What is Alaska STEPP ?

Alaska STEPP, which stands for Steps Toward Educational Progress and Partnership, is an online, school improvement planning tool based upon Indistar, a software template. Twenty-four states, including Alaska, currently use the software program to serve school, and district-level, improvement planning.

Alaska STEPP is Research Based

The indicators of effective practice are drawn from both national education

research and the priorities of the Alaska Department of Education

& Early Development.

More About Alaska STEPPSince its development and customization for Alaska five years ago, several Alaska districts have adopted STEPP as a way to incorporate continuous, comprehensive, and team-oriented school improvement planning. With the approval of Alaska’s ESEA Flexibility Waiver and the adoption of the new school accountability system in 2013, Alaska STEPP has become the required method of school improvement planning for 1-, 2-, and 3-star schools, as well as for Priority and Focus schools.

Alaska STEPP’s FrameworkThe tool is built around the six domains of effective schools: Curriculum, Assessment, Instruction, Supportive Learning Environment, Professional Development, and Leadership. Within these six domains are 32 indicators against which school improvement teams can assess their school and focus improvement efforts. This tool is more than a software system that produces a plan for submission; it is designed to encourage a school improvement process that is ongoing and task driven, resulting in continuous engagement and improvement.

Alaska STEPP’s Six Domains ...•Curriculum•Assessment•Instruction•Supportive Learning Environment•Professional Development•LeadershipWithin those domains are 32 assessment INDICATORS.

STEPP Indicators & Rubrics Schools

Where to Find the Rubric• On the Dashboard click on the highlighted Alaska STEPP – School Indicators link• Click on the Assess square in the middle of

the page.

OR, For a paper copy• Go to the EED homepage, click on the orange Support Tab• Click on the orange Alaska STEPP Tab• Click on Alaska STEPP Domains and Indicators Rubric for Schoolshttp://education.alaska.gov/aksupport/akstepp/Alaska-STEPP-Domains-Indicators-Rubric.pdf

Learn to navigate the tool.

Assess the INDICATORS and Create a Plan with a TEAM.

Enter the information in the online STEPP tool.

Assess, Plan, Continued Implementation & Monitoring.

How ‘DO’

educators use

STEPP??

Logging into STEPP

Power Points

Creator of STEPP

Looking at the Dashboard

Access to Main Menu Page and Navigation Toolbar

Looking at the Dashboard Complete Forms

Upload Folder

Forms to Complete

Review: Logging in & Looking at the Dashboard

LOGGING INGo to the EED Homepage Click on the orange Support Tab

Click on Alaska STEPP Login to Alaska STEPP

Click on Alaska STEPP Enter Login and Password

What is on the DASHBOARD ??• Site name is noted in the left hand corner.• Four Tabs are across the top: Home, Complete Forms,

Submit Forms/Reports, and Docs & Links.• Click on Alaska STEPP – School Indicators to enter into

online tools and Navigation Toolbar.

OR GO TO http://www.Indistar.org

Finding the Main Menu Page and Navigation Toolbar

Click on the highlighted Alaska STEPP – School Indicators bar

Get to the Main Menu Page & Navigation Toolbar

Finding the Navigation Toolbar

MAIN MENU Page

Navigation Toolbar

Navigation Toolbar icons

MAIN MENU

STEPP Search Login to STEPP using Login – ak & Password – ak. With a partner, complete each item.

1. Find the Demographics of a school. 2. Add a person to the School Team.3. Delete a person from the School Team.4. Find the domains of effective practice.5. Assess an indicator.6. Create a plan for an assessed indicator.7. Monitor an indicator that has tasks.8. Create a Task Report.9. Create a ‘Where are we Now’? Report.10. Create a new Meeting Agenda.

USING STEPP WITH A TEAM1. Document a data analysis using the ‘School

Needs Assessment Form’.2. As a team, use the results from the Needs

Assessment to Assess the applicable indicators with the Planning Worksheet and the Indicators Rubric for Schools.

