Spokane Public Schools

1. Spokane Public Schools Becoming a World-Class System

2. Where was the district’s first administration building? What was the name of the correctional school that was part of SPS from 1909-1942? What was the name of the school on east Wellesley that is now the Zion Church? Who was the principal at Sacajawea who painted lines down the hallways to control student walking patterns? Who was the superintendent who had the nickname “Silver Bullet”? What was the starting salary for a teacher in SPS in 1958? History Quiz

3. History Lesson – where have we been? Education from a National, State, and Local perspective Superintendent’s Work Plan – where are we going? Today’s Agenda

4. Our Journey in Review 2002-2003 August 19, 2002 – the Journey Begins • Urgency – all kids to standard – 90% goal • New roles • Director Assignments – emphasis on being in schools • Principals as Instructional Leaders – emphasis on being in classrooms • Principal conferences – emphasis on building the capacity of administrators to improve instruction • Learning organization focus - leadership is a learning activity • Commitment to walkthroughs – 3Cs and an E

5. Organizational Culture • Culture of an organization consists of the norms and behaviors in an organization; in other words, everyone’s shared understanding of “how things work around here.” • Culture changes gradually and is reshaped by changes in many individual practices and beliefs.

6. Reculturing a System2002-2009 • From using “averages” and single school scores to dis-aggregation of data by gender, race, poverty, classroom, and special programs. • From teacher-developed curriculum to district-designed and supported curriculum. • From teachers as “generalists” to teachers as experts in content and pedagogy. • From random professional development to intentional, job-embedded instructional coaching for teachers and administrators.

7. Reculturing a System2002-2009 • From focusing our energies on work that is primarily technical to work that is adaptive. • From “one size fits all” programs to programs designed to fit diverse needs of students. • From new schools designed for building operations to new schools designed for improved learning. • From technology as gadgets and gizmos to technology-enabled learning and working environments.

8. Reculturing a System2002-2009 • From developing budgets for supporting departments todesigning budgets for strategic learning priorities. • From the independence of department silos to the interdependence of the system to support student learning. • From intermittent bond elections every 8-10 years to a comprehensive, long-range school facility and technology improvement plan with bond elections every 6 years. • From saying, “I don’t really see color” tounderstanding that race and color make a difference for all of us.

9. Other Cultural Shifts • With a partner at your table, examine the work you have been involved in and write another “From . . . .to” cultural shift statement that you will share with the group.

10. A National Perspective • President Obama’s Focus on Education • July 17 speech to the NAACP Centennial Convention • March 10 speech to U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce • Four pillars of education reform • Development of cutting edge plans to raise the quality of early learning programs • Adoption of world-class standards in every state • Recruitment, preparation, and rewarding of outstanding teachers • Promotion of innovation and excellence

11. A National Perspective Arne Duncan’s Race to the Top Program • Adopting internationally-benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for college and the workplace. • Recruiting, developing, retaining, and rewarding teachers and principals. • Building data systems that measure student success and inform teachers and principals how they can improve practices. • Turning around our lowest performing schools.

12. A National Perspective “Being able to link teacher and student data is absolutely fundamental – it’s a building block. When you’re reluctant or scared to make that link, you do a grave disservice to the teaching profession and to our nation’s children.” Arne Duncan, 2009

13. A National Perspective Arne Duncan’s Race to the Top Program • Eligibility Requirements • A state must not have any legal, statutory, or regulatory barriers to linking data on student achievement to teachers and principals for the purpose of teacher and principal evaluation. • A state must describe how the funds would be used to increase student achievement, reduce the achievement gap across student subgroups, and increase the rates at which students graduate from high school prepared for college and careers.

14. A National Perspective Common Core State Standards • Why is this important? • Currently every state has its own set of academic standards, meaning students in each state are learning at different levels. • All students must be prepared to compete with not only their American peers, but with students from around the world. • Expectations will be consistent for all kids and not dependent on a student’s zip code. • Allows for the development of common assessments. • Allows states to align curricula to internationally- benchmarked standards. • Creates the opportunity for Americans to compete for high-wage, high-skilled jobs in a knowledge-based economy.

15. A National Perspective Common Core State Standards • What is being produced? • The National Governors Assoc. and the Council of Chief State School Officers, in partnership with ACT, the College Board, and Achieve will jointly oversee the process of standards development. • The standards will be based on research and evidence from leading national organizations and high-performing states and countries. • College and career-ready standards in English and Math ready by August 2009. • K-12 standards completed by December 2009.

16. What changes do you see in the national agenda for education? Will the impact on SPS be positive or negative, why? Reflections

17. Washington State Perspective House Bill 2261 (full implementation 2018) • Expanded definition of basic education to include: • Increase in instructional hours from 1000 to 1080 • 24 credits • All-day kindergarten • Early learning • Highly capable • Transportation “to and from” • Other elements of the legislation • Use data to drive more individualized instruction • Establish more competitive salaries and a relevant certification process • Develop and implement prototypical funding mode

18. Washington State Perspective State Budget • State budget and funding for education expected to become more dire in next two years. • Anticipated retirement rate increases and COLA catch-up will significantly drive up costs to school districts. • Possible reduction in state levy equalization assistance could require districts to determine whether to increase local levy tax rates to cover shortfall or lose funding. • State funding may be reduced or eliminated for all programs not considered basic education under the current definition (e.g., full-day kindergarten, gifted education, LAP, K-4 class size enhanced funding ratio, etc.) • Significant reductions in funding for education will occur in 2011 when federal stimulus funding ends (over $20 mil per year for Spokane Schools) if state funding is not reinstated.

