ncsl session

Rethinking Resources for Student Success

Leading Education Reform in an Era of Limited ResourcesNational Conference of State LegislaturesJune 14, 2012

Education Resource Strategies 2National Conference of State Legislatures

Agenda: An Interactive Exploration

1. Restructuring Priorities 60 Minutes

2. School Budget Hold ‘em Game 40 Minutes

3. Discussion: Takeaways & Action Implications

20 Minutes


Education Resource Strategies: Who we are

ERS is a non-profit dedicated to helping school systems spend and organize time, talent and technology to create great schools at scale

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http://nyc.teacherssupportnetwork.com/Home.do

http://www.k12.dc.us/

http://www.u-46.org/


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Growth in Per Pupil Expenditure (1970 to 2005)

Increase in number of Non-Teachers (excl. SPED)

Increase in Number of Teachers (excl. SPED)

Increase in SPED staff

All other non-staff

Increase in Benefits Rate

Source: The Parthenon Group, 2007 from NCES; Educational Research Service; Parthenon Analysis

Prior to the economic downturn, spending had more than doubled, but the basic structure of schooling has remained the same


Public education jobs have continued to grow through recessions and are only now starting to fall

Source: Marguerite Roza


Budget gaps will continue due to a fundamental cost structure that continues to rise regardless of revenue

Source: Marguerite Roza, November 2011


• New compensation, work place organization and job design

• Common Core learning standards

• Revamped Teacher Evaluation

• New technologies and different models of instructional delivery

Meanwhile the context demands new systems...


Typical responses preserve current structures and attempt to do less with less

Furlough days

Frozen salaries

Across the board cuts

Incremental staffing ratio adjustments


We know what it takes to create high performing schools

Strategic School Design

Aligned Standards, Curriculum, & Assessments

• Effective Teaching Teams• Targeted Individual Attention• Maximized, Flexible Academic Time


Too often, schools have to work around district and states to create these models

TEACHING COMPENSATION & JOB STRUCTURE discourage effectiveness

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTnot strategic

LEADERSHIPunsupported, underinvested

CENTRAL OFFICE SERVICESinefficient, unresponsive

SCHOOL DESIGNantiquated schedules and staffing

PARTNERS & TECHNOLOGYunderleveraged

FUNDINGinequitable, unintelligible, rigid

A FewHigh Fliers


To make exceptional schools the norm, we need new systems…

TEACHER COMPENSATION & JOB STRUCTURElinked to contribution

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORTstrategically aligned

LEADERSHIPsupported and rewarded

CENTRAL OFFICE SERVICESaccountable, efficient

SCHOOL DESIGNschedules and staffing match needs

PARTNERS & TECHNOLOGYleveraged

FUNDINGequitable, transparent, and flexible

High-PerformingSchools at Scale


1. Restructure job and compensation structure to attract needed expertise, promote teamwork, and link to contribution

2. Rethink standardized class size model to target individual attention by strategically raising class sizes and rethinking one-size-fits-all class size models for providing individual attention

3. Shift special education spending toward early intervention and targeted individual attention in general education settings where possible

4. Optimize existing time and extend where needed to meet student and teacher needs

The four highest priorities for restructuring:


High-performing schools are about team, not just individual performance

Collaborative planning

time

Formative assessment

s

School-based expert support

Deliberate assignments to teaching team

Each school’s specific

curricular,faculty, and

student needs


Extra teacher time is typically “unspecified”, with little structure over how that time is used

Source: The New Teacher Project, “The Widget Effect” 2009

*Release time not addressed in collective bargaining agreement


A typical district devotes less than 2% of all teacher compensation spending to reward increased contribution or performance

District with Senior Teacher Force

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

$500 Million

42%

7%

27%

24%

>1%

Benefits

Responsibility & Results

Longevity

Education

Base

Source: ERS Analysis


Longevity driven compensation can also create odd investments across position types…

Average Salaries and Ratios

1.0

Dpty Supt for T&L$160k

2.82.01.10.4

Dir of Literacy$116k

Principal$114k

Teaching Assistant $25k

0.6 1.6

AP$90k

Coach$64k

Secretary $34k

Teacher$57k

Secretary Salary Range: $20k-$75k

Teacher Salary Range: $40k-$105k

Coach Salary Range: $45k-$108k

AP Salary Range: $75k-$140k

Principal Salary Range: $88k-$152k

Salary Ranges10% of Secretaries make more than the average Teacher; highest paid Secy makes almost 2x as a new teacher.

