State System of Support Alabama: The Roundtable

1. State System of SupportAlabama: The Roundtable Dr. Susan Hanes Dr. Tom Kerins Dr. Carole Perlman Center on Innovation & Improvement

2. Sources of Information • Two-day site visit with SEA • 147-item interview protocol aligned with evidence-based framework • Artifacts and worksheets from SEA • Telephone interviews with superintendents and principals served by System of Support Center on Innovation & Improvement

3. Evolution of System of Support • Began a decade ago with Teachers of the Year serving as Special Services Teachers to assist districts and schools • By 2001, separate support systems for Title 1 and non-Title 1 schools • Lacked coordination, consistency, sustainability • 2005: Accountability Roundtable • Classroom Improvement (non-Title 1) and Title 1 programs work together as one unit • Other programs added under single umbrella • 11 regions now coordinated in one system • 2006: State Support Teams established Center on Innovation & Improvement

4. Factors Contributing to School Improvement • Leadership • Professional Education Personnel Evaluation • New Principals Academy • Persistent Support • Listening Posts • Focus on Improvement Plans • Data-Driven Decision Making • Disaggregated data to principals • New data warehouse next year Center on Innovation & Improvement

5. Lessons Learned • Planning is required • Leadership experience needed on Roundtable • Each initiative needs a “Champion” Center on Innovation & Improvement

6. Providing Incentives for Change • Public dissemination of assessment scores for districts and schools • Competitive financial rewards for districts and schools making improvement • Torchbearer schools recognized—high poverty, high performance • Financial rewards to faculties getting results • Considering rewards for principals and teachers choosing to serve low-performing schools Center on Innovation & Improvement

7. Building Systemic Capacity • Waivers for districts to hire school improvement specialists • Training for “turnaround specialists” • SEA agreement with pre-service institutions to prepare teachers for state initiatives • Feedback to universities from Novice Teacher Evaluations and Evaluation of Teacher Preparation Programs • Bi-monthly Table Talk newsletter • Educational Research newsletter • Grants to regions to train teachers for National Board Certification • New Continuous Improvement Residency Program Center on Innovation & Improvement

8. Building Local Capacity: Structures and Roles • State Education Agency—the Roundtable • Intermediate Agencies—11 Regional Inservice Centers • External Partner Organizations—SERVE, A+ Best Practices Center, Alabama Education Association, Hope Foundation, SECC • Distinguished Educators—Peer Mentors and Regional School Improvement Coaches • School Support Teams—State Support Teams • Coordination—Deann Stone is Accountability Roundtable Coordinator; her roles is continuous coordination throughout the system Center on Innovation & Improvement

9. Building Local Capacity: Differentiated Support • Determining Need: State Assessments, Pyramid of Strategies, site visits • Piloting an Instructional Review with Classroom Observations • Point of Impact: Unified systems of rewards and sanctions tied to performance at both district and school level • Intensity and Duration: Pyramid of Strategies determines intensity and duration of support Center on Innovation & Improvement

10. Building Local Capacity:Delivery of Services • Districts categorized by a) generally low performance, b) low performance in specific student groups • Plan based on Pyramid of Strategies • Customized training and support for each district • Peer Mentors at school level • State Support Teams at district level • Resource allocation tied to improvement plans Center on Innovation & Improvement

11. Providing Opportunities for Change District Improvement Checklist—8 Points Center on Innovation & Improvement

12. Evaluation of System of Support • Evaluated within past year based on perceptions and processes • Developing system to evaluate based on outcomes • Learning posts are source of feedback Center on Innovation & Improvement

13. Views from the Field • Superintendents in districts receiving services from System of Support • Principals in schools receiving services from System of Support Center on Innovation & Improvement

14. Discussion Questions How effective is this outline, based on the framework from the evidence review, in profiling a State System of Support? How typical is Alabama in its transition from compliance to support in school improvement? What else would you like to know about a State’s System of Support? Center on Innovation & Improvement