Request for Flexibility
2015-16 Proposal
INSTRUCTIONS: Please write your responses in the boxes below.
SCHOOL NAME:
Cambridge High School
CONCEPT NAME:
PL Days for Professional Development and Collaboration
STRATEGIC
INITIATIVE:
Enhance Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
Provide opportunities to increase teacher leadership and effectiveness
Increase personalized learning opportunities through technology
Enhance technology training for teachers
Concept Summary
1) Describe the need/challenge
that your school seeks to
address.
2) Describe the proposed
concept, and explain how it
addresses the
need/challenge identified
above.
3) Include any research or
evidence that the concept
will positively affect your
school’s student population.
If no research exists, please
articulate the rationale for
the likelihood of success of
the concept, and describe
your plans for risk mitigation.
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Staff surveys and focus groups have identified a need for additional
PLC time and professional development. We would like to continue
the work days which were granted to Cambridge High School during
the RFF process for the 2015-16 school year. Cambridge is committed
to continuous professional learning in order to support a highly
trained and qualified faculty. The professional learning days will
support professional learning and instructional collaboration, as well
provide time for programs and support from the counseling staff that
align with our strategic plan and wellness initiatives.
CHS requests up to five and a half professional learning and
collaboration days in addition to Fulton County work days. The extra
days will be scheduled in August, September, November, February,
and April, which will give CHS teachers one work day per month
throughout the school year. We are also requesting an early release
day after the PSAT in October. PL days will be used for professional
development and collaboration in the following areas: course
content, instructional strategies, and technology integration.
Professional learning sessions will be taught by CHS staff, which
provides opportunities to build teacher capacity and develop teacher
leaders. As we move towards our one-to-one technology initiative,
staff training is especially important to maintain quality learning
experiences for our students.
Cambridge has collected survey data and feedback in response to our
additional professional learning days this year, and staff members
reported that they felt more prepared for the week after they spent a
Monday collaborating with other teachers and attending PL sessions.
Teachers felt the days provided learning opportunities and
collaboration time that they did not have in a normal week.

Full day PL sessions allow a longer time period for more
intensive training.
Request for Flexibility
2015-16 Proposal

Full day sessions eliminate the transportation logistics
required by half days and save the transportation cost of
$1980 per day.
Factors for success:
 Students benefit when teachers are prepared and able to
implement research-based instructional practices based on
student data.
 Data shows that a large number of CHS students check out
after the PSAT and seniors take the whole day for college
visits, which significantly impacts the ability to facilitate
productive learning experiences during class. The half day will
be better used for professional development.
 On the early release day students will have the opportunity to
each lunch; attendance will be closely monitored.
 Many of our students have reported feeling stressed due to
academic and extracurricular commitments, and the extra
days will provide them with time to recuperate emotionally
and catch up on work.
 Teachers will require fewer duty days to leave school for
professional learning.
 Students will have an opportunity to schedule regular
appointments during non-instructional hours.
4) Outline the expected results
in the columns to the right.
Add additional rows as
necessary.
Project Outcomes
Better trained staff
Less stressed
students
More effective
implementation of
PLCs
Short-Term Goals
Improve teacher
collaboration
Address course
content, instructional
strategies, and
technology
integration in PL
sessions
Long-Term Outcomes
Improve teacher
quality and
performance
Increase graduation
rate
Increase percentage
of college and career
ready students
Increase SAT scores
Waiver(s) Requested
5) List any waivers from state
law, regulation, and/or rule
required to implement the
concept. (Facilitators will
identify the specific laws,
regulations, and/or rules
requiring exemption.)
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Fulton County has already waived the number of instructional days and
minutes required by the state of Georgia. However, should Fulton County
cease its waiver, Cambridge High School is requesting the following waiver
from the State.
SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.02 SCHOOL DAY AND SCHOOL YEAR FOR STUDENTS AND
EMPLOYEES.
GA State Law – Code sections:
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-151(b) which sets the number of hours of instructional
time for educational programs.
Request for Flexibility
2015-16 Proposal
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-168(c) which sets the number of instructional days per
year.
6) List any flexibility from Fulton We are seeking to waive Board Policy AF which states, “the minimum school
day for high schools shall consist of seven hours including lunch period.” (AE
County Schools’ policy
- School Year; IHF (8) Clock Hours for Unit of Instruction)
required to implement the
In addition we are seeking a waiver from Fulton County School Board Policy
concept. (Facilitators will
AE (Applicable School Year) which says, “The school year shall consist of 180
identify the specific Fulton
teaching days or the equivalent, except in the event of emergency school
County Schools policies
closures.”
requiring exemptions.)
Impact on Students and Families, Personnel, Departments, Processes, and Schools
7) List any impact of the
concept on the following:
 Students and families;
 Personnel;
 The school schedule;
 Transportation;
 School nutrition;
 Teaching, learning,
and assessment;
 Other schools; and
 Any other area not
addressed above.







