Race to the Top Funds and Community Schools Monday November 30, 2009

1. Race to the Top Funds and Community Schools Monday November 30, 2009 www.communityschools.org

2. Reforming America’s Education System Reforming America’s Schools Early Learning K - 12 Higher Education Standards & Assessments Effective Teachers & Leaders Data Systems Struggling Schools www.communityschools.org

3. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Community schools are “not in conflict” with other reforms and indeed “central to reform.” www.communityschools.org

4. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Q: What education reforms do you want to see during your administration? A: We’re pushing real hard around more time. That means lots of different things, but really it’s a recognition that six hours a day, five days a week, nine months out of the year doesn’t quite work. It’s really trying to redefine fundamentally what it means to be a school. So I think it means a longer day; I think it means all the values and principles around community schools: art, drama, academic enrichment, GED, [English as a second language], family literacy nights. Really engaging the community: health care clinics, early childhood, the whole gamut. Making school the center of family life. ~Education Daly March 25, 2009 www.communityschools.org

5. Race to the Top:Competition Structure • $4Billion • Incents and supports states taking a systemic approach to education reform; winning states will comprehensively address all four reform areas • States are the applicants and they apply individually (not part of a consortia) • At least 50% of funds must flow through states to participating LEAs (including public charter schools identified as LEAs) based on Title I, Part A allocation formula • LEAs must sign MOUs with State • Non-binding budget ranges as guidance www.communityschools.org

6. Priority 1 - Absolute: Comprehensive Approach to Education Reform • Comprehensive and coherent reform agenda that clearly articulates its goals for implementing reforms in the four education areas described in the ARRA [standards and assessments; effective teachers and leaders; data systems and struggling schools]) and improving student outcomes statewide, establishes a clear and credible path to achieving these goals, and is consistent with the specific reform plans that the State has proposed throughout its application. www.communityschools.org

7. Priority 2 - Competitive: STEM • State’s application to address the need to (i) offer a rigorous course of study in mathematics, the sciences, technology, and engineering; (ii) cooperate with industry experts, museums, universities, research centers, or other STEM-capable community partners to prepare and assist teachers in integrating STEM content across grades and disciplines, in promoting effective and relevant instruction, and in offering applied learning opportunities for students. www.communityschools.org

8. Priority 3- Invitational: Innovations for Improving Early Learning Outcomes • Practices, strategies, or programs to improve educational outcomes for high-need students who are young children (prekindergarten through third grade) by enhancing the quality of preschool programs. Of particular interest are proposals that support practices that (i) improve school readiness (including social, emotional, and cognitive); and (ii) improve the transition between preschool and kindergarten. www.communityschools.org

9. Priority 4-Invitational: State Longitudinal Data Systems • Integrate data from special education programs, English language learner programs, early childhood programs, at-risk and dropout prevention programs, and school climate and culture programs, as well as information on student mobility, human resources school finance, student health, postsecondary education, and other relevant areas. www.communityschools.org

10. How Could RTT Address Chronic Absence? • Include annual attendance (e.g. total days of attendance and total possible days enrolled) in longitudinal student data base. (Missing in at least 6 states: CA, ID, IL, ND,NJ, and NY)   • Analyze and report on chronic absence levels by district, school,  grade and student subpopulations. • Offer professional development to educators on early warning signs of drop out – inc. chronic absence and how to respond. • Support school community collaboratives (AKA community schools) to identify and address barriers to school attendance. • Require underperforming schools to address high levels of chronic absence.

11. Priority 5- Invitational: P-20 Coordination, Vertical and Horizontal Alignment • Pans to address how early childhood programs, K-12 schools, postsecondary institutions, workforce development organizations, and other State agencies and community partners (e.g., child welfare, juvenile justice, and criminal justice agencies) will coordinate to improve all parts of the education system and create a more seamless preschool-through-graduate school (P-20) route for students. Vertical alignment across P-20 is particularly critical at each point where a transition occurs (e.g., between early childhood and K-12, or between K-12 and postsecondary/careers) to ensure that students exiting one level are prepared for success, without remediation, in the next. Horizontal alignment, that is, coordination of services across schools, State agencies, and community partners, is also important in ensuring that high-need students have access to the broad array of opportunities and services they need and that are beyond the capacity of a school itself to provide. www.communityschools.org

12. Priority 6 : School-Level Conditions for Reform, Innovation and Learning • (i) Selecting staff; • (ii) Implementing new structures and formats for the school day or year that result in increased learning time (as defined in this notice); • (iii) Controlling the school’s budget; • (iv) Awarding credit to students based on student performance instead of instructional time; • (v) Providing comprehensive services to high-need students (as defined in this notice) (e.g., by mentors and other caring adults; through local partnerships with community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and other providers); • (vi) Creating school climates and cultures that remove obstacles to, and actively support, student engagement and achievement; and • (vii) Implementing strategies to effectively engage families and communities in supporting the academic success of their students. www.communityschools.org

13. RTT: Intervention Models • Turnaround • Convert to Charters or contract with EMO • School Closure • Transformation www.communityschools.org

14. RTT: Transformation Model • Developing and increasing teacher and school leader effectiveness. • Comprehensive instructional reform strategies. • Increasing learning time and creating community-oriented schools. • Providing operational flexibility and sustained support. www.communityschools.org

15. Increasing Learning Time • “using a longer school day, week, or year schedule to significantly increase the total number of school hours to include additional time for (a) instruction in core academic subjects, including English; reading or language arts; mathematics; science; foreign languages; civics and government; economics; arts; history; and geography; (b) instruction in other subjects and enrichment activities that contribute to a well-rounded education, including, for example, physical education, service learning, and experiential and work-based learning opportunities that are provided by partnering, as appropriate, with other organizations; and (c) teachers to collaborate, plan, and engage in professional development within and across grades and subjects.” (Page 22, RTT Notice of Application) www.communityschools.org

