1 Phase III: Planning Action Developing Improvement Plans

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Phase III: Planning Action

Developing Improvement Plans

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Phases of the Working Systemically Approach

Phase I

Phase II

Phase III

Phase V Phase IV

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Session Questions

• What are some precursors to developing an improvement plan?

• How do you move from the ideal state to the improvement plan?

• How can you monitor implementation and impact of plans?

• What should you do after the plan is written?

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Competencies Built In this Process

• Creating coherence

• Collecting, interpreting, and using data

• Ensuring continuous professional learning

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District and campus improvement plans should be mutually supportive.

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Precursors to Planning

• Review existing district and campus improvement plans

Practice with sample campus improvement plans:– examine plans for strengths and weaknesses– select one plan for all to look at more closely– consider questions on Analyzing Improvement

Plans handout

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• Investigate research-based practices related to ideal state

Possible areas of inquiry:– Alignment of curriculum, instruction, and

assessment to state standards– Job-embedded professional development– High-yield instructional strategies– Creating a culture for collaboration – Leadership roles to support implementation


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Working Systemically tools:–Alignment Examination tool–Determining System Capacity tool


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USDOE–What Works Clearinghouse–National Center for Education Research

Professional organizations

Universities

And a host of others…


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Handout 5

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Ideal State

The district has a system to ensure that teachers

know and use research-based literacy practices and

that they collaborate regularly to plan lessons using

these practices to align instruction to state standards.

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Developing S.M.A.R.T. Objectives

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Relevant

Time-bound

Danielson, C. (2002). Enhancing student achievement: A framework for school improvement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

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Unpack Ideal State to Identify Objectives

Ideal State: The district has a system to ensure

that teachers know and use research-based literacy

practices and that they collaborate regularly to plan

lessons using these practices to align instruction to

state standards.

Underline key aspects

Handout 6

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From Ideal State to Objectives

Ideal State: The district has a system to ensure

that teachers know and use research-based literacy

practices and that they collaborate regularly to plan

lessons using these practices to align instruction to

state standards.

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From Ideal State to Objectives

Objective 1

100% of teachers will learn four research-based literacy practices in the 2008–2009 school year.

Objective 2

100% of teachers will collaborate to plan lessons that incorporate the four research-based practices in the 2008–2009 school year.

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Ideal State

The district has a system to ensure that teachers know and use research-based literacy practices and that they collaborate regularly to plan lessons using these practices to align instruction to state standards.

100% of teachers will learn at least 4 research-based literacy strategies in the 2008-2009 school year.

100% of teachers will collaborate to plan lessons with at least three research-based literacy practices in the 2008-2009 school year.

Objectives

Your turn…

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Ideal State

The district has a system to ensure that teachers know and use research-based literacy practices and that they collaborate regularly to plan lessons using these practices to align instruction to state standards.

100% of teachers will learn at least 4 research-based literacy strategies in the 2008-2009 school year.

100% of teachers will collaborate to plan lessons with at least three research-based literacy practices in the 2008-2009 school year.

Objectives

100% of teachers will apply the four research-based literacy practices in their classrooms throughout the 2008-2009 school year.

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From Objective to Strategy

Strategy:

• A plan of action to achieve an objective• Addresses how objective will be met• Identifies a sustained course of action• Is small enough to be manageable• Is significant enough to accomplish the objective

Usually 1–3 for each objective

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100% of teachers will learn four research-based literacy strategies in the 2008-2009 school year.

100% of teachers will collaborate to plan lessons with the four research-based literacy practices in the 2008-2009 school year.


Idea

l Sta

te

Objectives Strategies

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Identify a variety of ways to learn research-based literacy practices

Provide professional development in a variety of ways

Provide needed time & resources for collaborative planning

Monitor the effectiveness of collaborative planning




Idea

l Sta

te


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Identify a variety of ways to learn research-based literacy practices

Provide professional development in a variety of ways

Provide needed time & resources for collaborative planning

Monitor the effectiveness of collaborative planning

Monitor the use of research-based literacy practices for continuous improvement




Idea

l Sta

te


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Identifying Action Steps to Carry out Strategies

Action Step: • Provides a detailed step-by-step process for

implementing the strategies

• Leadership roles should be considered and written into plan:– Communicating clear expectations– Building capacity– Monitoring and reviewing

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Objective 3: 100% of teachers will apply the four research-based literacy practices in classrooms in the 2008-2009 school year

Objectives

Idea

l Sta

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Strategies

Strategy 1: Monitor the use of research-based literacy practices for continuous improvement

Step 1: Conduct walk-throughs focused on use of literacy practices

Action Steps

Step 2: Analyze data on the use of research-based literacy practices

Step 3: Use the data to plan next steps

Step 4:

Step 5:

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Objective 3: 100% of teachers will apply the four research-based literacy practices in classrooms in the 2008-2009 school year

Objectives

Idea

l Sta

te

Strategies

Strategy 1: Monitor the use of research-based literacy practices for continuous improvement

Step 1: Conduct walk-throughs focused on use of literacy practices

Action Steps

Step 2: Analyze data on the use of research-based literacy practices

Step 3: Use the data to plan next steps

Step 4: Share the data on use of practices with others

Step 5: Provide continuous coaching to teachers on practices

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Handout 7

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Identifying Action Steps to Carry out Strategies

For each action step, identify or describe. . .

