Oral Exit Report Quality Assurance Review Team District Accreditation

1
Oral Exit ReportQuality Assurance Review
TeamDistrict Accreditation
2
What does district accreditation involve?

• The capacity of a school system to address three
  major elements. As such, a school system must
• Meet standards for accreditation
• Demonstrate a systemic and continuous process of
  improvement and
• Implement methods that provide for quality
  assurance.

3
Defining the Need

• If we do not examine and improve the overall
  system at three levels the classroom, the
  school, and the district level - we will never
  have more than temporary havens of excellence
  that come and go.

4
Systems Approach

• District Accreditation is an integrated systemic
  process that examines how all elements of a
  system work in concert to the benefit of student
  learning.
• All Parts of the District
• Focus on a shared vision and goals for
  improvement
• Align operations to achieve shared vision and
  goals
• Connect improvement efforts

5
Role and ResponsibilitiesQuality Assurance Review

• Assess the capacity of the system to meet the
  standards
• Assess the efficacy and impact of the improvement
  process
• Assess the effectiveness of the systems methods
  for quality assurance
• Identify strengths of the system deserving of
  commendation and
• Develop recommendations which are designed to
  help strengthen the school system.

6
Procedures FollowedQuality Assurance Review

• The Quality Assurance Review Team
• Reviewed documentation provided by the school
  system
• Developed points of inquiry for the on-site
  review
• Established, in collaboration with district
  personnel, a schedule of activities and
  interactions that would provide for significant
  stakeholder involvement
• Conducted interviews of a representative set of
  stakeholders throughout the district and
• Engaged in professional deliberations as a team
  to consider the capacity of the school system to
  meet the requirements for district accreditation.

7
Interviews with Stakeholders

• During the on-site Quality Assurance Review, team
  members interviewed
• The Superintendent of Schools
• 7 members of the Board of Education
• 79 members of central staff
• 111 principals
• 144 school-based administrators
• 274 teachers and staff
• 117 parents and business partners
• 81 students
• TOTAL of 809 stakeholders

8
Evidential Process

• In considering the evidence as provided through
  data, documentation, observation, and dialogue,
  the Quality Assurance Team
• Sought a district perspective
• Pursued evidence that could be correlated through
  multiple sources
• Examined the context and capacity of the school
  system in relation to its vision, mission, and
  beliefs and
• Applied the criteria for accreditation.

9
Systems Approach

• System
• network of parts which function as a whole
• Systematic
• parts are organized, structured, arranged
• processes are planned and predictable
• Systemic
• all parts are interrelated, interdependent,
  aligned
• all parts contribute to shared purpose
• Sustainable
• capacity to endure, to embed and to maintain

10
Jefferson County Public Schools moving into the
future

• From
• pockets of excellence to a system of excellence
• random acts of improvement to coordinated,
  aligned acts of improvement
• a system of schools to a school system
• creating systematic processes to systemic and
  sustainable practices and processes

11
Summary of our Observations

• Strengthsrecent accomplishments achieved by the
  school district or conditions which benefit the
  school district.
• Commendationsprofessional commendations by the
  Quality Assurance Review Team.
• Challengesopportunities that the district may
  seek to address for further improvement or
  conditions which are potential barriers
• Recommendationsprofessional recommendations by
  the Quality Assurance Review Team.

12
Strengths

• Students
• Commitment to helping schools improve student
  achievement
• Commitment to provide students an education in a
  culturally diverse environment
• Diversity of program offerings designed to meet
  the needs of students (e.g. Every 1 Reads)
• Increased percentage of school-aged children
  attending JCPS
• Making gains in student achievement
• Student pride

13
Strengths

• Leadership
• Commitment of BOE to ensuring success for all
  students
• Strong, stable leadership throughout the central
  administration
• Dedication of SBDM Councils and PTAs to support
  local schools
• Leadership at the school level focused on meeting
  the needs of students
• Valuing diversity (programs and people)
• Commitment to recruit and develop leaders

14
Strengths

• Staff
• Level of academic preparation of professional
  staff (over 80 have advanced degrees)
• Deployment of staff to monitor and improve
  instruction (e.g. ILT, content area specialists,
  SAMS, instructional coaches)
• Commitment of staff to serve (e.g. central office
  to schools schools to parents and kids)
• Commitment to recruiting and retaining qualified
  professional and support staff
• Focused, collaborative, and talented professional
  staff

15
Strengths

• Community
• The community relations with business partners
  and city government
• Communication and public relations program to
  keep the community informed
• Providing community stakeholders the opportunity
  to contribute and support the local schools
• Significant level of financial support from
  business partners and private sector
• Being named one of the Top 100 Communities for
  Young People

