june 282010 mcps strategic plan draft

8/9/2019 June 282010 MCPS Strategic Plan Draft

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DISCUSSION/ACTION5.0

Office of the Superintendent of SchoolsMONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Rockville, Maryland

June 28, 2010

MEMORANDUM

To: Members of the Board of Education

From: Jerry D. Weast, Superintendent of Schools

Subject: Strategic Plan Our Call To Action: Pursuit of Excellence

Executive Summary

The 2010 revisions of Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence, the strategic plan for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), reflect our constancy of purpose to raise the bar for student achievement and close the gap in student performance by race and ethnicity and amongstudents impacted by disabilities, English language proficiency, and povertyand as such,strategies and initiatives remain relatively unchanged (Attachment A). Additionally, as we find

ourselves in the most difficult economic climate of the past eleven years, this plan includes no newinitiatives. We are, however, committed to maintaining the systems, structures, and processes thathave contributed to the outstanding teaching and learning the district has experienced over the pastdecade.

The Board of Educations 2009 revisions to the core values and the addition of the Framework for Equity and Excellence further strengthened our mission to provide a high-quality, world-classeducation that ensures success for every student through excellence in teaching and learning. The

plans Guiding Tenets include the Board of Educations goals and academic priorities; the vision,mission, and core values of the school system; and the critical questions that guide our work. The

plan reinforces the reform initiatives that have been implemented since the Board of Education

adopted Our Call to Action in November 1999. The Seven Keys to College Readiness, atrajectory of high standards, guides school staff and parents to ensure that all students achieve athigh levels.

The revisions of Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence reflect ongoing stakeholder involvement and feedback during Fiscal Year 2010, as prescribed by Board of Education PolicyAEB, Strategic Planning for Continuous Improvement . Final Board of Education action on theFY 2011 Operating Budget also is incorporated into the revised plan. The Board of EducationStrategic Planning Committee met on April 28, 2010, and reviewed the recommended revisionsto Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence and recommended approval of the revised plan bythe full Board of Education.


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Members of the Board of Education 2 June 28, 2010

Background

Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence describes the strategic course for the school systemsoverall operation, including the operating budget. It reflects a sophisticated planning andaccountability process that was recognized when MCPS won the United States SenateProductivity and Maryland Quality Award in 2006 and three years ago when MCPS was afinalist for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Additionally, through the ProcessImprovement and Innovation in Education Project, administered by the Houston-based AmericanProductivity and Quality Center (APQC), MCPS has been cited as a benchmark district for data-driven decision making, English for Speakers of Other Languages programs and services,

professional development, mathematics and science education, and support of professionallearning communities. Beginning in 2009, MCPS became one of nine hub districts for APQCs

North Star, a pilot project that focuses on the use of process and performance management totransform the entire Kindergarten through Grade 12 public education system in the United States.

The strategic plan lays the foundation to improve the instructional program and operationaleffectiveness in each school and office. Annually, schools develop and implement schoolimprovement plans based on the districts strategic plan, using the Baldrige-guided schoolimprovement planning process. Office and department strategic plans also are aligned with Our Call to Action : Pursuit of Excellence . This strategic planning process guides staff throughout theschool system in their work with schools, parents, and the community. The strategic plan also

addresses the requirements of the Maryland Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act and theachievement goals of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB).

Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence is the MCPS accountability document. Under each of the five goalsensure success for every student, provide an effective instructional program,strengthen productive partnerships for education, create a positive work environment in a self-renewing organization, and provide high-quality business services that are essential to theeducational success of studentsthere are related milestones and data points. Reports providedthroughout the year to the Board of Education and the public address these data points and the

progress that has been made. The strategic plan is the basis of the annual accountability report tothe community. The 2009 Annual Report on Our Call to Action, presented to the Board at its

meeting on December 8, 2009, analyzed the results toward achieving established targets for students and the district. Individual schools monitor progress on achieving their targets with their community superintendent and director of school performance.

Establishing Targets

In 2006, MCPS established academic targets. Targets define expectation for student attainment of critical data points that lead to college and career readiness. The challenge was to establish realistictargets that raise our expectations and standards for student achievement and reinforce our commitment to closing the gap in student performance by race and ethnicity, as well as other student demographic groups. Targets were established through 2010 by considering where MCPS


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wanted to be in five years with regard to student achievement. The targets in the 2010 Our Call to Action , have been reviewed, aligned with the Seven Keys to College Readiness, and extendedthrough 2015.

Alignment of the Budget and Strategic Planning Process

The Board of Education aligned the budget and strategic planning processes in February 2004 byadopting a set of recommendations from the Board of Educations Research and EvaluationCommittee to change the process for public involvement in the development of the MCPSstrategic plan and operating budget. The Boards goals included encouraging greater publicinvolvement in long-range strategic issues and emphasizing public involvement in the

development phase of the strategic plan and the operating budget, instead of primarily in thecritique phase, following the superintendent of schools presentation of the operating budget.The most recent revision to Policy AEB, Strategic Planning for Continuous Improvement,adopted on May 12, 2009, further reinforces the Boards commitment to ensuring that the budget

process and strategic planning process are aligned and that a broad range of stakeholders actively participate in these processes. In addition, the policy identifies how the Board will regularlyreview at its business meetings, progress on the implementation of priorities, initiatives, andstrategies to determine progress toward milestones, discuss whether any new efforts are needed,and to review major issues, including those that may have a budgetary impact for the next year.

Stakeholder Involvement in the Strategic Planning Process

The Board of Education sponsored community forums on the strategic planning process onSeptember 17 and October 15, 2009, at Quince Orchard and John F. Kennedy high schools,respectively, with approximately 140 individuals attending. Simultaneous translation equipmentwas made available in Chinese, French, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese, and materials were

provided in these five languages in addition to English. A total of fifty-four individuals testified atthe forums and were each given three minutes to speak. This format was the result of feedback received from the previous years community forums responding to the request that individualswanted an opportunity to provide testimony directly to members of the Board of Education. Theforums were cablecast on MCPS Channel 34 and Web cast on the MCPS website.

In addition to letters, e-mails, and phone calls, MCPS continues to receive feedback online andthrough TIP ( Tell It Please ) postage-paid feedback cards, prepared in six languages, which weredisseminated at the forums and distributed to all schools, MCPS offices, parent and communityorganizations, and the Board of Education office for use at various meetings. More than 20,000cards have been disseminated. These postage-paid cards and the MCPS website allowindividuals to continue to provide feedback throughout the year in multiple languages. Those

providing input focused on the following question: During difficult economic times, what priorities in the MCPS strategic plan should we focus on to improve achievement for allstudents?


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Responses were categorized into themes, which include early success, class-size reduction,support programs, extended time, middle school magnet, high school reform, organization, safeand secure schools, curriculum and instruction, technology, parent and community partnerships,career development, and business services. This information, in turn, was used to inform thesubsequent budget and strategic plan.

Revisions to the 20102015 Strategic Plan

The 20102015 edition of Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence includes no new strategies or initiatives, reflecting the challenging economic climate of Montgomery County and the nation. Wehave been very thoughtful in maintaining the systems, structures, and processes that have

contributed to the outstanding teaching and learning the district has experienced over the pastdecade. Although there are no major revisions this year, each goal contains some new languagethat reflects our efforts to be more strategic in our thinking, planning, and implementation. Thesechanges will be highlighted during the presentation to the Board.

As we face these austere economic times and continue to evolve as a world-class school system,we need to become even more strategic in planning for our students so they are prepared for

postsecondary education and the world of work. We will continue to strengthen the instructional program for every student, providing staff members with the tools and work systems that are mostconducive to teaching and learning, engaging all stakeholders as true partners, and supporting theentire organization with outstanding business processes.

