APL-CORE Focus Points

1. APL-CORE Project (Accessing Professional Learning – Connecting Our Regional Educators)2008-2011NREA Annual ConferenceOctober 28-30, 2011

2. APL-CORE Focus Points • Why and how do some schools make a difference? • What works in professional development? What models are most effective? • What are the most effective strategies in developing a comprehensive and coherent professional development plan? • Which variables (e.g. discipline-specific training, a professional learning community model, data analysis, whole school reform, etc.) can contribute to increased success?

3. APL-CORE Focus Points • What does it mean that all students can learn? • How might interdisciplinary approaches support student learning? • How can a professional learning community model be expanded from a leadership group to all staff? • What local issues and site needs should be addressed? • How can regional and state resources be harnessed to support on-going, site-based school improvement efforts?

4. APL-CORE History and Background 2005 CSUC proposes a plan CSUC organizes focus groups CSUC invites regional partners to brainstorm 2006-07 CSUC and NERCC meets approximately 3 times to debrief the focus group meetings and brainstorm what might be possibilities CSUC and NERCC meet with West Ed to explore plan feasibility West Ed offers to fund an exploratory meeting to develop a regional plan for proposal Project parameters are developed 2007-08 APL Committee begins to meet (approximately 6 times over 2007-08) beginning with an exploratory meeting in September 2007 WestEd assigns a project coordinator to work with the Region 2 Committee The regional plan takes shape An orientation is planned for June 2008

5. APL-CORE History and Background (continued) • 2008-09 • APL-CORE Phase I Schools Participate and Develop PLCs for Rural Schools (Year One) • 2009-10 • APL-CORE Phase I Schools Refine and Develop the PLC Process(Year Two) • 2010-11 • APL-CORE Phase II (Field Testing the Toolkit and the Process) with six schools/districts

6. CA CC Evaluation:Guiding Questions • How do facilitators build the site capacity to develop and implement a school-level PLC? • How does the advisory committee build the capacity of the collaborative to develop and implement a regional-level PLC and support a network responsive to the needs of pilot sites? • What impact did the PLCs have on school improvement processes and structures in the pilot sites?

7. APL-CORE Organizational Structure

8. Region 2 APL-CORE Schools/Districts 2008-2010 Lake Elementary (Glenn) Dunsmuir High School (Siskiyou) Herlong High School (Lassen) Weed High School (Siskiyou) Lewiston Elementary School District (Trinity) Concow Elementary (Butte) (dropped in Year 2) Surprise Valley Elementary (Modoc) (dropped in Year 2)

9. APL-CORE Purpose Build regional capacity of California’s Northeastern Regional Curriculum Committee (NERCC) to develop and sustain a replicable model of high-quality professional development and school improvement for rural schools.

10. The Need in Rural School Communities Numerous challenges face rural schools. In particular: • Lack of opportunity for ongoing professional development. • Geographic isolation, few teachers in any one grade level or subject area, and lack of substitute teachers. • Limited PD makes it difficult to retain and recruit highly qualified teachers.

11. The Need in Northeastern California • Rural and geographically diverse region characterized by pockets of high poverty and geographic isolation. • General lack of coordination between regional agencies • Sporadic and uncoordinated support for teachers and administrators • Concerns voiced to COEs that professional development needs are frequently unmet.

12. Rural Schools’ Literature “Providing Professional opportunities that support systemic school reform remains a challenge for rural and small schools “(Seltzer and Himley, 1995). “Establishing a learning community in a rural school is a worthwhile effort that can result in more coherent, focused atmosphere-an atmosphere that encourages committed educators to continue to grow through trust, respect, and collegiality (Jean Haar, 2003).” PLCs can provide a viable structure for supporting teacher collaboration, promoting teacher reflection on best practices and planning job-embedded professional development for improving student achievement and furthering school improvement efforts (Chance & Segura, 2009; Haar,2003;Holland,2002;Howley, 2005;Seltzer & Himley,1995; Nelson,Slavit,Perkins, & Hawthor,2008)

13. Strategies for Accomplishing the Goal The APL-CORE Project will improve the quality of support and technical assistance for rural schools. On site facilitation Use professional learning community (PLC) structures and processes to improve professional development that support high quality instruction, data analysis, targeted interventions, and curriculum development. Utilize research-based tools and resources to build school level capacity Develop and utilize a collaborative connected to regional, state, and national resources, projects, and programs through technology and other means of networking that address the issues of rural and small schools facing geographic isolation, poverty, and limited access

14. APL-CORE Program Overview • The project will provide facilitation, resources, coordination, and support • Process and resources will be documented for development of a model template • Professional Learning Communities • School Site PLC • Regional PLC • Use of technology for networking • Systemic implementation and sustainability

15. APL-CORE Outcomes and End Products at the School Site Level Building instructional and leadership capacity Evidence-based decision making Collaborative planning and goal setting Continuous school improvement process Structures for meaningful action planning and coordination Blueprint for action Synergy

16. APL-CORE Outcomes and End Products at the Project Level Development of site-based professional learning communities Development of a regional network of professional learning communities Documentation for development of a case study to be used as a transferable process for other schools and districts Collection of “best practices” and regionally developed resources Final Guide for Professional Development in Rural School Settings

17. APL-CORE Tools and Resources Binder of Resources Learning By Doing (Dufour) The Collaborative Administrator and The Collaborative Teacher (Dufour) Progress Poster Brokers of Expertise Website Articles, Activities, Resources Team Meeting Records Templates Sharing of Site Plans, Products, and Programs

