Quarterly Update

1. Quarterly Update Blue Ribbon Commission’s Recommendations of the 2009 Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) Erasure Investigation Dr. Beverly L. HallSuperintendentAtlanta Public Schools May 9, 2011

2. 2 Quarterly Update Agenda • Background • Overview • Update on Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) Recommendations • Update on Caveon Recommendations • Summary

3. 3 Background • August 2, 2010 – BRC presented the BRC CRCT Erasure Investigation Report • August 16, 2010 – APS responded to the BRC Report • Division owners assigned • Project management methodology implemented

4. 4 Overview • Twenty-nine recommendations outlined in the BRC report • Each recommendation to date has a status of one of the following: • Complete – 25 recommendations • In Progress – 0 recommendations • On Hold – 3 recommendations • Work Beyond June 30 – 1 recommendation

5. 5 Security Recommendations • Highlights from previous reports: • APS Test Security Plan enhanced and communicated to the district • Pre-administration testing workshops and training sessions completed for testing monitors • Testing pre-administration workshops incorporated ethics

6. 6 Security Recommendations • Highlights from previous reports (continued): • Enhanced protocols and best practices created for test preparation to include an attestation process • Ongoing plan developed to conduct regular audits for each CRCT administration • Face-to-face policy training conducted to encourage professional conduct, ethics and accountability

7. 7 Security Recommendations • Highlights from previous reports (continued): • Safe rooms upgraded with cameras and limited documented secure badge access • Scanning process implemented to enhance chain of custody procedures for test materials

8. 8 Security Recommendations • BRC Security Recommendation 2 • “Research and identify causes of the unusually high number of erasures within the district and identify and implement best practices in test preparation across the district” • Status: On Hold • Administration’s Update • The district received partial 2009 CRCT erasure data from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) • APS has received 2010 summary erasure data from GOSA. This data has been analyzed to the extent possible • The district will continue to implement best practices in test preparation and administration

9. 9 Process Recommendations • Highlights from previous reports: • 12 Week Accelerated Academic Recovery Program implemented to provide additional support to students • Audit routines and process to investigate testing irregularities enhanced

10. 10 Process Recommendations • BRC Process Recommendation 3 • “Conduct further investigation of the referred individuals within the Identified Schools and take whatever administrative, legal or professional action APS considers appropriate” • Status: On Hold • Administration’s Update • The PSC approved 27 of 108 referred individuals • APS is fully cooperating with the Governor’s special investigation team

11. 11 Leadership Recommendations • Highlights from previous reports: • Communication plan regarding external hotline implemented for APS employees to report misconduct • Principals reassigned from the Category 1 schools • Training provided on tools used as part of the 12 Week Accelerated Academic Recovery Program • Online communication toolkit created to place additional emphasis on leadership, integrity and ethics • Hotline brochures and posters placed in all schools

12. 12 Leadership Recommendations • BRC Leadership Recommendation 1 • “Drive culture change throughout the district to create an environment that effectively balances attention to measurable student outcomes with attention to positive, ethical behavior” • Status: Complete • Administration’s Update • Modified the APS Balanced Scorecard objective of building a culture of alignment, ethics and accountability • APS Balanced Scorecard has been cascaded to all district leaders who aligned their measures to the district scorecard • Alignment with the Effective Teacher in Every Classroom (ETEC) and Race to the Top initiatives

13. 13 Leadership Recommendations • BRC Leadership Recommendation 2 • “Proactively re-assess incentive systems and performance evaluation processes for all district employees with a focus on achieving this appropriate balance” • Status: Work Beyond June 30 • Administration’s Update • Multi-year phased recommendation is in progress as part of the ETEC and Race to the Top initiatives • New performance evaluation tools adopted as part of Race to the Top grant including a pilot of the Class Keys evaluation tool for teachers and Leader Keys evaluation tool for principals • Georgia Department of Education driving implementation schedule

14. 14 Leadership Recommendations • BRC Leadership Recommendation 3 • “Establish annual goals and performance plans that include a significant emphasis on leadership, integrity and ethics” • Status: Complete • Administration’s Update • Modified the APS Balanced Scorecard objective of building a culture of alignment, ethics and accountability • Created a toolkit for all employees containing guides and resources that assist leaders in emphasizing leadership, integrity and ethics

