aasa december 1, 2012. one of the most important, cross-cutting social policy perspectives to emerge...

A Unified Approach: How to Implement Reforms WhileSupporting Learners

AASA December 1, 2012

COLLABORATION

“One of the most important, cross-cutting social policy perspectives to emerge in recent years is an awareness that no single institution can create all the conditions that young people need to flourish….”

(Melaville and Blank, 1993)

Collaboration will not happen without a system.

Gainesville City Schools was looking for a systematic way to accomplish the work with fewer people, fewer meetings, and more forward-thinking and proactive approaches.

No matter where you are, here it is….

• New teacher and leader evaluations linked to performance goals challenge us to improve our observation, actionable feedback, and use of data reporting systems

• Common Core Standards implementation challenges us to improve classroom teaching, learning, and assessment

• Shrinking dollars challenges us to implement reform with fewer fiscal and human resources

• Emerging technologies to support reforms challenges us to provide infrastructure and human capital

What we don’t want to happen… Fragmentation of implementation resulting in work done for little return on improved student learning….

Expenditures of resources that resulted in little to support children while learning…

Hurting our most fragile learners as we implement policy.

OUR BELIEFS ARE LIKELY SIMILAR TO YOURS• We believe that the collaborative

actions of students, parents, community, and the school system are the determining factors in the success of our students.

• We believe that high expectations for EVERYONE drives success.

• We believe that continuous learning occurs best in a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment.

So how do we make that happen?

.

• Gainesville, GA, is located 60 miles northeast of Atlanta; a mid-size urban district

• Title I School District – 80% poverty rate• Charter School District- all schools are charter

schools• 54% Hispanic• 22% African American• 20% Caucasian• 4% Asian and Multi-Ethnic/Racial• 38% of students are English Language Learners• 11% are Students with Disabilities• 13% are identified as Gifted• 7, 343 students• 10% of students pay tuition to attend GCSS

Learning Supports Lead District Collaborative

Based on the work ofHoward Adelman, Ph. D.

Linda Taylor, Ph. D.UCLA Center for Mental Health in

Schoolshttp://smhp.psych.ucla.edu

l

Why?

We have to face our reality; improving standards, assessments, and data alone are not enough to help our most fragile learners.

All of the reforms will be meaningless if we are unable to address the barriers to learning and teaching and re-engage students.

Redesigned our system of working…

• We restructured our district and school leadership into three teams: instruction, management, and learning supports.

• We aligned our goals for each team with fewer goals; selecting those that matter most, for our district and school strategic improvement plans.

• We established a system of regular and layered work group meetings so that the information, professional learning, and collaborated efforts could be cascaded out to schools

• We included key community, business, and university partners on each team.

The Teams include….• Instruction: Principals, Academic Coaches, Directors

of Assessment, Curriculum and Instruction, teachers leading Instructional Technology, Media Specialists, Data Specialists, ESL and Special Education , university partners, community resources

• Learning Supports: Assistant Principals, Counselors, Parent Coordinators, Social Workers, Graduation Coaches, community United Way family and youth service agencies

• Management: Superintendent, Directors, Chamber of Commerce, Intergovernmental Agreement partners, Board of Education, Principals

MOVING IN NEW DIRECTIONS

•An Instructional Component that provides guidance for best practices for effective instruction.

1

•A Management Component that guides best practices for site management and administrative capacity.2

•A Comprehensive Learning Supports Component that guides the coalescing of resources to address barriers to student engagement in the classroom.