19. Superintendent’s Work Plan2009-2010 Board of Directors Retreat August 8, 2009

20. Work Plan - Major ComponentsSchool Support Services • In compliance with the State Performance Audit, conduct cost studies of: • Express Program • Capital Projects Department • Study, purchase, and install a new phone system • Develop and approve updated educational specifications for elementary and high school modernization/replacement projects • Develop an operating budget for 2010-2011 with possible additional funding reductions from the State. • Develop and implement training for a new student records software system.

21. Work Plan Major ComponentsHuman Resources Complete bargaining with: Spokane Principals Association KSPS Engineers Electricians Plumbers/Steamfitters Conduct cost study of middle and high school extra-curricular programs; prepare staffing models for middle school study Complete bargaining task forces related to special education case load and sec.-clerical allocation model Develop a technical support system for principals working on cultural competency skills with their staff Nurture labor relationship with new SEA leadership team and streamline working processes related to grievances

22. Work Plan - Major ComponentsTeaching and Learning • Improve K-12 Mathematics (AYP focus of DIP) • Implement Standards-Based Reporting and Grading at all elementary schools • Conduct a Middle School Study • Re-vision the Skills Center • Close the Graduation Gap • Research and study competency-based credit options • Study, research, and implement a system of nationally normed assessments to determine where our students are relative to students of similar demographics across the nation

23. Work Plan - Major ComponentsTeaching and Learning • Increase responsibility to demonstrate improvement in academic achievement • Develop and implement School Improvement Plans to promote continuous improvement with supporting data • Use data more intentionally at all levels to drive instructional programming and decision making • Intentionally build rigor and assessment into programs and practices across the system

24. Work Plan - Major ComponentsTeaching and Learning • Intentionally build rigor and assessment into programs and practices across the system – the red threads • With a partner, discuss whether or not you believe that we need to be intentional about increasing the level of rigor – in our classrooms, in our curriculum, in our general work. Give examples.

25. Other Projects • Summer school plan – what is the focus? Who will be involved? • Explore choice programs for students including: • International Baccalaureate • Cambridge Curriculum And make a recommendation about possible implementation • Examine feasibility and explore possible locations for expansion of TEC (The Enrichment Cooperative) • Prioritize policy review and link to work plan where appropriate. • Reinstitute a schedule for program evaluation (Tessera, Odyssey, Sprint, TEC, Navigation 101, etc.) • Establish a common expectation for instructional hours at the high school level.

26. Only 66% of students in SPS actually graduate from high school. In small groups, talk about the reasons for this – prioritize what you believe to be the most significant cause for dropping out of school. Closing the Graduation Gap

27. Closing the Graduation Gap • Develop and implement strategies across the K-12 system to keep students on track for graduation. • Research suggests that students begin to get off track for graduation as early as 6-7th grade. However, they can get off track at any point in their education career. • Conduct a comprehensive review of the research on effective strategies for closing the graduation gap. • Through extensive data collection, profile students who fail to graduate (who are these students, why do they fail to graduate) and use the profiles to create a “portfolio of schooling options” that addresses specific student learning needs.

28. Closing the Graduation Gap • Assess the effectiveness of the current Havermale “On-Track” program including a cost analysis, and make recommendations for the future of the program. • Set on-time graduation targets based on current (2009) graduation rate. • Study, plan and implement 8-9 transition strategies that prepare students for high school. The transition strategies would include a common core set of “most effective” practices used by all high schools, but would not be limited to those practices. • Develop intensive support strategies to address credit deficiencies as early as first semester of 9th grade. Course failure at 9th grade is the single most powerful indicator of students who will fall off track. • Ensure that the technical process used for reporting the district’s graduation rate is the same process used in other districts.

29. Elimination of the Achievement Gap for Students of Color • The Washington State Institute for Public Policy provided data analysis as outlined in HB 2722 and concluded that “the achievement gap persists across subject areas, grade levels, and assessment measures.” • More than an issue of poverty, the achievement gap is also about race. WASL data reveal that White and Asian students in poverty score higher than African American students not in poverty. • HB 2722 Advisory Committee (2008)

30. Elimination of the Achievement Gap for Students of Color • Causes of the Achievement Gap • Lack of cultural competence among teachers, school staff, administrators, curriculum and assessment developers and the school system itself • Institutional racism • Inequitable access to demanding, pre-college coursework • Insufficient and inequitable funding • Inequitable distribution of skilled teachers as well as technology and instructional materials • HB 2722 Advisory Committee (December 2008)

31. Elimination of the Achievement Gap for Students of Color • Continue district-level training of administrators and teachers provided by the People’s Institute and funded by the Stuart Foundation. • Engage in extensive district-wide data analysis to identify areas where students of color are either under- represented or over-represented to include, but not be limited to, advanced classes, special education, gifted education, student discipline, attendance, graduation rates, assessment results (WASL, SAT, AP). • Use data analysis as a baseline to set improvement goals in identified categories. • Require School Improvement Plans to disaggregate data for students of color and to set improvement goals. • Develop a schedule for review of district curriculum to ensure that curriculum materials are culturally accurate.

32. 100 years from now let it be said that this generation did its part, that we too ran the race; that full of faith that our dark past has taught us, full of the hope that the present has brought us, we faced, in our lives and all across this nation, the rising sun of a new day. From the President . . .