JazzEd: A ShortTerm Plan

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JazzEd A Short-Term Plan Long-Term Vision
for Public Education in New OrleansFebruary 15,
2008

• Team 8
• Abbey Goldstein
• Christina Steiner
• Colin Murphy

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Executive Summary
Moving forward, RSD must
Catastrophic Katrina exacerbates problems with
education in New Orleans
RSD continues to face a number of pressing issues

• Use long-term vision to drive short-term plans
• Execute phased implementation plan over next
  18-24 months
• Focus on changing organizational structures,
  information/decision flows, people and rewards

• Before Katrina OPSB ranked 67th (out of 68) in
  BESE schools RSD takes shape
• Destruction shatters RSD OPSB school
  infrastructure, displacing 1000s of NO students

• Slow rebuilding of facilities in the face of
  increasing enrollment
• Shortage of experienced educators
• Overall lack of trust between education system
  community

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Current Situation Facing New Orleans RSD
The RSD is faced with a number of burning issues.

• Devastated Physical Infrastructure
• Debt Overhang on OPSBRSD
• Ill-Coordination with Charter Schools
• Public Disinformation on Choice Charter Schools
• Teacher Experience-deficit
• Underserved Special Education Students
• Looming Influx of Additional Students
• Lack of Trust Between Districts, Schools
  Communities
• Loss of Resources Due to Duplicate Services
• Prominent Racial / Cultural Tensions

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Moving RSD Forward Long-Term Vision Priorities
Long-Term Vision for New Orleans Public
Education By leveraging the benefits of autonomy
with the discipline of accountability, the
district will create versatile thinkers with the
dynamic skill-sets necessary to succeed and
contribute in society, through a culture of
embedded teamwork, and free-flowing communication
among educators, students and community.
Understanding RSDs current weakened
capabilities, what short-term levers can be
pulled and initiatives rolled out to begin
closing the gap?
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Moving RSD Forward Short-Term Plan (18 24 mos.)
Our short-term, phased plan is driven by our
long-term vision and framed by key levers for
implementing change.

• Focused on Key Implementation Levers
• Activities and initiatives addressed through 4
  key change levers
• Ensures breadth, depth and consistency
• Multi-Phased Approach
• Over-lapping phases characterized by initiatives
  in prominent levers
• Clearly-Defined Tracked Milestones

Priorities Vision
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Phase 0 Fix the Bus
Notable Milestones
Key Activities/Initiatives
Structure Support

• Leadership teams organized by Vallas
• Charter school guidelines calendar and special
  ed
• Aggressive construction effort
• Work to close FEMA PA gap

Charter school guideline document produced
Information Decision Flows

• RSD rebranding campaign
• Digitize student information system
• Voice Choice website
• Teacher Wiki program

Voice and Choice and teacher Wiki prototype
Mentor teachers selected, hired, and trained
People

• Paid mentorship program OPSB teachers and RSD
  teachers
• Introduce concept of team-based workplace

Evaluation scorecards chosen by every school
Rewards

• Introduce shared accountability payout structure
• Develop various peer evaluation scorecards

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Phase I Take Your Seats
Notable Milestones
Key Activities/Initiatives
Structure Support

• Intimate, horizontal learning communities led by
  member of leadership team
• Charter Leadership Center (LC)

Learning communities assigned
Information Decision Flows

• Voice and Choice Publish and distribute hard
  copies

Begin procurement for Charter LC
Increased use of centralized registration system
People

• IT resource training for teachers and
  administrators
• Best Practice retreats for teachers

First set of quarterly peer evaluations completed
Rewards

• Implement shared accountability system (Quarterly
  evaluations with cumulative evaluation after LEAP
  results)

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Phase II Off to School
Notable Milestones
Key Activities/Initiatives
Structure Support

• More instructional and financial autonomy to
  learning communities

Learning communities complete self assessment
Information Decision Flows

• Expanded teacher Wiki program

Feedback survey available
People

• Teacher feedback regarding mentorship program,
  team-based workplace, and new IT resources

Teachers submit 1st round of voting
Rewards

• Implement Team Member voting process and salary
  step program

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Key Considerations Moving From Short to Long-Term

• Using Symbols Throughout Renewal
• Develop Positive and Consistent Symbols for the
  Community to Embrace (i.e., Choice Voice,
  JazzEd)
• Development of Scalable Structure
• Establish Processes for New Students
• Smooth Transition for New Schools
• Flexible Stability
• Build Momentum that Volatile Leadership Cannot
  Derail
• Solidifying Finances
• Success in the Classroom Could Yield Significant
  External Funding
• Strategies to Smooth Revenue Volatility, Cost
  Reductions Cash Flow

