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Brevard Public Schools

School Improvement Plan

2016 - 2017

Name of School: Asst. Supt. of Leading and Learning:

Principal: SAC Chairperson:

Superintendent: Dr. Desmond Blackburn

Mission Statement:

Inspiring, Leading, and Learning

Vision Statement:

To foster an atmosphere that inspires young people to become lifelong learners and positive collaborators through engaging instruction, equipping them with enduring academic and social understandings necessary for a fulfilling, successful future.

Tropical Elementary School

Mrs. Meara Trine

Mrs. Jane Cline

Mrs. Carla McCluney

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Stakeholder Involvement in School Improvement Planning: Briefly explain how stakeholders are involved in the development, review, and communication of the SIP.

Equipping our students with enduring academic and social understandings through engaging instruction and high academic goals is a central tenet of Tropical’s mission and vision statements. Increasing instructional rigor and improving student achievement through student engagement practices, sustained implementation of “backwards planning”/Understanding by Design, and continued emphasis on improving school-wide MTSS processes comprise the focus of Tropical’s 2016 - 2017 School Improvement Plan. Building a collaborative atmosphere and shared commitment to Tropical’s positive school culture requires significant emphasis on ensuring a clear message and aligned focus are communicated to all stakeholders, i.e. teachers, parents, students, and community partners. In keeping with the continuous improvement cycle, Tropical Elementary communicates our mission, vision, and school improvement initiatives to stakeholders via the Tropical Elementary Edline page, through faculty meetings and site-based professional development offerings, through PTO and volunteer meetings, and through Instructional Leadership Team meetings. A printed hard copy of the School Improvement Plan is available in the front office for review by stakeholders. Each year the School Advisory Council reviews and provides feedback about our school improvement goal and focus, as well as the initiatives that we are targeting in order to meet the quantitative and qualitative outcomes associated with that goal. Feedback and involvement from the parents, teachers, staff, and community members of our School Advisory Council are critical to ensuring our efforts align with our focus on high levels of student achievement. Our School Advisory Council is also in a position to communicate our mission and goals to our surrounding community in order to build supportive relationships with other stakeholders that may positively impact our efforts. In accordance with the BPS Strategy Matters Strategic Plan core belief of shared purpose, our teachers are directly involved in determining the focus of our School Improvement Plan. Key surveys were administered at checkpoints through the 2015-2016 school year and at the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year, the results of which were used to establish a direction for our school improvement focus and action steps. Tropical’s school vision and mission statements required updates to reflect our positive school culture’s focus on instructional best practice and lifelong learning. During the 2015-2016 school year, teacher leaders provided suggestions for new vision and mission statements to align with our school improvement focus and initiatives. A survey was developed to collect feedback from the teachers. The resulting vision and mission statements were shared with the faculty and included in our 2016 – 2017 School Improvement Plan. Communication with Tropical’s PTO with regard to classroom needs and fundraising is also founded upon our school improvement initiatives. The school administration works closely with the PTO board to build a common understanding of our school improvement focus and initiatives in order to ensure that volunteering and fundraising efforts align with the plan. Ensuring a consistent message is communicated to all stakeholders establishes a collaborative school culture focused on implementing the action steps necessary for achieving our school objective as it relates to standards-driven planning, rigorous instruction, and student engagement.

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Brevard Public Schools

School Improvement Plan

2016 - 2017

Part 1: Planning for Student Achievement

RATIONALE – Continuous Improvement Cycle Process

Data Analysis from multiple data sources: Please consider the priority indicators selected from your school

BPIE and EDI Insight Survey results within the rationale of your SIP.

What are the areas of successful professional practices and what data shows evidence of improvements? What are the concerns with

professional practices and how are they revealed with data?

Tropical’s 2015-2016 School Improvement Plan identified the following areas for improved professional practice school-wide:

Developing a deeper understanding of the Florida Standards driving our instruction/assessment practices through the “backwards planning” model defined by UbD

Developing a common language for MTSS procedures Providing additional opportunities for collaborative planning

Evidence of improvement in professional practices include the EDI Survey, school-based MTSS Survey, and Tropical’s School Improvement Survey. The EDI Instructional Culture Insight Survey was administered district-wide in 2015-2016. Tropical Elementary scored a 9.1 rating percentile with respect to Professional Learning Culture. Even though the rating is slightly lower than the 9.6 rating from the 2014-2015 survey (2014 and 2015 surveys differed due to additional indicators), this statistic is a notable achievement and serves as a leading indicator of the collegial atmosphere that continues to be pervasive among members of our faculty. In the area of Instructional Planning and Student Growth Measures, 98% of respondents indicated teachers track the performance of their students toward measureable academic goals, an increase of 2% from the 2014-2015 EDI Survey. 85% of respondents indicated they regularly collaborate with teachers and leaders to improve instructional plans and share resources, an increase of 15% from the 2014-2015 EDI survey. 71% of respondents indicated they had dedicated time to analyze interim assessment data and plan for future instruction and interventions, an increase of 14% from the 2014-2015 EDI survey. This data aligns our efforts in 2015-2016 to provide scheduled times for data analysis of assessment and MTSS intervention data, as well as collaborative planning opportunities beyond scheduled PLC/CMA meetings. In the area of Academic Expectations, 89% of respondents indicated students support their answers and explain their thinking, an increase of 2%. 93% of respondents indicated Tropical implements a rigorous academic curriculum. The overall rating score for Academic Expectations was a 9.0 which aligns with our efforts to ensure rigorous Tier 1 instruction through the “backwards planning” model. A school-wide MTSS Survey was developed and administered in Spring 2016 to measure the effectiveness of MTSS professional development opportunities and progress toward improving teacher understanding of the MTSS model. 82.1% of respondents indicated they have a better understanding of the Intervention Tiers. 79.5% of respondents indicated they have a better understanding of the MTSS process and forms required for IPTS/MTSS meetings. While these percentages represent a majority of our faculty, continued growth is still needed in the areas of delivering interventions, progress monitoring documentation, and preparing for meetings as evidenced by an ESE Inclusion Survey administered at the end of the 2015-

