2013 new school application process informational session #5 for prospective new school applicants 1

2013 New School Application Process Informational Session #5For Prospective New School Applicants

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AGENDA - 900 Grant Rm. 703, 4:00-4:45 & 4:45-5:30Session #5 Goals:• To provide relevant information to prospective new school applicants regarding the new school

application process.• To examine the requirements and best practices regarding developing an educational program that is

culturally responsive to the school’s targeted student population.• To review the responsibilities and processes for serving students with disabilities.• To clarify the responsibilities required under the Modified Consent Decree for serving English language

learners.

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Process:4:00-4:10 (All Leaders) • Review Agenda & Introductions• Summary of Needs in the Call for New Quality Schools• Review of application questions regarding developing an Educational Program

4:10-4:35- (ALL Leaders) The importance of creating a culturally responsive educational program4:35-5:00- • (Charter Leaders)- Special Education Requirements and Best Practices (District-run

Leaders)- District requirements and best practices for serving English learners 5:00-5:25-

(Charter Leaders)- Special Education Requirements and Best Practices (District-run Leaders)- District requirements and best practices for serving English learners

5:25-5:30 (All leaders)- Wrap up and surveys

2013 Call for New Quality Schools – Summary of NeedsFNE NNE SW NW SE

500 Student Elem. (E-5) in GVR at Dunkirk

200 Student Intensive Pathways High School location TBD

Mid-sized Elem. at Conservatory Green Facility in N. Stapleton

300-500 Student middle school location TBD

400-600 Student middle school at Smiley*

Future need (2015-16) for a 9-12 or 6-12 at Northfield Facility

None currently identified

None currently identified

None currently identified, district is evaluating capacity needs in the far-SE.

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Culturally Competent Educational Programs

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DPS Student Survey Other Foundations of Culturally Responsive Educators

1) Educators who cared about them beyond the school day2) Educators who were involved in school activities such as

clubs/ sporting events3) Educators who did not make “fun” of their clothing,

hairstyles, manner of speaking, movement, etc.4) Educators who “believe in me” and know that “I can do

the work”5) Educators who aren’t boring, and engage the students in

their communities and families6) Educators who provide field trips, speakers, and “real

word” learning experiences;7) Educators who utilize technology, music, drama, art,

public speaking, debate, rap, current events, and poetry in lesson plans and existing curriculum

8) Educators who have a sense of humor and pleasant tone of voice

9) Educators who demonstrated interest in what they were teaching… as well as high expectations of their students

10) Teachers who can “step to you” set limits and are not afraid.

A warm demander approach (Ware, 2006)- This teacher simultaneously utilizes warmth

and high expectations…they don’t take and ____ but also demonstrate great love and respect for Children of Color/Difference.

Cultural Sync (Jordan-Irvine, 1991)- Jordan-Irvine (1991) describes the fit between

teacher and Children of Color/Difference through the concept of CULTURAL SYNCHRONIZATION… This is based on beliefs and behaviors of the culture of difference, and allows for the cultures of teacher and student to become integrated, familiar, and common. This integration is also honorable, in that there is mutual respect of both cultures in the learning process.

Information provided by Dr. Darlene Sampson Office of Post-Secondary Readiness, Culturally Responsive School Improvement Partner.

Relevant Questions in New School Application Guides

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Charter & Performance School

• Cultural Relevancy. Describe how the school’s curriculum will ensure cultural relevancy. Provide an overview of how the particular framework and/or the curriculum materials will address the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students.


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Charter & Performance School Special Education Students

• Explain how the school will identify students with disabilities and special needs. Which staff will be responsible for this identification? What will be the process to identify students? How will the school avoid misidentification?

• How will the school recruit students with special needs? How will information about a student’s specific needs factor into a decision to offer admission, if at all? Who will make the final decision about whether a student can receive adequate services at the school?

• How will the school provide qualified staffing for students with mild and moderate needs, ensuring that all staff hired are “Highly Qualified” in accordance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and are appropriately licensed and endorsed to serve mild and moderate needs students? What are the pre-requisite qualifications for these positions? Explain how you will recruit, hire and retain teachers that meet these requirements.

• Describe the specific, research-based instructional programs, practices, and strategies the school will employ to provide a continuum of services, to ensure students’ access to the general education curriculum, and to ensure academic success for students with special education needs.

• What schedule adjustments do you plan to make and additional resources do you plan to provide in order to meet the needs of your students with mild and moderate disabilities?

• How will students with disabilities be regularly assessed through the school’s assessment system?• How will the school regularly evaluate and monitor the progress and success of special education students so

that students attain those goals set forth in the Individualized Education Program (IEP)?• How will the school provide professional development and train teachers to serve the needs of mild and

moderate needs students?• If asked by DPS to host a center program to serve students with severe special needs, how will the school

structure and staff the program? What resources will the school need to provide high-quality support? How will the school provide qualified staffing for students with severe needs? How will the school provide professional development to these teachers?


