Thinking Outside the Box

1
Thinking Outside the Box

• Seeing Title I Differently

2
Box Targeted Assistance

• Receive Allotted Title I Funds
• Review Test Data and Research
• Select Service Model
• Hire and Train HQ Staff
• Determine Highest Need Grade Levels
• Prioritize a List of At Risk Students
• Serve Students from the List
• Evaluate Program at EOY

3
Flexibility Schoolwide

• Merge Allotted Funds from All Sources
• Review Test Data for All Sub-Groups
• Consider Scientifically Based Research
• Set Measurable Goals for SIP
• Develop Action Plans to Reach Goals
• Hire Only HQ Staff
• Involve Parents
• Evaluate Results of SIP and AYP at EOY

4
THINK FLEXIBILITY
FUNDING SOURCE
STUDENTS SERVED
MATERIALS PURCHASED
STAFF HIRED
5
NCLB GOALS
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
PROVEN RESEARCH
HIGH QUALITY STAFF
6
Historical Background

• Traditionally Title I focused on serving specific
  children identified to be academically at-risk in
  high poverty schools
• In 1988 Congress (based on research findings)
  encouraged schools with levels of poverty (75 or
  more) use their funds to conduct schoolwide
  programs

7
Research Findings

• All childrens performance is negatively affected
  in schools with high concentration of poverty
• For the lowest achieving students in highest
  poverty schools to meet high standards of
  performance, their entire instructional program,
  not just a separate Title I, program must be
  substantially improved.

8
Research Findings (cont.)

• Educators in highly successful schools expect
  high academic achievement from every child
• When an entire school is the target of change,
  schools serving the most disadvantaged youth can
  achieve success

9
Advantages

• Integration of programs, strategies, and
  resources creates a catalyst for comprehensive
  reform of the entire instructional program

10
Schoolwide Benefits

• Flexibility serving all students, combining
  resources and programs, and redesigning the
  delivery of services.
• Coordination and Integration reduces
  fragmentation in curriculum, instruction and
  assessment.
• Accountability clear and coordinated goals
  where all students are responsible for achieving
  the same high standards.
• Unified Goals the Schoolwide planning process
  brings families, the community and school staff
  together to consider methods to improve the
  school implementing goals that are geared to
  improved student achievement.

11
What Is Schoolwide

• The model is designed to generate high levels of
  academic achievement in core academic areas for
  all students, especially for those not
  demonstrating proficiency.
• 40 poverty threshold qualifies schools for
  Schoolwide status.
• All students become Title I students.
• One-year planning required prior to
  implementation, unless its determined less time
  is needed.
• Annual evaluation of program/plan effectiveness
  is required.

12
School-level Decision Making

• Authority for the schoolwide program is
  school-level decision making
• Program decisions are to be made at the school
  level
• Schools, in consultation with their districts,
  determine how to use their funds in ways that
  best meet the identified needs of the students

13
Eligibility

• School level of poverty is 40 or higher
• School, in consultation with the district,
  decides it wants to become a schoolwide program
• High-quality assistance and support is offered to
  the school

14
Required 10 Elements

• Comprehensive needs assessment
• Schoolwide reform strategies
• Instruction by highly qualified teachers
• High quality and ongoing professional development
• Strategies to attract highly qualified teachers
• Strategies to increase parental involvement

15
Required 10 Elements Continued

• Plans for assisting preschool children in the
  transition from preschool programs to local
  elementary programs
• Inclusion of teachers in decisions about the use
  of academic assessment information for the
  purpose of improving student achievement
• Effective, timely and additional assistance for
  students who have difficulty mastering the
  standards at proficient and advanced levels
• Coordination and integration and documentation of
  Federal, State and local services and programs

16
Use of Funds

• LEA may consolidate and use Title I Part A funds
  with other Federal, State, and local funds to
  upgrade the entire educational program
• The school is not required to maintain separate
  fiscal accounting records, by progam that
  identifies specific activities supported by the
  funds

17
Use of Funds (cont.)

• The school provides supplemental services
• The school does not have to identify particular
  students to receive Title I services
• The school shall devote sufficient funds to carry
  out professional development

18
More Program Requirements

• The amount of federal funds used in a Schoolwide
  program must be supplemental to the amount of
  state and local funds the school receives if not
  a Schoolwide model.
• Schoolwide programs are not relieved of
  requirements relating to health, safety, civil
  rights student and family participation and
  involvement services to private school children
  maintenance of effort comparability of services
  and distribution/receipt of funds to SEAs or
  LEAs.

19
Guiding Principles and Practices

• Numbers in parentheses correlate with
• the Nine Characteristics of High Performing
  Schools
• Redesign of building organizational
  infrastructure
• Use of a meaningful planning process subject to
  continual review and monitoring of teaching and
  learning (6)
• Reform goals that are based on a clear focus and
  a shared vision by stakeholders (1)
• Reform strategies to accommodate a variety of
  approaches which reflect high standards and
  expectations (2)
• Effective school leadership which nurtures an
  instructional program conducive to student and
  teacher growth (3)

20
More Guiding Principles

• Collaboration and communication across grades
  that accommodates all student populations and
  community needs (4)
• Ongoing, focused professional development, based
  on the shared vision and identified student needs
  (7)
• Investment of resources to support the emerging
  system that is supportive of a stimulating
  learning environment, aligning curriculum,
  instruction and assessment with standards (5
  8)
• Sustainable high levels of communication with,
  and feedback from families and community members
  (9)

21
Elements of Planning

• Planning is a systematic process for developing a
  new or refined vision, setting priorities, and
  defining a more effective school organization and
  governing structure.
• Planning is a mechanism for building a
  constituency to support school change and should
  involve school staff, parents, and the community.

22
Schoolwide Plan

• The school structures its plan to identified
  needs
• Schoolwide plan remains in effect for the
  duration of the schools participation, but is
  revised annually based on the comprehensive needs
  assessment
• A school can maintain its schoolwide eligibility
  even if it drops below the initial poverty
  threshold in subsequent years

23
Schoolwide Plan

• Describes how the school will implement the 10
  components
• Describes the use of resources (Federal, State,
  and local and others such as grants)
• Includes the programs (Federal, State and local)
  which will be consolidated in the school
  improvement plan
• Describes how student academic results will be
  shared with parents in a language and format
  parents can understand

24
Schoolwide Plan Development

• Comprehensive Plan requires one year of planning
  (may implement with recommendation of technical
  assistance provider)
• Developed with a broad-based involvment of
  stakeholders such as parents and community
  members, school staff and others as appropriate
• Available for public review in an understandable
  format
• Coordinated with other programs

25
Eligibility and Funding
26
Paid Represents Judy Beaman Literacy
Specialist Mary Merhar Literacy
Specialist Kyla Vance Literacy Specialist Sarah
Coffey Title I Teacher Assistant Cynthia
Parker Geraldine Lowery Christopher Stocks
27
Instructional Coaches

• Meet with Teachers-Planning, Study Groups
• Focus on Teaching SCOS and Standards
• Suggest Strategies, Materials and Resources
• Help to Provide and Find Resources and Staff
  Development
• Facilitate Parent Workshops
• May Assess and Work with Students As Needed
• Collaborate in Analyzing Teacher Needs
• Observe Classes
• Collaborate on Interventions
• Modeling Effective Strategies