JESUS JARA

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JESUS JARA Candidate Dossier Presented by: Jim Huge and Associates

Transcript of JESUS JARA

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JESUS JARA Candidate Dossier

Presented by: Jim Huge and Associates

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Contents

Candidate Summary ......................................................................................... Section 1

Cover Letter ..................................................................................................... Section 2

Candidate Resume ........................................................................................... Section 3

Candidate Questionnaire ................................................................................. Section 4

Notes ............................................................................................................... Section 5

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Candidate Summary

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JESUS F. JARA, Ed.D.

� Courage to make difficult decisions in the face of opposition � Strong financial skills � Develops effective relationships � Passion for all learners � Sense of urgency on behalf of all children – especially those in difficulty situations

Current situation:

Deputy Superintendent (2012-Present) Orange County Public Schools, Orlando, FL

Past leadership positions: Superintendent of Schools (2010 – 2012) Chief Operations Officer (2010 – 2011) Monroe County Public Schools, Key West, FL Executive Director, College Board Partnerships (2006 – 2010) Senior Educational Manager (2005 – 2006) The College Board Principal, High School (2003 – 2005) Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, MA

Highest degree attained:

Ed.D., Educational Policy, Leadership, and Administration University of Massachusetts - Amherst

Evidence of MNPS Leadership Profile COMMUNITY-BUILDING AND VISION-CASTING CAPACITY • Led Florida Partnership visioning and

collaboration with stakeholders statewide. ORGANIZATIONAL/CULTURE CHANGE EXPERTISE • Balanced budget and rebuilt community

trust in Monroe County. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO TALENT AND TURNAROUND • Raised achievement in struggling schools,

increased minority AP performance and participation, decreased achievement gap for Hispanic students.

• Provided training and coaching to staff and administrators to implement new standards, and coached central office administrators to support principals effectively.

EXPERTISE WITH SIMILAR STUDENT POPULATIONS • Orange County, FL, Springfield, MA

DISTRICT COMPARISON (most recent available data)

District Orange County, FL Monroe County, FL Springfield, MA Enrollment 187,092 8,489 25,826 # Schools 253 25 54 % Charter Schools 12.6% % Econ. Disadvantaged 61.0% % Minority 70.3% % ELL 13.2% 7.6% 15.8% % SPED 11.1% 14.8% 19.5% Pupil-Teacher Ratio 15.91 Total Budget ($M) $1,879 $113 $507 Per-Pupil Expenditure $9,701

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Cover Letter

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Jesus F. Jara

April 23, 2016

Metro Nashville Public Schools School Board Member 2601 Bransford Ave Nashville, TN 37204 Dear School Board Members:

Thank you for considering my application for the Director of Schools position in Metro Nashville. As Deputy Superintendent in Orange County Public Schools, I serve as superintendent designee of the ninth largest urban district in the nation and 2014 Broad Prize Winner. I have the honor of leading the Division of Teaching and Learning, five area superintendents, the School Transformation Office, chief of high schools and Minority Achievement Office, which positively impact 187 schools and 200,000 students.

I have also had the distinct privilege to serve as superintendent of Monroe County Florida. Balancing the budget in Monroe County Schools was one of the toughest challenges of my career to date. I was able to work collaboratively with the school board to make the best decisions for the students. During the toughest of those budget years, student achievement in Monroe County reached the highest levels in the history of the school district – because we focused on our core business, student success.

As a College Board executive, I led a statewide initiative to improve college readiness for minorities and underserved students across the State of Florida. In my tenure in Tallahassee, I built strong, positive relationships with the Florida Department of Education and legislative staff members. Improving student achievement so all students can learn at high levels requires a collaborative approach. With my proven track record, I am confident that I am the best candidate to lead Metro Nashville Public Schools.

My attached resume highlights my diverse experiences in education from the classroom to the district office and all the way to the state capitol. My exemplary interpersonal skills and passion for student achievement allow me to focus on issues of excellence and equality for all students. Because of my broad professional experience, I assure you that I will always solicit and support a team model. My experiences as deputy superintendent, superintendent of a small rural district, and executive in the private sector make me the ideal candidate for the job.

I look forward to discussing my qualifications, experiences, and ideas with the stakeholders in Metro Nashville.

Sincerely,

Jesus F Jara

Jesus F. Jara, Ed.D.

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Candidate Resume

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Jesus F. Jara, E.d.D.

EDUCATION:2010- University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Doctorate in Education, Educational Policy, Leadership, and Administration

� Researched and published: January 1, 2010, Fidelity of Formative Assessment System to Improve Classroom Instruction

1998- Nova Southeastern University, Masters of Science in Science Education1996- Barry University, Bachelor of Science, Sports Medicine, and Exercise Science

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Orange County Public Schools Orlando, Florida August 2012 - present 2014 Broad Prize Winner Deputy Superintendent

� Executive Cabinet Leader and superintendent designee of the 9th largest district in the nation serving 200,000 students

� Direct supervisor of five area superintendents, school transformation office, chief of high school, school choice, minority achievement office and teaching and learning division

