Turnaround Strategy Update

Atlanta Board of Education

February 6, 2017

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Agenda

Initiative Update

Partnerships

Evaluation

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• Empower and equip parents/caregivers and alumni to become informed

advocates for children through: involvement with GO Teams and cluster teams,

the establishment of an APS Alumni Council, and the provision of programs such

as PLUS (Parent Leaders United for Students) and Parent University

Academics

School leadership

Students engaged

and ready to learn

Urgency of the

situation

1

2

5

Teachers

4

3

• Provide all APS students with access to consistent, high-quality instruction

• Supplement instruction with intensive direct-to-student support targeted at

expediting progress in literacy and math

• Increase coaching and support to school leaders to develop their skills as

turnaround leaders

• Recruit and place strong, turnaround-experienced leaders

• Attract, develop, support, and retain high quality teachers across the district

• Differentially staff high-quality teachers in high-need schools

• Deliver targeted support to address non-academic needs (e.g. social/emotional,

health, nutrition) enabling children to be more ready to learn

• In collaboration with communities, pursue operating model changes where

turnaround requires more significant change than the district can address using

programmatic approaches (e.g., consolidation, partnership with non-profit

charters to operate schools, school reset)

The School Turnaround Strategy focuses on six themes that emerged

as priorities throughout our stakeholder engagement process.

Parents & alumni

as partners

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3

The Turnaround Strategy is structured to provide intervention and

support at the foundational, intensive, and targeted tiers.

Objective Level

Foundational

support

Intensive

support

Targeted

Interve-

ntions

All schools

6 schools

Young; Miles; Peyton

Forest; Dunbar;

Continental Colony;

Douglass

15 schools

Hollis Innovation

Academy; Boyd;

Tuskegee Airmen

Academy; Woodson

Park; DH Stanton; Fain;

Finch; FL Stanton;

Gideons; Kimberly;

Scott; Slater; Perkerson;

Towns; Usher-Collier

Note: D.H. Stanton ES has also been invited to participate in some targeted interventions, including high-dosage tutoring

Lay strong instructional foundation for all schools

• District-wide instructional framework and consistent

theory of action

• District-wide balanced assessment to support instruction

• Improved quality and consistency of all teacher and

leader professional learning

Build leader and teacher capacity; help children to be

ready to learn; reinforce literacy and math skills

• Targeted professional learning for school leadership teams

and teachers focused on school turnaround

• Recruiting and placing strong turnaround leaders

• Accelerating and strengthening wraparounds to support

non-academic needs

• Resource-efficient strategies to reinforce literacy, math skills

Increase time and focus on foundational skills; deepen

capacity building

• Menu of options for schools to deliver intensive, high

quality student learning time: reading/math specialists,

high dosage tutoring, extended day/year and/or vacation

academies

• Additional investment in capacity building (e.g., dedicated

professional learning time)

Based on

performance,

trajectory

and school

context, and

incorporating

community

engagement,

some schools

in this segment

may be considered

for operating

model changes

(e.g., full or partial

school reconstitu-

tion, non-profit

charter operator,

consolidation)

Based

on the

current

school

leader's

turnaround

experience

and capacity,

some schools

in this segment

may be considered

for new school

leadership

• District-wide parent and alumni engagement strategy

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Implementation on most initiatives is going well; we continue to provide

support and guidance in those areas that experience challenges.

Initiative Update

Vacation Academy School sites have been identified. The recruitment process has begun for site administrators.

Assessment System All grade bands (elementary, middle, & high) have administered one assessment. The second administration of

benchmark assessments began on Feb. 1. In addition, schools are using the unsecured bank of items to

create and administer common assessments.

High Impact Tutoring Site visits were conducted to support schools that experienced implementation delays. Tutors continue to

receive training on the iReady resources so that they can provide differentiated support to students. Based

upon feedback, we are revisiting the current model to improve efficiency and delivery of service to students.

Summer Leader

Academy

During an intensive week at Harvard University in Summer 2017, principals will learn the Data Wise

Improvement Process, a step-by-step process for using a wide range of data sources—from standardized tests

to student work to observation of teaching practice—to improve instruction and student outcomes.

Leader Recruitment The Office of Human Resources engaged in a national recruitment campaign for principal candidates and,

along with the Associate Superintendents of Schools, has established a pool of 30+ highly-qualified candidates

for potential turnaround leadership vacancies.

High Quality PLCs Boyd ES began implementation in the fall with an extensive Needs Assessment conducted by our partner

vendor. Teachers and leaders will receive professional development and coaching to support PLCs and

Mathematics instruction.

