Listening and Learning - iShareSPS - Home€¦ · · 2014-11-113 Listening and Learning with Dr. John Jungmann Table of Contents Introduction 4 Input Process 5 Lessons Learned 7

“There are wonderful, smart, dedicated people in this

district that, given the opportunity, can create positive

change and growth that will impact our students,

families, community; our future.”

-SPS employee

November 11, 2014

Springfield Public Schools

Listening and Learning Superintendent’s Entry Plan Report

Dr. John Jungmann

2


Board of Education Dr. Denise Fredrick President

Mr. Andy Hosmer Vice President

Mrs. Annie Busch Mrs. Kris Callen Mr. Gerry Lee

Mr. Bruce Renner Mr. Tim Rosenbury

District Administration Dr. John Jungmann Superintendent

Ms. Teresa Bledsoe Director, Communications

Ms. Carol Embree Chief Financial and Operations Officer

Dr. Ben Hackenwerth Associate Superintendent, Elementary

Dr. Justin Herrell Associate Superintendent, Secondary

Mr. Parker McKenna Chief Human Resources Officer

Mrs. Marty Moore Associate Superintendent, Educational Services 1359 E. St. Louis Street Springfield, MO 65802 www.springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org

We exist for the

academic excellence

of all students.

3

Listening and Learning with Dr. John Jungmann

Table of Contents

Introduction 4

Input Process 5

Lessons Learned 7

Snapshot of SPS 13

Regional and Statewide Comparisons 15

Celebrations 17

Journey Toward Excellence 19

Closing Thoughts 31

Appendix A 32

Appendix B 35

4


Introduction Dr. John Jungmann began his tenure as superintendent of

Springfield Public Schools on July 1, 2014. One of

Dr. Jungmann’s first actions was to outline his entry plan to

the school board and the community. See Appendix A: Entry

Plan.

Beyond serving as a means of transition from one superintendent to another, the entry plan allows SPS to take a methodical look at the organization as a whole and determine what is working and where there may be opportunities for growth.

Entry Plan Goals

Create a structure to listen and learn comprehensively about SPS and begin to

cultivate trust and confidence through open communication.

Establish a strong working relationship with the Board of Education.

Study in-depth the district’s student performance status and review the financial

condition of the system.

Promote a culture of excellence and continuous improvement with a focus on

student achievement.

This entry plan report will focus on the formal feedback gathered from students, parents,

employees, community members and business leaders as well as information gleaned

during numerous informal interactions. The report will also provide initial findings from

student performance, finance and data reviews.

Efforts to listen and learn will continue as future progress is dependent upon regular

meetings with stakeholders to advance learning, build strong communication and create

change.

Finally, the report will identify system strengths and provide recommendations about the

next steps on the journey to excellence for Springfield Public Schools.

● ● ●

“My favorite thing

about school is when

my teacher is

passionate and it

motivates me to

learn.”

- Middle school student

● ● ●

5


Input Process During the months of July,August, September and October, Dr. Jungmann held meetings with employees, students, parents, community members and business leaders. These events provided a platform for Dr. Jungmann to introduce himself to the community and for attendees to share their perspective on areas of strength and opportunities for improvement within the district. The format for the formal public, employee and parent meetings was consistent. Dr. Jungmann gave a brief overview of his career in education followed by soliciting audience feedback via guided questions. Notes were taken during the meetings and attendees were asked to complete a questionnaire. Topics covered on the questionnaire included:

Change in quality of SPS during the last five years

Quality of SPS compared to regional school districts

Word that describes SPS

Best thing about SPS

One thing to change about SPS

Key strengths

Opportunities for improvement

School success measurements An online survey was available for all employees and patrons to provide input as well. The online survey was promoted via all district communication channels. Meetings with student groups were more informal and the discussion was adjusted to be grade-level appropriate. The table on page 6 lists some of the listening and learning tour events that have taken place in the past 90 days. It is not all-inclusive but provides a representation of the type of events that were hosted to gather input. The surveys collected at the events and online provided nearly 1,500 responses from a wide variety of stakeholder groups including students, parents, employees, and community members.

“If you’re not listening, you’re not learning.”

-Lyndon Baines Johnson

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Location/Organization Date

Metro Rotary August 5, 2014

Good Morning, Springfield! August 7, 2014

North Springfield Betterment Association August 14, 2014

Downtown Rotary August 26, 2014

Public Meeting at Cherokee Middle School August 28, 2014

PTA Council at Wilder Elementary September 3, 2014

Northview Senior Center September 8, 2014

Public Meeting at Kraft Administrative Center September 9, 2014

Cox Hospital Leadership September 12, 2014

Public Meeting at Brentwood Library September 17, 2014

Public Meeting at Library Station September 19, 2014

Teacher Open Forum at Kraft Administrative Center September 22, 2014

Parent Advisory Group at Kraft Administrative Center September 22, 2014

City Leadership Team September 23, 2014

Delta Kappa Gamma (retired and active teachers) October 4, 2014

Students at Jeffries Elementary October 6, 2014

Students from Carver, Cherokee, Pershing and Hickory Hills middle schools October 6, 2014

Students at Weaver Elementary October 7, 2014

Students from Jarrett, Pipkin, Pleasant View, Reed and Westport middle schools October 7, 2014

Student representatives from all five high schools October 17, 2014

Senior Citizen Forum October 17, 2014

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Lessons Learned

From the various data collection activities, the Superintendent has a better understanding of the culture of SPS and the Springfield community. A few of the key findings from the listening and learning tour survey are presented below.

Comparison of SPS’ Quality

Forty-one percent of

survey respondents

believe that SPS has

improved in quality while

17% indicated that they

believe that quality has

decreased. An additional

41% say that quality is

about the same as it

was five years earlier.

Interpretation of the data

remains a matter of

perspective based on

whether one believes it is

an indication of success

that 82% of respondents

note that quality is the

same or higher or if it is a

matter of concern that 58%

of respondents said quality

has remained the same or

decreased.

When the data concerning

quality is broken out by

respondent type some shifts of perceptions take place. SPS employees and patrons

41%

41%

17%

1% In the last 5 years, the quality of SPS has . . .

