The Accountability Framework

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• The Accountability Framework
• BCSTA New Board Academy
• December 10, 2005
• Emery Dosdall, Deputy Minister

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• What is Accountability?

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• The Key Questions
• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to go?
• How are we going to get there?
• How will we know our work has made a difference?

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The Accountability Framework
COMMUNITY

• School Boards
• Accountability Contract
• Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement

• Ministry of Education
• District Reviews
• Satisfaction Surveys
• Deputy Minister Visits

ENGAGEMENT
Improving Student Achievement
ENGAGEMENT

• School Planning Councils
• The Annual School Plan

COMMUNITY
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• The Accountability Framework

• School Plans
• Developed by School Planning Councils
• Accountability Contracts
• (Enhancement Agreements)
• Ministry contact
  Deputy Minister visits
• District Reviews

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• The Accountability Framework

• School Plans
• Developed by School Planning Councils
• Accountability Contracts
• (Enhancement Agreements)
• Ministry contact
  Deputy Minister visits
• District Reviews

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• School Planning Councils
• Purpose
• To acknowledge the importance of parental
  involvement
• To formalize the role of parents in developing
  plans to improve student achievement in all
  schools in British Columbia.

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• School Planning Councils
• The School Planning Council (SPC) consists of
• The school principal
• One teacher
• Three parents
• One student from Grade 10, 11 or 12

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• The Planning Cycle for SPCs

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School Planning Councils

• Video Excerpt
• School Planning Council members
• from
• Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary School
• School District 23 (Central Okanagan)

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• The Accountability Framework

• School Plans
• Developed by School Planning Councils
• Accountability Contracts
• (Enhancement Agreements)
• Ministry contact
  Deputy Minister visits
• District Reviews

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• Accountability Contracts
• Purpose
• To focus school district attention and resources
  on improving student achievement

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• Accountability Contracts
• Purpose
• To detail the specific goals that school boards
  have set as they work to taking to achieve those
  goals and

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• Accountability Contracts
• Purpose
• To communicate these efforts to parents and the
  community.

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• Key Elements of
• Accountability Contracts
• District Context
• District priority Goal statements
• Objectives supporting each Goal
• Rationale for the selection of each Goal

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• Key Elements of
• Accountability Contracts
• Performance Indicators
• Performance Targets (Expected Results)
• Achievement of Performance Targets

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• Key Elements of
• Accountability Contracts
• Strategies directly linked to each Objective
• Structures aligned to support achievement of
  Objectives
• Accountability Contract Reporting

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• The Accountability Framework

• School Plans
• Developed by School Planning Councils
• Accountability Contracts
• (Enhancement Agreements)
• Ministry contact
  Deputy Minister visits
• District Reviews

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• Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement
• An Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement is a
  commitment made by each school district, all
  local Aboriginal communities, and the Ministry of
  Education, to work together to improve the
  success of all Aboriginal students.

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• The Accountability Framework

• School Plans
• Developed by School Planning Councils
• Accountability Contracts
• (Enhancement Agreements)
• Ministry contact
  Deputy Minister visits
• District Reviews

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• District Review
• Purpose
• To bring an informed, objective, external
  perspective to the improvement of student
  achievement in school districts.
• Process
• A team of educators, parents and Ministry staff
  visit a district and its schools. They conduct
  inquiry based discussions and write a report
  which outlines areas of success and areas in need
  of improvement related to student achievement.

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• District Review
• Chaired by a Superintendent
• Composed of Educators, Parents and Ministry Staff
• Reviews the Statistical Profile for the District
• Reviews District and School Achievement Data
• Reviews District Accountability Contract and
  School Plans
• Identifies Promising Practices
• Provides Report to the Board, the Minister and
  the Public

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• District Review
• Developed from Accreditation and Effective
  Schools Research
• Feedback and Recommendations to School Districts,
  the Minister and the Public regarding School
  Districts Efforts to Improve Student Achievement
• Focus on Ten Points of Inquiry
• Proposed Actions Outlined to Deputy Minister

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• District Review
• Setting Directions
• 1. Goals and Objectives
• 2. Rationale
• 3. Data (Evidence)
• Organizing for Improvement
• 4. Strategies
• 5. Structures
• 6. Coherence/Alignment
• Building Learning Communities
• 7. Dialogue and Communication
• 8. Parent Involvement
• 9. Leadership
• 10. Achieving Results

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• The Review Team Visit
• District Presentation
• School Visits
• Writing the Report
• Reporting Out
• Submission of the Report to the Minister
• Publication of the Report

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• Review Team Preparation
• District Review Team In-Service
• Review of District Profile
• Review of District Data
• Review of Accountability Contract
• Review of School Improvement Plans
• Pre Review Visit by Review Team Chair

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• The School Visit
• Meeting with School Planning Council
• Two to Three District Review Team Members
• Approximately 2 ½ Hours Duration
• Dialogue on Ten Points of Inquiry
• Placement of School on Grid

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• Some Questions
• Are we using data to monitor our progress in
  supporting our goals?
• Are we responding to the call for moral purpose
  to pay particular attention to those who are
  disadvantaged?
• Are we committed to accountability, inquiry and
  building capacity?

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• Reporting Out Final Day of Visit
• Review Team Chair Meets with Superintendent
• Review Team Reports to Board and Invited Guests
• One Copy of Report Presented to Superintendent
• Report filed with Minister of Education
• Minister Determines Date of Release
• Posted on Ministry Web Site

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• Post Review
• Review and Discussion of Report
• Focus on Recommendations
• Best Practices
• Ministry Follow Up

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• The Accountability Framework

• School Plans
• Developed by School Planning Councils
• Accountability Contracts
• (Enhancement Agreements)
• Ministry contact
  Deputy Minister visits
• District Reviews

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Sustaining Improvement

• Sustaining Improvement

• Creating together
• Learning together
• Embedding growth and risk takingin the culture
• Being flexible, patient, and persistent

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Thank You
Bendina Miller, Superintendent, SD 6 Dick
Dickens, Trustee, SD 73 Terry Sullivan,
Superintendent, SD73 James Janzen, Trustee, SD
40 Ronnie Riehm, Principal, SD 40 John Woudzia,
Superintendent, SD 40