ACSIP Institute

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ACSIP Institute

• A Commitment to School Improvement

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We can, whenever and wherever we choose,
successfully teach all children whose schooling
is of interest to us. We already know more than
we need to do that. Whether or not we do it,
must finally depend on how we feel about the fact
that we havent so far. -Ron Edmonds
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There is now conclusive, compelling research
stating that acting as a Professional Learning
Community is the most powerful and effective
process to systemically change school culture and
improve student learning.
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PLC Conceptual Framework

• A solid foundation consisting of collaboratively
  developed and widely shared mission, vision,
  values, and goals,
• Collaborative teams that work interdependently to
  achieve common goals, and
• Focus on results as evidenced by a commitment to
  continuous improvement

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Laying the Foundation of a PLC Shared Mission,
Vision, Values, Goals
What kind of school do we hope to become?
How must we behave in order to create the kind of
school we hope to become?
Why do we exist?
What steps are we going to take and when will we
take them?
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Developing High-Performing, Collaborative Teams

• Clarify the intended outcomes of each grade
  level, course, or unit of instruction (curriculum
  mapping alignment)
• Develop common assessments that they consider
  valid measures of student mastery (FOCUS
  assessments)
• Jointly analyze student achievement data, draw
  conclusions, establish team improvement goals
  (CRT, NRT, FOCUS data disaggregation)
• Support one another share strategies
  materials as they work together to accomplish
  goals that they could not achieve by working
  alone (common planning peer observations)
• Engage in collective inquiry action research to
  discover best practices to expand their
  professional expertise (research team, book
  study, teacher reflection goal-setting,
  professional development, etc.)

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Developing a Results-Oriented Culture

• Attempts at school improvement are judged on the
  basis of how student learning is affected

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3 BIG Ideas of Professional Learning Communities

• Exactly what is it we want all students to learn?
  (essential learning)
• How will we know when each student has acquired
  the essential knowledge and skills? (formative
  summative assessments)
• What happens in our school when a student does
  not learn? (multi-tiered model of interventions)

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Multi-tiered Intervention Model
Academic Systems
Behavioral Systems
1-5
1-5
5-10
5-10
80-90
80-90
Adapted from Horner Sugai
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When Failure Is NOT An Option

• Apollo 13

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If you want to change and improve the climate
and outcomes of schoolingboth for students and
teachers, there are features of the school
culture that have to be changed, and if they are
not changed, your well-intentioned efforts will
be defeated. -Seymore Sarason (1996)
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Why change?

• Shift happens

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Changing the school culture so that it becomes a
professional learning community involves

• Collaboration
• Developing mission, vision, values, goals
• Focusing on learning
• Leadership
• Focused school improvement plans
• Celebration
• Persistence

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Collaboration

• Collaboration is embedded in routine practices.
• Time for collaboration is built into the school
  day and school calendar.
• Products of collaboration are made explicit.
• Team norms guide collaboration.
• Teams pursue specific and measurable performance
  goals.
• Teams focus on key questions associated with
  learning.
• Teams have access to relevant information.

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Mission

• Statements clarify what students will learn.
• Statements address the question, How will we
  know what students are learning?
• Statements clarify how the school will respond
  when students do not learn.

The mission statement is reflected in the goals
and actions of the plan.
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Boones Mill Elementary School MissionIt is the
mission of Boones Mill Elementary School to
provide its students with opportunities designed
to meet individual needs and to ensure that every
child has experiences that promote growth in each
area of development. Through mutual respect
within the total school community, our children
will grow and learn in a positive atmosphere
where faculty, staff, parents, and students
together are enthusiastic about the
teaching/learning process.
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Vision

• Statements are research-based.
• Statements are credible and focus on the
  essentials.
• Statements are used as a blueprint for
  improvement.
• Statements are widely shared through broad
  collaboration.