Extension of Strategic Targets

In June 2009, when the Board of Education discussed revisions to the strategic plan, weinformed you that the targets would be extended beyond 2010, from 2011 to 2015. We alsoindicated that the target review process would consider the alignment between the currentstrategic targets and the Seven Keys to College Readiness. A target review process wasestablished in July 2009, and over the past school year, more than 150 school-based and centraloffice staff members worked in multistakeholder teams including principals, teachers, andcentral office staff. Each team (1) reviewed appropriate existing targets; (2) determined if revision to the target was required; (3) determined if any target could be eliminated; and/or (4)determined if a new target was needed. Although there is not a one-to-one correspondence, thestrategic targets are well aligned with the Seven Keys to College Readiness, and I have fullconfidence that they will guide us well as we continue to close the achievement gap and makeunprecedented academic progress.

Under the leadership of a Target Setting Steering Committee, including representatives from theOffice of Shared Accountability, the targets were reviewed, recommendations were made and

presented to the Executive Leadership Team, and the draft recommendations were vetted withelementary, middle, and high school principals, and the Councils on Teaching and Learning.Draft targets were presented to the Board of Education Strategic Planning Committee onApril 28, 2010, along with the strategic plan. The 20102015 strategic plan contains 19 targets,


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seven of which are state targets. Three are national targets, and nine are local targets. Nestedwithin these targets are multiple data points that are used to monitor progress along the trajectoryof the Seven Keys to College Readiness.

Strategic Plans of Schools and Offices

MCPS has adopted the Malcolm Baldrige Education Criteria for Performance Excellence as itsmodel for continuous improvement. The criteria are designed to help organizations use anintegrated approach that results in delivery of ever-increasing value to students and stakeholders,improvement of overall organizational effectiveness, and enhanced organizational and personallearning.

All schools use the Baldrige-guided School Improvement Plan process and Baldrige criteria toidentify priority school improvement goals and performance measures aligned with Our Call to

Action: Pursuit of Excellence. Community superintendents and directors of school performanceare actively involved in supporting the schools throughout the process by consulting with schoolteams and monitoring the plans quarterly. Office and department strategic plans are reviewed bythe chief operating officer or the deputy superintendent of schools to ensure alignment with thedistricts strategic plan.

Monitoring the Strategic Plan

Executive Leadership Team

Guided by the strategic plan, the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) meets biweekly to reviewoutcome data, monitor performance, make recommendations and implement changes to

processes and structures that promote continuous improvement throughout the organization.ELT plans for and organizes the implementation of the Board of Educations goals, academic

priorities, and Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence strategies and initiatives. This ongoingreview and monitoring strengthens our ability to improve teaching and learning, raise studentachievement for all students, and close the achievement gap.

M-Stat

MCPS also has created the M-Stat process, which provides a framework for the systemicmonitoring of critical student performance data that enables MCPS schools and central officeleadership staff to drill down to root causes, focus on areas of need, develop action plans for improvement, and document best practices for recognition and dissemination throughout thesystem. Through the Baldrige practice of plan, do, study, act, key data points and processesare examined throughout the school improvement planning cycle. The M-Stat process provides afocused, intensive review of student performance data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and other students groups. This year, we conducted several M-Stat meetings via webinars, which allowed

principals to remain in their buildings and provided a platform to include a greater number of participants.


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Public Reporting

MCPS has a system for publicly reporting student performance and other organizational data. Aschedule is maintained for the release of key data reports throughout the year that are posted on theMCPS website. The website exists to inform the community about, and to engage them in, our

joint mission to provide a high-quality education to all children. The 2009 Annual Report and allother data reports produced by the Office of Shared Accountability are posted on the MCPSwebsite.

Next Steps

The next step in the strategic planning process is to continue strengthening the monitoring andevaluation of the data points and targets that have been established for the system and all schoolsand to continuously improve the use of time and resources to achieve those targets. Communitysuperintendents, directors of school performance, and other central office staff work with

principals to develop and implement action plans that meet the unique needs of each school. At thesystem level, ELT monitors the implementation of the data points and targets and determines

progress toward target attainment.

Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence The Strategic Plan for Montgomery County PublicSchools is a living document. It continues to provide the basis for the leadership of our schoolsystem to improve the work being done in MCPS on a daily basis. The plan guides staff

throughout the school system in their work with schools, parents, and the community. Byapproving the revisions to Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence, the Board of Educationcontinues our efforts to improve the instructional program in every school.

The following resolution is recommended for your consideration.

WHEREAS, The Board of Education aligned the budget and strategic planning process byadopting a set of recommendations to increase public involvement in the development of theMontgomery County Public Schools strategic plan and operating budget; and

WHEREAS, The revisions to Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence reflect input from the

public and continue our efforts to improve the instructional program in every school by focusingon systemwide strategic goals, milestones, data points, and key performance targets for Goals 1and 2 that reflect the priorities of the Board of Education; and

WHEREAS, Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence reflects a significant effort to identify andestablish realistic targets for Montgomery County Public Schools and each school that raiseexpectations and standards for student achievement and reinforce the commitment to close thegap in student performance by race and ethnicity, as well as other student groups; and


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Our Call to Action:

Pursuit of Excellence

The Strategic Plan for theMontgomery County

Public SchoolsApproved: June 2009

2009 2014

Contents 2010-2015

Joint Letter .........................................................................................................................

Guiding Tenets ................................................................................................................ ..

Framework on Equity and Excel lence

Performance Targets2011 2010 20112015 ................................................................

Supplemental Plans............................................................................................................

Deployment of Guid ing Tenets .........................................................................................

Overview ...........................................................................................................................

Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act .....................................................................

Goal 1: Ensure Success for Every Student .........................................................................

Strategic Initiatives .......................................................................................................

Goal 2: Provide an Effective Instructional Program ..........................................................

Strategic Initiatives .......................................................................................................

Goal 3: Strengthen Productive Partnerships for Education................................................Strategic Initiatives .......................................................................................................

Goal 4: Create a Positive Work Environment in aSelf-renewing Organization ...........................................................................................Strategic Initiatives .......................................................................................................

Goal 5: Provide High-quality BusinessServices that are Essential tothe Educational Success of Students ..............................................................................Strategic Initiatives .......................................................................................................

Strategies Implemented Since 1999...................................................................................

Organizational Culture of Respect..


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June 2010

Dear Staff, Parents, Students, and Members of the Community:

We are pleased to present to you this update on Montgomery County Public Schools strategic plan, Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence. Since this plan was established in 1999, the world has changed and Montgomery County has changed along with it.Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) now serves a larger, more diverse student population. Demographic changes and theeconomic troubles of the early 21 st century have had a profound impact on our county and its citizens. Along the way, the nationaland statewide priorities in education have continued to shift amid a sea of rapid technological change.

Through these 11 years, Our Call to Action has provided a strong foundation for MCPS as we pursue our goal of providing a world-class education to the school systems 142,000 students. Also, our communitys values have not changed: The citizen of Montgomery County still value quality, high standards, and accoun tability. These values undergird our strategic plan and drivethework of MCPS every day.

Each year, MCPS staff closely reviews data, practices and policies to make sure we are moving closer to the day when academicsuccess is not predictable by race, ethnicit y, gender, socioeconomic status, language proficiency, or disability. In this upda te wecontinue to focus on the issue of equity, as it is so critical to our ultimate goal of ensuring success for every student. We continue toemphasize the Seven Keys to College Readiness , a trajectory of high standards that provides a clear pathway for school staff and parents

to ensure that all students are held to high expectations and can achieve at high levels.In 2009, the Montgomery County Board of Education updated its core values to more completely articulate the Boards commitmentto our students and our pledge to do whatever it takes to gua rantee that every child receives the best possible preparation for collegeand the world of work. We are committed to using all the talent, tools and resources at our disposal and will not tolerate excu ses fromourselves or others. We soundly reject the notion that external labels should impact the qualityof education a student receives or thelevel of expectations we have for him or her. Our core values reaffirm our obligation to see eachchild as a unique learner and toembrace differentiated educational approaches that have been succes sful in helping our students make great strides in achievement.