Increased

Same

Decreased

No Response

● ● ●

“It’s important for my teacher to show me

how what they are teaching will be

relevant to my life.”

-Middle school student

● ● ●

8


without students in the system perceive a higher level of increased quality (employees

44%, patrons 60%) while both students and parents indicate a lower level of perceived

increase of quality (students 38%, parents 31%).

Stakeholders were asked to answer a second question concerning system quality

compared to other districts in our region. Respondents were asked if the quality of SPS is

higher, the same or lower

than other school districts

in our region. Thirty-four

percent of respondents

indicated that they

perceive that SPS is

higher quality than

neighboring districts while

20% believe that SPS is

lower quality than

neighboring districts.

When broken out by stakeholder

group, the data is fairly

consistent with the exception of

parents, who were the only

group to respond with a larger

percentage indicating that SPS

is lower in quality (29%) as

compared to the percent who

believe that SPS is higher in

quality (27%) when compared to

other regional districts.

34%

44%

20%

2%

Compared to other school districts in our region, the quality of SPS

is...

Higher

Same

Lower

No Response

9


What do you think of when you hear Springfield Public Schools?

As part of the listening and learning tour survey, Dr. Jungmann asked stakeholders to

complete a “word association” activity to measure initial reaction to SPS. When asked to

write the first word that came to mind when thinking of Springfield Public Schools, patrons

provided a number of reactions. Several were shared repeatedly. The “wordle,” depicted

below represents the 20 most common words or phrases mentioned. The size of the word

reflects the level of frequency with which it was mentioned by respondents.

Analysis of the stakeholder responses indicates that adults often associate SPS with

being “big, large or huge” as their initial response. The data broken down by stakeholder

group indicates the response dealing with size is by far the number one response among

employees and ranks in the top five with both parents and patrons. However, it is

interesting to note that for students that response drops to the 10th position.

While many of the other recurring themes are consistent across stakeholder groups,

“innovative” is one response that has significantly different rates. Among employee

responses, “innovative” ranked fourth highest, however, it ranked 18th with parents and

patrons and students did not list “innovative” in their top 20 responses.

Most frequent responses from stakeholders regarding what they think of when they hear “Springfield Public Schools.”

10


Strengths and Opportunities for Improvement

The survey asked stakeholders four open-ended questions concerning the strengths and

weaknesses of Springfield Public Schools. The responses to these questions identified

themes concerning each stakeholder group’s beliefs about the top items that SPS does

effectively and also the areas which need the most improvement. In the strengths

analysis, responses were very consistent while beliefs regarding areas for improvement

varied widely across the identified stakeholder groups.

What is the best thing about SPS or the system’s greatest strength?

The survey questions asked stakeholders to describe the best thing about SPS or the

greatest strength that exists in the system. The results of these questions were

significantly consistent as all groups agreed that quality teachers were the greatest asset

that exists in SPS by nearly a three to one margin. The fact that “quality teachers” is

identified as the number one strength in the system is positive when considering the fact

that this is the place where the district invests the largest amount of financial resources.

Other recurring responses from all groups were education offerings, choice programs and

community support.

What is the largest opportunity for improvement or one thing you would change?

Two survey questions asked stakeholders to identify the greatest opportunity for

improvement or the one thing the respondent would change about SPS. These prompts led

to a variety of reactions that were different for each population. The top three responses from

students were disciplinary inconsistencies, food quality, and start time. Two of these three

responses, discipline and food quality, find their way to all three other lists but start time is

unique to students.

Most frequent responses from parents of SPS students regarding the best thing about SPS or the district’s greatest strength.

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Reactions from parents focused on improvements in curriculum, teacher quality, and school

safety while expansion of choice program opportunities and transportation also received

numerous mentions. Several of these responses also found their way onto the lists from the

other stakeholder groups; curriculum was noted on all other lists and school safety and

teacher quality were mentioned often by students and patrons but were not identified by SPS

employees. Transportation was unique to only parents on the survey.

SPS employees who responded identified their top priorities as class-size reduction, equity

across the district, more support for struggling learners and technology expansions. Again,

several of the issues identified by employees as opportunities for improvement were noted on

the lists of the other stakeholder groups; equity and technology were listed on all three other

lists. Unique to the employee group was class-size reduction, which was not mentioned at all

by parents and patrons and listed only once by a student.

Finally, patrons without students in the district noted that growing diversity and poverty in the

district remains a significant opportunity for improvement; they also noted the need to expand

programming for students, and equity for all students. Again, all three of these identified

issues were noted on the lists submitted by the three other stakeholder groups.

A final review of the data collected reveals a few other common themes that were seen as

needing improvement by all groups but did not reach the top of the lists for any. Of those

the highest recurring were facilities and funding.

Measures of Success

Most frequent responses from SPS employees regarding the greatest opportunity for improvement or the one thing they would change.

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Measures of Success

The final question on the listening and learning tour survey asked respondents to rank a

list of 10 potential school success measures. The success measures included traditional

education measures such as reading and math proficiency rates, attendance, graduation

rate, etc., as well as other measures of success considered less common in today’s

typical education environment such as parent and student satisfaction, employment rate,

and communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills. The following chart presents

those responses on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being most important.

Success Measurements Total Students Employees Parents Patrons

Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking

3 6 4 3 3

Student Satisfaction

10 3 9 10 10

ACT Composite Scores

9 7 5 8 7

Attendance Rate

7 8 8 9 5

Employment Rate

2 9 2 2 2

Parent Satisfaction

5 4 10 4 4

Graduation Rate

6 5 7 6 8

College-Going Rate

4 1 3 7 9

Reading/Math Proficiency Rates

8 10 6 5 6

Highly Qualified Teachers

1 2 1 1 1

Rankings of school success measurements from most important (1) to least important (10)

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Analysis of the results shows significant agreement around the top three measurements

among most adult groups but a disconnect exists between adults and students who

responded. Having highly qualified teachers was the number one success measurement

identified by employees, parents, and patrons. Responding students also noted the

importance of quality

teachers, ranking it

second in importance.

