The HWRSD Strategic Plan: A Quantitative and Qualitative Perspective

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The HWRSD Strategic Plan A Quantitative and
Qualitative Perspective
School Committee Forum November 29, 2007 Marinel
D. McGrath Superintendent of Schools
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Agenda

• Background
• How are we doing?
• Where are the gaps?
• What would it take to deliver the strategic plan?

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What is the Strategic Plan?

• The HW Strategic Plan was developed during the
  2004-2005 school year through a broad based
  community effort with involved approximately 300
  teachers, students, parents, and community
  members.
• The plan includes targets and benchmarks and a
  process for monitoring and adjusting strategies
  to meet the targets.
• The district conducts an annual review to assess
  progress and to incorporate new priorities as
  needed.

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How Are We Doing? 1/3

• We have maintained our instructional program as
  evidenced by
• test scores that are above the state average
  although we have yet to make adequate yearly
  progress (AYP) for some subgroups.
• continuing to have a good balance of arts and
  academics although we lack breadth of program at
  the high school level.
• solid staff development programming for teachers
  although it is all funded through grants
• preserving extracurricular and athletic programs
  through 100 user fees.

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How are we doing?
2/3

• Essential programs target class size average
  have not been maintained
• Fewer high school electives
• Single language high school no elementary
  program and a limited middle school program - 3
  days/week
• Technology needs are unfunded
• No technology investment in the operating budget
• Insufficient outdated technology incompatible
  with current educational software
• Facility improvements are deferred
• Deferred facilities maintenance improvements
  are crisis driven and, therefore, more costly

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How are we doing?
3/3

• In-district programs to support every student are
  lagging
• User fees are 100
• Intervention resources are insufficient
• Reading support counseling guidance tutoring
  programs for at-risk students increased special
  education referrals and outplacements
• Unable to replace outdated instructional
  materials
• Textbooks and materials are 7-18 years old
• Professional development is compromised
• Grants provide ALL of the funding for staff
  development

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The Strategic Plans Eight Major Themes

• School Culture Climate
• Curriculum, Instruction Assessment
• Student Support Services Regular and Special
  Education
• Personnel Professional Development
• Facilities Technology
• Community Relations Communication
• Organizational Renewal, Leadership Management
• Educational Funding

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Four for FocusThe Greatest Impact on Student
Achievement

• School Culture Climate
• Curriculum, Instruction Assessment
• Student Support Services Regular Special
  Education
• Personnel Professional Development
• Facilities Technology
• Community Relations Communication
• Organizational Renewal, Leadership Management
• Educational Funding

Although we have funded elements of the plan that
had little cost, were revenue free, or grant
funded there is much in the plan that has not
been funded due to unavailable revenue.
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Total UNFUNDED Cost of Strategic Plan (FY05-FY08)

• Total unfunded cost 4.2 M
• Includes both program expenses and salaries
• Salaries approx. 49
• Large Curriculum, Instruction Assessment
  reflects associated salaries
• 10 for Facilities safety and special projects
  only
• Major facilities expenses are included in a
  separate capital plan

11 BE
7 EF
38 C,I,A
20 T
14 SSS
10 F
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Curriculum, Instruction Assessment

• Sufficient personnel to maintain student teacher
  ratios, class size and essential instructional
  programs tools and resources to manage
  curriculum and student assessments investment in
  professional development to retain staff
• Salaries 1.5M (27.6 FTEs across all
  schools)
• Expenses 241,500 (textbooks software)
• The equivalent of 811,000 was lost in FY07

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Student Support Services Regular Education
Special Education

• School districts are required by law to meet the
  educational needs of ALL students.
• Incremental programs are needed across grade
  levels to address such issues as
• reading/writing learning disabilities (grade
  2-6)
• alternative program (grades 6-8) and
• compliance w/DOE regular special education
  requirements.
• Salaries 588,450 (11.9 FTEs across all
  schools)
• Expenses 50,022 (late bus, assistive
  technology)

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Facilities

• Prioritization of needs of the five schools in
  the areas of facilities, grounds, maintenance and
  capital expenditures.
• NEASC citations for repairs are also considered.
  
• Expenses approx. 420,000
• (safety and security projects, given
  priority and special projects)

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Technology

• Adequate technology required for instruction and
  administration of the school district as per tech
  plan
• No current ability to purchase requisite
  hardware, software, or web-based applications.
• Salaries 154,566 (5 FTEs across all
  schools)
• Expenses 736,605 (hardware, software,
  network
• 
  infrastructure)

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Educational Funding (How we fund our
requirements)

• Need adequate operating budget funding to support
  vital public school programs.
• Pursue government private grants to augment
  operating budget.
• Annual Textbook Acquisitions 200,000
• Staff Development Expenses 241,000
• K-12 X-Curric Athletic Programs 311,280
• Other Continue lobbying for equitable Ch 70
  funding
• Lobby for relief from unfunded
  mandates

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Benefit Expense

• Benefits for the FTEs associated with the
  Strategic Plan include health insurance, life
  insurance, Medicaid at 1.4 of gross salary.
• Expenses 524,648 (44.5 FTEs across all
  schools)

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Other Considerations

• Rebuilding of programs may not require a
  one-for-one correspondence between what was lost
  and what is needed for a quality education
  program today
• e.g. teacher profile and skill set the drafting
  class is now a CAD class
• Service delivery models have changed in both
  regular and special education
• Always looking for synergies in programs,
  facilities, and administration

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Summary A Look Forward
What are the priorities in the Strategic
Plan? What should be funded?
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HWRSD Vision an excerpt

• The HWRSD is committed to strong community
  relations efforts to meet the needs of Hamilton
  and Wenham today and in the future. The District
  develops and participates in partnerships with
  community groups including business and civic
  organizations.
• There is an understanding between the town
  governments and the District of the need for
  educational funding and other resources required
  to meet the high expectations of the member
  communities which include staffing, training,
  technology, facilities, materials and equipment.
• Key to the success of this partnership is in each
  entitys ability to recognize opportunities and
  fulfill its responsibilities to one another on
  behalf of HWRSD students.

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Next StepsHow YOU can become involved!

• Tonight - November 29
• We want to hear your feedback. What is important
  to you? What should the School Committee know?
• January February 2008
• January 17 Forum on Strategic Plan priorities
• Budget discussions Watch for joint-board
  meetings and attend!
• SC Finance Subcommittee meetings are open!
• March 2008
• Formal presentation of the FY 09 budget to the
  School Committee
• Forums for education and explanation of the
  Budget
• March 31 School Committee votes FY 09 Budget

If you wait until March it is too late to make
changes! The window for input and to influence is
NOW - February!
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Strategic Plan What are YOUR Priorities?

• Alternative Program, Grades 6-8
• MS Foreign Language MS Spanish, 5 days/week
• HS Foreign Lang. Spanish 2 Latin/Ger/Fren/Chin
  /Arabic
• HS A1 Skills Teachers
• Instructional Technology
• Lower athletic and extracurricular fees
• Reading/Writing Learning Disabilities Program,
  Gr. 4-6
• Support Staff K-12 Adjustment Counselors
  Psychologists HS Guidance
• Support Staff - MS HS Custodians HS SPED
  Clerical
• Teachers - Maintain class size HS Electives (E,
  MS, HS )