We encourage you to review the details and goals of our strategic plan and take pride in the accomplishments of our children. T heir progress received external affirmation in April when a distinguished panel of education experts and leaders named MontgomeryCounty Public Schools a finalist for the Broad Prize for Urban Ed ucation, an honor that provides at least $250,000 in collegescholarships to graduates from our high schools. As one of just 22 school districts ever to be so honored, MCPS also is the fir st districtin Maryland and the Washington area to be named a finalist. If MCPS is chosen as the prize winner, our 2011 graduates will receive$1 million in college scholarships.

The credit for MCPS success rests in large measure on the commitment o f our individual staff membersmore than 22,000 of themto carry out the work of this plan each and every day. We ask a great deal of our employees in order to provide high-quali tyinstructional programs and support services to our students, and we are proud of all that they have done to make MCPS a nationa lmodel of excellence. We must also recogni ze the important role that parents, elected officials, business, civic and community l eaders

play in making our schools among the best in the nation.

While we have had much success, we must also acknowledge that th ere is work left to be done. Academic disparities remain andstudents needs evolve and change. That is why we must remain steadfast and committed to Our Call to Action and the policies and

practices that will serve all of our student s. Their future, and ours, depends on it.

Respectfully,

Patricia B. ONeill Jerry D. Weast, Ed.D.President, Board of Education Superintendent of Schools


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Framework for Equity and Excellence

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is committed to equity an d excellence for all students. Equity in our schools is defin edas high expectations and access to meaningf ul and relevant learning for all students so that outcomes are not predictable by ra ce,ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, language proficiency, or disability. Excellence is achieved through high standards th at ensurethat all students are college or career ready as high school gradua tes. In order to accomplish this, measurements are needed to monitor system progress in promoting equity and excellence.

The Seven Keys to College Readiness establishes the trajectory that will ensure a cl ear path for student success and a guide for staff and parents to ensure all students achieve atthese high levels. The goal of the Seven Keys is to set advanced rather than pro ficientstandards and to ensure that results are not predictable for any gr oup. This raises the bar to high levels, with the expectati on that manyof our students are going to far exceed this high bar the intent is not to limit any students level of achievement .

MCPS has made great strides to provide rigorous and high quality education for every student through Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence. More students are learning to read at an earlier age, morestudents are taking rigorous and challenging courses, and morestudents are being provided with opportunities to succeed at higherlevels than ever before. This is accomplished th rough theimplementation of strategies and initiatives in this strategic plan that promote equity and excellence by creating the organiza tionalculture, the conditions, and the support systems to ensure our students success. Manyof these initiatives are intended to st rengthen

students abilities to problem solve, think critically, and express their thoughts and inquiries. Other strategies have been i mplementedto create collaborative learning communities where each childs indivi dual learning needs are met. This strategic plan recognizesthere is more work to be done to eliminate the achievement gap and raise the academic achievement for all.

Fostering an organizational culture of high expectations for all students that is pervasive throughout MCPS requires the commit mentof staff, parents, and community to equita ble practices in classrooms and workplaces. Creating this culture also requires three criticalconditions to encourage, support, and nurture equity and exce llencehigh expectations, positive relationships, and culturalcompetence. To create and sustain these positive conditions, we ne ed to establish comprehensive support systems to help all st udents,staff, and parents learn and grow at thepersonal, professional, and institutional levels.

These efforts are supported by ongoing professional development and a system of monitoring and accountability. Growth andtransformation at the personal, professional, and institutional levels will not take place without ongoing,deliberate efforts to build thecapacity of staff, students, and parents through targeted professional development. In order to maintain focus and momentum in this

important work, measurements must be identified and employed to monitor system progress in promoting equity and excellence.These support systems and conditions must be contained within, and supported by, all schools and classrooms, all MCPS workplace s,and the communities that contain our schools and offices. This organizational culture also will serve to protect the ongoing w ork to

promote equity and excellence from external factors that could possibly disrupt the work or distract staff from their focus. Th eseexternal factors include political factors, legal considerations, and economic realities.

The next phase of our work in leading syst emic change is the redoubling of our efforts to ensure equity and excellence for all studentsso that academic success is not predictable by race, ethnicity, ge nder, socioeconomic status, language proficiency, or disability. Theseefforts will address the challenging issues that limit students from excelling at the highest academic levels. We are committe d to thefundamental belief that this is possible.


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Performance Targe ts 20112015

Key performance targets for data points in Goals One and Two raise expectations and standards for student and school performance andreinforce a commitment to eliminating the gap in student performance by race and ethnicity and other student groups. Targets reflect therequirements of national, state, and local accountability mandates and considers expectations about where MCPS wants to be in five years.

Performance Targets 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Grade 2 Reading Percentage of students meeting or exceeding benchmark 81 85 89 93 97

Grade 5 Math 6 or Higher Percentage of students successfully completing TBD

ES MSA Reading Percentage of students at or above proficient 85.9 90.6 95.3 100 100

ES MSA Mathematics Percentage of students at or above proficient 84.5 89.7 94.8 100 100

Elementary School Suspension Rate Percentage of students suspended at or below 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3

MS MSA Reading Percentage of students at or above proficient85.6 90.4 95.2 100 100

MS MSA Mathematics Percentage of students at or above proficient 78.6 85.7 92.9 100 100

Grade 8 Algebra Percentage of students successfully completing with C or higher TBD

Middle School Suspension Rate Percentage of students suspended at or below 6.5 6.5 6.5 6 .5 6.5

Middle School Ineligibility Percentage of students ineligible at or below 10.8 8.9 7 5 5

Grade 11 Algebra 2 Percentages of students successfully completin g with C or higher

TBD

High School MSA Reading Percentage of students at or above proficient 79.5 86.3 93.2 100 100

High School MSA Math Percentage of students at or above proficient 73.7 82.4 91.2 100 100

SAT/ACT Participation Percentage of students participating 77 78 79 80 80

SAT/ACT Performance Percentage of test takers scoring 1650 or above on SATcombined score or 24 or above on ACT composite score 62 68 74 80 80

AP/IB Exam Performance Percentage of graduating seniors earning 3 or higher onAP exam or 4 or higher on IB exam 69 73 77 80 80

Graduation Rate * Percentage of students graduating 96 TBD

High School Suspension Rate Percentage of students suspended at or below 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5

High School Ineligibility Percentage of students ineligible at or below 19.4 16.8 14.2 11.711.7

State Target

*Although graduation is a s tate target, the MCPS graduation t arget is high er than the state target.


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Performance Targets 2010 2014

Key performance targets for data points in Goals One and Two raise expectations and standards for student and school performanceand reinforce a commitment to eliminating th e gap in student performance by race and ethnicity and other student groups. Targetsreflect the requirements of national, state , and local accountability mandates and consider s expectations about where MCPS wants to

be in five years.

Performance Targets 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Kindergarten Reading Percentage meeting benchmark To be

developed

Percentage of schools at or above targetGrade 2 Reading Percentage meeting benchmark 75.8 79.4 82.9 86.5 90.0Percentage of schools at or above target 68.0 76.0 84.0 92.0 100Grade 2 Terra Nova Percentage at or above 50th national percentile To be

developed

Percentage of schools at or above targetGrade 5 Math 6 or Higher Percentage successfully completing 29.4 33.3 37.2 41.1 45.0Percentage of schools at or above target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100ES MSA Reading Percentage at or above proficient 62.5 67.2 71.8 76.5 81.2Percentage of schools at or above target 100 100 100 100 100ES MSA Mathematics Percentage at or above proficient 58.8 63.9 69.1 74.2 79.4Percentage of schools at or above target 100 100 100 100 100Elementary School Suspension Rate Percentage suspended 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3Percentage of schools at or below target 70.0 77.5 85.0 92.5 100MS MSA Reading Percentage at or above proficient 61.5 66.3 71.1 75.9 80.8Percentage of schools at or above target 100 100 100 100 100MS MSA Mathematics Percentage at or above proficient 42.9 50.0 57.2 64.3 71.4Percentage of schools at or above target 100 100 100 100 100Grade 8 Algebra Percentage successfully completing 54.6 61.0 67.3 73.7 80.0Percentage of schools at or above target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100

