Planning for Increased Achievement under NCLB: Schoolwide Reform Strategies and Resources

1. Planning for Increased Achievement under NCLB: Schoolwide Reform Strategies and Resources The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement

2. Background • ESEA, Title I, § 1111 requires that all state education agencies (SEAs) have a plan to address the requirements of the law, including a state system of support for districts and schools identified for improvement. • ESEA, Title I, § 1112 requires that all local education agencies (LEAs) submit a plan that addresses the requirements of the law, including the actions the LEA will take to assist its low-achieving schools identified as being in need of improvement.LEAs also must revise these plans and take further steps with schools that enter corrective action or restructuring. • ESEA, Title I, § 1116 requires that all schools identified as being in need of improvement submit a plan to address the specific academic issues that must be improved. The LEA must provide technical assistance to each school in need of improvement.

3. Background • NCLB requires proficiency in reading and mathematics for all students by 2013-14. • State education agencies (SEAs) establish Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmarks that must be attained to reach the 2013-14 requirement. • Schools that do not make AYP for five consecutive years must engage in “restructuring.”

4. Background • As of 2003–04, approximately 5,600 schools were identified as in need of improvement. Two thirds of them were in large, urban districts.

5. What is The Center? • Based in DC, we are federally funded • We were connected with the federal CSR program • We are neutral • All materials and activities are research-based • All supports are provided at no-cost • Learning Point Associates (LPA), based in Naperville, IL, is our host organization

6. Who is eligible to work with The Center? • Our first priority is schools and districts that are not making Adequate Yearly Progress • We do offer supports to other schools/districts but those supports are less intensive in nature • States are also welcome to seek Center support with improvement efforts • University faculty and parents also utilize The Center

7. Our Mission The Center’s mission is to help schools organize, plan, implement, and sustain improvement.

8. Our Products and Services • Our Ask-the-Expert service • Our research-based materials • Our on-the-ground technical assistance

9. Ask-the-Expert • From LA: “I’m looking for…research or data…on (1) the number of and (2) the success rates related to school performance/improvement of charter schools that are run by local organizations/persons compared to charter school that are operated by national organizations (Edison schools, KIPP, etc.).”

10. Ask-the-Expert • From CA: “Do you have specific studies about STEM schools?” • From PA: “We’re searching for a comprehensive middle school reading program that is flexible enough to use with all levels. Of course it must be researched based. I'm not finding any out there. Do you know of any?”

11. Our materials • Newsletters • Issue Briefs • Research Briefs • Policy Briefs • Podcasts • Webcasts and DVDs of those webcasts

12. Our newsletters • Very practitioner-friendly • About 1500 words • Useful for a school-based professional development session, PLC-based conversation, or…

13. A few newsletters topics • Getting to "Got It!” Helping Mathematics Students Reach Deep Understanding • Serving Recent Immigrant Students Through School-Community Partnerships • Maximizing the Impact of Teacher Collaboration • Using Positive Student Engagement to Increase Student Achievement

14. The Center’s algebra webcast

15. The Center’s webcast on algebra

16. The Center’s webcast • “Yes, I found the webcast useful…Many of the topics that you hit are areas which have been big discussion topics in my workshops…This was good because it reinforces what I am working on in northern Michigan…Thank you again for the time you put into the webcast. It allows access to quality discussions for people like me that are somewhat isolated.” • Teacher, Michigan

17. Technical assistance examples • Supporting an urban school district in corrective action with a group of schools in restructuring • Supporting a school system that is struggling to appropriately serve Native American Students • Supporting several school districts whose demographics have changed leading to an increased number of culturally or linguistically diverse students • Supporting turn-around leaders who have assumed the leadership of struggling schools

18. Technical assistance examples • Presentations at district-level and state-level meetings, national and state-level conferences, etc. • The Center’s self-administered school review tool

19. School Review Process The process helped the school staff all come together to make an effective school. Principal, Gary Indiana

20. What is the School Review Process? • A research-based guide for school improvement • An easy-to-follow, systematic process for schools to collect and analyze data and plan for school improvement – without having to employ consultants

21. Based on six research-supported quality indicators for successful schools • Strong curriculum • Effective instructional practices • Effective use of student performance data • Positive school culture focused on achievement • Effective school leadership • Parental involvement

22. Data Collection Framework

23. Any questions or comments?

24. at Learning Point Associates Stephanie Wood-Garnett, Ed.D. E-Mail:Stephanie Wood-Garnett@learningpt.org 1100 17th St NW, Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20036 202-223-6725 General Information:877-277-2744 www.centerforcsri.org