Week+4+The+Budget

=Achievement Preparatory School's Resource Analysis = == = =

**VISION STATEMENT: **



====Achievement Preparatory School (APS) is a learning community that provides supportive, enriching, and challenging learning opportunities to help all learners achieve in order to be prepared for high school, college, and life. ====


====All students will achieve a minimum of 75% on benchmark assessments measuring progress toward achievement of VSC standards in order to achieve proficiency on the reading, mathematics, and science MSA. ==== 


Professional Learning Communities will work collaboratively to plan and reflect upon the efficacy of standards-based lessons, including the creation and implementation of common formative assessments. This intervention will include the use of the following processes and tools to help APS move toward achievement of the identified goal:  
 * Identification and application of protocols for examining student work
 * Professional learning for PLCs related to the following:
 * Understanding the VSC
 * Promoting Content Literacy
 * Data-Based Decision Making
 * Formative Assessment
 * Scantron //Achievement Series// (web-based application)
 * Performance-based Assessment
 * Flexible Grouping
 * Use of Scantron's //Achievement Series// to promote alignment of and reflection on the written, taught, and tested curriculum
 * Use of flexible grouping to promote and in response to student learning

<span style="color: rgb(0,128,0); font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Resource Allocation Summary:
In order to achieve our previously stated goal, we will be implementing interventions based around data-driven instruction. This will be done through various professional development opportunities throughout the school year. The current schedule and calendar do not need to be altered. Professional development days are built into the calendar at the start of the school year, as well as 2 days each quarter. PLCs have common planning time daily and will use that time to work together to to make data driven decisions. Any other professional development or team planning needed beyond those times can be offered after school hours. This intervention will cost us approximately $32,000, with the majority of that being salary for teachers to participate in professional learning and planning opportunities. The money will come from three main sources: the School Improvement grant, The Teacher Induction grant, and the professional development line of the general school budget or Intervention grant. The Scantron Achievement Series software will be a strong focus of our intervention, helping teachers to better understand the VSC standards, how to use them to create assessments, and how to analyze the results in order to drive instruction. This software has already been purchased for the school, and a teacher has already been trained and designated as the school’s Scan Rep, therefore the money we will need to spend on materials to implement that will be minimal. The intervention will be implemented by all staff, with a focus on the PLCs. Professional development that will be offered to staff include the following: understanding the VSC and how it drives instruction, development of standards-based formative assessments using the Scantron Achievement Series software, understanding data-based decision making, including best practices in analyzing and responding to data at the classroom level, understanding and applying best practices in flexible grouping. Any professional development needed can be provided by teacher leaders, administrators, department chairs, or other county level employees, rather than hiring outside consultants. The designated Scan Rep can provide training and ongoing support throughout the year. If PLCs ask her to attend planning meetings that are during her scheduled class times to help them use and/or troubleshoot the software we will provide coverage by hiring subs to cover classes. Administrators will monitor the effectiveness of the intervention as well as the professional development through the observation and evaluation process.

__Administrative Team Minutes March 31, 2009- April 6, 2009 :__
Attendance:
 * Stacy Bryan, Principal
 * Jennifer Barton, Special Education Coordinator
 * Stacey Pearl, Teacher Mentor


 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

**<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">What considerations need to be made when creating a school budget? **
|| || || Submitted 03/30: One of the most important things to consider when creating a school budget is the school's vision, and the goals set forth in the School Improvement Plan. =<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">media type="custom" key="3572318" = || April 1, 2009
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Jennifer: A school's needs assessment and goals should help dictate how and where funds are allocated within the budget.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacey: A school's vision and goals should drive how, what and where funds are spent.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacy:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">**__Team Consensus:__**

<span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">APS's vision, and the data-based goals identified which will help our school BECOME that vision, is the primary consideration when creating a school budget. Without that focus, it is likely that many random acts of improvement will occur, but true movement toward a specific goal would be unlikely.

