|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
SAN DIEGO CITY SCHOOLS
The issue of ending social promotion has too often been posed as a debate over the benefits and disadvantages of promotion vs. retention. Yet we know that neither strategy is appropriate for students who are not meeting high academic standards. The Blueprint for Student Success in a Standards-Based System offers a more proactive approach to the problem by focusing district financial and human resources on instruction through a carefully articulated series of prevention, intervention, and retention strategies. This comprehensive plan serves as a blueprint for changing the organizational structure of district schools and the entire system to support teaching and learning for all students. The three types of strategies to be implemented include:
All these strategies are directed toward providing for all students the best pedagogy, the richest learning environment, and sufficient time to meet high standards. There is a saying; "A rising tide lifts all boats." The key long-term payoff of the Blueprint is that as the base of instruction across the whole system rises, so will the academic achievement of all students. The Charge The Problem Throughout the course of the development of the Blueprint for Student Success, it has been apparent that we do not have the human or financial capacity to implement all parts of the Blueprint at once. As a result, for the first year of operation in 2000-01, programmatic decisions had to be made in an effort to balance the budget while addressing the need to begin as many strategies as possible. Deliberative thought was given to addressing the needs of students at all schools, with schools most in need receiving priority for the most services. Careful consideration also was given to phasing in the total program of services to all schools, as increased levels of support become available. Refinement of the Blueprint This report proposes that the Board consider program implementation for the 2000-01 year only, and that staff bring forward a status report and a phase-in plan for the 2001-02 school year in November 2000. The goal remains to provide enhanced classrooms at all grade levels, extended day, summer school and intersession opportunities for all students, and a comprehensive professional development system to broaden and deepen teacher expertise. The chart below indicates in italics the implementation details in this document that differ from the 2000-2001 implementation plan presented in the December 14th report.
In 2000-01, low-performing schools will receive additional support beyond the strategies identified for all schools:
The description of the Blueprint is organized as follows: 1. Blueprint Introduction and Guiding Principles 2. Blueprint Criteria for Intervention and Promotion/Retention 3. Blueprint for Elementary Schools
4. Blueprint for Middle Level Schools 6. Blueprint for Professional Development
8. Blueprint for Monitoring and Accountability 9. Blueprint Budget Explanation
1. BLUEPRINT INTRODUCTION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES In recent years, school districts have made a firm commitment to the principle that all students can and must learn at very high levels. However, they have been less aggressive in mobilizing the resources needed to ensure rich educational environments, well-prepared teachers, and massive student support strategies. As a result, many school districts are wrestling with "social promotion versus retention" as an isolated issue, implementing strict policies, and then trying to remedy problems after they have occurred. The Blueprint for Student Success represents a radical departure from this struggle by building a system that calls for strong prevention and early intervention programs, a rigorous professional development program to support teachers in reaching all students, and a policy of retention at entry grade levels. The Blueprint is based on the following set of guiding principles:
Building on these principles, the Blueprint involves setting high standards, using reliable measures of student and school accountability, and taking responsibility for student performance. It also involves building the capacity of schools, staff, and students to meet those expectations. It offers innovative programs and strategies to prevent student failure; intervention strategies to help students who fall behind; and programs to accelerate the learning of students who are retained. It is one thing to embrace the idea that all children can learn; it is another thing to make sure they do learn. That is the premise of the Blueprint for Student Success. The following sections present the blueprint for organizing the school district to accomplish the goal of achievement for all students. The document explains how each component will function at full implementation over a multi-year period, and describes the initial steps that will be carried out during the first year. The decisions that were made regarding the first year implementation are intended to accomplish as many important pieces of the total program as possible within the fiscal and human resource constraints that currently exist in the school district. The time line for implementation of the Blueprint components is based on what can realistically be supported through curriculum planning, professional development, and funding. 2. CRITERIA FOR INTERVENTION AND PROMOTION/RETENTION
THE FOUNDATION: LITERACY AND MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE Students’ academic performance in the gatekeeper skills of literacy and mathematics is critical to their success as they move through their educational careers from elementary to secondary and on to post-secondary opportunities. All students must be provided with the interventions they need to support their achievement of the performance expectations established by the district in literacy and mathematics. Additionally, the critical decision to promote or retain a student must be based on knowledge about the student’s ability to handle the curriculum and the instructional program in the next grade level. To ensure that these critical decisions about support, intervention, and promotion/retention are consistent, student performance criteria have been defined based on common, districtwide assessment measures in literacy and mathematics. Performance levels have been specified that will identify those students performing above, at, below, or significantly below grade level. CRITERIA FOR SUPPORT AND INTERVENTION Elementary Reading is an essential skill. Students who read grade-level material accurately, fluently, and with comprehension can access the curriculum across the content areas. The Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) is the districtwide assessment that will be used to identify students in Grades K-4 who are reading below grade level and need support and intervention. The DRA is conducted during a one-on-one reading conference where a child reads specially selected texts to the teacher. The assessment is administered three to four times a year to determine a student’s instructional reading level and to document progress over time. The DRA will be used with all students – English-speaking and English learners – to identify those in need of support and intervention. The chart on the next page provides information about reading levels from the DRA that are designated as " below" or "significantly below" grade level for Grades K-4. Reading Performance Levels for Grades K-42
The Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT) is the districtwide assessment that will be used to identify elementary students in Grades 5 and 6 who are reading below grade level and need support and intervention. The SDRT is administered in a group setting and assesses vocabulary, comprehension, and scanning skills. For students reading significantly below grade as measured by the SDRT, the Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI) by Woods and Moe will be used to confirm the reading level and identify the appropriate supports and interventions. The teacher administers the ARI to individual students. The ARI results tell the teacher the reading strategies a student is able to use, as well as the student’s instructional and independent reading levels. Beginning in 2000-2001 the SDRT and the ARI will be administered to English-speaking students and to English learners who have been enrolled in the district for two or more years. All English learners enrolled less than two years will receive support and intervention services. Reading Performance Levels for Grades 5 and 62
Secondary At the secondary level, reading and mathematics become essential skills that will enable students to successfully progress through their middle and high school careers. Colleges and universities use placement tests in reading/language arts and in mathematics to identify students who need remedial coursework prior to entering college-level courses. Similarly, the district will use reading and mathematics assessments to determine which students are in need of intervention. Reading: The Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT) is the districtwide assessment that will be used to identify students in Grades 6 through 12 who are reading below grade level and need support and intervention. The SDRT is administered in a group setting and assesses vocabulary, comprehension, and scanning skills. For students articulating within the district, the SDRT will be administered early in the second semester to provide information for summer school and program placement the following year. For students new to the district, the test will be administered at the beginning of the school year. For students reading significantly below grade level based on the SDRT, the individually-administered Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI) by Woods and Moe will be used to confirm the reading level and identify the appropriate supports and interventions. The SDRT and the ARI will be administered to English-speaking students and to English learners with two or more years of instruction. All English learners with less than two years of English language development instruction will be eligible to receive support and intervention services. Reading Performance Levels for Grades 6 – 12 3