15. 15 Leadership Recommendations • BRC Leadership Recommendation 4 • “Incorporate self-assessment into the annual plan evaluation processes for leadership (i.e. principals, assistant principals, curriculum leaders, School Reform Team executive directors and central office personnel)” • Status: Complete • Administration’s Update • The district has developed a self-assessment tool based on the Georgia Department of Education Leader Keys • Rollout is planned for the 2011-2012 school year • An awareness campaign has been developed

16. 16 Leadership Recommendations • BRC Leadership Recommendation 5 • “Incorporate surveys of teachers and support staff into annual performance planning for principals to provide qualitative evidence on principal performance” • Status: Complete • Administration’s Update • A school climate survey has been developed based on the Georgia Department of Education School Keys and Georgia Assessment of Performance on School Standards (GAPSS) resources • Rollout is planned for the 2011-2012 school year • An awareness campaign has been developed

17. 17 Leadership Recommendations • BRC Leadership Recommendation 7 • “Provide opportunities for regular, anonymous peer and upward feedback (i.e. teacher-to-teacher, teacher-to-assistant/principal, teacher-to-test coordinator, principal-to-executive director) as well as processes for following through and managing this information” • Status: Complete • Administration’s Update • School climate surveys have been developed based on the Georgia Department of Education School Keys and Georgia Assessment of Performance on School Standards (GAPSS) • A process has been designed to provide anonymous feedback • Rollout is planned for the 2011-2012 school year • An awareness campaign has been developed

18. 18 Leadership Recommendations • BRC Leadership Recommendation 8 • “Conduct principal peer reviews and incorporate this information into annual evaluation processes” • Status: Complete • Administration’s Update • 2010-2011 principal peer reviews have been completed • Feedback from principal peer reviews will be included as a data source for the principal annual performance evaluation

19. 19 Leadership Recommendations • BRC Leadership Recommendation 9 • “Provide the ABE additional recommendations on plans to monitor the principals and other leaders of the schools being referred by the BRC” • Status: Complete • Administration’s Update • 12 principals from the Category 1 schools reassigned • Instructional observations conducted by School Reform Team Executive Directors throughout 2010-2011 school year • Experienced education specialist assigned to provide additional monitoring and support

20. 20 Leadership Recommendations • BRC Leadership Recommendation 11 • “Publish additional findings made with respect to events that may have occurred during the 2009 testing period” • Status: On Hold • Administration’s Update • A communication plan has been developed and is being implemented • District website is being utilized for regular updates • Additional findings that may have occurred in the 2009 testing period will be communicated if made available

21. 21 Comparisons Recommendations • Highlights from previous reports: • Assessment completed on schools that showed a decline in math from 2009 to 2010 • Mathematics curriculum aligned to the Georgia Department of Education scope and sequence • Navigator professional development training conducted

22. 22 CRCT Comparison Recommendations • BRC CRCT Comparison Recommendation 2 • “There are 33 schools that demonstrated a significant decline in the 2010 CRCT test results. The BRC computed this number by looking at two factors - - the number of declines in grade/subject combinations, as well as 10% or greater increase in failure rates. The BRC recommends that the District conduct a further in-depth assessment in these schools” • Status: Complete • Administration’s Update • APS has received the initial data and completed an analysis which informed school improvement plans • District has provided support, progress monitoring and targeted intervention strategies for impacted schools to improve instructional quality and professional development

23. 23 Caveon Recommendations • Caveon recommendations highlights: • APS Test Security Plan incorporating all security processes, protocols and policies has been enhanced and published to the district web site • School Test Coordinators role incorporated into the APS Test Security Plan • Monitoring process implemented for all state-level test assessments • Chain of custody protocols updated for test materials and all assessments

24. 24 Caveon Recommendations • Caveon recommendations highlights: • Testing and assessment overview training updated to include ethics • Security budget established as part of overall annual budget planning process • Single cross-divisional map is being used to investigate testing irregularities for all test administrations

25. 25 Summary • On Hold Recommendations • Dependent on approval from the Governor’s Office/Special Investigators • Process Recommendation 3 • Leadership Recommendation 11 • Dependent on Governor’s Office of Student Achievement • Security Recommendation 2 • Work Beyond June 30 • Leadership Recommendation 2

26. 26 Closing • Our highest responsibility is to provide the best • possible education for our students in every • classroom and in every school. We will continue to • implement best practices, and focus on continuous improvement and greater student achievement.