||
 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

**<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Within your jurisdiction, where do you have flexibility in allocating funds for a school budget? **
|| * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Our business office is run out of our school in DC, therefore our budget is dictated to us rather than developed by us as a team. In fact, we are never actually given a "budget" and instead have to place orders with no idea of funds available and hope for the best. Ideally I'd like to see each division given a budget and then funds allocated for professional development and school wide resources. || * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">This is a question that I will have to ask my principal next week when we resume from Spring Break. As a charter school, there are certain guidelines regarding how some funds are spent. Over all though, I know that charter schools have a lot more flexibility than traditional public schools. || Submitted 04/01: * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">There is some flexibility in the school budget, but there are also line items that are strictly enforced. I'll ask for more details about this when I speak with my principal. Submitted 04/04: <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> || Submitted 04/04 by Stacy, revised 04/04 by Jennifer, reviewed by Stacey 4/5/09.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Jennifer:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacey:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacy:
 * Flexibility is limited in shifting things among line items, and it seems like there are various ways of "packaging" things that make them fit in a line, even if that fit is a stretch. This gets into "creative budgeting", which seems to me to be a necessary evil at times; however, it also could be considered professionally unethical. I was not able to get many straight answers about budgeting at my school. However, I was able to confirm that a line item for salaries is non-negotiable. You cannot purchase materials with salary money. There are also some restrictions on material money, but this seemed to be more of ca gray area. You cannot pay a consultant with salary money. I'm recognizing this as a major area of professional learning, but am struggling to find the right person to consult with about budgeting. It seems like you have to be a member of a secret club to join in these conversations.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Team Consensus:

<span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">We have limited flexibility, but there is room to borrow from multiple funding sources. Most items are considered line items on each budget, and therefore cannot be reallocated. However, we have some flexibility in justifying materials purchases. There is no flexibility in line items related to salary. While there is usually a set amount allocated toward professional development as a whole, we have the flexibility to determine HOW to allocate those funds - what types of professional development, who will be included, what will be needed for it, etc.

||


 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">How will you begin to implement your strategy or intervention?
|| determining what the teachers already know would be the first step. I (as an administrator) would also like to meet with PLC's to have open discussions about what the intervention plans are, how it will impact them and their students, etc.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Jennifer:

|| Step 1 is to conduct a needs assessment of what teachers "already know," "need to know," and "need to have." Step 2 would be to create a road map that identifies the resources and PD that teachers will need over time to become proficient and fluent in implementing the intervention. Step 3 is to determine how we will evaluate as we go to determine the effectiveness and developing needs of teachers implementing the intervention.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacey:

|| Submitted 04/01: * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">I would like to gather some information about our teacher's prior knowledge related to standards based instructional planning, data based decision making, and understanding of the VSC for assessed areas. || Submitted 04/04 by Stacy, revised 04/04 by Jennifer, revised by Stacey 4/5/09. <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Step 1: With the goal in mind, determine how we will know we have met our goal. This will include measures for student growth as identified in the goal, but also measures for application of professional learning. Step 2: Conduct a needs assessment to establish prior knowledge and to identify areas for professional growth. Step 3: Meet with PLCs to engage in a dialogue about the data, the goal, and the intervention to begin to empower and engage them in the learning and planning process. Share information related to evaluating our progress. (Repeat this step often!) Step 4: Provide the teachers with a schedule of professional learning opportunities and resources that will promote understanding and classroom application of best practices related to our intervention. This will include a master calendar of essential meetings (e.g. PLC), deadlines, assessment windows, school wide professional development opportunities, etc. Step 5: Review school-wide data at the end of each quarterly benchmark assessment.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacy:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Team Consensus:

||
 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">How much money will you need to implement this intervention?
|| || Stacy's details are very helpful. In a more general manner, I think it's important to have a "kick off" PD day where everyone comes on board for the intervention. It's important that we have buy in to the process. Having a day to review the who, what, why, and how of the process and what we hope to happen is important. It's also important for the school staff (at least by whole departments, such as math grades 6, 7, and 8) to look at data all together to determine larger trends and needs (such as vertical alignment). || Submitted 04/01: * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">We already have the Scantron contract and scanner, so that does not need to be purchased. > > > <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">We won't need additional staffing, but can talk about allocation of staffing as well as cost for Professional Development. There are 105 ten month employees. (Four of those are members of the leadership team). It is county policy that, any time PD is offered that involves planning for instruction, teachers are paid 75% of their daily rate. This is complicated because that % is different for each teacher based on years of experience, type of certification, AND educational degrees. To ball park this figure, here are some figures: <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">media type="custom" key="3586256" Submitted 04/04/09: Submitted 04/4/09 by Stacy Approved 04/05/09 by Stacey. <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">This intervention will cost us approximately $32,000, with the majority of that being salary for teachers to participate in additional professional learning and planning opportunities.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Jennifer:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacey:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacy:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">We have eight PD days in the Master Calendar on days that children are not in school. (There are two per quarter.)
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">We can do job embedded PD, which is supported by the master schedule in place.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">We may wish to consider additional time for planning related to using data effectively.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">To help us understand what is needed to implement that part of our proposed intervention, we need to know the following about our staffing:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">There are currently __83__ teachers at EMS. One of those teachers is an Intervention Coach. Nine are special education teachers. One is a Behavior Coach. One is a Media Specialist.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">There are __8__ paraeducators and __3__ inclusion helpers assigned to the special education department.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">There is __1__ Speech Language Pathologist assigned to the school for the majority of her time. She also services children at the neighboring high school one day a week.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">There are __2__ paraeducators assigned to support the Behavior Coach.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">There is __1__ paraeducator/tech assigned to the Media Specialist.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">There are __2__ paraeducators assigned to the PE department as Pool Techs.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">There are 9 members on the Instructional Leadership Team: There are __2__ full time teacher mentors assigned to the school; they are part of the leadership team and serve in a non-evaluative capacity. The administrative team includes __6__ evaluative administrative members: Principal, Instructional Facilitator, and four Assistant Principals. We have one Principal Coach.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">50 members of our TEACHING staff have 1-5 years of experience. The 75% daily rate is about $115.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">About 15 of our TEACHING staff has 6-10 years of experience. The 75% daily rate for this group is about $140.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">About 18 of our TEACHING staff has 11-15 years of experience. The 75% daily rate for this group is about $175.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">About 12 of our TEACHING staff has 16 or more years of experience. The 75% daily rate for this group is about $185.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">For the administrative members who are ten month employees, the 75% rate is about $200. However, this group does have a certain number of summer days to work beyond the ten month calendar.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">We also have what we call "$120 days", which can be used for PD. Provided that teachers are not PLANNING for or IMPLEMENTING instruction, we can use the $120 days for PD. These are more like "sit and get" sessions.
 * To provide each teacher with two days of professional learning that are in addition to job embedded learning during PLC meeting times, and in addition to county-wide professional development days, it will cost us approximately $29,400 including all of the instructional support staff, or $24,105 if we only included classroom teachers. It is possible to dip into PD funds that go beyond the School Improvement Grant money allocated for this intervention if we think it is important for all instructional staff to be part of learning that occurs beyond the embedded sessions. We could also consider using embedded time with the support staff to tailor the learning for them.
 * Each first year teacher is provided with 6 hours of PD time; we could use that time if needed to level the playing field. That would cost approximately $2500 if we have 20 new teachers. This account is managed at the county level; we submit a payroll form with an account number that comes from outside of the school.
 * Purchasing a book for each PLC-- whether it is all the same book or several different titles toshare-- would cost approximately $2500 if the book costs about $20. (We should identify titles for this if we intend to include it as part of their professional learning.) The School Improvement grant only allows for $350, which is no where near enough. We could also consider identifying key titles for the school PD library, and simply promote those materials rather than require PLCs to read books. Instead, we could provide articles related to key topics.
 * The extended day program money is used for reading and math intervention, so money from that line cannot be moved.
 * There is no cost to the school associated with the Scantron machine or web-based program. The stippend for the Scan Rep for the building is covered at the county level; there is one per school, and they are paid out of county-level funds.
 * The Intervention Coach position is not an additional position this year, and provided we are not recquired to make cuts in teaching positions, we should be able to maintain that position without any further impact on our budget, Master Schedule, and/or class sizes.
 * As you can see, there is nothing left for subs for walk-throughs. So... I was thinking that the leadership team could cover teachers' classes-- yes, they could actually spend a morning or two teaching-- to allow teachers to engage in walk-through learning opportunities. This would not cost ANY money, but it would cost the administrators and other instructional leaders a little time and perhaps a bit of humility. :) ||
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Team Consensus:

Salaries will cost 29,500. The School Improvement grant will cover $24,105 of the salaries, and the Teacher Induction grant will cover 2,500, leaving $2,895 to come from either the professional development line from the Intervention grant or from the regular school budget for professional development.

Materials that are not already covered by the county's contract with Scantron will cost the school approximately $2500. $350 of that will come from the School Improvement grant. $2150 will come from the Media Center's line item for purchases to build the Professional Development Library. This item is negotiable depending on pending budget cuts. ||
 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">What financial resources are already allocated that would support your intervention?
||
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Jennifer: ||
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacey: I tried to call Scholastic Achievement Series today (and I left a message) to get some general information about the cost for a school. Even though Edgewood already has a lot of what we need, I think it's important for us to have a full picture of what the intervention involves. I will call again tomorrow.

Added 4/509: Question/comment- The Scantron Achievement Series is a key instrument in the school's intervention. Any ideas what line item it can come from? Stacey, This could come from multiple funding sources, pulling from instructional materials and assessment. I sent an e-mail to get more information, and when/if it arrives, we can make adjustments for our plan at the individual level. For the purpose of this part of the assignment, I think it is okay to simply state that it is a systemwide intervention that we are using as part of our intervention as written above. The technology is the tool to carry out the intervention of getting teachers to better align the written, taught, and tested curriculum. || Submitted 04/01: Submitted 04/06/09 by Stacy <span style="color: rgb(84,242,84);"><span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">The system has purchased the Scantron Achievement and Performance Series, as well as the scanner required, for every school in the system. These funds are not connected to a single school, and the web-based software and hardware are already in the school. The intervention calls for teaching teachers how to effectively use this tool as part of PLC work that gets them looking at student work and student data to better inform instruction, thereby promoting better alignment of the written, taught, and tested curriculum. Likewise, the system is providing a stipend to a teacher at each school who will serve as a "Scan Rep". <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">In addition to these pre-allocated resources, the School Improvement Grant, Teacher Induction Grant, and Intervention Grant can all be utilized, in part, to support this intervention. ||
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacy:
 * The School Improvement Grant from MSDE includes a line item for professional development and this can be entirely dedicated to this intervention. ||
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Team <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0);"> Consensus:
 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">What material and human resources already exist in your building? How can you identify what resources are available and if you are using them effectively?
|| The VSC is available to all teachers online in a very easy to use and accessible format, along with additional resources to help teachers align curriculum and implement the VSC int heir classrooms [] [] || Submitted 04/01: Submitted by Stacy, revised 04/04 by Jennifer, reviewed by Stacey 4/5/09.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Jennifer:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacey: It appears that there is plenty of special education staff to ensure that students with disabilities can receive appropriate accommodations. Since teachers all have a computer and internet access, they should be able to work electronically to collaborate on test construction. ||
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Stacy:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">See the information about about the human resources we already have, including information about instructional leadership.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">A dedicated position for Intervention Coach exists, but is often pulled for administrative coverages, and due to an inability to find a long term sub for a teacher who fell ill, she's been put back in the regular math classroom part time.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">We have a teacher who is paid as a Scan Tech to help with scanning documents and PD for the Achievement Series.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Department chairs for math, language arts, and science-- all of the assessed areas-- are veteran teachers. The language arts and science department chairs are utilized less effectively for PD than the math department chair, who is also the Intervention Coach. ||
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Team Consensus:

<span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">We appear to have all of the human resources required to carry out our intervention and reach our goal. Professional learning can be lead by formal instructional leaders, but also by teacher leaders in the building. Likewise, we have the materials required to minimally implement the intervention, including technology (hardware and software) for teacher and student use, access to MD VSC Standards, and other professional reading materials. Any additional material purchases this year would serve to enrich professional learning. We were able to identify the resources by examining staff lists and current roles, identifying teacher leaders based on observations and evaluations, and identifying instructional leaders' niches. Material resources were identified via an inventory. If we find that we are in need of additional resources, we would be able to contact multiple county-level employees, including the Coordinator of School Improvement, the Coordinator of Interventions, the Coordinator of Professional Development, and the Supervisor of Curriculum and Development, as well as any of the content area supervisors. We determined that we have the right positions in place to reach our goal, but that professional learning is required to increase application of best practices at the classroom level that will ultimately promote student learning. ||

What material resources can be repurposed for this intervention?
|| Submitted 04/01: Submitted 04/04/2009, reviewed by Stacey 4/5/09.
 * Jennifer: ||
 * Stacey: ||
 * Stacy:
 * The school has a desktop lab of 35 computers, two 16 computer mobile laptop labs, and 2-10 PCs in each classroom. Those do not need to be dedicated entirely to use with the Achievement Series as part of the intervention, but can certainly be accessed to ensure integration of technology to support the intervention. ||
 * Team Consensus:

<span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Funding from the Intervention grant and the Teacher Induction grant can be utilized to support professional development that cannot be covered by the School Improvement grant. Until now, the School Improvement grant provided teachers with two days between July and December to use as they wished for classroom planning, and when teachers didn't use it, the "extra" was provided to teachers showing interest in additional time. The planning was not targeted at a schoolwide goal, or if it was, it was loosely targeted. So, this individual planning tradition is being changed for a more structured, PLC driven approach.

The material budget for the School Improvement grant usually involves providing the SIT binders, etc. This year, we will recycle the binders from last year, and repurpose the money dedicated to consumable materials in the past to purchase essential books for the Professional Development Library. ||

How will you spend your budget dollars? What do you need to purchase?
|| We may want to hire an outside consultant to help get the process started, provide PD, as well as to help the administrative team evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention over time. Teachers may need additional teaching resources to ensure that they have what they need to teach standards-based lessons. We may want to use some money allocated for sub coverage so that teachers can observe one another or visit other schools where this intervention is in process and works! || Submitted 04/01:
 * Jennifer: ||
 * Stacey:
 * Stacy:
 * The majority of dollars for this intervention will be dedicated to promoting professional learning and to supporting collaborative planning and lesson study to promote student learning.
 * We may wish to consider purchasing professional reading material related to PD topics identified, especially as a method of differentiating PD for the wide range of abilities and experience on the staff.

Submitted 04/04:
 * MSDE will not allow schools to use state funding for consultants. HCPS is very, very cautious about consultants as well. They have to go through a strict screening process if paid froma county-level grant or funding source. If the principal opts to use his money to hire a consultant, it comes from the PD line of his budget, thereby cutting significantly into the time and money available to pay teachers. On average, you can expect to pay $10,000 for a consultant. That would mean we could pay teachers to come hear the consultant, but not provide any additional time for reflection and application of their learning. I'm really not sold on outside consultants for this particular intervention, although I can see a place for them if there is no one in the school or county who can as effectively provide insight and guidance.
 * Alternatives to Consultants:

<span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">See response to "How much money will you need?" ||
 * Scantron will send a rep to the buidling to give teachers a tour of the system; this is part of the county contract for the first year of implementation. This will not cost the school additional money.
 * The Office of Accountability can provide someone to help teacher better understand data during a PD day.
 * Teacher of the Year and other award winning teachers as consultants, professional learning coaches, models. ||
 * Team Consensus:

Who needs to be involved in your intervention? Does it require a shift in personnel, or is it something that can be accomplished with staff members in their current roles?
|| All staff should be involved in some way. || This intervention requires all hands on deck. At my school, every staff member participates in this process, including the athletic department. || Submitted 04/01: Submitted 04/04: <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Every person involved in instruction and instructional decision making will participate in action steps related to this intervention, although professional learning experiences may have to be tailored to provide differentiation to teachers with such a wide range of experience and ability. This intervention does not require additional shifts in personnel.
 * Jennifer:
 * Stacey:
 * Stacy:
 * We need to consider how we've allowed "emergencies" to pull our Intervention Coach from her assigned duty and role, and what to do to prevent that if we wish to use that position as a major contributor to data-based decision making at the school.
 * Because this intervention is designed for all instructional staff to engage in on a regular basis, there is no need for further shifting of staff. ||
 * Team <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0);"> Consensus:

Comment: I am not sure what "emergencies" have pulled the Intervention Coach away from her/his job, but perhaps we can create a contingency plan where other school administrators cover the emergencies instead. (Stacey 4/5/09). ||

How can staff members and other community members be used creatively to achieve your intervention (e.g., volunteers, across-age mentors, specialty visitors, etc.)?
|| classroom volunteers could help provide accomodations such as readers and writers during formative and summative assessments to special eduaction students whose IEPs require those accomodations || We may need IT support/volunteers to help us manage all of the data and support teachers with using the web-based system to construct tests. We can use parent volunteers to help us organize celebrations (for both staff and students) as the school makes progress with the intervention. || <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Submitted 04/01: Submitted 04/04: Reviewed by Stacey 4/5/09. <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">The best place for community and parental volunteers is in the classroom with the students who are part of their community beyond the school. These volunteers can provide essential "extra hands" to help teachers respond to the data at the classroom level. For instance, they may oversee an enrichment experience while the teacher is reteaching a small group, or they may provide accommodations to students. If content area PLCs are encouraged to think out of the box, they may begin to identify flexible grouping opportunities to have students at varying grade levels working with each other. Additionally, parent volunteers can help the staff to plan classroom, team, and school-wide celebrations of learning. Staff volunteers may wish to work with each other to ensure that assessments are finalized. While there is planning time for creation, grading, and reflection on assessments, there may be times that teams of teachers have to go above and beyond in the first year to ensure that improvement is swift enough. ||
 * Jennifer:
 * Stacey:
 * Stacy:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">There are two community groups to consider for support. One is the Greater Edgewood Education Foundation, which is a non-profit group made up of community, school, and parent reps. Another is the Edgewood Learning Community, which includes all of the feeder schools in the Edgewood Area.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">We could access several people from Central Office to support PD, including individuals from the Office of Accountability, the Office of Technology and Information Services, and content area supervisors and helping teachers. Those individuals can be accessed free of charge, but coordination of their calendars may prove to be a challenge. ||
 * Team <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0);"> Consensus:
 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">What professional development needs to take place to support the intervention? What will be the outcomes of the professional development?
<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ||  ||
 * Jennifer: understanding the VSC and desinging lessons and assessments around it, how to analyze data and then use it to drive future instruction, how to effectively use the software needed for the Scantron Achievement Series, how to effectively work with and plan with members of their PLC ||
 * Stacey (Outcomes):