3

A Unified Approach to School Improvement Planning

Common Core ImplementationData Systems and Assessments

Instructional TechnologySTEM / Inquiry Based Learning

Early Learning Literacy

Leader Keys: 1- Instructional Leadership2- School Climate 3- Planning and Assessment 7- ProfessionalismTeacher Keys: 1-Professional

Knowledge 2-Instructional Planning 3- Instructional Strategies

4- Differentiated Instruction 5- Assessment Strategies 6- Assessment Uses

7- Positive Learning Environment 8- Academically Challenging Environment

9- Professionalism 10- Communication

Prevention and Healthy DevelopmentTransitions

Classroom Based ApproachesFamily Engagement

Community Involvement

Leader Keys: 2- School Climate 7-Professionalism 8- Communication & Community RelationsTeacher Keys: 3-Instructional Strategies

6-Assessment Uses 7-Positive Learning Environment

9-Professionalism 10-Communication

Leader Keys: 2- School Climate 3- Planning and Assessment

4- Organizational Management 5- Human Resource Management

6-Teacher/Staff Evaluation 7- Professionalism Teacher Keys: 6- Assessment Uses 9- Professionalism 10- Communication

Teacher Evaluation Leader EvaluationTeacher Induction

P.K.Dixon FieldhouseSPLOST Projects

District 5 Year Strategic Plan

Learning Supports

Instruction

Management

Continuum of Interventions

Continuum + Focus Areas = Comprehensive System of Learning Supports

Each group regularly analyzes their roles and progress through these focus areas:

Comprehensive Learning Supports System

Connecting Resources Across:

Feeder Pattern

District

Community-Wide

Foundational Work of the System

• District and school level personnel examine the barriers to learning as identified in the data

• District, community, parents, and school level personnel map the resources available

• Eliminate redundancy and duplication; “strategically abandon” all ineffective work

• Identify areas for collaborating and leveraging funds

The System Builds a Network of Support and Relationships

• Director of Learning Supports serves on the Hall County Commission on Children and Families to share information and link resources.

• School district coordinates with six college-universities in Professional Development School collaborations to promote literacy initiatives

• Superintendent serves on the United Way Board of Directors.

• Superintendent serves on the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Economic Development Council, and Issues Committees.

• Intergovernmental agreements with City of Gainesville Park and Recreation and Hall County Schools ( neighboring districts)

• Grant collaborations with Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, Park and Recreation, Centerpoint Counseling and Mentorship Agency, City of Gainesville

Outcomes and ResultsA decrease in discipline referrals to tribunal hearings (91 in 2009 to 26 in 2012- 71% decrease)

An increase in graduation rate (* 73% in 2009 to 85% in 2011)

An increase in the number of students exceeding expectations on state criterion tests in every group and sub-group

An increase in community and parent support as indicated on survey ratings and participation rates

96% Support of an Education Special Local Option Sales Tax in 2010

Support of a roll-up increase in millage rate in 2012

* Lever rate- converted to cohort rate for 2012

Added Benefits of Using the System• It aligns your schools and districts with the grant

requirements as well as standards compliance of Community Schools and 21st Century Learning Center grants.

• It servers as a Turn Around model in many states.

• It gives you an on-going system of gathering community and business feedback and establishes relationships of support.

• Grant linkages are always there: we write grants regularly using the frameworks in place.

• Professional learning resources are available on-line without added cost to the district.

Districts and schools can join us…• Resources are on-line institutes and

professional support through Scholastic and UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools

• Platform for sharing ideas and resources provided through AASA and Scholastic

• “Grass roots” efforts- it is spreading through personal contact of school leaders who reach out to one another

Resources from Scholastic

Complete on-line learning modules for professional development

“Rebuilding for Learning” Online Leadership Institute

http://rebuildingforlearning.scholastic.com

Contact InfoDr. Linda Taylor - UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schoolsltaylor@ucla.edu

Dr. Howard Adelman - UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools

Vera Turner - AASA vturner@aasa.org

Windy Lopez - Scholasticwlopez@scholastic.com

Rhonda Waltman waltmaninc@bellsouth.net

Gainesville City Schools Dr. Merrianne Dyer- Superintendent merrianne.dyer@gcssk12.net Jarod Anderson- Director of Learning Supports jarod.anderson@gcssk12.net Jamey Moore- Director of Curriculum and Instruction jamey.moore@gcssk12.net