Mathematics: The mathematics assessment(s) that will be used to identify students for support and intervention have not yet been identified. A set of districtwide mathematics assessments will be selected in conjunction with development of the district mathematics framework. An interim assessment will be identified this spring for use with exiting fifth/sixth and eighth grade students for placement in summer school, as well as in the middle/junior high literacy/mathematics core and the ninth-grade literacy/mathematics block. CRITERIA FOR RETENTION Some students, even after receiving support and intervention, may need additional time at a grade level to attain the essential skills and knowledge that will enable them to be successful in the subsequent grade. Retention, when necessary, should occur early in a school level, rather than at an exit grade. Therefore grade levels for retention are Grade 1 at elementary, Grade 6 at middle or Grade 7 at junior high. Students who do not meet the promotion criteria, that is, students who are achieving significantly below grade level, will be retained and placed in an accelerated instructional program. Ninth graders who are achieving significantly below grade level will not be retained, but they will be placed in an accelerated program. (Note: Students may be retained at any grade level if they are performing significantly below grade level and have not participated in the available support and intervention opportunities.) The charts below show the specified assessments and performance levels for retention for each grade level. Performance Levels for Retention After Grade 14
Performance Levels for Retention After Grade 6 (Middle School)
Performance Levels for Retention After Grade 7 (Junior High School)
Performance Levels for Acceleration after Grade 9
4 Performance levels for students in language
immersion programs will be developed. In addition to the designated districtwide assessments, special education students and students with 504 plans will be assessed following the criteria and time lines in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individualized Service Plan (ISP). If students meet the academic performance levels specified in the IEP/ISP, they may be considered for promotion, even if they do not meet the performance criteria for the district assessments. California law calls for the teacher to make the decision to promote or retain following consultation with the principal, counselor (secondary), and the student’s parent or guardian. In making the final promotion/retention decision, the teacher will consider the student’s academic performance based on the designated performance measures and, as needed and appropriate, additional evidence of student academic achievement, participation in support and intervention opportunities, readiness for the next grade level, etc. Students ordinarily will be retained only once in Kindergarten through Grade 8. For students in the sixth/seventh grade who are not meeting promotion criteria but have already been retained once, a consultation will be held to determine the best placement for the student. This provides an additional checkpoint on student progress so that students are assured of the support they need to be prepared for the challenges of secondary school. 3. BLUEPRINT FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS PROGRAMS FOR ALL SCHOOLS All elementary schools in the district will put in place strategies to prevent students from falling behind, interventions for students at risk of not meeting designated criteria, and accelerated programs for students who are retained at first grade.6 Special education students and students with 504 plans will be integrated into the strategies identified below as much as possible in alignment with their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individualized Service Plan (ISP). Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students will continue in their programs, with the class content meeting the standards of the district and the literacy and mathematics frameworks. 6 Implementation of strategies that affect collective bargaining agreements is subject to negotiating agreements and waivers with representatives of the San Diego Education Association. Incentive for Academic Improvement
A Performance Reward Program will be established to identify and reward schools that demonstrate significant gains in student achievement. The reward program has been allocated $1.5 million, and the amounts awarded per school will depend upon the numbers of schools that have shown the greatest increases in student academic performance. Strategies to Prevent Students from Falling Behind in Every Elementary School
Underlying the prevention strategies at every grade level are comprehensive literacy and mathematics frameworks that provide a consistent set of strategies, knowledge, and skills across all classrooms. The frameworks are designed to ensure that all students get high quality instruction and content that will enable them to meet designated criteria and be successful in school. The literacy framework has been developed and is in the process of being implemented. The mathematics framework will be developed over the coming months under the direction of the new mathematics director.
One of the goals of the Blueprint is for every classroom to be a model of exemplary instruction with teachers using an array of high-quality materials to carry out the frameworks. Each year the classrooms at a new grade level will receive additional enhancement resources to help both teachers and students, beginning with first grade at all schools in 2000-2001. Kindergarten will be added next as funds become available during the 2000-2001 school year. The box to the right describes enhanced classrooms.
The concept of enhanced classrooms is to provide an effective learning experience right from the start so that ultimately students will not need intervention and retention strategies. Enhanced classrooms will be allocated funding to purchase additional high-quality materials and time for teacher professional development to help with implementation of the enhanced program. The peer coach/staff developer for each site will provide professional development to support the implementation of the enhanced classes. The target allocation to provide Grade 1 enhanced classrooms with high-quality instructional materials during the 2000-2001 school year is $8,000. Initially an allocation of $5,000 will be provided for each first-grade classroom. As additional funds become available, this allocation will be raised to $8,000. If more monies become available, enhanced classroom materials will be implemented in Kindergarten as well as first grade.
Essential to the success of the Blueprint is the substantial professional development that is being provided to teachers to enable them to teach to the frameworks and standards. The professional development currently being practiced in the district includes summer institutes, job-embedded coaching, and workshops during the school year. (See section 6 for further details.) In literacy, summer institutes and workshops during the school year will continue to be offered. In addition, the number of site-based peer coach/staff developers will be expanded so that every school receives the services of a literacy coach. The purpose of having a peer coach/staff developer at every school is to embed the professional development that teachers get in the context of their jobs. During the first year of Blueprint implementation (2000-2001), the work year for peer coach/staff developers will be 187 plus 10 days. Some smaller schools with high- achieving students will share a literacy coach. An additional peer coach/staff developer will be allocated to a group of elementary schools with the greatest number of new teachers. As supplemental funds become available, peer coach/staff developers will be added until every school has a full time position. In mathematics, introductory summer institutes are being planned. These will be followed with workshops during the school year and the development of a site-based structure for ongoing job-embedded professional development.
With new standards and graduation requirements, students in upper elementary grades need stronger preparation in mathematics. Many elementary teachers have limited preparation in mathematics, and the task of providing the necessary education to all elementary teachers is daunting. An alternative solution is the recruitment of upper elementary teachers to work as mathematics specialists. The specialists will deepen their level of expertise through intensive staff development, including summer institutes, college content courses, and coaching. Depending on the availability of funding and the district’s institutional capacity, the first group of mathematics specialists may be organized for the fourth and fifth grades during the 2000-2001 school year. At these grades there is more flexibility with class size, and the state legislature has provided funds for these teachers to take additional mathematics courses. A program of study for the mathematics specialists will be developed in collaboration with San Diego State University. In subsequent years, the goal is to add third- and sixth-grade specialists. Interventions for Students At Risk of Not Meeting Designated Criteria
Students who are performing below grade level will be able to attend before or after school programs in literacy at all elementary schools. Based on available resources, the programs are initially planned to be provided for Grade 3 students performing significantly below grade level7 beginning in the 2000-2001 school year. As additional resources become available, other Grade 3 students performing below grade level will be added to the extended day program in literacy. Grade 4 students performing below grade level and significantly below grade level will be added as funds become available. Extended day courses will make use of a focused program of study and will provide students and teachers with additional high-quality materials that support the district’s literacy curriculum. Teachers who teach the extended day programs will receive 18 hours of focused professional development each school year. There will be a low student/teacher ratio of 20:1. 7 "Students performing significantly below grade level" based on the districtwide criterion-referenced assessments replaces the former use of SAT 9 to identify the lowest performing students (Q1). "Students below grade level" replaces the former use of SAT 9 to identify other students in need of support (Q2).
