A Strategic Plan Update and Report to Our Stakeholders

Fulton County Schools

IN FOCUS

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Basic Facts for 2009-10

Schools Elementary Schools, grades K-5 ......... 58 Middle Schools, grades 6-8 .................19 High Schools, grades 9-12 ...................16 Start-up Charter Schools...................... 6 Total..........................................99

Enrollment

90,104

Free/Reduced Meals 43% eligible

FY10 Budget

$1,134,597,491 ($856,442,124 general fund)

Racial Composition Black White Hispanic Asian Multi-racial Native American 42% 34% 11% 9% 4% less than 1%

We Believe In • Excellence • Trust and honest communication • Common understanding • Personal responsibility • Commitment • Academic achievement • Measured results • Continuous improvement • Safe and nurturing environment • Involved family, community and staff • Transparency and accountability

Our Mission is to educate every student to be a responsible, productive citizen.

Our Vision is for all students to learn to their full potential.

Value Statements • Each Fulton County school will educate every stu-

dent to his/her fullest potential. • Fulton County will engage parents as key partners

in the educational process. • Each Fulton County school will be the preferred

school for its students and parents. • Each Fulton County school will provide greater

value for each child’s educational experience when compared to top-performing public and private schools in the nation.

• Fulton County schools will prepare each student to excel in a rapidly changing global society.

Employees More than 12,600 full-time personnel More than 7,600 certified personnel (those who hold teaching or administrative certification)

Fulton County Schools

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Strategic Direction Fulton County Schools has used the Balanced Scorecard framework for Performance Management for ten years. We are proud to be the only K-12 school system in the world to be inducted into the Bal-anced Scorecard Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Harvard Business School. Our work on the Balanced Scorecard is also highlighted in the book Strategy Maps by Robert Kaplan and David Norton, and is featured in a Harvard Business School case study. To the right is our Strategy Map, which portrays the goals of our school system. Each of these goals is supported by detailed perform-ance measures, multiple years of data on results, and future targets. The detailed Balanced Scorecard is available on our web site.

As part of our work toward continuous process improvement, we have identified our enterprise processes. The core and supporting/enabling processes are also reflected as goals on our Strategy Map. Each of the processes is described in a de-tailed process map, with which all central departments align their work. We have been supported in this effort by the American Productivity and Quality Center, which named us a best practice in data-based decision making.

Our Value-Added Philosophy The Fulton County School System believes its students deserve the best possible education. We know parents and stu-dents have choices; therefore we strive to be the best choice by adding value above what other schools and systems offer. We support this philosophy through our “Value-Added Performance System,” which compares our student’s performance to other similar schools, and assesses their growth over time compared to the ex-pected growth for Georgia students in general. Our schools also assess the performance of students across grade levels and specific populations of students relevant to their schools, such as gifted students, students with limited English proficiency, and students with disabilities. Schools are accountable for results using state and national comparisons. They strive to increase students exceeding expectations as well as mastering the state curriculum. In addition to student achievement, all schools assess the engagement of stakeholders, staff learning and growth, and school management. As central departments, we measure our value through customer satisfaction measures, professional development, and financial management, as well as process measures benchmarked against organizations providing similar services. These efforts led Fulton County Schools to be the first system in the nation to participate in and receive accreditation as a school system by SACS CASI. Our performance management work has been featured in recent articles by top education journals such as School Administrator, Education Week, Digital Directions, and Urban Advocate, a publication of the National School Boards Association.

Process

Improvement

Themes

Students are Nationally

Competitive

Fulton County School System Strategy Map

Students Master

Curriculum

Ensure Student Achievement

Develop, Deliver and

Assess Teaching and

Learning

Support Student Learning

Ensure a Safe

Environment

Effectively Integrate

Technology

Ensure Operational Efficiency

Engage Stakeholders

Manage Human Resources

Manage Financial Resources

Develop CurriculumDeliver Instruction

Assess Student Learning

Manage Financial Resources

Effectively Integrate Technology

Guiding Processes

Supporting/Enabling Processes

Support Student LearningEngage StakeholdersEnsure a Safe Environment

Core Processes

Federal, state, and local rules and regulations

Board of Education policies

Accrediting Agencies

Research and Best Practices

Manage Human Resources

Ensure Operational Efficiency

Enterprise Process Model

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Goal 1:

Students Master the Curriculum Objectives:

The Georgia curriculum is known as the Georgia Performance Standards. These are assessed through three major state tests: the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) in elementary and middle school and the End-Of-Course Tests (EOCT) and Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) in high school. These assess-ments cover the standards in reading, lan-guage arts, social studies and science. As-sessments are also given in writing at grades 5, 8 and 11. As the GPS has been introduced, both the curriculum and the assessments have be-come more rigorous. This has resulted in a drop in scores during the first year or two of implementation across the state. There-fore, the introduction of the GPS is noted on the performance graphs in this docu-ment.

