Advanced Academic Programs Advisory Committee (AAPAC) Report Staff Response to the 2015-2016 Recommendations

Committee Charge for 2015-16 AAPAC will conduct an analysis of high school advanced math, science, technology, arts and humanities course offerings, as well as enrichment programs and work experiences. AAPAC then will make recommendations to maximize equity of access to dynamic programming and high-level learning experiences for all advanced academic learners. In its 2015-2016 annual report to the School Board, the Advanced Academic Advisory Committee (AAPAC) provided a review of the committee’s work and offered recommendations for advanced academic services. Listed below are the committee’s recommendations, followed by staff responses:

AAPAC recommends that FCPS generate and distribute a brochure, both online and in print, that summarizes course and extracurricular offerings across all high schools in the county. Staff will explore options for sharing and distributing course and extracurricular offerings across all high schools in the county. AAPAC recommends expanding the option to participate in online or collaborative classes, including the introduction of live-streamed courses, particularly where the course is not offered locally. High school students are currently eligible to take two online courses each year. In the future, live-streamed courses may be possible with the one-to-one initiative. AAPAC recommends that FCPS leverage its relationships with local businesses that sponsor programs in a specific school to see if they would be open to enhancing their outreach to FCPS at large, so that funds become available for neighborhood schools that may have fewer resources but are in need of enrichment opportunities. Staff will explore options and collaborate with FCPS offices and departments to ensure that schools with fewer resources have enrichment opportunities.

AAPAC recommends that the County continue to encourage AAP students and parents to become aware of and take advantage of the rigorous opportunities available through AP courses and exams. Staff will work to support school-based staff to ensure that community outreach supports sharing the value of AP courses and their associated exams with AP Coordinators meetings, Directors of Student Services (DSS) meetings, and at principal updates. Schools publish and share course offerings with their students, parents and communities prior to course selection each year. This year course selection in high schools will begin in December.

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AAPAC recommends the County support the introduction of IBMYP, where there is community support, for those high schools that offer IB diploma programs and do not currently have an IBMYP program at their feeder middle schools. Concerns have been raised by AAPAC members about the availability of advanced mathematics in some IB schools for AAP students that take Algebra in 7th grade and proceed to an IB school.

We are continuing to look for ways to ensure access to advanced mathematics all four years of high school to include the addition of online opportunities.

AAPAC recommends, identifying students currently enrolled in CTE courses to speak to middle school students transitioning to high school about their experience. Staff will work with the CTE office to ensure that students enrolled in CTE courses in high school have the opportunity to share with middle school students the successes and the variety of benefits that CTE courses afford students.

AAPAC recommends that FCPS consider creating additional, geographically dispersed Governor’s Academies in Fairfax County. This recommendation will be taken into consideration as FCPS staff reviews current academies and considers creating additional academies in the future. AAPAC recommends that in addition to the current dual enrollment offerings, FCPS offer dual enrollment options for higher-level World Languages and science courses. Staff will continue to explore options; however, the challenge is the number of languages offered, the need to support multiple levels, and a robust offering of AP and IB offerings that currently support students’ needs. AAPAC recommends that greater differentiation of instruction be offered (an AAP best practice for classroom strategies and instruction) for World Language courses including honors levels and possibly a dual enrollment option. Staff will work with the World Languages Office to investigate offering honors World Language courses and what dual enrollment possibilities might exist that would serve student interests. AAPAC recommends that parents be offered additional opportunities to learn about Naviance and be made aware when students are using the tool as part of their curriculum planning. Staff will work with the Project Manager of the Student Learning Plan and School Counseling Services to examine additional modes of providing parent learning opportunities around Naviance as well as ways that schools may share information with parents around school-based activities in the platform.

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AAPAC recommends that college fairs and visits from college admissions officers be more widely communicated to students at all high schools. Staff will work in conjunction with School Counseling Services to explore additional ways in which county-wide events such as College Fair, College Night, and the Gap-Year Fair as well as school-based college visits can be further promoted within both FCPS and school communities. AAPAC recommends that the County work with its business partners to develop more opportunities in a wider variety of professional disciplines. The FCPS Strategic Plan includes plans to expand internship opportunities across the district.

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Adult and Community Education (ACE) Advisory Committee Staff Response to Recommendations for 2015-16