First, however, for

students was the

college-going rate, which

also ranked very high

among school

employees (third). Interestingly, the college-going rate ranked seventh and ninth,

respectively among parents and patrons. Ranking second for all non-students

(employees, parents, and patrons) was employment rate; however, students ranked

employment next to last as a success measure.

Continued analysis of the data again shows agreement for non-students about the

importance of the often referred to 21st century skill set of communication, collaboration,

and critical thinking. Both parents and patrons ranked it third; employees ranked it fourth.

A significant disconnect regarding student satisfaction as a measure of school success is

noted as students in the system rank it as the third most important measure while parents

and patrons rank student satisfaction last and employees place this measure next to last.

A second significant difference in stakeholder satisfaction importance is identified when

students, parents, and patrons all rank parent satisfaction as the fourth most important

success measure and employees of the district who responded ranked parent satisfaction

as the least important of the 10 success measures identified.

One additional interesting point revealed through review of the data is that graduation

rate, attendance rate, reading and math proficiency rates, and ACT composite scores

ranked sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth in overall importance. None of these four

traditional measures of school success that are critically important in our state

accreditation processes cracked the top four list in any stakeholder group.

Snapshot of SPS

Springfield Public Schools maintains a positive statewide reputation due to its

commitment to student success through processes of continuous improvement. While

holding the status of the largest school district in the state, SPS has worked to not only

maintain accreditation but continuously study student performance data in order to identify

areas where improvement strategies should be implemented. In addition, SPS is also

#1 Key to Success:

Highly Qualified Teachers

14


identified as a leader in choice programming in Missouri due to efforts to provide

differentiated experiences that make learning personal for students.

While SPS has realized increases in graduation rate over the last few years, other student

performance measures have remained flat. A review of student demographics indicates

that the student population of SPS continues to evolve at a rapid pace as the percent of

students eligible for free and reduced price lunch increases annually. Some may argue

that student performance remaining flat during times of demographic change is actually a

sign of system improvement, however, when comparing SPS data to peers from across

the state and region one will note that other systems have managed to increase

performance in times of demographic change.

While these data points are of concern and deserve attention, it is also important to note

that the success of the students in SPS cannot and should not be measured only on

standardized test scores and the traditional education measures that represent only a

portion of the work that is done every day in order to create successful graduates.

Conversations with many community members during the learning tour and data collected

from the survey reveal that traditional education measures are less important than daily

life and employability skills for most stakeholders.

The following two pages provide a quick snapshot of how SPS compares to regional and

statewide peer districts on just a few demographic, financial, and student performance

data points.

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How does SPS compare to districts in our region?

2013-2014 Demographics, Finance, and Performance Data

Regional

Comparable Districts

Enrollment

Number

Free and

Reduced

Lunch

Percent

Current

Expenditure

ADA

Adjusted

Tax Rate Debt

Service

Fund

Adjusted

Operating

Levy Total

BRANSON 4,540 57.3% $ 8,539.13 0.7000 3.0580

LEBANON 4,470 59.5% $ 7,853.26 0.4700 2.7500

LOGAN-ROGERSVILLE 2,179 38.9% $ 7,432.00 0.8846 3.0554

NIXA 5,738 36.3% $ 7,720.13 1.0666 3.2434

OZARK 5,325 38.2% $ 7,532.56 0.8549 3.2851

REPUBLIC 4,591 44.1% $ 7,601.65 0.8400 3.4400

SPRINGFIELD 24,849 54.4% $ 8,631.71 0.5100 3.1899

STRAFFORD 1,173 45.8% $ 7,781.20 0.7000 2.7500

WILLARD 4,236 45.1% $ 7,761.42 0.8770 3.1630

Regional

Comparable

Districts

Calendar

Total

Days

Calendar

Total Hours

Admin

Average

Salary

Teacher

Average

Salary

Teacher

Average Years

Experience

Teacher

Master

Degree

Percent

BRANSON 174 1,105 $ 84,701 $ 45,573 11.2 44.7

LEBANON 170 1,144 $ 78,088 $ 40,082 12.0 36.6

LOGAN-ROGERSVILLE 174 1,132 $ 81,545 $ 39,323 13.6 52.8

NIXA 174 1,131 $ 85,744 $ 46,407 12.8 67.0

OZARK 174 1,104 $ 88,344 $ 45,425 13.0 44.2

REPUBLIC 174 1,173 $ 83,036 $ 45,275 10.9 57.2

SPRINGFIELD 170 1,109 $ 81,500 $ 45,788 12.6 66.9

STRAFFORD 174 1,125 $ 64,729 $ 40,113 11.6 43.7

WILLARD 174 1,119 $ 86,417 $ 43,980 11.5 43.7

Academic Achievement

SPS

Comparable

Average

Rank

English Language Arts

(MPI)

359.5 375.1 8

Mathematics (MPI) 351.3 370.7 9

Science (MPI) 358.7 385.5 9

Social Studies (MPI) 326.5 352.8 8

Subgroup Achievement

SPS

Comparable

Average

Rank

English Language Arts (MPI)

328.7 345.0 9


Science (MPI) 326.1 356.4 9


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How does SPS compare to districts in our state?

