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All You Need to Know about NANS Success Plans

Adapted from the presentation by Claude Girard

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Topics

The structure of NANSThe structure of NANS Success plans in NANS schools and Success plans in NANS schools and

feedback provided by the MELSfeedback provided by the MELS 2008-2009 NANS Steering Committee 2008-2009 NANS Steering Committee

Action plan regarding Success PlansAction plan regarding Success Plans

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The Structure of NANS

ComitComité National du é National du Pilotage (CNP)Pilotage (CNP)

MinistryMinistry School boardsSchool boards UnionsUnions ParentsParents

The ComitThe Comité des Interventions é des Interventions en Milieu Defavorisé en Milieu Defavorisé

(CIMD)(CIMD) Nicole LefebvreNicole Lefebvre 3 MELS specialists3 MELS specialists 4 school board specialists 4 school board specialists

on loan to the MELS ( a 5on loan to the MELS ( a 5 thth one to be added)one to be added)

1 secretary1 secretary 1 technician (being 1 technician (being

recruited)recruited)

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NANS (CIMD) versus SMS

1 coordinator1 coordinator 1 secretary1 secretary 8 specialists8 specialists 123 schools (primary)123 schools (primary) Island of MontrealIsland of Montreal

1 coordinator1 coordinator 1 secretary1 secretary 1 technician (recruiting)1 technician (recruiting) 8 specialists8 specialists 189 secondary schools 189 secondary schools

(NANS since 2002)(NANS since 2002) 64 secondary schools and 64 secondary schools and

571 primary schools 571 primary schools (NANS since 2007)(NANS since 2007) 824 schools in total!824 schools in total!

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Success plans in NANS schools and feedback provided by the

MELS

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A reminder: the GB of all schools, whether in NANS or not, must:

Analyze the situation of their school (EA, s. 74)Analyze the situation of their school (EA, s. 74) Adopt an educational project and make it available Adopt an educational project and make it available

to the public (EA, s. 74 + 83)to the public (EA, s. 74 + 83) Approve a success plan and make it available to Approve a success plan and make it available to

the public (EA, s. 75 + 83)the public (EA, s. 75 + 83) Evaluate the educational project periodically Evaluate the educational project periodically

(s.74) and the success plan annually (s.83)(s.74) and the success plan annually (s.83)

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What makes NANS schools different? NANS schools have to submit to the MELS, NANS schools have to submit to the MELS,

annually, their analysis of the situation, their annually, their analysis of the situation, their educational project and their success plan (the educational project and their success plan (the three components which, together, make up a three components which, together, make up a “NANS success plan”)“NANS success plan”)

The MELS makes explicit what is expected in a The MELS makes explicit what is expected in a portrait and analysis of the situation, an portrait and analysis of the situation, an educational project and a success plan for a school educational project and a success plan for a school serving students in a disadvantaged areaserving students in a disadvantaged area

The competency to plan is a The competency to plan is a NANS objectiveNANS objective Support in the planning process is offered by the Support in the planning process is offered by the

MELS – CIMD and SCAMELS – CIMD and SCA

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Support by the MELS and SCA

CIMDCIMD Documents made available on elements Documents made available on elements

expected in the success plans, checklistsexpected in the success plans, checklists Feedback on what was coded after analyzing Feedback on what was coded after analyzing

each success plan each success plan Provincial trends and regional and SCA trendsProvincial trends and regional and SCA trends Support to regional offices and the SCA Support to regional offices and the SCA

regarding success plans –research, support, etcregarding success plans –research, support, etc

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Support by the MELS and SCA

SCASCA Coordination of translation of MELS Coordination of translation of MELS

documentsdocuments Information and/or training sessions offered to Information and/or training sessions offered to

School Boards or schools pertaining to School Boards or schools pertaining to documents provided by the CIMD documents provided by the CIMD

Individual feedback to schools or school boards Individual feedback to schools or school boards regarding success plans submittedregarding success plans submitted

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An annual NANS success plan: what for? Such a plan is regarded as one of the conditions Such a plan is regarded as one of the conditions

for school improvement and increased student for school improvement and increased student success in disadvanged areas. success in disadvanged areas. Those elements which comprise NANS Those elements which comprise NANS

success plan quality indicators (e.g. use of a success plan quality indicators (e.g. use of a wide variety of data, factors explaining the wide variety of data, factors explaining the data) are those that are found in succssful data) are those that are found in succssful schools serving disadvantaged areas.schools serving disadvantaged areas.