16
Strengths

• Continuous Improvement
• Establishing a consistent, coherent school
  improvement planning framework
• Emphasis and focus on student performance and
  related data
• Commitment to quality assurance
• Support and assistance for local schools (e.g.
  Dialogue teams, coaching)
• Web-based framework for drafting plans

17
Commendations

• The Quality Assurance Review Team commends the
  Jefferson County Public Schools for
• Focusing and committing to meeting the needs of
  students through the leadership of the governing
  board and the professional staff
• Accessing and using data to improve student
  learning
• Developing and implementing a systematic
  framework for continuous improvement and quality
  assurance at the district and school level

18
Commendations

• The Quality Assurance Review Team commends the
  Jefferson County Public Schools for
• Implementing and supporting diverse modes of
  communication to provide and give parents and the
  community access to information about student
  achievement and the work of the schools and
  school district
• Allocating resources that support the teaching
  and learning process and that target identified
  needs for student success
• Valuing and making a commitment to diversity
  (people and programs)

19
Commendations

• The Quality Assurance Review Team commends the
  Jefferson County Public Schools for
• The dedication and support from the community to
  help meet the needs of students (e.g. JCPS
  Education Foundation, GE Grant, Every 1 Reads
  program including the 6,327 volunteer base, and
  Chamber of Commerce)

20
Challenges

• Managing the size and complexity of the district
• Committing to sustaining the momentum of positive
  results and initiatives
• Sustaining the tone conducive to a healthy and
  vibrant organization
• Demonstrating unified governance and leadership
• Building commitment to the vision, mission, and
  goals of the school system through the leadership
  of the BOE

21
Challenges

• Responding to the changing/shifting demographics
  and the diverse needs of students
• Creating systematic and systemic processes that
  support and align articulation for curriculum,
  instructional, professional development and
  assessment through district and school
  improvement planning
• Improving the quality of strategies/work
  processes designed for improvement at the school
  level

22
Challenges

• Connecting and balancing empowerment at the
  school level with direction at the district level
• Improving parental involvement and communication
  that helps their child succeed at school
• Knowing what you need to know to become a world
  class school district

23
Recommendations

• The Quality Assurance Review Team recommends that
  the Jefferson County Public Schools
• Conduct a formal process to review and revise the
  districts vision, mission, and core values
  through the leadership of the governing board and
  the participation of community and district
  stakeholders
• Ensure that the systems thinking that drives the
  work of the central administration is embedded,
  monitored, and supported at the school level

24
Recommendations

• The Quality Assurance Review Team recommends that
  the Jefferson County Public Schools
• Implement formal systematic and systemic vertical
  articulation strategies that support and sustain
  PK-12 instructional staff to engage in curriculum
  and instructional planning
• Build the capacity of the information and
  assessment systems to provide stakeholders with
  all pertinent data related to student performance
  (e.g. give real-time access to data that is
  reliable, valid, and useful)

25
Recommendations

• The Quality Assurance Review Team recommends that
  the Jefferson County Public Schools
• Provide guidance, training, and support to
  improve the capacity of all instructional staff
  at the school level to identify, execute, and
  monitor the impact of research-based strategies
  and activities for improving student learning

26
Next Steps

• A written report of our findings and observations
  will be drafted and sent to the Superintendent of
  Schools within 30 days.
• After receipt of the report, the district is
  expected to
• Review and communicate the findings and
  observations contained in the report
• Initiate steps to address the recommendations in
  the report
• Continue to monitor accreditation requirements
  for the system and its schools
• Monitor the execution and impact of strategies
  for improvement and
• Continue to engage methods that provide for
  quality assurance.

27
Final Recommendation

• The Quality Assurance Review Team recommends,
  without reservation, to the SACS CASI Board of
  Directors that the Jefferson County Public
  Schools be awarded District Accreditation as a
  quality school system.
• Once approved, the district and all its schools
  are granted a 5-year term accreditation.
• The district must commit to and provide evidence
  of addressing the recommendations in a Two-Year
  Progress Report. This is a requirement to
  maintain and sustain accreditation.

28
Final Thoughts

• On behalf of the Quality Assurance Team, I
  extend
• Our appreciation for your hospitality, support,
  and professionalism
• Our respect and acknowledgement of the quality of
  the school district and
• Our congratulations for achieving District
  Accreditation as a quality system.

29
AdvancED District Accreditation for Quality
Systems www.advanc-ed.org
helping schools and school systems improve
student learning