Denver Plan 2020: Academic Flexibility for Great Schools

1. FLEXIBILITY and the DENVER PLAN 2020

2. Objectives for today: • Understand DPS’ future direction related to academic supports. • Understand DPS’ approach to academic flexibilities. • Preview aspects of the forthcoming Strategic Plan. • Understand next steps in exercising flexibilities and communicating with your school teams.

3. Denver Plan 2020 Goals GOALS Great Schools in every neighborhood School Readiness Ready for College and Career Support for the Whole Child Close the Opportunity Gap Priorities Leadership Teaching Flexibility Invest Early Culture

4. Academic Strategic Plan • Supports the implementation of the goals of the Denver Plan 2020 • Sets the district’s vision of a DPS graduate and a DPS classroom • Lays out expectations for central office and schools • Instructional Core • Professional learning • Innovation • Communicates the opt-in resources and supports available from AIO and CSO to implement the vision of a DPS classroom • Curricular and assessment resources • Personalized learning • Provides a road map to execute with excellence • Feedback from over 600 educators, staff, experts and community members.

5. Applying Flexibility to the Academic Supports Strategic Plan: • According to the Denver Plan, we will empower schools through flexible, school-based decision-making with differentiated supports & innovation. • We will move to an opt in approachthrough which school leaders will exercise flexibility in selecting core curriculum, interim assessmentsand professional learningstarting now. • This decision reflects our belief that empowering school leaders will ultimately lead to more accelerated gains for youth. • Core beliefs of the Board and Senior Team reflected in this decision: • When school leaders are empowered to make decisions that affect their students, we are more likely to see our students succeed and are more likely to attract strong talent to the organization. • Given the complexity and importance of the work of teaching our students, it is vital that we attract and retain talented and committed professionals in all our school and district roles. • How we do things matters - our actions need to align to our beliefs.

6. What does this change mean?

7. Opting In to District options • You receive: • Newly adopted curricular resources aligned to priority standards. • Literacy: EngageNY for grades 4-8 • Math: CMP3 for grades 6-8. • Scope and Sequence, Lesson plans, ELL materials, etc. • Professional learning aligned to the new curriculum. • Summer sessions and Blue/Green days. • Interim assessments aligned to the new curriculum • Vendor and full details TBD. • School based support • Academic, network and data partner support. • Technology support • Schoolnet, digital curriculum platforms, portals

8. Declining District Option • Principals may choose a bundled package with all three areas, or choose to adopt any of the three resources. • Principals that choose to purchase their own resources will need to comply with guidelines on Special Education and English Language Learners. • Principals will be provided quality guidelines, rubrics and other tools to make informed choices and are encouraged to work with ISs and school-based CSC/SLT to determine the right path for the school and the steps to choose resources. • What you’ll get • $100/student for curriculum in grades & subjects being adopted in current cycle. • $22.82/hour per teacher times number of hours of district professional learning. • Assessment finances TBD. • Consider what will not be included: • Unique curriculum and assessments may not be loaded into Schoolnet and portals. • Leaders will have the opportunity to work with your IS and team to consider costs, timelines and bandwidth when creating or purchasing resources.

9. A Few Key Decisions • Do turnaround schools have the flexibility to opt in? Yes. Schools with TIG funding are required to fulfill their grant expectations. • Are there limits to school flexibility based on their negative impact on equity of access, resources and responsibility? Yes. Largely relating to complying with the law. • Will LEAP and LEAD remain in effect? Yes. • Will we still move forward with the teacher leadership/differentiated roles program?Yes. The goal is for all schools to have teacher leaders by the 2017-2018 school year. • Will funding be available to support schools not opting in to district provided supports?About $100/student for curriculum for grades and subjects being adopted in current cycle; $22.82/hour per teacher times number of hours of district professional learning. Assessments TBD. • You will be provided FAQ documents for complete responses and additional questions.

10. A Few Key Decisions (cont.) Does an Instructional Superintendent have to approve choices made by school leaders? Choices on curriculum, assessments and professional learning are for principals to make. We encourage principals to discuss these decisions thoughtfully with their instructional superintendent and encourage our IS’s to give candid feedback, respecting the fact that the ultimate decision lies with the principal. What AIO supports are available to schools that do not opt-in to district curriculum and assessments? For 2015-16,supports for schools not opting in will focus less on specific curricular resources and more on standards-roll out more generally. It is unlikely that we can commit to supporting unique curricular resources. What about Innovation Schools? Innovation schools will continueto operate with flexibilities approved in their Innovation Plans.

11. Working timeline for principals

12. We understand … • We know this is a major shift at the end of the year. • We understand the timing might be difficult, but we are excited for the opportunities ahead. As you go … • What is the first thing you need to consider for your school? • What is your first step in determining the best path for your school?

13. Questions and Feedback • Email: flexibility@dpsk12.org • Website with resources: http://flexibility.dpsk12.org