Edited 1/28/11
Dr. Donnie W. Evans
State District Superintendent
February, 2011
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Mr. Theodore Best, Jr., President
Ms. Wendy Guzman, Vice President
Dr. Jonathan Hodges
Mr. Christopher Irving
Mr. Errol S. Kerr
Mr. Alex Mendez
Mr. Pedro Rodriguez
Mr. Kenneth Simmons
Ms. Willa Mae Taylor
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Bright Futures
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Areas in Need of Improvement
The School District
Core Beliefs
Vision and Mission
District Priorities
 Goals
 Improvement strategies
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Ten Strategies for School Improvement
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Students’ Academic Outcomes
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NJASK
HSPA/AHSA
Adequate Yearly Progress
PSAT/SAT/ACT
Other Student Outcomes
◦ Graduation rate/dropout rate
◦ College admission/completion rate
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Family & Community Engagement
◦ Parent involvement
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Organizational Culture
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Low expectations for students
Driven by adult needs rather than student needs
Disconnect between district offices and the realities of schools
Lack of urgency and absence of customer service orientation
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Internal and external communication
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Turnover (leadership)
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Leadership capacity (schools and district office)
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Lack of urgency to improve student achievement
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Facilities
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Image
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Third Largest District in N.J. with 53 Schools
Total Students
29,372 *
K-12
19,289
Pre-K
3,343
Special Education
3,919 (13%)
LEP
2, 821 (10%)
* Does not include Adult High or PCTI students
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Free/Reduced Lunch
88.5%
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The core business of schools and the school district is
teaching and learning which drives all decisions and
activities in the district.
All children can achieve at high levels and it is the
responsibility of educators to create environments for
student learning to occur.
Effective instruction makes the most difference in student
achievement.
All staff must be committed to “children first” and to the
pursuit of high student achievement.
All schools must be safe, caring and orderly to enable
teachers to teach and students to learn.
Only through collaboration with and engagement of
community organizations, institutions, agencies, and
families can the district realize its vision and mission.
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Vision
To be a leader in educating New Jersey’s
urban youth
Mission
To prepare each student to be successful in
the institution of higher education of their
choosing and in their chosen career
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Effective Academic Programs: Programs are research
based and outcomes driven
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Safe, Caring, and Orderly Schools: Schools are safe;
enabling teachers to teach and students to learn
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Family and Community Engagement: District and
school staff collaborate with and engage families and
community institutions, organizations, and agencies
Efficient and Responsive Operations: Operations
support the district and school’s core business and
are responsive to the needs of staff, students, and
community
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Effective Academic Programs
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Goal 1: Increase Student Achievement
 Aligned instructional system
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Challenging curriculum
Professional development
Assessment system
District assistance teams
Instructional strategies for effectively teaching all students
Extended learning opportunities
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Double-dosing
Increased academic learning time
Enrichment , tutorials, & remediation
Summer school
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High quality teachers in each classroom
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Effective schools initiative
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Evaluation of academic programs
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Reading
Math
Bilingual/ESL
Special education
Early childhood
Science
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Goal 2: Create Healthy School Cultures
 Effective schools initiative
 Attendance and truancy initiative
 Student government/student councils
Goal 3: Improve Graduation Rate, Reduce Dropout
Rate
 High school renewal initiative
 District-wide K-12 Progression Plan
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Goal 4: Improve Internal Communication
 Internal communication plan
 Teachers’ roundtable
 Principals’ roundtable
 Students’ roundtable
 Student forums
Goal 5: Progression Planning for School and
Administrative Positions
 Principals’ and assistant principals’ preparation
program
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Goal 6: Increase Academic Rigor (a challenging
curriculum for each student)
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Gifted and talented program
Honors and advanced placement
International baccalaureate program
Professional development
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Safe, Caring, and Orderly Schools
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Goal 1: Create Schools with Healthy School
Cultures and Climates
 Effective schools’ model
◦ Principals’ summer institutes
◦ Professional development for teachers
◦ Professional development for district-level staff
Goal 2: Improve Student Discipline
 Review and revise student code of conduct
 Expand alternative schools
 In-school suspension programs
 Professional development (classroom management)
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Goal 3: School Uniforms (Elementary, Middle, and
High Schools)
Goal 4: Student Advisories
Goal 5: Character Education
Goal 6: Revise Student Assignment/School Choice
Plan
Goal 7: Facilities are Clean and Safe and Meet 21 st
Century Learning Standards
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Family and Community Engagement
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Goal 1: Create Family and Community
Engagement Plan
 Parent/teacher organizations in each school
 District-wide PTA/PTO council
 Ad hoc community-based committees and task
forces