Committee Charge for 2015-16 1. Ensure that ACE Career Readiness program and Adult ESOL are prepared to comply with the new components and expectations in the 2017 Adult Education and Family Literacy ACT (AEFLA) Grant as a result of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) by providing information and guidance on specific industries and career paths to target employment needs and qualifications requirements for prospective employees. 2. Assess the General Educational Developmental (GED program and changes being proposed by VDOE as they relate to the Adult High School Completion Program, and assess the changes required in resources for successful implementation of GED or replacement exam. Committee Recommendations: Advise the School Board to support a viable location for the FCPS Adult ESOL Program in the Seven Corners-Baileys’ Crossroads Area of Mason District. FCPS Adult ESOL Program has discontinued providing classes at the Willston Multicultural Center as of August 13, 12016. ACE is working with Facilities Management, FCPS Leadership Team, and the School Board to ensure that services in the Seven Corners-Baileys’ Crossroads area are maintained. Interim facilities are being explored so that classes can resume on schedule for the fall 2016 term. Staff will continue to explore longer term options for providing Adult ESOL classes in the Seven Corners-Bailey’s Crossroads area. Advise the School Board to appropriate additional funds for Adult and Community Education for a permanent counselor. Adult and Community Education agrees with this recommendation. As specified in the annual report justification for this recommendation, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) requires that students are provided options for career and post-secondary opportunities. The Adult and Community Education program would benefit from having a full time workforce innovation counselor. This counselor will work with Adult ESOL students and other adult programs to provide information and guidance on specific industries and career paths to target employment needs, qualification requirements for prospective employees, and post-secondary education opportunities and pathways. Advise the School Board to appropriate additional funds for Adult High School Completion (AHSC) programs to support the new GED requirements to ensure increased pass rates for students. The School Board should encourage and support opportunities for GED staff to participate in professional development at the local, regional, and/or state level. Fairfax County Adult High School Completion, GED program, used allocated local funds and grant funds to support 2014 GED requirements and increase pass rates of the 2014 GED exam. Funds have been used in the following ways: 1. GED staff members have rewritten curriculum to reflect rigor, relevance and student centered activities to increase student engagement in GED classes. 2. Instructional staff participated in GED Testing Services’ webinars which offered new instructional strategies to help learners pass the 2014 GED test.

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In addition, VDOE will offer a Request for Application (RFA) opportunity to all High School Equivalency (HSE) examination vendors not previously approved. The RFA will be available in October, 2016. The HSE committee will meet to discuss evaluations of applications in January, 2017.

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Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities (ACSD) Report Staff Response to the 2015-2016 Recommendations

Committee Charge for 2015-2016 Preschool through Grade 2 Subcommittee Recommendations: Practices and Assessments: Further examine, as needed, the practices FCPS currently uses to assess executive functioning skills of students with low, middle and high incidence disabilities. Efficacy: Examine how effectively the practices and assessment contribute information deemed essential to the development of academic and functional IEP goals. Emphasis: The examination should include emphasis on the a) identification of professional development needs related to the assessment of executive skills, b) interventions and supports to promote executive skills, and c) use of technology tools to support executive functioning. Committee Recommendations and Staff Responses Provide parental, staff and student training for parents to create a greater awareness and understanding of EF. Continue and expand programs offered at the Parent Resource Center regarding the development of EF skills and how to support growth of these skills, both in the home and at school. The Office of Special Education Instruction (OSEI), in collaboration with other FCPS departments, will continue to offer professional development workshops and resources to parents through the Parent Resource Center (PRC) to create greater awareness and understanding of executive functioning skills. OSEI, in collaboration with other FCPS departments, will continue to offer professional development workshops on executive functioning skills to parents at the 2017 Special Education Conference. Emphasize a division-wide focus and staff development training on EF skills at early learning levels Ensure that direct instruction is provided to both general and special education staff Ensure that staff members are able to embed activities that support the development of these skills in instruction Include training on the use of technology tools to support skill development Ensure that staff can provide intensive interventions to students who do not meet age-appropriate expectations Establish a pre-kindergarten through grade 2 Community of Practice related to facilitating EF skills in the classroom Promote collaboration between and among educators related to classroom activities that facilitate the development of “the seven essential life skills” Promote the use of book studies and discussions to expand knowledge of instructional practices related to EF skills in young children

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August 2016 - OSEI held an Executive Functions Summer Institute for FCPS employees that promoted awareness of what executive functions are and how these skills can be integrated into all aspects of instruction. Multiple sessions were offered from Pre-K through grade 12. This will continue to be an annual institute. August 2016 - OSEI offered a professional development session to administrators on executive functioning at the FCPS Leadership Conference. The workshop focused on how administrators can integrate and promote the development of EF skills within their school environment. OSEI will continue to offer professional development for instructional staff and administrators that includes an overview of executive functioning and how to embed EF strategies and skill development across the school day. One hundred kindergarten classes in FCPS will provide tier 2 social skills and executive functioning skills intervention to students through the Teach Town Social Skills curriculum and assessment program. Teach Town Social Skills utilizes evidence-based practices to teach socially valid behaviors through the use of animated video-modeling episodes, teacher-delivered lessons, and student activities. Bridge to Kindergarten is a three week transition program for rising kindergarteners who did not have a prekindergarten experience. The program started the summer of 2013 in 24 schools (750 students). Since then, Bridge to Kindergarten has been implemented in 50 schools (1160 students) in 2014, 62 schools (1315 students) in 2015, and 49 schools (1168 students) in 2016. Bridge to Kindergarten supports rising kindergartens students in having a positive transition by nurturing child-teacher relationships, developing school behaviors (executive function skills and self-regulation), and connecting families to the school. Bridge to PAC and Pathways to Preschool is a collaborative effort between OSEI and Infant Toddler Connection (ITC) to provide a program for students transitioning from ITC to FCPS Early Childhood Special Education. These programs support students in having a positive transition by nurturing child-teacher relationships and developing school behaviors (executive function skills and self-regulation), along with providing parents with information about special education services within FCPS. Grades 3 through 5 Subcommittee Recommendations: Students with EF deficiencies would benefit from assistive technology that lessens the cognitive burden of performing mechanical tasks, and also provides guided mentorship and informative feedback. Assistive technology that lessens the cognitive burden of performing mechanical tasks, along with guided mentorship and informative feedback are needed. Provide to parents, caregivers, staff and youth a comprehensive list of tools (low and high technology) to assess, teach and reinforce EF skills. List offered below. Assistive Technology Services will develop a comprehensive list of low and high tech tools to assess, teach, and reinforce executive functioning skills. Staff should improve transparency and availability of EF programs and tools (prevention, secondary, tertiary) across the county. Provide a list of and offer professional