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Charter School English Language Learner Students

In 2013 the state-wide assessment system for ELLs has changed from CELA to W-APT and WIDA-Access. In addition, the district is now operating under a Modified Consent Decree. Please consider your plans for serving ELLS and describe those plans so that it is clear that they meet the current standards and requirements. Note the Rubric used to assess English Language Acquisition programs is provided in the Information for Applicants Section at the back of this application.Identification Process. Who is in charge of collecting and administering the DPS Home Language Questionnaire? What will you do with the information from the questionnaire? Assessment and Placement. When will you assess students for placement? What valid and reliable English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment will you use to determine proficiency levels in listening, reading, writing, and speaking English? How often will you assess students for progress? What will you do with the results? How will you ensure that parents are aware of the school’s programs and services? Who will notify parents about placement in a Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP), what will be included in the notification, and when will it happen? If students receive Spanish instruction, what grade or subject appropriate assessments will you use to assess the knowledge of ELL students? Program Design and Curriculum. Describe your English Language Acquisition (ELA) program. What curriculum will you use during English Language Development (ELD)? Provide evidence that your ELD curriculum is research-based and aligned to the Colorado English Language Proficiency standards. How will you structure your instructional schedule to provide adequate instruction in ELD? What are your performance objectives and what standards will you use to measure the progress of ELL students? What instructional techniques will be utilized to help ELLs develop and understand academic vocabulary appropriately in speaking, reading, and writing? How will teachers support students’ various English language development levels? How will you ensure that parents are aware of the school’s programs and services? Teaching. Provide the profile of the staff member responsible for the management of the ELA program, including responsibilities, qualifications, certifications, relevant language proficiency, and knowledge of the history and culture of the ELLs in the program. Describe the professional development opportunities that will be offered to administrators evaluating the ELL program staff, and to teachers in ESL/bilingual, mainstream, and content-specific classrooms. Exiting/Redesignation. Describe your plan to exit/redesignate students from the ELA program. Who will be involved? What will determine the exiting/redesignation of students? What valid, reliable, and objective criteria will you use to measure English proficiency in each of the four language domains? Describe your plan to monitor students after exit/redesignation. How will you determine if additional ELA program services are needed?


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District-run Performance School English Language Learner Students

• In 2013 the state-wide English language proficiency assessment for English language learners (ELLs) has changed from CELA-Placement and CELA-Pro to W-APT and WIDA-Access. In addition, the district operates under a Modified Consent Decree detailing requirements for serving ELLs. Please consider your plans for serving ELLS and describe those plans so that it is clear that they meet the current requirements. According to the Modified Consent Decree 2012, “The English Language Acquisition (ELA) Program serves students who are English Language Learners (ELLs). The Program is transitional in that its goal is to use efficient and effective techniques to provide students with the English language skills they need to meaningfully and equally participate in the District’s Mainstream English Language Instructional Program. The District shall ensure that all ELLs in the Program, like all District students, at each school, in each educational program, and at each grade-level and ELP level, receive grade-appropriate content instruction that is designed to enable them to perform at grade level, reach their full potential, and be on track to graduate from high school prepared for success in life, work, civic responsibility, and higher education.

• The District shall offer Transitional Native Language Instruction (TNLI) services and English as a Second Language (ESL/ELA-E) services. The designation for program services is determined by the number of ELLs at each school.... Components of the program services shall include native language instruction in Spanish (TNLI only), Supported English Content Instruction, and English Language Development (ELD).”

• Note: the rubric used to assess English Language Acquisition programs is provided in the Information for Applicants Section at the back of this application.

• Identification Process. Every district school has an Instructional Services Advisory (ISA) team. ISA teams are responsible for placing English learners in ELA program services, classifying them as English language learners (ELLs), reviewing their progress while receiving program services, recommending them for exit from program services, and monitoring students for one year after they have been exited from ELA program services. Consult the ISA Team Handbook to confirm that your identification process is aligned with district requirements: How will your ISA team, and other school personnel, ensure that students are accurately identified as English language learners per district ISA team guidance? Who is in charge of collecting and administering the DPS Home Language Questionnaire? What will you do with the information from the questionnaire? Describe how your Instructional Services Advisory (ISA) Team will make recommendations regarding program entry, redesignation/exit, and services for ELLs. How will you use parents/guardians are adequately informed about student identification and program placement as well as student academic and language development progress?

