Supporting Continuous Improvement in Low Achieving Schools

1. Supporting Continuous Improvement in Low Achieving Schools West Virginia Department of Education Division of Educator Quality and System Support August 3, 2011

2. Overview • Welcome and Introductions • WVDE goals for Improving Achievement in Low Performing Schools • Roles and Responsibilities

3. WVDE School Improvement Goals • Goal 1: Build the capacity of the SEA and LEAs to drive transformative interventions in low-achieving schools • Goal 2:Strengthen teacher and leader effectiveness in low-achieving schools in order to improvethe quality of instruction and levels of student engagement • Goal 3:Develop comprehensive systems of support for students in low-achieving schools

4. PERSONALIZED LEARNING • Student Voice • Relationships • Knowing Needs and Strengths • Attending to the Whole Child • Customization • Student Self-Direction • Success Assessed Through Student Growth

5. ELEVATING TEACHERS AND LEARNING • Honoring and Celebrating • Teacher Voice and Leadership • Providing Time, Resources and Supports • Needs-Based Professional Development • Compensation

6. STAKEHOLDER COMMITMENT AND INVOLVEMENT • Valuing Education • Input and Involvement • Developing Personal Advocacy • Collective Problem-solving • Schools as Community Centers

7. ACCELERATING INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY • Fostering Creativity • Removing Barriers • Expansion of Promising Practice • Twenty-four Seven Digital Learning • Promoting Diverse Learning Venues

8. Roles & Responsibilities of School Improvement Specialists August 3-4, 2011 SIS Networking Days Office of Title II, III and System Support

9. Role One LEARNER

10. Learn • Why do we learn? • How do we learn? • What do we learn • When do we learn?

11. Why We Learn We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need to do that. Whether or not we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far. - Ron Edmonds

12. Why We Learn We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need to do that. Whether or not we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far. - Ron Edmonds

13. Why We Learn We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need to do that. Whether or not we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far. - Ron Edmonds

14. Why We Learn We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need to do that. Whether or not we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far. - Ron Edmonds

15. Why We Learn We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need to do that. Whether or not we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far. - Ron Edmonds

16. Learning “Learning IS the work.” – Phil Schlecty

17. Learning How do we learn?

18. Organizational Learning Collaborative Conversations Data Collective Commitment Psychology of Learning TRUST IMPACTS STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS Student Self Efficacy Collective Efficacy InstructionalBestPractices (CAI) Kids See Their Learning Is Different/Better “Student Sees Success” Instructional/Engagement Change

19. Learning What do we learn?

20. 7 High Quality Standards • Positive climate and cohesive culture • Effective leadership • Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment • Student support & family-community connection • Educator development • Effective management system • Continuous improvement

21. Learning When do we learn?

22. A Career’s Worth of Learning 10,000 hours? 50,000 hours?

23. 50,000 Hours + 7 High Quality Standards for Schools

24. Learning What will help us with the work?

25. Six Levers • Developing relationships • Establishing focus & coherence • Creating collaborative learning cultures • Initiating & sustaining change • Maximizing capacity • Promoting data-informed decisions

26. But What Am I Supposed To DO? Coaching for School Improvement

27. COMMITMENTS What will I commit to learn? What will I commit to do?

28. Establishing Direction through Beliefs, Vision, and Mission Richard Lawrence & Glenna Heinlein August 4, 2011

29. Simplexity “I wouldn’t give a fig for simplicity on this side of complexity but I would give my life for simplicity on the other side of complexity.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes

30. Learning IS the Work “There is only one way to get depth and that is at home through learning in the setting in which you work.” - Michael Fullen

31. Our Values as A Faculty “What do we hold dear about education?” Knowledge of Best Practice “Do we understand best educational practice and systemic change?” Organizational Mission “What is our organization’s purpose?” Our Beliefs as a Faculty “What do we think makes a difference for studetns?” Organizational Vision “What do we want our organization to look like over the next few years?” Our Commitment to Best Practices “How much, and to what, are we committed?” Baseline Data About Current Practice “What do we look like as we begin the process?” Organizational Goals “How can we accomplish our organization’s vision?” Assess School Action Plan “How much of the plan have we accomplished?” Design Strategies “What objectives, tasks, responsibilities, and timelines are necessary to accomplish our goals?” Implement School Action Plan “How do we collectively implement our action plan?” Valentine, 2002