Turnaround Option Plan Phase 2 Orange County Public Schools

Transcription

1 Orange County Public Schools This form, to be used by districts planning in for implementation in , satisfies the requirements of Form TOP-2, which is incorporated by reference in Rule 6A , F.A.C. (2014).

2 Lockhart Elementary School District-Managed Turnaround Plan Part I: Needs Assessment Item 1: Description of the needs assessment methodology and summary of the results. Lockhart Elementary School achieved 40% of the total possible school grade points placing them at a grade of a D. This was an increase from the previous year of 36% of points earned. When analyzing multiple data sources, multiple areas are in need of strategic and targeted support in order to increase student achievement. Using the district-managed turnaround option, Lockhart Elementary School will be provided with support from various district departments collaborating and aligning district initiatives to support school improvement. The district will provide the school with a systematic approach to reduce and eliminate barriers impeding expected growth through the district s Corrective Programs department. This department works with schools identified by the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, Area Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer in need of support based on school grade trends, school leadership experience, and other student data points (e.g., attendance, behavior, etc.). This targeted support uses improvement science to develop processes and systems that support sustainable school improvement. This targeted support includes district staff experienced in working with turnaround schools. The district provides guidance on the use of resources to maximize effectiveness as well as develop leadership and build capacity at the school site. The description of the needs assessment methodology and summary include the AdvancED survey results, Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) data results, student discipline data and teacher attendance data. These data points were utilized to identify the 5 domains inspired by the 5 Essentials Framework. AdvanceED Survey Data The Lockhart Elementary School leadership team utilized stakeholder surveys provided by AdvancED. Parents were surveyed in various methods resulting in a 26% completion rate. Lockhart Elementary students were surveyed during the school day using the online survey tool resulting in a 41% completion rate. Staff members were surveyed through the use of an AdvancED survey link resulting in a 77% survey completion rate. The survey response scale was based on the following: 1- Strongly Disagree, 2- Disagree, 3- Neutral, 4- Agree, and 5- Strongly Agree. In summary, staff members and parent respondents rated the school highly in areas regarding leadership. In addition, staff members rated the school s resources and support systems lower with the average rating of Standard Parent (1-5) Staff (1-5) Student (1-3) Purpose and Direction Governance and Leadership Orange County Page 2

3 Teaching and Assessing for Learning Resources and Support Systems Using Results for Continuous Improvement Average Response by Stakeholder Group Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) Florida s K-12 assessment system measures students achievement of Florida s education standards, which were developed and implemented to ensure that all students graduate from high school ready for success in college, career, and life. The AdvancED survey data indicates that parents, staff, and students rated the area of Teaching and Assessing for Learning at an average rating of However, when reviewing the academic performance data on the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA), students scored significantly below grade level in the areas of reading and math proficiency. The FSA data for the school year shows 70% of students are below proficiency in reading and 70% are below proficiency in math. School Grade Components and Totals (FDOE) *ELA -Proficiency Learning Gains Lowest 25% Math - Proficiency Learning Gains Lowest 25% Science Total Points Earned 145/ / /700 % of Possible Points 48 (C) 36 (D) 40 (D) Student Performance Data: Lockhart Elementary demonstrated improvement on the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) in the areas of mathematics, and science during the 2017 administration of the assessment. Science proficiency increased from 28% to 31%, showing a 3% increase from 2016 to Learning gains in ELA increased by 4% from 41% to 45% and in mathematics from 44% to 47%. The lowest 25% of students also showed learning gains in Orange County Page 3