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2016 school year. This survey was more open-ended and solicited constructive feedback regarding what is working well or might be improved related to Tropical’s inclusion practices. Positive feedback indicated respondents believed students were making progress as a result of the supportive strategies being implemented through Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. Feedback for growth stressed the importance of a formalized schedule for when support facilitation teachers push in to classrooms as well as committed times for collaborative planning between general education teachers and support facilitation teachers. In an effort to gather additional feedback regarding the effectiveness our 2015-2016 School Improvement Plan initiatives and inform Tropical’s 2016-2017 plan, a School Improvement Survey was administered at the beginning of the school year. The survey required respondents to provide feedback to indicate the degree to which instructional practices were being implemented in the classroom related to student engagement and standards-based instruction. The survey also required respondents to provide feedback related to their understanding of the MTSS instructional tiers and interventions. The data from the survey revealed several implications for professional practice including the need for continued communication regarding non-negotiables related to established best practice and classroom look-fors/ask-fors in the area of posting standards to support student understanding of lesson objectives, as well as continued opportunities for collaborative planning. When responding to questions related to MTSS, only 27.8% of teachers indicated they strongly agree and 41.7% agree with the statement: “I understand how to complete the MTSS forms required for students receiving Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions.” These statistics indicate a need for further professional development on completing forms and documenting progress monitoring information. A question was included in the survey to gather insight on professional development needs. The two highest areas of need were Technology Integration (30.6%) and MTSS Interventions (25%). Professional development in technology integration will continue to be a focus of our established “Technology Tuesday” trainings and professional development in MTSS Interventions will be the focus of school-wide professional development, emphasizing interventions for early identification and support of students in the area of K-2 literacy. The 2015-2016 BPIE Survey provided insight related to Tropical’s procedures for MTSS and ESE Inclusion practices. Many of the indicators on the survey are being implemented fully, but additional progress is necessary in other indicator areas including the following indicator areas rated as “Partially Advanced”:

Indicator 21: All instructional and related services personnel use formative assessment processes and tools to gather, analyze and evaluate data about effective instruction and behavior interventions for all students with and without disabilities in general education and natural contexts. Implication for Tropical: Continued professional development in the design and delivery of instructional and behavior interventions along with progress monitoring should be a priority.

Indicator 25: There are a variety of service delivery models in place, across all grade levels to provide instruction and related services to SWDs in general education classes and natural contexts. Partially advanced? Implication for Tropical: Continued development of our service continuum is required, specifically for consistent, scheduled support facilitation school-wide.

Indicator 28: General and special education teachers use regularly scheduled collaborative planning time to clarify their roles and responsibilities while planning effective instruction and assessment for all students. Implication for Tropical: Develop and monitor collaborative planning schedules to ensure effective instruction and assessment for all students.

What are the areas of successful student achievements and what data shows evidence of improvements?

What are the concerns with student achievements and how are they revealed to the data?

Monitoring and addressing attendance concerns was a component of the Early Warning System interventions outlined in our 2015-2016 School Improvement Plan. The Attendance Comparison Summary was one report referenced for attendance monitoring purposes. This report provides

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information on our school-wide attendance rate. During the 2014-15 school year, Tropical fell below 95% in six of the reporting periods. During the 2015-16 school year, due to monitoring and follow-up interventions, we improved, falling below 95% in only two reporting periods, demonstrating the positive impact of intervention. The number of students associated with Early Warning Indicators linked to attendance concerns also decreased. It should be noted, however, that in reviewing the SIP Attendance Rate < 90% report for 2015-2106, the largest number of students linked to poor attendance were in our Kindergarten and first grade classrooms. This is a significant concern relative to K-2 early literacy success. We will continue to monitor attendance closely through 2016-2017 as attendance strongly correlates with behavior and achievement. Tropical Elementary continues to be an “A” rated school, ranked 9th in the district based upon the 2015-2016 FSA Achievement Data. To earn an “A” rating, schools were required to earn 62 points based on student learning gains. Tropical earned 72 points and our 2016 ranking in the district surpasses our prior ranking. Figures A and B provide an overview of the learning gains made by grade level. Note, the third grade information reflects the learning gains performance of students who were previously retained and taking the third grade assessment for a second time. We believe the increase in learning gains corresponds with our 2015-2016 focus on rigorous standards-based instruction, “backwards planning”, and professional development in MTSS and UbD. Figure A: 2015-2016 Learning Gains FSA ELA

Figure B: 2015-2016 Learning Gains FSA Mathematics

Performance data from 2011-2015 indicated an overall pattern of decreased proficiency trends for third grade students in the area of English Language Arts (ELA). Based on the 2015-2016 data for third grade, students performing at Level 1 on the ELA assessment decreased significantly from 17% on the 2014-2015 Lowest Quintile Report to just 4% (5 students) performing at Level 1 on the 2015-2016 ELA assessment. The overall percentage of students performing at Level 3 and above on the 2015-2016 ELA and Mathematics Assessments are outlined in Figure C. This data is reflective of our continued focus on instructional rigor and high effect strategies, professional development and best practice related to student engagement, and professional development in “backwards planning”. ELA performance will continue to be closely monitored. Given the BPS emphasis on K-2 Literacy, along with our school improvement initiatives focused on early identification and intervention, we anticipate a reversal of decreased proficiency trends in ELA school-wide.

