Race to the Top (RttT) Monthly Report for US Department of Education (USED)
NC RttT
June 2011
Please provide information in the following areas:
 Activities completed this month
 Activities projected for the month ahead
 Changes requested to plan or timelines outlined in state scope of work
 Changes being considered to key project personnel
 Areas in which Technical Assistance/USED support could be used
Activities Completed this Month
RttT Management (includes Project Management, Budget, Communications):
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Conducted several Technical Assistance Meetings (six face-to-face meetings and five
webinars) to assist LEAs/Charters in the development of their DSWs for the 2011-12
submission due August 3, 2011
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Continued developing amendments to State DSW and budget to submit to USED
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Presented monthly RttT status report to State Board of Education (SBE) and the Governor’s
Education Transformation Commission (GETC) Subcommittee on Program Management
(6/2)
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Continued processing amended LEA/Charter School DSWs and budgets (for 2011-12 budget
approval)
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Posted to the NCDPI RttT website an LEA/Charter School DSW “Sample” to guide local
districts in the process of finalizing their DSWs
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Updated information (FAQs documents, DSW Template, DSW Instructions, and LEA/Charter
Progress Report Template & Instructions) on the NCDPI RttT website
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Completed work on online calendar for teachers for the 2011-12 school year with
embedded information about key RttT and ACRE deadlines, along with additional
professional development initiatives; calendar will be distributed monthly beginning in July
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RttT Staffing Update (cumulative as of 6/27):
o Total positions to be filled: 109
o Total positions filled: 67 (including 6 accepted offers/not yet started)
o Total positions with offers made (waiting on acceptance): 4
o Total applicants for RttT positions: 4,852
Standards & Assessments:
Standards
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Began planning for unpacking of Social Studies elective courses
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Continued working on Graphics Organizer Tool (completed by 10/18)
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Deployed Module 1 for LEA use on 6/3
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Completed Common Core and Essential Standards Implementation Guide
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Prepared draft of Understanding Standards for internal and external review
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Curriculum & Instruction (C&I) Director and RttT Coordinator reviewed definitions of
learning progressions submitted by C&I content teams
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Continued development of Professional Development Map
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Finalized Common Core and Essential Standards training materials for Summer Institutes
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Began Summer Institutes training on Common Core and Essential Standards for
LEAs/Charters (six training sessions are scheduled from 6/27 to 7/28)
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Began planning Common Core and Essential Standards training for IHEs
Assessments
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Final draft of online assessment best practices guide received internal approval
Data Systems to Improve Instruction:
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Continued IIS Workgroup meetings
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Planning vendor (CELT) began work on 6/2/2011
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Developed initial “Visions, Goals, Objectives,” ‘‘A Day in the Life,” “Roles Matrix,” AND
“Web” documents. These documents will receive input from the planning vendor (CELT)
and public and will be finalized by 12/31/2011
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Continued development of “Using Data for Instruction” guide
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Planning team vendor (CELT) began developing project management documents. These
include (i) project organizational chart, (ii) communication management plan, (iii) staffing
plan, and (iv) detailed scope of work (completed by 7/1)
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Planning team vendor (CELT) will create IIS project plan by 6/30
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Planning team vendor (CELT) began creating Background Information document (due 8/1),
Business Requirement document (due 10/1), Technical Requirements document (due
10/1), RFP (due 12/1), and Comprehensive Plan (due 12/1)

Selected IIS Lead IT Project Manager (anticipate start date of 7/1)
Great Teachers & Principals:

Prepare publication for NCDPI website informing potential partners of the process for
approval to become an alternative licensure program

Working with NCDPI Licensure Division and TeachCharlotte to finalize alternative licensing
process
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Issued RFP (6/24) for vendor to design evaluation instruments for guidance counselors,
school psychologists, speech pathologists, and social workers
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Gained approval of language for sixth and eighth standards for teacher and principal
evaluation by Teacher Effectiveness Work Group and Professional Teaching Standards
Commission and presented language to the State Board of Education for discussion
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Recruiting teachers to serve on workgroups to create assessments for untested courses
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Rewriting RFP for development and validation of student academic growth factor to
prevent duplication of efforts by Race to the Top Evaluation Team

Teacher Effectiveness Work Group continued meeting to discuss links between teacher and
principal effectiveness and student growth measures