4 ELA from 25% to 51%; in mathematics there was a 9% decrease in the lowest 25% of students from 32% to 23%. FSA results indicate that areas of strength include interventions provided to students to support their areas for growth in mathematics and reading by strategically grouping students and targeting instruction. Based on the data, an area for growth at Lake Lockhart Elementary is the effective delivery of core standardsbased instruction in all content areas. i-ready Data Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) implemented the i-ready K-12 instruction and assessment tool with elementary schools in the school year. Schools administered three diagnostic assessments per year which yielded the percent of students predicted to be proficient on the FSA reading and mathematics assessments. District administrators and the School-based Leadership Team (SBLT) used the data to make school-wide instructional decisions. The data below reflects the percent of students predicted to achieve proficiency on the 2017 FSA in reading for grades three and four. i-ready EOY Diagnostic Assessment 2017 Grade 03 Grade 04 Grade 05 ELA Math ESSENTIAL DOMAINS: Domain 1: Effective Leadership Respondents rated the school in Governance and Leadership at a 4.20 as parents and 4.12 from staff. The largest area for growth according to adult stakeholders is in indicator 2.3, The governing body ensures that the school leadership has the autonomy to meet goals for achievement and instruction and to manage day-today operations effectively. The highest rated indicator for staff was The governing body establishes policies and support practices that ensure effective administration of the school. Parents rated Leadership engages stakeholders effectively in support of the school s purpose and direction, as the highest indicator. Students overall score for indicator 2.4, Leadership and staff foster a culture consistent with the school s purpose and direction, was the highest. According to Marzano (2017), high-quality, proactive school leadership has a measureable effect on student achievement. Specific leadership behaviors correlate with student growth. Student achievement data from the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) indicates effective leadership that drives a continuous model of learning is an area in need of improvement at Lockhart Elementary School. Marzano, Robert. (2017, March 21). School Leadership. Retrieved from Orange County Page 4

5 DOMAIN 2: Professional Capacity Of Lockhart Elementary School s 42 instructional staff members, 9.5% are new to the district; 36% have three years or less of overall teaching experience. Teachers experience ranges from 0 years to 45 years, with an average of 10.5 years of teaching experience. To develop expertise, there is a need to use multiple sources to monitor instructional delivery, evaluate proficiency and provide timely, actionable feedback on the effectiveness of instructional goals and the cause/effect relationship between professional development, instructional practices and student achievement. During the school year, there were 196 teacher absences. Teachers attendance are important school-based determinant of students academic success. Research indicates that teacher absence lowers WL # of Emp # of Scheduled work days Total Days Absent Total Days Scheduled x # of Employees Total Absence/ Total Days Multiply X % Work Location , student achievement (Miller, 2012). LOCKHART ELEMENTARY Miller, Raegen. (2012, November 5). Teacher Absence as a Leading Indicator of Student Achievement. Retrieved from Using the three-year aggregate VAM file for Lockhart Elementary School, all teachers with the rating of Unsatisfactory on their student growth score were transferred from the school. As of , Lockhart Elementary School has reduced the number of Needs Improvement teachers to three. These teachers are categorized as Tier III teachers and will receive intensive support and coaching from school-based coaches. School administration will conduct weekly classroom walkthroughs that focus on research-based instructional strategies and standards-based instruction. Specific, timely feedback will be provided along with systematic follow up to ensure the transfer of rigorous instruction in the classroom. Domain 3: Ambitious Instruction and Learning In the area of Teaching and Assessing for Learning, parent respondents rated the school at 4.30 and the staff rated it lower at Teachers rated indicator 3.2, Curriculum, instruction and assessment are monitored and adjusted systematically in response to data from multiple assessments of student learning and an examination of professional practice, as highest. Parents rated Grading and reporting are based on clearly defined criteria that represent the attainment of content knowledge and skills and are consistent across grade levels and courses, as their highest indicator, which shows that the school is working to ensure clear expectations and feedback for student performance. Students also rated that indicator highest which supports the communication of clear expectations for student success. The biggest area for growth at Lockhart Elementary School for staff is in the area of mentoring, coaching and supporting teachers, the lowest score in this domain at Domain 4: Safe and Supportive Environment Faculty and staff rate the school highly in safe and clean school environment (4.00) and parents rate the school high in this indicator as well (4.34). Students feel like technology is a strength of the school (2.95) and students agree that the school maintains a safe, clean and healthy environment (2.36). Orange County Page 5