TOTAL ELA

GRADE 3 5 3 60.00%

GRADE 4 99 64 64.65%

GRADE 5 107 65 60.75%

GRADE 6 84 52 61.90%

LEARNING GAINS - NUMBER OF STUDENTS

TOTAL MATH

GRADE 3 5 2 40.00%

GRADE 4 99 66 66.67%

GRADE 5 107 86 80.37%

GRADE 6 83 63 75.90%

LEARNING GAINS - NUMBER OF STUDENTS

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Analysis of Current Practices:

Describe action steps that have become non-negotiable, things that you will continue doing.

Several action steps from prior school improvement initiatives have become non-negotiable best practice relative to Tropical’s success as a high-performing learning culture. Teachers continue to utilize BEST practices throughout the curriculum as evidenced by walkthroughs and observations. Tropical’s CMA/PLC teams continue to focus on item analysis with respect to common formative and summative assessments in an effort to discern patterns and trends to improve instruction. Our collaborative/mutual accountability teams continue to meet on a monthly basis to review data from district assessments and other common assessments as that data relates to progress monitoring and addressing changes in instructional practice necessary for meeting the varied needs of our students as documented through data analysis and professional discourse. In an effort to promote the highest levels of cognitive engagement in all content areas, collaborative discussions focus on tracking student progress, curriculum planning, best practice in standards driven instruction, formative and summative assessment, differentiation and MTSS interventions, and error analysis to determine performance trends. Data is analyzed and instruction is driven by assessment results. Sources of data for 2016 - 2017 include classroom, district, and state assessment data as well as IStation performance data and Study Island benchmark assessment data. Because research indicates collaborative data analysis is central to improving instruction and student achievement, the goal is for every teacher to become proficient in analyzing data and implementing high-probability strategies, which is also in alignment with the BPS Strategy Matters Strategic Plan core beliefs surrounding reverence for data that informs instructional decisions and supports focused intervention efforts. With the implementation of the Florida Standards, more than half of our faculty adopted the use of an online planning tool, Plan Book EDU, to document coverage of the standards. Our School Advisory Council continues to fund a subscription to this online planning tool in support of providing teachers with an accessible, online planning option with direct access to the Florida Standards for more seamless planning and standards documentation. The “backwards planning” model as defined by Wiggins’ Understanding by Design is used as the standard for planning as a result of extensive professional development opportunities during the 2015-2016 school year with a specific focus on planning that

Figure C: Percentages of Students Performing at Level 3 and Above on the 2015-2016 FSA

Grade Level ELA Percentage Level 3 and Above Mathematics Percentage Level 3 and Above

3 71% 77% 4 63% 75% 5 67% 81% 6 78% 86%

Tropical students continued to perform above district and state averages in Science. We have maintained our ranking of fifth in the district based upon student performance on the 2016 Florida Science Standards Assessment with 82% of students scoring at Level 3 or above, and 55% of students scoring at Levels 4 and 5. Effective implementation of the district’s rigorous K-6 Science program along with the utilization of high-effect size strategies, specifically summarizing activities and interactive notebooks, have proven to be beneficial to the continued growth and success of our students in Science.

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starts with consideration of the rigor of the standards and transfer goals and ensures teachers plan quality assessments and learning tasks to promote mastery of the standards. Tropical’s School Improvement initiatives since 2013 have focused on increasing academic rigor and achievement through research-based student engagement strategies. Professional development in the area of Kagan Cooperative Structures has been provided to several of Tropical’s teachers and a Kagan team has been established to share best practices with the faculty. Practices are most often shared at the opening of monthly faculty meetings. This has proven effective in strengthening instructional practices by providing timely, practical strategies that teachers can immediately use in their own classrooms to improve achievement through engagement. This practice will continue through the 2016-2017 school year.

The Academic Support Program (ASP) model utilized at Tropical continues to positively impact student achievement as evidenced by the percentage of students attending the program who made adequate progress. Seventy-eight students were served through the 2015-2016 ASP program at Tropical and 90% of those students made adequate progress. The program is offered during the school day to serve the largest number of students possible, thereby avoiding the impact of reduced attendance due to transportation restrictions. We will continue to offer an in-school Academic Support Program model in 2016-2017 focused on interventions for our lowest 25% in grades 3-6, with continued emphasis on Reading (comprehension, fluency, vocabulary development).

