Alignment Rockford

1. Alignment Rockford A Framework for Coordinated Community Support for Public Schools

2. Commitment to Our Children

3. The Challenge “The problems facing our cities seem to defy solution. But the only certainty is that the increasingly complex challenges exceed the capabilities of any single sector—public, private, or non-profit—to solve them alone.” James E. Austin Drucker Leadership Series

4. Background Summary • Summer 2009- looked for urban public school support systems • Needed a system or change process, not programs, that had broad application • Alignment Nashville stood out • MNPS grad. rates: • 2002 – 58.4% • 2008 – 72.6%

5. Community Similarities • Desegregation lawsuits • 3 chief administrators/5 years • Families moving to nearby districts • Large private school population • Student demographics different than community-wide demographics • Nashville’s Mayor seeks ability to appoint school board members

6. AN Video Meeting: January 27

7. Mission Alignment Rockford’s mission is to align community resources in support of public school strategies to raise student achievement, improve the health and happiness of our children, and advance the economic and social well-being of our community.

8. Vision Alignment Rockford envisions all students graduating from high school with marketable employment skills or enrolling in post-secondary education. They are eager to live, work, learn, create, and play in the Rockford Region as contributing adults.

10. Board of Directors Ex officio Directors Dr. Jack Becherer, President, Rock Valley College Mr. Scott Christiansen, Chairman, Winnebago County Board Ms. Janyce Fadden, President, Rockford Area Economic Development Council Mr. Einar Forsman, President, Rockford Chamber of Commerce Dr. William Gorski, President and CEO, SwedishAmerican Health System Dr. Robert Head, President, Rockford College Mr. Gary Kaatz, President and CEO, Rockford Health System Mr. David Kelley, President, Rockford Public Schools District 205 Board of Education Dr. Martin Lipsky, Regional Dean, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford The Hon. Mayor Lawrence J. Morrissey, City of Rockford Mr. David Schertz, President and CEO, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center Dr. LaVonne M. Sheffield, Superintendent, Rockford Public Schools District 205

11. Board of Directors Business Community Director Mr. Shawn Reilley, President, Anderson Packaging Community Directors Mr. John R. Anderson, President, Anderson Enterprises Rev. Dr. Ken Board, Senior Pastor, Pilgrim Baptist Church Rev. K. Edward Copeland, Pastor, New Zion Baptist Church Ms. Patricia Gomez, Executive Director, La Voz Latina Ms. Amanda Hamaker, Manager of Product Sales, Girl Scouts / U.S.A. Mr. Nate Martin, Commissioner, Rockford Park District Ms. Monica Primm, Owner and Consultant, H.R. Solution Services Mr. Daniel G. Saavedra, Partner, Saavedra Gehlhausen Architects Ms. Sarah B. Wolf, Executive Director, Discovery Center Museum

12. Strategies Engage partners Build the school support network Manage communications Support, evaluate and report results of working committees

13. Tactical Planning The first step in the tactical planning phase is to study the data that exists and use it to develop the tactical plans. The committee then develops a detailed plan for implementing a pilot project which will accomplish specific, measurable results outlined by the District.

14. Community Engagement Community engagement takes place when an Invitation to Participate is issued to a wide range of organizations that describes the collaborative, its outcomes, and gives organizations an opportunity to propose ways they can align their resources to join the effort.

15. Pilot Implementation/Evaluation As the initial project plan is finalized and implemented, regular communication is established with participating organizations, and the predetermined assessment plan is implemented to ensure fidelity to the pilot and organizational accountability.

16. Scale Up During the scale up phase, projects that meet the results criteria set by the District expand to a larger target audience.

17. Institutionalization Projects which have been implemented, evaluated, and scaled up successfully are transferred into the District and Alignment Rockford monitors the project to assure fidelity and funding. If the District will not accept a project, it’s discontinued immediately. The purpose of Alignment is to create valuable solutions.

18. Working Committee Process

19. Alignment Nashville Committees • Middle School • Operating Board/County P-16 Council • Parent University • Pathways to Postsecondary Education • Pre-K • Primary Care • Refugee and Immigrant Support Services • Smaller Learning Communities • Adolescent Sexual Responsibility • Alternative High School • America’s Promise Coordination • Behavioral Health • Children’s Health Oversight • Developing Community Leaders • Elementary School • Healthy Eating & Active Living • Healthy Starts • High School

20. Alignment Rockford Committees • 0-age 4 Healthy Starts • Grades K-5 Reading and Math at grade level, Behavioral Health • Grades 6-8 Behavioral Health • Grades 9-12 Career and Technical Education, Pathways to Post Secondary Education

21. Alignment Nashville “Alignment Nashville has nothing to do with the tires on your car. It has everything to do with turning everything in the right direction when it comes to public schools.” Gail Kerr, The Tennessean October 18, 2006

22. What’s different? The Working Committee Process Principles of Committee Work Common Leadership Values

29. What’s this mean? Speed = rapid identification of problems, development of solutions, implementation for results Safety = preventing students from ‘slipping through the cracks’ Efficiency = funding is fixed or decreasing while needs are increasing Capacity = more participants working together to serve more students

30. Commitment to Our Children