Students who do not meet the established performance levels in reading during Kindergarten will attend a Junior First Grade Academy during intersessions or during the summer between Kindergarten and first grade. The Junior First Grade Academy will help students prepare for first grade and give them more experience with the literacy framework. The Junior First Grade Academy will be piloted at two elementary schools in the summer of 2000, and two year-round schools during the intersessions of the 2000-2001 school year. The program will be expanded to additional schools in subsequent years. Kindergarten teachers will be recruited to teach the Junior First Grade Academy. They will spend four hours in the morning with the students and afternoons in professional development sessions. Initially Junior First Grade Academy teachers will engage in professional development activities for two hours on two afternoons per week. They will be able to try out the new teaching approaches they are learning with their students during the morning sessions, and discuss the results in the afternoon sessions.
Students performing below grade level will be expected to attend summer programs. For 2000-2001 there will be a six-week summer program provided for Grades 1, 2 and 3 at selected schools. As funds become available it will be expanded to every grade and additional school sites. The summer classes will be different than existing summer school because they will have a reduced class size with a student/teacher ratio of 20:1 and an intensive curriculum focused on literacy and mathematics (see Appendix 1 for details). An allocation will be made for the purchase of additional high-quality, standards-based materials to be used in the summer classes. Another difference is that the summer school will be site-based, so principals can maintain the learning community with their own teachers. Students at small elementary schools or those affected by Proposition MM construction will attend neighboring schools. Transportation will be provided for magnet and VEEP students, so they can attend classes at the school they attend during the school year.
For year round schedules, there will be six weeks of intersession classes either in three two-week sessions, two three-week sessions, or two two-week full day sessions. Students in year-round schools who are performing below grade level will be expected to attend the intersession programs. For 2000-2001 the intersession program will be provided for Grades 1, 2, 3, and 5 at selected schools. As funds become available it will be expanded to every grade and additional school sites. The intersession classes will have a reduced class size with a student/teacher ratio of 20:1 and an intensive curriculum focused on literacy and mathematics (see Appendix 1 for details). An allocation will be made for the purchase of additional high quality, standards-based materials to be used in the intersession classes.
Teachers of the summer/intersession classes in literacy will be required to attend professional development in literacy in the afternoon, beginning with two hours on two afternoons per week during the summer of 2000 or during the 2000-2001 school year intersessions. In future years the professional development will be offered every afternoon. The professional development content will be developed by the Literacy Department and delivered by the peer coach/staff developers at the school sites. Accelerated Programs for Students Who Are Retained After First Grade
Accelerated classes for students who are retained will begin during the 2001-2002 school year. First grade students who are performing significantly below grade level on the designated assessments by the end of the school year will be expected to attend the summer/ intersession program described above. If they still cannot meet the grade level designated criteria by the end of the summer, they will be retained and assigned to accelerated classes. The accelerated classes are intended to provide an intensive program of study that will allow students to accelerate their progress so they can move on to second grade. The first grade accelerated class will focus on literacy and mathematics and will continue through an extended year. Students will attend an extended day either before or after school to ensure that they get the help they need to meet the criteria for promotion. Students will be provided with additional high-quality curriculum materials and Reading Recovery tutoring in the afternoon.The accelerated classes will have a low student/teacher ratio of 15:1. Teachers will participate in both preparatory and ongoing professional development. They will attend training during the summer before the accelerated classes are to begin, and they will have focused job-embedded coaching during the school year. During extended year sessions, students will attend four hours per day, and teachers will have afternoon professional development sessions each week.
At schools where there are not enough retained students to make up an accelerated class, students will be placed in after school programs and summer school/intersession classes. These alternative retention programs will include additional high quality learning materials for the students and extra professional development for the teachers. Another alternative is for neighboring schools with small numbers of retained students to pool their students to form one class that would be alternated each year between or among sites. Assistance For Low Performing Elementary Schools Despite the dedicated and continuous efforts of teachers and site leaders, chronically low-performing schools do not have the capacity on their own to make the kinds of changes necessary to consistently improve student achievement. The process of turning around low-performing schools is our collective responsibility. The district must advocate for these schools by investing time, attention, and resources to support accelerated growth for academically challenged students. Elementary schools whose Academic Performance Index (API) score placed them in the lowest two statewide ranks (API 1 and 2) were identified as schools needing additional assistance.8 API 1 schools are those in the lowest ten percent of elementary schools in the state; API 2 schools are those in the second lowest grouping. The schools with the lowest statewide ranking (API 1) are to be targeted as Focus Schools and will receive support for a wide array of schoolwide interventions. The next lowest ranked group (API 2) will receive supports for a less extensive set of interventions. 8 Schools excluded from this process: MacDowell (a single grade level school); and Rosa Parks Elementary (a City Heights Pilot School). Additional Interventions for Focus Schools The Focus School concept is an unconventional approach to assist low-performing schools by providing support for an array of schoolwide prevention strategies. The idea is that an influx of resources and programs can have an impact in schools with high populations of low achieving students, if the resources and programs are directed to all the students in a school and focused on research-based strategies supporting the improvement of student achievement. During the 2000-2001 school year Focus Schools will include: Baker, Balboa, Chavez, Emerson/Bandini, Jackson, Kimbrough, King, and Sherman. Each year the number of Focus Schools may change depending on the effectiveness of the model, levels of student performance, and the availability of funding. Focus Schools will implement the prevention and intervention strategies described previously for all schools. Additional strategies to be put in place in Focus Schools are described in the sections below.
As stated in the integration court order, the district shall "review the effectiveness of its magnet programs and make adjustments that are necessary" to "promote integration and academic achievement." In order to achieve these directives, all eight Focus Schools will be designated as Extended-Year Academic Magnets, beginning with the 2000-01 academic year. Three of the Focus Schools are currently Academic Enrichment Academies, and will be converted to Extended-Year Academic Magnets. The five Focus Schools with existing magnet programs will change their magnet focus to the Extended-Year Academic Magnet. The Blueprint strategies outlined for the Focus Schools (Extended-Year Academic Magnets) support the court order by encouraging integration via a strong reading and mathematics instructional program and extended school year. The five Focus Schools with existing magnet programs will change their magnet focus to the Extended-Year Academic Magnet.
While the need to build and deepen instructional practices is critical at all schools, the need is greatest at low performing schools. Enhanced materials will be provided to every first grade classroom in the Focus Schools, funded at $8,000 per classroom. Teachers will receive professional development geared to assist them in teaching the enhanced program.
Focus Schools will be assigned an additional full-time peer coach/staff developer so that teachers with the most academically challenged students will have the support and assistance they need to plan and use a broad range of strategies. The work year for peer coach/staff developers at Focus Schools will be 187 plus 24 days
Focus Schools will have priority for the implementation of mathematics specialists, if budget and organizational constraints mean that they are phased in over time.
To strengthen the instructional program, Focus Schools will provide more extended contact between teacher and student. The school year at Focus Schools will be extended by 24 days with students remaining with the same teacher throughout the year. This "looping" type of strategy helps to create close, sustained relationships among students and teachers – a factor that research links to school success. During the additional days, students will have three full days of instruction per week and the remaining two days will have a modified schedule to provide time in the afternoon designated for teachers to engage in professional development.
Unlike other schools that may not have sufficient numbers of retained students to create accelerated classes, Focus Schools will be assured of providing accelerated classes. Accelerated classes will have reduced class size (15:1) and will focus on literacy and mathematics.
