Beyond the Talk 2.0: Redefining the Role of Central Office

1. Beyond the Talk 2.0:Redefining the Role of Central Office San Francisco Unified School District Presentation to the Committee of the Whole April 20, 2010 Richard Carranza, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, Innovation and Social Justice

2. Beyond the Talk San Francisco Unified School District My charge: Implement the Strategic Plan Authentic access and equity will exist when our families, students and teachers report that they are clear about what is expected and have the support they need to meet those expectations. Schools must create environments that allow well-prepared teachers to continually reflect on and improve their practice. We must create an organization that ensures every student has access to … capable teachers… All students need access to a rigorous academic curriculum and high quality instruction, based on content and performance standards. These changes demand that we relinquish pretense and embrace the simple truth that we all have to learn how to do this work better: from the Board room to the classroom.

3. Access and Equity: Make social justice a reality Achievement: Engage high achieving and joyful learners Accountability: Keep our promises to students families Every student graduates ready for college and/or career with the skills, capacities and dispositions necessary for 21st century success. Beyond the Talk San Francisco Unified School District Strategic Plan Goals and Vision

4. My journey as a cycle of inquiry

5. Cycle of inquiry: carry out strategies and collect data • Three district goals and three non-negotiable objectives • Nine Superintendent/BOE priorities • Schools implementing scorecards with over 1000 strategic actions • Departments developing scorecards and rethinking how they provide service to sites • Exploring federal funding opportunities

6. Cycle of Inquiry: analyze data

7. Cycle of Inquiry: analyze data

8. Working smarter… “The selection a school makes regarding its work (that is, what to work on next) is perhaps the most critical factor in a school’s ability to improve student achievement.” (Elmore)

9. Cycle of Inquiry: frame or reframe key issues or questions

10. Cycle of inquiry: frame or reframe key issues or questions • What is the role of central office in achieving the goals of our strategic plan? • Have we provided staff with the capacity to meet the expectations? • Have we clearly articulated our action plan to all stakeholders? • Do we hold ourselves accountable for tangible results?

11. Cycle of Inquiry: investigate literature and field expertise

12. Cycle of Inquiry: investigate literature and field expertise • The most effective function for central office is setting and monitoring nonnegotiable goals for student outcomes & instruction and aligning resources District Leadership that Matters (Marzano & Waters) Lessons from Chicago (Bryk et al) • Five elements of support are research-based to produce gains in reading & math • Cross-departmental teams support an area of schools and are held accountable for school results Montgomery County • You must blend equity with rigor • You must have common curriculum, assessments, grading criteria in order to truly achieve equity The Flat World and Education (LDH) • The US needs stronger standards and assessments to be internationally competitive Lessons from New York (Elmore et al) • Focus on the instructional core and take shared responsibility for improving instruction

13. Cycle of Inquiry: develop and tune action plan: The GAME plan

14. G (Goal setting) A (Achievement and instructional expectations) M (Monitoring) E (Equitable resources) Achievement Accountability Access and Equity The GAME plan: Beyond the Talk 2.0

15. Priority Strategic Actions • Set non-negotiable student outcome measures (Achievement) • Implement common instructional expectations (Achievement) • Initial focus on common, rigorous core curriculum, early literacy, A-G, and common performance assessment implementation • Common and inclusive approach to Special Education • Establish systems for monitoring and continuous improvement (Accountability) • Balanced Scorecards (w/ non-negotiable student outcome measures) • Performance management system for adults • Equitably distribute resources (Access &Equity) • Restructuring how central office provides support • A Superintendent’s Zone (supporting intensive schools such as Bayview Schools / SIG / Magnet) • Strategic Design for Quality Schools • Five essential elements of support include: • Family and Community Ties (Parent Engagement Plan) • Student Centered Learning Climate (School Discipline / Restorative Justice) • Implementing the Student Assignment Plan • Resource Development focused on supporting the strategic goals *2009-10 Supt / BOE Priorities underlined in bold

