What is District Wide Accreditation?

1. AdvancEd What is District Wide Accreditation? Leon County Schools District Wide Accreditation A powerful systems approach to improving student performance. District is accredited rather than individual schools. Schools and District work together in harmony. Entire school system focuses on improving student learning. System is designed for continuous self-evaluation and improvement. Ensure Desired Results Improve Teaching & Learning Foster a Culture of Improvement

2. AdvancEd What It Means For Schools: • Schools are no longer individually • accredited with SACS • Schools participate in a self study with • the school district • Schools evaluate themselves based • on seven (7) Standards and their • accompanying Indicators.

3. AdvancEd What this Means to the District: • The District evaluates itself and schools based on the seven (7) standards. • The District is responsible for insuring accreditation for our system and its schools. • As a District, we must demonstrate that we work together, as a system, with a clear focus on student performance and continuous improvement, regardless of our position.

4. AdvancEd Local Funding - Dependent on Property Tax - Large segment of property is non-taxable - Share resources with local government - State Restrictions millage and use of funds - Constitutional Amendment limits increases in millage rates - Stagnated and depressed property values - Nearly peaked on use of taxing authority State Funding - State revenue shortfall results in major cuts to education - Decrease in funding but increase in mandates - Job losses and funding cuts to our major local employer cuts in state program support to schools cuts in local program support to schools - Further cuts anticipated Issues & Trends

5. AdvancEd • 3) Population Shift • Migration from south to north • Under populated schools in south of county • Over utilized schools in north of county • Efforts to Attract Students • Millions invested to provide program and facility equity • Schools rezoned to balance student demographics • Magnet programs instituted • Public awareness campaigns implemented • Studies indicate busing students far from their neighborhoods might reduce family involvement and student learning, yet cost of maintaining underutilized schools is becoming increasingly difficult to fund in face of diminishing resources. Issues & Trends

6. AdvancEd Strengths: The ongoing professional and collegial working relationships The quality of teaching staff On-going communications Strong stakeholder support Pride, ambition, and focus of employees Strengths & Needs

7. AdvancEd Needs: A steady and sufficient revenue source to continue the work of the district Providing instructional support by expanding the progress monitoring tools Continuing to increase student performance for identified subgroups Strengths & Needs

8. AdvancEd Our Self-Evaluation • To determine if we meet the high AdvancEd standards: • 1. The entire district collected evidence for each indicator of a standard. • 2. Based on the evidence we found, each school and the district administration determined the extent to which we meet each indicator.

9. AdvancEd There are 7 Standards for measurement • Vision and Purpose • Governance and Leadership • Teaching and Learning • Documenting and Using Results • Resources and Support Systems • Stakeholder Communications and Relationships • Commitment to Continuous Improvement Standards

10. AdvancEd Each Standard has a set of indicators: STANDARD 1: Vision and Purpose The district (school) establishes and communicates a shared purpose and direction for improving the performance of students and the effectiveness of the system (school). School Indicators 1.1 Establishes a vision and purpose for the school in collaboration with its stakeholders. 1.2 Communicates the vision and purpose to build stakeholder understanding and support. 1.3 Identifies goals to advance the vision. 1.4 Develops and continuously maintains a profile of the school, its students, and the community. 1.5 Ensures that the school’s vision and purpose guide the teaching and learning process and the strategic direction of the school. Vision and Purpose Identifies . . . Communicates . . .. Establishes . . .

11. AdvancEd Each Standard has a set of indicators: STANDARD 1: Vision and Purpose The district (school) establishes and communicates a shared purpose and direction for improving the performance of students and the effectiveness of the district (school). District Indicators • 1.1 Establishes a vision for the system in collaboration • with its stakeholders. • 1.2 Communicates the system’s vision and purpose • to build stakeholder understanding and support • 1.3 Identifies system-wide goals to advance the vision. • 1.4 Develops and continuously maintains a profile • of the system, its students, and the community. • 1.5 Ensures that the system’s vision and purpose guide the teaching and learning process and the strategic direction of schools, departments and services. • 1.6 Reviews its vision and purpose systematically and revises them when appropriate. Vision and Purpose Identifies . . . Communicates . . .. Establishes . . .

12. AdvancEd Each school collected evidence and evaluated themselves on the School Indicators. Each district committee collected evidence and evaluated themselves on the District Indicators.

13. AdvancEd Meeting the Standards • Not Evident • Emerging • Operational • Highly Functional Rubric

14. AdvancEd District Results

15. AdvancEd Standard 1 Vision and Purpose

16. AdvancEd Standard 1 Vision and Purpose Overall Assessment Rubric Operational The school system has committed to a shared purpose and direction. The system and its schools have clearly defined expectations for student learning aligned with the system’s vision that is supported by system and school personnel and external stakeholders. These expectations serve as the focus for assessing student performance, system and school effectiveness. The vision guides allocations of time and human, material, and fiscal resources.

17. AdvancEd Standard 2 Governance and Leadership

18. AdvancEd Standard 2 Governance and Leadership Overall Assessment Rubric Operational The school system has leaders who are advocates for the system’s vision and improvement efforts. The leaders provide direction and systematically allocate resources to implement curricular and co-curricular programs that enable students to achieve expectations for their learning. Leaders encourage collaboration and shared responsibility for system and school improvement among stakeholders. The system’s policies, procedures, and organizational conditions ensure equity of learning opportunities and support for innovation. While these processes and conditions are being implemented, the implementation is not systemic across the system, and the results are varied. .