There is a consensus that parents make an important contribution to the academic success of their children. Parents in Focus Schools will benefit from additional resources and strategies to help them help their children. Three major strategies will be implemented at all Focus Schools including a full-time Parent Activity Liaison (PAL); a parent center and communication system to engage parents in becoming positive academic coaches; and a systematic, year-long series of parent trainings which directly support building literacy, mathematics, and organizational/study skills.
Many children – particularly those from high poverty areas – come to school at an educational disadvantage. Many will have had little or no exposure to reading and writing at home, and no experience with the social expectations of school. The Early Link preschool program for four-year olds will be offered at most Focus Schools. The program is designed to provide students with readiness experiences to prepare them to be successful in Kindergarten. Additional Interventions for Other Schools In Need of Assistance Schools whose API score resulted in a ranking in the second decile (API 2) are only slightly ahead of the Focus Schools in terms of academic performance. Because of their large numbers of low performing students, the elementary schools ranked API 2 will receive additional support for interventions beyond what is being provided to all elementary schools, but not as much support as the Focus Schools. These schools will be assigned a second full time peer coach/staff developer with a work year of 187 + 24 days. They also will receive full funding for enhanced materials at $8,000 per classroom in Grade 1. The elementary schools that will receive this additional assistance during the 2000-2001 school year include Brooklyn, Chollas, Edison, Encanto, Euclid, Horton, Kennedy, Logan, and Marshall. North Park and Perkins, the remaining API 2 schools, will receive the enhanced classroom funding but not the additional peer coach/staff developer, because of their small size. 4. BLUEPRINT FOR MIDDLE AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS The middle grades are an important time for helping students to be successful. Students have only a short time to solidify their academic skills before moving on to high school where course credits will begin to be counted toward graduation. Students who are performing below grade level need intensive strategies to ensure that they are prepared for high school. The strategies described in this section are those that middle and junior high schools will implement in prevention, intervention and retention to meet the needs of students at this grade level.9 Special education students and students with 504 plans will be integrated into the strategies identified below as much as possible in alignment with their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individualized Service Plan (ISP). Gifted and talented Education (GATE) students will continue in their programs, with the content of GATE classes meeting the standards of the district and the literacy and mathematics frameworks. 9 Implementation of strategies that affect collective bargaining agreements is subject to negotiating agreements and waivers with representatives of the San Diego Education Association. Incentive for Academic Improvement
A Performance Reward Program will be established to identify and reward schools that demonstrate significant gains in student achievement. The reward program has been allocated $1.5 million, and the amounts awarded per school will depend upon the numbers of schools that have shown the greatest increases in student academic performance. Strategies to Prevent Students from Falling Behind
Underlying the prevention strategies at every grade level are the comprehensive literacy and mathematics frameworks that provide a consistent set of strategies, knowledge, and skills across all classrooms. The frameworks are designed to ensure that all students get high quality instruction and content that will enable them to meet designated criteria and be successful in school. The literacy framework has been developed and is in the process of being implemented. The mathematics framework will be developed over the coming months under the direction of the new mathematics director.
An important aspect of the literacy framework in the middle grades concerns developing the ability to read and understand a variety of texts or genres. The prevention strategy proposed for middle school students is a two-period genre studies course. Students who are entering a middle or junior high school—incoming sixth/seventh graders—will be placed in a two period genre studies class with regular class size if they are achieving at or above grade level. The two-period genre studies course will provide students with the time they need to participate in a workshop format where they can read and write using a wide variety of materials, including nonfiction text selections covering social studies and science topics. Genre studies courses currently are being offered for all sixth-grade students in middle school and all seventh-grade students in junior high school.
Essential to the success of the Blueprint is the substantial professional development that is being provided to teachers to enable them to teach to the frameworks and standards. The professional development currently being practiced in the district includes summer institutes, job-embedded coaching, and workshops during the school year. In literacy, summer institutes and workshops during the school year will continue to be offered. In addition, the number of site-based peer coach/staff developers will be expanded to provide every school with the services of a literacy coach. The purpose of having a peer coach/staff developer at every school is to embed the professional development that teachers get in the context of their jobs. During the first year of Blueprint implementation (2000-2001), the work year for peer coach/staff developers will be 187 plus 10 days. There is one single-grade, middle level school with high achieving students that will be assigned a part-time peer coach/staff developer. As supplemental funds become available, a full time peer coach/staff developer will be assigned to this school. In mathematics, introductory summer institutes are being planned. These will be followed with workshops during the school year and the development of a site-based structure for ongoing job-embedded professional development. Interventions for Students At Risk of Not Meeting Designated Criteria
Students who are not meeting established performance criteria in reading and mathematics when they enter sixth grade in middle school or seventh grade in junior high school will be assigned to a three-hour literacy/mathematics core program. The core program will provide a two-hour genre studies course and a one-hour mathematics course, both with reduced class size. Students taking the sixth- or seventh-grade core program will have three remaining periods each day for electives and physical education. Schools with Grade 6 self-contained classrooms will receive the funding for three periods of reduced class size of 20:1 for the literacy and mathematics block. These schools will have flexibility to apply the reduced class size ratio across the entire self-contained core. The mathematics departments at three low performing middle schools (API 2)—Montgomery, Mann, and Wilson—will work with the new mathematics director and San Diego State University faculty to develop a two-period mathematics course to complement the two-period genre studies class in literacy. The three schools will be given the resources needed for additional teachers to conduct the mathematics course with the students who are achieving below grade level. After the course has been piloted at the three middle schools, it will be expanded to all middle and junior high schools and adapted for high schools. Both the literacy and the mathematics core courses will have a reduced student/teacher ratio of 20:1. Teachers who teach the core program will receive additional professional development to help them with the strategies needed for these intensive core courses. English Learner (EL) students who have sufficient proficiency in English also will participate in the literacy/mathematics core program. EL students will be grouped according to English language proficiency and placed in mainstream literacy/mathematics core classrooms with teachers who are qualified to meet their linguistic and academic needs. The English Language Development (ELD) program for these students will be incorporated in the specially designed literacy/ mathematics core program. All other EL students will continue to participate in specially designed ELD courses appropriate to their levels of English language proficiency. These courses will be designed to provide enhanced opportunities for accelerated acquisition of English reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Further information regarding this program will be included in the Biliteracy Standing Committee report to the Board of Education in April 2000.
Seventh graders in middle school and eighth graders in junior high school who are performing below grade level and significantly below grade level in the fall of 2000 will be placed in a two- period genre studies literacy class with a regular class size.
Extended day programs will be held after school or before school for students who are performing significantly below grade level10, including English Language Learners. During the 2000-2001 school year, extended day classes will be provided for sixth-grade students in middle school, seventh-grade students in junior high schools, and eighth-grade students in both types of schools. As additional funds become available the program will be expanded to include other students who are performing below grade level. An allocation will be made to each extended day class for the purchase of additional high-quality materials that support the district curriculum in literacy and mathematics. Extended day programs will have a low student/teacher ratio. Teachers who teach the extended day programs will receive 18 hours of focused professional development. To complement the district sponsored extended day program for literacy, the academic focus of the Six to Six program will be mathematics. The Six to Six teachers provided through that program will receive professional development in mathematics. 10 "Students performing significantly below grade level" based on the districtwide criterion-referenced assessments replaces the former use of SAT 9 to identify the lowest performing students (Q1). "Students below grade level" replaces the former use of SAT 9 to identify other students in need of support (Q2).
