Sample Activities, Deliverables and Measures For Required Success Plan Objectives (1-9) NOTE: This list is not comprehensive, nor does it represent the “best” activities/deliverables/measures for LEA plans. Rather, it should be used to support districts’ planning, by providing some clear examples and thought starters. Ultimately, LEAs should determine their activities, deliverables and measures based on their districts’ specific needs. Objective 1: Implement college and career ready standards and assessments Required Strategy 1: Support the development of new standards, align curriculum, and conduct assessments (SoW 1) Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Ensure curriculum aligns with standards • Committee of teacher leaders to review new standards, KUDs and model units convened on a monthly basis • Curriculum audit completed to ensure that all subjects are aligned with the Common Core Standards Ensure curriculum is implemented with fidelity • District tools developed for school leadership to use in classroom walkthroughs (simple, clear walkthrough rubrics and other tools as needed) • Classroom walkthroughs conducted to ensure faithful implementation of curriculum • Central office review of schools’ walkthrough data Ensure that all students participate in DCAS or the • Schedule for ensuring that all students alternate assessment participate in DCAS or the alternate assessment • Analysis of DCAS and alternate assessment data Develop district-wide formative assessments • List of grade level teachers to work in (including pre and post tests) in math and ELA teams on formative assessment development • End of unit formative assessments in math and ELA (See next activity for greater level of specificity) rd Partner with 3 party assessment developer to • Scope of Work support formative assessment development • Partner contract • Detailed plan for formative assessment development Implement new formative assessments (pilot and • Detailed schedule with master plan for final) and analyze assessment data pilot, revision, and final implementation • • • Pilot formative assessments Final formative assessments Data report with analysis by classroom and subgroup • Interventions implemented based on above report • Evaluation of intervention effectiveness using future formative assessment data Required Strategy 2: Build a culture of college- and career-readiness in schools (SoW 2) Sample Activities Sample Deliverables Provide rigorous advanced coursework • Please see below for a wide range of specific activities designed to provide more rigorous coursework Determine the level of rigor of courses taught in elementary, middle and high schools • • Expand elementary school offerings for advanced students and support teachers in accelerating elementary school students • • • Expand advanced math offerings in middle schools and support middle school teachers in accelerating students • • • Expand the AP program in all high schools and support AP teachers in teaching AP classes • • • • • • • Inventory and report of current course offerings with analysis of their level of rigor Report outlining level of rigor of all new courses Professional development on acceleration strategies for all elementary school teachers in core subjects Review of elementary schools’ Talented and Gifted programs, including processes for identifying students Refinement and expansion of TAG programs, based on review Two additional advanced level math classes per middle school grade Additional advanced courses in math/ELA added based on analysis of need Professional development on acceleration strategies for all middle school teachers List of teachers teaching new AP offerings Above teachers enrolled in state offered AP Summer Institutes Completed professional development sequence on teaching more rigorous coursework to a wide range of students, for all AP teachers New AP course (AP Statistics) in Year 1 At least two additional AP courses annually in Years 2-4 Policy requiring all AP students to take the AP exam free of charge Completed AP exams for all AP enrolled students • • Expand and improve CTE offerings in all high schools in support of more relevant coursework • • • • • Increase STEM offerings in elementary, middle and high schools • Target high-need or low-achieving students for enrollment in advanced coursework • • • Conduct outreach on the importance of enrolling students in higher level courses • Proactively support students in advanced coursework • • • Identify and address weaknesses in students’ preparation for college • • • Analysis of AP data for all AP students by class and subgroup Recommendations for enhancing district AP program based on the above analysis Analysis of DOL labor market projections Meeting with Perkins Advisory Committee Priority areas for CTE pathway expansion or revision identified based on the above Application for Innovative Career Pathway grant to support CTE pathway development and/or CTE pathway improvements One new CTE pathway offered annually in each high school One recommended program from the STEM coordinating council adopted annually in each elementary, middle and high school Analysis of past district policies for enrolling students in advanced coursework and those policies’ impact on enrollment of underrepresented subgroups Completed professional development sequence on identifying students for acceleration for all elementary, middle and high school core subject teachers (embedded in 90 minutes of PLC time) Default enrollment of promising at-risk students into advanced courses Sessions held at each PTA and within each school about the importance of enrolling students in advanced coursework Extended day tutoring opportunities for all students enrolled in advanced coursework, required for certain at-risk students (as identified by student data and teacher recommendations) New high school schedule that allows double blocking in math and ELA to support students Two-week summer “AP Preview” academy for at-risk students enrolled in AP English List of IHEs the district’s students attend in the largest numbers List of Steering Committee Members from district and above IHEs Report of entering students’ success, lack of success, and remedial enrollment, with recommendations for improvement • Key recommendations