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development and materials to support evidence-based secondary and tertiary practices and programs. List offered below. Assistive Technology Services will continue to offer professional development and school support on technology tools to support the development of executive functioning skills for all students in FCPS. OSEI will continue to collaborate with School Counseling Services to increase awareness of and offer professional development on the Academic Habits curriculum that was written by multidisciplinary teams over the summers in 2014, 2015, and 2016. These K-12 lessons link to executive function skills and can be taught by classroom teachers or school counselors as either general education curriculum or for small-group interventions. Grades 6 through 8 Subcommittee Recommendations: FCPS develop an informal brief EF screening tool (such as a simple checklist) that is to be filled out by both teachers and parents in preparation for a student’s transition IEP meeting. If the screening tool shows that there may be EF concerns, then the more formal and lengthy EF assessments discussed above should be used to determine the exact areas of concern and develop IEP goals and/or determine appropriate interventions. In collaboration with several departments, OSEI will develop an informal screening and assessment tool of executive functions that can be utilized by both school staff and parents to assist in determining areas of skill deficit. FCPS develop a consistent definition of EF, EF Deficits and how these might manifest in a classroom setting. Case managers responsible for transition IEPs are given training on these definitions, deficits, classroom manifestations and EF needs of students in middle school so they are better prepared to identify students who may need an EF assessment before transitioning to middle school. OSEI will offer professional development to special education case managers on IEP goal development for students with executive functioning deficits. Interventions are developed in the transition IEP and practiced with the student before the start of middle school to proactively set the child up for success upon entering middle school. Implement a survey or conduct a review of special education school-based staff who contribute to IEP goals that target these EF skills and the accompanying intervention strategies to determine current practices. Develop an internal, digitally available, repository of IEP goals that target specific EF deficits that would allow for the deeper development of a community of practice focused around the area of EF. In collaboration with other departments, OSEI will develop a resource document for teachers that includes specific areas of need related to executive functioning deficits and provides examples of IEP goals that target specific skills.

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Better PD for case managers in charge of IEP goals regarding EF deficits, how to identify potential EF deficits and how to develop and implement IEP goals aimed at developing implementations to address EF deficits across settings. OSEI will offer professional development to special education case managers on IEP goal development for students with executive functioning deficits. Expand the EF in the Secondary Classroom offering and/or use graduates of this program as trainers for their specific schools. Include PD for general education teachers and teams so that EF skills are taught and generalized throughout a student’s day. OSEI will collaborate with the Office of Professional Learning and Family Engagement to continue to offer professional development for instructional staff and administrators that includes an overview of executive functioning and how to embed EF strategies and skill development across the school day. Simultaneously, FCPS should be identifying and screening various professional development delivery methods including: Multiple year, ongoing onsite PD which, due to budget constraints, should include virtual coaching as a key component of the training, development of a train the trainer model that creates several EF subject matter specialist either in each building or across the district by sending them out to attend specific seminars, learning summits, and or graduate courses (see below), direct and develop PLC programming that takes groups of teachers through EF skill development and must also offer recommendations for strategies to incorporate EF skill development explicitly in their lessons, using the online repository recommended above; and consider many online course offering that can be synchronous or asynchronous depending on teacher preference. OSEI will develop an eLearnIT online course for instructional staff and administrators that includes an overview of executive functioning and how to embed EF strategies and skill development across the school day. OSEI will collaborate with Children’s National Health System to conduct an approved research study regarding their school-based executive function intervention for teens with autism spectrum disorder, On Target for Life. On Target for Life is the middle school version of Unstuck and On Target. On Target for Life teaches teens with autism spectrum disorder how to think and act flexibly, set goals and make plans for achieving goals, and how to work independently and efficiently without getting “stuck” on details. Grades 9 through 12 Subcommittee Recommendations: Obtain or develop pre - and post-objective assessments to measure a student’s progress in EF skills rather than only having the student’s self-assessment be the only measure; to ensure produce metrics that can be tracked to show progress is being made individually and at a class level. Increase the number of students that receive EF Assessments done in secondary schools in 2016-2017; target students, who appear academically unmotivated, are believed to be underachieving and/or struggle academically.