Middle School Algebra 1 High School Assessment percentage passing 100 100 100 100 100Percentage of schools at or above target 100 100 100 100 100Middle School Suspension Rate Percentage suspended 7.4 7.2 7.0 6.7 6.5Percentage of schools at or below target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100Middle School Ineligibility Percentage Ineligible 12.7 Percentage of schools at or below targetHigh School MSA Reading Percentage at or above proficient 45.3 52.2 59.0 65.8 72.7Percentage of schools at or above target 100 100High School MSA Math Percentage at or above proficient 29.8 38.6 47.3 56.1 64.9Percentage of schools at or above target 100 100Grade 9 Algebra Percentage successfully completing 81.4 86.1 90.7 95.4 100Percentage of schools at or above target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100Grade 10 Geometry Percentage successfully completing 76.6 82.4 88.3 94.1 100Percentage of schools at or above target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100Grade 10 PSAT Percentage participating 91.2 92.5 93.7 95.0Percentage of schools at or above target 60.0 66.7 83.3 100SAT Performance Combined critical reading, mathematics, and writing scores 1634 1638 1642 1646 1650Percentage of schools at or above target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100SAT/ACT Percentage participating 77.2 77.9 78.6 79.3 80.0Percentage of schools at or above target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100Honors/AP/IB/College-Level Course Enrollment Percentage enrolled in at least onecourse

68.4 70.1 71.7 73.4 75.0

Percentage of schools at or above target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100


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AP/IB Exam Participation Percentage of graduating seniors who took at least one examwhile in high school

56.1 59.6 63.0 66.5 70.0

Percentage of schools at or above target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100AP/IB Exam Performance Percentage of graduating seniors earning 3 or higher on APexam or 4 or higher on IB exam

42.2 52.4 56.6 60.8 65.0

Percentage of schools at or above target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100Graduation Rate Percentage graduating 92.4 93.3 94.2 95.1 96.0Percentage of schools at or above target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100High School Suspension Rate Percentage suspended 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.5Percentage of schools at or below target 50.0 62.5 75.0 87.5 100High School Ineligibility Percentage Ineligible 22.0 Percentage of schools at or below target

Supplemental Plans

The systemwide strategic plan is supplemented by the plans and resources described in the

Fiscal Year 2010 2011 Operating Budget

Fiscal Year 2010 Educational Facilities Master Plan and the Fiscal Year 20092014 Capital Improvements Program (Asamended.)

The systemwide strategic plan is further supplemented by the strategic plans for the

Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Schools Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs Office of Organizational Development Office of School Performance

Office of Shared Accountability Office of Special Education and Student Services

Office of the Chief Operating Officer Office of Human Resources and Development Office of the Chief Technology Officer


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Deployment of Guiding Tenets

The Board of Education and senior leaders developed the MCPS guiding tenetscore values, vision, mission, goals, academic priorities, and critical questions collaboratively with stakeholde rs. These guiding tenets were adopted by the Board and inclu ded inOur Call to Action .

Beginning in August 1999, Board members and senior leaders engage d in an extensive outreach with parent and community groups, business partners, advisory groups, local governing entities, and the faith communities to solicit shared concerns and expectat ions. Theinput received through these conversations was codified in the strategic pl an. In addition to the guiding tenets, the plan includes thekey performance measures for the system.

The process used to develop the MCPS strategic plan and the methods used by Board members and senior leaders to deploy the visi onand values have provided a clear picture tothe staff, community, and other stakeholde rs of student expectations, the accountabilitysystem being used to monitor results and drive performance, and the strategies employed to achieve the goals.

Our Call to Action is the blueprint for improving the achievement of students at all levels of ability and performance while eliminating theachievement gap among racial/ethnic and special population groups.In addition, the Board approves a master plan that is submitted tothe Maryland State Board of Education to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act and the states Bridge to Excellence law.Our Call to Action is the foundation of this master plan.

The Board has adopted a framework that aligns its policies with the vision and goals articulated in Our Call to Action . This framework structures the relationship between Board policies and the strategic plan, linking vision and action. There are eight core gove rnance

policies that express the vision, values, and goals of the Board and provide the philosophical foundation for the work directed by thestrategic plan. These core governance policies are directly supported by other Board policies, and all of these policies are deployedthrough a series of regulations that are approved by the superintendent of schools and implemented by senior leaders who ensurecompliance.

The superintendents bimonthly meetings with more than 500 leaders of the school system focus on the vision, core values, andexpectations for performance and results through the lens of le ading for equity so that student performance is not predictableby race.The superintendents continuous focus on the vision and expectations in meetings with staff, parents, and community members has

been critical in the alignment of all the work of the school sy stem. For the past three years, the Board has conducted forums, attended by both community stakeholders and MCPS employees, to gather feedba ck on the strategic plan. This feedback has been used to makeimprovements in the plan and to help align the operating budget with the plan.

The deployment process begins under the leadership of the community superint endents as each school annually develops andimplements a school improvement plan that is aligned with the Boards strategic plan. Community superintendents meet monthly wi th

their 3035 principals to deploy strategies to accomplish the sy stems goals. Other senior leaders guide the development andimplementation of office and department strategic plans that also are aligned with Our Call to Action . This strategic planning processguides the staff throughout the school system in their work with students, schools, parents, and the community.

The school-improvement process has been designed to reflect the components of the Baldrige Education Criteria for PerformanceExcellence. Schools are expected to implement the school-improvement planning model using the look-fors from the Framework for Improving Teaching and Learningand Baldrige categories. The progress on school improvement pl an goals is evaluated regularlywith all stakeholders.

How Board of Education Members and Senior Leaders Communicate and Deploy Organizational Vision and Values

Communicate Deploy Board and Senior Leaders Actions

Our Call to Action: Pursuit of ExcellenceBridge to Excellence Master PlanBoard Academic PrioritiesBoard/Superintendent meetingswith employee associationsBoard policiesMCPS regulationsOrganizational Culture of RespectProfessional Growth Systems

Superintendents A&S meetingsBaldrige-guided School ImprovementPlansOffice/Department Strategic PlansImplementation of strategies/initiativesFramework for Improving Teaching andLearningBaldrige Quality AcademyMy Job, Your Job, Our Job handbook Baldrige Principals Handbook Professional Learning CommunitiesOSP Monitoring Calendar M-Stat

Communicate beliefs and expectationsModel organizations valuesEngage in organizational and personallearningEmpower staff to leadModel collaboration and shareddecision makingFrequently monitor progress and share

best practices


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OVERVIEW

Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence

STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS CHART

Designing and Implementing the Strategic Plan

The continued improvement of teaching and learning in MCPS is the focus ofthe school systems strategic plan, Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence . This requires great coordination, collaboration, and alignment of activities among the community andthousands of employees affecting tens of thousands of students. A coherent strategic plan that is implemented with fidelity wi ll helpto ensure that the bar is raised for every child and that the achievement gap by raceand ethnicity is closed. The current nat ionalmovement stressing the importance of higher education in a global economy is reflected in the Seven Keys to College Readiness. This

pathway will give all of our students more options when they gr aduate from MCPS and a strong foundation for college and career success. The updateaddressing school years 2009 through 2014 2010 through 2015 reflects a process that has evolved over the pastseveral years. Following the Board of Educations revision of Policy AEB: Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement in

November 2004, the process has benefited from greater community involvement. Policy AEB was revised in May 2009, once againarticulating the Boards commitment to aligning the budget process with the strategic plan and including a broad range of stake holders inthe strategic planning process. The primary strategies focus on instructional planning, curriculum development, differentiated instruction,

and evidence of student learning. There also is a focus on mon itoring and accountability using milestones and data points that identifyclear targets for continuous improvement. The milestones and data points provide identifiable ways to measure the progress of t he schoolsystem in such areas as minority student achievement, mi ddle school reform, high school reform, and special education.

