, tutoring, service learning, and cultural enrichment opportunities

•  Advisory time and curriculum across all sites (W.E.B., Naviance Succeed)

•  Academic vertical articulation and collaboration •  Identify effective academic support programming (AVID, Project

SUCCESS, Math/Reading Corps) •  AVID for all 6th grade students •  Academic State standards are met

•  Cultural awareness •  Equity Teams

•  Transition strategies •  Specific transition protocols between the sending and receiving grade

levels and sites that are to be developed


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Parent and Community Involvement

•  Building Trust and Open Communication –  Parent University (Summer Transition Program, as an extension of…)

•  Parent Portal access and understanding –  Websites

•  Improve - Current; User-friendly/Intuitive –  Parent Liaison

•  Development of Strategies that Address Social Issues –  Improve Cultural Proficiency/Awareness of/among staff, parents,

student –  Consistent opportunities across sites (Project SUCCESS, Girls and

Boys Mentoring, etc.) –  Social Supports (youth workers, peer mediators) –  Ensuring student/parent/school connectedness


Professional Development

•  Cultural Proficiency training for all •  6 step data team process (LLC) •  Provide adolescent development training to use

as a lens in developing program options •  Standards-based curriculum assessment and

grading •  Technology integration training (Campus, portal,

smart boards, iPad, etc.)


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Further Considerations •  Student enrollment needed to support program

implementation •  Opportunities for mentoring programs, college and career

exploration for all students in grades 6, 7, 8 •  Middle school parent/teacher conference format/flexibility •  Readers workshop articulation with ELA in grades 6-8 site •  Expansion of MYP and Montessori curriculum grades 6-8 •  Integration of ELL and Special Ed with the interdisciplinary

core teams •  Math – current adoption doesn’t align in 6, 7, and 8 •  Fiscal impact to transition to a 6-8 grade model


Transition to Middle Grades Action Team Members

•  Craig Anderson •  Jason Brown •  Cathy Camarena •  Gail Ghere •  John Hennessy •  Karen Kolb Peterson •  Kazoua Kong-Thao •  Kathy Korum •  Barbara Kurtz •  Kristy Pierce

•  Eva Pranis •  Melisa Rivera •  Denise Rodriguez •  Nancy Stachel •  Elona Street-Stewart •  Tim Williams •  Shawn Wright •  Denise Quinlan – Chair •  John Andrastek – Staff Resource Lead •  Jesse Mraz – Notetaker


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by the

Integration/Choice Districtwide Action Team

Presented by: Jeff Sambs

Jackie Turner


Integration/Choice Action Team Charge

•  Define criteria for attendance areas, transportation zones and placement of students to ensure equitable education across the city and for all students. – Revised from initial charge


•  Revise SPPS integration plan to align with SSSC goals

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Agenda

•  Identify Goals, Principles & Priorities

•  Assumptions

•  Recommendations – Administering

•  Considerations


Action Team-Generated Goals

•  Develop a more transparent choice system to meet the needs of families throughout the year.

•  Streamline the choice process for families and administration.

•  Improve racial and socio-economic diversity through a system of equitable choices throughout the District.

•  Develop new communication tools and strategies that align with goals of SSSC.


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Guiding Principles •  Fairness/Equity •  User Friendly •  Expanded Diversity

–  Racial/Ethnicity –  Test Scores –  Homeless –  Poverty –  Language –  Special Education

•  Voluntary Choice •  Accountable and Measurable •  Flexible •  Pragmatic


Top Priorities (rank order by committee)

1.  Keeping families in the same school 2.  Racial and economic diversity 3.  Dedicated seats for under-

represented groups 4.  Geographic proximity 5.  (Same Priority – Tie)

!  Avoid concentration of special education and ELL services.

!  Maximum number of people receive their first choice


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Assumptions

•  Recommendations are for implementation for the 2013-14 school year.

•  Recommendations are for all Community, Regional and District elementary and K-8 schools.

•  Every community school will have its own unique proximity attendance boundary.

•  Assumes implementation within Board approved SSSC attendance areas A-F.

•  The identification of ELL, Highly Mobile and Special Education students will follow District protocol.


Recommendations

1.  Implement a new system to rank student applications for enrollment at schools that receive more applications than available openings.

