A Framework and Process for School Improvement that Works!

A Framework and Process for School
Improvement that Works!
Results from Trusty Elementary School!
Trusty Elementary School !
Fort Smith, AR !
School Improvement
Project
(unionized state) !
•  342 students K-6!
•  95% economically
disadvantaged !
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Results from a Osceola Middle School!
Osceola Middle School is
a rural school in
Northeast Arkansas
(unionized state). !
•  113 students in grades
6-8 !
•  89% economically
disadvantaged !
•  15% of the students
with disabilities!
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Experience in Applying and Continually Improving the
Model !
Mississippi – Contracts since 2000 – 544 !
Arkansas – In the past 3 years – 238 !
Louisiana – In the past 3 years – 287 !
Alabama – In the past 3 years – 45!
Missouri – Systemic Improvement in Grandview
School District – 2012-13 and 2013-14 !
Georgia – new state this year: approved School
Improvement provider !
Northeast – Common Core Literacy and Math; Middle
School Quality Initiative (90 schools this year)!
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The Process !
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The Process !
Goals: !
!
•  Increase expectations (implementation precedes belief)!
•  Build capacity; improve practice (leadership and teacher)
resulting in increased student achievement!
•  Build collaborative culture !
!
Methods:
(45-45-10 estimated)!
!
•  Assess current state, set goals, create a plan!
•  I do, we do, you do (modeling the work of principal, admin
team, classroom teachers)!
•  Professional development one-on-one and through
collaborative learning teams!
•  Shift laser focus to instruction and support: !
•  Administrators – with teachers and utilizing admin
teams; focus on effective instruction and support
needed for teachers and students!
•  Teachers – focus on engagement, effective strategies,
who’s making it and what to do about it!
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The Shift in Thinking !
Focus Through Six Essential Practices – Practice of Adults !
!
•  Culture and Climate that Promotes Learning !
•  Student becomes center of decisions!
•  A Rigorous Standards Based Curriculum!
•  Shift from textbook or program to standards!
•  A School-wide Assessment Framework !
•  Who’s making it, who’s not; what will we do about it!
•  Effective Instruction in Every Classroom !
•  Differentiated supervision and support; all teachers!
•  Organizational Structures that Promote Learning!
•  Time, schedule, calendars, policies, processes!
•  Strong Home, School, and Community Partnerships !
•  From excuses or blame to communicating and including!
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Continuous Cycle of Improvement and Support Used !
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Implementation Rollout !
Diagnose: Assess current baseline state of
professional practice!
!
Plan: Create a plan of action with goals and
strategies !
!
Set up instructional structures!
1.  Leadership structures !
2.  Rigorous curriculum resources and
processes !
3.  Instructional Focus Calendar !
4.  EP focus area requirements!
!
Implement: !
Continually observe practice, providing
support (modeling and feedback), assessing
progress, determining next steps; learning
one-to-one and in teams!
!
Monitor: Utilize rubrics, tools, and PD goals to
assess progress and plan next steps!
!
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Resources and Tools Used !
Generation Ready’s
Practice to Evidence Continuum
Framework:
Six Essential Practices
Indicators:
Underneath Essential
Practices
Descriptions:
Underneath Indicators
Skills:
Underneath
Descriptions
Evidence:
Underneath Skills
Essential Practice Rubrics!
Teacher Effectiveness Rubrics !
Leadership Effectiveness Rubrics !
Observation
Rounds Forms
and Targeted
Rubrics !
What should I
see criteria!
Learn Library!
•  CCSS
Instructional
Guides!
•  Conversation
Guides!
•  Discussion
Protocols !
•  Video Examples !
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The Automaticity !
!
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• 
• 
• 
Who’s making it, and how do you know? !
Who’s not making it? !
How do you know? !
What are we going to do about it? !
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The Process: Typical Day !
Time !
Activity!
7:00!
Monitor student arrival and start up!
7:45 !
Discuss progress since last visit and plan day’s work !
8:15 !
School-wide walkthrough to complete data on engagement and instruction !
9:00 !
Review of school-wide walkthrough with principal and admin; review and discuss data and progress; update
goals on plan !
9:30 !
Classroom visit Teacher A; complete observation; debrief; compare results; determine teacher support
next steps; schedule feedback !
10:15 !
Classroom visit Teacher B; complete observation; debrief; compare results; plan teacher support next
steps; schedule feedback!
10:45 !
Joint feedback conference with Teacher A; model for admin team; principal reviews next support steps
with Teacher A !
11:30 !
Modeling of Reciprocal Reading with small groups for Teacher C; Principal and Literacy Coach support and
shadow; debrief with teacher; debrief as admin team; plan time with Literacy Coach will model in additional
teacher rooms !
1:00 !
Collaborative planning session with grade 6 teachers; review student work and progress and plan
strategies or next unit; focus on engagement strategies !
2:00 !
Review work of Response to Intervention Team and student progress; adjust plan !
3:00 !
Feedback conference with Teacher B and C; principal conducts with consultant support; provide feedback
to principal following and plan next steps !
4:00 !
Assess progress on school plan and on teacher plans and relate to progress on Essential Practice rubric;
based on progress adjust next steps; determine consultant’s next steps to support !
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Goal of the Improvement Process !
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Research Base – Actual and Action !
The framework of improvement uses the Six Essential
Practices based (in part) on the research of:!
!
•  Dr. Ron Edmonds and Dr. Larry Lezotte (Lezotte, 1991);
Effective Schools research!
•  Job-embedded coaching (Joyce, 2002) !
•  The change process using data and reflective inquiry
(Langer, 1994) !
•  The gradual release of responsibility model (Fisher, 2008)
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1997)!
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Independent AR Legislative Report 2011!
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AR Students with IEPs - Results in 2010-11!
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