During the summer of 2000, students who are below grade level when they are preparing to enter the sixth grade, or when they are preparing to leave the eighth grade at the middle level, will be assigned to summer programs in literacy and mathematics at their own schools. At junior high schools students who are below grade level when they are preparing to enter the seventh grade or leave the eighth grade, will be assigned to summer programs in literacy and mathematics at their own schools. Summer programs will be different than traditional summer school because the classes will have a reduced student/teacher ratio of 20:1. There will be an intensive curriculum focused on literacy and mathematics and an allocation for additional high quality, standards-based materials. The eighth grade program will be held for seven weeks. Current seventh, eighth and ninth graders will be offered core course make-up sessions during the summer of 2000. The core course make-up sessions will be held for six weeks. The summer programs will be site-based with teachers teaching at their own schools. Transportation will be provided for magnet and VEEP students, so they can attend summer schools at the school they attend during the school year. Teachers who teach the summer program will participate in preparatory training before the summer program begins and afternoon professional development during the summer, beginning with literacy for two hours twice a week during the summer of 2000 and the 2000-2001 school year. 11 Keyboarding/computer literacy will be offered as an enrichment course for middle grades students.
During the intersessions of the 2000-01 school year, there will be six weeks of intersession classes either in three two-week sessions, two three-week sessions, or two two-week full day sessions. Eighth grade students in year-round schools who are performing below grade level will be expected to attend the intersession programs. The intersession program will be held at the students’ own schools and will feature a reduced student/teacher ratio of 20:1 and an intensive curriculum focused on literacy and mathematics. The intersession classes will have an allocation for additional high quality, standards-based materials. Core course make-up also will be available for seventh and eighth graders at year-round middle schools, and intersession teachers will participate in afternoon professional development in literacy. Accelerated Programs for Students Who Are Retained at Grades 6/7 Accelerated classes for students who are retained will begin during the 2001-2002 school year. Students who are performing significantly below grade level by the end of sixth grade in middle school or seventh grade in junior high will attend the summer/intersession program described above. If they still cannot meet the grade level criteria on the designated assessments by the end of the summer/intersession, they will be retained and assigned to accelerated classes. The accelerated sixth- or seventh-grade classes will focus exclusively on literacy and mathematics with a four-hour block for literacy and a two-hour block for mathematics. Students will attend school for an extended year with the same teacher and will participate in extended day programs (before or after school). The expectation is for students to improve their performance by several grade levels in one year of intensive study. The classes will have a reduced student/teacher ratio of 20:1. Teachers of accelerated classes will participate in both preparatory and ongoing professional development. They will attend training during the summer before the accelerated classes are to begin, and they will have focused job-embedded coaching during the school year. During extended year sessions, students will attend four hours per day, and teachers will have afternoon professional development sessions. It is anticipated that after the Blueprint strategies have been implemented effectively over a period of time, the number of students needing additional assistance in high school will be greatly reduced. In the meantime, there is a pressing need to provide interventions, so students can successfully graduate from high school and move into post-secondary training, education, and employment.12 The Blueprint strategies in Grades 9 to 12 are focused on the dual purposes of enabling all students to read and do mathematics with facility and purpose and to meet the requirements for graduation and entrance to post-secondary education. The Blueprint strategies for Grades 9 to 12 are to be part of a new conception of high school as a place with a range of offerings, that can be taken by students depending on their interests and needs. In such an environment with numerous choices it should be expected that different students would take different numbers of years to complete their programs of study. A thoughtful analysis and revision of the high school program will be undertaken once the state’s high school exit exam is released. Special education students and students with 504 plans will be integrated into the strategies identified below as much as possible in alignment with their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Individualized Service Plan (ISP). Gifted and talented Education (GATE) students will continue in their programs, with the content of GATE classes meeting the standards of the district and the literacy and mathematics frameworks. 12 Implementation of strategies that affect collective bargaining agreements is subject to negotiating agreements and waivers with representatives of the San Diego Education Association.Incentive for Academic Improvement
A Performance Reward Program will be established to identify and reward schools that demonstrate significant gains in student achievement. The reward program has been allocated $1.5 million, and the amounts awarded per school will depend upon the numbers of schools that have shown the greatest increases in student academic performance. Strategies to Prevent Students from Falling Behind
Underlying the prevention strategies at every grade level are the comprehensive literacy and mathematics frameworks that provide a consistent set of strategies, knowledge, and skills across all classrooms. The frameworks are designed to ensure that all students get high quality instruction and content that will enable them to meet designated criteria and be successful in school. The literacy framework has been developed and is in the process of being implemented. The mathematics framework will be developed over the coming months under the direction of the new mathematics director.
Essential to the success of the Blueprint is the substantial professional development that is being provided to teachers to enable them to teach to the frameworks and standards. The professional development currently being practiced in the district includes summer institutes, job-embedded coaching, and workshops during the school year. In literacy, summer institutes and workshops during the school year will continue to be offered. In addition, the number of site-based peer coach/staff developers will be expanded so that every school receives the full-time services of a literacy coach. The purpose of having a peer coach/staff developer at every school is to embed the professional development that teachers get in the context of their jobs. During the first year of Blueprint implementation (2000-2001), the work year for peer coach/staff developers will be 187 plus 10 days. In mathematics, introductory summer institutes are being planned. These will be followed with workshops during the school year and the development of a site-based structure for ongoing job-embedded professional development. Interventions for Students At Risk of Not Meeting Designated Criteria Incoming ninth graders will have three possible placements in literacy and mathematics:
The intervention programs for ninth graders will consist of extended block classes for literacy and mathematics with reduced class size.13 The literacy blocks will consist of two or three periods of genre studies. In the genre studies class, students learn how to read and interpret a variety of texts including journalistic reports, technical writing, textbooks, biography, history, and research, as well as a variety of types of literature. The genre studies class is taught in workshop format with students reading and discussing different reading material in groups and then writing and editing critical pieces about the readings. Successful completion of a genre studies class means that students are well equipped to tackle the text materials in their other courses and in college courses should they choose to pursue a post-secondary education. Students entering the district at Grades 10 or 11 also could access the block program based on their performance on grade-level assessments. English Learner (EL) students who have sufficient proficiency in English also will participate in the literacy/mathematics core program. EL students will be grouped according to English language proficiency and place in mainstream literacy/mathematics core classrooms with teachers who are qualified to meet their linguistic and academic needs. The English Language Development (ELD) program for these students will be incorporated in the specially designed literacy/mathematics core program. All other EL students will continue to participate in specially designed ELD courses appropriate to their levels of English language proficiency. These courses will be designed to provide enhanced opportunities for accelerated acquisition of English reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Ninth grade literacy block teachers will have an allocation for additional high-quality instructional materials and will participate in professional development, including regular summer institutes and job-embedded coaching. The curriculum will be specified and will include examples of texts from history, social studies, and science, as well as classical and contemporary literature. Students who are performing below and significantly below the expected level in mathematics will participate in an intensive one-period mathematics course during the 2000-2001 school year. It is expected that a large number of the students who will be identified for the mathematics course also will be in the literacy block. However, students who do not have to be assigned to the literacy block to be assigned to the intensive mathematics course. The content of the mathematics course will center on algebra, but also will include probability and statistics and the application of mathematics in "real world" situations. As noted above in the middle school section, there will be a two-period mathematics block course developed during the 2000-2001 school year. The course will be implemented during the 2001-2002 school year for students who are performing below and significantly below the expected level in mathematics. 13 The 1999-2000 requirement for sites to fund 50% of the second hour of ninth-grade class size reduction has been eliminated for the coming school year. That is, for the 2000-2001 school year, class size reduction for the ninth- grade blocks will be fully funded through the Blueprint.
