The CEP as a Living Document: Determining the Effectiveness of the Plan

1. The CEP as a Living Document: Determining the Effectiveness of the Plan

2. Areas to be addressed • Making the CEP a Living Document • Assessing Interim Progress • Making Revisions to Action Plans • Re-aligning Resources to the CEP • Reflecting Back/Looking Forward

3. Making the ceP a living document

4. Implementation of the Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) • The creation of the CEP is a plan for activities and strategies that is based on the available student data. • The plan is a living document and adjustments should be made based on periodic reviews of that data. • Careful implementation and continuous evidence-based monitoring of progress are key.

5. How Can Schools Make the CEP a Living Document? • Post CEP goals in the main office and/or lobby of the school. • Review and discuss periodic student data during monthly SLT meetings. • Provide regular updates to the SLT regarding school programs. • Provide school budget updates to the SLT regarding the use of funds to support the CEP. • Revise the CEP as needed to ensure that goals and action plans meet the needs of students. • Provide access to SLT meeting minutes to the school community. • Encourage non-SLT members to attend meetings to create awareness regarding CEP content and the work of the SLT.

6. assessing interim progress

7. Assessing Interim Progress By looking systematically at the CEP (needs, SMART goals, action plans and indicators), constituency groups will be able to determine if the plan is reaching desired outcomes. • Set intervals throughout the year for periodic review in order to determine if the actions you are implementing are moving the school towards meeting annual goals. • Include periodic data as part of the review in order to find evidence of progress. • Set increments of projected gains. • Revise action plans, as necessary.

8. Indicators of Interim Progress • In order to evaluate the effectiveness of your activity/strategy, you will need to determine indicators for interim progress. • Indicators are measurable and observable • Use the measurement indicated in the annual goal to determine the interim indicators. • When you develop your indicators, it may be helpful to ask: • What does the outcome look like when it occurs? • How will I know if it has happened? • What will I be able to see?

9. Example of Measuring Interim Progress In the example below, the overall measurement of 5% is broken up into three interim progress targets.

10. Interim Review and Findings Worksheet

11. Making revisions to action plans

12. Adjust/Modify the Plan, as Needed If you are not meeting projected interim targets, examine plan implementation and use of resources. • If desired results are not being achieved, what are the barriers? • Adjust and modify the plan, if needed, while ensuring that goals stay SMART. • Share revised/updated CEP with the school community.

13. Revising Action Plans • What activities/strategies might need to be modified? • Does the target group need to be adjusted? • Does the activity need additional supports? • Does the timeframe need to be modified? • Do the activities/strategies for parents need to be modified? • What adjustments need to be made to the budget? • Are the resources appropriate and sustainable?

14. Realigning resources to the CEP

15. Budgets Should be Driven by Data and Instructional Goals • The CEP should guide the allocation of funds. • There must be alignment between a supplemental program described in the Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) and the Reimbursable Allocation Category. • The CEP also contains a section on Academic Intervention Services (AIS). Note: AIS is a State mandate. Align Resources Develop Instructional Plan Set Educational Goals Analyze Data • A good annual planning process begins with data and goals and builds to a strategic alignment of resources. • Networks are a key support in ensuring that principals effectively deploy the resources at their disposal to deliver on their goals. • Strategic resources include not only budgets but also staffing, professional development and scheduling. • Revisions to the components of the action plans may require re-alignment of funds. • This re-alignment of resources may include not only adjustments to budgets but also modifications to staffing, professional development and scheduling. 15

16. Types of Reimbursable Funding Reimbursable Basics • Schools receive two types of reimbursable allocations – formula and competitive. • Formula grants are allocated. They usually come from the State or Federal government and pay for services to targeted populations with specific needs (i.e. Title I, IDEA and Title III). • Competitive grants can also come from the State or Federal Government. Typically to receive these funds you or the Department must submit an application by responding to a Request For Proposal (RFP). Examples include: Learning Technology, 21st Century Learning Communities, etc. 16

17. Supplement not Supplant The rule when using reimbursable funding is: “Supplement, not Supplant ” Use reimbursable funding to supplement (i.e. add to, or enhance) the basic services that we are required to provide to students by law. These basic services should be funded with tax levy allocations. 17

18. Purchasing with Reimbursable Dollars In order to comply with the intent of reimbursable dollars, all purchases made using these funds MUST be for supplementary instructional services and materials. • Office supplies/furniture, cafeteria / gym supplies, SLT remuneration payments and basic classroom furniture are NOT ALLOWABLE expenditures using reimbursable funds. • Disallowances occur when reimbursable funding is used inappropriately. • Ongoing review is required so that funding is spent according to the approved program plan (competitive grants) and/or allowable guidelines (formula –based grants). 18

19. Title I Fiscal and Administrative RequirementsAllocation Set-Asides As per the current federal regulations, all Title I schools must set-aside the following minimum amounts from their total Title I allocation to support required activities: 1% for Parent Involvement Schools (SLTs) must consult with the parents/guardians of students (through the Title I parent committee) served in the Title I program regarding the use of these funds. These funds are to be used to support increased parent involvement in activities/strategies aligned with each of the CEP goals and the school’s Parent Involvement Policy to improve student achievement. 5% for Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements Schools that have not yet achieved the 100% HQT requirement must set-aside at least 5% of their Title I allocation to support allowable activities to meet this goal. 10% for Professional Development Schools must set aside and spend at least 10% of their Title I allocation for high quality professional development and to address requirements for schools identified as in need of improvement (SINI) to improve instruction in the academic area(s) of identification and for student subgroups that have not made adequate yearly progress (AYP). 19

20. Reflecting back and looking forward

21. SLT Annual Review of the CEP: Reflecting Back and Looking Forward • An annual review of the CEP, including the evaluation of Title I parent involvement policy and the school-parent compact, is required.  • Title I parent representatives (through the Title I parent committee) must be involved and their participation should be documented by the SLT. • the annual review of the CEP should be conducted each spring (typically during the May or June SLT meeting).

22. Evaluating the Overall Effectiveness of the Plan This suggested worksheet can be used as a resource tool to help schools gauge the effectiveness of the CEP. The responses provided should be based on observable and/or measurable outcomes.