District Leadership Team Meeting

September 29, 2010

Minutes

Recorder Assigned: Favia Becker

Task Master Assigned: Bob Curtin

Opening:

Jeff Patterson: This year, DLT has been revamped with regard to the members as well as the time (will meet for six half day sessions throughout the year). Meeting minutes can be found under DLT in the Staff Tools section of the website. It is the role of the DLT to look at the district as a whole: the data, goals and monitoring of progress. It is also the responsibility of the DLT members to communicate back to their BLT or respective department.

Review of Report Card and AYP

Jeff Patterson: We have been rated Continuous Improvement. This year we met 23/26 indicators, or 21/24 academic indicators (did not meet 5th grade math as well as 8th grade math and science). We met both non-academic indicators (attendance and graduation rate).

We met 88.5% of the state indicators (within the Effective category) and need 94% to be Excellent. Our performance index this year was a 96.7 (100 would have been Excellent). Because we did not meet AYP in 2 or more subgroups (total of 3: SWD, LEP and Asian/Pacific Islanders), the rating changes to Continuous Improvement. Even though we were rated above in value added for the last 3 years, this does not affect our rating due to the AYP results.

There are 4 ways to meet AYP:
1) Meet AYP – meet the cut score

2) The 2 year averaging score meets the mark

3) Safe harbor

This is a mathematical calculation: To obtain safe harbor next year the following must be met:

A 10% reduction in the percent of non-proficient students from the current year added to the proficient students from the current year

AND

An improvement is shown in either the graduation or the attendance rate

4) Growth measure: Students with 50% or greater probability of being proficient in two years will be counted as proficient.

A copy of the presentation will be emailed to all DLT members.

Building Safe Harbor Calculations

Roxann Ramsey then presented on how to calculate safe harbor targets, and how to use this data in each building. The goal is to meet AYP by meeting or exceeding safe harbor. Example data from Grant Elementary School was used to calculate safe harbor. Roxann Ramsey also showed some of the reports available from EVAAS that can drill the data down to the individual student level. A copy of the presentation will be emailed to all DLT members.

Building Level Value Added

Keith Ahearn next presented on the significance of value added data, as a measure of progress over time and not a singe achievement point in time. The data is meant to be used to ask questions of ourselves in how to do a better job in teaching students and affecting student progress in performance. At Harding Middle School, they have used EVAAS to create class rosters for math teachers to look at their students’ value added data. Examples of how to view the data and conversations to generate were presented.

DLT members then engaged in discussion about the use of this data at the buildings. Kathe Stack noted that principals can give access to teachers to view their students’ value added data, and that is able to come to the buildings to assist with training.

District Improvement Plan

Mark Gleichauf reviewed the District Improvement Plan. A copy of the presentation will be emailed to all DLT members. He also noted that when Dr. McNulty came and presented on June 10th the message was to focus the goals and action steps. The District Improvement Plan is now streamlined based on this. This year, a focus will be on Teacher Based Teams (TBT). On the October 18th waiver day, McNulty will join the district and will help with the planning process.

Walkthrough Data

Mark Gleichauf reviewed current walkthrough data entered this school year. He noted the increase in the percentage of students able to articulate the learning concepts via the student interview. Copies of the data charts were given to DLT members, and each table worked to complete an SOS2 framework to review the data. The following were identified by the DLT:

Strengths / Obstacles / Strategies and Supports
·  Growth in student articulation of learning
·  Walkthrough is now part of our culture / ·  May not be enough use of student centered technology, perhaps due to teacher training?
·  Inter-rater reliability and consistency in coding issues with the data
·  Need goals or targets in order to monitor our progress
·  Need to divide the data by level for comparison / ·  At Grant, Roxann Ramsey shared that she is using the data collected and sharing results with teachers in staff newsletters
·  Need to be transparent with the data
·  Provide more teachers with feedback
·  Need to move into instructional practices

Primary Instructional Strategies

Mark Gleichauf presented the need to focus on two primary instructional strategies. Based upon DLT discussion, Providing Feedback and Cues and Questions were chosen.

Building Conduct and Climate Data

Bill Wagner reviewed the data as it pertains to Goal 2. The data showed a 49% decrease in out of school suspensions and 15% decrease in expulsions from the 2008-09 to the 2009-10 school year. The attendance rate increased from 94.4% to 94.6% and the graduation rate increased from 91.7% to 92.0%. Dr. Wagner also reviewed how Lakewood High School tracks their discipline referral data, suspension, etc, on a monthly basis.

Expectations

Jeff Patterson spoke about the focus on the development of Teacher Based Teams – there were trainings on September 8th and 17th for all building principals as well as one teacher from each building. Principals are asked to bring a schedule of the BLT and TBT meeting schedule, as well as the protocols / minutes for TBT. There is also a data collection calendar in place for use with data review time periods. It is expected that teams will use the SOS2 framework for reviewing data and use the time at meetings on the implications of the data. Office referral data is to be compiled monthly and sent to Mark Gleichauf. The suspension and expulsion data is tracked by Bob Delquadri quarterly. Principals need to complete the IMM and Decision Framework. Kathe Stack is available for support. DLT members need to plan for how to share the AYP, safe harbor calculation and value added data.

Mark Walter suggested that the DLT also focus on a protocol for how to handle attendance and tardiness issues.

Waiver Day Plan Review

Jeff Patterson shared that preliminary plan that on the October waiver day, all staff will begin the day with Dr. McNulty in the Civic. The topic will be the development of the TBT, roles and how to facilitate meetings. He inquired about the possibility of using a staff pre-assessment survey of understanding of TBT to share with Dr. McNulty. A subcommittee to help with planning and preparation was formed: Roxann, Sandy, Helen, Sarah, Brenda and Lisa.

As TBT are rolled out at the building level, the SST consultants have offered their help in coming to assist in this process.

Other Items

In order to improve communication this year:

·  DLT steering and DLT minutes are posted on the website

·  PowerPoint presentations from DLT will be emailed to members

·  There is a close link with TEC

·  Communication via the principals meetings

After some discussion on next steps for AYP data, Roxann Ramsey suggested the following:

  1. Identify building targets for safe harbor
  2. Identify the subgroups at the building
  3. Identify the students in the subgroups that impact the district, even if there are not enough students at the building for a subgroup

Ross May added that 3 tools would be helpful to DLT members:

  1. Accountability Workbook
  2. Decision Framework
  3. Measure Up Tool at OhioSchoolLeaders.org

The next DLT Meeting will take place December 1, 2010 (8:30-11:30 am)

DLT Minutes 3 September 29, 2010