During the 2015-2016 school year both District Professional Development Days and Early Release Professional Development days were utilized to build instructional capacity in the area of planning through use of the Understanding by Design (“backwards planning”) framework, targeted interventions through MTSS, and technology tools/resources to support rigorous instruction. Professional development at Tropical is most often delivered by teams of teacher leaders. According to research, this practice is characteristic of high performing school cultures, demonstrating the belief that trusted teacher leaders are able to accelerate knowledge sharing and the practical application and flow of best practices throughout the school community and that collaboration, not workshops, is the best vehicle for extending learning (The 20 Non-Negotiable Characteristics of Higher Performing School Systems, NCEA/ACT 2011). We will continue to provide quality professional development on Professional Development and Early Release Days during the 2016-2017 school year to build instructional capacity in the areas of literacy, planning MTSS interventions, and MTSS progress monitoring. In 2013-2014, we established quarterly progression meetings to better monitor student performance in each grade level. Classroom teachers, guidance counselors, IPST team members, ESE resource teachers, our literacy coach, and administration are active participants in these meetings. During these meetings, teachers share their concerns for students performing below proficiency expectations, discuss interventions and data, and make plans for improvement in instructional practice. Below-grade-level performance is documented by grade level and individual student performance is tracked in accordance with district progression plan guidelines. This process has proven to be helpful in identifying students in need of intervention based upon performance assessment and early warning indicators, and also helped streamline the process of determining promotion or retention status. The quarterly progression meetings will continue for the 2016-2017 school year, with an emphasis on dialogue surrounding best practices for students receiving supplemental and intensive instruction through the MTSS process as well as ESE students who are receiving services through the inclusion model.

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Tropical’s teachers have become increasingly more confident demonstrating skills and practices necessary for student success in the classroom, as evidenced through classroom walkthroughs and the Instructional Performance Appraisal System (IPPAS). We will continue to provide timely, relevant support and professional development for teachers as they develop Professional Growth Plans (PGP) to support student achievement, our School Improvement goal, and their individual/collaborative efforts to improve instructional practice. Peer observations at Tropical and at other school sites have also proven effective in providing both experienced and induction level teachers with opportunities to see positive examples of rigorous instruction and our professional development practices in action. School site and off-site classroom observations are aligned with school improvement goals and outcome measures. Consideration for school sites and classroom observations for 2016-2017 will be based upon teacher instructional practice needs in the areas of “backwards planning”, rigor, engagement, and MTSS interventions. During the 2016-2017 school year, in addition to off-site school and classroom visits/observations, we will continue to build the instructional capacity of our professional learning community by providing increased opportunities for professional growth at the school level through peer coaching sessions and on-campus collegial classroom observations, to ensure the consistent implementation of best practice look-fors/ask-fors, as established by our Instructional Leadership Team.

Best Practice:

Based on research, as it relates to the data analysis above, what should be best practices in the class room?

Ensuring consistent improved student performance outcomes requires refinement of MTSS practices, procedures, and assessment measures on an annual basis (Greenwood, Bradfield, Kaminski, Linaas, Carta, & Nylander, 2011). These efforts should be coordinated through an MTSS building leadership team which includes the school principal (Metcalf, RTI Action Network). MTSS building leadership team efforts should include familiarizing faculty with guidelines, flowcharts, and/or checklists to improve the functioning of the MTSS process, identify critical elements, assure the system is working effectively, and support overall implementation (Metcalf, RTI Action Network). According to Harlacher and Siler (2011), appropriate school-wide implementation of MTSS takes 3-5 years with specific factors influencing the success of implementation. The top four factors defined by the research as having the greatest impact on successful implementation included: (1) Professional Development – improve skills and knowledge, (2) Staff Buy In – the degree to which teachers are willing to implement, adopt, and understand new practices including communication between faculty and leadership, (3) Leadership – having a person who is leading the transition from old practices to new practices and providing expert knowledge, (4) Time for Collaboration – time allocated for staff to analyze data and discuss issues pertaining to MTSS. The goal during the implementation timeline is for MTSS to become the “way of work” defined by slow, systematic implementation efforts (Batsche, 2011).

Based upon data analysis of our leading indicators, it is clear that positive changes are being made with respect to strengthening standards-based instructional practice in the area of student engagement and rigorous Tier 1 instruction. Continued focus on instructional planning and high effect strategies is necessary to support academic performance and progress toward increased learning gains. Teachers have identified a need for collaborative planning time to discuss and develop effective, evidence-based Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions along with professional development to build their instructional capacity for delivering interventions and preparing for MTSS meetings. Conclusively, by effectively implementing strong Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, while providing assurances through a more formalized structure and timeline for MTSS meetings, Tropical will positively impact student performance school-wide.

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School-Based Goal: What can be done to improve instructional effectiveness?

Tropical Elementary will formalize our MTSS processes in order to meet the academic and behavioral

needs of all students, while continuing research-based best practices for student engagement and

rigorous, standards based Tier 1 instruction.

Strategies: Small number of action oriented staff performance objectives.

Barrier Action Steps to Overcome Barrier

Person Responsible

Timetable In-Process Measure

Inconsistent understanding of MTSS timeline and Tier 2/3 interventions

1. Provide opportunities for the MTTS Leadership Committee to visit model schools and/or classrooms to observe MTSS processes in action. The committee will then share these practices with the faculty at Tropical.

2. Develop and provide professional development in MTSS processes (flow chart, scheduling, interventions, resources, progress monitoring) and timelines specific to Tropical.

3. Identify a counselor to monitor MTSS schedules and provide support to teachers as they prepare for MTSS/IPST meetings. Define roles and responsibilities of MTSS counselor.

