Iowa Support Iowa Support System for System for

Schools and Districts Schools and Districts in Need of in Need of

Assistance (SINA & Assistance (SINA & DINA)DINA)

Phase Phase II: Audit: Audit

Keystone AEAKeystone AEA January 28, 2008January 28, 2008

Change is a Change is a process,process,

notnot a single event. a single event.

Iowa Support System for Schools and Districts in Need of

Assistance ©2008

What Is an Audit?What Is an Audit?

An official examination and An official examination and verificationverification of accounts and of accounts and records especially financial records especially financial accounts.accounts.

To examine (accounts and To examine (accounts and records) for the purpose of records) for the purpose of verificationverification. .

From: Random House College Dictionary (1982)From: Random House College Dictionary (1982)

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Educational Application Educational Application

An audit is designed to examine what An audit is designed to examine what is going on in a district or school. is going on in a district or school. These data provide information and These data provide information and insight for effective decision making insight for effective decision making regarding how a district/school might regarding how a district/school might improve their ability to meet improve their ability to meet expectations for performance.expectations for performance.

Key Question: What is the current Key Question: What is the current reality in the district/school?reality in the district/school?

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Iowa Support System for Schools and Districts in Need of

Assistance ©2008

Do you know what is going on in the district/school?

Students Enter a Grade Level

SchoolStudent Performance Data

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Iowa Support System for Schools and Districts in Need of

Assistance ©2008

Students Enter a Grade Level

Student Performance Data

School

Do you know what is going on in the district/school?

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Iowa Support System for Schools and Districts in Need of

Assistance ©2008

Audit Phase

Key question: What is the current reality in theDistrict/School?

1. Collect/organize existing District/School data based on the 13 Elements identified by the Iowa Support System for Schools and Districts in Need of Assistance (SINA & DINA).

2. Create District/School Profile that includes essential findings and areas for further study.

3. Develop a set of considerations based on the areas for further study.

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Iowa Support System for Schools and Districts in Need of

Assistance ©2008

Audit Framework

This framework was established by the Iowa

Support System for Schools and Districts in

Need of Assistance:

3 Domains……with 13 Elements.

The framework is based on School Improvement for Schools Facing Challenging Circumstances: A Review of Research and Practice by D. Reynolds, D. Hopkins, D. Potter, and C. Chapman; and work completed by the Mid-Continent Regional Education Laboratory (McREL) in Aurora, CO.

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Iowa Support System for Schools and Districts in Need of

Assistance ©2008

Academic DomainAcademic Domain

StandardsStandards CurriculumCurriculum InstructionInstruction AssessmentAssessment

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Assistance ©2008

Quality Educator DomainQuality Educator Domain

Professional Professional DevelopmentDevelopment

Leadership and Leadership and SupervisionSupervision

Internal CommunicationInternal Communication Climate and CultureClimate and Culture

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District/School System District/School System DomainDomain

External EnvironmentExternal Environment Stakeholders Stakeholders Resource AllocationResource Allocation Media/TechnologyMedia/Technology AccountabilityAccountability

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What Is the Audit What Is the Audit Outcome?Outcome?Examination and Examination and verificationverification of the 13 of the 13 elements within the 3 domains will: elements within the 3 domains will:

1.1.Provide evidence of support or non- Provide evidence of support or non- support for each element, andsupport for each element, and

2.2.Provide considerations for further Provide considerations for further study of a given element with study of a given element with regard to student achievement.regard to student achievement.

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Iowa Support System for Schools and Districts in Need of

Assistance ©2008

An audit is a broad survey of An audit is a broad survey of the district/school relative to the district/school relative to the three domains for the the three domains for the purpose of determining the purpose of determining the current realitycurrent reality. .

SummarySummary

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Now, Let’s Explore the Audit Phase in More Detail…

Key question: What is the current reality in the District/School?

1. Collect/organize existing district/school data based on the 13 Elements identified by the Iowa Support System for Schools and Districts in Need of Assistance (SINA & DINA).

2. Create District/School Profile that includes essential findings and areas for further study.

3. Develop a set of considerations based on the areas for further study.

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The Audit ProfileThe Audit ProfileDomain: Academic - Domain: Academic - To what degree are these areas aligned?To what degree are these areas aligned?

Element: Standards – Element: Standards – ((What should be taught)What should be taught)

Essential FindingsEssential Findings SourceSource CommentsComments Areas Areas

1.1.Are there K – 12 Are there K – 12 standards in the standards in the identified area (e.g., identified area (e.g., reading, math)?reading, math)?