Determined the infrastructure for compensation model of certified personnel in the
lowest-achieving schools (will be the same infrastructure as ABC bonuses)
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Continued selection for RLAs as follows:
o Northeast RLA Cohort 2
o Sandhills RLA Cohort 1
o Piedmont-Triad RLA Cohort 1
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Teach For America contract delayed, but work progressing on schedule:
o Conducted regional induction and Teach For America corps member interview
sessions with partner districts
o Prepared Teach For America corps members for summer training institute
o Began training for Teach For America corps members
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Complete job creation paperwork for Executive Director, Program Director, and Program
Assistant for NC Teacher Corps by 7/1
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Did not receive bids strategic staffing RFP; reissued 6/24
Launched comprehensive professional development plan for summer RttT professional
development
Trained all summer RttT professional development facilitators on professional
development framework
Deployed first level surveys to Summer Institute participants to gather information on
effectiveness of summer RttT professional development
Continued work on development of professional development repository
Held first summer RttT professional development institute on the Common Core and
Essential Standards
Hired one online content manager
Continued development of professional development online modules; released one
module for use
Initiated first year of Distinguished Leadership in Practice cohort for principals
Executed contract with Kenan Fellows Program to provide professional development in
schools
Executed contracts with RESAs to schedule regional meetings on professional development
and teacher effectiveness
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NC Virtual Public Schools:
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Developed a virtual delivery model for project based learning and STEM approach for
blended courses
Continued determination of professional development needs for project based learning,
STEM, mobile teaching and learning, and blended teaching for all of the online and face to
face teachers
Developed course development timeline and process and procedures for teachers and
contractors during the development phase of the STEM virtual courses
Identified district to serve as Distant Learning Coordinators and Distant Learning Advisors
and developed roles for the positions
Continued development of a course template and outline based on "chunking of material"
into project based modules to align with the current standard course of study and Common
Core standards
Continued research of blended resources and training appropriate for support of teachers
and students in using the devices for STEM courses (These resources will help train
teachers on effective teaching and learning strategies for the devices)-completed by 12/31
Continued writing criteria for the Mobile Web App/App development Request for Proposal
(RFP)
Continued development of LEA Technology Support Plan (completed by 8/31)
Determined criteria and composed an LEA Device Usage Agreement
Continued identification of professional development and support needs for lead teachers,
face-to-face teachers, and district teams
Several activities delayed pending approval of amendment to State DSW
Turning Around the Lowest-Achieving Schools:
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Completed the unpacking of a Comprehensive Needs Assessment report at Hawk Eye
Elementary in Hoke County, at Northeast Elementary in Lenoir County, all schools in
Washington County, and all schools in Edgecombe County
Continued work on hiring for RttT positions:
o Hired DTC for Northampton
o Placed Secondary STC in Durham, STC in Northampton, Secondary STC in Halifax,
and STC in Edgecombe
o Interviews continuing weekly for Instructional Coaches, DTCs, and STCs
Held transition meetings with Thomasville City Schools, Hertford County, and Durham
Public Schools
Identified interim support for selected schools/districts until hiring process is complete for
permanent positions
Continued PD and Coaching for currently served schools/districts
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Continued assignment process for deployment of PD and Coaching staff in newly served
schools –work with HR to align positions on org chart is ongoing
Held two of the four planned Summer Professional Development for School Leaders events
(see attached agenda)
NC Education Cloud:

