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Race to the Top, Phase 2. Webinars: May 4, 6, and 10, 2010. In this presentation. Lessons learned from Phase 1 Timeline for Phase 2 Stakeholder engagement MOU details and deadlines Why participate? How does the money work? Section-by-section proposals and changes from Phase 1
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Race to the Top, Phase 2 Webinars: May 4, 6, and 10, 2010
In this presentation • Lessons learned from Phase 1 • Timeline for Phase 2 • Stakeholder engagement • MOU details and deadlines • Why participate? How does the money work? • Section-by-section proposals and changes from Phase 1 • Next steps and questions
Lessons Learned from Phase 1 • MA scored well in many areas: • progress in reform areas and in improving student outcomes • statewide capacity & impact • using data to improve instruction • school turnaround plans • making education funding a priority • Opportunities for substantial point gains: • sign-on and support from LEAs • implementing common core standards • fully implementing a state longitudinal data system • teacher and leader strategy
Timeline for Phase 2 March 29: TN and DE win Phase 1 grants March 30: Began planning for Phase 2; reopened MOU process April & May: Engage stakeholders in planning for revised proposal May 24: MOUs due June 1: Applications due to USED
Stakeholder Engagement • Numerous meetings with key state associations • Distributed survey statewide to identify priorities for revisions • External teams formed for assurance areas to assist with revisions • Scheduled three webinars in May for superintendents, union leaders, and school committee members • Regional district “ambassadors” selected
MOU Updates • All MOUs submitted for Phase 1 will be counted for Phase 2 unless districts choose to opt out and notify us in writing. • Districts that did not submit complete MOUs in Phase 1 have until May 24 to complete them for Phase 2. • Only MOUs with signatures from the superintendent, school committee chair, and local union leader will be counted. • Districts can also change their choices on the two optional MOU elements, but again, you must notify us in writing by May 24. Optional elements: • Teaching and learning system • College and career readiness
Why participate? • Work worth doing • Prepare students for success after high school • Become more deliberate and skilled at using data effectively • Provide more useful feedback to teachers and principals • Increase access to the best teachers for struggling students • Increase the sense of urgency and the resources available for reforming low performing schools • Opportunity to shape reforms • RTTT requirements are likely to be reflected in other federal grants (already in School Turnaround Grants) • Many state policy proposals are on the agenda even w/o RTTT • Opportunity to influence their shape and to access additional resources to support implementation costs
Why participate? • Additional funding for implementation • Participating districts will receive roughly 15% of their usual Title I allocation in each of the 4 years of the grant • More in a minute • Early access to new state systems • PreK to 12 Teaching and Learning System • Expansion of Educator Data Warehouse access to all teachers • Models for teacher and principal evaluation
How does the money work? • The state will apply for $250 million • $125 million will go directly to participating districts through the Title I formula • Participating districts can expect to receive roughly 15% of their usual Title I allocation in each of the 4 years of the grant • The other $125 million goes to the state • Build systems that benefit all districts • Provide incentives for districts to participate in grant activities (e.g., sharing the cost of starting an Early College High School) • RTTT money can only be spent on activities specified in the state’s application
Plans for improvement: Section by section • State Success Factors • Standards and Assessments • Using Data to Improve Instruction • Great Teachers and Leaders • School Turnaround • General
State Success Factors • Includes: • Executive Summary • State implementation plan • LEA participation and stakeholder support details
A – Changes from Phase 1 • Increase LEA participation • Illustrate plans to sustain work post-RTTT • Strengthen focus on outcomes over process • Clarify plans to support LEAs and to ensure dissemination and implementation of best practices • Cut $37 million from the budget
(B) Standards and Assessments • Includes: • Plan to adopt Common Core Standards and participate in Common Assessment Consortium • Massachusetts Teaching and Learning System • Plan to turn MassCore into default HS curriculum and align public college entry requirements • STEM-focused Early College High Schools • Pre-AP teacher training & curriculum development
B – Changes from Phase 1 • Highlight plan to adopt Common Core Standards if they are at least as strong as our current standards • Illustrate our leadership role in the multi-state assessment consortium • Refine teaching and learning system • Strengthen focus on college and career readiness and streamline range of activities
(C) Using Data to Improve Instruction • Includes: • Development of state longitudinal data system • Improvements to Education Data Warehouse • Technology needs to support the MA Teaching and Learning System in Section B • Expansion of educator training and supports in data use
C – Changes from Phase 1 • Rewrite descriptions of existing state longitudinal data systems to clarify what is currently in place • Provide mock-ups of new reports for teachers, principals, district-level administrators, and state agencies (including DHE & EEC) • Reduce overall scope of new technology builds
(D) Great Teachers and Leaders • Includes: • Development and implementation of a teacher and administrator evaluation system based in measures of effectiveness • Efforts to ensure equitable distribution of teachers and principals, including incentives, loan forgiveness, partnerships with UTeach, etc. • Improvements to teacher and principal prep programs • Improved support for teachers and principals through targeted PD opportunities
D – Changes from Phase 1 • Articulate comprehensive theory of action for an aligned performance-based system across the career continuum; clarify and specify the intended outcomes of the proposal. • Accelerate regulatory change with respect to teacher and principal evaluation tied to core elements specified in MOU • Shift evaluation pilot fundingto implementation; continue emphasis on principal/teacher training • Focus equitable distribution on narrower set of initiatives to attract and retain effective teachers and principals in high need fields and schools; increase incentives and specify their reach. • Clarify how retention and student performance data will be used • Refine PD approaches and provide clearer links to evaluation and relicensure.
(E) School Turnaround • Includes: • Identification of persistently lowest-achieving schools • Specialized corps of turnaround teacher and leader teams to support these schools • Development of partners to: • Build district capacity to support low performing schools (social/emotional supports, expanded school day/year, effective use of data) • Strengthen key district systems (HR, governance, family engagement) • Launch the restart model at Level 4 and 5 schools
E – Changes from Phase 1 • Include approved regulations for the new ed reform law • Describe the characteristics of the 35 Level 4 schools and the supports now in place for their transformation • Highlight and expand services for English language learners and their families • Highlight and expand services for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities • Reframe wraparound zone, dropout prevention, and alternative education strategies as part of a larger statewide strategy of the governor’s Cabinet on Child and Youth Services
(F) General • Includes: • Illustrates how MA has made education funding a priority, even through fiscal downturn • Laws relating to charter school caps, accountability, funding and facilities • Details on other innovative schools
F – Changes from Phase 1 • Clarify new charter law and “smart cap” • Add details about Innovation Schools • Explain the funding mechanism for charter schools more clearly to address concerns about variation in funding
Next Steps • For ESE: • Bolster commitment from LEAs and stakeholders • Continue to work with external stakeholders to vet and refine revisions • Reapply for Phase 2 • For districts: • If not currently participating: submit your signed MOU • If currently participating: as needed, notify ESE of any changes in your MOU • All MOUs are due by May 24
Questions? • Today: Submit questions using the Chat feature • If you have questions later: • Email: rttt@doe.mass.edu • Website: http://www.doe.mass.edu/arra/