1 a framework for mapping the system joseph r. harris director, national high school center national...
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A Framework for A Framework for Mapping the SystemMapping the System
Joseph R. HarrisDirector, National High School Center
National High School Center 2008 Summer Institute
Washington, DC
June 2008
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“The trouble with high schools today…..” “don’t work as well as they used to”
“too large and impersonal - “kids fall through the cracks” “too many dropouts and low graduation rates” “teachers are ill-equipped” “buildings are unsafe and/or rundown” “don’t meet the needs of diverse student populations” “root cause of America’s loss of competitive edge” “don’t prepare students for living in the 21st Century” “nothing wrong with ‘our’ school - it’s NCLB’s fault”
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A Growing List of “Fixes”….. elimination of tracking and low-level courses
standards-based curriculum and instruction
competency / exit exams
more rigor / increased graduation requirements
“algebra for all”
college preparatory pathways for all students
personalization / small schools / small learning communities
teacher quality / alternative certification
increased security / metal detectors / mandatory IDs
integrating technology
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HS Improvement Focus Areas Dropout Prevention
Transitions In
Transitions Out / Post-secondary Pathways
School Restructuring
High School Literacy
Tiered Intervention
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
21st Century Skills
Career / Technical Education (CTE)
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HS Improvement Focus Areas Dropout Prevention
Transitions In
Transitions Out / Post-secondary Pathways
School Restructuring
High School Literacy
Tiered Intervention
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
21st Century Skills
Career / Technical Education (CTE)
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HS Improvement Strategies / Interventions
National initiatives to increase rigor and “raise the bar” Small schools / Small learning communities Dropout prevention initiatives and early warning systems School-to-work / Career and technical education Common assessments Model high schools / Replicating “turnaround” schools State / local priority initiatives “Packaged interventions”
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Picturing the HS Improvement Landscape…..
Dropout
Prevention
TransitionsIn
Tier
ed
Inte
rven
tion
DualEnrollment
Smal
l Sc
hool
s
Car
eer
Aca
dem
ies
TransitionsOut
HS Literacy
Mod
el H
igh
Scho
ols
FreshmanAcademies Advisories
HS Equity& Access
HSRestructuring SL
Cs
Post-secondary
Pathways
HS STEM
HSAssessment
Credit
Recovery
Virtual
Learning
Posi
tive
Beh
avio
r
RigorousContent
CTE
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Picturing the HS Improvement Landscape…..
Dro
pout
Prev
entio
n
TransitionsIn
Tier
ed
Inte
rven
tion
DualEnrollment
Small Schools
Car
eer
Aca
dem
ies
TransitionsOut
HS Literacy
Model High Schools
FreshmanAcademies
Advisories
HS Equity& Access
SLC
s
Post-secondary
Pathways
HS STEM
HSAssessment
Credit
Recovery
Virtual
Learning
RigorousContent
CTE
HSRestructuring
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Picturing the HS Improvement Landscape…..
AlignmentAlignmentCoherenceCoherenceConnectednessConnectedness
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Picturing the HS Improvement Landscape…..