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Boones Mill Elementary School VisionWe believe
that the most promising strategy for achieving
the mission of BMES is to develop our capacity to
function as a professional learning community.
We envision a school in which staffunite to
achieve a common purpose and clear goalswork
together in collaborative teamsseek and
implement promising strategies for improving
student achievement on a continuing
basismonitor each students progress
anddemonstrate a personal commitment to the
academic success and general well-being of all
students.
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Values

• Values are linked to vision.
• Statements are few in number.
• Statements are used as a blueprint for
  improvement.
• Values are articulated as behaviors and
  commitments.

How do we need to behave if we are going to
become the kind of school we said we seek to
become?
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Focus on Learning

• What exactly do we expect students to learn?
• How will we know what students are learning?
• How can we assist and support students in their
  learning?
• Based on a collaborative analysis of the results
  of our efforts, what can we do to improve student
  learning?
• How can we recognize and celebrate improvements
  in student learning?

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Multiple Measures

• Demographics
• Enrollment, attendance, drop-out rate, ethnicity,
  gender, grade level
• Perceptions
• Perceptions of learning environment, values
  beliefs, attitudes, observations
• Student Learning
• Standardized tests (NRT/CRT), teacher
  observations of abilities, authentic assessments
• School Processes
• Description of school programs processes

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Disaggregating data is not a problem-solving
strategy. Rather it is a problem-finding
strategy. -Larry Lezotte, 1999
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Criterion-Referenced Data

• Whats required?
• Proficiency percentages for combined pop.
  identifiable subgroups by
• Test
• Year (for latest 3 years)
• Analysis of test by
• Passage type type of response for literacy
• Writing domain multiple choice for literacy
• Strand type of response for math
• in order to identify trends and draw conclusions
  based on results over 3 year period

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Step I. Whats the problem?
Decision Making Tool
Is this an individual student problem or a larger
systemic problem?
Are between
Are over 20 of
Are 5 or fewer
5 and 20 of
students struggling?
students struggling?
students struggling?
Go to problem definition
Go to problem definition
Examine instruction, curriculum and environment
for needed adaptations and develop group
intervention
Develop small
Develop intervention
group
intervention
Go to
adapted from Heartland AEA 11, Improving
Childrens Educational Results
intervention
evaluation
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Norm-Referenced Data

• Whats required?
• Percentage of students performing at or above the
  50th percentile rank mean standard score for
  combined population identifiable subgroups by
• Test
• Year
• Analysis of test by
• Content subskill skill cluster
• in order to identify trends, measure growth, and
  draw conclusions based on results over 2 year
  period

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Disaggregated Data Tools

• CRT
• ACSIP Template and of students
  non-proficient/proficient for combined and
  subgroup populations
• ACSIP Strand Performance Report combined and
  subgroup performance averages by test, passage
  type/domain/strand, type of response
• Data Analysis Set cwatts_at_afsc.k12.ar.us

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DATA SUMMARY REPORT BENCHMARK RESULTS
KEY actual number of students NP
percentage of non-proficient students P
percentage of proficient advanced students
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KEY actual number of students NP
percentage of non-proficient students P
percentage of proficient advanced students
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Needs Assessment Goal-Setting

• Data

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Goals

• Statements are linked to mission and vision.
• Goals are few in number.
• Goals focus on desired outcome.
• Goals are translated into measurable performance
  standards.
• Goals are monitored continuously.
• Goals are designed to produce short-term wins and
  also stretch aspirations.

This is a conclusion of a needs assessment which
should narrow the focus of the priority by
addressing specific weaknesses based on data
disaggregation/analysis and trend data.
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Sample Improvement Goal

• All third grade students will exhibit proficiency
  on 2007-2008 common assessments and the 2007-2008
  Primary Benchmark in responding to open-ended
  questions, particularly in literary reading
  responses for the Combined and Caucasian
  populations and in practical reading responses
  for the IEP population.

