2011 ADMINISTRATORS’ DAYS PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION: Systems for Student Success

2011 ADMINISTRATORS’ DAYSPATHWAYS TO GRADUATION: Systems for Student Success Roger Breed, Ed.D. Commissioner of Education Nebraska Department of Education August 3, 2011

Agenda Context and Drivers NDE Update and Initiatives Brakes Accelerators Nebraska Teachers of the Year

21st Century – How are we doing? • Science Fiction or Science Fact • Five Myths about America’s Schools • Our schools are failing. • Unions defend bad teachers. • Billionaires know best. • Charter schools are the answer. • More effective teachers are the answer.

21st Century -How are we doing? • Five Pillars of Success • Government-funded research 4. Regulation • Infrastructure 2. Immigration 1. Education

Focus On Learning Our “hedgehog concept” in Nebraska: We accept high levels of learning for all students as the fundamental purpose of our schools and therefore we are willing to examine all practices in light of impact on learning.

Drivers Student Demographics Public School Mission Accountability Process

First Driver Nebraska Public Schools Demographics • 251 School Districts • Omaha – 48,796 students • McPherson County – 83 students • 137 school districts with less than 390 students Trends: Fewer districts, more smaller districts

Nebraska Public Schools Demographics Trends: More minority, greater levels of poverty

Nebraska Public Schools Demographics • 298,314 Students (preK -12) • 41% qualify for free and reduced price lunch • 6.5% qualify for ELL • 16% require special education services Trends: Greater needs, fewer supports

County Census - 2010 Non Metro Counties (84) - 1.8% Metro Counties (9) +13.7% Youth 17 years and younger: Lancaster, Douglas, Sarpy +12.3% 62 Counties - 10.0% 28 Frontier Counties* - 18.0% (*Density of less than 6 people per square mile)

Nebraska High School Graduates Trends Percentages of Graduates by Race/Ethnicity 2010-2020 +7.3%

Nebraska Teachers Experience shift underway 52% have less than 10 years experience 40% leave within first 10 years Professional development Impact of technology

Student Attendance 2009-2010 • 21,964 students missed more than 20 days (8%) • 1,513 Grades 1 & 2 students missed more than 20 days • NeSA – R Performance • Grade 11- less than 20 days–102 scale score • Grade 11- more than 20 days–72 scale score

Second Driver Public School Mission • Select and sort (1950’s) • Universal Access (CR, IDEA, ADA in 1960’s and 1970’s) • Universal High Achievement (NCLB in 2002) • College/Career Ready (now)

Public School Mission Today “All students high school graduates, college and career ready.”

P-16 Goals & Virtual Education Initiative • PreK-16 System of Education • Graduation requirements • High school graduation rate • “Gaps” • College access and completion • “Virtual” opportunities

Federal Agenda: All students high school graduates, college and career ready. Where we need to go: • Improve student achievement • Narrow achievement gaps • Increase graduation and college enrollment rates PRESIDENT OBAMA’S GOAL America will have the highest proportion of college graduates of any country by 2020

Education And Jobs All U.S. job growth in last 40 years occurred in jobs requiring at least some college or a college degree.

Nebraska Jobs Projections • 66% of all jobs will require some postsecondary training beyond high school in the next decade • US needs 20,000,000 additional workers with some college or college degrees in next 15 years -June 2011 Study Georgetown University

Nebraska Mission–“Our Work” • “All students high school graduates, college and career ready” • CCR Standards (reading, math, science) • High School Graduation (4 year cohort method) • PreK-16 System • Broadened Approach • Aligned Efforts

Third Driver Accountability Process • Federal, State, Local • AYP, SIG-PLAS • Assessments • SLDS • New State Accountability Model • Teachers and Leaders Standards • Continuous Improvement

NeSA Update • Standards • Revised: Reading, Math, Science • Social Studies this year • Assessments – • Reading and Math underway • Writing continues • Science in 2012

NeSA Release • August 15 - Scores released to districts • August 29 - Public release of scores • Reading and Math, Writing (Grades 4, 8) • No disaggregated data • October 19 – State of Schools Report • Disaggregated data • Graduation rates • Accountability decision • AYP, PLAS

SLDS • PreK-16 Student Identification • PreK-12 Connect Teacher to Students • PreK-20 System • NDE host • Work force data • Annual reports

Data System P-20 Unique identifiers for students/teachers Track student progress Match student records between P-12/Higher Ed/Employment Report to high school readiness of graduates Quality, data governance, research

State Accountability Plan • Multiple Measures • NeSA – 4 subjects • Graduation Rate • Participation Rate • Growth and Improvement • Schools/Districts • Usable/Understandable/Transparent

NDE Update/Initiatives Assistance on the Pathway To lead and support the preparation of all Nebraskans for learning, earning and living 40+ sessions

Standards Next up: Social Studies Standards Instructional Tool Student/Parent Friendly Language Arts Standards Model Science Curricula

School Improvement The Plan • Continuous • All Staff involved • Used to align resources, strategies • AdvancED • Revision to Rule 10

Educator Standards Teachers and Principals Standards To impact student learning To inform preparation, certification, mentoring professional development and teacher/principal evaluation

Early Childhood Education Expanding quality early childhood experience Key to closing gaps Multiagency effort to write an Early Learning Challenge Grant Application

Master Calendar All required forms All due dates Users can view month, week, day and set up email reminders Check it out!

Data Services Completing ARRA requirements Including 2.6 million records (every student, every course, connected to teacher) Shift from just collection to research/evaluation District efforts/NDE support

Special Populations “Meets Requirements” On-site verification visit in September IDEA applications – GMS consolidated SPED endorsements VR – Project Search

Career and Technical Education • Dual credit/career academies uniform policies/practices/transferability (LB 637) • Rapidly growing opportunities • CTE standards access • Research shows CTE concentrators (dual credit) have lower dropout rates, enroll in college at a higher rate and complete college at a higher rate • Developing career/employability models, with Department of Labor

New English Language Learner (ELL) Rule Address identification of ELL students Services required/recommended Address parameters of programs Address assessment/accommodation issues Address exit requirements

Revise Rule 84 – ESUs • Update a rule last revised in 1998 • Recognize ESU Coordinating Council (ESUCC) • Strengthen partnership and delineate roles of NDE and ESUs • Establish required core services • Establish system of coordination for professional development

BRAKES Apathy Accepting “myths” Disjointed efforts Short term changes Tradition unquestioned Funding

FUNDING • US average PPE = $10,499 (2009) • NE average PPE = $10,045 (2009) • Bottom five – Ashland-Greenwood, Gretna, Norris, Beatrice, and Millard - $8,500 ADM • Top five – Sioux County, Bruning-Davenport, Thedford, Santee, McPherson County - $23,570 ADM • New Realities – ‘Doing more with less,’ Equalization, Equity, Competition at all levels

ACCELERATORS Urgency Early Learning Time Collaboration Alignment Of Efforts Bolder/Broader Approach Sustainability

Sustainability – M. Fullan “ . . . The capacity of a system to engage in the complexities of continuous improvement consistent with deep values of human purpose.”

Deep Values in Education • All children can learn • All means ALL • Small number of key priorities • Resolute leadership/stay on message • Collective capacity • Strategies with precision • Intelligent accountability

Thanks! . . . For all you do! Have a great 2011-12 school year!

2011 ADMINISTRATORS’ DAYS PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION: Systems for Student Success