Elementary Support Recommendation: A New Vision

1. Elementary Support Recommendation:A New Vision Birmingham Public Schools … Inspiring learners through educational excellence for a lifetime of global opportunities.

2. The longer an organization waits, the greater risk that events will take control, and the organization will lose the ability to shape and direct its own future. • William S. Woodsice Institute for Educational Excellence

3. Review of Proposed Plan ~ Why? • The Strategic Plan • Implement and strengthen differentiated instruction… (1.2) • Provide individualized academic support and intervention for students who are not making expected progress (1.3) • Increase assessment literacy in the interpretation and use of data in teaching, learning, and reporting (2.2) • Develop staff capacity to implement the BPS vision and mission (Goal 3) • Develop exceptional leadership at all levels of the organization (Goal 4) • Develop a financial plan to secure, allocate and reallocate resources for student learning (Goal 6)

4. Review of Proposed Plan ~ Why? • Board’s Budget Development Guiding Principles • Prioritize Classroom Instruction • Support the Implementation of the Strategic Plan • Adapt/Restructure Instructional Support Programs • Ensure the Financial Stability of the District • Board of Education’s recent goals… • Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) • Underperforming students and achievement gaps • Character Education

5. Current Model • Silos • Little data • Formal identification of students (Enrichment, Reading, Reading Recovery) • Reading and enrichment have minimal connection to the classroom • Limited connection between general education and special education • RTI based on personal decisions • (Most) PLCs based on themes • Limited accountability to each other

6. Current Model - Enrichment • Students tested in third grade for math and/or reading “cluster” in fourth and fifth grade (pullout 60 minutes per week) • Battle of the Books and Science Olympiad • Significant variation from building to building • 5 FTE Enrichment teachers reporting to central office staff

7. Enrichment – Themes From Parent Meetings • Support students in classrooms (prefer some type of plan; differentiated instruction) • Make better use of I/E Block (ensure challenging activities) • Offer a wide variety of experiences/competitions to students outside the school day • Continue having time for highly-able students to meet (cluster)

8. Enrichment Services 2010-2011 • Cluster activities focused on thinking skills, creativity and problem-based learning, examples: • Creativity lessons • Topic-oriented Socratic seminars • Collaborative long-term projects • Wordmasters • Development and use of an Instruction Plan • Ongoing enrichment opportunities provided through the Intervention/Enrichment (I/E) Block, examples: • Regroup for higher level reading (novels) or writing • Regroup for math extension activities

9. Enrichment Services 2010-2011 • Accelerated math opportunities in 5th grade, example: • Regroup students for math • Complete 5th grade and as much 6th grade as possible • Multiple after-school enrichment opportunities for all students, examples: • Science Olympiad, Destination Imagination, Imagineers, chess clubs (with cross-district competitions), Math Pentathlon, theatre activities, Math Olympiad, Jeopardy games, Young Authors, Stock Market Game, Math Fair, strategy games, Odyssey of the Mind (OM), etc.

10. Enrichment Services ~ Next Steps • Meetings • Two parent meetings held in December • Meetings with Department (latest was March 3) • Two parent meetings scheduled for • March 31st 9:00 a.m. at BCS • March 31st 7:00 p.m. at Pierce • April date TBA • Review Testing Protocols: streamlined, systematic assessment system (as early as this spring; latest this fall) • Training of Instructional Specialists (May and August)

11. Enrichment Services ~ Next Steps • Continued work with principals on “5+” math • Hire Enrichment Facilitator • Enrichment Facilitator will work with CSOs/Community Ed. Dept. this summer to plan fall after school events • Develop/implement individualized plans in fall • Targeted training for teachers (i.e. 5+ math, I/E Block)

12. Current Model -Character Education & Counseling • Character education initiatives are building-based, supported by district-wide committee • Counselors at elementary level currently: • Assist with individual student needs • Cover teacher planning time • Work on building’s Character Education initiative • Assist with MEAP test monitoring • We have 4 FTE (full time equivalent) counselors at the elementary level.