• Assessment and Placement. Consult the ISA Team Handbook to confirm that your assessment and placement process is aligned with district requirements: How will your ISA team, and other school personnel, ensure accurate assessment of English language proficiency of ELLs? How will you ensure appropriate initial placement and program match of ELLs with ELA program services based on student language proficiency and parent preference, per the district ISA team guidance? When will you assess students for placement? District schools utilize W-APT to initially assess student proficiency levels in and use WIDA-ACCESS to assess ongoing progress. Confirm whether you will use these English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessments and and any additional assessments that you may you use to determine proficiency levels in listening, reading, writing, and speaking English? How often will you assess students for progress? What will you do with the results? How will your ISA Team ensure that parents are aware of the school’s programs and services as well as notify parents about placement in an English Language Acquisition(ELA) Program also known as a Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP), what will be included in the notification, and when will it happen? If students receive Spanish instruction, confirm whether you will use the district’s grade or subject appropriate assessments to assess the knowledge of ELL students?


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District-run Performance School English Language Learner Students (Cont.)

Program Design and Curriculum. The type of English Language Acquisition program provided in DPS Schools is determined by the number of ELL students at each school. Considering your projected student enrollment and regional analysis of student demographics, how many ELLs do you expect to serve at full-build? Based on the number of ELLs that you are projecting to serve, which ELA program model will your school implement (see table below)?

DPS English Language Acquisition (ELA) Program Models and Services for English Language Learners

GRADES SERVED THRESHOLD PROGRAM MODEL

SERVICES BY PROGRAM MODELNative Language Support

Resource Teacher

English Language Development (ELD)

Supported Content Instruction in English

Native Language Instruction

Elementary(E-5, E-8)

<15 ELLs No ELA Program-Strategic Support

≥15 ELLs (all languages) ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes Yes Yes

≥15 ELLs (Spanish-speaking) ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes (ELA-S)

Yes Yes

≥60 Spanish-speaking ELLs TNLI Yes Yes Yes Yes

≥60 Spanish-speaking ELLs and ≥15 ELLs (other than native-Spanish speaking)

TNLI and ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes (ELA-E)

Yes Yes Yes (for Spanish-

speaking ELLs)

Secondary(6-8, 6-12, 9-12)

<15 ELLs No ELA Program- Strategic Support Yes

≥15 ELLs (all languages) ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes Yes

50-99 Spanish-speaking ELLs (intermediate proficiency or below)

ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes (ELA-S)

Yes Yes

≥100 Spanish-speaking ELLs (intermediate proficiency or below)

TNLI Yes Yes Yes Yes

≥100 Spanish-speaking ELLs (intermediate proficiency or below) and ≥15 ELLs (other than native-Spanish speaking)

TNLI and ESL/ELA-E Yes Yes Yes Yes (for Spanish-

speaking ELLs)

10[1] Native language support includes curricular resources in the native language, paraprofessional support in the native language, preview/review in the native language, and appropriate strategies to support the transition to English for ELLs. Native language support is not a substitute for native language instruction, where such instruction is required by the Program or the Consent Decree (CD).[2] English Language Development (ELD) is the provision of direct instruction in English language usage including: content vocabulary development, survival vocabulary development, oral language development, listening comprehension, and the development of reading and writing skills in English. [3] Supported English Content Instruction is instruction in core subject areas in sheltered English, which is the use of specialized strategies to make the content accessible to, and increase the likelihood that content in English will be comprehended by, ELLs. When content cannot be adequately explained in English, an explanation or feedback in the student’s native language may be given.[4] Native language instruction includes the provision of instruction in one or more core subject areas in a student’s native language. The development of native language arts includes oral language development, reading, and writing. The purpose of native language instruction is to provide a foundation for literacy in English and/or opportunities for learning in core subject areas until instruction in English is appropriate. Native language instruction will follow the District’s research-based language allocation guidelines. At the Elementary level, the native language instruction portion of the day includes activities that promote literacy and cognitive development in a student’s first language in a manner comparable to their never-ELL District peers. At the Secondary level, the native language instruction portion of the day includes activities that promote content acquisition in science, social studies, and/or math.[5] English as a Second Language (ESL/ELA-E) is the English Language Acquisition Program for providing services to English Language Learners that includes Supported English Content Instruction and English Language Development.[6] Transitional Native Language Instruction (TNLI) is the program in which services, including native language instruction in Spanish, supported English Content Instruction, and ELD, are provided to ELLs. For purposes of this Consent Decree, dual language programs qualify as part of the TNLI program.


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• Describe how ELLs will receive supported English Content Instruction in core subject areas? What sheltered English instruction and classroom-based instructional strategies will be used to make content accessible to English language learners?

• Please describe how you will effectively implement the district curriculum for English language development: Avenues (elementary), Inside (middle school), and Edge (high school).

• What are your performance objectives and what standards will you use to measure the progress of ELL students? Describe how your ISA Team will monitor student progress in English language proficiency and core content area development. If you will serve a TNLI program, how will your ISA Team monitor Spanish language proficiency?

