20082008 Quality Learning and Quality Learning and Teaching Teaching Environments/Teacher Quality Environments/Teacher Quality ProjectProject

For Georgia Association of For Georgia Association of Educational Leaders Winter Educational Leaders Winter ConferenceConference

February 4, 2008February 4, 2008

PurposePurpose

To reduce teacher attrition in Georgia’s To reduce teacher attrition in Georgia’s public schools and improve the conditions of public schools and improve the conditions of learning and teaching.learning and teaching.

To raise student achievementTo raise student achievement

QLTE/Teacher Quality Project QLTE/Teacher Quality Project Advisory CommitteeAdvisory Committee

University System of GeorgiaUniversity System of Georgia Georgia Department of EducationGeorgia Department of Education State Board of EducationState Board of Education Georgia Partnership for Excellence in EducationGeorgia Partnership for Excellence in Education Partnership for Reform in Science and Partnership for Reform in Science and

MathematicsMathematics Georgia’s Leadership Institute for School Georgia’s Leadership Institute for School

Improvement Improvement

Supporting PartnersSupporting Partners

Sonny Perdue, Governor, State of GeorgiaSonny Perdue, Governor, State of Georgia Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of

SchoolsSchools Erroll Davis, Chancellor, University Erroll Davis, Chancellor, University

System of GeorgiaSystem of Georgia Georgia Committee on Quality TeachingGeorgia Committee on Quality Teaching

Georgia Committee on Quality Georgia Committee on Quality TeachingTeaching

University System of University System of Georgia (P-16)Georgia (P-16)

State Board of EducationState Board of Education Georgia Department of Georgia Department of

EducationEducation Georgia Professional Georgia Professional

Standards CommissionStandards Commission Governor’s Office of Governor’s Office of

Planning and Budget Planning and Budget Governor’s Office of Student Governor’s Office of Student

AchievementAchievement

Georgia Partnership for Georgia Partnership for Excellence in EducationExcellence in Education

Regional Education Service Regional Education Service AgenciesAgencies

Georgia Leadership Institute for Georgia Leadership Institute for School ImprovementSchool Improvement

Georgia Department of Early Care Georgia Department of Early Care and Learningand Learning

Georgia Public Policy FoundationGeorgia Public Policy Foundation BellSouthBellSouth Washington MutualWashington Mutual

A broad-based group of educational agencies and organizations formed to communicate and promote cross-

agency work on teaching quality

QLTE Pilot CommunitiesQLTE Pilot Communities

Bibb County Schools—Sharon Patterson, SuperintendentBibb County Schools—Sharon Patterson, Superintendent Dougherty County Schools—Sally Whatley, Dougherty County Schools—Sally Whatley,

SuperintendentSuperintendent Floyd County Schools—Kelly Henson, SuperintendentFloyd County Schools—Kelly Henson, Superintendent Hall County Schools – Will Schofield, SuperintendentHall County Schools – Will Schofield, Superintendent Lowndes County Schools—Steve Smith, SuperintendentLowndes County Schools—Steve Smith, Superintendent Valdosta City Schools – Sam Allen, SuperintendentValdosta City Schools – Sam Allen, Superintendent Vidalia City Schools – Tim Smith, SuperintendentVidalia City Schools – Tim Smith, Superintendent

Strategies Strategies The administration of a working conditions The administration of a working conditions

survey for diagnostic purposessurvey for diagnostic purposes Provide school and district-specific data to Provide school and district-specific data to

identify system strengths and weaknessesidentify system strengths and weaknesses Work with teachers to formulate a plan of Work with teachers to formulate a plan of

action to address identified needsaction to address identified needs Mobilize community-school partnerships Mobilize community-school partnerships

to improve conditions of learning and to improve conditions of learning and teaching.teaching.

Survey 1-January Survey 1-January 20052005

7,357 Respondents7,357 Respondents

10 Districts10 Districts

83% Response Rate83% Response Rate

Survey 2—December Survey 2—December 20062006

7,032 Respondents7,032 Respondents

7 Districts7 Districts

84% Response Rate84% Response Rate

.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new

landscapes but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust

Ask questions

Solicit feedback

Confront the brutal facts

Domains of the Working Conditions Survey

Time

Facilities and Resources

Leadership

Empowerment

Professional Learning

Rating Scale

1= Strongly Disagree

2= Somewhat Disagree

3= Neither Disagree or Agree

4= Somewhat Agree

5= Strongly Agree

What did educators tell us?What did educators tell us?