of the above report implemented Develop dual enrollment programs for high school • First list of courses available to dual students enrollment students • First on-line offerings available • Full complement of courses available to dual enrollment students Provide the PSAT and SAT to all students free of • PSAT provided to all 10th graders charge, and use college readiness data to inform • PSAT data used to identify students to students’ academic programs default enroll in advanced coursework • SAT provided to all 11th graders • SAT data used to inform students college and career planning • Optional SAT Prep offered for sophomore and juniors Ensure that all seniors fill out the FAFSA form • New system to track students who are/are during their senior year not filling out the FAFSA form (while adhering to all privacy concerns) • After school/evening FAFSA-support sessions with local volunteers • Filled out FAFSA form from all seniors Sample Additional LEA Strategy: Ensure coherent system-wide professional development on math acceleration Sample Activities Sample Deliverables th th Determine the 4 -8 grade math skills our • List of skills many students struggle with students are having trouble mastering and address • Completed professional development them through a specific professional development sequence addressing above skills for all 4thsequence 8th grade math teachers –sequence incorporated into PLC time Ensure that all teachers responsible for teaching • Completed professional development math get the support they need to accelerate sequence on student acceleration for all Klarger numbers of students and address particular 12 math teachers – sequence incorporated challenges identified in the activity directly above into PLC time • Aligned teacher improvement plans for all grade 4-8 math teachers Sample Measures % (or #) of Elementary School students enrolled in a Talented and Gifted program % (or #) of Middle School students enrolled in an advanced math course (at least one year ahead) % (or #) of AP or dual enrollment students (Juniors and Seniors enrolled – each student counts once) % (or #) of AP exam scores of 3 or higher % (or #) of Dual-enrollment students who pass a college course with a grade of “C” or better % of CTE students passing their end-of-pathway assessment % of CTE students employed or enrolled in post-secondary education 9 months after graduation [Common Measures] Objective 2: Improve access to and use of data Required Strategy: Implement and support improvement of the state longitudinal data system (SoW3) Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Provide technical training for all school and district • Schedule of all trainings staff on how to use the state data system, • Data system trainings included in new including basic data interpretation techniques teacher induction Hold a bi-annual “Data Day” for school and district stakeholders to analyze data and identify district priorities • • • Expand data access to parents and the community through communications and trainings • • • Make repeated reference to student data and the data system in all district communications • • • Data reports and analysis to be used in Data Day (including multiple data sources for information about students and program effectiveness) Agenda and invitees for Data Day List of district priorities and next steps based on Data Day discussions Trifold sent home to all parents on how to access and use student data Schedule of community data trainings “Lesson plans” for community data trainings Schedule of open computer lab hours Dedicated data section in quarterly district newsletters Data section incorporated in district website and update monthly Sample Measures # (or %) of parents who attend trainings # (or %) of parents who access their children’s data online at least once a year # of hours of open lab time used by parents (as measured by sign in/out sheets) Effectiveness of training sessions (as measured by participant surveys) [Common Measures] Objective 3: Build the capacity to use data Required Strategy: Ensure implementation of instructional improvement systems (SoW 4) Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Provide 90 minutes of weekly collaborative time • Schedule for collaborative time • Schedule for school and district leadership observation of collaborative time • Sample agendas and protocols for collaborative time • List of data sources to be used in collaborative time (including multiple data sources for student information) Implement (or enhance) an instructional • 3rd party partner selected to provide a improvement system comprehensive instructional improvement framework • Implementation of instructional improvement system • Building audits to ensure fidelity of implementation Use State data coaches to facilitate collaborative • Plan for using state data coaches, including time which schools require which type of support (direct facilitation or train-thetrainer) • Schedule for building and district leadership to meet regularly with data coaches Provide district-wide training in effective practices • Training materials and agendas for collaborative planning time • Training provided to all current staff • Training incorporated into new teacher induction Create a “PLC” for school leadership and district • Goals for leadership PLC personnel to analyze and act on student data • Schedule for leadership PLC • Evaluation of leadership PLC Sample Measures % of teachers who find common planning time valuable, as measured by teacher surveys % of teachers who are proficient or better in analyzing and using student data, as measured by data coach and principal assessments % of teachers implementing the instructional improvement system with fidelity, as measured by classroom walkthroughs (using rubric) [Common Measures] Objective 4: Improve the effectiveness of educators based on performance Required Strategy 1: Use evaluations as a primary factor in educator development, promotion, advancement, retention, and removal (SoW 5) Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Ensure that schools are scheduling and conducting • Individual school schedules for evaluations evaluations in accordance with state regulations compiled into a district-wide master calendar • Unannounced visits