2013-2014 Demographics, Finance, and Performance Data

State

Comparable Districts

Enrollment

Number

Free and

Reduced

Lunch

Percent

Current

Expenditure

ADA

Adjusted

Tax Rate Debt

Service

Fund

Adjusted

Operating

Levy Total

COLUMBIA 16,990 39.6% $ 9,922.47 0.9219 4.3293

FERGUSON-FLORISSANT 11,261 72.0% $ 11,272.55 0.3000 4.7400

HAZELWOOD 17,882 57.2% $ 10,298.73 0.9400 5.3431

INDEPENDENCE 13,937 68.5% $ 9,281.24 1.2400 4.4300

KANSAS CITY 15,627 89.1% $ 13,414.47 0.0000 4.8400

NORTH KANSAS CITY 18,928 48.7% $ 9,929.19 1.0200 4.7398

SPRINGFIELD 24,849 54.4% $ 8,631.71 0.5100 3.1899

ST. JOSEPH 11,462 62.9% $ 8,862.07 0.3145 3.8215

ST. LOUIS CITY 25,200 88.5% $ 14,375.64 0.6211 3.7860

State

Comparable

Districts

Calendar

Total Days

Calendar Total

Hours

Admin Average

Salary

Teacher

Average

Salary

Teacher

Average Years

Experience

Teacher Master

Degree

Percent

COLUMBIA 174 1,211 $ $ 86,030 $ 48,517 12.4 74.8

FERGUSON-FLORISSANT 177 1,102 $ $ 109,620 $ 59,131 13.7 64.8

HAZELWOOD 175 1,208 $ $ 104,201 $ 53,140 11.5 69.5

INDEPENDENCE 175 1,155 $ $ 97,045 $ 52,132 11.5 70.7

KANSAS CITY 174 1,157 $ $ 85,613 $ 49,325 13.5 36.2

NORTH KANSAS CITY 174 1,107 $ $ 98,664 $ 51,478 11.7 65.4

SPRINGFIELD 170 1,109 $ $ 81,500 $ 45,788 12.6 66.9

ST. JOSEPH 174 1,124 $ $ 83,504 $ 44,150 12.1 52.2

ST. LOUIS CITY 174 1,122 $ $ 83,525 $ 49,105 10.8 50.4

Academic Achievement

SPS

Comparable

Average

Rank

English Language Arts

(MPI)

359.5 335.2 1


Science (MPI) 358.7 328.3 2


Subgroup Achievement

SPS

Comparable

Average

Rank

English Language Arts (MPI) 328.7 315.3 2


Science (MPI) 326.1 305.9 3


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Celebrations The people of Springfield care deeply about their schools and are proud of their students’

accomplishments. Likewise, the district’s staff is deeply committed to their students’

growth and has the capacity and desire to improve an already top-notch instructional

program.

Review of stakeholder survey data and district performance data helped identify many

celebrations in which the community of Springfield takes significant pride. The four top

recurring celebrations identified throughout the listening and learning tour are:

1. Quality Educators and Staff

Repeatedly, stakeholders shared the positive impact SPS educators have on students. Parents value the commitment teachers have toward ensuring that students succeed academically as well as personally. Students expressed their feelings of success have a direct correlation to a personal connection with their teacher. Teachers verbalized an appreciation for district efforts to support them in their goal to continue to build and hone their skills. “There are wonderful, smart, dedicated people in this district that, given the opportunity, can create positive change and growth that will impact our students, families, community; our future.” – SPS employee

2. Choice and Innovation

Stakeholders have a sense of pride in the choice programs offered by SPS. There is an

appreciation for district efforts to create individualized learning opportunities for students.

A universal understanding of not forcing students to “fit in a box” when it comes to

learning has led to support for more pull-out choice programs as well as innovative

opportunities located within the walls of the student’s home school.

“The availability and quality of unique programs sets SPS apart and I believe it brings people to our community over some of our neighboring communities.” -- SPS parent

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3. Performance

Student performance remains a priority for all stakeholders. Increased focus on preparing

students for daily life and employability based on the expectations of our community are

having a positive effect. Nearly 80% of stakeholders believe the performance of SPS is

equal to or better than our surrounding districts. As compared to statewide peers, SPS

ranks near the top in most student performance measures. One example of programming

pushing performance higher is the International Baccalaureate program, the only K-12

program in the state of Missouri.

“SPS teachers truly care about their students and their performance.”

–SPS parent

4. Community Support and Partnerships

Stakeholders recognize the need for and appreciate the support of community partnerships. Large partnerships like Academy of Exploration at Discovery Center, Health Sciences Academy @Mercy and WOLF with Bass Pro make choice programming opportunities possible. Non-profit partners like OneSolePurpose and PTA Clothing Bank provide shoes and clothing for students while faith-based partners provide volunteers to spruce up buildings or upgrade playgrounds. No matter the size, all these partnerships positively impact students. “SPS has an excellent relationship with the community and strives to strengthen and improve that relationship each year.” –SPS parent

19


Journey Toward Excellence As the largest school district in Missouri and Springfield’s third largest employer,

Springfield Public Schools plays a significant role in the lives of many individuals. More

than 25,000 students and 3,500 employees are directly impacted by the school district but

ultimately, all those who live or work in the community have a vested interest in SPS’

success.

The Superintendent’s entry plan provided a forum for stakeholders across the district to engage in dialogue about their ideas, thoughts and desires regarding the education of the students in Springfield Public Schools. The intent and design of the Superintendent’s entry plan was to stimulate conversations and involve people in a process for moving the organization to the next level of excellence. Stakeholder groups recognized the accomplishments of the school district and they look forward to improving the organization and increasing student achievement, not only to benefit our students, but to benefit the community as a whole. For the district to provide personal learning experiences, it is necessary for the organization to re-evaluate, realign, and create new systems and processes to ensure the level of achievement continues to rise. During the initial transition period, the Superintendent has listened and learned from students, parents, employees, and community members and leaders, gaining understanding and knowledge about the individuals, the district, and the community. The following pages identify a focus for the future and outline the recommended strategies to empower and support all students to discover and pursue their potential. Recommended strategies for achieving this objective are:

1. Create a Collective Vision 2. Create Financial Sustainability 3. Ensure Equity of Opportunity 4. Guarantee Access to High Quality Educators 5. Eliminate Barriers to 21st Century Tools and Schools 6. Empower and Engage Partners 7. End Isolation and Foster Regional Collaboration 8. Realign Organizational Structure to Meet System Goals

The following pages provide additional details concerning the recommended next steps to

move SPS forward on this journey to excellence.

20


Strategies and actions 1. Create a Collective Vision

Developing a collective vision of student and system success with agreed upon goals and

measures must be the first step of any improvement process. A quick review of the

current SPS mission statement notes that the school system exists for the “academic

excellence of all students.” While the district certainly exists to serve all students, a

conversation about whether that purpose is limited to “academic excellence” would be

worthwhile. The current district scorecard has more than 150 identified measurement

points, many comprised of multiple additional measures that may or may not be related to

academic excellence.

A 30-60 day strategic plan review process should begin immediately to engage

community stakeholders in order to determine clarity regarding the results that are

desired for the students who attend SPS. This resulting product will provide a focus

and a set of agreed upon goals and measures that align with both student needs

and community expectations. The listening tour survey completed in the last 90

days will serve as one aspect of community feedback to help provide participants

with information necessary to begin the work.