19. AdvancEd Standard 3 Teaching and Learning

20. AdvancEd Standard 3 Teaching and Learning Overall Assessment Rubric Operational The school system implements a curriculum based on clear and measurable expectations for student learning that provides opportunities for all students to acquire requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The system demonstrates evidence of alignment between the curriculum and instructional practices with systematic implementation across the system. Teachers use proven instructional practices that actively engage students in the learning process. Teachers provide frequent opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills to real world situations. Teachers give students regular feedback to improve their performance. .

21. AdvancEd Standard 4 Documenting and Using Results

22. AdvancEd Standard 4 Documenting and Using Results Overall Assessment Rubric Operational The school system uses a comprehensive assessment system based on clearly defined performance measures that yield valid and reliable results. The assessment system is used to assess student performance on expectations for student learning, evaluate the effectiveness of curriculum and instruction, and determine interventions to improve student performance. The assessment system yields timely and accurate information that is meaningful and useful to system/school leaders, teachers, and other stakeholders in understanding student performance, school and system effectiveness, and the results of improvement efforts. .

23. AdvancEd Standard 5 Resource and Support Systems

24. AdvancEd Standard 5 Resource and Support Systems Overall Assessment Rubric Operational The school system has human, material, and fiscal resources to implement a curriculum that enables students to achieve expectations for student learning, to meet special needs, and to comply with applicable regulations. The system employs and allocates staff members who are well qualified for their assignments. The system provides ongoing learning opportunities for all staff to improve their effectiveness, including both professional and support staff. The system ensures compliance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations. .

25. AdvancEd Standard 6 Stakeholder Communications and Relationships

26. AdvancEd Standard 6 Stakeholder Communications and Relationships Overall Assessment Rubric Operational The school system has the understanding, commitment, and support of stakeholders. System and school personnel seek opportunities for collaboration and shared leadership among stakeholders to help students learn and advance improvement efforts and can demonstrate good participation by some stakeholder groups.

27. AdvancEd Standard 7 Commitment to Continuous Improvement

28. AdvancEd Standard 7 Commitment to Continuous Improvement Overall Assessment Rubric Operational The school system implements a collaborative and ongoing process for improvement that aligns most functions of the system and its schools with the expectations for student learning. Improvement efforts are sustained and the system demonstrates progress in improving student performance, system and school effectiveness. New improvement efforts are informed by the results of earlier efforts through reflection and assessment of the improvement process. .

29. AdvancEd • Vision and Purpose operational • Governance and Leadership operational • Teaching and Learningoperational • Documenting and Using Results operational • Resources and Support Systems operational • Stakeholder Communications and Relationships operational • Commitment to Continuous Improvement operational • Vision and Purpose • Governance and Leadership • Teaching and Learning • Documenting and Using Results • Resources and Support Systems • Stakeholder Communications and Relationships • Commitment to Continuous Improvement Standards

30. AdvancEd √ School Improvement Plans developed with stakeholders √ School Leadership Teams implement plans, analyze data to track student performance, and adjust plans as needed. √ School Improvement Central Council oversees all School Improvement Plans, ensures realistic goals and a focus on improvement. * Mid-Year Progress Reports & End-of-Year Review * District Intervention & Assistance Plan and Team √ Staff Development is integrated and coordinated to support school improvement needs. √ Department of Testing, Research, and Evaluation provides meaningful feedback to schools allowing them to assess their progress with students. Quality Assurance

31. AdvancEd √ Schools and District Departments work together to collect evidence and undergo an annual self-assessment to evaluate how well they are meeting the seven research-based standards of a quality school district. √ A new system of monitoring AdvancED Standards for Quality Schools was developed in addition to ongoing monitoring of school directors and other district administrators in school visits and walkthroughs. √ At the district level, district and school staff members meet under the leadership of the deputy superintendent to review evidence and determine to what extent the district is meeting standards. Information is used to amend plans and allocate resources. √ Information and feedback is provided to the Board at their annual retreat as they develop goals for the following year. Quality Assurance

32. AdvancEd Peer-to-Peer Review Best Practice Submitted on-line. Our Submission: Early Intervention

33. AdvancEd Conclusion: ● Leon County Schools enjoys a strong, positive and professional working relationship between and among an elected superintendent, board members, employees, and the community. ● The district emphasizes the importance of focusing on classrooms and student performance. ● There is a district-wide focus on research-based strategies to enhance student performance. ● The district supports high quality teaching by well credentialed teachers, a strong teacher induction and mentoring program, and a well designed staff development program. ● Community stakeholder input, support, and resources are an important part of district operations. ● Continuing efforts of school improvement have become a routine way of work for schools in our district.

34. AdvancEd Our Greatest Challenges: Maintaining quality programs in the face of declining revenues. Finding resources to expand progress monitoring tools in core curriculum areas. Continuing to increase student performance for identified subgroups, particularly African-American, economically disadvantaged, English language learners, and students with disabilities Finding innovative, researched-based, cost effective solutions to long and short term challenges.

35. Next Steps • Submit our Standards Assessment Report • Standards Assessment Team Chair appointed. • Chair arrives to plan team visit. • Schools and district offices are selected for in-depth visit. • Team arrives Sunday, January 25th, and begins its work. • Team reports recommendations to Board and Superintendent at open Board meeting on Wednesday, January 28th.

36. AdvancEd We are on our way to District-wide Accreditation and continuous improvement!