PED Technical Assistance Assessment Process

1. PED Technical Assistance Assessment Process Process and Report Writing PSB Training, 9/10/07

2. PED Technical Assistance Team Mission • The mission of the PSB Technical Assistance Team is to provide support and assistance to staffs of New Mexico school districts and schools in increasing student achievement through using continuous improvement processes and techniques, including monitoring, support and allocation of resources.

3. What is Technical Assistance ? • According to USDOE, January 7,2004 • Technical Assistance is defined as practical advice offered by expert source that addresses specific areas for educational improvement. Technical assistance must include, but is not limited to: • Data Analysis • Identification and Implementation of Effective Strategies • Budget Analysis

4. Must help school analyze results for standardized assessments and other relevant examples of student work; Must focus on teaching staff how to use these data to identify and solve problems in instruction Must strengthen parental involvement Must align staff development Must fulfill the school improvement plan Data Analysis

5. Identification and Implementation of Effective Strategies • Must assist staff in choosing effective instructional strategies • Must ensure that staff participates in high quality professional development aligned with chosen effective intervention strategies • Strategies chosen must address the specific instructional weaknesses that caused the school to be identified for improvement

6. Budget Analysis • Technical assistance must include the analysis of allocations within the school budget to fund activities most likely to increase student achievement.

7. Rationale for PSB Plan • Technical Assistance is 1st a District Responsibility • Number of School in Need of Support in State • PSB Developed the Scaffold Approach • Student Achievement will require ALL PED Bureau’s and Partners working together

8. Tool Kit for TA Assessment • Gathering of Data for Technical Assistance Assessment will come from multiple sources • EPSS • EPSS monitoring • School Profile ( Capacity Areas) • School Self Review • Interviews and Observations

9. Step 1- Pre site Visit • Preparations • 1. Identify Technical Assistance Team Leader and PED Team Members • . Identify District Liaison/Site Visit Coordinator/Coach/Principal • .Team Leader attends training. • . Develop a timeline for visits • . E-mail system assessment documents to District Leadership Team & EPSS Liaison

10. Pre-Site continued… • PREPARATIONS • 1.PSB - introductory letter to District • . PSB - Identify district and school supports (AC/JSA…) • . School - Complete System Profile and Capacity Area Worksheets • . School - E-mail completed documents to T.A. Team 5. Team Leader-Conduct phone interviews as needed (perhaps parents) 6. Make arrangements for site visit • . PSB - Assessment Team reads Profile and Capacity Area Worksheets • . Contact to Superintendent to schedule onsite visit.

11. Step 2 Site Visit • SITE VISIT • 1. Assessment Team meets to discuss System Profile, Capacity Area Worksheets and other pertinent documents (District Plan, Standard Criteria Self Review instrument, etc.) • . Assessment Team conducts interviews and focus groups to verify/clarify district’s written assessment. • . Assessment Team identifies strengths, opportunities for improvement, and suggested next steps • . Assessment Team makes oral report of findings to District Leadership Team

12. Step 3 Post Site Visit • POST SITE VIST • . Assessment Team Lead synthesizes team input into written feedback report • . Designated PED-PSB Team Leader reviews feedback report and authorizes distribution to the District Leadership Team. • . District Leadership Team reviews written feedback report • . District incorporates feedback into strategic plan refinement and improvement process • . Assessment Team Leader, District Coach/Site Visit Coordinator, and district leaders debrief system assessment process 6. Improvements are made in assessment process

13. Using the sample School data, review the EPSS, data and EPSS review against the Standards Criteria for Effective Schools and the 7 Components of School Improvement. As a group- make a list of items that the team wants to verify or clarify Identify key strengths identified through the criteria- Assembling and Writing the Report

14. Using the sample interviews and school observations, formulate “big items” that need to be in place for student success; Use all available resources to make recommendations Consider the Standards Criteria Consider the 7 Components of Reform Documents the observations (without value) Remember to make only one or two recommendations per criteria Next steps……

15. Describe observations accurately The reviewer must make connections between the written criteria and actions that the school must take; The reviewer must take the criteria from abstract to specific without being prescriptive ( must articulate the state of being) Make comments that help the school/district Have a clear picture of how the method and processes it uses match with the criteria; Provides a clear road map for improvement Well written feedback comments serve two purposes Modified from Shipley 12/2003

16. Writing Rules • The comment must be relevant and school must understand why the comment is made; • Opportunity for Improvement comment in all areas address what the results might be from not addressing the issue. • The comment made can stand alone, is complete and contains no vague references. • The comment is tied to the criteria and not personal bias. • The comment is grammatically correct.

17. Write the Assessment Review • Make at least one observation and comment for each big standard. • Remember that the first 4 of the 7 components are required for successful student achievement. • Gather consensus from group on observations and recommendations. • Send report to Bev before sending it to the principal and superintendent.