The strategic plan highlights programs and initiatives that remain the f oundation of the school systems ongoing improvement effortssince 1999. All initiatives are aligned with ongoing efforts, helping the school system maintain substantial consistency over time. Suchcontinuity has enabled teachers, principals, support staff, pare nts, employee associations, and community members to work on co mmongoals for each community. The strength of the plan is the continued alignment of school system operations. The entire school systemrevolves around this core focus, requiring greater coordination among everyone involvedworking together on the appropriate pha sesfor each phase of implementation.

Among the most obvious outcomes of th is improved planning are the significant gains in student achievement. There are other examples as well such as the successful development and funding of highly detailed and meticulous annual operating and capital

budgets, and the use of zero-based budgeting practices in the operating budgets for all departments. Improved planning also is evidentin the successful ongoing development ofcurricula, assessments, professional development components, and technology.

The inherent value of the plan is its focus on excellence. This reflects the responsibility of the entire school system and all of itsstakeholders to ensure the success of eachand every student. Deliberate planning, l eadership, and supervision are necessary toachievethis consistently across 200 schools and with the continuity necessary for seamless inte gration of instruction, programs, and services.Success depends on continuous monitoring, assessment, feedback, and improvement.

The school systems strategic plan is aligned with the MarylandBridge to Excellence Act and addresses all of the requirements for aschool district master plan, under the specifications of the Maryland State Department of Education. These requirements, in t urn, areresponsive to and aligned with the achievement goals of the federal No Child Left Behind Act . In MCPS, attention to theserequirements is enhanced by the school systems planning pro cess that employs the Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle of continuousimprovement, based on the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence.

The multilayered process of strategic planning in MCPS integrates built-in cycles of evaluation and refinement. The strategic p lanningcomponents include the Board of Educations goals and academic priorities and the alignment of these goals with milestones, dat a

points, and targets. For deployment of initiatives across the system, the planning process involves office- and department-leve lstrategic plans, school improvement plans, and individual staff professional development plans (PDPs).

The school system is involved in several national initiatives to improve strategic planning of school districts. One initiativeis thePublic Education Leadership Project, a joint program of the Harvard Business School and the Harvard Graduate School of Educatio n.This initiative prompted the research and publication of four Ha rvard case studies about the school systemDifferentiated Treat ment inMontgomery County Public Schools (2006) and two companion studi es, Race, Accountability, and the Achievement Gap (A) and (B)(2006), all three focused exclusively on school system reform in itiatives; and Wireless Generation (2006), which detailed the systemscorporate partnership in hand-heldtechnology to improve data collection and analysis by teachers. In addition, MCPS was featured in a

November 2006 article in the Harvard Business Review, How to Manage Urban Schools.

Another national initiative is the Process Improvement and Innova tion in Education project, administered by the Houston-basedAmerican Productivity and Quality Center (APQC). This initiative s first three projects enabled school systems to compare how t heyassess student achievement, recruit and select teachers, and mana ge their information technologysystems. MCPS is cited as a

benchmark district for ESOL, professional development, the execution and support of professional learning communities, data-drivendecision making, and mathematics and science, and support of professional learning communities.


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Priorities of the Board of Education

The strength of the strategic plan is root ed in the academic priorities of the Board ofEducation, which have remained consistent over the past eight years. Working closely with the superintendent of schools and senior staff, the Board has achieved widespreadcommunity agreement in the direction of the school system and, consequently, its strategic plan. The academic priorities establ ish the

basis for a congruent multiyear planning strategy that focuses on doing what is best for students, parents, and their schools. The Boardof Education modified its priorities on July17, 2007. These priorities are as follows:

Organize and optimize resources for improved academic results.

Align rigorous curriculum, delivery of instruction, and assessment for continuous improvement of student achievement.

Expand and deliver literacy-based initiatives from prekindergarten through Grade 12.

Develop, pilot, and expand improvements in secondary content, instruction , and programs that support students active engagem entin learning.

Use student, staff, school, and system performance data to monitor and improve student achievement.

Foster and sustain systems that support and improve employee effectiveness, in partnership with MCPS employee associations.

Strengthen family-school relationships and continue to expand civic, business, and community partnerships that support improv edstudent achievement.

The Board of Education has pursued these priorities with a high level of greater public involvement in the school systems strategic planning. Beginning in September 2004, the school system expanded the strategic planning processes through a series of communit yforums that invited public input on the goals of the strategic plan. Citizens offered valuable insights about the operations an d goals of the school system. Stakeholder involvement helped improve the development of the operating budget recommendations submitted bythe superintendent in December 2008 and approved by the Board of Education in February 2009. The CountyCouncil ultimatelyfunded the Boards recommended budget in May 2009. We also have used this same process for the development of the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, as well.

Building on a Record ofProgress Since 1999

In the years since the original in November 1999, MCPS has made excellent progress in its efforts to deliver arigorous, high-quality education to every student. Successful planning and implementation have helped pave the way. This progressrecently received external affirmation when a notable` panel of education experts and leaders named Montgomery County a finalis t for the distinguished Broad Prize for Urban Education, an honor that provides at least $250,000 in college scholarships to graduate s from our high schools. MCPS is the first district in Maryland and the Washington-area to be named a finalist and is just one of 22 distr icts to ever

be named a finalist for the honor.

Gains in Student Performance

The MCPS graduation rate of 83.1 ranks # 1 among the nations 50 largest school s districts according Education Weeks,Diploma Counts 2010 Diploma Counts

MCPS is a finalist for the 2010 Broad Prize, the largest education prize in the country, for its success in raising studentachievement and closing the achievement gap. At least $250,000 in scholarships will be awarded tograduates from the Class of 2011.

Seven MCPS high schools were listed in the top 100 of Newsweeks list of Americas Best High Schools, the most of anydistrict in the nation. All 25 MCPS high schools ranked in the top 3 percent of the nation.

Six MCPS high schools ranked among the top 110 in the nation by Newsweek magazine in 2009 for providing a rigorous andchallenging curriculum. All MCPS high schools are listed in the top 3 .5 percent nationwide.(not released yet)

Three MCPS high schools awarded gold medal status placing them among the top 100 high schools in the nation in a 2008U.S. News & World Report ranking of Americas best high schools.

The average combined SAT score for the Class of 200 9 was 161 5, 118 and 10 6 points above national and state averages,respectively, with a participation rate of 7 8.0 percent.

More students now taking the SAT and/or ACT. In 200 9, 81.2 percent of the Class of 200 9 took the SAT and/or ACT.

48.7 percent of the Class of 200 9 scored a 3 or higher on at least one Advanced Placement (AP)exam, more than triple thenational average and double the Maryland average.

64.4 percent of the Class of 200 9 took at least one AP exam during high school, more than double the national average of 26.5 percent.

20.9 percent of African American students and 35.1 percent of Hispanic students in the Class of 200 9 scored a 3 or higher on atleast one AP exam, topping the national average of 15.9 percent for all students.


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African American students earned 1, 369 scores of 3 or higher on AP exams in 200 9, accounting for 37. 9 percent and 3.1 percent,respectively, of all AP exam scores of 3 or higher earned by African American public schools students in Maryland and thenation.

Hispanic students in MCPS earned 1, 542 scores of 3 or higher on AP exams in 2009 , accounting for 56.8 percent and 1.1 percent,respectively, of all AP exam scores of 3 or higher earned by Hispanic public school students in Maryland and the nation.

Record number of students, 377, named National AP Scholars by The College Board in 200 9.

91.1 percent of students in kindergarten in 200 9 reading at or above benchmark by the end of the school year, compared with 39 percentsix years ago. while the benchmark was increased from Level 3 to Level 4 in 2009.

A record 5,441 fifth grade students took advanced math in 200 9, compared with 196 students eight years ago.

65.5 percent of Grade 8 students in 200 9 successfully completed Algebra 1, compared with 59.6 percent in 200 8.

88.1 percent of elementary school students and 78.2 percent of middle school students scored at proficient or above onmathematics in the 200 9 Maryland School Assessment.

92.3 percent of middle school students who took the Algebra High School Assessment (HSA) in 200 9 passed.