6 Behavior and Attendance: Student behavior and attendance directly impact student achievement. These factors are a concern at Lockhart Elementary. When comparing the school year to the school year, Level 1, 2, and 3 offenses decreased drastically. School Referrals: Level Level Level Level Total School Suspensions: In-school suspensions (Students) In-school suspensions (Total) Out-of-school suspensions (Students) Out-of-school suspensions (Total) During the school year at Lockhart, 486 students were enrolled, compared to 440 students enrolled in the Orange County Page 6

7 Student Attendance: Total Absences 1-9 Days Total Absences 10+ Days Total Absences Days Total Absences 21+ Days The number of student absences increased in all categories from the school year. The school is seeking ways to motivate and encourage consistency with attendance. DOMAIN 5: Family and Community Engagement Although Lockhart Elementary School attempts to develop family and community partnerships through numerous activities and initiatives, there is still a need to increase participation and communication. A Parent Engagement Liaison (PEL) has been newly appointed for the school year and will be responsible for coordinating all community-school events. The role of the PEL is to further increase family involvement. Providing this full-time position that focuses on removing barriers that prohibit families from engaging in school events and children s education shows Lockhart Elementary School s dedication to increasing parental involvement and community engagement. In addition to coordinating all school family events, the PEL will assist with such tasks as organizing transportation for parents unable to reach the school for events and providing language-to-english translation for families who are not yet able to communicate in English. Student achievement at Lockhart Elementary School will improve with the increase of family and community engagement. SUMMARY OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT In summary, upon reviewing the available data, Lockhart Elementary is in need of intense support on building teacher capacity, to enhance their ability to provide rigorous standards-based and differentiated instruction, with extended learning time opportunities for all students. The data used to determine these needs originated from the AdvancED surveys, Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) student data, i-ready diagnostic assessments and teacher attendance reports. Based on this data analysis, Lockhart Elementary found three of the five domains with critical need for improvement: professional capacity, ambitious instruction and learning, and family and community engagement. This aligns with two Areas of Focus: Differentiated Instruction and Increased Learning Time. Item 2: Rationale for the turnaround option(s) selected. Lockhart Elementary School earned a grade of D in the school year, a grade of D in the school year, and a grade of C in the school year. When analyzing multiple data sources, multiple areas are in need of strategic and targeted support in order to increase student achievement. Using the districtmanaged turnaround option, Lockhart will be provided with support from various district departments collaborating and aligning district initiatives to support school improvement. The district will provide the school with a systematic approach to reduce and eliminate barriers impeding expected growth through the district s Corrective Programs department. This department works with schools identified by the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, Area Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer in need of support based on school grade trends, school leadership experience, and other student data points (e.g., attendance, Orange County Page 7

8 behavior, etc.). This targeted support uses improvement science to develop processes and systems that support sustainable school improvement. This targeted support includes district staff experienced in working with turnaround schools. The district provides guidance on the use of resources to maximize effectiveness as well as develop leadership and build capacity at the school site. Part II: Implementation Plan A. Areas of Assurance Item 3: Description of how the district will address the Areas of Assurance required by the selected turnaround option(s), as acknowledged in Phase 1. District Capacity and Support Assurance 1: District Leadership Team: The district-based leadership team includes the Superintendent, the Deputy Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer (CAO), Area Superintendent, Executive Area Directors, Learning Community Senior Administrators, Corrective Programs Senior Administrators, and content area Program Specialist. Assurance 2: District Support and Policies: The district leadership team, develops, supports and facilitates the implementation of policies and procedures that guide the school-based leadership team(s) and provide direct support systems. Assurance 3: District Governance Structure: The district adopted a new governance structure for Lockhart Elementary School, which requires the principal to report to the Area Superintendent and Executive Area Directors, in collaboration with the CAO in Corrective Programs, who report to the Deputy Superintendent. The Deputy Superintendent reports to the Superintendent. Assurance 4: Operational Flexibility: The district has provided Lockhart Elementary School sufficient operating flexibility in the areas of staffing, support, scheduling and budgeting, to fully implement a comprehensive approach to substantially improve student achievement outcomes. Assurance 5: Instructional Staff: The district has reassigned and replaced all staff members with an Unsatisfactory student growth rating as measured by the most recent VAM data (3 year average) provided by FLDOE, and the district s evaluation system. Meeting the guidelines of Assurance 3, the governance structure of Orange County Public Schools is structured with each school belonging to a Learning Community and receiving guidance and support from their Area Superintendent, Executive Area Director, and Learning Community Senior Administrator. The Area Superintendent or Executive Area Director evaluates the principal, and in conjunction with the Learning Community Senior Administrator, serves to support and monitor principals in improving student achievement through instructional plan implementation, faculty and leadership development, and organizational leadership. Learning Community support is provided in collaboration with the Corrective Programs department in applicable schools. The district provided direct support systems (Assurance 2) through the Corrective Programs department, which is a team of Senior Administrators reporting to the Chief Academic Officer. This team is composed of seven Senior Administrators all supporting schools identified by the Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, Area Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer in need of support. Support is differentiated based on need shown in school data and captured in the school s Sustainability Plan. Lockhart Elementary School will receive support from two senior administrators and a content area Orange County Page 8