Status of Our Goals and Objectives Objectives that are performing above the targeted level are highlighted in green. Those performing as expected are highlighted in yellow. Those performing below expecta-tions are targeted in red. Those which are gray have insuf-ficient data to determine a performance level at this time. The initiatives under each goal are also color-coded to indi-cate the level of objective addressed.

Improve reading

Improve math

Improve science

Increase achievement for students with limited English proficiency

Increase achievement for students with disabilities

Increase achievement for students who are economically disadvantaged

Increase achievement for black students

Increase the high school graduation rate

Expectations are being exceeded

Expectations are being met

Expectations are not being met

Insufficient data to determine performance

LEGEND

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Results: Fulton County students continue to surpass state averages on all state assessments. These state assessments, along with attendance and graduation rates, make up our Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) ratings. In the 2008-09 school year, 100% of our elementary schools, 89% of our middle schools and 85% of our high schools made AYP. FCS has shown steady gains in all grades and subjects. Our black and low-income students continue to improve, particu-larly in math and science. The area that has shown the greatest increase in recent years is with our limited English profi-ciency students. Although our students with disabilities are making gains, this area remains below target since more of these students are tested on the on-grade level curriculum.

Our high school graduation rate, which is based upon a mastery of the Georgia curriculum, has increased from 72.9% to 83.7% over the past ten years, with steady gains in all student groups.

Major Initiatives: A number of virtual learning options are available through FCS. Students who are physically located in different

high schools may participate in the same class through internal distance learning technology, allowing students in low-enrollment courses at their home school to participate with students at another school. FCS’ Virtual Campus offers a vari-ety of online courses for both credit and recovery.

Extended learning at the elementary and middle school levels allow us to remediate students who are behind by providing support after school at no cost to parents. During the regular school day, targeted lessons and resources are used for students with remediation needs.

A number of interventions are in place at the high school level, including an additional math course during the daily schedule to support those who are not mastering standards. All high schools also have full-time graduation coaches. We are piloting extended learning after-school programs at two schools as well. A new Student Information System is be-ing implemented and includes an individual student learning plan targeting the specific graduation goals of each student. The plan is electronically accessible by parents and students, and adjusted as the student progresses through high school.

Fulton County CRCT Reading Percent Meets and Exceeds

5 Year Trends

95.0%

93.0%

89.0%88.1%

87.0%

93.0%

88.0%

90.0%

93.0%

90.0%91.0%

94.0%

90.0% 90.0%

96.0%

60.0%

65.0%

70.0%

75.0%

80.0%

85.0%

90.0%

95.0%

100.0%

3rd Grade 5th Grade 8th Grade

% M

eets

and

Exc

eeds

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

GHSGT Percent of First Time Test Takers Passing All Four Areas

78

82 8283

86

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

% P

assi

ng A

ll Fo

ur C

onte

nt A

reas

Fulton County 2009 GHSGT Pass Rate

1st Time Test Takers

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

All Students Asian Black Hispanic White Multiracial SwD LEP ED

Perc

ent P

assi

ng

ELA Math Science Social Studies

93.0%

91.0%

77.0%

94.0%

92.0%

83.0%

92.0%91.0%

90.0%

78.0%79.0%

66.1%

82.0%83.0%

74.0%

60.0%

65.0%

70.0%

75.0%

80.0%

85.0%

90.0%

95.0%

100.0%

3rd Grade 5th Grade 8th Grade

% M

eets

and

Exc

eeds

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Fulton County CRCT Math Percent Meets and Exceeds

5 Year Trends

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Goal 2:

Students Are Nationally Competitive Objectives:

Fulton County Schools prides itself on the excellence of its programs. At the high school level, we offer four magnet schools featuring visual and performing arts, math, science and international studies; two charter high schools; an Inter-national Baccalaureate program; two open campus high schools and the Fulton Institute of Technology. We are the re-cipient of a federal Smaller Learning Communities grant benefiting four of our high schools. In addition, our elementary and middle schools offer a diverse array of opportunities for students to excel in many areas, including Talented and Gifted programs and the annual Student Technology Competition.