10% of APs make more than the average Principal

27% of Teachers make more than the average Coach


Limit compensation directed towards steps and lanes

Actively manage low performers out of the system using existing evaluation tools

Build new evaluation systems to accurately measure teacher effectiveness

What can districts and schools do to optimize job structure and compensation spending?

Increased time for team collaboration

Compensation for increased responsibilities and contribution

Flexibility in teacher assignment

Start Now

Build Toward


Typical districts have opportunities to target class sizes to priority subjects and students

*Core class defined as ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies; Non-core defined as Art, Computer Literacy, Vocational, Foreign LanguageSource: District A and B 9th and 12th grade course data (internal – Resource Mapping presentation)

District T District L

27

21

18 18

Average Class Size by Course Type

9th Grade Core Class Size* 12th Grade Non-Core Class Size

In these districts class sizes for core subjects are higher than non-core


Districts have more teaching staff, but use them for specialist positions outside of the core classroom and planning during the day

District A District B District C District D District E District F District G

25

22

26

18

22 20

22

14 13

14 14 16

12

15

ERS Estimated Average General Ed Class Size Average Total Student-to-Teacher Ratio

Source: ERS analysis and district data

GENERAL EDUCATION CLASS SIZE VERSUS STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO


Special education placements and delivery models vary widely across states

Note: A recent nation-wide estimate of education placement in urban settings put the national average and the urban average at 12%.

US

Idah

o

Califo

rnia

Nevad

a

Alaba

ma

Was

hing

ton

Conne

cticu

t

Tenn

esse

e

North

Car

olina

Miss

issippi

Virginia

Orego

n

Mich

igan

New M

exico

Iowa

Wisc

onsin

Florid

a

Sout

h Dak

ota

Miss

ouri

Nebra

ska

New H

amps

hire

Kent

ucky

Wyo

ming

Indian

a

Maine

Rhode

Island

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

Special Education Placements (ages 3-21 as percent of public school

enrollment)


Traditional pull-out/resource model doesn’t maximize resources for small group support

20K

1

2

3

4

5

17

20 19

22

20 19

23

29

SPED Resource 1

SPED Resource 2

GenEd Resource

Avg ~2 SPED students/class

Pullout

Costs of Pull-out models vs. Push-in models Small-group instruction disconnected from core More difficult to match teacher expertise to student need Flexible, skill-based groupings more challenging to implement SPED students not in LRE

Elementary school

with SPED firewall


Aligning SPED and GenEd resources facilitates push-in model at same resource level

K

1

2

3

4

5

Push-in Specialist 1



Implementation Imperatives: Templates & support for flex.

groupings and strategic class size organization

Revised staffing process to better coordinate SPED & Gen Ed staffing

Processes to support strategic student groupings

Increased collaborative planning time

Dual certification for SPED and Gen ED teachers

Elementary school

without SPED Firewall

20 17

20 19

22

20 19

23

29


Systems with low fill rates may be able to reallocate toward earlier intervention w/out impacting outcomes or compliance

Fill rate is a measure of efficiency of instructional staffing

Fill rate Example

1 teacher of FT Autism ES students

District staffing policy says 10:1

student:teacher ratio

If the teacher only has 7 of her 10 “spots” filled

with students, the class fill rate is 70%

Self-Contained and Resource Fill Rates Across Sample Districts


Highlight class size vs. teacher quality trade-off

Strategically raise class sizes when appropriate

Reduce SPED spending on subscale programs and compliance

Move away from class size mandates

Investments in early intervention

Clear rules on maintenance of effort spending

SPED funding incentives for more integrated services

What can districts and schools do to rethink one-size-fits-all class model and redirect special education spending to targeted individual attention for all?