conducted in each school by district staff to ensure fidelity to the calendar Integrate development coaches into the • Plan and schedule for administrators to evaluation process work with state provided development coaches • Schools needing intensive support (because of high concentrations of teachers needing improvement) identified and provided to DOE • Services tied to district’s broader goals and integrated with all evaluation activities • Full participation by principals and assistant principals in state-led DPAS II training Conduct a thorough annual audit of evaluation • Report produced of teacher evaluation results, with findings and recommendations, and results, including: (1) analysis of establish a process for tracking growth over time consistency for individual educators between their evaluation ratings, informal principal assessments, and their student learning results; (2) district plan of action for addressing concerns identified in the audit; and (3) data collection plan on key measures of teacher quality to be tracked by the district and reported to the community annually. Wide dissemination of report to foster community conversation about teacher quality (June 2011) Deliver professional development offerings that are aligned with improvement plans [Note: For examples of evaluation system audits, see resources at www.tntp.org, www.joycefdn.org, and www.nctq.org]. • Improvement plans for all staff as required by regulations • Inventory of all PD offerings and their alignment to improvement plan components • List of district PD to stop • Above list of PD removed from PD offerings Required Strategy 2: Establish new educator career paths linked to evaluation (SoW 6) Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Establish goals for teacher career pathways Clear, specific, and easily understood goals for all existing and new career pathway programs • Note: Example goals are: Improve retention of highperforming teachers, improve placement of effective teachers in high-need settings, create opportunities for effective teachers to assume more responsibilities while continuing to teach Define the career ladders already in place • List and description of existing district career ladders Establish and staff a teacher leader position in • Timeline for implementation each high-need school • Job descriptions (including responsibilities, eligibility, compensation, etc.) • Staffed teacher leader positions Create a district “teacher fellow” career path with • Process of engaging teachers around the differentiated compensation for effective and goals of differentiated compensation (e.g., highly-effective teachers in critical subject areas or focus groups, study trips) completed hard-to-staff classes • Modified collective bargaining agreement, with plan for pilot implementation, using state-adopted student growth measures • Pilot implementation completed, key data (e.g., impact on talent transfer, satisfaction, and retention) analyzed to yield lessons, lessons applied to full implementation plan • First year of full implementation completed, key data analyzed, lessons applied to ongoing implementation Sample Additional LEA Strategy: Support principals to be effective talent managers Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Clarify and publicize principal expectations for • Summary of talent management expectations teacher talent management within the existing (i.e., the high leverage activities that highly definition of principal effectiveness (i.e., DPAS II) effective principals take to improve talent in their buildings) to all principals and central office staff Prioritize talent management in principal • Completed professional development for all professional learning principals on talent management strategies (e.g., pursuing high prospect recruits, organizing effective induction, building a strong leadership team, cultivating individual leaders) • Establish and support principal professional learning communities with questions centered on talent management strategies Modify principal and central office evaluation systems to ensure principals are incorporating professional learnings on talent management • • • Audit and streamline hiring and compensation processes (to maximize principals’ ability to cultivate potential leaders) • • • Create, maintain, and use teacher talent management dashboard for schools (for principal use) and district (for principal supervisor use) • • • Side letter to administrators’ collective bargaining agreement Supplement to rubrics for evaluation of principals and principal supervisors Completed intensive professional development (e.g., visits to other districts, coaching from experts) for principal supervisors of their role in supporting principals as effective managers Audit completed and presented to board and superintendent, including recommendations for improvements to hiring process Administrative recommendations from above report implemented Collectively bargained provisions from above report secured and implemented Dashboard prototype developed Dashboard operational and modified based on use Principals, principal supervisors, and superintendent have regular talent management meetings using data from dashboard Note: Dashboard will include principals’ assessments of performance, support needed and leadership potential for each teacher. Sample Measures % of Teachers who receive a “satisfactory” on the student growth component of DPAS II % of Effective Teachers % of Highly Effective Teachers % of Teachers rated effective or above who continue at their current school % of Teachers rated highly effective who apply for a career pathway (teacher leader, teacher fellow, or aspiring administrator) # of Teacher Leaders [Common Measures] Objective 5: Ensure equitable distribution of effective teachers (SoW 7) Required Strategy: Increase the concentration of highly-effective teachers and leaders in high need schools (SoW 7) Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Use the central website for applications • All job postings uploaded to website • District recruitment materials direct applicants to central website Forecast hiring needs and use succession planning • Survey of current staff • Report of current, near term, and long term hiring needs Move hiring process