Results: Because we want to add value for each student, we are inter-ested in our performance nationally and beyond high school. Fulton’s SAT scores are 75 points above the national average, although we have 75% of students participating in the SAT versus 46% nationally. Our SAT scores have increased 34 points over the past ten years in reading and writing. Our ACT scores have also continued to rise from 21.4 to 22.5. Thirty-seven percent of our students participated in AP courses with 75% passing the AP exam. The International Baccalaureate program also offers a rigorous curriculum at our international charter high school and magnet program which is available to students throughout the school system. Ninety percent of graduates attend college or technical schools, receiving $99.7 million in scholarships.

Major Initiatives: FCS has been selected to participate in two grants that will

allow us to track our students’ post-graduate success by using data from the National Student Clearinghouse as well as the Georgia Student Finance Commission. Both grants involved the Harvard Center for Policy Research and funding through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

SAT prep courses are offered before, during and after school based upon the needs of the student population. Schools are being trained to better analyze PSAT data, which is offered in grades 9-11, to identify areas for improved SAT performance.

In partnership with Georgia Institute of Technology, 120 sen-iors participate via distance learning in a Georgia Tech Calculus course. A number of other joint-enrollment opportunities are also available to FCS students.

Our AP initiative is examining practices of highest-scoring AP teachers across the system and transferring those practices to other teachers. We are also working to increase identification and participation of AP-qualified students through review of PSAT, Checkpoints and End-Of-Course Test results.

Improve performance on national assessments and rankings

Increase students successfully prepared for college and career

SAT Four Year Trend

Total Critical Reading, Math and Writing

1580

1477

1518

1589

1472

1511

1593

1466

1511

1584

1460

1509

1350

1400

1450

1500

1550

1600

1650

Fulton State Nation

Tota

l Sco

re

2006 2007 2008 2009

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Goal 3:

Develop, Deliver and Assess Teaching and Learning Objectives:

As clearly evidenced in our Strategic Plan, FCS intends to add value beyond the state curriculum standards.

Results: Our Student Achievement Management System (SAMS) now includes pacing guides, units, lesson plans and instructional resources for all curricular areas and grade levels. This allows teachers to ac-cess on-level as well as accelerated lessons elec-tronically through our internal web site. The system also includes data on all FCS, state and national assessments aligned with each student’s courses. Checkpoints, which are our common interim assess-ments, are administered in all core subjects in grades 2-11. The results of these assessments are used for formative instructional planning, as well as placement of students within the on-level, advanced or accelerated curriculum. One out of every 25 stu-dents was moved up in placement level in math in the last school year, and one of every 14 was moved up in placement level in reading.

Major Initiatives: Instructional learning-walks allow assessment of in-

structional practices via a common observation rubric. Ratings from these observations are captured and tabu-lated electronically, allowing an objective assessment of instructional practice that can be shared with school ad-ministrators. Professional learning can then be targeted to areas of specific needs.

The Classroom Assessment Module is being imple-mented in our elementary and middle schools. This al-lows individual teachers, grade levels, departments and entire schools to develop their own interim assessments and scan the results into the same Student Achievement Management System that incorporates Checkpoints, state and national assessment results. This will greatly increase the use of ongoing, formative assessment as well as the utilization of data to increase student achieve-ment.

All of our Title I schools have Data Support Specialists to assist teachers in developing assessments and using data to focus instruction. Instructional coaches are pro-vided to schools with academic challenges in order to model effective instruction in those areas with the -greatest need for improvement.

Ensure a rigorous curriculum is developed and taught

Increase use of authentic assessment

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Goal 4:

Support Student Learning Objectives:

Despite excellent teaching strategies, some students need additional time to master curriculum standards. FCS strives to provide this intervention as early in the instructional process as possible, avoiding failure on state mandated assessments and potential retention.

Results: The percentage of students passing state-mandated assessments in grades 3, 5 and 8 in reading and math increased in all grades and subjects, thus decreasing the need for mandated summer remediation and potential retention. The same result was seen in students passing all sections of the Georgia High School Graduation Test.

Major Initiatives: Elementary and middle school extended

learning offers students an opportunity to re-main after school for additional, targeted in-struction by teachers from their own school who know them and their specific needs. By target-ing intervention immediately and keeping the students learning at-grade level during daily in-struction, remediation can occur without students falling further behind or failing. Checkpoints data are essential to identify those students in need of this additional assistance.

Our summer school model has been revised to provide remediation for the state assessments prior to the end of the year for those students at risk of failure in the mandated passing grades of 3, 5 and 8. This ensures that 100% of students who fail the initial assessment receive remediation and that they are instructed by teachers who are familiar with their specific academic needs.

At the high school level, graduation coaches monitor students who are not on track for graduation, and implement specific learning plans to address their individual requirements. This may include tutoring, online recovery courses, col-lege and career counseling, or schedule adjustments.