Start Now

Build Toward


Typical schools and districts still allocate time in rigid blocks that don’t change based on need or priority

TYPICAL DISTRICT PERCENT OF STUDENT TIME

BY GRADE & SUBJECT

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

ES 7-9th 10-12th

PE

Foreign Language

Electives

Science

Social Studies

Math

ELA

Source: ERS Analysis


Carnegie Units, based on hours, reinforce the traditional definition of “class” that inhibits creativity and flexibility…

vs.

Larger Class

Larger Class

Larger Class


Longer blocks in key subjects for struggling students

Measure mastery of course content in smaller increments

Regularly adjust time and staffing according to student progress

Leveraged technology to redefine instruction

Ensure schools with the neediest students get more resources and increase schools’ flexibility to organize time and staff

Extended school day in the lowest performing schools (while ensuring the right staff)

What can be done to optimize the use of student and teacher time?

Start Now

Build Toward


By taking on tough choices, schools can move toward transformed practice

For the same cost a typical 25,000 student urban district can:

ERS’ District Reallocation Modeler (DREAM)

Reduce class sizes grades 4-12 by 2

Pay the top contributing 15% of teachers 10K more

OR

Give all teachers annual step increase

Allow benefits spending to increase

by 10%OR

Provide half-day pre-K for 50% of Kindergarten

students

Add 60 minutes to the school day in the

25% lowest performing schools

OR


Hold ‘Em Experience

Rochester, NY

Duval County, FL

Prince George’s County,

MD

Memphis, TN

Aspen CFO/CAO network

Council of Chief State

School Officers

PIE Network

Now it’s time to play …

School Budget Hold’em

An interactive game to help districts make thoughtful trade-offs as part of the budgeting process

Encourages transparency and accessibility


Why a card game?

Removes us from the traditional budget process of fighting for resources within silos

Focuses on investing in district priorities by freeing resources from low value- added “historic” uses

Enables teams to engage in open exploration of a range of options available to the district in a low stakes environment

Builds understanding of relative size of different options

Playing cards frees “non-spreadsheet” types to interact in new ways with the budgeting process


ERS Resources:School Budget Hold 'em is more than a game …

... it's an interactive exploration of the thoughtful trade-offs school administrators have to make in these challenging

budget times.

Description of savings or investment option

Explanation

FYI: Additional information

Class Size 2.0%Category Investment or Savings as % of

budget

What is a Hold ‘Em Card?


The Object of the Game Use the Hold’em cards provided to create a “hand” of investment and savings options to create a budget that moves toward improved district performance while still meeting a budget reduction target of 5%.

Instructions

How to play:

Step 1 Assign Roles and Review Process 5 min

Step 2 Read: Quickly read through the sample deck and create piles for “yes,” “no,” or “maybe” for each option.

10 min

Step 3 Review priorities and select your investments: As a group review the scenario and priorities presented and then identify the top investments you would like to include in your hand.

15 min

Step 4 Finalize your hand: Identify new budget total and find savings to meet it.

10 min


1. What were the biggest insights and/or surprises regarding opportunities for district transformation during budget-cutting times?

2. What particular investments or savings would be feasible or challenging in your state?

3. What role can the state play to achieve desired investments and savings?

4. What action will you take?

Discussion Questions


Play Hold’em: holdem.erstools.org– Encourage your network to consider a new conversation

around trade-offs

– Facilitators’ Guide allows groups to play independently

– Online version allows you to share your hand

Use your role in the legislature to advance reform– Change the debate over how to navigate tough times

– Continue to advocate for changes in state laws that limit effective resource use

Take Action


1. Play using the complete deck with 60 cards that we will be handing out at the end

2. Play online at holdem.erstools.org

Want to play again?

Please return the “mini-decks” to us!

1

2


Please return the “mini-decks” to us!