2. Create Financial Sustainability

An initial review of the current SPS budget condition and future projections created based

on past behaviors identifies significant challenges that may exist in the future.

Assumptions were made that SPS will continue to see student growth at approximately

.70% per year, which has been the recent trend, and that a 1% annual cost of living

increase with annual step adjustments for all staff will be implemented to remain

competitive with other area districts in salary. Revenue assumptions also were made to

align with current trends in assessed valuation growth and state revenue remaining flat

with the exception of the new resources that come with student population growth.

Objective:

Empower and support all students to discover and pursue their potential

21


Assuming the listed factors play out according to the trends of the recent past, SPS will

need to increase the local operating tax levy by nearly $1.00 per $100 of assessed

valuation over the next seven years in order to maintain the current staffing that exists

within our schools and

maintain an operating

fund balance of 15%.

In addition, if the

district seeks to add

employees through

increased

programming or just to

keep pace with the

current ratio of staff to students, the levy increase necessary jumps to more than $1.38

per $100 of assessed value over the next seven years.

It is important to note that state revenue has started to show some promise for growth but

offers no guarantee for the future. Currently SPS is operating under a shortfall of more

than $16 million per year from the legislatively adopted foundation formula which is

designed to provide the resources to guarantee all students across the state the level of

funding necessary to receive an “adequate” education. The inability of the state to

provide the resources necessary to fund the formula provides additional strain on school

districts across the state and forces communities to decide if they will offset the resource

challenge locally or reduce services accordingly.

A quick glance at per pupil expenditures for SPS as compared to regional peers shows

that Springfield is spending on average 10% more per child than other comparable

schools in the region. While some differences in student population may account for a

piece of this spending, a more in-depth look is necessary to determine whether different

staffing practices are in place because spending per teacher and per administrator is in

line with regional districts expenditures. Economy of scale theories would indicate that

SPS should be inherently more efficient in many practices; however, it is unclear whether

this is actually playing out.

SPS currently has enough resources to do anything that is desired; however, the system

does not have, and will never have, enough resources to do everything. The process of

identifying budget priorities and shifting resources to meet needs must become part of a

regular conversation. Consistently reviewing all staffing and spending practices and

challenging the status quo in order to increase effectiveness and efficiency must be part

of the culture ingrained into SPS. In order to create this shift, a more thorough

understanding of where our resources are generated and how they are expended must

permeate the system. With over 3,500 employees working to serve the students of SPS,

Maximize Resources

State funding offers no guarantee for

the future.

22


the overwhelming majority of our annual budget is currently and will always be invested in

people.

A thorough review of current spending habits will be completed over the next 6-9

months to identify and improve inefficiencies and reveal new opportunities for

reallocation of resources to ensure a more sustainable financial future.

Processes that empower employees to offer new and innovative solutions to

budgetary challenges and have them become more engaged in conversations

regarding how we maximize resources to positively impact students will be created

and implemented.

3. Ensure Equity of Opportunity

Springfield is evolving into a more economically diverse community. Free and reduced

rates have grown by more than 10% in the last few years and a look at the trend line

would predict that these increases will not end soon. Challenges occurring due to these

community shifts are significant as more students and families struggle with food

insecurity, transportation, mental and physical health, consistent shelter, access to early

childhood education, etc. These issues have a direct impact on a student’s ability to learn

and engage when they enter the classroom and thus also may affect future opportunities.

While much has been made of the achievement gap that exists between students who

have economic challenges and also those who come from different ethnic backgrounds,

the gap is far from just a score on a math or reading test. SPS must move beyond a

conversation only concerning achievement gap struggles to a more thorough

understanding of the opportunity gaps for students across

this community. Early childhood education is one example

of an area where the awareness of a significant gap has

been made clear and a community effort is underway to

address this important issue. Unfortunately, additional

opportunity gaps exist within the walls of the system that

demand more robust investigation. Two prime examples

of opportunity gaps that appear to exist in SPS are access

to choice programming and technology.

A brief anecdotal review of technology infusion at

campuses across the district would show that students

who live in wealthier neighborhoods and have access to active PTAs with significant

resources have many different tools for learning than those students and teachers who

live or work in lower resource areas. In addition, a review of choice programming data

● ● ●

Potential

Opportunity Gaps

Choice

Programming

Technology

● ● ●

23


Empower

educators by

attracting, hiring,

developing and

retaining high

quality employees

would also indicate that those who are enrolled in these programs are less likely to be

eligible for free and reduced price meals. This could be an indicator that there are barriers

preventing some student populations from participating. One potential barrier could be the

district transportation policy but it is unclear at this point to what extent it might contribute.

Identifying solutions to these and other opportunity gap challenges that may exist will not

be easy but the issues must be investigated and recommendations brought forth. Gaining

awareness of the opportunity gaps that exist between students who live in different

environments and cultures within our community is a significant need for district

employees and patrons. These gaps must be addressed in order for all students to reach

their full potential no matter where they live or what their economic condition or ethnic

background.

SPS will ensure that an understanding of student backgrounds and cultures exists

within district staff so that educators can effectively meet the needs of all students.

SPS will work to identify existing opportunity gaps and develop strategies to

appropriate or adjust resources in order to provide equality of opportunity for all

students.

4. Guarantee Access to High Quality Educators

Nearly all education research agrees that the highest impact action a school district can

take to maximize student learning is to fill every school with

great teachers and an effective principal. While nearly all

stakeholders have agreed that this is a strength of SPS, it

is important that the system not become complacent in

this area and continue to ensure that every student has

access to high quality teachers and principals every year

they attend an SPS school.

In order to provide a high quality educational experience

for every child in the system, the district must continue to

focus efforts on attracting, hiring, developing and retaining the

best team of education professionals in the state. To ensure this

happens, SPS must fully understand the strengths and limitations of the system and work

to overcome barriers that inhibit the delivery of this goal.