““Building Building BetterBetter
High Schools”High Schools”
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A Call for Alignment, Coherence and Connectedness
Collaborative projects with RCCs and SEAs
National High School Center Advisory Board
Friends of the National High School Center and other high school improvement organizations
National High School Center staff, senior advisors, and expert consultants
Independent researchers and high school improvement experts
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Institute Organized to:
provide a view of the “high school improvement system” and why thinking systemically can help
offer tools that you can use to map the systems you are working with / within
provide a glimpse of how RCCs and SEAs can work together to plan next steps
help high school reformers create more effective learning experiences for ALL students
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Benefits of Mapping the HS Improvement Landscape
Promoting a common language
Building consensus
Facilitating alignment and coherence
Analyzing and enhancing strengths
Leveraging resources
Enabling gap analyses
Supporting scale-up and sustainability
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NHSC Mapping Framework Elements
1. Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction
2. Assessment and Accountability
3. Teacher Quality and Professional Development
4. Student and Family Supports
5. Stakeholder Engagement
6. Leadership and Governance
7. Organization and Structure
8. Resources for Sustainability
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1. Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction
Align with rigorous state and local standards and vertically interfaced with local school curriculum
Organize around individual student instructional needs through formative assessments and continuous progress monitoring academic supports and extended learning opportunities for content
recovery literacy and cognitive skills development
Incorporate multiple research-based instructional strategies, technologies and new modalities for learning
Adapt to a variety of school and classroom organizational structures
Mapping Framework Elements
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2. Assessment and Accountability
include variety of classroom, school-based, and district level assessments as well as state standards-based competency and exit exams
encourage and support continuous progress monitoring and formative assessments embedded in instruction
provide timely and effective feedback and access to data that support the early identification of students at risk or with special needs
collect and report longitudinal data to measure short- and long-term student growth for instructional planning and accountability
Mapping Framework Elements
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3. Teacher Quality and Professional Development span broad range of preservice, certification and licensure,
induction and inservice, compensation, and leadership development promote knowledge of content and academic literacy skills, varied
and effective pedagogy, effective classroom management skills and positive behavior
embed at the school and classroom levels throughout the school year with increased opportunities for teachers to work together
provide teachers with skills in assessing students and adjusting instruction
Mapping Framework Elements
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4. Student and Family Supports support students as they transition into/through/out of high
school with formal and informal guidance programs attendance and behavior monitoring and support systems wrap-around and English-language services
foster a positive and personalized school climate that cultivates student voice and leadership
promote health and physical education and co-curricular activities
provide family-focused services and outreach that respect and honor the student’s family and community
Mapping Framework Elements
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5. Stakeholder Engagement
engage the interests, needs, skills, resources and strengths of multiple stakeholders
foster relationships among P-16 schools, the workforce, families, and communities
ensure that all appropriate stakeholders are at the table from the start
incorporate multiple culturally and linguistically appropriate communications strategies and technologies
Mapping Framework Elements
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6. Leadership and Governance distribute decision-making authority at all levels with alternative
structures to address multiple functions of running high schools provide principals and other instructional leaders with adequate
knowledge, time, and interpersonal skills to work collaboratively with teachers
shift the focus of state and local policymakers and education agency staffs to support comprehensive high school improvement
develop strategies and skills to support required organizational change
Mapping Framework Elements
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7. Organization and Structure
support effective teaching and learning and personalization through physical and operational changes and alternative time and scheduling approaches
provide increased opportunities to learn, such as virtual courses, dual enrollment opportunities, and work-based internships
include students with special needs in the general curriculum
support teacher organizational changes and difficult process of culture changes
Mapping Framework Elements
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8. Resources for Sustainability adequately staff the initiatives and provide appropriate time
and necessary fiscal support to take hold and scale-up grow both the physical and human capital within the system
and continuously develop teacher knowledge and skills continuously upgrade facilities, tools, and materials define priorities and allocate needed resources over time
Mapping Framework Elements
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NHSC Mapping Framework Elements
1. Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction
2. Assessment and Accountability
3. Teacher Quality and Professional Development
4. Student and Family Supports
5. Stakeholder Engagement
6. Leadership and Governance
7. Organization and Structure
8. Resources for Sustainability
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Discussion
Thinking about a specific high school improvement focus area or initiative… What are examples of policies and practices in
different elements that are connected to one another?
What policies and practices in different elements may be in tension?
Are any policies or practices hard to characterize> Under which element(s) could it fall or does it cut across all eight?
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Task 1: Mapping HS Improvement Focus Areas
Goes both broader and deeper into thinking about individual focus areas and the connections across focus areas
Helps to break down “big ideas” into research-based strategies and initiatives that can be implemented systemically
Ultimately leads to identification of specific initiatives for addressing the focus area(s)
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Task 2: Mapping HS Strategies and Interventions
Inventories existing initiatives and identifies the elements each initiative addresses
Highlights areas of strength and possible gaps among strategies
Suggests collaborative opportunities, including connections to other SEA priorities
Identifies connections among initiatives and builds “holistic” approaches (reducing reliance on “silver bullet” and “stovepipe” solutions)
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Task 3: Planning for Implementation
Identifies potential “entry points” and “levers” for incremental implementation strategies
Points out individuals to engage in the work
Prioritizes alignment between high school improvement focus areas and targeted interventions
Looks both broader and deeper at contextual factors and potential challenges
Lays the groundwork for ongoing collaborations between the SEAs, RCCs, and NHSC