Goal statements inclusive of ALL students are
worthy goals. However, if needs vary by
subgroup, address their weaknesses in appropriate
goal statements linked to data.
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Needs Assessment Goal-Setting

• Goals

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Disaggregated Data Tools

• NRT
• ITBS ACSIP Report of students performing
  above the 50th percentile on each test and
  content subskill for combined subgroup
  populations
• Performance Profile standard score NPR on
  each test and content subskill for combined
  population
• School Coded Summary standard score NPR on
  each test for subgroup populations
• Data Analysis Set cwatts_at_afsc.k12.ar.us

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NRT Growth Assessment
Standard Scores Show relative development over
time
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Item-By-Item Selections of Correct
Answers Combined Population
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SLE Analysis
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SLE Analysis
Source Learning 24/7
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Digging Deeper

• CRT Item Analysis
• Content Standard
• Language of Question
• Level of Questioning
• Distracters

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Content Standard

• What is it that the student must know or be able
  to do?
• When is this introduced in the curriculum?
• How is it paced?
• Is it a power standard?
• What instructional strategies are used to help
  students master this standard?
• Have I given students the tools (e.g.
  calculator skills, writing tips, test taking
  skills, etc.) necessary to respond appropriately?
• Can this standard easily be integrated into other
  curricular areas?

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Language of Question

• How is the question worded on the test?
• Are there vocabulary words used that may hinder
  comprehension?
• Do I teach and test using the same language?
• Do I have word/learning walls in my content area
  to support this standard and related vocabulary?

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Level of Questioning

• According to Blooms, what is the level of
  questioning used to measure mastery of the
  standard?
• Highlight the verb(s) in the question. Do I use
  those same verbs in my teaching and testing?
• Have I taught key or clue words that will
  help students to understand what is being asked
  of them?
• Is the question multi-layered?

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Distracters

• Are there items that distract the student from
  identifying what is being asked, or are there
  items that may confuse the student as he/she
  makes an answer choice?
• Labels
• Additional information
• Multi-layered tasks
• Conversions
• Not

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• SLE Correlation NPO 1.3 (prior to 2004
  revisions) which states
• Apply and master counting, grouping, place value,
  and estimation.
• Item Analysis
• -What must the student know or be able to do?
  Content Standard
• -How is the question worded on the test?
  Language of the Question
• -According to Blooms, what is the level of
  questioning used to measure mastery
• of the standard? Level of Questioning
• -Are there items that distract the student from
  identifying what is being asked, or are there
  items that may confuse the student as he/she
  makes an answer choice? Distracters

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Digging Deeper

• NRT Item Analysis
• Building Item Analysis
• Identify items that have a negative value of 10
  or more as indicated by the bar falling to the
  left of the 0 mark
• Analyze results of all related items

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Data analysis should not be about just
gathering data. It is very easy to get analysis
paralysis by spending time pulling data together
and not spending time using the
data. -Bernhardt, 2004, p. 19
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Sample Questions from a Schools Data Team

• Are there patterns of achievement based on
  Benchmark scores within subgroups?
• Are there patterns of placement for special
  programs by ethnicity, gender, etc.?
• What trends do we see with students who have
  entered our school early in their education vs.
  later? Is there a relationship between number of
  years at our school and our Benchmark scores?

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Sample Questions from a Schools Data Team

• Is there a relationship between
  attendance/tardiness and achievement?
• How do students who have been retained do later?
• How do our elementary students do in middle
  school?
• Do findings in our NRT results support findings
  in our CRT results?
• Can our findings be directly linked to
  curriculum? instruction? assessment?
• What are our next steps?

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Sample Benchmark Statement

• On the 2006-2007 Third Grade Literacy Primary
  Benchmark, 40 of the combined population, 37 of
  the African American population, 38 of the
  Caucasian population, 19 of the Hispanic
  population, 44 of the low socio-economic
  population, 44 of the ELL population, and 0 of
  the special education population scored
  proficient or above. In 2007-2008, 56.8 of all
  students must exhibit proficiency.

You are only required to have a Benchmark
statement for the Combined Population and for the
subgroups meeting the significant number (40) by
grade configuration.
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Needs Assessment Goal-Setting

• Benchmark Statement

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Interventions

• Major initiative to be put into place
• Focus is not on details of initiative, but on the
  overriding strategy youve hypothesized from data
  analysis and research as the solution to your
  difficulty

All interventions include scientifically based
research citations that include source, title,
author, and date. Research should include the
most current available research related to
targeted areas. ADE, Laws, Rules Regulations
are not considered appropriate scientific based
research citations.
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Actions

• Supporting activities required to effectively
  implement the research based interventions

All interventions have multiple, sequential steps
of sufficient detail required to implement and
maintain the intervention. Action statements are
stated detailed enough so that any attached
action types are clearly explained. Action
statements match any funding designations (ex.
If Salary Benefits, action should state what
position is being funded FTE). REFER TO RUBRIC
FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
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Needs Assessment Goal-Setting

• Interventions Actions

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Leadership

• Administrators are viewed as leaders of leaders.
  Teachers are viewed as transformational leaders.