3. Create a plan by writing objectives and adding tasks.

4. Monitor and adjust continuously throughout the year.

Filling out the Needs Assessment

Needs Assessment• Needs Assessment form is located on the

dashboard.• Analyze state assessment data and

MAP/AIMSWeb/Diebels/Attendance/Graduation Rate/Behavior/Perception data.

• School wide goals for areas of need in reading, writing, and math are provided.

• Analyze subgroup data. • Write specific goals if necessary.• Write a narrative summary of site’s strengths

and weaknesses.

Where to find the School Needs Assessment Form• Go to the Dashboard of your site’s STEPP

account.•

• Find the Complete Forms• The Needs Assessment Form link will be visible.• Fill the Report out, Save, Upload into the

Document Upload Folder, and submit under the Submit Forms/Reports Tab.

Here

The intention of the Department of EED is that schools will fill out the School Needs Assessment form after a data analysis session so they can get an accurate look at the areas of need in their schools.This drives the continuous school improvement process.

How to Assess Indicators• In your site’s STEPP account, use the

Navigation Toolbar to find the worksheet icon; print several copies of the Assess (blank) worksheet.

• With your STEPP Team, using the Rubric & Worksheet, document what practices are currently being implemented at your site. Each school might assess different indicators depending on their designation or on the results of the ‘Needs Assessment’

• Or, enter assessment information right into Alaska STEPP, the online tool

Use the Navigation Toolbar

Worksheets

Assess

AssessingIndicators Worksheet

AssessingIndicators Online

Click Here

Choose an Indicator

Enter the score and describe

why that number was chosen.

How to Create a Plan: Write Objectives and Add Tasks

In your site’s STEPP account, use the Navigation Toolbar to find the worksheet icon; print several

copies of the Plan (blank) worksheet.• With your STEPP Team, using the Rubric &

Worksheet, write objectives and add tasks.• Enter the data from the Assess & Plan

Worksheets into STEPP and begin Monitoring your site’s progress.

Create a Plan by Writing Objectives and Adding Tasks using the Planning Worksheet

Click Here

Add a task

Write and Objective

Creating a Plan: Writing Objectives and Adding TasksOnline

Monitor Tasks Online

Click Here Choose a Task

Make comments and track progress.

Comprehensive Plan Report

Alaska STEPP is an online, continuous improvement planning tool that puts the emphasis on the process

and takes it off of the paperwork.

Alaska STEPP is based on the Continuous Improvement Model

Plan

Implement

Monitor (assess)

Revise (plan)

Implement

Assess

Alaska STEPP is a Framework

It provides school and district teams with an organizational tool for

planning & documenting their work.

Alaska STEPP is a Process

Teams monitor the implementation of their plan over the course of the year. The plan is never finished and teams continuously assess,plan, and monitor.

Alaska STEPP is Adaptable

It is designed to be flexible in order to meet the individual needs of Alaska’s diverse schools and districts.

Alaska STEPP is a team driven process for school improvement.

Alaska STEPP is:•Continuous

•Comprehensive •Team-oriented

However…. STEPP is not a Magic Bullet!!!

REVIEW Can you find your site’s

Dashboard & Navigation Tool in STEPP?

Do you know the difference between the ‘Needs Assessment’ & Assessing Indicators?

Do you know how to Assess Indicators and Create a Plan using printable worksheets, or using the online tool?

Can you describe how the continuous cycle of Assess, Create/Plan & Monitor is different than the previous paper school improvement process?

First Steps• School STEPP teams are formed and have

regular meetings scheduled.• Complete a Data Analysis & Needs Assessment. • Make sure the chosen indicators meet the

requirements of school designation and star rating and are based on areas of greatest need.

• Make sure the objectives and tasks created get your school from where you are, to where you want to go. Are the tasks realistic? Is the timeline for completion realistic?

• Schedule at least one meetings per month for the entire school year.

Form Team

Create PlanImplement

Monitor

Assess

Yearly Flow of Work for Schools

For additional information about Alaska STEPP

Contact:Patricia Farrenpatricia.farren@alaska.gov Ph# 907-465-2892Sheila Boxsheila.box@alaska.gov Ph# 907-465-8743Brad Billingsbrad.billings@alaska.gov Ph# 907-465-8720