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An annual NANS success plan: what for? In order for the Provincial Steering In order for the Provincial Steering

Committee (CNP) to monitor the progress Committee (CNP) to monitor the progress of NANS schools regarding Objective 9 of of NANS schools regarding Objective 9 of the NANS Strategy.the NANS Strategy.Other monitoring mechanisms include the Other monitoring mechanisms include the use of questionnaires, interviews and site use of questionnaires, interviews and site visits (by the NANS evaluation team).visits (by the NANS evaluation team).

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An annual NANS success plan: what for? In order for the MELS to account for the In order for the MELS to account for the

impact of the NANS annual allocation on impact of the NANS annual allocation on school improvement at the level of each school improvement at the level of each individual school.individual school.

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Why give feedback to each school regarding the success plan submitted?

In order to help each school measure In order to help each school measure progress regarding the presence, in its progress regarding the presence, in its success plan, of quality indicators which are success plan, of quality indicators which are characteristic of efficient schools in characteristic of efficient schools in disadvantaged areas.disadvantaged areas.

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For whom is the feedback intended? NANS school principals and NANS school principals and

improvement teamsimprovement teams School board NANS coordinatorsSchool board NANS coordinators NANS personnel at SCANANS personnel at SCA

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What is important is

That each NANS school be made That each NANS school be made aware of how close its success plan is aware of how close its success plan is to the “ideal plan”, as measured by an to the “ideal plan”, as measured by an outside analyst working for the MELS.outside analyst working for the MELS.

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The role of your coordinator

Help the school identify available dataHelp the school identify available data Either from the MELS (e.g., Fiche-Either from the MELS (e.g., Fiche-ÉÉole) or available at the school ole) or available at the school (e.g., attendance data) or school board level (e.g., SB data on (e.g., attendance data) or school board level (e.g., SB data on demographics, strategic plan indicators)demographics, strategic plan indicators)

Help the school to try and explain the data or to start Help the school to try and explain the data or to start asking questions which will help in the analysis of the asking questions which will help in the analysis of the situation.situation.

Help the school to try and explain the data or to starting Help the school to try and explain the data or to starting asking questionsasking questions

Assist schools in integrating the ‘Elements Attendus’ into Assist schools in integrating the ‘Elements Attendus’ into their planning their planning

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Conditions necessary for success plans to have an impact Personnel has to be actively engagedPersonnel has to be actively engaged Choices made have to strategic: a limited number Choices made have to strategic: a limited number

of objectives and meansof objectives and means Approach has to be systemic – student, class, Approach has to be systemic – student, class,

school, family, communityschool, family, community Professional development has somehow to be Professional development has somehow to be

embeddedembedded Means Means have to behave to be monitoredmonitored, , ObjectivesObjectives have to have to

be be evaluatedevaluated Success plan must be updated Success plan must be updated continuouslycontinuously

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Context

Success plans have been a core element of Success plans have been a core element of the the theory of action theory of action proposed in NANS.proposed in NANS.

There seems to be a correlation between the There seems to be a correlation between the formal quality of plans submitted by some formal quality of plans submitted by some schools and other success indicators schools and other success indicators (climate, teacher engagement). (climate, teacher engagement).

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Advantages

Preparing success plans can:Preparing success plans can: Help make the right choices through a Help make the right choices through a

comprehensive analysis of the situation;comprehensive analysis of the situation; Allow teacher engagement at various phases of Allow teacher engagement at various phases of

the process;the process; Support professional development and new Support professional development and new

teaching strategies in disadvantaged areas;teaching strategies in disadvantaged areas; Help structure and coordinate actions;Help structure and coordinate actions; Help ensure chosen means will be monitored.Help ensure chosen means will be monitored.

