MNSAA Accreditation January 2014 New School Training The Whole Learning School

1. MNSAA Accreditation January 2014 New School Training The Whole Learning School Sarah W. Mueller Executive Director

2. Candidate Application • The Whole Learning School Provided • Statement “Why Seeking Accreditation?” • Statement of governing authority’s support • Projected timeframe (Spring 2015) • Programs seeking accreditation (Grades 3-12) • Signed by school & governing authority • Payment of application fee

3. Candidate Application • Essential Standards Readiness • Mission & Philosophy statements • Curriculum Standards • Assessment of Student Learning • Health & Safety Requirements • Personnel • Governance • Financial Sustainability

4. Achieving NEW Accreditation • A Model for The Whole Learning School • Year 1 – Develop Self Study • Profile & Narrations • Year 2 - SSP and Visit • Define visionary plan for future • Host onsite visit • Year 3-7 – Implement Plan • File Annual Progress Reports • Maintain Strategic Plan as living document

5. Accreditation Status • Conditions on Accreditation May Apply • Public Statement • Provisional Conditions • One or more essential compliance components • Additional accountability required • Timelines and support provided • Provisional Conditions • Deficiency detracts from total • Failed to meet requirements • Violated policy

6. Steps to Accreditation • Outline to Walk Through Process • Set up for Renewing schools • TWLS already completed Steps 1-2 • Next Up • Develop Self-Study • Communicate • Plan

7. Standards & Indicators • HANDBOOK– Section B • 1: Mission & Philosophy • 2: Teaching & Learning • 3: Climate for Learning • 4: Communications & Relations • 5: Personnel • 6: Leadership & Governance • 7: School Strategic Plan

8. MNSAA’s Quality Standards • Take a LOOK at the Standards • MNSAA has 7 quality standards • Each standard is comprised of several criteria • Each criteria requires a ReflectiveNarration • Narration supported byPerformanceIndicators

9. Essential Performance Indicators • Italicized Means Required! • Written Mission & Philosophy statements; • Written Curriculum Standards; • Subject Area Philosophies • Written Process of Curriculum Evaluation; • Philosophy of Assessment • Policy Handbooks; • Faculty & Student Handbooks; • Annual State-of-the School Report; • Etc. • Legal Requirement noted LR

10. School Self-Study Report • HANDBOOK– Section C • The School Profile • Reflective Standard Narrations • The School Strategic Plan

11. The School Self-Study Report • Getting Organized • Understand the Self-Study Requirements • (Profile, Standards Narrations, School Strategic Plan) • Establish a Steering Team (See Handbook C-1) • Develop Sub-Committees(See Handbook C-1) • Community-wide Ownership

12. Part 1: The School Profile

13. Part 1: The School Profile • Tells your school’s story • (Who you are; Who you serve; What’s been happening?) • Opens self-study report • Summary statement (3-5 pages) • History highlights • Demographic Study • Overview of students, families, and community served • Stakeholder perceptions** • Surveyprovides documented evidence • Student enrollment trends

14. Part 1: The School Profile • Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey • Consider inexpensive electronic survey • Connect stakeholders to MNSAA standards • Invite honesty, but do not open door to inappropriate responses • Summarize data gathered in The Profile

15. Part 1: The School Profile • School Profile Template • Available under School Resources on website • Template not required, but components are • Consider it an outline for posting your findings • Take a look! • Download from MNSAA website: www.mnsaa.org

16. Part 2: Standard Narrations

17. Part 2: Standards Narrations • Demonstrates readiness for accreditation • The heart of your school’sself-study • Defines what is currently happening at your school • Honesty matters! May find not all criteria are in place at your school • Equally important to find areas notin compliance

18. Part 2: Standards Narrations • Quality of the Reflective Narrations • Do NOT merely restate the standard • Sets the stage for the onsite team • Professional document crafted by well-trained and highly skilled educators • Published! • Quality evaluated by team

19. Part 2: Standards Narrations • Identifying Strengths & Challenges • Use findings to build summary for each standard • Process = • Subcommittee writes draft • Whole group reviews and adds ideas • Identify key strengths & challenges • CHALLENGES – Become the focus of the school improvement plan

20. Part 2: Standards Narrations • Self-Study Narrations Template • MNSAA requires use of template • Personalize the template for your school • Available under School Resources on website

21. Part 2: Standards Narrations • Don’t Forget Standard 7! • Not completed until after strategic plan written • Can be forgotten • Set a reminder to return to this before publishing • Essential component of the Self-Study

22. Indicators of Compliance • Onsite team looks for supporting evidence for each narration. • Ask the questions: • “How do we comply?” • “How can we provide evidence?” • MNSAA requirements & ideas • Team observations & interviews

23. Part 3: School Strategic Plan

24. Part 3: School Strategic Plan • Summarizes challenges identified • A roadmap for school improvement • Provide strategic direction + a plan of action • Needs to be a collaborative process • Key component of Annual Progress Report • Maintained as a “Living Document”

25. Part 3: School Strategic Plan • MNSAA SSP Quality Expectations • Valid – Reflective of current needs of school • Connected – To self-study report • Supported – By wide body of stakeholders • Visionary – Not a checklist • Reasonable – Timeline manageable • Focused – On your students!

26. Part 3: School Strategic Plan • Specific Framework Required! • Objectives – Where the school wants to be • Strategies – How the school plans to get there • Action Steps – What specifically the school is going to do

27. SAMPLE • Objective: The school will provide a safe learning facility. • Strategy 1:A crisis management plan will be developed. • Action Steps: • A taskforce will be established. • The task force will review state guidelines and resources. • The task force will interface with local authorities. • Draft a crisis management plan for consideration. • Seek approval from board. • Implement crisis management plan. • Evaluate and adjust as needed. • Strategy 2:Explore extended day program. • Action Steps: • Survey families for need. • Determine space for program. • Research state laws. • Etc. – Continue to add action steps to reach goal.

28. Part 3: School Strategic Plan • MNSAA Template Required! • Complete on electronic template • Download from MNSAA website • Word table - Able to revise • Ability to report progress to MNSAA • Take a look!

29. Part 3: School Strategic Plan Samples Available Take a look at the Sample on the MNSAA Template! Be sure to checkout our website for more resources: www.mnsaa.org

30. Part 3: School Strategic Plan • INVOLVE STAKEHOLDERS! • Communicate Self-Study Findings • Solicit Input • Build Buy-In • Finalize with full school community

31. The Onsite Visit • HANDBOOK – Section D • Guidelines & Responsibilities • The Onsite Visiting Team • The Team Report Template

32. The Onsite Visit • Purpose of the Onsite Team Visit • To Validate • To Evaluate • Quality Expectations of MNSAA • Provide Objective Outside Feedback • Bottom Line

33. The Onsite Visit • Thinking Ahead of the Visit • Budget considerations • Facility considerations • Technology considerations • Interview considerations • Team meet and greet • Organize your indicators • Clear your calendar • Advise stakeholders

34. The Onsite Visit • The Team Report • The Team will determine: • Sufficient Indication of Compliance • Compliance with Concerns • Insufficient Indication of Compliance • Recommendations for Improvement • Commendations for Excellence • Take a look!

35. The Onsite Visit • The School Responds • Visit closure • Communicate findings with stakeholders • Written response to recommendations • Template provided • Submit revised SSP

36. The Appendix • HANDBOOK – Section E • Sample Timeline for Process • Curriculum Standards Requirement • SSP Sample • Fee Structure

37. MNSAA Accreditation January 2014 New School Training The Whole Learning School Sarah W. Mueller Executive Director