 Annual community forums
Goal 2: External Communications Plan
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Goal 3: Customer Service Focus (schools)
 Professional development for all staff
 Translation and interpretation services
Goal 4: Partnerships with Community
Organizations, Agencies, and Institutions
 CEO roundtable
 Roundtable for institutions of higher education
 Faith-based initiatives
Goal 5: Full Service Schools (Community Schools)
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Goal 6: Parent Education
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Efficient and Responsive Operations
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Goal 1:Increase Accountability for Performance
 Revise performance appraisal system
 Periodic assessment of services
 Team building at all levels
 Revamping operational procedures
 Automate administrative functions
◦ School Board Agenda and items
◦ Purchasing
◦ Human Resources
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Whistle-blowers box
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Goal 2:Customer Service Focus
 Plan for improving internal communications
 Plan for improving responsiveness to current and
emergent needs of school and district staff
 Professional development in best practices for
operational functions
 Suggestion box (online & at district office)
Goal 3:Increase Capacity
 Reorganize & restructure district administration
 Professional development
 Update technology and instructional applications
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Completed development of Bright Futures
Completed development of Family and
Community Engagement Plan
Began implementation
of High School Renewal
Initiative
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Restructured Schools
◦ Eastside High School
◦ School 4, Frank Napier School of Technology
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Require academic interventions for each student
performing below proficient in mathematics and/or
language arts literacy on NJASK and HSPA
Opened the district’s first Full-Service Community
School at School 5
Created the Paterson Effective Schools’ Initiative to
change the culture in district schools and the
district office
Expanded alternative schools in the district
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Opened first curriculum-based, student-run credit
union in New Jersey (at JFK High School)
Restructured district operational departments to
increase efficiency and responsiveness
◦ Facilities
◦ Human Resources
◦ Finance
Established parent-teacher organizations in each
school
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Entered into a Shared Services Agreement
with the City of Paterson
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Hinchliffe Stadium and Bauerle Field
Technology Services
School Resource Officers
Recreation Services
In three years, we successfully improved our
QSAC performance achieving above 80% in
three of five DPR areas: Operations 73% to 85%;
Personnel 60% to 90% ;and Governance 11% to 88%
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Implemented school uniforms at most high
schools
Began capacity building among principals and
Superintendent’s Cabinet
◦ Team building and leadership development among
cabinet
◦ Management and leadership development
(instructional leadership) among principals
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Improve the quality of teaching
Create healthy organizational cultures in schools and
district office
Expand school choice options
Redesign schools
Institute changes in our instructional delivery system
Restructure special programs
Increase academic rigor and advanced academic
programming
Increase standards and expectations for students
Increase expectations for parents
Increase management and leadership capacity of
district and school administrators
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 A quality teacher in each classroom
 An aligned instructional system
 A rigorous, challenging curriculum delivered to
all students
 Instructionally driven professional development
 Accessible data that is aligned with the
curriculum
 District assistance teams
 Revamping the teacher evaluation system
(performance focused)
 Reward schools and teachers for significant
academic gains
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Full implementation of Paterson Effective Schools’
Initiative
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Principal as Leader
Clearly Stated Vision and Mission
High Expectations
Assessment and Monitoring
Instructional Delivery
Safe, Caring and Orderly Environment
Parent and Community Involvement
Professional Development
School Culture
Professional Ethics
Revise Student Code of Conduct
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 Revise the district’s School Choice Plan
 More district-wide thematic magnets
 Charter schools
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Smaller learning communities
Reexamine school configuration (K-5, 6-8, 9-12)
Reexamine schools administrative organization
structure
Virtual schools and classrooms
School reform models
◦ Transformation
◦ Turnaround
◦ Restart (including magnet schools)
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Longer school day (increase academic
learning time)
Specialization model in elementary schools
Extended school year
Expand advanced academic programming
Co-teaching
Reading and math specialists
Interventions for students reading or
numerating below proficient
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Alternative Education
Special Education
Bilingual and English as a second or other language
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Gifted and Talented Program
Expand honors, advanced placement, and dual
enrollment in colleges and universities
International Baccalaureate Program
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District-wide student progression system for
promotion and graduation
Expectations guide for parents and staff
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Require parent conferences
Required parent/teacher organizations in all
schools
Improve translation and interpretation services
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Update technology and applications for managing
human resources, finance, and student information
Principal/administrator preparation program
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Revamp performance appraisal system for
administrators
District office review
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Cooperation and support from internal and
external stakeholders (the entire village)
Professional Development
Capacity building
Paradigm shifting (changing the way we do
business)
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Ronald Edmonds, Harvard University
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