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Context

Improvement of plans is aided by feedback Improvement of plans is aided by feedback and support given to schools regarding the and support given to schools regarding the planning processplanning process

97% of new NANS schools submitted a 97% of new NANS schools submitted a partial success plan for 2008-2009: a partial success plan for 2008-2009: a remarkable first-year effortremarkable first-year effort

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For schools in NANS since 2002

Development of a new success plan for June 2009, Development of a new success plan for June 2009, with particular emphasis on:with particular emphasis on: Teacher engagement in the process;Teacher engagement in the process; Professional development;Professional development; Choice of means based on best practicesChoice of means based on best practices Greater emphasis on Greater emphasis on analysisanalysis of situation of situation Monitoring and evaluation of effect of meansMonitoring and evaluation of effect of means Evaluation of objectivesEvaluation of objectives

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For new NANS schools

Complete the success plans begun in 2007-Complete the success plans begun in 2007-2008: 2008: add elements to the portrait; add elements to the portrait; analyze the data collected; analyze the data collected; choose priorities, objectives and means;choose priorities, objectives and means; plan for monitoring of means and plan for monitoring of means and

evaluation of objectives.evaluation of objectives.

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For new NANS schools

PrimaryPrimary schools: at a minimum, add schools: at a minimum, add reading reading readinessreadiness and and social skillssocial skills to elements covered in to elements covered in the portraitthe portrait

SecondarySecondary schools: at a minimum, add schools: at a minimum, add motivatiomotivation n and and school/career aspirationsschool/career aspirations to elements to elements covered in the portraitcovered in the portrait

More information on what is expectied is More information on what is expectied is forthcoming (early 2009)forthcoming (early 2009)

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Success plan:planning processes (K. Leithwood et al. 2006)

5. Monitoring6. Communication

1.School Improvement Planning Process

2. Success Plan Contents

3. Success Plan Implementation

4. Outcomes

7. School Leadership 8. Parent Participation 9. Teacher Ccollaboration 10. SB Support and Context 11. Provincial Support and Context

Back

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ADMD: The aim of the project

Promote the adoption of practices leading to Promote the adoption of practices leading to increased student success increased student success

strengthening the practices which have proven strengthening the practices which have proven to be effective in these schools to be effective in these schools

transforming or adding new practices better transforming or adding new practices better adapted to the schools in disadvantaged areas. adapted to the schools in disadvantaged areas.

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The goal

To encourage the implementation of measures To encourage the implementation of measures and conditions for effective intervention in and conditions for effective intervention in order to provide:order to provide: expertiseexpertise to the greatest number of to the greatest number of

professional staff in school boards and professional staff in school boards and schoolsschools

adapted supportadapted support by the greatest number of by the greatest number of professional staff in school boards and professional staff in school boards and schoolsschools

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• Promote the active participation of all Promote the active participation of all the stakeholders within the educational the stakeholders within the educational community.community.

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• Carry out thorough planning Carry out thorough planning • First steps include creating a portrait of First steps include creating a portrait of

the situationthe situation• This involves building on the success This involves building on the success

planplan• Requires schools to look at the ‘big Requires schools to look at the ‘big

picture’picture’

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Identify the characteristics, Identify the characteristics, strengths (protective factors), strengths (protective factors), vulnerabilities (risk factors) and vulnerabilities (risk factors) and problems problems associated withassociated with the the educational situation of students.educational situation of students.

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What is the outcome of a strategy for disadvantaged areas?

Increased educational success for students from disadvantaged areas, and a Increased educational success for students from disadvantaged areas, and a reduction in the gap between areas that are advantaged and those that are reduction in the gap between areas that are advantaged and those that are

disadvantaged.disadvantaged.

This may take some time, as certain conditions must be put into place.This may take some time, as certain conditions must be put into place.

An essential conditionAn essential condition: The adoption of practices that are adapted to disadvantaged : The adoption of practices that are adapted to disadvantaged

areas by schools and particularly, by teachers.areas by schools and particularly, by teachers.

This requires, on the part of teachers, schools and school board personnel an This requires, on the part of teachers, schools and school board personnel an integration of practical expertise and knowledge of appropriate interventions for integration of practical expertise and knowledge of appropriate interventions for

disadvantaged areas.disadvantaged areas.

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Questions?

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Agents de developpement en milieu defavoriseesAgents de developpement en milieu defavorisees

Patricia PeterPatricia Peterppeter@emsbppeter@emsb.qc.ca.qc.ca

Holly HampsonHolly Hampsonhhampson@emsbhhampson@emsb.qc.ca.qc.ca