• What instructional techniques will be utilized to help ELLs develop and understand academic vocabulary appropriately in speaking, reading, and writing? How will teachers support students’ various English language development levels? What types of native language support will you provide to English language learners? How will you ensure that English language learners receive appropriate curricular materials and classroom assistance when necessary? Will you hire any paraprofessionals to provide support in the native language? What instructional strategies will all teachers use to make content assessable to English language learners?

• How will you ensure that ELL students are integrated into a supportive school culture?• If you expect to provide a TNLI program, describe which program goal describes the purpose of your TNLI

program (see table below)? • Based on the goal you have identified for your TNLI program, how will you provide native language

instruction to English language learners?

DPS Language Development Goals for TNLI Programs

EXPECTED RESULTS/GOALS TNLI PROGRAM TYPE

High levels of academic achievement in all curricular areas Sufficient academic foundation in Spanish literacy and content areas until instruction in English is

appropriate (for Spanish-speaking English learners)

Early-exit

High levels of academic achievement in all curricular areas Full academic proficiency in English and Spanish for native Spanish speakers

Late-exit

High levels of academic achievement in all curricular areas Full academic proficiency in English and Spanish for native Spanish speakers and native English

speakers

Dual language

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Note: All ELA-designated teachers must become qualified via state-endorsement in teaching the culturally and linguistically diverse, masters or doctorate degree in teaching the linguistically diverse, or completion of a district-approved training program. Teaching. Provide the profile of the staff member responsible for the management of the ELA program, including responsibilities, qualifications, certifications, relevant language proficiency, and knowledge of the history and culture of the ELLs in the program. Describe the professional development opportunities that will be offered to administrators evaluating the ELL program staff, and to teachers in ESL/bilingual, mainstream, and content-specific classrooms.

• How will the school’s staffing structure ensure that the school meets the non-academic needs of English learners and their parents/guardians?

Exiting/Redesignation. Consult the ISA team handbook to confirm that your exiting/ redesignation process is aligned with district requirements: How will your ISA team, and other school personnel, implement the processes for redesignation/exit and monitoring per ISA team guidelines to ensure that students successfully transition to mainstream English instruction? Describe your plan to exit/redesignate students from the ELA program. What will determine the exiting/redesignation of students? What valid, reliable, and objective criteria will you use to measure English proficiency in each of the four language domains? Describe your plan to monitor students for two years following their exit/redesignation. How will you determine if additional ELA program services are needed?

Tentative Schedule of Prospective New School Applicant Informational Sessions

Date & Time Topic

Feb. 12th

4:30-5:30900 Grant St. Rm. 108A

SCHOOL TYPE: Examining the similarities and differences between district-run performance schools and charter schools

NEW SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT & START UP: Analyzing the scope of the work involved with planning and opening a new school (both district-run and charter).

Feb. 14th

4:00-5:00900 Grant St. Rm. 108A

COMMUNITY INPUT IN APPLICATION PROCESS: Ensuring that parents/guardians and community members are involved in the school development process. Aligning new school applications with regional needs identified in the Call for New Quality Schools. Connecting with families and community groups to gather letters of support and intent to enroll forms.

Feb. 21st

4:00-4:45900 Grant St. Rm. 703

PERFORMANCE SCHOOL OVERSIGHT: Performance-School Accountability Committees (SAC), Instructional Superintendents and DPS Organizational Structure

4:45-5:30900 Grant St. Rm. 703 CHARTER SCHOOL OVERSIGHT: Charter- board recruitment and development, articles of incorporation, bylaws

Feb. 28th

4:00-4:45900 Grant St. Rm. 703

CHARTER SCHOOL BUDGETS: Aligning mission, program type, educational plan, staffing to the school’s budget. Charter- Per Pupil Revenue (PPR), audit, board oversight, start up grants

4:45-5:30900 Grant St. Rm. 703

PERFORMANCE SCHOOL BUDGETS: Aligning mission, program type, educational plan, staffing to the school’s budget. School Based Budgeting (SBB), start-up funds

Mar. 7th

4:00-4:45900 Grant St. Rm. 108A

PERFORMANCE SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: Examine approaches to serving the school’s targeted student population in the following areas: English Language Learners, Special Education, Multicultural and culturally responsive educational program

4:45-5:30900 Grant St. Rm. 108A

CHARTER SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM Examine approaches to serving the school’s targeted student population in the following areas: English Language Learners, Special Education, Multicultural and culturally responsive educational program

Mar. 14th

4:00-4:45900 Grant St. Rm. 108A

SCHOOL PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK (SPF): Developing clear expectations and goals that align with the DPS SPF. Clearly Student Academic Performance Goals

March 14th 4:45-5:30900 Grant St. Rm. 108A

INNOVATION STATUS & WAIVERS: Review district policies, DCTA collective bargaining agreements, and state statutes

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2013 new school application process informational session #5 for prospective new school applicants 1

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