Throughout the listening and learning tour, an overwhelming majority of feedback noted

that parents and kids really like the educators who are serving in SPS. In general, they

24


believe the educators bring with them a “students first” mentality and a desire to

continually improve. One piece of feedback that was recurring in conversations however

was whether or not SPS remained a destination job for educators in the region. Several

people, including many employees, noted that SPS used to be the place where every

educator in the area desired to land a job but they were skeptical that this same image

holds true today. Many

expressed concern that

some leaders and

teachers are now leaving

SPS at a more rapid rate

and moving to outlying

districts and that some

entering the profession

are pursuing jobs in

suburban districts as their

“first choice” instead of Springfield.

While SPS appears to have little trouble finding qualified applicants for each position

posted, it is critical that the system not settle for just qualified applicants but instead

ensure that compensation, benefits, quality of work-life, and employment engagement

strategies put into place are attracting, developing, and retaining the best educators in the

region.

In addition, it is not enough to simply attract and hire the best. It is equally critical for

every educator in the system to understand that the foundation of learning begins with a

positive relationship between the educator and their students. Teachers who effectively

build these relationships better understand how to reach each child and make learning

personal for them; the result is always increased learning. SPS must ensure the

educators who currently serve in classrooms across the district are focused on building

strong relationships with students and providing rigorous and relevant learning

experiences that allow students to regularly exhibit their learning in authentic ways.

SPS educators should also be willing to listen to both student and parent feedback

regarding satisfaction with the learning experience. Data in the listening and learning

tour survey indicate that system-wide employees rank student and parent satisfaction

the lowest on the list of 10 school success measures. This is concerning and worthy of

further investigation.

Investigate perceptions of students exiting education preparatory programs

concerning their district preferences. Seeking feedback from district

employees regarding reasons they chose SPS and why they continue to

Build Relationships, Demand

Rigor and Create Relevance

Fill every school with great teachers

and an effective principal.

25


desire to work for the system may help inform our human resources

practices.

Review current hiring practices, as well as salary, benefits and system culture, to

ensure that there are no processes or practices in place that limit the pool of

applicants or inhibit the district from attracting, hiring, developing and retaining

high quality educators and support staff.

Ensure that student and parent feedback are valued by our employees and

processes are put in place to hear the voices of our stakeholders and use the

feedback given in the continuous improvement process.

5. Eliminate Barriers to 21st Century Tools and Schools

A recurring theme throughout the listening and learning tour events was ensuring that

students leave our schools prepared

for the next step in life. Questions

concerning the technological tools and

instructional methods being used and

their relevance in today’s information

society were of significant concern by

students, teachers, and parents.

While learning has and always will be

most positively impacted by the

relationship between a high quality

teacher and their students, it was clear

that all stakeholder groups believe that

the learning environments of today

should be equipped and often instructed in different ways than they have been in the past.

Information is now distributed on a mass scale through technology at a moment’s notice

and the work of educators to shift from dispensers of knowledge to facilitators of learning

who help students be better consumers of information is necessary. With that being said,

it was apparent that the community’s expectation is that technology in the learning

process must shift from an event that takes place occasionally to integrated use on a

regular basis in all classrooms. The tradition of “computer labs” is an antiquated structure

that pretends technology exists outside the classrooms and is a separate skill set not

related to the learning that happens in every other classroom. To continue this tradition is

to ignore the fact that mobile technology is a part of the lives of nearly all students and

26


adults in our community. It will also be an ever-increasing part of the educational

experience as our students move into higher education or business and industry.

SPS used the 2013 bond issue as an opportunity to upgrade system infrastructure and

some devices in the system, however, as compared to many regional districts the infusion

of technology tools for students and teachers is still lagging. In addition, the budgetary

processes for these upgrades are questionable due to the recurring nature of the expense

of technology and using bond funds for these purchases appears short sighted due to the

fact that this technology will need to be placed on replacement cycle and paid for with

annual operating instructional funds.

While access to quality equipment was noted as a significant barrier throughout the tour,

an additional recurring theme was whether the equipment could be used effectively by

staff and students due to current administrative practices and lack of consistent and timely

support necessary to ensure the tools remained operational.

A second significant concern noted among educators and leadership in the system was

the required processes currently in place that serve as barriers to innovation and change

in our schools. The question must be answered as to if the current structures in place at

SPS create and inspire educators and students to innovate or if the processes put in

place actually stifle innovation and change that could positively impact learning and create

a more rewarding work environment.

In addition to the technology and innovation barriers identified on the tour, many also

noted concern regarding the quality of facilities and the ability to adapt older facilities into

modern learning environments. The district has continued to make efforts to replace

and/or update existing structures but remains noticeably behind when comparing the age

and condition of several facilities with other districts in the region.

The lack of a comprehensive long-range facility master plan for SPS is a significant

concern that must be addressed soon. Facility improvement needs are identified on a

regular basis throughout the entire district but without a collective vision of where the

district wants to be in the area of facilities 10 years from now and a plan on how to

achieve the identified goals, it will be increasingly difficult to make effective spending

decisions regarding facility improvements.

A thorough review of technology implementation policies and strategies must be

completed within the next 90 days in order to determine the level of success

teachers and students are experiencing with the integration of technology into the

classrooms.

27


Empower community

partnerships by

connecting parents,

business, industry,

non-profit and higher

education to support

students preK-12.

Review current technology plan and ensure it aligns with best practices and vision

set forth the updated strategic plan.

Identify and remove intentional and/or unintentional barriers to innovation.

Create a fiscally responsible and flexible facility master plan focused on providing

appropriate learning environments for all students both today and throughout the

life of our current and future facilities.

6. Empower and Engage Partners

The Springfield community has a rich history of robust partnerships

created to support the success of students in SPS. Projects like the

“Every Child Promise” initiative and agencies such as Care to Learn

are prime examples of successes that are already underway. This

tradition has resulted in significant levels of support from

community partners to provide resources to fill identified gaps in

support for students. Partnerships are and will remain a point of

pride for SPS, however, while they are many, the potential for

additional partnerships exists. Several community partners have

noted they are ready and willing to support but need to know how

and where they can be of service.