13. Character Education – 2010-2011 • Character education initiatives continue to be building-based, supported by district-wide committee • Character Education Facilitator support initiatives at elementary schools, targeting their needs • Student Support Teams assisted by Instructional Specialists • Assessments assisted by Instructional Specialists • Students in crisis supported by principal, social worker, other staff/counselors

14. Current Model – Reading Support(Elementary) • Reading Recovery and literature groups for first grade (6.5 FTE) • Reading support in grades 2-5 (5.7 FTE) • Non-Public support and facilitator (1.3 FTE) • Title I (not currently part of the Reading Dept. at 1.0 FTE) • Reading staff reports to Central Office

15. Reading Support – 2010-2011 • Eight Reading Specialists assigned to 8 buildings • Reading Recovery for first grade • Reading support K-5 (along with Instructional Specialist) • Two Reading Specialists available across district • Needs of larger schools • Needs of schools with higher numbers of under-performing students

16. Beyond the Reading Specialists • Reading support before or after school through restructured use of Title I funds at qualifying buildings (ex. almost 50 students serviced at Greenfield) • With Instructional Specialists • Targeted professional development • Use of I/E Block

17. One Actual Building Schedule

18. Reading Support – What’s Next? • Continue meeting with Reading Department • Two meetings already – made adjustments • Department has continued to meet • Two meetings to discuss potential schedules and how students can be served • Meetings with many individual reading teachers • Meeting to discuss role of ninth and tenth reading teacher (3/26) • Continued discussion on ways to: • Prioritize students • Universal screening & expected benchmark skills for kindergarten • High-level intervention for upper grades

19. Reading Support – What’s Next? • Assessment • Universal screening (particularly at kindergarten and first grade, i.e. DIBLES) • Multiple/expanded sources of data • Running records (K-2) • MEAP (3-5) • Oakland Reading Tests (3-5) • Ongoing HM Unit Tests • New: Standardized test • Accurate data • Adaptive • Cumulative (through year, over time) • Predictive

20. Instructional Specialists • Collection & interpretation of data, specific to grade levels • Facilitate teamwork approach to instruction • Assist in planning the use of I/E Block and differentiation • Targeted professional development Supporting Teachers Working with Students • Enrichment • Assist during I/E Block • Academic interventions in reading and/or math

21. New Instructional Support Model • Grade level teams • Interventions based on data through PLCs • Differentiated instruction used to service students through I/E • Resources (i.e. Reading and Enrichment) based on collaborative planning • Accountable to team • RTI based on disseminated data & decisions • Professional development based on current needs

22. New Role: Instructional SpecialistsA Pierce Example • Examples of I/E from multiple grades • Second grade (differentiated for math) • Third grade (math & reading) • Fourth grade (writing) • Fifth grade (math) • Instructional Specialists for next year • Expand to all grade levels • Collect and interpret data • Additional support for students at grade levels

23. Instructional Specialists:Thoughts From Harlan • Role in Student Support Teams • Collaborate with team members to determine next appropriate instructional strategies and interventions/enrichment • Collect data on interventions • Monitor progress • Professional Development • Staff meetings • Targeted for grade levels

24. Instruction/Enrichment Model An Example From Pembroke • Subtraction • Multiplication • Conversions (standard units of length) • Division • Angle measures

25. Tasks as set up by the teacher Tasks as enacted by students Tasks as they appear in the instructional materials Student Learning Selecting Tasks/Activities Effective Teacher Strategies • Strategic Lesson Planning • Differentiated Instruction • Questioning • Substantive Discourse • Manipulative/ Tool Selection • Connections between Concepts/Procedures • Selecting/Sharing/Contrasting Student Strategies and Thinking Content Knowledge Needed for Self Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching

26. Measurement Block • Analyzed data to determine need • Pre-tested • Shared teaching practices • Grouped students • Communicated with all staff • Instructed every B/D day for 25 minutes • Post-tested • Follow-up discussion • Plan for students who still need support

28. Questions?

29. Birmingham Public Schools… Inspiring learners through educational excellence for a lifetime of global opportunities.

30. Putting it All Together Now • 5 FTE Enrichment Specialists • 4 FTE Counselors • 12.2 FTE Reading • 6.5 FTE Reading Recovery/Early Literacy • 5.7 FTE Reading 2nd-5th Grade 21.2 FTE Plus • 1.0 FTE Title I • 2.0 FTE Reading @ Middle School • 1.3 FTE Non-Public/Facilitator

31. Putting it All Together Proposed • 1.0 FTE Enrichment Facilitator • 1.0 FTE Character Education Facilitator • 8.0 FTE Instructional Specialists • 10.0 FTE Reading Specialists trained in RR and/or AARI 20.0 FTE Plus • Title I Reading Support Provided Before (or after) school at qualifying buildings • 1.0? Non-Public & No Facilitator • 2.0 Middle School – Change in some responsibilities