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Provide the Mountain View research-based program with fidelity in the Strategies for Success and Personal Development courses in 2016-17 at FCPS high schools and middle schools. OSEI will collaborate with Children’s National Health System to conduct an approved research study on their school-based executive function intervention for teens with autism spectrum disorder, Flexible Futures. Flexible Futures is part of the spiraling curriculum including Unstuck and On Target (elementary) and On Target for Life (middle school). Flexible Futures is the high school curriculum, designed to prepare students for postsecondary education. Encourage all teachers of “Strategies for Success and Personal Development” to take the Academy Course currently offered on the “Mountain View EF in the Secondary Classroom.” OSEI will continue to sponsor two FCPS Academy courses, “Executive Functioning in the Secondary Classroom”. Participants will examine Mountain View Alternative High School’s model for the integration of executive function skills into the classroom and daily lessons. Encourage all secondary teachers and local school administrators to take a brief online professional training module on EF and academic success, prior to the opening of school year 2016 to further increase awareness. Ensure the Office of Assistive Technology and teachers of students with EF skill deficiencies work closely together to identify and continually use the best and most up to date technologies, to assist and improve student’s EF skills. Provide a district level EF Specialist. Designate an EF Coach in each secondary school. Provide a “Tech Tools” Secondary General Education Academy course; on the effective use of Assistive Technology to develop EF Skills for academic success. By-Laws Subcommittee Recommendations: The Bylaws Subcommittee recommends that the School Board approves the ACSD 2016 Bylaws, as revised (see By-Laws subsection for more information).

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Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee (CTEAC) Staff Response to Recommendations for 2015-16

Update

Committee Charge for 2015-16 Examine data relevant to the 16 Career Clusters (current courses and enrollments, workforce development needs, industry credentials, and student career interest surveys) and make recommendations for changes to Career and Technical (CTE) curriculum, course offerings, and student’s work-based learning experiences that they better align with Northern Virginia’s current and future economy. Committee Recommendations and Staff Responses Support continued expansion of existing Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) K-12 programs to connect to existing and future CTE programs. FCPS continues to support STEAM expansion at elementary, middle, and high school levels. An integrated science, mathematics, and engineering program is opening at Edison High School for the 2016-17 school year. The program is part of the High School Innovation Grant from the Virginia Department of Education and will serve as a model for developing similar programs. Support continued expansion of the health and medical course offerings to address the growing demand for employees at all levels in the health care field. The Health and Medical Programs have seen growth in enrollment for the 2016-17 school year. A Fire Science course is opening at the Fire Training Academy and the Emergency Medical Technician program is expanding to a second site at West Potomac High School. In addition, implementation of a 911 dispatch training program is being explored. The school system is working with the Claude Moore Foundation on grants to implement a health informatics, medical billing and coding, and patient care technician program. Support professional development and training of teachers for integrated math, science, and engineering instruction, and for maintaining currency with newer developments in the healthcare fields.

Professional development opportunities in integrated problem/project based learning were held several times during the summer. Elementary, middle, and high school teachers were able to spend time developing lessons to be shared throughout the county. In addition, several courses in integration are held throughout the year as part of the Teacher Professional Development Academy. Teachers from all aspects of the Health and Medical Sciences program attended professional development courses at the Health and Medical Sciences summer institute. Support continued expansion of Cyber Security and Computer Programming/Coding offerings. Include expansion of the Cyber Patriot programs at the middle and high school levels, coding activities and infusion at the elementary school level, and a review of the coding pathway for students at the middle and high school levels.

Working with the Fairfax County Education Foundation, ten middle schools will begin implementing Cyber Patriot programs over the next two years with plans to expand the program should additional funding be secured. Middle school courses are being updated to emphasis

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coding and the high school CTE programming teachers attended training to implement additional game programming. Continuing the partnership with the Fairfax Education Foundation, a grant was written to explore funding streams for expansion of Cyber/IT programs. In addition, a coding professional development was held for elementary teachers and school based technology specialists in collaboration with Code.org. Additional training will be held to assist with the implementation of the Hour of Code program at all schools. Investigate and communicate multiple pathways to fulfill graduation requirements for students that could include workplace based learning opportunities and integration of programs such as Genesys Works (now working in partnership with FCPS).

A pathways proposal has been developed for presentation to the FCPS School Board. Working with the proposed draft framework from the VDOE, FCPS staff has begun to develop a variety of pathways that will lead to graduation. The increased flexibility of graduation requirements will be monitored as the state develops the final proposal for the multiple pathways to graduation implementation in 2018. A strong component of the proposals will be expanding workplace based learning and opportunities to substitute graduation requirements with relevant workforce development courses. Monitor and advocate legislative initiatives at the state and national level that impact CTE. One goal is to secure graduation credits for CTE courses that share equal rigorous content as traditional mathematics and science courses.

FCPS continues to monitor changes at the state level through the legislative office. The state’s pathway to graduation project is being monitored closely for potential input and impact to FCPS programs and the implementation of the Strategic Plan. Continue to promote CTEAC recommendations favorably accepted by FCPS that were offered in recent years.