16. Non-Negotiable Student Outcome Measures Graduates in Post-Secondary Institutions High School Graduates meeting A-G 10th Grade ELA and Math CAHSEE Pass Rate 8th Grade ELA and Algebra Proficiency 4th Grade ELA and Math Proficiency Early Literacy Measurement (to be developed)

17. Priority Strategic Actions Set non-negotiable student outcome measures (Achievement) Implement common instructional expectations (Achievement) Initial focus on common, rigorous core curriculum, early literacy, A-G, and common performance assessment implementation Common and inclusive approach to Special Education Establish systems for monitoring and continuous improvement (Accountability) Balanced Scorecards (w/ non-negotiable student outcome measures) Performance management system for adults Equitably distribute resources (Access &Equity) Restructuring how central office provides support A Superintendent’s Zone (supporting intensive schools such as Bayview Schools/ SIG / Magnet) Strategic Design for Quality Schools Five essential elements of support include: Family and Community Ties (Parent Engagement Plan) Student Centered Learning Climate (School Discipline / Restorative Justice) Implementing the Student Assignment Plan Resource Development focused on supporting the strategic goals *2009-10 Supt / BOE Priorities underlined in bold

18. Intensive Equitably Distribute Resources: Differentiating Support to Schools Intensity of Support Challenge Strategic Benchmark High Performing Schools Advanced

19. Cluster schools to be explicit and transparent about support Locate regional/area cross-functional teams at same sites Create a superintendent’s zone of intensive schools as one of the clusters for targeted support The remaining clusters should be heterogeneous – supporting feeder patterns for student assignment (Pre K-8 and High School). Schools with similar needs and within the same communities should be provided opportunities to share best practices in ECPLCs. Non-structural issues with greater need: Setting up tools and systems for continuous learning and accountability Aligning the employee lifecycle across HR and PD Continuous review of equitable distribution of resources to intensive schools Ensure we’re investing in the data and technology infrastructure Equitably Distribute Resources: Structural Recommendations

20. Equitably Distribute Resources: Structural Recommendations (cont.) Initial Team Members (start small and learn) Assistant Superintendent Instructional Support Director Data Analyst 3 to 5 Content Specialists 1-2 IRFs Liaisons from P&O division Team Focus Helping schools implement the core and work on the right work Diagnose and solicit resources Build school instructional capacity Support BSC development Co-design site and region/area-based PD Skill / Capacities of Team Members Need to be more of generalists with relationships to get specific support Need to be able to diagnose and assess school needs Able to work collaboratively to cultivate positive accountability expectations

21. P&O Liaisons • Finance • Facilities • HR • IT Deputy Supt Assoc Supt Asst Supt Asst Supt Asst Supt Asst Supt Asst Supt Asst Supt • Area Team 1: • Pre K-8 • Instruc. Support Dir. • Data Analyst • 3-5 Generalist / Instructional Leaders • Area Team 2: • Pre K-8 • Instruc. Support Dir. • Data Analyst • 3-5 Generalist / Instructional Leaders • Area Team 3: • Pre K-8 • Instruc. Support Dir. • Data Analyst • 3-5 Generalist / Instructional Leaders • Area Team 4: • Pre K-8 • Instruc. Support Dir. • Data Analyst • 3-5 Generalist / Instructional Leaders • Area Team 5: • HS • Instruc. Support Dir. • Data Analyst • 3-5 Generalist / Instructional Leaders • Area Team 6: • Supt Schools • Instruc. Support Dir. • Data Analyst • 5-8 Generalist / Instructional Leaders APD CSI* SPED RPA SSS Deputy, Assoc Supt, Asst Supt and leaders of other IISJ departments meet on a weekly basis to review data, strategies, and resource allocations to schools * Continuous School Improvement

22. Implementation Plan April May June July August Instructional Expectations Defining nonnegotiable student outcomes Curriculum & Instructional Guides Common Assessments Equitable Resources / Support Cross-departmental regional team concept defined Departments submit budgets to allocate resources to teams; job descriptions finalized Regional team members finalized and schools clustered in regions Formal introductions between teams and schools Monitoring First regional review of school profiles

23. The politics and ideology of social justice are empty without daily actions that improve the living and learning conditions for the children of San Francisco. – Beyond the Talk