4. Continue to provide professional development in using software programs to assist in progress monitoring (examples: Performance Matters/Unify, IStation, Study Island). 5. Conduct a book study of The Daily 5 as a

Administration

MTSS Leadership Team

MTSS Guidance Counselor

Individual Problem Solving Team

Literacy Coach

Site Inservice Representative

Select District Personnel as invited

Technology Specialist

Technology Integrators Classroom Teachers

August 2015 – May 2016

The MTSS Guidance Counselor was identified in August 2016.

MTSS professional development will be scheduled throughout the year to include district PD dates, ERPD dates, optional PD dates, and Induction meeting dates.

MTSS Workshop/Training Agendas

PD Implementation Forms

MTSS Meeting Monitoring Schedules

Tropical’s Formalized MTSS Flowchart Model

MTSS Progress Monitoring Forms (Form 7)

Usage and Performance Reports (Study Island, IStation)

Walk To Success/Intervention Schedules Book Study Agendas Classroom Walkthrough Data – Document Daily 5 Implementation and Implementation of MTSS Tiered Interventions School-Based MTSS Survey Data Peer Coach and/or Mentor Observations and Feedback Instructional Performance Appraisal Feedback and Data

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model for differentiation and scheduling time for interventions. 6. Use the FIN model in the Spring of the 2016-2017 school year to schedule ESE students for support facilitation for the 2017-2018 school year. 7. Make faculty aware of available district training opportunities to support professional development to practice with MTSS interventions and processes. Teachers attending district training will share key learning with Tropical faculty.

Model Classroom Observations and Feedback

EVALUATION – Outcome Measures and Reflection-begin with the end in mind.

Qualitative and Quantitative Professional Practice Outcomes: Measures the level of implementation of professional

practices throughout your school.

Qualitative Professional Practice Outcomes

At the beginning of the 2016 – 2017 school year a School Improvement Survey was administered to classroom teachers to measure teacher perception and experience related to MTSS interventions and standards-based instruction best practices. The survey will also be administered at the end of the year to measure progress/growth towards our anticipated outcomes. The results of the survey will be utilized to measure the degree to which professional development in MTSS is implemented and impacts instructional practice. We anticipate at least a ten percent increase in baseline data (Strongly Agree) from the initial survey to the end-of-year survey relative to the following statements:

I understand how to complete the MTSS forms required for students receiving Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions.

I understand the guidelines for delivering Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions to students related to the appropriateness of the interventions, group size, and progress monitoring duration.

Quantitative Professional Practice Outcomes

Professional Development opportunities in MTSS processes and interventions have been planned for the 2015-2016 school year, including a book study of the Daily 5 as a model for delivering standards-based instruction in a manner supportive of differentiation and early intervention. It is our expectation that as a result of participation in the Daily 5 study and associated professional development, that 75% of participating teachers will implement one or more element(s) of the Daily 5 in their instructional delivery model as evidenced by classroom walkthrough data.

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Qualitative and Quantitative Student Achievement Expectations: Measures student achievement.

Qualitative Student Achievement Expectations

At Tropical Elementary School, students will be immersed in the use of engaging, high yield instructional strategies during daily instruction. Teachers will bring qualitative data (teacher observations, daily formative classroom assessments, surveys, etc…) to teacher data team meetings for discussion in order to facilitate the planning of Strong Tier 1 instruction and effective Tier 2/3 interventions. Evidence from qualitative data shared at end-of-year PLC meetings will indicate fewer students require Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions as a result of enhanced Tier 1 instruction and Tier 2/3 supports. Quantitative Student Achievement Expectations

It is our expectation that student achievement will improve as a result of the alignment of professional development related to the implementation of MTSS interventions and our continued focus on rigor through student engagement and standards based instruction. As a result, we expect to see the following outcomes related to student achievement on the 2017 FSA – ELA and Mathematics Assessments:

3rd Grade Language Arts – Our expectation is that the percentage of Tropical Elementary School students scoring at or above proficiency in Language Arts on the 2017 FSA – ELA will meet or exceed the Brevard Public Schools’ district average.

3rd Grade Mathematics –Our expectation is that the percentage of Tropical Elementary School students scoring at or above proficiency in Mathematics on the 2017 FSA – Mathematics will meet or exceed the Brevard Public Schools’ district average.

Grades 4-6 Language Arts – Our expectation is that the percentage of Tropical Elementary School students scoring at or above proficiency in Language Arts on the 2017 FSA - ELA will meet or exceed the Brevard Public Schools’ district average.

Grades 4-6 Mathematics - Our expectation is that the percentage of Tropical Elementary School students scoring at or above proficiency in Mathematics on the 2017 FSA - Mathematics will meet or exceed the Brevard Public Schools’ district average.

Tools that will be used to measure progress throughout the year will include, but are not limited to, the following:

IStation Reports Study Island Benchmark Reports District Assessments (BELAA, Mathematics) Performance Matters & Unify Reports/Data

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Part 2: Support Systems for Student Achievement

(Federal, State, and District Mandates)

For the following areas, please write a brief narrative that includes the data from the year 2015-2016 and a

description of changes you intend to incorporate to improve the data for the year 2016-2017.

MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS MTSS/RtI This section meets the requirements of Sections

1114(b)(1)(B)(i)-(iv) and 1115(c)(1)(A)-(C), P.L. 107-110, NCLB, codified at 20 U.S.C. § 6314(b) and Senate

Bill 850.

1. Describe the process through which school leadership identifies and aligns all available resources (e.g.,

personnel, instructional, curricular) in order to meet the needs of all students. Include the methodology for

coordinating the use of federal, state and local funds, services, and programs.