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Focused School Improvement Plans

• School improvement plans focus on a few important
  goals that will affect student learning.
• The school improvement plan is the vehicle for
  organized, sustained school improvement.

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Successful School Improvement Planning

• Quality Indicators Questionnaire

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ACT 807

• Pending Rule Governing the Monitoring of Arkansas
  Comprehensive School Improvement Plans

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2.0 Purpose

• Comprehensive compliance development
  implementation of
• educational strategies
• assessment
• academic accountability resources
• as outlined in each public school public
  school districts ACSIP
• Use of Instructional Facilitators
• Ensure compliance with federal state law
  State Board of Education policies
• Provide technical assistance for program
  improvement

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4.0 Implementation

• 4.01 Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year and
  each year thereafter, the Arkansas Department of
  Education will conduct periodic comprehensive
  on-site monitoring reviews of school and school
  districts school improvement plans to verify
  that activities are being implemented in
  accordance with the approved application.

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5.0 Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan

• Focused on student achievement (5.01)
• Equal opportunity for all students to meet
  expected performance levels (5.02)
• Challenging goals, benchmarks, measurement
  processes, evaluation protocols (5.02.1)
• Based on data analysis (5.02.2)
• Use of categorical funding (5.02.3)
• Specifies allocation of funding resources
  (5.02.4)
• Outlines evaluation process (5.02.5)
• Includes cross section of stakeholders (5.02.6)

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5.0 Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan

• Subject to annual review (5.03)
• Special requirements for those classified in
  school improvement (5.04)
• Technical assistance (5.05)
• Focused on strengthening improving schools
  instructional program, specifically in
• Assessment data analysis
• Identification implementation of strategies
• Budget analysis (5.06)

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5.0 Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan

• Evaluation of the implementation and impact of
  interventions actions (5.07)
• Evaluation results included in ACSIP (5.08)

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6.0 Comprehensive Monitoring

• Department periodic monitoring (6.01)
• Determine whether school or district evaluation
  was conducted properly (6.01.1)
• Assess areas for revision (6.01.2)
• Review school/districts performance during
  preceding 2 years (6.01.3)
• Provide general assessment of educational
  practices use of funding (6.01.4)
• Review team recommendations (6.02)
• Determine compliance (6.03)

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7.0 Procedures for Comprehensive Monitoring

• On-site Monitoring (7.01)
• Preparation for On-site Visit (7.02)
• Monitoring Process (7.03)
• Administrative Review (7.03.1)
• Program Evaluation (7.03.2)
• School Level Review (7.03.3)
• Interviews (7.03.4)

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7.0 Procedures for Comprehensive Monitoring

• Written Monitoring Report (7.04)
• Implemented (7.04.1.1)
• Implementation in Progress (7.04.1.2)
• Partially Implemented (7.04.1.3)
• Not Implemented (7.04.1.4)
• Not Acceptable (7.04.1.5)
• Monitoring Response Report (7.05)

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Celebration

• School improvement plans focus on a few,
  important goals that will affect student
  learning.
• In addition to celebration and recognition when a
  standard is met, celebrations recognize
  improvement.
• The school works hard to create winners and
  celebrate their successes.
• Celebrations are linked to the vision and values
  of the school and improved student achievement.

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Persistence

• The school is committed to staying the course
  in the attainment of the school vision. New
  initiatives are only implemented if it is
  determined that the change will help the school
  achieve its vision of the future.
• The leaders role is to promote, protect, and
  defend the schools vision and values and to
  confront behavior that is incongruent with the
  schools vision and values.

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Staying the Course

• Together