103 elementary and secondary schools won Maryland School Performance Recognition Program awards in 200 9. An additional86 elementary and secondary schools received recognition based on overall achievement or for improvement within asubgroup., based on MSA and HSA performance.

The Class of 2008 There were 71 included 61 National Merit Scholars in the Class of 2009.A record amount of scholarships$185 millionwas awarded to students in the Class of 2009. 3,251 students, nearly one third

of the class, were offered at least one scholarship.

In 2009, 17 semifinalists in the 68th Intel Science Talent Search; Montgomery Blair High School is second highest school in thenation with 12 semifinalists. There were 15 MCPS semifinalists in the 2010 Intel Science Talent Search, tied with New York City for the district with the most finalists.

33 National Blue Ribbon Schools MCPS has received 34 National Blue Ribbon School awards.

Highland Elementary School is one of 12 schools to receive the National Excellence in Urban Education Award from the NationalCenter for Urban School Transformation (NCUST). In addition to the NCUST award, Highland Elementary, a Maryland Blue RibbonSchool, is a candidate for a National Blue Ribbon School award.

Highland Elementary School recei ved the National Excellence in Urban Education Award from the National Center for Urban SchoolTransformation and also was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2009.MCPS leads the state with 528 educators certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Response to Changing Demographics

The significant academic progress of the schoolsystem coincides with the deployment of more focused and better developed strategic plans. Student achievement continues to increase through the implementation of challenging instructional programs for students of alllevels of ability and performance. However, differences in ach ievement persist when disaggregated by race, ethnici ty, gender,socioeconomic status, language proficiency, or disability. This disparity formed the basis of the original reforms in 1999 and remainsthe significant foundation of the strategic plan now under way

The racial and ethnic composition of the school system has made MCPS one of the most diverse school systems in the United State s.MCPS is the largest, most diverse school district in Marylandand one the most racially and ethnically diverse school system s in thecountry It continues to be the largest, most diverse system in Maryland with students from 165 countries speaking 134 languagesand

became the . We remain the nations 16th largest school system this year, with over 142,000 students, and we anticipate our district willcontinue to grow in the coming years. 1 40,000 students. Recent enrollment gains overall have been mainly entirely among Hispanic,Asian American, and African American students. Almost half of all English language learners in Maryland are enrolled in MCPS. M orethan one fourth Nearly 30 percent of MCPS of all students now receive federal meal assistance, the highest number ever, and nearly 40

percent and more than one thirdof students have received federal meal assistance at some point in their education in MCPS.

The greatest concentration of racial and ethnic diversity and poverty is located in schools within the countys most urbanized areasacombination of communities from Takoma Park to Germantown that includes nearly half of all elementary schools. The communitiesare home to the majority of AfricanAmerican and Hispanic students enrol led in the system and the vast majority of students receivingfederal meal assistance and English language support.

Focus on High-quality Curriculum

At the core of the strategic plan is the provision of a high-quality curriculum. A key initiative is the alignment of the entir e curriculumfrom prekindergarten through Grade 12 in order to ensure that all students in ever y school receive the proper foundation and se quenceof essential skills and knowledge. All studentsare expected to be college and career ready, a process that begins in prekinder garten


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and elementary school by with preparing students to achieve reading fluency by Grade 3; advanci ng through Math 6 or higher byGrade 5; completing algebra or higher-level mathematics courses by Grade 8; completing Algebra 2 by Grade 11; and enrolling inHonors, Advanced Placement, IB; and college-level courses throughout high school.

These strategic plan in itiatives have resulted in the alignment of the curriculum from prekindergarten through Grade12, in order tomeeting or exceed ing the expectations of the Maryland Core Learning Goals, the Maryland High School Assessments, and theMaryland School Assessments. Our curriculum sets and setstudents on a path to succeed inAdvanced Placement programs and

International Baccalaureate programs and prepares them to demonstrate their college readiness on exams for college readiness,including the SAT and ACT. These efforts are based on the need to address persistent problems disparities in student achievement,which have decreased in recent years, but still exit in all areas . not withstanding the overall continued gains by the school system.Differences in student performance and course enrollment by race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, language proficiency , or disability, along with high levels of remediation for students enrolling in community college, are key indicators that continue dimprovement is necessary.

An important component of these efforts is the involvement and collaboration of teachers, principals, and other staff in the st rategic planning process, especially in developing new program and budget initiatives, providing timely feedback during implementation,engaging in ongoing problem solving, and involving staff in program implementation. This collaboration is formalized through hi gh-level teams involving the presidents and other leaders of employee associations working closely with the superintendent and exe cutivestaff members throughout the year.

Improving Employee Quality

Developing and implementing a strategic plan is entirely dependen t on the leadership, experience, and skills of the school syst emsworkforce. Targeted staff development and training, evaluation, leadership, and technology initiatives focus on ensuring thatemployees have the knowledge, skills, strategies, and beliefs neces sary to respond to the needs of a rapidly growing and highlydiverseschool system. This includes the ongoing implementation of standards-based professional development systems that are focused onmaking sure that all staff members understand the essential roleof employee performance, attitudes, and expectations in the su ccess of the school system.

Professional development is aligned closely with other improvemen ts in unifying school system support and leadership, curriculu mand instruction, assessment, and technology . helping This helps to create an organizational cultureof respect that values whatindividual staff members believe, know, and can do, and values the contributions of all employees in the support of improved te achingand learning throughout the school system. Important components of these efforts include the following:

Improving attitudes and beliefs about r ace and removing institutional barriers.

Establishing common expectations for student success and organizational reform.

Strengthening teachersskills in differentiating instruction based on students needs.

Strengthening the professional growth system for all employees.

Providing clear standards of evaluation.

Encouraging peer assistance and review.

Providing consulting teachers, principals, and support staff for novice and underperforming employees.

Providing mentors for new teachers.

Strengthening on-site staff development for all teachers.

These efforts reflect research-based understanding of how to improve teaching and learning by encouraging professional learningcommunities, improving expectations, and monitoring data for specific evidence of student progress.

Aligning the Budget with the Strategic PlanThe relationship of the five-year strategic plan to the annual operating budget for MCPS was strengthened in 2004 with the expa nsionof public involvement in the development of long-range planning issues.

Previously, public involvement occurred only after the budget was presented. The Board of Education changed the process byinstituting community forums to encourage gr eater participation by a broader range of stakeholders in identifying important str ategic

planning issues. The Board revised the policy on long-range strategic planning for continuous improvement in May 2009. The revi sed policy encourages greater stakeholder involvement and the use of assessment criteria to evaluate key elements of the strategic plan.

The improved alignment of budget development with the school sy stems strategic planning process also strengthens the alignmentof the budget with the state-mandated master plan for student achievement.


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Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act

The Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act is based on a st andards-based approach to public school financing that is consis tentwith the federal N o Child Left Behind Act of 2001 . The Act requires the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to setacademic content and student achievement sta ndards, ensure that schools and students have sufficient resources to meet those

standards, and hold schools and school systems accountable for student performance.

1. The plan must be aimed at helping all children meet state and local performance st andards, improve student achievement, and closeacademic gaps among students of differentracial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds;students with disabilit ies; and students whoare learning English.

2. The plan must be comprehensive and systemic. It must reach throughout the school system to all schools and address factors c entralto improved teaching and learning such as teacher and principal recruitment and retention, professional development, use of bes t

practices, and scientific research-based strategies.3. The plan must address services to prekindergarten students, kindergarten students, gifted and talented students, and career

technology education students.4. The plan must include specific benchmarks and timelines for improved student achievement and progress in implementing the pl an.

Focus Areasa. Teacher and principal recruitment and retention

b. Educator readiness and professional developmentc. Parent and community involvementd. Integration of technologye. Assistance to low-performing schools (local reconstitution eligible, Title I, Challenge, and locally identified alert or wat ch

schools)f. Use of best practices and proven methods based on scientifically based research

Performance Goal 1By 20132014 all students will reach high standards, at a minimum attaining pr oficiency or better in reading/language arts andmathematics.