Teachers will understand VSC and how it drives instruction. Teachers will develop standards-based assessments, analyze the data, and develop teaching plans (moving forward) based on the data. Teachers will use students' interests, strengths, and needs for flexible grouping. Teachers will fluently and collaboratively use the Scantron Achievement Series. || Submitted 04/01: Submitted 04/04: Reviewed by Stacey 4/5/09.
 * Stacy:
 * Professional learning for PLCs related to the following:
 * Understanding the [|VSC]
 * Promoting Content Literacy
 * Data-Based Decision Making
 * Formative Assessment
 * [|Scantron Avhievement Series (web-based application)]
 * Performance-based Assessment
 * Flexible Grouping
 * New hires will require PD related to examining student work using various protocols; returning staff engaged in intensive PD related to this over the last two years. ||
 * ===Team <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0);"> Consensus:===
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Professional learning for PLCs related to the following:
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Understanding the [|VSC] and how it drives instruction
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Promoting content literacy
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Development of standards-based formative assessments
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">[|Scantron Avhievement Series (web-based application)]
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Performance-based Assessment
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Understanding data-based decision making, including best practices in analyzing and responding to data at the classroom level
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Understanding and applying best practices in flexible grouping
 * <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">New hires will require PD related to examining student work using various protocols; returning staff engaged in intensive PD related to this over the last two years. ||
 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Who will conduct the professional development?
|| I agree with everything that Stacy wrote below. Well said! || Submitted 04/01: Submitted 04/04 by Stacy, revised 04/04 by Jennifer, reviewed by Stacey <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">The professional development related to learning the curriculum, and developing questions and lessons that align with standards will be lead by the schools leadership team and the teachers using the PLC structure as a primary method of delivery. The school's leadership team can also provide PD related to data-driven decision making. However, as needed, we will access the expertise of county-level coordinators. The Scan Rep for the school can teach teachers how to use the //software// to create assessments aligned with the VSC. Suggestions (Stacey): Teachers may visit other schools and observe master teachers both at Achievement Prep and at other schools as a form of PD.
 * Jennifer: ||
 * Stacey:
 * Stacy:
 * The school's leadership team and department chairs can lead PD related to learning the curriculum, and developing questions and lessons that align with standards.
 * The Scan Rep for the school can teach teachers how to use the //software// to create assessments aligned with the VSC.
 * The school's leadership team can provide PD related to data-driven decision making.
 * MSDE said that money from the grant CANNOT be used to hire consultants. ||
 * Team Consensus:

//I like this idea. Doing this would require substitute coverage and money, unless we offered ILT coverage for this in the same way that it was proposed for peer walk-throughs.~Stacy// ||
 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">
|| Submitted 04/01:
 * Jennifer: ||
 * Stacey: We should create a schedule where the instructional leadership team is checking in with each grade level content area on a regular basis. This will ensure that expectations remain clear, the instructional leadership team has a pulse on what is happening in the school, and so that people are held accountable. ||
 * Stacy:
 * The //current schedule// allows for 45 minutes of interdisciplinary team planning daily. One of these periods could be dedicated to working with grade level content areas. Teachers have expressed an interest in this. Likewise, grade levels could participate in job embedded PD during this period, especially at the earliest stages of teacher learning.
 * The //current schedule// allows for 45 minutes of course planning daily as well. Teachers can use this time to create assessments and reflect on assessments for their own instructional period as needed. This time is also dedicated to co-planning for co-teaching partnerships.
 * Special Educators have common planning with their co-teachers for BOTH planning blocks and can participate in all PD and planning in the //current schedule//. ||
 * Team <span style="color: rgb(255,0,0);"> Consensus: Reviewed by Stacey 4/5/09. I think that we, as a team, should discuss what is listed below and determine if it meets the needs of Achievement Prep.

//Stacey, I know we talked about the Master Schedule when we chatted. Which needs do you feel are not being addressed by the planning schedule?~Stacy//