2. Describe your school’s data-based problem-solving process: including types of data used to monitor

effectiveness of core, supplemental, and intensive instruction; and school based structures in place to

address MTSS implementation.

1. In accordance with MTSS/RtI best practice, an MTSS leadership committee was established in 2015-2016 to gauge teacher needs and guide school-based MTSS professional development opportunities. The committee consisted of teacher leaders (general education and ESE), guidance counselors, the school literacy coach, and administration. The main goal for the committee was to establish a common language and understanding of MTSS procedures, instructional tiers, and appropriate Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. This was successfully accomplished through differentiated professional development opportunities led by our IPST members (counselors, staffer, psychologist, behavior analyst) and MTSS leadership team members. Supporting teachers as they address student needs through the MTSS process is critical to student success. The MTSS committee, along with Tropical’s IPST team, is committed to educating and collaborating with teachers to build confidence with the process and instructional capacity with regard to designing appropriate, targeted interventions. Our Literacy Coach has been identified as Tropical’s MTSS Facilitator, and her role is key to helping teachers identify areas of concern, document interventions, and follow MTSS procedures. The MTSS committee, along with the administration, shares timely information about upcoming district level MTSS workshops, encouraging faculty attendance. Teachers participating in district level MTSS workshops, in turn, share key learnings with the faculty during school-based professional development to promote best practices with MTSS school-wide, impacting achievement for all learners. These efforts align with the BPS Strategy Matters Strategic Plan – Objective L.2 for building the capacity of all teachers to meet the learning needs of individual students. The MTSS leadership team is a collaborative team that works to best meet the needs of our students as individuals. This collaborative process coincides with Tropical’s SIP as decisions regarding classroom interventions consider student engagement, rigor, and research-based best practice in order to be effective. Our MTSS leadership team analyzes data from summative assessments such as FAIR-FS, FSA, and district assessments as well as classroom formative assessments, IStation and Study Island data, and instructional strategies implemented within the classroom setting. Each of these are reviewed to determine whether a student is meeting with success, not meeting with success, working below grade level, working above grade level and/or should be referred for further assessment. Each aspect of our MTSS process supports our SIP and District Strategic Plan, striving to serve every student with excellence as the standard. Progress monitoring to track the progress

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and effectiveness of supports are done through quarterly progression plan meetings with grade level teams, Performance Matters data analysis conducted by teachers and administration on a consistent basis, information gathered for the formalized IPST forms, and collaborative team meetings. Best practices for communicating data-based problem solving steps and classroom interventions to parents are also shared during quarterly progression plan meetings in order to support the efforts of our teachers to educate and better inform parents about academic interventions and support. Funding school-based MTSS efforts is a challenge as Tropical does not receive additional funds through Title I services, though 47% (2015-16 data) of our students are on free/reduced lunch plans. Given this fact, it is important that all school improvement initiatives, including MTSS, are aligned. Tropical’s administration collaborates with our school PTO to inform them of our instructional priorities each year to help guide fundraising efforts. Teachers are able to request instructional materials from PTO to support their instructional practice, impacting the learning of students at all tier levels. Traditionally, funds through SAC have been used to send teachers to training and obtain subs during their absence so that we could build the instructional capacity of our faculty. Unfortunately, SAC funds were not provided last year. For 2016-2017, a team has been established, rather than a single point of contact, for school business partner outreach. Through business partner outreach, we hope to supplement our current level of funding to enrich our staff development efforts as well as provide additional classroom supports and resources.

2. In order to best meet the needs of all students and maximize achievement, initiatives related to instruction, curriculum, and assessment must be aligned and school-wide structures must be in place to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. The Multi-Tiered System of Supports provides a structure for aligning instruction, curriculum, and assessment, strengthening core instruction, and diagnosing deficiencies. Data review and analysis is central to the MTSS process at Tropical. As part of the data review process, the school leadership team meets with grade level collaborative teams on a quarterly basis to discuss student progress, review interventions, and discuss supports needed to improve student achievement for all learners. A “Below Grade Level” spreadsheet is developed and maintained to monitor students who have been identified as our lowest 25%. A review of data from varied sources such as attendance and behavior reports, as well as common assessments for progress monitoring, informs the development of the spreadsheet including, but not limited to, IStation data, BELAA data, Running Records, DIEBELS, FLKRS, and the KLS with assessments varied according to grade level. This spreadsheet is referenced by teachers, the IPST team, and the administration to monitor students who require additional support and progress monitoring based on performance and early warning system data. During the 2015-2016 school year, Tropical’s faculty participated in school-based training to develop data analysis skills utilizing assessment results through Performance Matters and IStation. This training supported teachers as they collaborated within their PLC/CMA teams to identify trends in student performance data as well as conduct item analysis, putting a variety of assessment data and dynamic reports at their fingertips to inform their instructional practice. Tropical will continue the use of the “Below Grade Level” spreadsheet and reports obtained through Performance Matters to analyze student performance data for progress monitoring purposes, informing instructional best practice at all instructional tiers as well as intervention selection/design and effectiveness for the benefit of all learners. For the 2016-2017 school year, we have also designated one of our school counselors as the contact point for monitoring the MTSS process with respect to scheduling MTSS meetings with teachers and other stakeholders. Additionally, a formal MTSS Process and timeline along with an electronic calendar has been created through the collaborative efforts of our literacy coach/MTSS facilitator,

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school psychologist, the MTSS Leadership Team, administration, and the MTSS guidance counselor in order to better track the progress of students receiving interventions and moving through the MTSS process.

