Christie Lentz Consultant School Improvement Application Workshop April 27, 2010

1. Board Policies and School Handbooks-- Checking for Barriers (That Might Impede Full, Effective Implementation of School Improvement Grants)School Level Application Christie Lentz Consultant School Improvement Application Workshop April 27, 2010

2. Tennessee State Board of Education Frequently Asked Questions Elementary and secondary education in Tennessee is governed by Federal law, Tennessee statutes, State Board of Education Rules and policies of local education agencies (LEAs).  Most state statutes governing education are contained in Title 49.  The State Board of Education is the governing and policy making body for the Tennessee system of public elementary and secondary education.  The Board also coordinates its efforts with the State Department of Education, which implements law and policies established by the General Assembly and the Board.

3. Tennessee State Board of Education Frequently Asked Questions Cont’d. Although the State Department of Education has some regulatory authority over local education agencies with regard to certain issues, most issues related to elementary and secondary education are under the authority of local school systems.  Pursuant to TCA Section 49-2-203, a local board of education has the authority to "manage and control all public schools established or that may be established under its jurisdiction." 

4. Part II. LEA Application—page L-1 A. Assurances The LEA must assure that it will-- 2) Modify its practices and policies as necessary to enable its schools to implement the interventions fully and effectively [Assurance that receives the signatures of Director of Schools and Board Chair on L-2]

5. IV. LEA Descriptive Information page L-13 (Board Policies) • The LEA must describe actions it has taken, or will take, to d) Modify its practices or policies, if necessary, to enable its schools to implement the interventions fully and effectively.

6. IV. LEA Descriptive Information page L-13 (Board Policies) Cont’d. The LEA will provide: • Name of School Improvement Grant Coordinator or other person who will address policy and procedural barriers throughout the implementation of the grant. (This responsibility will be included in the roles of the SIG Coordinator p. L-14.); • Date of review and status of LEA board policy; • Date of review and status of LEA practices or procedures;

7. IV. LEA Descriptive Information page L-13 (Board Policies) Cont’d. • Date of review and status of handbooks of schools receiving SIG funds; • The LEA shall describetopic(s) requiring modification and current progress of these modifications. [Appendix B Scoring Rubric-page 4 Question 13]

8. Examples of Potential SIG Barriers • Operational flexibility to implement the grant, i.e., time in school day, calendar, hiring practices, financial (procurement/delivery of goods), etc. • Recruitment, selection, and retention of high quality staff • Access to work with data and its use • Acceptance (“Buy in”) of staff and community

9. at all levels to eliminate/minimize barriers Communication

10. In the event a barrier becomes evident during the implementation of the grant, it will be addressed at a milestone meeting with district staff.

11. School Level Application VII. School Level Descriptive Information

12. VII. School Level Descriptive Information pages L-19--L-20 This section must be submitted electronically for each individual school that will be served by school improvement funds. The electronic file with the school level descriptive information must contain the LEA name and the school name. Caution: Please take care to complete the correct items for the status of that specific school.

13. VII. School Level Descriptive Information pages L-19--L-20 Cont’d. • Name of School: _____________ • Principal Name for SY10-11:___________ (mark TBD if unknown at this time) •  Tier: I II III (Please check appropriate tier)

14. VII. School Level Descriptive Information pages L-19--L-20 Cont’d. • Needs of School: All and disaggregated Student Achievement Data (Insert most recent TSIP data, not AYP data, for math, reading/language arts, graduation or attendance rate by all students and subgroups)(copy and paste data into the box):

15. VII. School Level Descriptive Information pages L-19--L-20 Cont’d. • School Achievement and Goals for other Indicators: Attach an electronic copy of your TSIP Action Plan (Component 4) to your application. Appendix C—Template for Component 4 • Professional Development: Each school must include a minimum of 30% of the grant funds for ongoing professional development including job-embedded training designed to build capacity and support staff.  This includes literacy training for the staff unless the school demonstrates proficiency in this area. Provide your school’s PD plan including topics and projected dates.      