Tenth graders14 in the fall of 2000 who are performing below grade level will be placed in a two period literacy genre studies class with a regular class size. High school students who perform below their grade level in Grades 10 through 12 will continue to participate in the two period genre studies block course. The two-period genre studies course will be phased in to Grades 11 and 12 in subsequent years. 14 This will include eleventh graders at San Diego High School because it is a three-year high school.
Students who do not meet designated criteria in literacy and mathematics after completing Grade 9 will enroll in an intensive summer program beginning in the summer of 2001. This program will provide a focused curriculum in literacy and mathematics. The summer school program will have a reduced student/teacher ratio and an allocation for the purchase of additional high quality, standards-based materials. The intensive summer program will be site based with teachers teaching at their own schools to the extent that this is not affected by summer construction schedules (Proposition MM). Students whose schools are closed due to construction will be able to attend courses at the nearest high school to their own. Teachers who teach the intensive summer program will teach four hours in the morning and spend several afternoons each week in professional development in either literacy or mathematics. Summer school will continue to be offered for students who need to make up course credits in core subjects in Grades 9 through 12. 15 Biology and chemistry will be offered as enrichment courses in summer school for high school students.Accelerated Programs for Students Who Do Not Meet Criteria Beginning with the 2001-2002 school year ninth graders who do not meet designated criteria at the end of the school year and who do not improve their performance by the end of summer school will be placed in an accelerated program. The accelerated program will be an extended year and be the second year of a five-year high school program, which is being developed in conjunction with the San Diego Community College District. 6. BLUEPRINT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Professional development is the most effective tool the school district has for improving teaching, and improving teaching is the most direct way to improve student learning and achievement. The effective implementation of the Blueprint requires that the district provide intensive, high-quality, and focused assistance directly to classroom teachers in all schools to help them successfully reach all the students in their integrated classrooms, regardless of the students’ language or racial/ethnic background. The professional development to be offered will be job-embedded and will focus on improving teachers’ knowledge of what concepts and skills need to be taught and their understanding of how the concepts and skills are to be taught. This is consistent with the integration court order that directs the district to "provide intensive, high-quality, and focused assistance directly to classroom teachers." The continuous development of school leadership is at the core of instructional improvement and increased student achievement. The priority and need for a professional development process for site leaders is placed at the same level of import as the need for peer coach/staff developers. If the Blueprint is to be successfully implemented, we must have quality, ongoing professional development for both teachers and school leaders. Professional development for site leaders will engender stronger leadership that supports better teaching and leads to increased learning. PEER COACH/STAFF DEVELOPERS A key strategy for carrying out job-embedded professional development is the use of peer coach/ staff developers. The peer coach/staff developers provide use a variety of strategies to help teachers in their classrooms, including co-teaching, demonstrations, observations, videotaping, and discussions of student work. An important role of the peer coach/staff developers is to provide support for beginning teachers. The site-based coaching model is especially helpful to new teachers who can obtain timely help in the setting in which they need it. The coaches keep their knowledge and skills current by participating in coaching themselves, meeting weekly with their colleagues to discuss their work and learn new strategies. Peer coach/staff developers have been working in many schools during the past year to help teachers improve their practice. Through the Blueprint, the cadre of peer coach/staff developers will be expanded so that every school will have the services of a peer coach/staff developer beginning with the 2000-2001 school year. During the first year of Blueprint implementation (2000-2001), the work year for peer coach/staff developers will be 187 plus 10 days. The lowest performing schools will have two peer coach/staff developers, and, as additional funds become available, more coaches will be added. In addition, elementary school sites with large numbers of new teachers will receive additional peer coach/staff developer services. The initial assignment of coaches will be made based on the size of the school and the placement of the school in the statewide ranking based on the 1999 Academic Performance Index. Schools whose scores placed them in the lowest six tenths of the state (API 1-6) all will be assigned a full time peer coach/staff developer. Elementary schools whose scores placed them in the lowest twenty percent of the state (API 1 and 2) will have two full time peer coach/staff developers.16 The remaining schools were assigned points using the following rubric:
This process results in most schools having the services of a full time peer coach/staff developer. Some schools in the district will share peer coach/staff developers at the beginning of the 2000-2001 school year, until additional funds are obtained. 16 Exceptions are : North Park and Perkins Elementary schools which have small student populations, MacDowell which is a single grade school, and Rosa Parks which is part of the City Heights Pilot projectFACILITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT A training area for the Institute for Learning is proposed in order to further the goals of improved teaching and learning in the classroom. The area will be used for demonstration classroom teaching with an attached observation area. It will be located at an elementary school site, with the principal, teachers, and students providing the learning laboratory. A manufactured relocatable building of approximately 2,400 square feet will be purchased and configured to accommodate 80-90 occupants in a training area of approximately 1,440 square feet, with a viewing window to a standard-sized (960 square foot) classroom area. SUMMER INSTITUTES FOR TEACHERS The district will continue to offer summer institutes for teachers. During the summer of 2000 in literacy, professional development sessions will be offered every week to meet the needs of several thousand teachers. The content of the literacy summer institutes will focus on:
In mathematics, three introductory institutes are planned to develop in teachers an understanding of standards-based teaching and new mathematics curricula and to support the elements of the Blueprint for Student Success that address mathematics. The professional development will be provided for teachers in Grades 3 through 6 who are interested in becoming mathematics specialists; teachers in Grades 7 and 8 who teach pre-algebra and algebra; and high school mathematics teachers. The content of the mathematics professional development will address:
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF SUMMER/INTERSESSION Another strategy for job-embedded professional development is to use the afternoons of summer sessions and intersession classes. The structure of teaching in the morning and reviewing what was done in the afternoon is a powerful technique for examining and refining teaching practices. The Blueprint proposes to have all teachers of summer courses and programs participate in professional development as a requirement for accepting the summer teaching assignment. 17 During the summer of 2000 professional development will be provided in literacy for first, second, third, fifth/sixth and eighth grade teachers on two afternoons per week. Senior high literacy teachers will be able to attend summer institutes to obtain the professional development they need. During subsequent summers, professional development will be provided in the afternoon for all summer teachers of literacy and mathematics. 17 Pending negotiations regarding contract provisions with the San Diego Education Association. LEADERSHIP ACADEMY FOR SITE ADMINISTRATORS Last August, in line with the new site management selection processes and in support of the renewed emphasis on instruction, the Superintendent successfully pursued the establishment of an Educational Leadership Development Academy. The Academy is a collaborative project involving a consortium of the district, the University of San Diego (lead organization), San Diego State University, and other agencies, such as the San Diego County Office of Education and the University of California, San Diego. The Academy is built on a continuum of support and development for aspiring site leaders, new and experienced site leaders, and Instructional Leaders:
External funding has been identified to support approximately one-half of the Educational Leadership Academy program costs. A Blueprint recommendation is that the district match these funds to support the Administrative Credential Program (first tier) and the Mentor Principal Program. The Administrative Credential Program (first tier) involves internships for a cohort of ten district teachers. This program addresses the essential need to recognize and build capacity in teachers with demonstrated leadership potential, and to create a more diverse pool of candidates for site leadership vacancies. A cohort of ten district teachers would be released from their classroom assignment for two semesters to serve as on-site interns at designated schools. Interns would simultaneously participate in a training program, and work toward completion of their Preliminary Administrative Credential through the University of San Diego. The purpose of the Mentor Principal Program is to identify principals who have demonstrated a high level of instructional leadership to serve as either full-time mentor principals or "sitting" coaching principals. Three principals have been released from their school assignment to work as full-time mentors. A group of sitting principals has been identified to serve as coaching principals. The Mentor Principal Program is designed to assist principals to successfully enact their role and to deepen their knowledge and skill levels by working with a distinguished peer. The program fosters continuous improvement of leadership efforts through engaging in reflective activities, problem solving and strategizing, and receiving non-evaluative feedback about leadership performance
The Blueprint for parents is based on four guiding principles shown in the box to the right.
