Reflections on the 2009-2010 Year

The 2009-2010 school year is finished, at least for the students. This has been a very trying year for many in the District. In spite of this being such an unusual year, good things are still going on, at all levels of our schools.

Take a moment to share a successful strategy implemented this year in your school/location. In your post, include what was the previous situation, what initiative/strategy was implemented to alleviate the situation and the known outcomes.

Data Analysis / School Improvement

This month’s blog focus is data analysis. Intern principals Michelle Kefford and Thomas Schroeder have researched and presented information for our blog readers. Please take the time to read the blog below and review the resources and post your thoughts and/or strategies for utilizing data effectively.

Data analysis is nothing new, continuous school improvement is embedded in all aspects of school operations. Being in the “know” regarding student achievement data is critical to school success and has lasting implications on the overall character and reputation of a particular campus.

Everyday as administrators, we are faced with a multitude of data points and information being presented regarding programs, departments, grade levels and individual students. This data can be both qualitative and quantitative in nature and topics vary from school lunch wait times, customer survey satisfaction, to proficiency attainment of standardized assessments. The important aspect to glean regarding data analysis is the need for a systematic process for interpreting and utilizing data sources to make informed and sound judgments. In any process, it is vital that these efforts are both collaborative and reflective. According to the “Guide to Using Data in School Improvement Efforts”, combining these two elements, referred to as reflective collaboration, is a powerful process that occurs among staff and other members of the school community. The guide outlines the importance of designating time and structures for utilizing data. This includes embedding the process throughout all aspects of school operations; in faculty meetings, staff meetings, grade level/department meetings, professional learning community meetings, and parent/community group meetings.

The Florida Continuous Improvement Model begins with data disaggregation which seeks to answer questions such as: “What are the weakest areas?”; “What are the strongest areas?” and “What are patterns/trends?” From this utilization of data, there is the establishment of priorities and the development of an effective plan based on the standards.

One core belief regarding the utilization of data for school improvement is that student learning can and should improve on a continuous basis. It is essential that educators continually reflect on the quality of programs being implemented and interventions being employed. This process should be cyclical and continuous with concentration on the process, not any specific results.

Some basic guiding questions for collecting student achievement data can include:

• What evidence can we collect about our students’ learning?
• What evidence do we have that shows the knowledge, skills, and understandings our students have achieved?
• Which data indicates the degree to which our students show the conceptual understandings and generalizations in our standards?
• What evidence shows which students are meeting or exceeding our achievement expectations and which are not?
• What do we know about how each individual student learns?

Typically, student achievement data is reported for whole populations, or as aggregate data. It is not, however, until the data are disaggregated, that patterns, trends and other important information are uncovered. Disaggregated data simply means looking at test scores by specific subgroups of students.

Here are several different ways to disaggregate data:

• Gender
• Socio-economic status
• Mobility (students moving in an out of the districts at any given time)
• Race and ethnicity
• Special education and disability
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Enrollment patterns in courses like physics or algebra
• Successful completion of specific course such as advanced placement

Each specific campus and school has a process for utilizing data sources, analyzing such information and enacting school reform based on the patterns identified and/or observed. The important common thread noted in a variety of professional materials is the essential element of involving all stakeholders and continually reflecting on whether what is being done is best for our children.

2010-11 School Improvement Plan Presentation

We have received and posted the 2010-11 School Improvement Plan presentation to be used by Dr. Hicks on April 27 at Dillard High School. Principals, Assistant Principals and other attendees should download a copy of the presentation and the SIP template for use during the training session.

To download the School Improvement Plan presentation click here.
To download the School Improvement Plan template click here.

2010-11 School Improvement Plan Template

The template for the 2010-11 School Improvement Plan has arrived from the Florida Department of Education. This document contains minor changes. Additional supporting documents will be posted as soon as they arrive.

This template can be downloaded from the document/resource column to the right or click here.

School Improvement Plan Materials Arriving by April 20th

In keeping with the practice established last year, all schools will use a template for developing their school improvement plans. The FDOE has advised us their Draft SIP template will be available in April 2010. We expect some modifications to this template.

A workshop featuring Dr. Deedara Hicks will be presented for all Principals on April 27, 2010. Materials for this class, entitled 2010 – 11 School Improvement Plan Presentation, will be posted on this Blog. Each participant should download the workshop documents and bring them to the session on April 27.

All related documents will be posted here for all administrators to download as needed.

Senate Bill 1908

This month's Blog focus is Senate Bill 1908. Intern principals Vicki Flournoy and Denise Lawrence have researched and presented information and related documents for our Blog readers. Please take the time to read the Senate Bill 1908 information and post your thoughts.

The 2008 Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 1908 - School Grading on June 30, 2008. This bill requires the State Board of Education to replace the Sunshine State Standards with “Next Generation Sunshine State Standards” by December 31, 2011. Click the following to review the enrolled version of the bill.