earlier in the year to • New hiring calendar maximize the chances of hiring highly effective • New policies to allow low performing candidates, and allow district’s lowest performing schools to hire first schools to hire teachers first • Plan to help low performing schools adjust their hiring calendars Analyze what courses the highest and lowest • Analysis of DPAS II ratings of teachers performing teachers are teaching, to evaluate teaching all courses within school equity; address issues identified • Reassignments based on analysis Ensure new teachers are assigned to classes that • Review of past new teacher assignments maximize their (and their students’) success to identify trends • Assignment of new teachers to classes that best match their skills/development needs Provide incentives for highly effective teachers • Research on the financial and nonand/or principals to move to high need classes or financial incentives needed to attract schools talent to high need classes or schools • Talent transfer incentives advertised • Talent transfer recipients selected • Evaluation of the impact of the talent transfer initiative based on data (e.g., # of transfers and their year 1 performance) • Partner with statewide Fellows program to supplement district talent transfer initiative Provide incentives for highly effective teachers • Research on the financial and nonand/or principals to remain in high need classes or financial incentives needed to retain talent schools in high need classes or schools • Retention incentives provided • Evaluation of the impact of retention incentives based on data (e.g., retention rate of highly effective educators in high need schools) Provide incentives for new, qualified teachers in • Hiring bonus created and advertised critical need subjects • Non-financial incentives developed • Hiring bonus and other incentives provided Sample Measures % of the next school year’s vacancies filled by June 1 % of new teachers receiving a rating of effective or above % of new teachers remaining in their position the following year # of highly effective teachers and/or principals participating in talent transfer initiative Retention rate of highly effective teachers and/or principals receiving retention incentives [Common Measures] Objective 6: Ensure that educators are effectively prepared (SoW 9) Required Strategy: Target recruiting and hiring to the most effective preparation programs Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Analyze recruitment data on all pre-service • Completed analysis programs with HR/principals to determine which • Recruiting resources (human and financial) programs produce the most effective educators allocated to the most effective pre-service programs Actively utilize State-Developed Educator pipelines • Ten teacher positions filled annually from for teacher and principal/assistant principal new teacher pipeline positions in high-need schools and/or positions • Two principal/AP positions filled annually that have been historically difficult to fill from new principal pipeline Develop University-to-District “pipelines” by • List of potential partners based on analysis partnering with college programs with a proven • Partnerships in place (MOUs drafted as track record of success required) Build a student-teacher placement program with • List of potential partners based on analysis local and out-of-state universities to ensure that of highly effective teachers and district’s new talent is tested/screened prior to hire hiring patterns • List of partners with effective studentteacher placement programs in place • Schedule of outreach meetings with institutions to determine interest/capacity • District student-teacher program in place with one or two institutions that replicates best student-teacher programs, particularly in areas where district has a shortage of teachers Improve new teacher induction/mentoring • Task force for improving new teacher program induction/mentoring • Survey of principals to identify common new teacher preparation gaps • Survey of newer (1-3 year) teachers to identify their induction needs/preferences • Recommendations for revising new teacher induction/mentoring based on research and the results of the above • Revised new teacher induction program Sample Measures % of new teachers hired from the five most effective pipelines % of hard to fill positions filled through the State-developed educator pipelines % of new teachers receiving a rating of effective or above # of teachers from State-Developed Educator pipelines # of student teachers # of “University-to-District” partnerships [Common Measures] Objective 7: Provide effective support to educators Required Strategy 1: Adopt a coherent approach to professional development (SoW 10) Sample Activities Link professional development to specific skill and role expectations Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] • Inventory of all PD offerings and the alignment to improvement plan components • Document demonstrating the integration of PD with other objectives: DPAS II, Teacher Leader Role, Novice Teacher and Leader, etc. • Matrix system matching participants to PD needed, received and implemented Review existing PD to determine if it is high-impact • Committee formed to review PD and prioritize participation in high-impact PD • Signed contract with external evaluator to offerings assess the effectiveness of PD • Completed PD review with list of district PD to stop • Ineffective PD stopped • Principal monitoring tool for implementation of high-impact PD Provide targeted professional development and • Attendance documents reflecting all math ongoing coaching for all math instructors instructors’ participation in new math professional development • Bi-monthly convening of math instructors by school type (elementary, middle, high) to ensure horizontal and vertical integration Partner with a third party provider to implement a • Training provided to all educators in the coherent professional development model with comprehensive PD model fidelity • Review of walkthrough data to ensure fidelity to PD model Maximize and measure the effectiveness of • Instructional focus plan for each school participation in the State-provided professional • System to evaluate implementation of development