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Family and Early Childhood Education Program/Head Start/Early Head Start Advisory Committee

Staff Response to Recommendations for 2015-16 Committee Charge for 2015-16 The FECEP/Head Start/Early Head Start program charge for the 2015-16 school year was to build the capacity of families to strengthen the executive functioning skills of their preschool students/children. Committee Recommendations and Staff Responses Dedicate funding to install/upgrade age-appropriate playgrounds at all schools which serve FECEP/Head Start students. The safety of students is paramount for FCPS. The Early Childhood staff will collaborate with The Leadership Team and the school board to make recommendations and develop a plan to allocate funds to ensure that all schools which serve FECEP/Head Start students have age appropriate playgrounds. Current research shows the average American child does not receive sufficient exercise. This has negative consequences that go beyond physical health risks such as obesity, as physical activity improves not only physical fitness but also cognitive functioning and academic achievement. The development and planning process will be done in collaboration with the Office of Budget Services and Design and Construction Services. The plan will include a list of schools that currently need an age appropriate playground, a timeline for building playgrounds and a budget that is aligned with the timeline. The timeline will suggest prioritization of the schools where the building of such playgrounds will benefit the most number of preschool students. Dedicate funding for one demonstration site classroom at Leis Center. This classroom could be utilized for recruitment, enrollment/transition appointments, as well as childcare for evening Policy Committee meetings and trainings. Early Childhood staff will collaborate with the Leadership Team and the school board to create a demonstration classroom at Leis Center. This would necessitate funding dedicated to the renovation of the classroom and the purchase of equipment and materials. This classroom would have age-appropriate equipment and materials to model for parents the quality experience their preschooler would receive in the Head Start program. Over 1000 enrollment appointments are completed on-site each school year in addition to the many parents who drop in to gain information or provide documentation for applications. A site which provides an accessible, concrete and visual demonstration of a high quality preschool experience will support parents in understanding the importance of such programs for their child’s development and well-being. It will serve to expedite the enrollment process, helping to alleviate fears and hesitations on the part of the parents. Once a month, Parent Policy Committee meetings are held as part of the Head Start Performance Standards. We know the importance that parents play in advocating for their children and being involved in their child’s academic career from school entry through high school. The pattern of this involvement can be set early through parent attendance at the committee meetings. These meetings build leadership capacity for parents which can support

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them in future roles in PTO or community organizations. Lack of childcare is identified as one of the greatest hurdles to attending the Policy Committee meetings, so having a space to provide this service will allow greater attendance and participation. This will also allow us to expand opportunities to include other evening trainings that will be pertinent for parents to support their child’s readiness for Kindergarten. In the future, this classroom could also be used as a lab school site for observations of best practices by teacher and administrator groups.

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Human Relations Advisory Committee Report Staff Response to the 2015-2016 Recommendations

Committee Charge for the 2015-2016

Work with the Office of Equity and Employee Relations in providing evaluation and feedback of Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) efforts related to peer-to-peer behaviors including bullying, harassment, and sexual misconduct. The committee’s area of focus will be on definitions, applications, reporting, training, monitoring, addressing the areas of concern, education, and prevention.

In its 2015-2016 annual report to the School Board, the Human Relations Advisory Committee (HRAC) provided a review of the committee’s work and offered recommendations for consideration. The HRAC made four key recommendations in the annual report; listed below are these recommendations followed by staff responses:

Committee Recommendations and Staff Responses

HRAC recommends that FCPS “Examine the interoperability of data across FCPS systems with the Bullying Harassment Management System (BHMS). Capture, consolidate and analyze data, to not only meet the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) requirements via the BHMS but also enhance positive peer-to-peer behaviors among FCPS students, inform training and education, and develop viable intervention strategies, thereby, facilitating a caring culture.

Currently, BHMS has been in operation divisionwide, for only one school year, so data analysis and relevant conclusions would be premature. That being said, BHMS provides an appropriate tool for administrators and Division staff to make targeted and appropriate use of resources. The data captured within BHMS is annually cross-referenced with student information system (SIS) for accuracy.

Additionally, FCPS will utilize the data collected to identify trends, both divisionwide and in individual schools, to provide the best and most relevant education, prevention, and interventions with the goal to eliminate the behaviors. Additionally, the data collected in BHMS will be available for a set period of time, allowing future administrators to better understand students’ histories and how they might intersect – thereby allowing FCPS staff to better identify patterns of behavior over a longer period of time.

Increase training and education on fostering positive peer-to-peer interactions to families (via many languages and modes), staff, and students. Training and education should be offered at least annually with an emphasis on educating parents/guardians.

FCPS addresses three critical stakeholder groups (parents, students, staff) and equips them with strategies, resources, and tools to successfully create safe, respectful, and ethical cultures for online learning, both at home and at school. This plan emphasizes a community approach to digital citizenship education, encompasses “9 topics” under the umbrella of digital citizenship and provides options that allow for personalization for individual needs. While some of the learning takes place in a teacher professional development setting, a classroom, or at a school based parent event environment; some may also take place online. However, the most meaningful learning occurs through focused work and reflection both at school and in the home.

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Parents receive the following supports:

The FCPS Digital Citizenship for Families website provides:

• Device Contracts and Media Agreements to support them in having important conversations with their child to set expectations around technology use. (available in major languages through eCART and soon on the public website)

• Support document titled Privacy Settings for Devices, Apps, Websites and Games.

