Atlanta Education Fund Summary Presentation Small Community Conversations (Cohort II)

1. Atlanta Education Fund Summary Presentation Small Community Conversations (Cohort II) Community and Parental Engagement October 5, 2010 PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

2. AEF Public Engagement Strategy Increase: • The number of parents and community members involved in APS. • The number of residents who know APS has improved, based on data. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

3. AEF Public Engagement Strategy Increase: • The number of residents who are aware of the reform strategies. • The number of residents who rate APS “A” or “B”. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

4. Project Objectives • Survey Small Community Conversation (SCC) participants about their awareness of APS reform efforts. • Increase knowledge of reform strategies by providing a brief overview of the status of the most current APS education reform strategies, i.e., basic principles of middle school and high school reform initiatives and progress toward launching a Teacher Effectiveness Strategy. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

5. Project Objectives • Solicit suggestions to increase meaningful community and parental engagement. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

6. Project Design • Pre-survey • Presentation on education reform initiatives with emphasis on middle, high school initiatives and the progress toward launching a Teacher Effectiveness Strategy • Focus Group discussion on ideas for improving community and parental engagement • Post survey PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

7. SCC Demographics • Sessions: 25 hosted across the District • Number of Participants to date: 207 • Distribution of Sessions: At least two for each School Reform Teams PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

8. Findings And Observations PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

9. Survey Highlights School Ratings in the pre-survey: • 54% believe the public rates APS elementary schools at a grade of “B” or better. • 22% believe that the public rates APS middle schools at a grade of “B” or better. • 32% believe that the public rates APS high schools at a grade of “B” or better. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

10. Survey Highlights School Ratings in the pre-survey: • 45% personally rated APS elementary schools at “B” or better. • 11% personally rated APS middle school at “B” or better. • 22% personally rated APS high schools at “B” or better. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

11. Survey Highlights School Ratings in the pre-survey: Participant ratings of their own neighborhood schools were more positive. • 54% rated their elementary schools “B” or better • 35% rated their middle school “B” or better • 36% rated their high school “B” or better PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

12. Survey Highlights School Ratings in the post-survey: Participant ratings changed significantly after the presentation on APS reform efforts. • The percentage rating of schools as B or better increased. • The percentage rating schools at “D” or “F” often decreased. • The percentage of “no response” ratings typically increased. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

13. Survey Highlights Academic Quality of Schools in the pre-survey: • 45% felt the academic quality of the schools has improved over the last nine year. Academic Quality of Schools in the post–survey: • This figure increased to 59%. Those responding “don’t know” to this question was cut in half. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

14. Survey Highlights More Information Wanted in the pre-survey and the post-survey: • Respondents want to know more about school performance data, education reform strategies and the routine state of the schools PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

15. Participant Feedback • “We learn too much about APS from the news when parents should be the first recipients of any issues concerning the schools.” • “APS is ‘marketing’ at us rather than communicating with us.” • “Tell us what you want, what you need, then use us!” PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

16. Participant Feedback • The Atlanta Community is hungry for information about current APS programs and planned initiatives. • The community does not feel fully informed. • The community does not feel engaged. Exceptions can be found where local leadership has actively engaged a school community. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

17. Participant Feedback • The community does not feel invited or welcomed in schools. They feel allowed in for certain purposes only. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

18. Facilitator Observations • The community wants to connect. • The community wants to be involved. • The community wants to be invited into schools to be a true partner. • Growing lack of trust, anger and frustration among those who do not feel connected. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

19. Facilitator Observations • Flawed assumption that all parents know the how and why of reform – new generation of parents are uninformed. • Community is wary of the authenticity of data presented by APS. • Information and connection gap between middle school and high school. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

20. Facilitator Observations • Information and connection gap with parents joining the system from charter schools. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

21. Themes: Communication Design and Style • More two-way communication • More opportunity for active conversation versus being passive participants • More local community meetings with facilitated discussions around a focused question • More open, less defensive communication PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

22. Themes: Communication Design and Style • More professionally designed bottom-up and top-down communication managed by a professional facilitator • Fewer dog and pony type presentations that seem self-serving. Presentations are too scripted. • More training for parents and families on the “how” of engagement. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

23. Themes: Communication Design and Style • More authentic, meaningful communication with time to ask real time questions that participants bring to or generate during the event. • More face time with administrators. • Assist schools with designing communication strategies that mirror and build from the clusters’ unique demographics, assets, needs, capacity and involvement level. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

24. Themes: Effective Engagement • Educate parents on current programs, ideas for upcoming programs and planning opportunities • Timely inform parents of planning opportunities • Routinely solicit input and feedback and follow up on the ideas • More timely responses to parent’s inquiries and concerns PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

25. Themes: Effective Engagement • Train parents on strategies that will help them become effective advocates for their children and the district • Create an intentional and rigorous training program for volunteers • Create an aggressive, mandatory customer service training program for all APS employees PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

26. Themes: Effective Engagement • Create a more welcoming attitude at the local school level PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

27. Themes: Effective Use of Technology • APS website seen as improved, but still criticized as difficult to navigate • Update school websites and link them to the main APS website • Online discussion forums set up where the community can post questions and APS decision-makers can respond • Monthly online blogs from APS principals and Dr. Hall PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

28. Themes: Effective Use of Technology • Online surveys to solicit parent feedback and ideas • You Tube videos to capture student performance, and e-blasts designed to generate community input from parents • Install webcams with sound in each classroom so that parents and administrators could observe activities real time PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

29. Themes: Effective Use of Technology • Communicate with parents via email • Infinite Campus should be instituted system-wide •  Use robo-call to announce meetings and subject matter or advise of issues PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

30. Themes: Creating Connection • Commit to more timely responses • Create more welcoming environment for parents at the local school level • Know and go to the community vs. expecting it to come to APS • Hold meetings in the community (churches, apartment complexes, community centers, etc.) PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

31. Themes: Creating Connection • Require mandatory volunteer hours • Train parents as tutors for test readiness • Use parents to present extra-curricular classes • Help principals learn how to listen to parents’ need, ideas, etc and engage them in “creating” solutions. This should be a part of their professional development. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

32. Themes: Creating Connection • Provide technical assistance to school councils to develop specific outreach plans with metrics for measuring effectiveness • Create an aggressive, mandatory customer service training program for all APS employees • Connect to community newspapers and newsletters with pre-set articles PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

33. Themes: Creating Connection • Conduct periodic surveys to test information transfer PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

34. Themes: Marketing • Spotlight students on the radio, in newspaper and on TV • Use celebrities – local and national -- to brand APS • More recognition of teachers – highlight special projects, efforts • Engage non-parent residents PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

35. Participant Feedback What would make you feel heard from this SCC experience? • Documented results that are publicly accessible electronically and in hard copy. • A clear action plan responding directly to participants concerns and suggestions. • Acknowledgement for participating: Thank You! PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

36. C & M Recommendations • Create strategies to bring new parents up to speed without dampening their enthusiasm for input and involvement. • Develop strategies to acknowledge and connect the influence to stakeholder input to the adoption and implementation of strategies. • Develop systems and protocols for more timely response both at the district level and the local school level. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

37. C & M Recommendations • Design, implement and support engagement strategies and communication opportunities that assure a sense of equity across the district • Design and implement a comprehensive community engagement strategy and action plan. PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789

38. Thank You! PO Box 42594        Atlanta, GA 30311    Phone 404.755.0084    Fax 404.752.7789