program instructional plans Required Strategy 2: Accelerate the development of instructional leaders (SoW 11) Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Ensure novice and high-need school principals • List of principals to participate in the state participate in the State instructional leadership leadership training training • Individual school improvement targets for principals • Document describing how leadership training ties to the district’s broader goals and is integrated with all leadership PD (e.g., development coaches, SAMs) Distribute leadership in schools through the integrated use of time studies and coaching • • • Expand leadership training and development for aspiring administrators • Provide professional development for all administrators in the implementation of DPAS II • Provide professional development opportunities for administrators to enhance their data analysis skills • • List of principals identified for state SAMS District plan for increasing the instructional leadership of principals and APs Master schedule for district leaders to be in schools observing and supporting instruction Partnership with local districts or state in the creation or continuation of an Administrator Development program Training on the use of the DPAS II rubric assessment (attended by all administrators) “PLC” created for school leadership and district personnel to analyze and act on student data (see obj. 3) A minimum of one teacher PLC meeting per month co-facilitated by the school principal and the Data Coach Sample Measures % of professional development rated effective (as measured by participant surveys and district analysis) % of teachers rated effective % of principals rated effective % of teachers rated highly effective % of principals rated highly effective % of teacher retention % of principal retention % of principals’ time spent on instructional leadership Length of vacancy period for administrative positions [Common Measures] Objective 8: Provide deep support to the lowest achieving schools Required Strategy: [If selected] Follow the process for turning around schools selected for the Partnership Zone (SoW 12) Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Work with the PZ school community to choose 1 of • Reform model selected 4 reform models - turnaround, transformation, • Implementation plan developed school closure, or restart- and develop an implementation plan Secure an agreement with the collective • Agreement secured bargaining unit regarding the plan implementation details Enter an MOU with the DDOE regarding the • MOU proposed reform model, implementation plan, and DDOE • MOU signed oversight Sample Additional LEA Strategy: Ensure that low performing schools – not identified for the Partnership Zone – receive the support they need Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Conduct school segmentation to identify “tiers” of • Segmentation completed; tiers identified schools based on performance Conduct Comprehensive Success Review (or • Comprehensive Success Review/Needs analysis equivalent needs analysis) for schools in lowest completed, including budget, staffing and performing tier (e.g., bottom quartile of schools ) conditions audit Provide specific interventions to the lowest • Intervention plan based on CSR/needs analysis performing tier of schools • Interventions provided Revise hiring schedules so lowest performing • Revised hiring calendars schools can hire teachers before other schools Allocate district resources to maximize their • Plan for allocating district resources based on impact school needs (e.g., data and development coaches) Sample Measures Difference in Common Measures targets between highest- and lowest- performing schools (by measure) Accountability ratings of lowest-performing schools Retention rate of teachers and/or leaders in lowest-performing schools [Common Measures] Objective 9: Engaging families and communities effectively in supporting students’ academic success (SoW 8) Sample Additional LEA Strategy: Provide information and tools to parents to support them in their partnership with schools Sample Activities Sample Deliverables [NOTE: Dates are excluded] Provide parents with reports and training on • Schedule and agenda for trainings student data • Completed trainings • Draft student data report for parents • Feedback on draft report from PTA • Data report sent to all parents • Evaluation of report and refinement of future reports Provide trainings for teachers on conducting • Research on PD for conducting effective effective parent/teacher conferences and ensuring parent/teacher conferences parent participation • PD completed for all staff and included in future new teacher induction Provide plan implementation updates at all PTA • Monthly talking points for PTA meetings meetings, in community newsletters, and in other • RTTT section in quarterly newsletter free media outlets • RTTT section on website, updated monthly Participate in National PTA “Take Your Family to • Parents and grandparents welcomed into School Week” to increase family involvement in schools for one week per year to schools year-round participate in lunches, student activities, and special events Sample Additional LEA Strategy: Partner with community organizations to provide mentorship and career opportunities Create a community mentorship program for high • Research on effective community school freshman mentorship programs • Pilot program developed • Applications from community members • Mentors selected and paired with mentees • Evaluation of mentorship program based on student achievement and mentormentee satisfaction data • Expansion of pilot based on evaluation Work with local businesses to offer school-to-work • Local businesses for school-to-work opportunities partnerships identified • Implementation plan developed • Program pilot • Program evaluation • Program expansion based on evaluation Sample Measures % (or #) of parents at student data trainings % (or #) of parents at parent/teacher conferences % (or #) of parents participating in “Take your family to school week” # of freshman- mentor pairs 9th grade dropout rate for freshman in mentorship program # of school-to-work partnerships Job placement rate for students in school-to-work program [Common Measures]