16. VII. School Level Descriptive Information pages L-19--L-20 Cont’d. • Tier I and Tier II school only— 1) Intervention Model (of the 4 allowable) 2) Responses to Questions in Appendix F regarding Intervention Model Selection (number of questions to be answered vary with intervention model. All questions for intervention model chosen must be answered in boxes provided. 3) Rationale for selection of intervention model

17. Appendix F Tennessee Pyramid of Interventions/Model Questions Questions for selection of an Intervention for Tier I and Tier II schools only. Please refer to VII. School Level Descriptive Information EXCERT from Handbook on Effective Implementation of School Improvement Grants, Center on Innovation & Improvement The Turnaround Model The LEA replaces the principal (although the LEA may retain a recently hired principal where a turnaround, restart, or transformation was instituted in past two years) and rehiring no more than 50% of the staff; gives greater principal autonomy; implements other prescribed and recommended strategies. 1. How will the LEA select a new leader for the school, and what experience, training, and skills will the new leader be expected to possess? 2. How will the LEA assign effective teachers and leaders to the lowest achieving schools? 3. How will the LEA begin to develop a pipeline of effective teachers and leaders to work in turnaround schools?

18. VII. School Level Descriptive Information pages L-19--L-20 Cont’d. • Renewal Schools only— (Schools in Corrective Action or Restructuring I that are not in Tier I) 1) Intervention (Must adopt a Whole School Reform Model-- a proven model for capacity building and transformational change in the school SDE will provide the following to assist with selection of a model: a) a list of state-approved vendors on the state website and b) training to assist in a data driven selection process and to provide examples of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) to use in contracting with the vendor. 2) Rationale for choosing intervention from the vendor list

19. VII. School Level Descriptive Information pages L-19--L-20 Cont’d. • Tier III Focus Schools only—(Title I schools in School Improvement I or II) Intervention activities the school will implement Exemplary Educators and STATS will be provided to identify needs and implement change to impact student achievement positively.

20. VII. School Level Descriptive Information pages L-19--L-20 Cont’d. • Tier I, Tier II, or Tier III Schools— Description of implementation plan with quarterly milestone goals for each year and 3 year timeline [Appendix B Scoring Rubric-page 5 and 6 School Section Questions 1-10]

21. Tennessee SIG Timeline page L-3 • EVENT • Applications due to the SDE • Grants reviewed and evaluated • Grant award notification letters sent to LEAs • Grant awards posted to state website • Implementation Year I • Milestone Visits • Evaluation of Year 1 for Year 2 funding by SDE • LEA submission of updated budget/grant for Year 2/3 • New 2011-12 Tier 1, 2, 3 schools identified and beginning of new grant cycle (while continuing with prior grant cycle). A school may only be in one grant cycle. • DATE • June 2, 2010 • June 7-18, 2010 • June 21-July 1, 2010 • July 1, 2010 • School Year 2010-11 • Sept 2010, Jan 2011Mar 2011, May 2011 • May-June 2011(dependent on student achievement data and SIG indicators) • July 2011 • Aug 2011, May 2012

22. School Improvement Application Location on the TDOE Website (posted 4/22/10)—Federal Programs: Title I, Part A-School Improvement Funds http://www.state.tn.us/education/fedprog/fpschlimprove.shtml LEA Application - Documents to be Submitted • LEA Application: For Review and Submission • Appendix J - External Providers Form • Appendix K - Budget Spreadsheet [being adjusted so that one submitted per LEA] • School Level Application for each school [Template in application and is being added to website] LEA Application - Documents to be Used in the Completion of the Application • Appendix A - Tier I, II, and III Schools (Determined in 2009-2010) • Appendix B - Title I School Improvement Grant Rubric 2010-2011 • Appendix C - Tennessee School Improvement Planning Process, Component 4 • Appendix D - What Is A Good School? • Appendix E - School Improvement Grant Final Requirements • Appendix F - Tennessee Pyramid of Interventions and Model Questions • Appendix G - Framework for TCSPP Component 5 • Appendix H - TCSPP 2008 Rating Sheet • Appendix I - TSIP Planning Rubric

23. SIG Application Submission • June 2 deadline • Electronic application (LEA application, Appendix J, Appendix K, School portion for each school that the LEA plans to serve with SI funds) emailed to Jacqueline.M.Moore@tn.gov • Only paper submitted—pages L-1 and L-2-- Assurances with original signatures—mailed to this address: Jacqueline Moore, TN State Department of Education, Office of Federal Programs, 5th Floor—Andrew Johnson Tower, 710 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243-0379 (Be sure to keep a copy of the signed application.)