THE MISSION OF THIS INITIATIVE

• Higher expectations
• More rigorous curriculum
• Respond to students needs
• Ensure students are prepared for college and or a high-skills high-wage work force

GOALS OF THIS LAW

• Increase the number and percentage of students who graduate from high school "college and career ready"
• Better communicate with 11th grade students and their parents the requirements and opportunities for enrollment in college-credit courses without a need for remediation,
• Provide students, whose test scores in Reading, Writing and/or Mathematics indicate any gaps, an opportunity to attain needed competencies in 12th grade prior to high school graduation.

COMPONENTS OF THE BILL

• School Grading, Alternative School Improvement Rating System, School
• College Readiness
• Assessment
• FCAT Preparation Activities
• Electronic Personal Education Planner (ePep)
• Arts Requirement for High School Graduation
• Standard High School Diploma Designations
• Dual Enrollment
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
• School Advisory Council (SAC) Membership
• Teacher CertificationCorporate Tax Credit (CTC) Scholarship Assessments
• Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)
• Florida Ready to Work Credential
• Florida Teachers Lead Program
• Cafeteria Sanitation Certificate

Florida has become a member state in the American Diploma Project (ADP) Project http://www.achieve.org/ in order to address the articulation component of the Next Generation High School Initiative.

Goals for ADP

• Align high school standards and assessment with the knowledge and skills required for success after high school
• Require all graduates to take rigorous courses aligned to college- and work- ready standards that prepare them for life after high school
• Streamline the assessment system so that tests students take in high school also serve as placement tests for college and hiring for work
• Hold high schools accountable for graduating students who are ready for college or careers and hold postsecondary institutions accountable for students’ success once enrolled.

IMPACT ON HIGH SCHOOL GRADES
As of the 2009-10 school year, 50% of a school's grade will be based on the existing FCAT scores of students and the other 50% will be based on:

• The school's graduation rate
• Participation and performance of students in Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), dual enrollment, Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), and achievement industry certification courses/programs
• Post-secondary readiness of students as measured by the SAT, ACT, or CPT
• The school's "at-risk" graduation rate
• Performance of students on statewide standardized end of course assessments, as they become available.
• Growth or decline in the elements above from year to year.

These provisions will be reflected in the Guide to Calculating School Grades technical assistance paper (TAP) for 2009. A copy of the most recent TAP is available via a link at http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/.

GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE
The State Board of Education’s approved timeline is available at http://www.fldoe.org/board/meetings/2008_06_17/Next%20Gen%20Stan.pdf.

GENERAL IMPLICATIONS
Ultimately, this legislation is intended to help graduate better prepared students, increase access to postsecondary opportunities, enhance career success, and promote student retention and completion in college.

POST YOUR THOUGHTS
What are the implications of Senate Bill 1908 at your level?

Motivating Staff

On Monday, March 15 the Staff of the Leadership and Non-Instructional Development Department at HRD had the opportunity to hear a number of highly motivational speakers at the Get Motivated! Seminar, in the Bank Atlantic Center. Ms. Sherry A. Rose, Director of Leadership and Non-Instructional Development and her staff highly recommend this low-cost session for leadership teams and/or team leaders. Tickets for this event were available for the nominal fee of $19.00 for an entire office staff. If interested, watch for advertisements announcing future seminars. See some of the highlights from our experience below.

Dr. Robert Schuler, former Sr. Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral:
“Cut the word IMPOSSIBLE from your vocabulary.” “Turn impossibility to possibility: ‘It’s impossible unless . . .’”

Rick Belluzza COO of Microsoft:
“Opportunities occur when situations are in a state of change.”
“Be hard-headed and soft-hearted. Do the right thing in a way best for your people.”

John Walsh, Host of America’s Most Wanted:
“There is power in partnerships.” “One person can make a difference.”

Bob Kittell, Financial Planner Instructor:
“Principles are more important than money.”
“Learn something new. Do something new.”

Rudolph Giuliani, Former Mayor New York City:
“Learn how to use technology.” i.e. iPhone, ebook reader, iPods. Figure out how to adapt it to your life.”

Tamara Lowe, Get Motivated Seminars:
“One’s past does not determine the future.”
“Everybody is wired to be inspired, but are motivated in different ways.”

James Smith, Financial Planner:
“It is up to you to get in the game and make changes.”
“Your words become the prophecy of your future.”

Zig Ziglar, America’s #1 Motivator:
“Encouragement is the fuel on which hope runs.”
“You can get the things money won’t/can’t buy if you have character.”
“You can have everything you want in life if you help others get what they want.”

General Colin Powell, Statesman and Soldier:
“It does not matter where you begin, what matters is where you end up.”
“Essence of good leadership is to build connections of trust.”