COMMUNICATION Communication with parents is crucial. The Blueprint strategies demand that parents be kept well informed about their students’ academic progress. Teachers and counselors will provide parents with complete and accurate information early in the school year explaining how their students are performing and describing what resources are available to support their students’ success. In addition the following strategies will be carried out:
COMMITMENT Parents will be asked to sign and support Learning Contracts for their students who are performing below the grade level in which they are enrolled. Learning Contracts will be developed by teachers and will include specific programs for students, such as after school sessions or longer classes that will help students meet standards. The teacher, parent/guardian, and the student will sign the contract. The Learning Contract asks parents to make a commitment to helping the teachers and students achieve the learning goals for the grade level. The Contract will include actions that parents can take, such as making sure that students attend after school programs, and asking about the classwork and homework students are doing. Parents will be given clear information by school staff regarding consequences to students if students do not participate in the interventions and fail to meet academic criteria. (See Section 8 for further details.) Schools will show their commitment by sending a representative to attend district meetings to receive materials, resources, and assistance for working with parents of at risk students. Parents of at risk students will be given opportunities to attend education programs and receive materials designed to help them increase their children’s literacy and mathematics skills and organizational/study skills. Schools will receive assistance from the Parent Involvement and Support Department to apply for Parent Involvement Matching Grants for parent education. Teachers and counselors of retained students in accelerated classes will be provided training and materials by the Parent Involvement and Support Department to help with:
FOCUS SCHOOLS Focus Schools will receive additional support and assistance. Each Focus School will be provided with the staffing for a full time Parent Activity Liaison (PAL) to coordinate a comprehensive parent involvement program at the school. The PAL will participate in an intensive district training/coaching/monitoring program developed and delivered by the Parent Involvement office. The PAL will meet with school staff and parents to establish a workplan for systematic, ongoing parent involvement to engage large numbers of parents in activities to increase student achievement. The focus of the parent programs will be on establishing communication links with parents to engage them in becoming positive academic coaches for their children. The school site will establish or strengthen the parent center at the school to anchor parent involvement activities and provide increased information about community resources. A concerted effort will be made to recruit parents across all racial, cultural, and language groups. To increase parent support for student learning, the PALs at the Focus Schools will implement a yearlong series of parent education sessions that directly support building student literacy/mathematics skills and organizational/study skills. Activities will include:
8. BLUEPRINT FOR MONITORING AND ACCOUNTABILITY The Blueprint is a continuous improvement model that requires monitoring both the progress of individual students and the progress of the strategies as they are implemented. The responsibility for monitoring student progress lies with teachers, administrators, central office personnel, and the students themselves. The responsibility for monitoring the progress of the Blueprint strategies lies with school and district staff. Continued enhancement of the district management information system will facilitate the monitoring and evaluation process by making the data more easily accessible to school personnel. MONITORING PERFORMANCE OF INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS The Home/School Compact Overall accountability for student participation and progress in school is covered in the Home/School Compact that is completed for all students each school year. The compact, which is part of the district Accountability System and addresses Title I requirements, delineates the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder in the learning process—the teacher, the principal, the school board, the parent and the student. The Home/School Compact serves as the initial commitment to student achievement of district academic and citizenship standards. As such it is the first step to achieving success for all students. Generally, the compact is discussed and signed within the first eight weeks of school. Parents are told about the importance of their role in the compact through a variety of avenues including special parent meetings, school open houses, and parent/teacher conferences. Translators are often provided for parents who are non-English speaking so that everyone signing the compact can clearly understand their responsibilities. The compact is available in eight different languages. Learning Contract for Students At Risk of Not Meeting Criteria All school sites will be expected to identify students at risk early in the school year. Early identification of students who are having difficulty is essential to providing appropriate and timely interventions. School staff can review past performance on assessments available through the district data system, and they can conduct assessments themselves to find out what students know and are able to do. As soon as students have been identified as performing below grade level, the teacher or counselor will initiate a Learning Contract. (See Appendix 2.) The Learning Contract is an extension of the Home/School Compact. The Learning Contract is a both a communication device for informing parents and students, and a monitoring tool to keep track of the process of identifying and helping at-risk students. The Learning Contract explains to parents how the student was identified as being at risk and what interventions and supports are recommended. The Learning Contract clearly states that students may be retained if they do not meet the performance criteria, and they have not participated in the available intervention programs and extended learning opportunities and supports. The Contract also includes a section for recording the teacher's decision to promote or retain a student. The Learning Contract will be signed and committed to by the school, the student and the parent or guardian. Time Line for Identification, Intervention, and Deciding Retention The time line for the process of identifying students at risk, beginning interventions, initiating the Learning Contract, and monitoring student progress is shown in the chart below.
Monitoring Student Progress During the School Year During the school year, school site and district staff will monitor student classroom performance as well as participation in the specified intervention programs such as extended day, summer/intersession, or block classes. Student performance on districtwide assessments will be entered into the district data system, and reports will be available to school site staff for review of student progress. It is anticipated that a district data system soon will allow school staff to enter results from site-based assessments to further monitor student progress on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Decision to Promote/Retain California law calls for the teacher to make the decision to promote or retain. In making the final promotion/retention decision, the teacher will consider the student’s academic performance based on the designated performance measures and, as needed and appropriate, additional evidence of student academic achievement, participation in support and intervention opportunities, and readiness for the next grade level. Prior to the last six weeks of school (elementary) or during the fourth quarter (secondary), the teacher will convene a conference to discuss the student's progress with the parent/guardian, the principal or designee, and the student (if appropriate). The teacher may ask other teachers and/or the counselor to be present.