Average Domain Rating by Position: 2006

4.34.5 4.5 4.5 4.6

3.5

4.0 4.13.9

4.1

1

2

3

4

5

Time Facilities &Resources

Leadership Empowerment ProfessionalLearning

Av

era

ge

Ra

tin

g

AdministratorsTeachers

Teachers and Administrators See Things Differently

Which aspect of your work environment most affects your willingness to keep teaching at your school?

Time, 18.0

Facilities and Resources, 16.4

Leadership, 41.7

Empowerment, 14.5

Professional Learning, 9.4

Leadership Inspires and Retains Teachers

Which aspect of your work environment is most important to you in promoting student learning?

Time, 27.3

Facilities and Resources, 26.4

Leadership, 12.8

Empowerment, 16.5

Professional Learning, 17.0

SO………………SO………………

What Changed?What Changed?

Educators report improved Educators report improved

working conditions.working conditions.

Six in ten educators believed that conditions had improved.

Educators' Ratings of QLTE Domains 2005 - 2006

3.9 3.9 4.0

3.6

4.0 4.1 4.0 4.13.8

3.2

1

2

3

4

5

Time Facilities & Resources

Leadership Empower- ment

ProfessionalLearning

Per

cen

t In

crea

seEducators Report Improved

Working Conditions.

Teachers Report More Planning Time

3 Hours or More Per Week

1

2

3

4

5

Time Fac&Res Leadership Empowerment ProfLearning

Domain

2005

2006

The Stories Behind the Story: District and School Results

SEE OUR WEBSITE! – WWW.QLTE.ORG

BellSouth QLTEBellSouth QLTE

Quality Learning & Teaching Quality Learning & Teaching Environments InitiativeEnvironments InitiativeFloyd County SchoolsFloyd County Schools

“Building premier learning and teaching environmentsfor every student and teacher in Georgia's public schools"

TimeTime Student learning time is protected by leaders

Adequate time for professional learning

Reduced duties and paper work so teachers focus on instruction

Time to collaborate with colleagues

Class sizes meets needs of students

Student loads meet needs of students

Leaders address teacher concerns about use of time

BellSouth QLTE Action PlanBellSouth QLTE Action Plan Teacher CollaborationTeacher Collaboration

Ruth Pinson, teacher at Armuchee Elementary, chaired a Ruth Pinson, teacher at Armuchee Elementary, chaired a committee to explore increasing teacher collaboration.committee to explore increasing teacher collaboration.

Plan of Action:Plan of Action:School principals should work with teachers to provide, in School principals should work with teachers to provide, in addition to individual daily planning, an opportunity to meet addition to individual daily planning, an opportunity to meet for an extended time with other teachers to plan for an extended time with other teachers to plan collaboratively at least once a month. collaboratively at least once a month.

Facilities and ResourcesFacilities and ResourcesAdequate space to work productively

Sufficient access to office equipment

Convenient access to phones and email

Enough supplies to support student learning

Work environment is clean and well maintained

Provides a safe environment for teaching and learning

Current technology is sufficiently available for teachers and students

Leadership address teacher’s concerns about school facilities and resources

BellSouth QLTE Action PlanBellSouth QLTE Action Plan Actual ProblemActual Problem

Most school computer labs do not have a person who is responsible for Most school computer labs do not have a person who is responsible for staffing the lab. Teachers must teach the lesson and act as a technology staffing the lab. Teachers must teach the lesson and act as a technology person to get the computers up and running and also to trouble shoot person to get the computers up and running and also to trouble shoot computer problemscomputer problems

Plan of Action:Plan of Action:The system entered into an agreement with Berry College to pilot a The system entered into an agreement with Berry College to pilot a program using Berry students to staff computer labs in schools. The pilot program using Berry students to staff computer labs in schools. The pilot began with Berry staffing one school Monday through Friday during began with Berry staffing one school Monday through Friday during school hours. The program was successful and has been expanded to add school hours. The program was successful and has been expanded to add an additional school this year. an additional school this year.

Teacher Provided SolutionsTeacher Provided Solutions The process is the keyThe process is the key

– Ask opinionsAsk opinions– Involve teachers in solutionsInvolve teachers in solutions– Show resultsShow results– Continue the dialogueContinue the dialogue

QLTE Teacher Advisory GroupQLTE Teacher Advisory GroupSurvey results of participants.Survey results of participants. How satisfied are you that teacher questions are answered?How satisfied are you that teacher questions are answered?