9 specialist for ELA, mathematics, and science. Turnaround Option Plan Phase 2 Corrective Programs, in conjunction with the Learning Community, will support the school-based leadership team in implementing and monitoring school-wide systems regarding instructional delivery, use of data to drive instructional decisions, and professional development to build capacity of faculty and staff. Content area specialists will work to build capacity of school-based coaches regarding content, professional learning communities, and instructional coaching of teachers. The Corrective Programs team and the Learning Community collaborate to conduct: informal and formal meetings with the principal and/or the school-based leadership team (SBLT), side-by-side walkthroughs to build leadership capacity in assessing standards-based instruction and providing immediate, actionable feedback, and formal meetings to review available student performance data and devise plans of action to address areas of concern. This support will be monitored by Corrective Programs Senior Administrator(s) through monthly collaborative instructional walks and monitoring of student progress monitoring data in collaboration with the Chief Academic Office Executive Leadership, Learning Community Administrators, and school-based leadership team. Immediate adjustments to support will be made based on the results of the monthly instructional walks and student data. A report detailing areas of growth and need will be shared with district-level leadership through the Chief Academic Officer monthly. Lockhart Elementary School will participate in Orange County s District PLC process, a three-year plan for system-wide improvement, whereby teacher designees and the principal attend monthly professional training that focuses on core content knowledge and best practices in pedagogy in order to deliver schoolwide, rigorous instruction for students. The teachers and principal, with guidance from the Learning Community Area Superintendent and Executive Area Director, will collaborate to develop an implementation plan that includes how content knowledge and instructional strategies will be communicated and modeled to staff each month in order to ensure transfer of learning into school-wide instructional practice. School Capacity Administrators Ella Shanks, Principal Start date with School: 4/8/15 Start date with District: 8/8/95 (as a teacher) Selection process: All principals must complete the Preparing New Principals Academy (PNPA) through the district. At completion they can apply for their principal certification and apply for positions. Once selected for an interview, they meet with a panel composed of the Area Superintendent, Executive Area Director, and representation of school faculty and parents. The desired candidate is then reviewed and vetted through the Deputy Superintendent and Superintendent prior to selection. Orange County Page 9