1. The percentage of students, in the aggr egate and for each subgroup, who are at or above the proficient level in reading/languagearts on the states assessment. (Note: these subgroups are those for which the ESEA requires state reporting, as identified in section1111(h)(l)(C)(i).)

2. The percentage of studen ts, in the aggregate and in each subgroup, who are at or above the proficient level in mathematics o n thestates assessment. (Note: These subgroups are those fo r which the ESEA requires state reporting, as identified in section1111(h)(l)(C)(i).)

Performance Goal 2

All limited English proficien t students will become proficient inEnglish and reach high academic standards, at a minimum attai ning proficiency or better in reading/language arts and mathematics.

1. The percentage of limited English proficient students, determined by cohort, who have attained English proficiency by the en d of the school year.

2. The percentage of limited English proficien t students who are at or above the proficient level in reading/language arts on t he statesassessment, as reported for performance indicator 1.1.

3. The percentage of limited English proficient students who are at or above the proficient level in mathematics on the states assessment, asreported for performance indicator 1.2.

Performance Goal 3By 20052006, all students will be taught by highly qualified teachers.

1. The percentage of classes being taught by highly qualified teachers (as the term is defined in section 9101(23) of the ESEA), in


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the aggregate and in high-poverty schools (as the term is defined in section 1111(h)(l)(C)(viii) of the ESEA).2. The percentage of teachers receiving high-quality professional development, (as the term professional development is defi ned in

section 9101(34)).3. The percentage of paraprofessionals (excluding those with sole duties as translators and parental involvement assistants) wh o are

qualified. (See criteria in section 1119(c) and (d).)

Performance Goal 4All students will be educated in learning environments that are safe, drug-free, and conducive to learning.

1. The number of persistently dangerous schools, as defined by the state.

Performance Goal 5All students will graduate from high school.

1. The percentage of students who graduate fromhigh school each year with a regular diploma a. disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, migrant status, English proficiency, and status as economically

disadvantaged; and b. calculated in the same manner as used in National Center for Education Statistics reports on Common Core of Data.

2. Performance indicator: The percentage of students who drop out of school a. disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status , language proficiency, or disability.; and

b. calculated in the same manner as used in National Centerfor Education Statistics reports on Common Core of Data.


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GOAL 1: Ensure Success for Every Student

Board of Education Priorities:

Organize and optimize resources for improved academic results Align rigorous curriculum, delivery of instruction, and assessment for continuous improvement of student achievement

Use student, staff, school, and system performance data to monito r and improve student achievement

The following milestones and data points are aligned with the strategies and initiatives in Our Call to Action to provide rigorousinstruction and promote increased achievement for all students, while eliminating the achievement gap. To that end, MCPS iscommitted to engaging all students in a rigorous academic program a nd, in particular, to ensuring that student achievement is n ot

predictable by race. The district will impl ement the guidelines established in the Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools Act. Data will be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomicstatus, language proficiency, or disability. Although Our Call to Actionstates that all students are expected to attain certain milest ones, some students, due to their disabilities, will not achieve thosemilestones and will follow alternative curricula.

Milestones: Data Points:

All students will achieve or exceed proficiency standardsin mathematics, reading, writing, science, andgovernment, and English language on local and stateassessments. (2/4/10 ELT JS)

o Maryland School Assessments (MSA)

o High school final exams

o High School Assessments (HSAs)

o English proficiency assessments for ESOL students(Language Assessment System-Links)

All students will successfully complete algebra by theend of Grade 9 and geometry by the end of Grade 10.

o Algebra successful course completion with a C or higher by the end of Grade 8

owith a C or higher.

o Geometry successful course completion by the end of Grade 10 with a C or higher.

All students will successfully complete Algebra 2 bythe end of Grade 11. ( ELT, 11/5/09, JS)

o Algebra 2 successful course completion with aC or higher by the end of Grade 11

All schools will increase participation and performanceof all students taking the SAT/ACT.

o SAT/ACT participation and performance

o PSAT participation

All schools will eliminate the disproportionatesuspension rate of African American and Hispanicstudents, and students receiving special educationservices.

o Suspension data

o Student, parents, staff, survey results

All schools will meet or exceed the states graduationrequirements.

o Graduation rates by schoolo High School Assessmentso Dropout rate ( Moved from Goal 2 ELT 11/19/09 JS)o Eligibility for Extracurricular Activities (Moved

from Goal 2 ELT 4/22/10 JS)

All graduates will be prepared for postsecondaryeducation and employment.

o University System of Maryland requirementso Completion of Career and Technology Education

program


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STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

Ensure Success for Every Student

Monitoring Student Performance

The mission of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is to provide a high-quality, world-class education that ensures successfor every student through excellence in teac hing and learning. Critical to achieving the mission is the systematic and systemicmonitoring of student performance of every student in every school so that student achievement is not predictable by race. Classroomteachers, principals, and senior leaders monitor student performance by disaggregating data by race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomicstatus, language proficiency, or disability.

Disaggregating the data ensures that every students needs are considered when making instructional decisions. Schools and clas sroomteachers use a variety of tools and strategiesto monitor student performance. At the system level, cross-functional teams st udystudent performance by drilling down to root causes and then developing action plans and making recommendations for improvement .M-Stat and Achievement Steering Committees ar e strategies used by senior leaders and school staff working in collaboration to e nsuresuccess for every student.

M-StatThe M-Stat process provides a framework for the systematic and systemicmonitoring of critical student achievement and performa ncedata that enables the district and school leadership teams to drill down to root causes, focus on areas of need, develop actions plans for improvement, and document best practices for recognition and dissemination throughout the system. Through the Baldrige practice of plan, do, study, act, key data points and processes are examined throughout the school improvement planning cycle. The M-Stat

process provides a focused, intensive review by school and ce ntral office leaders and executive staff members of school-level student performance data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, socioe conomic status, language proficiency, or disability status. Th eM-Stat process has led to the identification of exemplary teachers as well as successful school and classroom practices that arefeatured on the MCPS website and in the Bulletin , using video clips and other resources related to the data points.

Achievement Steering Committees

Achievement Steering Committees (ASCs) provide focused support to address performance concerns with the Maryland SchoolAssessment (MSA) and High School Assessment(HSA). ASCs are a collaborative effort between various MCPS offices and selectedschool staff. Utilizing in-depth examination of student data, ASCs work to improve instructional practices in order to increasestudent

performance and exit Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) school improvement status. Strategies recommended by anASC may include structured school walk-throughs, instructional look-fors, and/or instructional program reviews.

Aligned Efforts to Support Success in Higher-level Mathematics

Preparing students for success in higher-level mathematics begins with a high-quality curriculum that reaches beyond the MarylandVoluntary State Curriculum, and continues with the elementary school Accelerated Pathwaysin Mathematics. Through the pathways,school staff and parents see how acceleration, beginning in kindergarten, can pr epare students for advanced mathematics inelementary, middle, and high school. Several supports are in place to ensure that teachers and administrators have the knowledge of content and effective instructional practices necessary toensure student success in higher-level mathematics.

Math ematics content coaches in many Title I and other focus elementary schools

Math ematics content specialists in middle schools involved in middle school reform Algebra lead teachers in selected high schools and feeder middle schools

Professional development , including course-specific classes as well as credit-bearing courses

Lenses on Learning 1 and 2 courses for elementary principals


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K12 Mathematics Work Group

The K12 Mathematics Work Group was convened in January 2009 to explore the complex i ssues surrounding mathematics teachingand learning and to develop recommendations to improve student achievement in mathematics. A diverse group of more than 40stakeholders are participating in this initiative.

The work group is employing a research-based approach to thei r task and has formed the following research groups: Written

Curriculum, Implemented Curriculum, Assessment, Teacher Preparation and Development, and Mathematics Targets andAccelerations. During the course of this work, the federal government released the Common Core Standards. Subsequently,the Maryland State Department of Educ ation reviewed the alignment between the Common Core Standards and theMaryland State Curriculum. Members of th e K-12 Mathematics Work Group and other central office and school-based staff conducted an alignment between the Common Core Standards an d the MCPS mathematics curriculum. This alignment iscritical to the final recommendations of the work group .