Several avenues for more authentic engagement of our parents, business, industry, non-profit,

and higher education partners have not been tapped and could be of great benefit to the

students in SPS. In order to capitalize on this opportunity, a more fully developed process for

building and sustaining partnerships that are focused on achieving student success is

necessary.

The existing P-20 council is one example of an untapped resource where partnerships with

business, industry, and education partners who are vested in the community are ready and

willing to engage in a more sophisticated process of connecting students with their future. In

addition to the members of this council several other business and industry leaders have

expressed interest in connecting more significantly with both our students and teachers to help

provide increased relevance through internships, shadowing experiences and other designed

programs that help students and educators more fully understand the quality careers that exist in

our community.

A realignment of responsibilities of current administration will create a single point person

for community and business partnership development. These partnerships will focus on

providing the essential foundations and supports that students need in order to have a

28


successful school experience as well as instructional programs that enrich the school

experience for all students through experiential learning activities.

7. End Isolation and Foster Regional Collaboration

As noted earlier, SPS has a statewide reputation for being a high-quality and relatively

innovative system. This quality has resulted in numerous recognitions and opportunities to

share experiences with other districts in our state and across the nation. Unfortunately,

while SPS has always been a willing partner in sharing its best practices, it appears the

culture of learning from others in our region and across our state has not always been a

two-way conversation. Very few systemic opportunities and expectations are created for

district teachers and leaders to regularly collaborate with peers in our region and state

regarding best practices.

The belief that the size and

relative uniqueness of SPS

compared with other systems

across the region and state

has created a collaboration

void, resulting in a system

often functioning in isolation

from others working to achieve

the same results desired by

SPS. Comments regarding

SPS not doing things like other regional districts because of size and demographic

differences may have merit in some areas but is a dangerous cultural message to send

that the system has nothing to learn from others because we are different in some areas.

SPS has missed regular opportunities to collaborate with districts in our region at the

teacher and principal level, which limits the growth of the people who are most essential

to the success of our students.

Educators and other system staff are often limited by their own experiences and what

they have discovered through their professional development opportunities. In general

SPS has effectively capped professional learning opportunities by doing nearly all

professional development in house and not creating the opportunity and expectation that

the system learns from other educators outside the boundaries of SPS on a regular basis.

The impact of this isolation is compounded when it is coupled with hiring practices that

have led to an overwhelming majority of leadership hires from within the system. These

leaders may be of great quality but if their exposure has been limited due to a culture that

Maximize Learning

Expand summer school

access to increase

achievement.

29


Empower

collaboration to

create regional

partnerships among

school districts.

isolates them from learning outside of the district the long-term implications for the system

could be significant.

One specific example of a practice that exists in many neighboring school districts and

statewide peer districts but has never been fully developed in Springfield is the use of

summer school to serve our student body. Many districts in our region and across the

state have annually operated a summer school program that is between two and eight

times the size of the SPS summer program (adjusted for district size). These programs

are operated with resources made available through state funding and are, at worst, cost-

neutral to the district. With ample research regarding the concerns of regression for

students who are at-risk over the summer and a continual call for the need for more time

with students, it is concerning that SPS has not taken advantage of this opportunity in a

more significant manner in the past. In addition, the district has a

strong desire to increase educational opportunities for students

prior to entering kindergarten. Again, a review of last year’s

summer enrollment indicated that only around 10% of entering

kindergarteners were in summer school while other districts

took advantage of this time and served a much larger

percentage of their incoming kindergarteners. The system’s

lack of knowledge of how other districts were providing

services for their students is an example of how isolation and

lack of learning from peers has resulted in a lack of support for

students.

Collaborative partnerships among districts are more commonplace in other regions across

the state but have never taken root in Springfield. In the Kansas City, St. Louis and Joplin

regions, school district partnerships exist to assist with the delivery of professional

development, cooperative purchasing processes, and legislative advocacy, as well as the

core function of delivering educational services to students. In Springfield these types of

partnerships are essentially absent on a large scale and some of those that do exist are

happening without the engagement of SPS. The opportunity to create collaborative efforts

to more effectively serve the students in this region has great potential. SPS has much to

share with other systems and would also benefit from regular learning opportunities with

others who may offer new perspectives.

SPS will break down the culture of isolation by creating systemic professional

development practices that ensure regular opportunities for teachers, principals

and other system leaders to learn from peers in the region and across the state.

SPS will begin a dialogue with regional districts concerning opportunities to

30


construct mutually beneficial partnerships designed to positively impact student

and system performance.

8. Realign Organizational Structure to Meet System Goals

In order to pursue the work defined in the previous sections, the reassignment of

leadership responsibilities and duties will be necessary and take place over the next

several months. The system’s organizational structure will be designed to ensure a focus

on impacting identified student success measures through effective collaboration

between all departments. A culture of continuous growth of all system leaders will be the

core expectation and leaders will be provided both appropriate levels of autonomy and

accountability. Leadership team members will be expected to partner in the process of

maximizing operational efficiencies by being open to new ways of work in order to

ensure SPS remains sustainable. Through all realignments, the goal will be to remain

cost neutral.

A Chief Learning Officer will be hired and responsible for leading the pursuit of student success in both academic and non-academic categories while ensuring that the preK-12 system operates in collaboration.

Leadership team members will be assigned to areas where their strengths can be

maximized to positively impact system performance.

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Closing Thoughts

It has been my privilege during this 90-day transition to meet many wonderful people and to become better acquainted with the Springfield community. As I have visited schools, attended sporting events and participated in community meetings, it has become obvious to me that Springfield values and supports its school district. Through our input process, students, employees, parents and community members have been candid with their feedback, which has helped me better understand where SPS stands. During those conversations, I have also asked participants to imagine what they want SPS to become in the future. Their vision and expectations for their school district and their children have been inspiring. My hope is that this report will foster a common understanding of our school district’s current position and serve as our guide for future discussions about how we can make it the best that it can be. Working together we can re-imagine Springfield Public Schools and empower all of our students to discover and pursue their full potential. I appreciate our community’s participation during this process and look forward to leading the district as we work together to meet the needs of our students and the expectations of our community. Respectfully,

John E. Jungmann, Ed.D. Superintendent

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Appendix A

Springfield Public Schools Entry Plan for Dr. John Jungmann, Superintendent of Schools

The purpose of an entry plan is to establish a set of activities that will guide my transition into the Springfield school district. The following activities will allow me to gain significant understanding of the status of the school system’s performance and create a network of contacts and resources to assist in the work of supporting the continuous improvement of SPS.