– Person(s) ultimately responsible– Needed resources– Expected completion date– Benchmarks for monitoring– Evidence of implementation– Evidence of impact

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Determining Evidence of Implementation and Impact

Implementation:

• Did we do what we said we would do?

Impact:

• Did it make any difference? Did it result in expected outcomes?

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Action Step 1: Conduct walk-throughs focused on use of literacy practices.

Evidence of Implementation: Principals and reading coaches conduct at least one walk-through per week in every classroom and record the use of literacy practices.


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Action Step 1: Conduct walk-throughs focused on use of literacy practices.

Evidence of Impact: Teachers increase their use of research-based literacy practices. Principals and reading coaches have data on implementation of practices to guide decision making.


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Action Step 2: Analyze data on the use of research-based literacy practices.

Evidence of Implementation: The district and school leadership teams analyze data on the use of practices in October, December, March, and May.

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Action Step 2: Analyze data on the use of research-based literacy practices.

Evidence of Impact: The district leadership team has solid information to plan next steps.


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Action Step 3: Use the data to plan next steps.

Evidence of Implementation:

Your turn. . .

How would we know whether or not we completed this step?

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Action Step 3: Use the data to plan next steps.

Evidence of Impact:

Your turn. . .

What would we look for to determine whether or not this step made any difference?

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Improvement PlanDistrict/School Improvement Plan

Ideal State (Goal): Consider where/what we want to be. What do you want to achieve?Example: All students in the ABC School District receive high-quality instruction that enables them to meet or exceed performance standards.

Objective: A strategic position to be attained or purpose to be achievedExample from the above ideal state (goal): 100% of teachers will collaborate to plan lessons with research-based literacy practice.

Strategy: A carefully devised plan of action to achieve a goal, or the art of developing or carrying out such a plan; addresses how objectives are to be met, through what means orsustained course of action.Examples based on the above objective: 1. Provide time and resources for collaborative planning.

2. Monitor the effectiveness of collaborative planning

Action StepsPerson(s)

ResponsibleResources

CompletionDate

Evidence ofImplementation

Evidence of ImpactBenchmark

Timeline

Title 1Schoolwide

Components

How will we get there?(Needs to be detailed as a step-by step process.Think of it as the process of doing something inorder to achieve a purpose.)

Who will get usthere?[Person(s) withprimaryresponsibility]

What will we needto implement theaction step?[Materials/supplies,time, fiscalresources and/orhuman resources]

When will thisaction step becompleted?[Specific date]

What evidence willdemonstrate that theaction step wascompleted? [Identify atthe time the action stepis written]

What qualitative orquantitative evidence willindicate whether the actionstep had any effect onmoving towards our idealstate? [Identify at the timethe action step is written]

When will action stepbe monitored?___Initial (beginning)___Interim (formative)___Final (summative)

Whatschoolwidecomponent(s)does this actionstep address?

1a. Provide time after PD for teachers to planhow to incorporate practices into lessons.

1b. Arrange for the reading coach to attendgrade-level planning meetings at leastonce a week.

1c. Designate two grade-level team meetingsa week to collaborate on planning lessonsto use practices.

2a. Develop a rubric for indicators ofeffective collaboration.

2b. Share the rubric with teachers andexplain how it is to be used.

2c. Teachers will self-monitor theircollaboration at meetings.

2d. Compare teacher rubrics to principal’sratings on the rubric.

Handout 9

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Key to Title I Schoolwide Components

Handout 11

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After the Plan Is Completed

• Ensure alignment of district and school plans

– Mutually supportive

– School representation on district leadership team

– District representation on campus leadership teams

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• Establish processes and procedures for monitoring the plan

– At least quarterly reviews of the whole plan in leadership team meetings

– Important dates in the plan on a calendar

– Provide progress updates to district and others

– Provide for professional development as needs emerge


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• Establish processes and procedures for adjusting and revising the improvement plan

– At least quarterly at leadership team meetings

– Revisions, deletions, additions

– Tracking changes to plan

– Communicating plan and changes to plan


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Improvement Plan Revision Documentation

Handout 10

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Session Questions

• What are some precursors to developing an improvement plan?

• How do you move from an ideal state to action steps?

• How can you monitor implementation and impact of plans?

• What should you do after the plan is written?

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Phase III Steps

1. Review existing district and campus improvement plans

2. Investigate research-based practices related to ideal state

3. Develop (revise) the improvement plan

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4. Determine how to monitor implementation and impact of action steps

5. Establish processes and procedures for

— ensuring alignment with district plan

— monitoring the plan

— adjusting and revising the plan

— communicating the plan (including revisions)

Phase III Steps

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Phases of the Working Systemically Approach

Phase I

Phase II

Phase III

Phase V Phase IV

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Competencies Built In this Process

• Creating coherence

• Collecting, interpreting, and using data

• Ensuring continuous professional learning

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Documents

1 Phase III: Planning Action Developing Improvement Plans