This year, FCS formed a Superintendent’s Student Ad-visory Council (pictured left). Made up of representatives from each high school, this group advises the superinten-dent on ways to make school more relevant and engaging to students.

Increase early intervention

Increase effective remediation

Improve student perceptions of school

Fulton CountyGHSGT Percent Passing All Four Areas - Spring Main Administration

78%

72%

83%

79%

86%

80%

50%

55%

60%

65%

70%

75%

80%

85%

90%

Fulton County State

200720082009

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Goal 5:

Ensure a Safe Environment Objectives:

Results: All schools are in compliance with enhanced safety plan requirements. More than 190 staff members attended courses including Crisis Communication, Emergency Operations Planning, Handling Medical Emergencies, Safe & Drug Free Schools and School Police Roles & Responsibilities, with more courses to be offered this year.

Major Initiatives: All schools have produced updated safety plans which meet enhanced guidelines for all types of threats and emergen-

cies. We continue to improve the monitoring and assessment of safety drills. New digital / IP addressable cameras are being installed at all schools as a preventive measure as well as an investigative tool. Approximately 1,453 staff members have been trained in CPR and use of automated external defibrillators.

FCS received a 2009 U.S. Department of Education Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools grant. Hav-ing received the third largest amount in the country, the Department of Safety & Security will initiate advanced training for site-based safety coordinators, improve School Police communications interoperability, facilitate tabletop training and drills, and host a full-scale emergency response exercise.

Goal 6:

Effectively Integrate Technology Objectives:

Results: In the past year FCS has established a state-of-the-art data center which con-solidates network servers, ensures security, enhances data backups, improves disaster recovery, and provides space, power, and capacity for future growth. School network connectivity has been upgraded to gigabit fiber in order to pro-vide more capacity and reliability for the ever-increasing demand for technol-ogy in the classroom. The email system was migrated to new servers providing higher capacity mailboxes for all employees and more reliability. Wireless net-work access has been established in all buildings in order to enhance the use of laptop computers by teachers and staff in the schools.

Major Initiatives: An enterprise information model project will integrate disparate data sys-

tems as well as provide new business intelligence tools for analysis. In addi-tion to interactive instructional boards, classroom computers, and updated mobile and stationary computer labs, FCS is implementing student handheld tools, such as Apple’s iTouch devices (pictured right), to allow easy access to web-based resources and collaboration among and between students and teachers.

Increase prevention and readiness for incidents

Ensure adequate infrastructure

Increase data-based decision-making

Expand tools for access and analysis

Expand tools for teaching and learning

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Goal 7:

Ensure Operational Effectiveness Objectives:

Results: Ninety-nine percent of textbooks were available at the start of the school year. One-hundred percent of our five new schools and five additions were completed at the start of this school year. Our school buses provided on-time delivery in 98.2% of trips, despite increased local traffic congestion. Our business operating systems team established an online leave request and reporting system which automatically links to the payroll and benefits departments.

Major Initiatives: GPS-equipped buses ensure systematic tracking of

on-time and reliable delivery. This system provides accurate data on the location of fleet assets and permits dispatch to respond to driver and traffic situations. The system is also being integrated with SAP to ensure ac-curate and efficient driver time keeping.

The School Nutrition Department has implemented an online payment system, creating greater efficiency for both families and school nutrition workers.

The cross-functional action team (XFAT) on Supply Acquisition and Distribution and the XFAT team on Textbooks generated several recommendations that will streamline these processes in the next few months.

Through our continued im-plementation of SAP as our business operating system, several enhancements are planned that will further streamline operations in con-tracting, plant maintenance and staffing. The business sys-tem was introduced to schools through a poster (pictured right) featuring SAP’s advertis-ing tagline.

Ensure timely provision of resources to schools

Reduce operational costs

The Best Run School Systems The Best Run School Systems Run SAPRun SAP

Fulton County Schools Runs SAPFulton County Schools Runs SAP

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Goal 8:

Engage Stakeholders Objectives:

Results: Through a combination of FCS efforts, the number of formal organizations with whom we have partnerships to benefit our students has grown from 211 to 315 over the past four years. Over 600 partners, parents and students attended the Future Focus Fair (picture above) which provided information on college preparation. Prin-cipal for a Day (pictured left) is a powerful public relations vehicle for the district, making the hard work of school improvement more visible. Within the last year, par-ticipation has increased from seven partners in six schools to 48 partners in 44 schools.

Major Initiatives: Within the past year we have formed advisory councils for community leaders,

parents, principals, teachers and students. We have also formed the Parents as Leaders group, whose charge is specifically to develop innovative methods to engage parents in student achievement. The Future Focus Fair was their first initiative. Our new web portal, to be unveiled this year, offers a variety of ways for stake-holders to be informed and interact with the school system.