Entry Plan Goals

1. Create a structure to listen and learn comprehensively about Springfield Public Schools and begin to cultivate trust and confidence through open communication.

2. Establish a strong working relationship with the Board of Education. 3. Study in depth the district’s student performance status and review the financial condition of the system. 4. Promote a culture of excellence and continuous improvement with a focus on student achievement

Outcome / Report The expected results of this entry plan shall include:

1. A 90th

day report on observations, findings, and proposed next steps to continuous improvement for Springfield Public Schools (based on 90 business days, a report will be presented in late November / early December).

Superintendent Non-Negotiables

Serve the students of our school system by acting with integrity and honesty at all times

Remain focused on our goal: student success and academic achievement

Investigate every opportunity to increase the performance of Springfield Public Schools

Model life-long learning and professionalism, promote risk-taking, and cultivate innovation

33


Action Plans 1. Create a structure for the Superintendent of Schools to listen broadly and learn comprehensively about

Springfield Public Schools and begin to cultivate trust and confidence through open and honest communication.

Goal 1 - Listening and Learning Tour Timeline

Schedule meetings with employee associations and employee leadership groups for initial learning sessions.

First 30 Days

Schedule meetings with established student and parent organizations for initial listening and learning sessions.

First 30 Days

Identify the region’s and community’s key corporations, businesses, foundations, not-for-profit philanthropic leaders, public safety leaders, college and university presidents, and meet with each for an initial listening and learning session.

First 30 Days

Identify community media outlets, and establish a routine communication protocol for regular and urgent communications.

First 30 Days

Host listening and learning sessions for teachers and support staff to learn about critical issues facing the organization.

First 60 Days

Attend meetings of key organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, service clubs, etc. for an initial listening session.

First 60 Days

Identify the community’s key faith based leaders and meet with each for an initial listening and learning session.

First 60 Days

Schedule meetings with regional politicians, and meet with each for an initial listening and learning session.

First 60 Days

Schedule meetings with school-building leadership teams for initial listening and learning sessions. First 90 Days

Assess the quality, quantity, and effectiveness of all existing forms of communication with the following stakeholders: BOE, parents, teachers, support staff, administrative staff, local/regional politicians, student leaders, business leaders, faith-based leaders, etc . . .

First 90 Days

Direct communication plan for information dissemination from the district office, including blog posts and utilization of other social media.

First 90 Days

2. Establish a strong working relationship with the Board of Education

Goal 2 - Board Relations

Share entry plan for feedback, suggestions, and approval. Prior to July 1.

Schedule a meeting with Board President and Vice President to discuss a format and agenda for two Board/Superintendent retreats, one in July and one in October/November.

Prior to July 1 Retreat July 16

Establish meeting time with Board President and Vice President for reviewing and constructing agendas.

First 10 days

Individual meetings with each Board member for one-on-one conversations to deepen relationships and broaden perspective – follow up meetings will take place every 90 days throughout year one

Prior to July 1 Follow up within 90 days

Hold a BOE retreat to discuss and establish communication protocols, roles and responsibilities, norms for best practice in governance, expectations for the first year, agenda setting, etc. Focus on shared values, organizational effectiveness, and Board and Superintendent relationships

Retreat #1 July 16

34


3. Study in depth the district’s student performance status and review the financial condition of the system.

Goal 3 - Student Performance and Financial Condition

Review student data for all student populations. First 90 Days

Request briefings on district and school-building student data review processes for all student populations.

First 90 Days

Explore and assess continuous improvement programs appropriate for district-level, building-level, and teacher-level implementation.

First 90 Days

Review district programming for special populations, including students with disabilities, English Language Learners, students in the RtI system, and high performance learners.

First 90 Days

Review and analyze the district’s current evaluation systems for effectiveness and accountability. First 90 Days

Assess the professional development plan for capacity in training principals, CO staff, teachers, support staff; determine the degree to which it is embedded, differentiated, and student directed.

First 90 Days

Review status of system budget/funding streams supporting district operations. First 90 Days

4. Promote a culture of excellence and continuous improvement with a focus on student achievement

Goal 4 - Culture of Excellence and Continuous Improvement

Review the strategic plan. First 30 Days

Schedule student focus groups to listen to their input, discuss critical issues facing the district, and to determine what needs to be done to increase student engagement across the district.

First 90 Days

Research and foster key celebrations and rituals at the district and building levels to acknowledge and honor student, parent, and volunteer accomplishments, above-and-beyond commitment, and exemplary leadership.

First 90 Days

Research and foster key celebrations and rituals at the district and building levels to acknowledge and honor teacher and staff accomplishments, above-and-beyond contributions, and exemplary performance and leadership.

First 90 Days

Research and promote broad recognition of success in district publications and public meetings. First 90 Days

Request briefing meetings to review all studies, reports, and audits by outside agencies. First 90 Days

Establish a schedule to meet with all key staff, and review personnel quality performance systems and current reviews.

First 90 Days

Review central office structure to determine focus on student achievement and for maximization of operational efficiency.

First 90 Days

Conduct retreat(s) with central office team to review the District’s strategic plan, improvement plans, recent achievement data, and upcoming vacancies, and to discuss leadership team structures and practices.

First 90 Days

Conclusion

This entry plan sets the stage for a smooth transition of leadership and will assist me in understanding the people, culture, and current performance of Springfield Public Schools. The plan is the first step of our work together to deliver the vision of continuous improvement for the students and employees of Springfield Public Schools.

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Appendix B

36


37


38


Student Feedback

Highest Frequency of Common Themes

Employee Feedback


39


Parent Feedback


Patron Feedback


Students Feedback

40



Employee Feedback


41


Parent Feedback


Patron Feedback


Documents

Listening and Learning - iShareSPS - Home€¦ · · 2014-11-113 Listening and Learning with Dr. John Jungmann Table of Contents Introduction 4 Input Process 5 Lessons Learned 7