• Parent tip sheets, advice videos, and answers to commonly asked questions.

• Links to reputable resources and organizations.

• School based parent nights (individual school basis).

• Digital Citizenship Week resources and messages sent home through their local school (#fcpsdigcit).

Coming in 2017-2018, an online course that will mirror the teacher Digital Citizenship online professional development for teachers.

Students receive the following supports:

• Lessons with librarians on Copyright and Creative Credit.

• Lessons on Cyberbullying and Self-Image and Identity with HPE teachers.

• Natural connections between Digital Citizenship topics and content curriculum and class activities (for example – when a teacher talks about how to communicate in a discussion thread about the election safely, respectfully and ethically).

• Students in K-6 have access to Netsmartz Kids.

• Students in grades 6-9 will have access to online learning through the use of Everfi Ignition, a 3-4 hour gamified online course for digital literacies and responsibilities that they can complete on their own.(currently in tech assessment process).

• Students in 6-12 have access to Digital COMPASS - animated “Choose Your Own Path” interactive experiences.

School staff receive the following supports:

• Personalized professional development through the 9 module eLEARN IT Digital

Citizenship course (in development) (Replaces iSafe on September 30, 2016.

• Digital Citizenship Week resources and lessons to start their year off with a focus on Digital Citizenship (internal website).

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• Common Sense Media curriculum available K-12 through eCART.

With regard to cultural competency, research, consider, and incorporate the Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships to purposefully encourage school activities that value parent and community involvement to support cultural diversity.

FCPS staff will consider the HRAC’s recommendation of incorporation of the Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships to effectively build the capacity of both school personnel and families to support cultural diversity. Building the capacity of families and staff, FCPS staff will be able to enhance the capacity of staff/families in the 4 C areas: Capabilities (skills and knowledge), Connections (networks), Cognition (beliefs, values), and Confidence (self-efficacy).

Incorporate data analytics to examine patterns in reported incidences and interventions to implement effective best practices and prevention strategies.

Current Responsive Instruction (RI) functionality in Education Decision Support Library (EDSL) supports school teams in looking at trends in their overall data, and determining the needs of students related to academics and behavior. It also supports the development of individual student intervention plans.

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Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee Staff Response to 15/16 Committee Recommendations

Committee Charge for 2015-16

Provide findings and recommendations in its annual report concerning, but not limited to: (a) the role that concentrated poverty, in addition to race and ethnicity, plays in efforts to close the achievement gap; and (b) the extent to which the Committee's 2014-15 recommendations have impacted implementation of FCPS’s programs, strong metrics, and independent evaluation of closing the achievement gap efforts in the 2015-16 school year. Committee Recommendations and Staff Responses Request that Staff develop a unified effort to close the achievement gap including staffing, accountability, monitoring, and evaluation, preferably through a re-established Office of Minority Student Achievement, that would be responsible for the Closing the Achievement Gap Plan (including the Advisory Committee), Project Momentum, Cultural Competency, and advising on innovative ways to deal with over-capacity and under-capacity schools. Require that the CAG Advisory Committee meet monthly and (a) report on how schools are incorporating and implementing closing the achievement gap in their school improvement plans, and (b) develop metrics to measure success and to track progress. While we generally concur with this finding, we believe the recommendation does not adequately acknowledge the significance of the Strategic Plan as the unifying element in closing the achievement gap. The recommendation to establish an office of minority student achievement is not something that can be implemented this year because the FY 2017 detailed budget had been set at the time the MSAOC report was presented. However we will consider your recommendation for establishing an office of minority student achievement as we develop the FY 2018 budget. FCPS will establish quarterly meeting for the Advisory Committee starting early in fall 2016 and weekly meetings for the Project Team Committee to ensure adequate oversight and monitoring of CAGP. Develop policies that focus on reducing economic and racial isolation and promoting diverse schools. Develop policies that consider race among other factors in creating diverse schools since schools with high proportions of Black and Hispanic students also have high concentration of poverty. Launch new magnet schools or choice schools that reflect community demand and interest to promote more racially and economically integrated schools. Consider not building or opening schools in racially or economically isolated areas of the County. We encourage the Committee to consult with FPAC to examine policies to promote socio-economic and racial diversity in establishing or adjusting school boundaries and to advise the