18. Graphic Organizer for thePLC Process

19. Technology Support

20. APL-CORE Working Assumptions Pilot Project – We will try some things that work and some elements that will need improvement or change Sites will take the responsibility for planning, implementing, and meeting goals “The answers/expertise are in the room” We are all learning, growing, and improving There is no such thing as a perfect school “Begin with the end in mind”

21. Pilot Site Assurances & Commitments • The principal and the leadership team agree to work with the project for two years, to attend monthly site meetings, and to attend regional meetings (June 2008 and tentative meetings in February 2009, June 2009, November 2009, February 2010, and April 2010). Optional participation in Year 3 may be available. • The principal and superintendent agree to align school resources to establish and support the on-site leadership team to meet regularly as a professional learning community. • The principal and the staff agree to participate as a professional learning community and to work with the regional APL project for the purpose of documenting the planning, development, and implementation of the school improvement process. • The school leadership team agrees to use assessment data, the Academic Performance Survey (APS), and the Single School Plan for Student Achievement to guide the professional development and school improvement planning process. • The principal and superintendent agree to participate in data collection for the purpose of possible research studies. • The principal and the superintendent agree to contribute two payments of $1000 to the Region 2 APL Project to offset the cost of the professional development programs for each of the two years. Each payment will be due July 31 of the 2008-09 and the 2009-10 school years.

22. Selected Pilot Site Benefits • On-site facilitation and support • Access to national, state and local professional development resources including support funding ($1000 per site/district leadership team participant) • Assistance with the Single School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) • Participation in a professional collaboration network • Participation in a regional network of support

23. APL-CORE PLCs: The Process Norms Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals SMART Goals Data-Driven Decisions Greatest Area of Needs (GANs) Professional Development Planning Professional Development Networks

24. Dunsmuir HS - ELA CST Results

25. Dunsmuir–Find the Accountability Gap • 100% of our 10th grade students must score Proficient or Advanced on the CAHSEE by 2014. • In 2008, 40.9% of the students at DHS scored Proficient or Advanced on the CAHSEE in ELA • In 6 years, 59.1% MORE 10th grade students must score Proficient or Advanced in order to meet NCLB requirements. • Each year - 2009-2014 10% more of our students - in each subgroup! - must score Proficient orAdvanced in order to reach our NCLB targets: • 2009 = 50% Pro. or Adv. • 2010 = 60% Pro. or Adv. • 2011 = 70% Pro. or Adv. • 2012 = 80% Pro. or Adv. • 2013 = 90% Pro. or Adv. • 2014 = 100% Pro. or Adv.

26. Dunsmuir–Grade Level SMART Goal GOAL Indicators Word Analysis & Vocabulary • By 2009, 50% of the 10th grade students will score Proficient or Advanced on the ELA portion of CAHSEE. Reading Comprehension Written Conventions

27. Dunsmuir–Grade Level SMART Goal

28. Bangor–PLC Process SMART Goal

29. APL-CORE Accessing Professional Learning-Connecting Our Rural Educators Golden Feather USDRegion 2 APL-CORE Pilot School Project Poster Showcase

30. APL-CORE Approach

31. APL-CORE Scope and Sequence

32. APL-CORE Project Successes 2008-2011 The sites have moved from building awareness stages to implementation and sustainability stages using the professional learning communities model as outlined in Learning By Doing by R. DuFour, et al, and other project resources; The networking has been very positive and the process has been systematically built, documented, and reviewed; Structures for group work are in place at all sites; Technology has been used to more effectively build the communication structures and documentation of the progress has been developed; Data analysis and the identification of Greatest Areas of Need (GANs) have been investigated, planned, and organized to address project goals and site needs; The overall group has bonded and the sense of accomplishment has been universal;

33. APL-CORE Project Challenges 2008-2011 Not all sites are moving at the same pace nor did all sites start at the same place; Meeting the needs of all sites is difficult – each site is unique with different needs and issues; some sites need to have their needs met in different ways; Administrators have changed at some sites and that has created difficulties in maintaining the structure, the goals, the focus and the momentum; Development of a sense of the role of accountability is important and not always present in rural schools; Time is always an issue!

34. APL-CORE Lessons Learned • Time allotted to the PLC process is critical for successful implementation; • The traditional PLC model is different for rural schools as opposed to other schools due to the issues of small staff, school cultures, time, and isolation; • The tools should be presented in a way that emphasizes adaptation to specific school site needs and do not necessarily need to be used in the template form. The emphasis needs to be on flexible use of the tools; • Relationship-building must be intentional to make the collaborative process happen between the site staff as well as between the sites and the County Offices of Education; • Rural schools need to have access to on-going expertise and facilitated reflection on school improvement planning, instructional practice, and curriculum implementation; • Rural issues are well understood by the leadership teams and administrators but the barriers continue to be a challenge;

35. APL-CORE Lessons Learned (continued) • Facilitators from support agencies (such as County Offices of Education) provide consistent leadership in guiding the projects and facilitating the reflection that is critical to change and initiative; • It is imperative that a good instructional leader be a part of the project for success; • Professionalism is a cultural element that needs particular attention as small, isolated staff tend to become entrenched in the mix of community, personal and school issues that extend beyond the boundaries of the school. Professionalism needs to be nurtured. Particular attention to developing norms that emphasize professionalism and professional courtesy is critical; • Connections to the larger educational community, beyond the local community, needs to be provided in the form of current research, innovative strategies, state and national initiatives, and best practices to help develop inclusiveness and professionalism;

36. Patti Crotti pcrotti@wested.org Frances (Cricket) Kidwell, Ed.D cfkidwell@tcoek12.org

38. Handouts: Powerpoint (six slides per page) Graphic Organizer Progress Monitoring Meeting Plan Template Typical Year Chart Dunsmuir SMART Goal PLC SMART Goal Progress Poster