Moving Your Numbers

1. Moving Your Numbers An NCEO Technical Assistance and Dissemination Initiative CEC 2013 Convention & Expo San Antonio, Texas Presented by: Laurene Christensen, Michael Tefs, & Deborah Telfer April 4, 2013

2. New Measures for Results at OSEP… • New measures being developed by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) that will allow for better monitoring of outcomes for improved student performance. • A process has been developed that will enable experts to work together to provide input and then reach consensus on the new measure.

3. NCEO “Rhetoric” • Need high expectations for students with disabilities • All but a small percentage of students with disabilities should be held to grade-level achievement standards • There are places where students with disabilities are achieving Needed new existence proofs – districts where students with disabilities really were improving!

4. Focus on Effective Districts • Built on previous work with Ohio – values, structures, leadership • Focused on what adults do – intentionally and collectively – to include and assist all students in learning at higher levels • Highlighted districts across the U.S. With considerations for states, districts & schools, and parents and families

5. MYN Assumptions Improving outcomes for students receiving special education services: • Requires their inclusion and participation in statewide assessment & accountability systems • Requires a sustained focus on teaching and learning • Acknowledges that consistent, high-quality implementation is a challenge for many districts

6. Implementation Gap • What is adopted is not used with fidelityand good outcomes for consumers • What is used with fidelity is not sustainedfor a useful period of time • What is used with fidelity is not used on a scale sufficient to impact social problems Source: Blasé, K., Fixsen, D., & Duda, M. (2011). Implementation science: Building the bridge between science and practice. University of NC at Chapel Hill/NIRN.

7. Redesigning Systems to Promote Scalability & Sustainability • Support shared work & accountability of improvement of instructional practice and achievement for all students through unified system • Redesign work at all levels to be about improving capacity at other levels (coherence) • Redefineleadershipas set of essential practices that must be implemented at all levels • Providestructures & tools to support intentional use and consistent implementation of identified strategies/actions

8. MYNWork: Process Districts: • Known to be engaged in certain practices believed to be associated with higher learning; • Committed to district-wide implementation of such practices; & • Committed to and showing evidence of improving the performance of all students and student groups

9. MYN Districts • Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. (Columbus, IN) • Bloom Vernon Local Schools (South Webster, OH) • Brevard Public Schools (Viera, FL) • Gwinnett County Public Schools (Suwanee, GA) • Lake Villa School District #41 (Lake Villa, IL) • SAU 56 (Somersworth, NH) • Stoughton Area Schools (Stoughton, WI) • Tigard-Tualatin School District (Tigard, OR) • Val Verde USD (Perris, CA) • Wooster City School District (Wooster, OH)

10. Essential Practices & Lessons Learned • Use data well and on an ongoing basis • Focus your goals • Select and implement shared instructional practices • Implement deeply • Monitor and provide feedback and support • Inquire and learn (and build capacity)

11. USE DATA WELL • Use (and require the use of) data at all levels to focus critical conversations, identify needs, gauge/monitor progress, and make continual improvements to instructional practice (ensuring that teams are working with district-wide data, not only school-level data)

12. FOCUS YOUR GOALS • Establish a foundation to guide all work • Align all work across the district with the district goals/district strategic plan to improve student learning • Focus all work across the district to meet district-wide goals and strategies • Align decisions about resource management with district goals • Focus PD on district goals and involve EVERYONE

13. Lessons Learned: Select and Implement (deeply) Shared Instructional Practices • Hold all adults to high standards and clearly define expectations around the core work of teaching and learning, and for supporting all children to learn at higher levels • Reduce the number of initiatives and ensure that all work aligns directly with a small number of goals and strategies • Avoid programs or initiatives as the “answer” or silver bullet • Support shared learning and responsibility among adults for the success of all students • Embed intervention as part of the district’s instructional process/framework

14. TIGARD-TUALATIN SCHOOL DISTRICT “There are two overriding messages from the district to all staff – that our systemic focus on instruction is non-negotiable and that I’m a critical part of it.” Laura Kintz Principal, Alberta Rider Elementary School

15. Lessons Learned: Monitor and Provide Feedback and Support • Measure both adult implementation and student achievement to focus on the impact of district actions on student performance • Value accountability and make results the central focus of the school system • Provide a balance of defined autonomy and flexibility for schools to met expectations, but require that every single school meet them

16. Changing the way Adults Work “We need to be able to connect results to specific action steps. We wouldn’t be able to do that if schools worked in isolation.” Alex Barbour Assistant Superintendent Lake Villa School District #41, IL

17. INQUIRE & LEARN “It’s not what we do, it’s who we are.” Bob Marquis Assistant Superintendent SAU #56 Somersworth, NH • Share leadership and support the development of essential leadership practices across the district • Align curriculum, instruction, and assessment in real ways • Move from a focus on individual buildings to a focus on district-wide implementation to sustain the work • Make sure the district leadership team includes staff from across the district, not only cabinet level personnel or administrators • Use the expertise around you, always reaching to the next level; never be satisfied with where you are

18. Questions And Discussion

19. Wooster City Schools – A 5-Year Journey OLAC provided foundation for the Ohio Improvement Process (OIP) by articulating essential practices OIP provides mechanism for enacting Ohio’s Leadership Development Framework www.ohioleadership.org

21. The Ohio 5-Step Process: A Cycle of Inquiry

22. OIP Learning Continuum PROCEDURAL Teaching Strategy/Adult Practice: Dialogue with Team ASSESSMENT • Effective Teaching Strategy Shared and Practiced with Building/District • Growth in Student Achievement!

23. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCES…

24. MYN Resources • District Synthesis • District Self-Assessment Guide • Regional Provider Feature • Parent/Family Companion Guide • State Education Agencies Feature • Higher Education Companion Guides • Administrator Preparation Programs • Teacher Preparation Programs

25. MYN Website www.movingyournumbers.org

26. For More Information About Wooster City Schools, CONTACT: Michael Tefs, Ed.D., Superintendent Phone: 330.988.1111 (ext. 1223) Email: wstr_mtefs@woostercityschools.org

27. Comments & Questions • Visit the MYN web site at: www.movingyournumbers.org • Contact Laurene Christensen, NCEO, at: chri1010@umn.edu • Contact Deb Telfer, Project Director, at: dtelfer1@udayton.eduor deborah.telfer@yahoo.com