16. Increasing Learning Time and Community Oriented Schools • Required Activities • Schedules and strategies for increased learning time • Ongoing mechanisms for family and community engagement • Permissible Activities • Partner with parents and parent organizations, faith- and community-based organizations, health clinics, other State or local agencies, and others to create safe school environments that meet students’ social, emotional, and health needs; • Improve school climate and discipline through positive behavioral supports or steps to eliminate bullying and students harassment. www.communityschools.org

17. RTT: Turnaround Model • Required Activities • Provide appropriate social-emotional and community oriented services and supports for students • Permissible Activities • Any required or permissible activities under the transformation model www.communityschools.org

18. Education Dept: Title I, Part A Guidelines define community schools A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. It provides academics, health and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement, and brings together many partners to offer a range of support and opportunities for children, youth, families, and communities. The school is generally open for extended hours for everyone in the community. Community schools may operate in all or a subset of schools in an LEA. (p. 29, http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/guidance/titlei-reform.doc) www.communityschools.org

19. Core academic subjects, including English; reading or language arts; mathematics; science; foreign languages; civics and government; economics; arts; history; and geography; (b) instruction in other subjects and enrichment activities that contribute to a well-rounded education, e.g., physical education, service learning, experiential and work-based learning opportunities that are provided by partnering, as appropriate, with other organizations. Great Teachers www.communityschools.org

20. Great Leaders • Ability to Lead toward: • Deeper understanding of community served by school • Enriched Learning • Family & community engagement, comprehensive services, socio-emotional development, partnerships with various community agencies • Distributive (collaborative) leadership www.communityschools.org

21. Action for Advocates • Community Schools: A Comprehensive and Coherent Approach to Reform • Effective Teachers and School Leaders (including Teacher Professional Development & Principal Preparation) • Capacity Building • Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems • Financial Incentives for LEAs • Family and Community Engagement www.communityschools.org

22. Comprehensive and Coherent Approach • Coherent Vision • Integration Of Key RTT Elements • P-20: Horizontal and Vertical Integration • Data and Results-Driven • Effective and Efficient Use of Resources • Sustainability • BE BOLD www.communityschools.org

23. Great Teachers and Leaders • School Culture and Climate Matters • Family and Community Engagement • Engaged Learning • Partnership Development www.communityschools.org

24. Action for Great Teachers • Preparation and Professional Development To • Work effectively with parents/families. • Provide more engaging instruction in core academic subjects that links students to the real world and their communities. • Provide enrichment activities such as service learning, experiential, and work-based learning during increased learning time. • Work with community partners to provide students with the supports they need to learn. www.communityschools.org

25. Action for Great Leaders • Preparation and Professional Development to: • Lead in a collaborative or distributive leadership context. • Use data on early warning sides of dropping out including early chronic absenteeism, truancy , reading by 3rd grade; parent engagement, school climate and culture, student health, student mobility. • Effectively engage parents/families in the education of their children. • Support teachers and work with community partners to provide more engaging instruction that links students to the real world and their community context. • Provide enrichment activities such as service learning, experiential and work-based learning. How to lead and manage community partners to provide students with the supports they need to learn. www.communityschools.org

26. Capacity Building for Community Schools • Training and technical assistance • Creating site-based learning laboratories • Use of technology • Suggested topics include: developing LEA-wide systems of community schools; student engagement, family and community engagement; data and results-driven planning; partnership development, evaluation; financing and communications; coordination of programs at the school site; and the development and management of site-based planning teams. www.communityschools.org

27. Action for Comprehensive Data Systems • Advocate for: • Attendance by individual students –chronic absence; • School culture and climate factors (e.g. , safety, engagement, connectedness to teachers); • Student health (e.g., vision, hearing, dental, asthma); • Family involvement in children’s education; • Student mobility; and • Encourage integration of existing SEA and other state agency data bases. www.communityschools.org

28. Incentives for the Development of Community Schools • Encourage LEAs to form or strengthen community-wide systemic partnerships • Allocate RTT funds to cover a portion of the funding for community school coordinator positions www.communityschools.org

29. Family and Community Engagement • Invest in proven strategies for family and community engagement at all levels: school, LEA/community, and states such as leadership development academics and parent universities. • Provide financial assistance to build the capacity of existing parent/family coordinators in LEAs. • Develop indicators to measure family and community engagement. www.communityschools.org

30. Race to the Top Timeline • Phase I Applications: Mid-January • Awards: April 2010 • Phase II Applications: June 1 • Awards: September 2010 www.communityschools.org

31. State RTT Budget Ranges • Category 1 – $350-700 million: California, Texas, New York, Florida • Category 2 – $200-400 million: Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey • Category 3 – $150-250 million: Virginia, Arizona, Indiana, Washington, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Missouri, Maryland, Wisconsin • Category 4 – $60-175 million: Minnesota, Colorado, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oregon, Connecticut, Utah, Mississippi, Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, Nevada • Category 5 – $20-75 million: New Mexico, Nebraska, Idaho, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, District of Columbia www.communityschools.org

32. Key Steps • Get in the conversation at the state level • Talk with LEA leadership about how community schools can contribute to their RTT strategy www.communityschools.org

33. Contact Information Martin Blank President, Institute for Educational Leadership Director, Coalition for Community Schools 4455 Connecticut Ave, NW Suite 310 Washington, DC 20008 202-822-8405 x167 blankm@iel.org www.communityschools.org www.communityschools.org

34. Community Schools THE TIME IS NOW!!! www.communityschools.org