Students and families: Additional days off will impact students
and families with children at elementary or middle schools. We
are working with our feeder schools and hope to have a
consistent schedule for all grade levels. The extra days will also be
communicated well in advance to help families plan ahead.
Personnel: PL sessions or collaboration from 12:45 – 3:50PM on
PSAT day and all day on the full PL days.
Transportation: Dismissal will begin three hours early on PSAT
day. Cost of transportation for early release day will be handled
through local school funds. Transportation will not be needed on
full release days.
School nutrition: Students on free and reduced lunch will not
receive school meals on full release days. All students will have
the opportunity to purchase or receive a school lunch on the early
release day.
Teaching, learning, and assessment: Teachers will improve in
each of these areas as they are able to collaborate on lesson
planning, common assessment development, instructional
strategies, and technology integration, all of which align with the
school’s strategic plan. Students will benefit from teachers’
increased skills and knowledge. PL days can also be a great
opportunity for teachers to assign online learning or remediation
activities for students.
We will also incorporate online learning opportunities for
students to complete during the PL days.
Special populations: Fulton County is working to develop a
statement that will be on all IEPs to release schools from IEP
services that would be provided on a release or professional
learning day.
Budget
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Request for Flexibility
2015-16 Proposal
8) Please use the budget
template on the next page to
provide the estimated costs
of the proposed concept. In
the space to the right, please
identify, to the extent
possible, how you plan to
modify your school budget to
cover additional costs. If
applicable, identify external
funding sources.
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Request for Flexibility
2015-16 Proposal
INSTRUCTIONS: Please enter the expected costs of your concept for the applicable school year(s). To calculate the totals for the Amount Budgeted columns, highlight the
entire table, and press F9. You may customize the budget items.
SCHOOL NAME:
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
Budget Item
Item Description
Amount
Proposed Funding
Amount
Proposed Funding
Amount
Proposed Funding Notes
(Include quantities Budgeted*
Source(s)**
Budgeted*
Source(s)**
Budgeted*
Source(s)**
if applicable)
Teacher(s)
0
0
0
Paraprofessional(s)
0
0
0
Support Staff
0
0
0
Additional Pay
(certified)/Overtime
(non-certified)
Equipment
0
0
0
0
0
0
Supplies/Materials
0
0
0
Professional
Development
Independent
Contractor(s)
Transportation
0
0
0
0
0
0
Early release day
cost
1980.00
Local School Funds
1980.00
Local School Funds
1980.00
Supplements
0
0
0
Other Professional
Services
Other
0
0
0
0
0
0
Other
0
0
0
$ 1980.00
$ 1980.00
$ 1980.00
GRAND TOTALS
Local School Funds
*When determining the Amount Budgeted for personnel costs, the principal should consult with the Learning Community Human Resources Director.
**For the Proposed Funding Source(s), please indicate which of the following funding sources you intend to use: General Fund, Student Activities Fund, School
Foundation/PTA, FCS Seed Fund, Grants, or Other (please specify the source).
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