10 Leadership Experience: Principal Ella Shanks has served as a school principal at Lockhart for two years. Prior to that she served as a district Senior Administrator in the Curriculum and Instruction. The district builds capacity of principals through principal meetings and the district PLC. Principals have operational flexibility to select their school-based content coaches and instructional staff. Assistant Principals are matched with school principals by the Learning Community based on school needs and areas of strength/weakness of the principal. If the school does not make gains or improve in one year, the principal will be replaced. Educators The district has developed a system to recruit and retain effective personnel to support teaching and learning at Lockhart Elementary School. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was recently signed by the local union, Orange County Classroom Teachers Association (OCCTA) to pay teachers $20,000 for one year as a recruitment/retention bonus for the school year. The MOU also supports the district s expectations to place only Highly Effective and Effective teachers at the school. Teachers will be compensated for actively participating in professional development that extends beyond the normal school day. The district has reassigned and replaced all staff members with an unsatisfactory rating and reduced the number of teachers with a needs improvement rating as measured by the most recent VAM data (3 year average) provided by FLDOE, and the district s evaluation system. The district ensures that certified teachers are utilized at the school and vacancies are filled by instructional coaches at the school level. Lockhart Elementary School has hiring priority as the principal is permitted to offer employment to qualified teachers at an early start date and job fairs were held specifically for Title I and priority schools. In addition, highly qualified and effective teachers are permitted to transfer to Lockhart Elementary School at any time during the school year. To increase teacher and leadership capacity, school-based coaches and district administrators will work daily with the Lockhart Elementary School staff to support student learning. Coaches and district administrators provide individual and group professional development that expand and refine the understanding of effective instruction. In order to meet this purpose, coaches and district administrators provide personalized support, through the utilization of the coaching cycle (e.g. coaching, modeling, observation, conferencing, etc.) that is based on the goals and identified needs of individual teachers and administrators. Instructional coaches provide support in analyzing student assessment data and making instructional decisions based on student need. Teachers are provided support through district content area specialists in conjunction with the school-based instructional coaches. Lockhart Elementary School has a content area coach in ELA and one coach that supports both mathematics and science. Coaches provide differentiated coaching support as decided by school-based leadership team, Corrective Programs Senior Administrators, and district content area specialists through use of teacher and student data. Teachers are also provided professional development through the school and district professional development. Attendance is dependent on teacher needs. School-based professional development is determined and implemented by the school-based leadership team with support from district content area specialists as needed. Orange County Page 10

11 Additionally, Lockhart Elementary School will participate in Orange County s District PLC process. This is a three-year plan for system-wide improvement, whereby teacher designees and the principal attend monthly professional training that focuses on core content knowledge and best practices in pedagogy in order to deliver school-wide, rigorous instruction for students. The teachers and principal, with guidance from the Learning Community Area Superintendent and Executive Area Director, will collaborate to develop an implementation plan that includes how content knowledge and instructional strategies will be communicated and modeled to staff each month in order to ensure transfer of learning into school-wide instructional practice. In summary, staff at Lockhart Elementary School will receive job-embedded professional learning in the following areas: 1. Curriculum and Instruction Standards-based, rigorous instruction Common planning Content Lesson planning Differentiated Instruction School Improvement Planning 2. Multi-tiered Systems of supports Data-driven instruction Formative Assessments Interventions Enrichment 3. Coaching Cycle Modeling Conferencing/Debriefing Observations 4. Marzano s Instructional Framework 5. Classroom management 6. Family and Community Engagement B. Areas of Focus Item 4: Area(s) of Focus selected by the district based upon the school s needs assessment. 1. Assessments 2. Instructional Programs X 3. Differentiated Instruction 4. School Leadership X 5. Increased Learning Time Orange County Page 11