Instructional Coaches Coaches continue to receive professional learning support. Central office instructional support staff and senior

leaders participated in the same training that coaches received in Summer 2016 to develop a common

language and approach to supporting teachers.

Reading & Math

Specialists

Specialists continue to provide direct supports to students, and participate in professional learning

experiences, including site-based coaching support.

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Implementation on most initiatives is going well; we continue to provide

support and guidance in those areas that experience challenges.

Initiative Update

Summer Teacher

Academy

Due to scheduling of required district-wide professional learning, the summer teacher academy will not occur.

Targeted PD Grades 3 - 5 teachers receive differentiated professional learning in mathematics to deepen their content

knowledge and use of instructional practices. The final session is scheduled for Saturday, February

25th. Teachers will receive Mathematics resources to support the implementation of the strategies that they

have learned.

Teacher Recruitment Turnaround teacher positions were posted on January 15th . Teacher Interview Day is scheduled for February

2017.

Non-Academic

Support

Data reviews with principals began on February 1st. Care Teams are meeting monthly with wrap around

staff. Turnaround FTEs are providing targeted support to students and families.

Social-Emotional

Learning

Schools are receiving direct weekly coaching support on curriculum implementation and SEL integration

strategies throughout the campus. Mid-year checkpoints were just reviewed with campus principals and will be

part of the next campus SEL Team discussion.

Partnerships Partners continue to engage parents and community members through outreach activities. The selection

process for teachers has begun.

Family/Alumni

Engagement

The selection process for the Director of Family Engagement is complete. A recommendation is included on

tonight’s HR Personnel Report.

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1.

Establish objectives and

initiatives that support our goals

.

3.

Our model of continuous improvement is shaping how we approach

implementation and continued support next school year.

Proposed Adjustments

Principals may select options within three

categories in order to customize specific

models that best fit the needs of their

students and school.

Potential Options

1. Extended Learning Time

Option A: Intervention Block during

school day

Option B: Saturday Academy

Option C: Extended Day

Option D: Vacation Academy

Option E: Additional Specialists

2. Focused wrap-around services support

3. Professional learning opportunities

Based on the most recent CCRPI scores,

we may include additional schools that

demonstrate a need for more support,

(dependent upon available funding).

Implement

initiatives, monitor,

and collect data. .

Analyze data, engage

stakeholders, and

conduct observations. .

Collaborate with

stakeholders to

adjust and

improve selected

models.

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Agenda

Initiative Update

Partnerships

Evaluation

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Purpose Built Schools and Kindezi are making preparations for the

Gideons, Slater, and Price transitions for the 2017-18 school year.

Purpose Built Schools Kindezi Schools

Hiring staff

Principals for Slater and Price have been

confirmed.

Priority interviews and classroom observations for

current staff are in progress and are on schedule

for completion by January 31st.

Hiring for external candidates will begin in

February and is scheduled for completion in

March.

Community outreach

GO Team meetings are in process and have been

scheduled through May 2017.

The PBS outreach team is identifying candidates

for the remaining community member seats (2)

and swing seat (1).

Plans to expand the Early Learning program are

moving forward; applications will be submitted to

DECAL for two (2) additional Pre K classrooms

(1-Slater and 1-Thomasville) for 2017/18.

Purpose Built continues to provide community

outreach services to the Thomasville community;

they are working with various agencies to support

individuals who are trying to return to the

workforce.

Hiring staff

The principal for Gideons has been confirmed.

Kindezi hosted a school tour/staff meet and greet

for interested instructional staff.

Candidate interviews and class demonstrations are

in progress, and are scheduled for completion in

March.

The Office of Early Learning has provided a list of

qualified Pre K Lead Teacher and Assistant

Teacher candidates for interview consideration.

Community outreach

Kindezi administrators have begun conducting

visits to the homes of current Gideons’ students;

the targeted goal is to visit each student’s home

twice before Day One.

A recruitment plan for Pre-K students is currently in

development.

The Principal is in the process of meeting with

newly elected GO Team members and is identifying

a candidate for the open parent seat.

Elections for remaining seats will be held in the fall,

once school opens.

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The Rensselaerville Institute continues to provide job-embedded

support to principals.