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Assistance ©2008 16

Documents for Review

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Assistance ©2008 17

Practices Inventory

• Available online

• Not mandated by the state but the AEA strongly encourages buildings/districts to take advantage of it

• Provides perceptual data from all of the teachers as to the practices within the building/level/district

• Provides information surrounding generally accepted practices that support effective school improvement

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Divide into three groups. Each group will focus on one domain.

Take each question from the Audit Profile in your domain and ask yourself what document(s), including the Practices Inventory, might help answer that question.

Reflective Activity

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Tips for Reviewing Tips for Reviewing Documents Documents

Organize documents around the 3 domainsOrganize documents around the 3 domains

At a minimum, work in pairs so one person At a minimum, work in pairs so one person asks questions and adds findings to the asks questions and adds findings to the district/building profile while the other district/building profile while the other person searches and reports findings.person searches and reports findings.

Don’t read into the documents; only record Don’t read into the documents; only record what you find in writing.what you find in writing.

If information cannot be found, simply state If information cannot be found, simply state “no evidence at this time” and note this area “no evidence at this time” and note this area for further clarification or questions in the for further clarification or questions in the interviews.interviews.

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When looking at the When looking at the demographicdemographic datadata, consider this question:, consider this question:

What are the significant What are the significant characteristics of the students, characteristics of the students,

families, and community families, and community relevant relevant to education? to education?

Tips for Reviewing Tips for Reviewing DocumentsDocuments (cont.)(cont.)

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Questions about the Audit Questions about the Audit Phase…Phase…

Relationship Between ICC Relationship Between ICC Outcomes and SINA/DINA Outcomes and SINA/DINA DomainsDomains

LeadershipLeadership CommunityCommunity SchoolsSchools

Content, Content, Instruction & Instruction & AssessmentAssessment

Prof. Devel.Prof. Devel. InstructionInstruction

Quality EducatorQuality Educator

District/School SystemDistrict/School System

Academic, Quality Educator, Academic, Quality Educator, District/SchoolDistrict/School

AcademicAcademic

Quality EducatorQuality Educator

AcademicAcademic

Additional Reflective Questions Additional Reflective Questions Related to ICC Outcomes and Related to ICC Outcomes and

SINA/DINA AuditSINA/DINA Audit LeadershipLeadership

Does the system have the Does the system have the capacitycapacity and and capabilitycapability to do the work? to do the work?

What are our staff’s strengths – What are our staff’s strengths – weaknesses?weaknesses?

What are our resource capabilities?What are our resource capabilities?

CapacityCapacity: ability and power to act: ability and power to actCapabilityCapability: competency to act: competency to act

Reflective Questions continuedReflective Questions continued

CommunityCommunity SupportSupport

Does the system have the Does the system have the capacitycapacity and and capabilitycapability (desire) to receive (desire) to receive

Community Support at the level Community Support at the level prescribed?prescribed?

Does the system have a plan to Does the system have a plan to involve the community?involve the community?

Reflective Questions continuedReflective Questions continued

Continuous ImprovementContinuous Improvement

Does the system have the Does the system have the capacitycapacity and and capabilitycapability to engage in to engage in

Continuous Improvement?Continuous Improvement?

Does the system have the Does the system have the knowledge, knowledge, skills, attitude, aspirationsskills, attitude, aspirations and and behaviorsbehaviors necessary for Continuous necessary for Continuous

Improvement (action planning, data Improvement (action planning, data collection, continuous monitoring)?collection, continuous monitoring)?

Reflective Questions continuedReflective Questions continued

AlignmentAlignment

Is the system teaching the right stuff Is the system teaching the right stuff in the right places?in the right places?

Does the system have the desire Does the system have the desire and and processes to eliminate practices processes to eliminate practices when when necessary?necessary?

Does the system have the Does the system have the capacitycapacity and and capabilitycapability to implement effective to implement effective instructional practices?instructional practices?

Reflective Questions continuedReflective Questions continued

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development

Does the system have the Does the system have the capacitycapacity and and capabilitycapability to engage in quality to engage in quality

Professional Development?Professional Development?

Does the system have the Does the system have the knowledge, knowledge, skills, attitude, aspirationsskills, attitude, aspirations and and behaviorsbehaviors necessary determining necessary determining Professional Development needs?Professional Development needs?

Reflective Questions continuedReflective Questions continued

InstructionInstruction

Does the system have the Does the system have the knowledge, knowledge, skills, attitude, aspirationsskills, attitude, aspirations andand behaviorsbehaviors necessary to understand necessary to understand

and implement effective instructional and implement effective instructional practices?practices?

Does the system have the desire Does the system have the desire and and processes to routinely conduct processes to routinely conduct instructional reviews and adjust instructional reviews and adjust practice as necessary?practice as necessary?

What Does It Take----

A clear mental model supported by strong moral purpose following a proven process embedded within each staff member …..

“to ensure that each and every student is learning……”