12 Item 5: Summary of the strategies the district will implement to reduce or eliminate internal systemic barriers and address the needs of the school, including a description of how the district will address the selected Area(s) of Focus. Assurance 6: Addressing Areas of Focus: AREA OF FOCUS #3: Differentiated Instruction The district will support the school in utilizing a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) and the appropriate resources and instructional strategies to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of the individual students. In addition, school personnel and district staff will push-in and pull out students to remediate, enrich, and refine areas in need of improvement. In order to decrease internal barriers and strategically target academic deficiencies, all stakeholders will be trained in the effective implementation of the MTSS framework. This will help increase the fidelity of implementation of the MTSS framework and provide all students with the individualized support needed to increase student achievement. Research-based diagnostic assessments will be administered with frequency, intensity, and duration to achieve desired achievement outcomes. Students will receive supplemental interventions to correspond with diagnostic data. Professional Development for school staff will focus on quality planning and delivery of standardsaligned lessons in a culture which values and supports all students, giving students the tools they need to succeed in rigorous coursework. Teachers will be given ongoing pedagogical feedback to help them to develop the skills required to meet the needs of all students. In addition, the teachers with support from the SBLT, Corrective Programs team and Learning Community administrators will provide students with the tools they need to be successful in the learning environment. To summarize, the academic environment involves: For students: For teachers: Mastering age-appropriate skills and knowledge Developing organizational and higher-order thinking skills Living up to individual responsibilities for learning: completing assignments and homework, attending school regularly, paying attention and participating in class, and applying oneself with dedication of excellence The close alignment of curriculum with rigorous standards and assessments Delivering the established curriculum while following pacing and planning guides to ensure all essential content is taught Differentiating instruction: using a variety of instructional approaches and tailoring them to the specific needs of individual students The regular use of assessments to determine if the students are mastering the content Providing targeted re-teaching based on gaps identified by assessments Orange County Page 12

13 Orange County Page 13 Turnaround Option Plan Phase 2 AREA OF FOCUS #5: Increased Learning Time: The district shall increase extended learning time by providing an extra hour of reading instruction to all students following the regular school schedule. All students will be provided the opportunity to participate in after-school tutoring and Saturday School. These opportunities will equate to at least 300 hours of additional instruction. In summary of the strategies that the district will implement to reduce or eliminate internal systemic barriers and address the needs of the school, Orange County Public Schools has created a governance structure to support Lockhart Elementary School, which includes the Corrective Programs department. The department will consist of Senior Administrators working directly with the Chief Academic Officer, Executive Director, Learning Community Administrators, and the school-based leadership team to systematically address areas of concern. They will partner with the Curriculum and Instruction Department in providing on-site support to the targeted schools. Corrective Programs will provide Lockhart Elementary with a Senior Administrator who has experience in working with turnaround schools and a proven record of providing support to school and district leaders that impacts their implementation of research-based practices and ultimately leads to an increase in student achievement. The Corrective Programs Senior Administrator will provide targeted on-site weekly support, implement a system of monthly walkthroughs to facilitate discussion, ongoing problem-solving, and strategic planning around internal systemic barriers. Additionally, the Senior Administrator will assist with the development of a school-wide system for data usage. This will include use of data in making decisions about curriculum, instruction, intervention, and assessment. The Senior Administrator will support schools in gathering, analyzing, and interpreting individual and group test scores, as well as in reviewing student performance data and setting targets for student achievement. The Senior Administrator will work collaboratively with key stakeholders to develop leadership and build capacity at the school site on effectively using all resources for maximum effectiveness to improve student achievement. OCPS Curriculum and Instruction Department will provide Lockhart Elementary School with Program Specialists. The district will provide Lockhart Elementary School with the i-ready program as a resource for instructional tools. This program will be used to progress monitor student progress in reading and mathematics. Professional development and ongoing implementation support will be provided to teachers and administrators at the school site to ensure appropriate use of the products. Three Program Specialists will be assigned to build the capacity of the school-based coaches in the areas of mathematics, reading and science. These specialists will provide on-site support at least three times per month. The Program Specialists will also provide professional development for school-based coaches focused on content, pedagogy monthly. To continue building capacity in schools, the District Professional Learning Community (DPLC) will serve as a common approach to literacy. It is a process that will continue to profoundly impact the existing culture and structure of a school. It supports school teams in customizing professional learning,

14 increasing teacher efficacy, and creating a school-wide culture of high expectations for all students and teachers. The team s primary role is to help lead the school s effort in supporting the improvement of teaching and learning of literacy in OCPS. A total of six sessions will be implemented where teachers, content specialists and principals will develop and refine skills and the strategies they will need to lead effective, results-driven professional development and supports for whole school literacy development across content areas. District leaders will support the school with effective transfer of learning as a result of the District PLC. Orange County Page 14