The teacher also will specify recommended interventions for the next school year, such as the after school reading program, tutoring, summer school/intersession, etc. The principal will sign the form, and mail a copy to the parent with a cover letter that includes a description of the parent appeal process. Parent Appeal Process California law provides for a parent appeal process. Parents or guardians may appeal the teacher's decision through the school principal. The principal will convene a meeting with the parent/guardian, teacher(s), counselor, and other staff as appropriate. The parent/guardian will present a case for discussion. At the conclusion of the appeal hearing, the teacher will make the final decision concerning promotion or retention. MONITORING PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION The district will continue to annually analyze and report comparative student achievement results in reading/language arts and mathematics for all students and for special student populations including English learners, special education students, racial/ethnic groups, and economically-disadvantaged students. Student achievement will be reviewed annually as well as longitudinally to assess performance and progress over time. Findings will be used to identify students, groups, and schools in need of additional support. This data will inform modifications to programs and practices to promote the continuous improvement of student achievement. In addition to monitoring student progress overall, there will be a systematic process for monitoring the implementation of the Blueprint strategies and assessing their impact on student achievement. The Institute for Learning will oversee the early identification of students, implementation of student support programs, utilization of intervention and promotion criteria, systematic and ongoing professional development, regular parent notification, data accessibility, and allocation of resources. These responsibilities will be shared by school site administrators; Instructional Leaders; the Extended Learning Opportunities Office; and the Standards, Assessment, and Accountability Department. There will be a designated person at the district and at the school site that parents can contact regarding the identification and promotion process. Parents of at-risk and retained students also will be trained to take on a monitoring role in which they keep records of their interactions with the school and of their children’s progress, and provide feedback through surveys and focus groups that may be conducted as part of the program evaluation. A formal evaluation of the Blueprint for Student Success will be conducted annually with the findings reported to the Board of Education and other audiences to inform the continuous improvement process. Study questions will address implementation of the Blueprint strategies and student achievement outcomes. Additional data reports will be generated to inform all communities, guide policy makers, and assist school sites with information about the most effective implementation approaches for the Blueprint strategies. Evaluation activities, including study design, implementation, and public reporting, will be guided by a Blueprint evaluation committee. The committee will be comprised of district staff, business and community members, parents, representatives from higher education, and others with expertise related to program evaluation, data analysis, and communications. Implementing the Blueprint will take a strong commitment of time to build human capacity and a mobilization of district resources to carry out such an unprecedented refocusing of the organization. Deliberate thought was given to the strategies identified for initial implementation in order to address the needs of students at all schools, while also focusing additional attention and resources on schools with the greatest need. The Blueprint implementation plan for 2000-2001 actually captures only a small percentage of the district’s overall budget, but it uses this to leverage a significant portion of the overall district resources into a systemwide focus on instruction. The previous sections describe a complete set of strategies contained within the Blueprint for Student Success. At this point, costs and funding have been identified only for the strategies proposed for the 2000-01 school year. Staff will present a proposal for the 2001-02 school year for the board’s consideration in November 2000. The cost of funding the Blueprint programs and strategies described in this report for the 2000-01 school year is approximately 48 million dollars. (See Appendix 3 for detailed budget schedules.) Funding for special education, foreign language, and Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programs will not be reduced due to implementation of the Blueprint. MAJOR COSTS Blueprint program costs include:
19 The 1999-2000 requirement for sites to fund 50% of the second hour of ninth grade class size reduction has been eliminated for the coming school year. That is, for the 2000-2001 school year, class size reduction for the ninth grade blocks will be fully funded through the Blueprint. IDENTIFIED RESOURCES In order to underwrite Blueprint costs, resources were identified as follows:
The Use of Title I Funding to Support the Blueprint The use of Title I funds to support the Blueprint is consistent with the regulations that call for providing socioeconomically disadvantaged children with an "enriched and accelerated educational program" to ensure they meet high standards; and for "upgrading the quality of instruction by providing staff in participating schools with substantial opportunities for professional development."20 Research indicates that there is a significant correlation between student achievement and socioeconomic status, therefore it is necessary and appropriate that Title I funding be directed toward the Blueprint strategies that target improving the achievement of at-risk students. 20 Cited from Title I regulations. The Use of Integration Funding to Support the Blueprint The dedication of a portion of site integration funding to the strategies outlined in the Blueprint for Student Success is consistent with the integration court order that calls for the district to "review the effectiveness of its magnet programs and make adjustments that are necessary" to "promote integration and academic achievement." In addition, the strategies provided in the Blueprint ensure that the district will ensure the success of students participating in the Voluntary Ethnic Enrollment Program (VEEP) by providing the "tutorial services, enriched curriculum materials, adequate programs for Limited English Proficient students, and staff development and training" required by the court order. Finally, the court order requires the district to continue to implement the Academic Enrichment Academy (AEA) program, which is also supported by the Blueprint. PHASE-IN PLAN As new monies become available (e.g., "May revise" state funds, additional categorical resources, new grant monies), we will phase in elements we are unable to fund totally at this juncture:
Instructional Implications If we are to raise the level of student achievement, then we must raise the level at which students are engaged in their learning. The Blueprint for Student Success ratchets up this level by providing a comprehensive set of strategies for prevention, intervention, and retention/ acceleration. Critical to the success of the Blueprint is the need to build teacher expertise to accelerate the learning of those students who are struggling to meet standards, whether at-risk or retained. Therefore, the Blueprint reflects a massive investment in systematic, ongoing, site-based professional development for teachers. The Blueprint also calls for continuous professional development for site leaders, recognizing that strong leadership supports better teaching and increased learning. Facilities Implications At the elementary level, the only foreseeable facilities implication for the 2000-01 school year is associated with the Early Link Program. The first priority for program placement was at elementary Focus Schools in order to ensure children will be provided with readiness experiences to prepare them to be successful in Kindergarten. Among the Focus Schools, six are able to accommodate the Early Link program. (In some cases, the program will be wrapped around the existing state preschool program.) At the secondary level, class size reduction at the middle and senior high levels could impact facilities. However, preliminary indications are that schools will be able to accommodate the additional required classes within existing facilities. Budget Implications The cost of implementing the programs described in this report for the 2000-01 school year is approximately 48 million dollars (see Appendix 3 for budget details). The Blueprint programs and strategies were funded through: continuation of funding under existing programs; reallocation of funds from discontinued programs; projected state funding for hourly programs; reduction of Title I per pupil allocations; and redirection of site allocations in Title I and Integration. Public Support and Engagement Implications The Communications Office has developed a communications plan to ensure that staff, parents and the general community are informed about new policies and practices. A Blueprint evaluation committee, comprised of district staff, business and community members, parents, representatives from high education and others, will be convened. The committee will oversee evaluation activities, including study design, implementation and public reporting. The council will allow for direct and continued parent and community involvement in Blueprint implementation and monitoring. Policy Implications The Blueprint has implications for district policies and procedures related to student promotion, retention, and support. On December 14, 1999, the Board acted to rescind the student retention policy at Grades 3 and 8 and to establish retention at Grades 1, 6/7, and 9. This action, along with the implementation plan as described in this report, requires revision of the associated administrative procedures which will occur following board approval of the Blueprint. An additional policy implication relates to district grading policy and procedures, which will be reviewed and revised in conjunction with work on the district assessment system and the standards-based report card. Lastly, elements of the Blueprint will require the review and potential revision of the current secondary course and graduation requirements. This review will necessarily occur after the state has developed the high school exit examination. The target board date is late fall 2000. Policy Recommendations The superintendent recommends that the Board of Education:
Appendices:
Report prepared by: Anthony J. Alvarado and Mary Hopper on behalf of the Institute for Learning. AJA/MH: ba/sjb/pte |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
