Quality Education Investment Act of 2006 (QEIA)

1. Quality Education Investment Act of 2006February 13, 14, and 15, 2007San Diego, Sacramento, and Fresno

2. Quality Education Investment Act of 2006 (QEIA) Fred Balcom, Ph.D. Administrator High Priority Schools Office School Improvement Division California Department of Education fbalcom@cde.ca.gov (916) 324-3456 This presentation is being co-sponsored by California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA), The Hewlett Foundation, the California Department of Education, and American Institutes for Research (AIR)

3. Settlement Details • Established in Senate Bill 1133 (Torlakson) • Enacts agreement for use of “Proposition 98 Full Minimum Funding Guarantee.” • Intended for school improvement activities, primarily class size reduction, high quality staff development, experienced teacher distribution, and reduction of student-to-counselor ratios in high schools. • Total funding  $2.7 billion to selected schools over a seven year period. • Up to two county offices will be funded to provide technical assistance. • All QEIA-funded schools will participate in ongoing monitoring by county offices.

4. Eligible Schools • Schools, including charter schools, ranked in state decile ranks 1 or 2 per 2005 base Academic Performance Index (API) are eligible. • Schools currently participating in the High Priority Schools Grant Program are eligible, provided they agree to meet requirements for both programs. • High Priority schools in state monitoring are eligible, provided that they pass a “rigorous review” concerning their progress while in that process. • A list of all potentially eligible schools has been posted on the California Department of Education (CDE) Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r16/qeia07rfa.asp. • 1,455 schools are listed, but available funds will serve only about one-third of those schools.

5. Selection Process • The selection process was developed based on substantial stakeholder input. • All eligible and applying schools will be included in a random selection process. • Individual schools will be selected based on each district’s prioritization of all of its QEIA-eligible schools. • The resulting process provides an objective selection process that includes a measure of local control.

6. Regular vs. Alternative Application Option Schools must apply under either the regular or alternative application option. They should consider: • Whether class size reduction and reduction of student-to-counselor ratios (the regular QEIA process) would be an effective improvement effort. • Whether an alternative improvement activity would be more effective, and what that activity would be. Also, is the alternative activity based on solid research that demonstrates its effectiveness? • The possibility that applying under the alternative option will reduce the school’s chance of being selected for participation. A maximum of 15% of students may be served via the alternative option. Schools serving grade 9 with facilities issues have priority for selection under the alternative option.

7. Regular Option Regular option allows for instituting class size reduction, and reduction of student-to-counselor ratios in high schools. Schools must ensure the following by the end of the third year of full funding: • Class sizes of 25 per class or 5 less than in the 2005-06 school year • A student-to-counselor ratio no more than 300 to 1 • Each teacher in the school is highly qualified in accordance with the California plan under NCLB • The average experience of classroom teachers in the school is equal to or exceeds the district average • The school meets or exceeds its API growth target averaged over the first three full years of funding

8. Alternative Option Alternative option allows districts to propose an alternative approach to school improvement to the class size reduction/counselor increase required in the standard application process. The approach under the alternative option must include: • A description of the specific activities proposed to be taken, and how these activities will provide a higher level of pupil academic achievement than the regular program requirements. • Evidence that the proposal is based on reliable data and school improvementresearch that meets current and confirmed standards of scientifically based practices. • How schools will involve stakeholders, districts, schools, parents, and external entities in the planning, implementation, and monitoring process.

9. Alternative OptionConsiderations for Districts • The alternative program being considered should align with the district’s vision, mission and goals. • To ensure successful implementation of the alternative plan, the district must plan to provide support to the school. • Under the alternative program, the school must achieve improved API as required by statute. Specifically, it must exceed the school’s API growth target averaged over the first three years of full funding and annually thereafter.

10. Priority for Funding Schools serving any of grades 9 – 12 can apply for priority approval under this alternative application option. To receive priority, the school must explain an inability to implement class size reduction due to either: • Extraordinary issues relating to the school’s facilities, or • Adverse impact that the QEIA program might have on eligibility of the school district for state school facility funding.

11. Schools Currently in the High Priority Schools Grant Program Schools participating in the High Priority Schools Grant Program (HPSGP) are eligible to participate, provided: • They agree to meet all accountability requirements of both programs • State-monitored schools undergo a rigorous review by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction • They agree to revise their school action plan to reflect expanded school improvement activities they will undertake as QEIA participants

12. QEIA Implications for Districts • Prior school improvement programs have been based at the school site. • QEIA expects districts to take the lead in the school improvement process. • Successful districts will be prepared to address the challenges of QEIA implementation.

13. QEIA Implications for Districts A district that is well-prepared to implement the program in its schools will have assessed current school conditions: • Student demographics, performance levels, transiency rates, academic challenges • Teacher and administrator recruitment, retention, experience, pending retirements • School culture and physical conditions • School’s instructional context, curriculum, history of improvement efforts, lessons learned

14. QEIA Implications for Districts In deciding whether QEIA participation is appropriate for your schools: • Determine whether the needs of the school are aligned with QEIA benefits. • Determine whether the culture and attitudes of the school are conducive to QEIA implementation requirements. • Determine whether the physical and resource capacityof the school is sufficient for successful implementation. • In addition, determine whether there is sufficient district capacity to support successful QEIA implementation in its participating schools.

15. County Role – Regional Technical Support QEIA provides one-time funding of $5 million for up to two county offices of education to provide technical assistance, including: • Regional technical support to participating districts and schools during initial QEIA implementation • Documentation of successful school improvement practices • Sharing information on successful practices with schools, districts and chartering authorities in the region

16. County Role – Ongoing School and District Monitoring QEIA provides $2 million annually to COEs in counties with participating schools to conduct required annual monitoring activities. • COEs will monitor requirements for: • Class size reduction • Student-to-counselor ratios • Teacher and counselor qualifications • Average teaching experience • Success in meeting API growth targets • Professional development requirements • Williams v. CA requirements • Meeting requirements within statutory timelines • COEs will also monitor schools participating under alternative option using school-specified measures.

17. QEIA Work Plan Timeline

18. Form Orientation • Form 1: Two Signatures. • Form 2: i. Apply or not? ii. Prioritize Schools? iii. Regular or Alternative? iv. If alternative, can priority consideration be established?

19. Prioritizing Schools Sample Form

20. Form Orientation • Form 3: Initial (and do) all items and include all three required signatures. • Form 4: Complete at school level i. Confirm application option ii. Two signatures. • Form 5: Download and Sign. • Form 6: If applying under the alternative option, complete these items and include this cover page.