Algebra 2 by Grade 11Students who complete Algebra 2 by the end of Grade 11 with a C or higher are more than twice as likely to graduate from coll egethan are students with less mathematical preparation and are generally less likely to have to take remedial math ematics courses incollege. In an effort to ensure that all graduates are college ready, MCPS hasinitiated a multiyear research study on the preparation for students to take and be successful in Algebra 2 by Grade 11 and convened an Algebra 2 M-S TAT project team. The research isdesigned to examine mathematics course-taking patterns, success in these courses, and the demographic characteristics of students

enrolled in Algebra 2 in 20082009, as well as previous cohorts of students. Based on this information, the M-S TAT team willidentify schools that are havingsuccess with students of all racial/ethnic groups in Algebra 2 performance, determine the mosteffective course sequencing for Algebra 2 success, develop standard articulation pathways for students who needsupport in order to

be successful in Algebra 2, identify exemplaryAlgebra 2 teachers, and disseminate effective instructional practices.

Middle School Reform

The Middle School Reform initiative provides a rigorous instructional program that is focused on the skills needed to be successful inthe 21st century and prepares students for high school, college, and the world of work. Such an instructional program includes accessto technology and support with developing skills that enable students to work in teams, solve complex problems, interpret infor mation,communicate effectively, connect learning across disciplines, think critically, and apply knowledge to real-life situations. Theseinnovative student-centered classroom environments use interactive technology to deliver curriculum and instruction and assessunderstanding. The interactive technology tools engage students in their own learning and activate problem-solving and criticalthinking skills that better prepare students for success in the Information Age.

Components of Middle School Reform include building leadership capacity that promotesshared ownership for student and staff success through: providing professional development on instructional strategies to meet the unique and diverse needs of the adolescentlearner and to ensure all students have access to a rigorous instructional program; participating in the Professional LearningCommunities Institute; developing staff cont ent knowledge and teaching expertise with instructional leaders such as contentspecialists in the core academic areas, team leaders, and a liter acy coach; providing a rigorousand accelerated curriculum by offeringnew and rigorous elective and core courses; engaging adolescent learners in effective and differentiated instruction using indi vidualstudent data, innovative technology, and motivational strategies; improving organizational structures that promote effective sc hedulesfor students and time for teachers to work collaboratively; and establishing strong parent and community engagement througheffective communication, involvement in the school improvement process, parent workshops, and study circles.

All middle schools have received resources as a part ofthe Middle School Reform initiative that include 21 st Century Classroomtechnology, revised formative and unit assessments, funding for after-school and summer programs, workshops for parents, staffi ng tosupport inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education classroom, professional development on the adolescent learner

and rigorous instruction, as well as other supports to enhance the communication between the schools and parents.Building on the success of the Middle Schoo l Magnet Consortium (MSMC), and guided by the Middle School Reform Reportrecommendations, rigorous instructional offerings in science, world studies, and English are offered in all middle schools. . MCPSwill implement new rigorous, instructional program offerings to all middle schools. Over the next five years, selected schools willchoose from more than 25 new courses, field tested in the MSMC or the firs t phase of middle schools engaged in the reform. Thesenew program Course offerings incorporate rigorous course work , including seven high school credit courses, engaging content, andinnovative units of instruction. These courses support the MCPS commitment to provide all students with access to enriched,accelerated, and compacted courses at the middle school level inorder to create opportuni ties for students to realize their fu ll potentialas learners.

The expansion of subsequent phases of the Middle School Reforminitiative to all middle schools was originally scheduled for completion in FY 2010. Due to current budgetary constraints, the full implementation has been delayed.

Program Expansion for All Middle Schools (OCIP)

Building on the success of the Middle Schoo l Magnet Consortium (MSMC), and guided by the Middle School Reform Report


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recommendations, MCPS will phase in new rigorous, instructional program offerings to all middle schools. Over the next five years,selected schools will choose from more than 25 new courses, field tested in the MSMC or the first phase of middle schools engaged inthe reform. These new program offerings incorporate rigorous course work, including seven high school credit courses, engagingcontent, and innovative units of instruction. Schools also will offer advanced courses in science, world studies, and English. Severalof the program components are multiyear offerings with course pathways that run Grade 6 through Grade 8, such as Information andCommunication Technology 6, Computer-Aided Drafting and Design, Applied Robotics Engineering, and Introduction to Engineering

Design.

Middle School Accelerated and Enriched Instruction (AEI) Math Content Specialist

As a part of Middle School Reform, the AEI math content specia list position was created to coach, model effective instructional practices, and build the content knowledge and skills of mathema tics teachers. As the leader of the local school mathematicsdepartment, the AEI math content specialist monitors and interprets assessment data to promote individual student achievement. Inaddition, the AEI math content specialist serves as anadvocate for student access toand successful completion inadvancedmathematics courses and develops a process to nurture and mentor underachieving or traditionally underserved students. The AEImath content specialist collaborates with school staff to increas e student participation, particularly African American and His panicstudents, in accelerated and enri ched courses, and provides instructional, professional, and parental support for improvement of studentachievement in these courses, and monitors and reports quarterly on student access and progress in accelerated courses.

Middle School Accelerated and Enriched Instruction (AEI) Literacy Coach

The AEI literacy coach creates a process for nurturing/mentoring underachieving and/or traditionally underserved students enrol led inaccelerated courses. The AEI literacy coachsupports critical thinking, reading, writing, and viewing across the content areas by workingdirectly with teachers, serving as a memberof the school leadership team, and communicating with parents. As an instructional leader,the AEI literacy coach develops the schools literacy plan, incl uding benchmarks and a reporting schedule. The AEI literacy coa ch alsocollaborates with school staff to increase student participation, particularly AfricanAmerican and Hispanic students, in accel erated andenriched courses, andprovides instructional, professional, and parental support for student achievement in these courses, and monitorsand reports quarterly on student access and progress in accelerated courses.

Middle School Magnet Consortium (MSMC)

MSMC comprises three schoolsArgyle Magnet Middle School fo r Information Technology, A. Mario Loiederman Magnet MiddleSchool for Creative and Performing Arts, and Parkland Magnet Middle School for Aerospace Technology. Benefiting fromimprovement efforts originally developed under a three-year federal grant, all MSMC students have access to the whole-schoolmagnet programs, featuring an accelerated corecurriculum, specialized courses, extended learning opportunities, a highly effectiveinstructional program, and collaborative school partnerships with parents and the community. Each school has a unique, thematic ,instructional focus. The specific magnet themes identified for th is initiative offer highly unique academic choices of special interest toyoung adolescents.

Extended-day and Extended-year Programs (Middle School)

The middle school extended learning opportunities (ELO) include both extended-day and extended-year offerings in all 38 middleschools. Traditionally, the program provides additional reading and mathematics instruction to students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 who needsupport to achieve MCPS curriculum objectives and meet the profic iency standards on the Maryland School Assessment (MSA). Inaddition, the extended-year program offers courses to assist st udents with the successful completion of advanced-level mathemat icscourses by previewing or reviewing course content to nurture a nd support student enrollment and successful completion of advanc ed-level mathematics courses. Schools also are able to create other course offerings to meet the diverse needs of their students.

High School Plus

High School Plus (HS+) is a program that helps to prepare students for the High School Assessments and provides them with theopportunity to regain lost course credit that was formerly relegated to evening high school classes . Over a three-year transitional

period, the HS+ program has replaced evening high school . The HS+ program provides three options: repeater sections in the dayschools master schedule, ful l-semester courses, and credit-recovery classes offered by extending the school day. For FY 201 1, theHS+ program is offered to all Grades 9-12 high schoolstudents. Through flexible scheduling and targeted offerings, students are ableto receive the additional academic suppor t they need at the

june 282010 mcps strategic plan draft

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