Dr. Christina M. KishimotoSuperintendent

Reform Governance

BOE Policy RetreatAugust 1, 2013

What is Reform Governance?

Donald McAdams* – What School Boards Can DoA significant change in the fundamental governance design of our public education system in urban centers

• A joint commitment from the Board and Superintendent to lead for transformational change

• Focus on raising student achievement and closing the achievement gap through reform policies that allow us to do our work differently

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Reform Governance Process

• Once the Board acknowledged that the school system as designed was not effective, and

• Once the Board presented to the community the significant achievement gap between Hartford students and students in the State of Connecticut,

• The Board and Superintendent committed to fundamental systemic change through reform governance

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*Planning for Reform Governance

*Donald McAdams, What School Boards Can Do, Teachers College Press 2006

Start with Core Beliefs

Who are we as an organization, i.e. why do we exist?•Teaching and learning (core business)

•Focus on teachers and student (primary constituents)•Restructuring and Reform (context)

What shared beliefs drive our work and decisions?•5 core beliefs

Policy 0000

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Start with Core Beliefs

1. We believe all students can learn at or above grade level

Why is this important?•All did not mean all•History of underperformance district-wide•Organizational culture focused on adults

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Start with Core Beliefs

2. We believe that the achievement gap must and can be eliminated, by each student reaching his/her full potential.

Why is this important?•The Board is responsible for the existing achievement gap and for closing it•In its fiduciary role, the board committed to directing funds to students/classrooms

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Start with Core Beliefs

3. We believe schools have an enormous impact on students’ lives.

Why is this important?•School effects are critically important•Teacher and leader quality matters most•Education impacts and is impacted by family •School-based innovation and accountability drives our work; incentives are part of innovation

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Start with Core Beliefs

4. We believe that all parents must be empowered to play an active role in their students’ education.

Why is this important?•Parents are important partners in education•Through parent empowerment, school quality is an elevated focus

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Start with Core Beliefs

5. We believe that community collaboration is fundamental to achieving and sustaining excellence.

Why is this important?•The community is a valuable resource•Joint decision-making creates ownership for school quality in a neighborhood

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Impact of Core Beliefs

1. Defines us as an organization2. Drives Board and administration decisions3. Sets organizational expectations for board

members, staff and partners

What should we do to ensure that Board member candidates, employee candidates and major partners buy-in to these core beliefs during selection processes?

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What is a Theory of Action?

What is it? (See Policy 0010)•An approach (actions) that we adopt that will produce a desired change (“to become a system of high performing schools”)

Why is it necessary?•To organize, structure and provide direction to how we do our work (planning, policy, supervision, budgeting, staffing)•To commit to one “approach” among other possible approaches

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HPSTheory of Action

Managed Performance Empowerment•This is called a “balanced theory of action”•Where the school lies on the autonomy continuum, from being managed to being empowered, is based on student performance

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Managed Schoolsstruggling and low performing schools

Defined Autonomyimproving performance

Autonomous SchoolsSustained growth and high performing schools

Principal Quality and School Performance

Implications of our TOA

Under a Managed Performance Empowerment Theory of Action:•Autonomy and accountability work together•School empowerment demands principal quality•School-specific needs define the work of C.O.•C.O. design has to be flexible in order to be responsive to where schools are on the continuumUnder a diverse provider approach: •Governance design is second to student achievement results for decision-making.

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Diverse Provider Strategy

Understanding Our Strategy (See Policy 0100)•All-Choice system of schools (organizational structure)

•High performing, distinctive schools (quality expectations)

•Balance of managed instruction and performance empowerment approach (autonomy with accountability)

•Inter-district and intra-district options (choice & design)

•Racial and socio-economic diversity (integrated settings)

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Consider:

What does the TOA and the diverse provider strategy look like

when it is successfully implemented?

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Mission and Strategy

Mission (See Policy 0100)

“Hartford’s system of schools exists to provide all students with access to participation in a global economy through attainment of Academic Standards of the State of Connecticut and readiness for post-secondary education.”

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Consider:

If our mission is to provide all students with “access to and readiness for post-secondary

education”, how are we doing? What is working and what needs

work?

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HPS Reform Policies

Setting the Stage for Change•Mission - Goals - Objectives•Core Beliefs and Commitments•Theory of Action•Constituent Services•Data Dashboard•Board Meetings and Committees•Management Oversight

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HPS Reform Policies cont.

Changing How We Do Our Work•School Attendance Areas [School Choice]•Parameters for School Planning: School Size•School Redesign•School Governance Councils•Community Schools•Community Partnerships•Student Attire•High School Graduation Requirements•*Standards-Based Grading Policy

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HPS Reform Policies cont.

Ensuring Sustainability•Leadership Succession Plan•*Hartford Promise

*Policies under consideration

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Next Level of Reform Policy Work

New Policies For Board Discussion:1.Revised Grading Policy2.Hartford Promise Policy (new)

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