Very Dissatisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Somewhat Satisfied Very Dissatisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Somewhat Satisfied Satisfied Satisfied Very Very SatisfiedSatisfied

0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 55.0% (11) 45.0% 55.0% (11) 45.0% (9)(9)

The Q&A email and website recap of the meeting was helpful in providing information The Q&A email and website recap of the meeting was helpful in providing information about the meetings to teachers at my school.about the meetings to teachers at my school.

Strongly Disagree Somewhat Disagree Unsure Strongly Disagree Somewhat Disagree Unsure AgreeAgree Strongly AgreeStrongly Agree 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 5.0% (1) 0.0% (0) 0.0% (0) 5.0% (1) 30.0% (6)30.0% (6) 65.0% (13)65.0% (13)

Lowndes County SchoolsLowndes County Schools

Good to Great and BeyondGood to Great and Beyond

Working Together for Excellence Working Together for Excellence Every DayEvery Day

A focus on student needsA focus on student needs

Data Driven Decision MakingData Driven Decision Making

Positive Results – An Example: Positive Results – An Example: How creativity, How creativity, commitment, and team work produced great results for the commitment, and team work produced great results for the Lowndes County School District.Lowndes County School District.

January, 2005- November, 2006 Working Conditions January, 2005- November, 2006 Working Conditions Improvement For Lowndes County Educators:Improvement For Lowndes County Educators:

Time 24%

Facilities and Resources

20%

Leadership 21%

Empowerment 21%

Professional Learning

13%

Student Achievement Data for Student Achievement Data for Lowndes High School:Lowndes High School:

Indicators January, 2005 November, 2006 2007

Graduation Rate69% 75% 78.4%

Attendance <5 days absent

56% 62%

Pass Rate HS Social Studies Graduation Test

84% 91% 91%

Pass Rate HS Science Graduation Test

66% 79% 77%

Adequate Yearly Progress

Needs Improvement

Made AYP Made AYP

What made the difference? What made the difference? Initiated a system wide theme of Initiated a system wide theme of Good to Great Good to Great

and Beyondand Beyond stressing teamwork and excellence stressing teamwork and excellence every day. It all began with getting the right every day. It all began with getting the right people in the right seat and on the right bus.people in the right seat and on the right bus.

Making Making academic achievementacademic achievement the the top top prioritypriority as well as meeting the needs of all as well as meeting the needs of all students.students.

Using Using data and researchdata and research to drive all decisions. to drive all decisions.

What made the difference?What made the difference? Introduced more Introduced more accountabilityaccountability through through

the use of a the use of a Balanced Scorecard, Balanced Scorecard, System Report Card and annual System Report Card and annual surveyssurveys of the staff, parents, and of the staff, parents, and community to monitor progress.community to monitor progress.

Designed and approved a progressive Designed and approved a progressive 5 5 Year Facilities PlanYear Facilities Plan that involved that involved building four schools in a five year period.building four schools in a five year period.

What made the difference?What made the difference? Conducted a Conducted a system-wide needs system-wide needs

assessmentassessment to determine Professional to determine Professional Learning needs. Provided school Learning needs. Provided school specific Professional Learning with specific Professional Learning with activities during planning time.activities during planning time.

Restructured the school dayRestructured the school day to to allow elementary and middle school allow elementary and middle school teachers 90 minutes of common teachers 90 minutes of common planning time.planning time.

And Finally…

What made the difference?What made the difference?

Empowered Empowered teachersteachers through the use through the use of of High Performance Leadership High Performance Leadership TeamsTeams at every school. The entire at every school. The entire staff faced the reality of confronting staff faced the reality of confronting the brutal facts. Vertical teaming and the brutal facts. Vertical teaming and horizontal teaming led to more focus horizontal teaming led to more focus and greater communication.and greater communication.

Cost:

$12 per participant for entire project

Sponsorships: For every $3 a local chamber of commerce provides, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce will match $3

Want to Participate?Want to Participate?

Please contact Nancy ReevesPlease contact Nancy Reeves

Community Relations Manager for Teacher Community Relations Manager for Teacher Quality ProjectQuality Project

Nancy.Reeves@usg.eduNancy.Reeves@usg.edu

(404) 463-2949(404) 463-2949