Continued Phase 3 of Site Surveys
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Continued meetings of the Consortium/Cooperative Purchasing LEA Advisory Working
Group, Data Collection and Analysis Working Group, Identity and Access Management
Working Group, and the Shared Services Advisory Council
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Continued working on draft of High Level Cloud Plan
Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM):
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New Schools Project (NSP) provided four days of professional development for Turnaround
anchor and network schools at a Summer Institute including the following topics:
o Project-based learning
o STEM in Humanities
o Using technology in the classroom
o Grand Challenges as the framework for STEM Education
o Using iPad technology
o Integrating the curriculum with engineering
NSP met with biofuels industry in planning for energy anchor
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NSP met with a national consortium to plan for performance assessment
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NSP met with staff in District and School Transformation to plan strategies for Turnaround
schools using STEM as an improvement strategy
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NSP submitted grant proposal for alternative licensure for STEM teachers in rural areas
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North Carolina STEM department met with NCDPI staff on Title IV B, 21st Century
Community Learning Centers about STEM programs for out-of-school projects
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STEM department collaborated with Education Cabinet Committee to draft a North
Carolina Strategic Plan for STEM
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STEM department collaborated with NC STEM Advisory Panel (Lt. Governor’s Office) to
draft STEM Attributes for programs
Evaluation:
Cross-Cutting Evaluation Elements
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Scopes of Work
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o All RttT Evaluation teams meet regularly with their implementation teams at NCDPI
and have completed public scopes of work, including logic models, to be shared by
6/30
Omnibus Teacher and Principal Survey
o Piloted survey and deployed in all schools through 6/28, focused on a probability
sample of 365 schools (includes items related to all initiatives on RttT)
Classroom Observations
o Conducted Literature review on reliability, availability, and appropriateness of
observation tools
o Selected CLASS observation tool to be used across multiple initiatives beginning in
fall 2011
Use of Existing Data Sets
o Held training for Friday Institute and SERVE Center on Carolina Institute for Public
Policy administrative data set
o Began design and organization of administrative database to be used for formative
assessments in Years 2 and 3
Teacher and Leader Effectiveness
 Worked on literature review
 Use of historical data to compare different Value Added Models of teacher effectiveness
Distribution of Teachers and Leaders
 Baseline Teacher Quality Analysis
o Completed outline for report due in November 2011
o Continued work on Value Added Models
 Regional Leadership Academies
o Visited each Regional Leadership Academy to meet with Executive Director
o Observed selection process
 Teach for America/NC Teacher Corps
o Attending Teach for America Summer Institutes
o Continued working on literature review for report of characteristics and placement
of Teach for America/NC Teacher Corps candidates
 Induction Program for Novice Teachers
o Worked on literature review on teacher and student survey
o Continued collaboration with University of North Carolina General Administration
(UNCGA) to determine study sample and design
o Continued preparation of policy brief on induction program
 Strategic Staffing/Incentives
o Continued work on literature review
o Continued review of LEA-level strategic staffing plans
 NCVPS Blended Courses
o Continued work on literature review
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o Planning for meeting with each of three implementing districts to introduce their
blended learning model to teachers
Professional Development
 Developed protocol for observing Summer Institutes
 Selected sample of schools and LEAs
District and School Transformation Including STEM Schools
 Completed site visits to 30 schools including 3 STEM schools that have demonstrated
different levels of improvement progress
 Began qualitative data analysis
 Planning quantitative data strategies
 Continued work on formative report due in September 2011
 Attend DST Summer Institutes and New Schools STEM Summer Institute
Local Spending
 Reviewed NCDPI classification of district scopes of work to better understand district
priorities
 Conducted an equity analysis of per-pupil spending by district type
 Identified a sample of 18 districts for interviews and site visits about their scopes of work
and the allocation process
Overall Impact
 Planned collaborative meeting of all RttT Evaluation Leads
Activities Projected for the Month Ahead
RttT Management:
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Identify and prepare additional initiative budget and/or DSW amendments, as needed
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Continue to approve LEA/Charter amended DSWs and initial RttT budgets
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Begin building a cadre of teacher and principal ambassadors in each school to help
communicate the reasons and mechanisms for the changes under way in curriculum,
accountability and educator evaluation; participants will include at least 2 teachers per
school, each school principal and superintendent
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Distribute first edition of online calendar for teachers for the 2011-12 school year with
embedded information about key RttT and ACRE deadlines, along with additional
professional development initiatives
Standards & Assessments:
Standards
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Continue planning unpacking of Social Studies elective courses
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C&I division to decide upon and build consensus upon one learning progressions definition
by 7/10
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Continue development of PD Map
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Continue Summer Institutes training on Common Core and Essential Standards for
LEAs/Charters
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Begin collaboration with DST regional leads to conduct a Common Core and Essential
Standards training for Principals and Assistant Principals
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Continue planning Common Core and Essential Standards training for IHEs
Assessments
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Present online assessment Best Practices Guide to SBE during July meeting
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Publish online assessment Best Practices Guide to NCDPI website
Data Systems to Improve Instruction:
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Post “Visions, Goals, Objectives,” ‘‘A Day in the Life,” “Roles Matrix,” AND “Web”
documents for public comment. Documents will be finalized by 12/31

Planning team vendor (CELT) continues creating Background Information document (due
8/1), Business Requirement document (due 10/1), Technical Requirements document (due
10/1), RFP (due 12/1), and Comprehensive Plan (due 12/1)

IIS Lead IT Project Manager begins development of issue tracking sheet, project
strategy/scope document, and a master project plan
Great Teachers & Principals:

Post publication to NCDPI website informing potential partners of the process for approval
to become an alternative licensure program by 7/10