• Each school has an assigned turnaround

specialist

• An immediate focus was on the leaders’

increased time in classrooms and

analysis of data at the classroom level to

inform change for children

• Focus is on core behavior changes and

leadership development as a means of

building durability of change at the

building level

• Principals just completed mid-year

training in Seattle, WA focused on

course corrections to support new

thinking and action

Schools Served

Mays Cluster: • Adamsville Primary

• Miles Intermediate

• Peyton Forest ES

• Young MS

Therrell Cluster:• Continental Colony

• Kimberly

Carver Cluster:• Finch ES

• Perkerson ES

• Sylvan Hills MS

• Carver HS

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The Rensselaerville Institute has intentionally integrated its work

with APS initiatives to ensure seamless support for principals.

• Support for Principals aligned to:

o Instructional practices and units of study

o SEL

o Data use

o Calibration and alignment via walk-throughs

• Successes and Learnings:

o Principals appreciate the investment in them and need the support

o Principals are embracing this support and demonstrate a willingness to

work the strategies

o Principals have developed solid connections with Turnaround

Specialists who work alongside them

o Principals have welcomed collaboration

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Community Sparkplug projects, funded through The Rensselaerville

Institute’s fundraising efforts, kicked off in the Mays Cluster in January 2017.

What is a Community

Sparkplug Project? • Results-focused efforts to

improve life chances for

young people

• Driven by local folks – not

outsiders or organizations

• Implemented in or around a

neighborhood school

• Implemented in a time-

compressed way over 6

months

• Moving quickly from talk to

action

• Makes the best use of scarce

resources

Copyright © The Rensselaerville Institute. All rights reserved.

Community Sparkplug A resident volunteer with an idea about

how to change something in his or her community that helps increase life

chances for young people. This person galvanizes a team of others.

Neighborhood School A neighborhood school that is currently partnering with School Turnaround at The

Rensselaerville Institute.

Community Sparkplug Project

Examples include: Walking school brigades; carpools established for

getting kids to school who have missed the bus; after school book

clubs; and community gardens.

Community Stakeholders

and Investors People and organizations in the

broader community who can be helpful to Sparkplugs and their

projects.

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The Community Sparkplug projects, focused in the Miles, Adamsville and Peyton

Forest communities, are varied and derived from community members’ ideas.

Benefiting Kids

in Which

School(s)?

Project Name Project Idea Intended Outcome

Adamsville One-on-One

Reading

Designed to help boys develop a love of

reading; includes individual reading tutorials,

new books and incentives for kids and families

to encourage reading at-home

Increase number of books children read with adults

Improve children’s towards reading improve and decrease

behavioral problems

Adamsville Little Book

Houses

Design, creation, and installation of book

houses in apartment complexes where

students live

Increase children’s knowledge of carpentry

Increase communities’ access to quality books

Adamsville Tennis for Life Program will teach children tennis afterschool,

using underutilized courts in the community

Increase children’s physical activity and academic

performance, tennis knowledge and skills

Peyton or Miles Straight As (Academics, Athletics, Appearance, Attitude)

program taking place at the local YMCA for

upper elementary students

Increase children’s physical activity and academic

performance

Improve appearance and overall attitude

Miles Broadway

Theatre training

Theater production training for students

including performance coaching, costume and

set design, and overall theater production;

students will put on production for parents and

the community

Increase self-esteem and children’s knowledge of theater

and theater production

Develop better leadership and presentation skills

Decrease behavioral problems

Peyton Yoga Stress

Reduction and

Anti-Bullying

Clinics for students and parents to support

stress reduction

Children and families gain skills on how to deal with

bullying, reduce stress, and decrease behavioral

problems

Peyton Kid-led T-shirt

company

Will teach students the basics of starting a T-

shirt business to provide opportunities to

develop entrepreneurship skills

Increase children’s knowledge of entrepreneurship and

improve math and reading skills

Children gain economic benefits from selling their

creations

All Aquaponics Located at a local YMCA greenhouse,

Aquaponics program will teach students the

science of growing food

Increase children’s knowledge of science and growing

food

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Agenda

Initiative Update

Partnerships

Evaluation

14

We have finalized the Year One scope of work for the external evaluation

which will be completed by Mathematica Policy Research.

Implementation Study: Focus on implementation experience across targeted and intensive schools

Site visit observations and semi-structured interviews with school leadership (March 2017)

Descriptive analysis of professional learning (teacher and leader) initiatives and non-academic supports

Impact Study: Focus on contributions of specific Turnaround Initiatives Academic Support Initiatives: High Impact Tutoring, Reading and Math Specialists,

Spring Break Vacation Academy School Partnerships: Thomasville Heights Elementary School

Activities/Deliverables March 2017: Site visits and semi-structured interviews with school leadership across

targeted and intensive schools, and Thomasville Heights. April – July 2017: Data collection and analysis October 2017: Annual report on implementation and impact findings