1.1 Use a “Need Index” as an indicator to identify under-represented priority placement for students who qualify.

1.2 Identify schools that are at least 20% below the District poverty average (Low Poverty School). •  At those schools, 20% of available seats will be reserved for

students from high need neighborhoods. These seats will remain available until August 1.


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Recommendations continued

2. District-wide magnets do not qualify for proximity priority.

3. Regional magnets will have proximity priority. 4. Incoming siblings who meet the criteria will have

sibling preference at Capitol Hill. 5. Individual elementary school proximity

attendance boundaries need to be carefully drawn to promote diversity as defined by Integration/Choice DAT.

6. Monitor and adjust annually if needed to align with Integration/Choice DAT goals.


Need Index Calculation

•  Each block group within the city will be assigned a need index calculation based on: –  Free/reduced lunch percentage –  Second language percentage –  Reading proficiency –  Math proficiency

•  Students who apply that live within Block groups with a need index within the top 1/3 of the District distribution will receive priority for dedicated seats at low poverty schools.


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Priority Point Calculation

•  1 point for submitting an application •  2 points for living in city/district boundaries. •  2 points for living in the region for regional

community and/or regional magnet schools. •  2 points for living within the community school’s

individual proximity attendance boundary. •  1 point for a sibling (sibling must be currently

enrolled and continuing for the following year).


Further Considerations •  Areas A, B, C, & D are areas with no low poverty

Community school options. •  Recommendation addresses integration at low

poverty schools but not high poverty schools –  The “Need Index” could be used in reverse order to give

priority to students who live in low need areas to attend high need schools.

–  Explore programming to encourage low need families to choose high need schools (PreK, Reduced Fee Discovery Club, etc.).


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Integration/Choice District Action Team Members

•  Steven Aeilts •  Eric Bradley •  Sarah Geving •  Keith Hardy •  Shela Her •  Becky Hicks •  Jim Hilbert •  Emily Leabch •  Jackie Means •  Kristin Morris

•  Mike Mullaney •  Ben Osmond •  Bonita LC Reyes •  Jeff Sambs •  Elona Street-Stewart •  Baraka Tura •  Duane Reed – Community co-chair •  Jackie Turner – Staff co-chair •  Jill Cacy, Steve Schellenberg & Harold

Turnquist – Staff Resource Leads •  Dana Abrams – Notetaker



by the

Achievement Gap Districtwide Action Team

Presented by: Grant Abbott

Stacey Gray Akyea


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Achievement Gap Action Team Charge

•  Understand impact of race on achievement

•  Identify effective practices within the district that are closing the achievement gap

•  Propose a plan for bringing successful practice to scale across the district


Accepted Definition

•  The achievement gap is the difference in the measured performance indicators of White students and students of color (e.g., Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments in math and reading, graduation rates, college admission and completion).

•  It is also a representation of the ability of Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) to adequately educate all students to learn at high levels.


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Recommendations •  Timeframe

–  Immediate recommendations should be fully implemented and operational within 6-18 months,

–  mid-term recommendations should be fully implemented and operational within 18- months to 3 years and

–  long-term recommendations should be fully implemented and operational within 3-5 years.

Ongoing

Immediate Mid-term Long-term Total

Overall 6 -- -- -- 6 Curriculum &

Instruction 1 3 3 7

Students, staff, parents & community

1 5 4 10

Promising practices 3 4 -- 7 Data collection &

reporting 2 5 1 8

Total 6 7 17 8 38

Overall Recommendations •  Commit to dismantling the effects of racism and White

privilege on district and school culture, curriculum, and instruction. •  Develop a plan for the success of All students (with outcomes,

benchmarks, and evaluation methods) and ensure ongoing monitoring, reporting and support

•  Establish educational goals for All students that will enable them to be successful citizens in a democratic country and increasingly dynamic and diverse global economy

•  Continue to gather community input regarding the achievement gap via a formal advisory structure

•  Use federal and state legislation as a floor, not ceiling to educational outcomes

•  Expect high standards of educational attainment from All students and families


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Recommendations: Curriculum and Instruction

Immediate (to be fully implemented and operational within 6-18 months) •  Utilize student learning needs to drive district curriculum and instructional foci for PD