PARENT AND FAMILY INVOLVEMENT: (Parent Survey Data must be referenced) Title I Schools may

use the Parent Involvement Plan to meet the requirements of Sections 1114(b)(1)(F) and 1115(c)(1)(G), P.L.

107-110, NCLB, codified at 20 U.S.C. § 6314(b).

Consider the level of family and community involvement at your school and parent survey data collected.

Respond to the following questions. What are best practices that are strengths and how will they be

sustained? What are areas of weaknesses and how are they being addressed?

Tropical Elementary has an active PTO that encourages families to be involved in the school in various capacities in support of our professional learning community. Many studies show that increases in student achievement occur when parents and other caregivers actively participate in their children's education; and when school makes a concerted effort to encourage greater family involvement, student achievement increases (Wentworth, 2006). When teachers present information about curriculum, strategies, methodologies and best teaching practices, parents become better informed and the teacher experiences greater validation when parents recognize the level of instruction that their child is receiving. Additionally, parental input furthermore, parental involvement communicates to children the importance and value of education. Additionally, recent research reveals that the way schools present information to parents can increase their involvement and produce significant results in the development of students’ cognitive and noncognitive skills (Hanushek, Machin, & Woessmann, 2016). According to the Center for Public Education, the earlier in a child's educational process parental involvement begins, the more powerful the effects on behavior and achievement. During the 2015-2016 school year several events designed to increase parent understanding of classroom instructional practices and student performance were offered to parents. These programs included Tropical Mathematics Night and Tropical Technology Night. Both programs were well attended and provided parents with the knowledge and tools necessary to better support the learning of their children in mathematics and technology skills development. Tropical will continue to offer programs and events designed to increase parental understanding and support of classroom practices. With many new students and families joining our learning community every year, it is important for parent involvement opportunities to be effectively communicated to our families. A Volunteer Orientation is held at the beginning of the school year, typically attracting 40 – 50 parents interested in investing their time as volunteers. Information on how to become a volunteer, the types/levels of volunteers, and mentoring opportunities are shared. Our school PTO is also active in promoting parent involvement school-wide. The PTO communicates regularly with parents via their Tropical PTO Facebook page and through special bulletins in the Tropical Topics school newsletter. Sign-Up Genius is utilized to promote participation in school-wide events. A “Volunteer Corner” featured in our Tropical Topics newsletter promotes greater parent involvement in specific areas of need. Parents are also consistently encouraged by the classroom teacher, PTO, and administration to sign up for field trips, special events at the school, and assist in the classroom as volunteers. Data from the Parent Survey in 2014-2015 also indicated that Tuesday evenings predominantly were the best time for parents to attend school meetings (76%). As a result, the school administration and PTO made changes to the PTO meeting schedule to encourage greater parent participation by scheduling monthly PTO meetings on Tuesday evenings at 6:00 PM. The 2015-2016 AdvancED Parent Survey indicated that 79.35% of parents strongly agreed/agreed that Tropical provides opportunities for parents to be involved. This presents an increase, albeit from two different surveys, but also indicates an area for continued improvement. We will continue seeking feedback from families in order to plan more effective ways to encourage increased involvement of our parent stakeholders.

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The 2015-2016 AdvancED Parent Survey indicated that 82.16% of our families strongly agree/agree that Tropical communicates effectively about the school’s goals and activities. Though this is a significant percentage, we must strive to consistently provide accurate and current information to our families regarding school events and student performance to maintain their support of our positive perception of our learning community. Therefore, we will continue to improve by maintaining consistent, informative communication via our school and classroom newsletters with attention to the content of meetings/events, improving the content provided on informational meetings through our Edline websites and Blackboard communication, as well as content shared through IPST meetings and parent conferences. This effort aligns with the BPS Strategy Matters Strategic Plan – Objective R:3 to increase system-wide proactive communication to strengthen engagement of stakeholder groups. With 100% of our teachers using Edline/GradeQuick to communicate with parents/guardians of their students on a weekly basis, it is essential we make every effort to ensure parents in grade K-6 have activated their accounts. This increases communication/involvement with teachers as evidenced by Edline Parent Utilization Reports. For the 2016 - 2017 school year, 80.1% of our families currently have active accounts. Our goal is to improve this percentage to at least 85% by the end of the year. A related area worthy of continued consideration focuses on information that is being provided to parents related to student academic support. In 2013, 34.7% of those responding to the BPS Parent Survey indicated satisfaction with the information they receive regarding student academic support. In 2014, that number increased to 65%, but that percentage dropped to 44.44% in 2015. Significant progress was made as a result of professional development and support for teachers in 2015-2016 to improve communication regarding academic support as evidenced by the 2015-2016 AdvancEd Parent Survey in which 84.62% of respondents indicated they strongly agree/agree that “all of my child’s teachers help me to understand my child’s progress” and 88.47% of respondents indicated “all of my child’s teachers report on my child’s progress in easy to understand language”. Tropical’s administration and teacher leaders will continue to address communication needs through quarterly progression meetings by sharing district policies and best practices for communicating academic progress and intervention information to parents through written reports and conferencing. Guidelines will include providing this type of communication on a consistent basis and in a manner that elicits greater understanding for parents whose support with the intervention process as a partner at home is key to student engagement and success for all learners.