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Stakeholder Analysis
Key Stakeholders
Key Issues
RSD Response Tactics
Students Parents

• Psychological Safety
• Transparency
• Quality Experience

• Philosophy of Teamwork/ Caring
• Voice Choice- Community Outreach

RSD Teachers

• Instructional Support
• Professional Development
• Compensation

• Learning Communities
• Best Practices Conferences
• Lesson Wiki

Principals

• Financial Support
• Operational Support
• Exemplary Models

• Learning Communities
• Open Continuous Communication from RSD Admin

Charter Schools

• Special Education
• Data Management Support

• Use of Overhead / SE Tax
• Use of Shared IT Infrastructure

OPSB

• Financial Stability
• Results

• Constantly Communicate Progress to OPSB

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Critical Success Factors Short Long-Term

• Short-Term
• Establish Efficient Information Systems
• Engage Teachers Effectively in the Vision
• Breakdown Cultural Barriers
• Long-Term
• Increase Funding for Technological Improvement
• Transition Towards Autonomy
• Innovate in Professional Development
• Analyze Historical Trends and Develop Predictive
  Data Mining Techniques

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Appendix
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Financial Management Considerations

• Reducing Volatility in Revenue Stream
• Press legislature for expedited overhaul of
  property tax system
• Consider taxing properties wider, less transient base
• Continuing to Lobby for FEMA Funds
• Public Assistance Funds Determine what evidence
  FEMA wants and prove why damage funds closer to
  600MM (rather than 320MM) 58MM more due to
  legislation change
• Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
  additional 90MM
• Seeking Additional Revenue Sources
• Federal Lobby for more Community Disaster Loans
• State Local Using Business Tax Credits to
  Incentivize Grants
• Taxing of administrative overhead to Charter
  schools
• Issuing additional GO Debt (currently 150MM in
  outstanding GO Debt)
• Streamlining Costs Generating Cash
• Continued effort to consolidate / gain economies
  of scale for basic support operations among NO
  schools (e.g., purchasing, busing, school
  lunches, etc.)
• Improve Cash Conversion Cycle ? Slow payments to
  suppliers

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Key Figures Lessons Learned Elsewhere
Philadelphia, PA
Chicago, IL
New York, NY

• Facts Figures
• 2.20B Budget
• Local 34
• State 57
• Fed 9
• Debt obligation 20 of budget
• 17 to 1 Student/Teacher
• 13,100 avg spend / child
• Lessons
• Corporate HQ model, top-down pushing of programs
  successful, for-profit ownership difficulties

• Facts Figures
• 17B Budget
• Local TBD
• State TBD
• Fed TBD
• Debt obligation TBD of budget
• 13 to 1 Student/Teacher
• 16,300 avg spend / child
• Lessons
• Centrally seized all schools, use of
  Empowerment Zones, positioning for autonomy

• Facts Figures
• 4.64B Budget
• Local 44
• State 35
• Fed 19
• Debt obligation 6 of budget
• 16 to 1 Student/Teacher
• 11,250 avg spend / child
• Lessons
• Shift from district mgmt to district support,
  business centers, customer perspective,
  partition into smaller chunks

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Centralized vs. De-Centralized Structures
Executive Loss of Power Possible Loss of
Efficiency
Executive Dictates Rules Standardization of
Outcomes

• Lower Levels Bound by Decisions
• Controlled Innovation

• People Empowered to Solve Problems
• Higher Levels of Innovation

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Possible Initiative Team Leader Scorecard
OBJECTIVE Increase grade level and team
effectiveness by designating experienced teachers
as team leaders and providing incentives for
team leaders to increase the effectiveness and
collaboration within the team.
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Possible Initiative Example of Team Leader
Scorecard
Illustrative
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Possible Initiative Concepts of Professional
Development
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Tacit
Explicit
Embedded in individual experience, beliefs and
values
Able to be written down
Invite exceptional teachers to share best
practices (classroom culture, leveraging
community involvement and parents, student
centered learning, etc)
Wiki for Lesson Plans, Worksheets, Project
Descriptions, etc.
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Possible Initiative New Teacher Timeline
Hire By Principal
Salary Step
Majority Vote Yes
Ongoing Professional Development
Team Induction
Team Vote
LEAP Tests
Majority Vote No
Talent Pool
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Possible Initiative Voice Choice Community
Publication