Mid-term (to be fully implemented and operational within 18 months to 3 years)

•  Ensure ALL students have the following skills and abilities: literacy and numeracy, critical thinking, oral and written communication, ability to reason with mathematical and scientific knowledge, problem-solving, ability to access and analyze information, creativity, ability to work collaboratively with people from diverse cultures, and initiative

•  Ensure that all curriculum resources do not reinforce racism and White privilege. •  Hold buildings accountable for using formative and summative assessments to proactively

identify and provide interventions for lowest performance students

Long-term (to be fully implemented and operational within 3 to 5 years) •  Establish support action teams that develop and maintain supplemental services for schools •  Develop excellent Pre-K and All-Day kindergarten programs in all elementary schools to give

All students the opportunity to begin school ready to learn •  Integrate districtwide Response to Intervention (RTI) techniques to include new and

innovative strategies to support and create active learners in the school and classroom environment


Recommendations: Demonstrate Value

Immediate •  Use the work of the students at Achieving Within the Gap to ensure all schools are welcoming and

supportive of All students, free of racism, the assumptions of White privilege, and gender, class, religious, physical abilities, and sexual orientation biases

Mid-term •  Minimize out of school dismissals and suspensions •  Use, support and provide resources for buildings to use valid pre-referral interventions (i.e.,

Student Assistant Teams) for struggling students to prevent over-identification of students in special education

•  Implement a growth model to recognize teachers with proven effectiveness in working with students to decrease achievement gap

•  Direct resources to ensure that All students are reading at grade level by 3rd grade

Long-term •  Revise definition of ‘grade level’ to mean the student is able to derive meaning from content that

has multiple contexts (e.g., personal, academic, social and global) •  Develop community based partnerships in addition to the County Attorney's Office and Child

Protection to leverage decreasing truancy rates •  Develop equity lens for ensuring the best possible leadership and instruction for students •  Use measurement of yearly educational progress to determine teacher and principal effectiveness


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Recommendations: Promising Practices

Immediate •  Continue work that has begun with Pacific Education Group •  Phase-in intentional participation of all staff in racial equity work •  Elevate and deepen partnerships with community organizations that have

demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the achievement gap

Mid-term •  Ensure all new leadership participate in Beyond Diversity racial equity two-

day training as provided by Pacific Education Group •  Ensure leadership at all schools establish equity teams •  Ensure all equity team members participate in Beyond Diversity •  For schools that have equity teams established, ensure remaining staff

receive Beyond Diversity experience


Recommendations: Data Collection and Reporting

Immediate •  Incorporate regular analyses that separate historical Blacks from immigrant Blacks, and Hmong

from other Asians •  Report data disaggregated by race/ethnicity and socio-economic status

Mid-term •  Continue to develop alternative data collection and reporting methods that report on strategic

efforts to close gap including instructional and leadership methodologies •  Use data to serve students rather than sort them into high needs categories that may further

isolate them from receiving quality educational opportunities (e.g., advanced placement, challenge or gifted services)

•  Continuously collect student feedback through evaluations of teachers and surveys of students at pertinent points along preK-12 spectrum

•  Use building-level data to ensure staff are leverage existing resources for All students •  Incorporate measures that include student feedback to report the school climate and academic

culture as indicators of effective and engaging environments

Long-term •  Develop district-adopted assessment criteria to assure all formative assessments are

appropriate, reliable and culturally relevant


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Achievement Gap District Action Team Members

•  Alecia Carter •  Jo Ann Clark •  Joel Franklin •  Elizabeth Honkanen •  Jeff Koon •  Chong Lee •  Tonya Long •  Leon Neve

•  Catherine Rich •  Sharla Scullen •  Rebecca Wade •  Jayné Williams •  Grant Abbott – Community co-chair •  Stacey Gray Akyea – Staff co-chair •  Mike Kremer – Staff Resource Lead •  Cheryl Carlstrom – Notetaker


Closing

Michelle Walker Chief Officer of Accountability, Planning and Policy

December 19, 2011 100

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Strong Schools, Strong Communities

Districtwide Action Teams

THANK YOU

– to everyone who volunteered for an Action Team

– and to our sponsors

http://accountability.spps.org/StrongSchools.html December 19, 2011 101

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