Increase parent volunteerism

Improve school/parent communication

Increase community partnerships

Increase interagency collaborations

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Hire qualified staff for all positions

Retain qualified teachers

Ensure all staff have skills to achieve results in their position

Control loss

Reduce FTE losses through effective staffing

Increase competitive grants and donations

Maintain adequate reserves

Sound fiscal management

Goal 9:

Manage Human Resources Objectives:

Results: Ninety-nine percent of all classroom teachers were hired as of the first day of school. Ninety-five percent of our teachers meet federal highly-qualified requirements. Our annual teacher retention rate has increased from 88% to 93%. We suc-cessfully implemented our new Learning Management System, which integrates professional learning data with em-ployee data, allowing us to target and track employee development.

Major Initiatives: This year we identified specific value-added instructional strategies which apply to all grades, subjects, and stu-

dents. We have developed a series of online professional learning modules to address each instructional strategy. Online modules consist of videos, summary documents, model lessons, and interactive exercises. Implementation is conducted individually by each school based upon the specific developmental needs of teachers. Research shows that teachers who perceive they are supported and have the resources to affect student achievement remain in the profession longer.

Each module is followed by a self-assessment for every participant, which is directly linked to the standards of our new teacher evaluation system. This new teacher evaluation is being piloted this year.

FCS has designed a Best Practices conference as a means to provide quality-researched based sessions for district leaders, aligned with the value-added instructional strategies.

Our central department staff leaders are participating in hands-on, process management training aligned with their key processes that drive our enterprise process model.

Goal 10:

Manage Financial Resources Objectives:

Results Over the past three years we have generated $10,725,232 in grant funds to support FCS priorities. The dollars generated by appropriately staffing for our special populations have increased by $11,858,079 (based upon unaudited figures). De-spite significant local and state revenue loss, our fund balance has remained within the targeted range of 1-2 months of operating expenses.

Major Initiatives: We continue to seek efficiencies in operations while maintaining excellence in student achievement. We will con-

tinue to seek external partners and grants to enhance our resources to support priority projects.

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A Sampling of Awards and Honors

from the 2008-09 School Year

School Honors • Fulton County Schools’ 2008-09 SAT scores were the highest in the metro Atlanta area, with seven schools listed

among the top 20 highest scoring schools in the state • Twenty-eight Fulton County schools were winners of the Georgia Department of Education’s first-ever

“Superintendent’s Distinguished Achievement” awards • Milton High School was the only high school in Georgia to receive the No Child Left Behind – Blue Ribbon Schools

distinction for 2008 • Manning Oaks Elementary School was named one of 26 Georgia Schools of Excellence for 2008 • Banneker High School and Alpharetta High School were regional winners of the 2008 Governor’s Challenge Cup for

SAT Achievement for having the highest SAT gains in their respective Georgia High School Association regions • Twenty-two schools earned Distinguished Title I School status from the Georgia Department of Education • Thirty-one schools received awards from the Single Statewide Accountability System recognition program

Student Honors • Students representing five schools received awards at the

International Student Media Festival • Four students were named among 21st Century Leaders’

first-ever “20 Under 20” list • Thirty-two students won first place awards in the Georgia

Educational Technology Fair • Twenty-two students won first place and/or special

awards at the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair • Student named a distinguished finalist in the 2009 Pru-

dential Spirit of Community Awards program • Sixty-two high school students were named National

Merit Scholars in the 2009 competition • Three students were named National Achievement Schol-

ars, a similar academic competition for African-American students sponsored by the National Merit Corporation

Staff Honors • Two teachers were named Outstanding Cultural Educators

by the Visiting International Faculty (VIF) organization • Central office leader was named International Education

Advocate of the Year by VIF • Three principals were selected as 2008 “Outstanding Prin-

cipals” by the Georgia PTA • Principals of eight schools were named “High Perform-

ance Principals” by Governor Sonny Perdue • Ten educators received “Master Teacher” certification

from the state of Georgia • Elementary school principal received the National PTA

Life Achievement Award • Central office leader received Outstanding Educator

Award from the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders

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Fulton County Board of Education Linda P. Bryant, President

Linda Schultz, Vice President Julia C. Bernath Gail Dean

Catherine Maddox Katie Reeves Ashley Widener

Cindy Loe, Ph.D., Superintendent

February 2010

Fulton County School System 786 Cleveland Ave. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30315

404-768-3600 www.fultonschools.org Equal opportunity agency Compliance Coordinator

404-763-4585 TTY 1-800-255-0135