Submitted 04/04: <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Current team planning time can and will be used for PLC work, including periodic whole group experiences. Interdisciplinary teams will meet four days per week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. The grade level administrator will coordinate one of these days with the team to join them in their work. Grade level content areas will meet every Thursday, and will invite their PLC mentor, a member of the leadership team, to at least one meeting per quarter. Cross grade level content areas will meet monthly after school for one hour per the negotiated agreement. We will utilize the regular county PD schedule, which includes two full days per quarter for professional learning; on average, the school has one of the two days for school-based PD, teachers attend countywide meetings for 1/2 of a day, and they typically have a 1/2 day of negotiated planning. Because we cannot require teachers to stay beyond their negotiated contract, we will cover the essentials on the required PD days, including time at the beginning of the year. Additional professional learning time will be optional per the contract, but strongly encouraged and developed in a way that makes teachers really want to be there. ||
 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">Will your professional development or intervention require additional fiscal resources, such as money to hire substitutes?
<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> || Submitted 04/01: Submitted 04/04 by Stacy, revised 04/04 by Jennifer, Reviewed by Stacey 4/5/09. <span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">There are sufficient fiscal resources for this intervention, although the resources are being pulled primarily from a variety of grants. The advantage to this is that, even if the budget is cut this year, the grants exist and will not be effected. Therefore, we will be able to move forward as planned. Some of that money may need to be used to hire subs to cover classes for the teacher who also serves as the Scan Rep if PLCs ask her to attend planning meetings that are during her scheduled class times to help them use and/or troubleshoot the software. Money may also need to be allocated for coverage to teachers who engage in peer walkthroughs to see how other teachers are employing co-planned lessons using the PD already provided to them. ||
 * Jennifer: ||
 * Stacey: I support sub coverage for walk throughs as well as for sending teachers to other schools to observe this intervention and process where it is working with high rates of success. ||
 * Stacy:
 * //Maybe//. The Scan Rep who can train teachers to create assessments using Achievement Series software is a Special Education teacher. When doing job embedded PD, we would need coverage for her classes for any PD involving her expertise. Ideally, we could do the PD on days that students aren't here-- perhaps in the summer-- to avoid pulling her.
 * If we decided to to peer-to-peer walk-throughs, we'd have to consider sub coverage. We can use planning time for this, but if we engaged department chairs, it would be nice to have them see a cross-grade-level sampling. ||
 * Team Consensus:
 * ===<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> ===

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">How will you monitor staff progress in the professional development? What are the budget considerations for progress monitoring and teacher evaluation?
<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);"> || Teacher surveys Student achievement data- reviewed in "data meetings" with grade level content teams and a member of the instructional leadership team Walk throughs || Submitted 04/01: media type="custom" key="3586070"
 * Jennifer: ||
 * Stacey:
 * Stacy:
 * MSDE has a planning and evaluation sheet related to meeting PD standards. We have a plan for teacher reflection and evaluation of PD. I will pull that up and put it in the resource folder. The only budgetary consideration that comes to mind, aside from running copies of the feedback form, is identifying a person to collate the data. At this time, the mentor teachers do this work, and I don't suspect that they'd need to be paid to do this as it has been being done during their duty day.
 * As a leadership team, we may wish to consider doing non-evaluative walk-throughs of instructional periods, but also of planning periods. Even better, let's get the teachers in and out of each other's classes! If we were to include teachers or department chairs in peer walk-throughs, we'd have to consider substitute coverage.

Submitted 4/4 by Stacy B; edited and revised by Jennifer and Stacey P.
 * I'd like to talk more about the teacher evaluation piece of this. ||
 * Team Consensus:

<span style="color: rgb(0,128,0);">Student achievement data, reviewed in "data meetings" with grade level content teams and a member of the instructional leadership team, will provide the primary information about the efficacy of the intervention.

Walk-throughs at the peer and administrative levels will not only serve to promote professional learning, but will create a heightened sense of awareness of application of that professional learning. Walk-thoughs that involve data collection will be announced, and the focal points of the walk-throughs will be aligned with professional learning and data about student learning.

As part of the observation and evaluation process, teachers will be asked to provide standards based lesson plans at pre-observation conferences, and to discuss the efficacy of the taught lesson and assessment given during post-observation conferences. They will also be expected to collect artifacts for their professional portfolios to drive discussions related to questions about data-based decision making, professional learning, and standards based instruction. They will be asked to show evidence of student learning, to talk about how they respond when a child is not learning, and to also show examples of standard based lessons and assessments. ||

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