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Board in the 2016-17 school-year. We are particularly interested in ways in which parental choice and programmatic innovations could promote greater economic and racial diversity. We will be seeking approval to implement “… a plan to offer multiple pathways to a high school diploma, including small, tailored schools, career and technology academies, fine arts schools, and unique education programming,” as outlined in the Strategic Plan-Strategy 4. Every effort should be made to reduce and eliminate racial and socioeconomic isolation in Region 3. This should include providing magnet, part-time academy, and transfer programs in high poverty schools in that Region. To deal with student, parent, and teacher expectations, schools that are racially and socioeconomically isolated should receive more than Project Momentum services to address the more structural issues of teacher experience and retention, parent involvement, and professional development. The School Board should consider a controlled policy to promote racial and socioeconomic diversity for the Edison High School Global STEM Challenges Program. The School Board should instruct Staff to identify under-utilized space at elementary schools that are under capacity that may be used for additional pre-K classrooms. While we generally concur with this finding, we believe the recommendation does not adequately acknowledge the initiatives already implemented in Region 3. We also acknowledge the MSAOC advocating for improvements for Region 3 and encourage you to work with Assistant Superintendent Terry Dade to implement many of your thoughtful recommendations. FCPS Staff must clearly articulate how they will measure success (e.g., attendance, credits earned, English language proficiency, use of wrap-around services, etc.) not only for student outcomes but also for federal civil rights compliance. FCPS should wait until the first year of the ESOL Pilot Program is completed and objective evidence is available to make decisions about replication at additional schools. FCPS Staff needs to provide an accounting of all current expenditures and estimates of future costs and funding resources for expansion of this ESOL program. We are concerned that this recommendation could be erroneously read to suggest that FCPS is not concerned with nor is in compliance with civil rights requirements. We ask the Committee to work with staff as the pilot is replicated in other schools to examine ways in which implementation can be effectively monitored. The School Board must provide funding for additional staffing and program support for the Cultural Competency Initiative. The Cultural Competency Initiative and its staff should be part of a unified effort and program to close the achievement gap, preferably through a re-established Office of Minority Student Achievement. The School Board should ask Staff to offer mandatory professional development in cultural competency for all teachers starting in the coming school year, and should repurpose funds as needed to so provide.

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We concur with the need for additional funding to adequately support cultural proficiency training for FCPS staff. Staff will continue to include this request in the division’s annual Fiscal Forecast for Board consideration. Beginning in SY 2016-17 all FCPS staff will be required to complete an introduction to cultural proficiency online module. This training will be expanded in SY 2017-18 when all FCPS staff will complete a minimum of 3 additional cultural proficiency training sessions. Staff will brief the Committee on how it will launch this initiative. Expand family literacy programs (e.g., HIPPY) to serve the 6,128 or more pre-school aged children living in poverty in Fairfax County. Ask Staff to identify facilities within FCPS that could be used for FECEP/Head Start programs with the goal of eliminating all wait lists for FECEP/Head Start by the 2017-2018 SY. Insure that MSAOC recommendations to provide support and funding for pre-school programs are implemented. We strongly concur with the recommendation to expand early childhood education. During 2016, 2,608 children were enrolled in Early Head Start, Head Start/Pre-K, Virginia Preschool Initiative, and Virginia Preschool Initiative Plus, representing a 25% increase since 2011-2012.1 However in FY 2015 only 74 % of children reached school readiness benchmarks compared to 83% in 2013. We support the Committee’s membership on and advocacy with the Successful Children and Youth Policy Team. In FY 17, the Board earmarked funds to support family literacy programs for both non-English and English speaking families. The budget pays for instructors, a PT hourly staff member to oversee the program, and curriculum development. Staff will continue to seek additional funding to expand these program services. Staff also concur with this recommendation to expand pre-school services and will work with the County to seek funding for additional classroom expansion. We also encourage MSAOC to partner with the FPAC to examine the availability of facilities that could be used for FECEP/Head Start expansion. MSAOC seeks a commitment from FCPS of funding and staff supports to continue its work on the Parent Advocacy Handbook and on-line Toolkit resources, which the Committee has initiated and produced over the past thirteen-plus years. These resources are essential tools not only for minority parents, especially parents who are recent immigrants who may be unfamiliar with an American school system, but are resources from which all FCPS parents have benefited and can benefit in the future. FCPS will work with MSAOC to identify resources to develop and implement the toolkit in the upcoming school year. MSAOC continues to voice its concern regarding the hiring and retention of minority teachers in our increasingly diverse school system. Retention rates for minority teachers remain low. In addition, there is significant turnover of teachers in some schools,

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particularly (but not exclusively) in Region 3. MSAOC has many questions regarding minority teacher hiring and retention that need further consideration,2 including the following: Are there tools and resources currently available for MSAOC and members of the community to track staffing of teachers and administrators by school, by race/ethnicity, and by gender? If not, can such tools and/or resources be made available? When? What incentives can be put into place to recruit and retain minority teachers generally and/or minority teachers in Region 3 specifically? While we generally concur with this recommendation, we have already implemented a number of measures to increase minority teacher hiring. FCPS will work with MSAOC to examine the issues around minority teacher retention in the coming school year, particularly with the new Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources to address the Committee’s questions. MSAOC has recently observed a shift or change in how some principals are being selected for their positions (e.g., Madison HS; Stuart HS; Glasgow MS) and is concerned about the perceived lack of transparency in this new process.3 MSAOC has many questions regarding the principal selection process that need further consideration, including the following:

a. What is the rationale for the change in the principal selection process? b. Will this process be utilized systemically or on a school-by-school basis? c. What provisions in the FCPS Policy and Regulations support this selection

process? d. How will community engagement and input regarding the selection of a

school’s principal be insured if this process becomes the norm? Although most principals have been selected following FCPS HR policies, a few exceptions have been made due to exigent circumstances. The division will continue to work to ensure that the principal selection procedures are appropriately designed to meet the needs of the local school communities. MSAOC reiterates its belief that Stuart and Lee High Schools should be renamed and supports efforts in the community to do so. We believe that school system supported school-sponsored use of Confederate symbols, including school names, are a constant reminder of the legacy of slavery and America’s history of racial prejudice and oppression, including Fairfax County’s less than exemplary response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 decision and mandate in Brown v. Board of Education. The use of such symbols, including school names, has offended, and continues to offend, many members of our community and, therefore, should immediately be discontinued. MSAOC has sent two letters to the School Board on this issue (Copies are included at Attachments D and E) and will continue to demand School Board action and

We do not find compelling the explanation given to MSAOC that most principals have been selected following FCPS HR policies and that only a very small percentage of principals were hired otherwise, especially when exceptions to standard practice involve minority principals.