Receive bids (by 7/15)and select vendor (by 8/1) for vendor to design evaluation
instruments for guidance counselors, school psychologists, speech pathologists, and social
workers
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Secure approval for sixth and eighth standards from SBE
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Provide internship placement for Northeast RLA Cohort 1 participants by 8/1
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Begin training participants in Northeast RLA Cohort 2
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Conduct Summer Induction Institute I for participants of Sandhills RLA Cohort 1 by 8/1
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Cohort 1 participants of Piedmont-Triad RLA complete summer coursework by 8/1
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Continued training for Teach For America corps members (completed by 8/1)
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Begin (7/15) review of submitted applications and select staff members (by 8/15) for NC
Teacher Corps
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Teacher Effectiveness Work Group will continue meeting to discuss links between teacher
and principal effectiveness and student growth measures
Hold remaining five summer RttT professional development institutes (will occur
throughout the month of July)
Release additional professional development online modules
NC Virtual Public Schools:
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Continue determining professional development needs for project based learning, STEM,
mobile teaching and learning, and blended teaching for all of the online and face-to-face
teachers
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Begin deploying professional development at the first course development workshop and
make note of continued PD needs
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Begin developing a STEM online teacher orientation and a face-to-face teacher orientation
(This will include synchronous and asynchronous instruction)
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Hiring of lead Project Director and Exceptional Children’s coordinator delayed pending
approval of amendment to State DSW
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Begin development, design, and modification of virtual STEM core math and science
courses that provide access and targeted instruction to at-risk student populations for the
purposes of credit attainment towards graduation
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Continue research of blended resources and training appropriate for support of teachers
and students in using the devices for STEM courses (These resources will help train
teachers on effective teaching and learning strategies for the devices) to be completed by
12/31
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Acquire signatures from LEA Superintendent and Technology Director on Device Usage
Agreement
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Continue development of LEA Technology Support Plan (completed by 8/31)
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Continue to identify professional development and support needs for lead teachers, faceto-face teachers and district teams
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Several activities delayed pending approval of amendment to State DSW
Turning Around the Lowest-Achieving Schools:
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Continue the unpacking of a Comprehensive Needs Assessment report with schools as
reports become available
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Continue hiring for RttT positions (interviews continuing weekly)
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Hold transition meetings with additional new districts
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Deliver ongoing PD and coaching for currently served schools/districts
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Continue to assign PD and coaching staff for newly served schools - working with HR to
align positions on organizational chart
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Conduct Summer Professional Development for School Leaders events
NC Education Cloud:
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Anticipate completing Phase 3 of Site Surveys by 8/12
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Continue meetings of the Consortium/Cooperative Purchasing LEA Advisory Working
Group, Data Collection and Analysis Working Group, Identity and Access Management
Working Group and the Shared Services Advisory Council
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Continue working on draft of High Level Cloud Plan (completed by 8/31)
Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM):
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Finalize list of network schools
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Complete summer staff development
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Develop first draft for first level of courses in three anchor areas:
o Medical Science
o Energy and Sustainability
o Agriscience
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Complete draft of the State STEM Strategic Plan
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Complete draft of the Attributes of STEM programs
Evaluation:
Cross-Cutting Evaluation Elements
 Omnibus Teacher and Principal Survey
o Begin survey data analysis
 Classroom Observations
o Organize August CLASS observation tool trainings
 Use of Existing Data Sets
o Coordinate with Evaluation team leaders on data needs and share access
Teacher and Leader Effectiveness
 Select school and classroom samples for observations
Distribution of Teachers and Leaders
 Regional Leadership Academies
o Observe School Leadership Seminar
o Observe Summer Institutes
 Induction Program for Novice Teachers
o Select school and classroom samples for observations
 Strategic Staffing/Incentives
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o Begin to design protocols for interviews, focus groups, and phone interviews
NCVPS Blended Courses
o Review of course content
o Review of content development team training material
Professional Development
 Observation of professional development in LEAs and schools
 Begin baseline report due in September 2011
District and School Transformation Including STEM Schools
 Complete conceptual framework
 Complete qualitative analysis
 Begin quantitative data analysis
Local Spending
 Interviews with district finance officers in 5 districts to better understand the impact of
NC's education budget on RttT priorities
 Development of an interview protocol for fall site visits incorporating feedback from the
interviews described above
 Begin creating a model and coding to analyze district expenditure reports in August 2011
Overall Impact
 Planned collaborative meeting of all RttT Evaluation Leads mid-July
Changes Requested to Plan or Timelines Outlined in State Detailed Scope of Work (DSW)
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Submitted to USED
o Effective Teachers through Virtual & Blended Courses – approach, timeline, budget
o Evaluation – budget adjustment
o Teacher Induction – budget adjustment
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In development
o RttT Management – add administrative assistant and project coordinator
o Teacher Effectiveness – developing measures of student growth in “non-tested”
areas
o Distinguished Leadership In Practice Program – budget adjustment
o Evaluation of Professional Development – eliminate duplication
o Professional Development Tracking System (new) – establish deliverables and
budget
Changes Being Considered to Key Project Personnel
None
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Areas in Which Technical Assistance/USED Support Could Be Used
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Research on use of student growth measures as an indicator of teacher and principal
effectiveness (particularly in “non state-tested” subjects)
Sharing of successful Communications strategies and materials – particularly regarding how
to reconcile excitement about RttT with reality of State fiscalcrisis and effects on schools
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