Oral Exit Report
Quality Assurance Review Team
District Accreditation
Forsyth County Schools
Council on Accreditation and School Improvement
© 2007 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
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.
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Quality Assurance Review
District Accreditation
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Role and Responsibilities
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• Assess the capacity of the system to meet the
standards;
• Assess the efficacy and impact of the improvement
process;
• Assess the effectiveness of the system’s methods
for quality assurance;
• Identify strengths of the system deserving of
commendation; and
• Develop recommendations which are designed to
help strengthen the school system.
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Quality Assurance Review
District Accreditation
Procedures Followed
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• 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.
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Interviews with Stakeholders
• During the on-site Quality Assurance Review, team
members interviewed:
1 Superintendent of Schools
5 Members of the Board of Education
18 Administrators (district-level)
58 Administrators (school-level)
123 Parents and business partners
143 Teachers
53 Students
401 Total
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Quality Assurance Review
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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.
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Quality Assurance Review
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Summary of our Observations
• Strengths…conditions that exist which benefit the
school district.
• Achievements…recent accomplishments achieved
by the school district.
• Commendations…professional commendations by
the Quality Assurance Review Team.
• Limitations…conditions that exist which are
potential barriers.
• Challenges…opportunities that the district may seek
to address for further improvement.
• Recommendations…professional recommendations
by the Quality Assurance Review Team.
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Strengths
• Committed Board of Education members understand
roles and responsibilities
• High degree of confidence in the visionary
leadership of the Superintendent
• Quality of administrators, faculty, and staff
• Positive rapport between students and teachers
• Belief is fostered that change creates opportunities
• Clear roadmap for the future – Vision 2010
• Data-driven decision-making
• Technology
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Strengths
• Transparency of decisions and processes
• Multiple opportunities for stakeholder input
• Central office existing to support families and
teaching and learning
• Curriculum maps to guide instructional decisionmaking
• Accessibility of data and information to teachers and
families
• Strong partnership with the Chamber of Commerce
• High level of trust, collaboration, and pride at all
levels and among all stakeholders
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Accomplishments
• PaceSetter Awards for 2 years for students
with disabilities
• 16 Office of Student Achievement Medal
awards
• GSBA Board of Distinction Award
• Board of Education recognized as the Most
Digitally Advanced in the Nation
• Outstanding Archives Award 2006
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Accomplishments
•
•
•
•
•
Passing SPLOST and bond
3 Georgia Schools of Excellence (2005-2006)
2 National Blue Ribbon Schools
62 National Board Certified Teachers
Largest installation of whiteboards in the
nation
• Numerous other achievements
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Commendations
• The Quality Assurance Review Team
commends the Forsyth County Schools for:
– Updating current facilities and planning for future
needs
– Utilizing a strategic planning process for over ten
years
– Providing consistent, equitable resources for students
across schools
– Offering schools flexibility in budgeting and
management
– Focusing on the design of engaging work for students
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Commendations
• The Quality Assurance Review Team
commends the Forsyth County Schools for:
– Creating a centralized registration process
– Using technology as a tool to access, teach, and
demonstrate the curriculum
– Committing to an informative and timely website
– Building capacity and teacher leadership through
explicit modeling
– Encouraging differentiated professional learning
(Focused Choice)
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Limitations
•
Growth
• County infrastructure (e.g., roads, traffic)
• Growth
• State legislation (e.g., class size)
• Growth
• Impending changes in state funding
• Growth
• Increasing diversity
• Growth
• Price and availability of land
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Challenges
• High School Improvement
• Transportation planning
• Desire to remain fiscally accountable
regarding the millage rate
• Quantity of professional learning required for
recently-hired faculty in Forsyth County
Schools
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Challenges
• Responding to changing demographics and
diverse needs of students
• Impact of frequent redistricting
• Multiple avenues available to graduate
• Growth presents communication challenges
for all stakeholders
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Recommendations
• The Quality Assurance Review Team recommends
that Forsyth County Schools:
– Devise a transition plan for the Superintendency to maintain
quality learning and superior performance for all (Standards 2, 6)
– Implement High School Improvement Plan (Standard 4)
– Explore more strategies to support diverse groups of students
(Standard 7)
– Assess avenues for parent and community input on school
improvement plans that will allow stakeholders to more readily
understand and articulate the school goals (Standards 8, 10)
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Quality Assurance Review
District Accreditation
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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.
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Quality Assurance Review
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Final Recommendation
• The Quality Assurance Review Team
recommends, without reservation, to the
SACS CASI Board of Directors that Forsyth
County Schools be awarded district
accreditation as a quality school system.
• Once approved, the district and all its
schools are thereby accredited.
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Quality Assurance Review
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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.
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Quality Assurance Review
District Accreditation
…helping schools
and school systems
improve student
learning through
accreditation