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accountability on this issue. FCPS should no longer perpetuate and celebrate FCPS’s history of discrimination and exclusion by retaining these school names. The School Board has started a process to convene a study group that will commence work on this issue in August 2016.

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School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) Staff Response to Recommendations 2015–2016

Committee Charge for 2015-16 The School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) will advise the School Board on adopting and implementing the Committee’s completed Wellness Policy and Regulation recommendations in the 2015-2016 school year. This may include making recommendations on public involvement, measures, reporting and compliance with Local Wellness Policy guidance issued by the federal government. Committee Recommendations and Staff Reponses Adopting and Implementing the Committee’s completed Wellness Policy and Regulations in the 2015-2016 school year. During SY 2015-2016, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) and SHAC developed a comprehensive and collaborative Wellness Policy. This was developed in compliance with Public Law 111.296, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and promotes student, staff and community health and well-being. FCPS Policy 2100, Student and Staff Health and Wellness, was approved by the FCPS School Board on June 9, 2016. http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=ABCHVA4A4E1 FCPS and SHAC have also developed a comprehensive and collaborative Wellness Regulation that includes the 11 areas of physical education; physical activity; health education; health services; healthy and safe school environment; counseling, psychological and social services; health promotion for staff; family and community involvement; food and nutrition (general); nutrition education; promotion and food marketing; and nutrition guidelines. It was under review this summer by the FCPS leadership and legal teams. It has been approved and the comprehensive Wellness Regulation will be presented to SHAC at the first scheduled meeting on September 21, 2016. The regulation will then move forward, be communicated to FCPS administration associations and then systemically to FCPS staff to review and support. Making recommendations on public involvement, measures, reporting and compliance with Local Wellness Policy guidance issued by the federal government. Fairfax County Public Schools, in collaboration with SHAC, will continue to review options for measuring and reporting our compliance with the Local Wellness Policy, based on guidelines issued by the federal government. These compliance measures will be communicated systemically and school wellness teams will begin documenting metrics for reporting during SY 2017-2018. Ongoing resources to be used to communicate our Student and Staff Health and Wellness Policy to our FCPS community will continue to be identified and developed. FCPS will work collaboratively with SHAC to identify opportunities to promote public awareness and engage and involve students, families and community members in our ongoing partnership. FCPS and SHAC will also continue to engage with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to support these initiatives.

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Title I Parent Advisory Committee (TPAC) Staff Response to Recommendations from School Year 2015-16 Annual Report

Committee Charge for 2015-16 Continue to give attention in greater depth to ways Title I funding can foster parent efficacy, leadership, and advocacy across demographics to strengthen partnerships in children’s education, with special attention given to parent access to and use of technology. Committee Recommendations and Staff Responses Develop and implement improved communication strategies to remove barriers to parental involvement. Title I staff will coordinate with Instructional Technology Integration, Information Technology, and Communication and Community Relations staff to build understandings of communication options and expectations for schools to use with families. Title I staff will coordinate with Family and School Partnerships, Department of Special Services, and Communication and Community Relations staff to develop a parent survey to identify barriers to engagement. Title I staff will collaborate with Family and School Partnerships staff and Title I principals to further develop effective engagement approaches in Title I schools. Explore a revised methodology that accounts for school poverty level when determining appropriate clinical support staff allocations for parent outreach and support roles accounting, to include parent liaisons. Title I staff will coordinate with Family and School Partnerships, Counseling and College and Career Readiness, and Department of Special Services staff to build understandings of current and desired family engagement roles for parent liaisons, social workers, psychologists, school counselors, and public health nurses. Title I staff will collaborate with Family and School Partnerships staff to explore and define effective school-level family support structures. Pursue avenues to ensure all students in high-poverty schools have technology access in and out of the school setting. The Title I staff will coordinate with Instructional Technology Integration staff to explore improvements to technology and internet accessibility in high-poverty communities, including increased free and subsidized equipment and services for families. Title I staff will coordinate with Family and School Partnerships, Instructional Technology Integration, and Communication and Community Relations staff to develop enhanced survey methodology to more accurately assess existing home technology and internet access in Fairfax County. Design and implement a plan to increase access to FCPS summer enrichment programs for families in Title I communities. The Title I staff will coordinate with Summer Learning and Advanced Academic Programs staff to examine and refine summer enrichment course offerings, costs, locations, and busing to better meet the needs and interests of underrepresented students and prepare them to succeed in advanced academic learning experiences.

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