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EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS (SB 850) Please complete 1 – 3. The school's response to this section may be

used to satisfy the requirements of 20 U.S.C. § 6314(b)(1)(B)(ii)(III), (b)(1)(B)(iii)(I), and (b)(1)(I). 1. List any additional early warning system indicators and describe the school’s early warning system.

ELEMENTARY

Attendance below 90 percent, regardless of whether absence is excused or a result of out-of-school suspension

One or more suspensions, whether in school or out of school

Level 1 score on the statewide, standardized assessments in English Language Arts or mathematics

Other

Description of early warning system:

Tropical’s Early Warning System is built upon data driven processes. Through data analysis and collaborative discourse, teachers and administration consider indicators that may contribute to a student’s overall classroom success. Data meetings at Tropical occur monthly. Using Performance Matters, we are able to access data on a wide range of early warning indicators such as attendance and suspensions. Once students are identified, teachers initiate or continue the intervention process, documenting performance on our below grade level spreadsheet, a document that also contains early warning indicator information from state-wide testing, district assessments, retention, and third grade portfolio progress. Providing information to parents regarding the impact of early warning system indicators, particularly attendance as well as communicating ways to support student learning at home, is an important part of the intervention process. Through early identification and intervention, our goal is to shift the impact of negative indicators to improve student performance.

Add any additional EWS indicators here:

Other indicators considered at Tropical include one or more of the following on an individual student basis:

Students with prior retentions Students with frequent discipline referrals Students with high mobility rates Students on Free/Reduced Lunch Students receiving interventions through MTSS Students receiving services through community organizations (DCF, Child Advocacy Center,

Family Counseling Services, etc…)

2. This section captures a snapshot of the total number of students exhibiting a respective indicator or set of indicators

during the 2015-16 school year. These data should be used as part of the needs assessment to identify potential

problem areas and inform the school’s planning and problem solving for 2016-17:

The number of students by grade level that exhibit each early warning indicator listed above.

Fill in BLANKS with data from 2015-16 School Year - Number of Students

Grade Level K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total

Attendance <90 38 44 29 39 24 25 23 1 or more ISS or

OSS 0 0 0 0 3 9 3

Level 1 in ELA

or Math NA NA NA 20 21 15 11

Course Failure in

ELA or Math NA NA NA 0 0 0 0

Students

exhibiting 2 or

more indicators

7 1 2 13 10 9 2

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3. Describe all intervention strategies employed by the school to improve the academic performance of students

identified by the early warning system (i.e., those exhibiting two or more early warning indicators).

Intervention Strategies that will be employed by Tropical Elementary to improve the academic performance of students identified by the early warning system (two or more indicators) include:

Parent Communication: Regular communication with parents of students identified by the EWS is necessary for addressing the factors that impact school performance. This will include communication via Edline, class newsletters, progress reports, letters, conferences and phone calls.

MTSS: Teachers will provide appropriate, tiered academic and behavior interventions in the classroom to support students. Teachers will be receiving professional development and support throughout the year to streamline the MTSS process and ensure appropriate tiered interventions are provided to students.

Attendance Monitoring: Tropical will monitor and communicate attendance concerns to parents and appropriate personnel. The school guidance counselor will be working closely with students and their families to monitor attendance, communicate attendance information, and follow truancy procedures in order to continue improving our attendance rates.

Data Chats: During PLC/CMA meetings, the performance data of our lowest 25% will be reviewed and strategies/interventions to support students will be discussed.

Progression Meetings: Progress of the lowest 25% will be documented and monitored; best practices and strategies to support students will be discussed, particularly as they pertain to the district progression plan.

IPST: Meeting with the IPST team for progress monitoring, referral for evaluation, discussion of academic intervention strategies and behavior supports.

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STUDENT TRANSITION AND READINESS

1. PreK-12 TRANSITION This section used to meet requirements of 20 U.S.C 6314(b)(1)(g).

Describe the strategies the school employs to support incoming and outgoing cohorts of students in transition from

one school level to another.

Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten Transition Kindergarten students and their families are welcomed to Tropical through scheduled school VPK visits, Tropical’s Kindergarten Luau (Kindergarten Round-Up), as well as our annual Boo-Hoo breakfast and Volunteer Breakfast. A committee was formed in 2015 – 2016 consisting of Kindergarten classroom teachers, front office staff, parents, and administration tasked with the goal of collaborating to determine the most effective outreach efforts for promoting attendance at Tropical’s Kindergarten Luau. This event was a wonderful cooperative effort, combining the ideas and contributions of teachers, TK students, parents, and business partners. A grant was also written to obtain materials for “learning bags” that were created by Tropical’s TK-1 class and distributed to each prospective Kindergarten student in attendance along with a book provided through the generous contributions of area business partners. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Department also participated in our Tropical Kindergarten Luau by offering fingerprinting services in support of student safety and protection in our community. In addition to our Kindergarten Luau, Tropical’s annual Boo-Hoo coffee and Volunteer Breakfast events are designed to introduce new Kindergarten families to our PTO group and promote volunteer opportunities. Sixth Grade to Seventh Grade/Middle School Transition Tropical sixth graders are provided a variety of opportunities to prepare for the transition to middle school including departmentalized courses, promotional visits by area middle schools including choice schools, seventh grade course selection and scheduling opportunities, roll-up meetings for ESE students, and attendance at middle-school sponsored events targeted for sixth graders going into seventh grade.