� Responsible for supervising and coordinating all resources to drive the district’s core business � Co-chair, LaunchED, Digital Curriculum, Implemented 1:1 digital curriculum and BYOD. Currently

over 73,000 devices in schools � Chair of committee to strategize and trouble shoot technology issues impacting student information

systems � Designee on Superintendent’s Construction Steering Committee (CPSC) overseeing facilities

function � Co-chair Teaching and Learning/Operations governance with Chief Operations Officer � Executive sponsor of Green School Recognition Program, OCPS won State of Florida Green Award � Strategic discussions with superintendent to recruit and retain school based administrators for

underperforming schools � Aligned Strategic Plan/District Improvement and Assistance Plan and School Improvement Plans to

support district priorities � Increased AP Participation and Performance for minority students (Black and Hispanic); Black

increased participation 30.8% and performance 35.4%, Hispanic increased participation 16.7% and performance 18.5%. Orange County outpaced the nation and Florida in both participation and performance. 2014 College Board’s AP Honor Roll District (3 out of the last 5 years)

� Worked with the superintendent to create an Executive level position, Chief Minority Achievement Officer to accelerate the learning opportunities for minority students in 187 schools

� Realigned struggling schools to provide direct support to improve student achievement; School Transformation Office was created, 18 of our 20 schools made positive gains and five schools will be returning to respective Learning Community. Lowest percentage of failing schools compared to all large urban districts in Florida

� Coordinated the efforts of aligning the implementation of Instructional Framework for Effective Teaching Strategies for the classroom teachers, principals and district leaders

� Implemented a new learning management system for teachers to virtually access unit lesson plans, student data and professional development

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� Executive sponsor for the implementation of new Student Information System and Learning Management System

� Oversaw the implementation of summer online modules for 13,000 teachers on the following subjects: Common Core (now Florida Standards), Marzano’s Effective Framework, Digital Curriculum, VAM, Exceptional Education, and Understanding ELL

� Collaborate with Chief Finance Officer to monitor class size requirement � Collaborate with Chief Facilities Officer to repurpose an elementary school to a new Primary

Learning Center � Centralized professional development funding to increase efficiencies and fidelity of implementation � Implemented Program Evaluation led efforts on a third party evaluation on our Exceptional Student

Education department (ESE) and English Language Learners (ELL). Both evaluations were used to improve program offerings for students. English Language Learners’ graduation outpaces all other large urban districts in Florida

� Oversaw the development and implementation of the Parent Academy, trained 4,000 parents to become education partners with OCPS

� Oversaw Philanthropic Development rose over $12 million (total over $20 million) from the community to fund school district initiatives not funded via Operating Budget

� Oversaw the development of a new assessment platform to administer end of course exams and formative assessments to improve classroom instruction

� Restructured and streamlined instructional support for schools by reorganizing district leadership staff Oversaw the revision of OCPS 2020 in partnership with the superintendent and school board

� Oversaw the implementation of Restorative Justice in all middle schools. Level 3 and level 4 expulsion has district across the district

� Led strategic discussion with the superintendent to initiate district-wide accreditation with AdvancEd; OCPS received full accreditation in the Fall 2015

Monroe County Public Schools Key West, Florida July 2010 - July 2012Appointed by Governor Rick Scott August 8, 2011 Superintendent of Schools

� Developed and fostered relationship with the School Board and Audit and Finance Committee to increase public trust in Monroe County Public Schools

� Initiated Monroe County’s (District Advisory Council) to increase parental support� Established a system of accountability for all staff members in the organization with values of

performance and accountability� Led efforts for a voter referendum for increase operational funds from capital budget� Negotiated a three year contract with the teachers union that included a performance pay model � Implemented processes across a rural district in several departments to increase efficiency � Reorganized the district to balance budget

o Reduced expenditures and increased the district’s fund balance� Maintained construction on a new K-8 Center with ARRA funding within budget and timeline; third

party audit was completed after the project; no weaknesses were found with the project � Implemented new teacher evaluation tool (Charlotte Danielson) and initiated training for all

administrators and teachers� Aligned the district staff to increase academic achievement and graduation

o Increased college readiness across the districto Decreased achievement gap for Hispanic studentso Increased Advanced Placement Participation (48%)o Increased SAT Performance above national and state average

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o Increased Algebra I participation for 8th graders (18%)o Improved school grades and district performance in FCAT to 8th best across the state of Florida

Monroe County Public Schools Key West, Florida February 2010 – June 2011Chief Operations Officer

� Oversaw District Operations including the following departments: Construction/Facilities, Transportation, Human Resources, Instructional Technology, Charter Schools, Assessment/Accountability, and supervised all principals

� Managed outside relationships for the district with agencies including business community, non-profits, and parent organizations

� Monitored and implemented Differentiated Accountability and School Improvement Process; moved two schools out of Correct II Status

� Superintendent designee for all district operations and curriculum� Oversaw new construction for Horace O’ Bryant Middle School (New K-8 Center)� Implemented and developed new evaluation tool with performance metrics for all administrators (school

based and district staff) � Developed and implemented new staffing allocation for all schools � Developed and implemented new district code of conduct� Served as Chief Negotiator; negotiated a three year contract for teachers with performance pay metrics

The College BoardTallahassee, Florida July 2006 – February 2010Executive Director, College Board Partnerships

� Set the vision for and management of the Florida Partnership to support the Commissioner of Education’s Initiative for urban and rural schools in Florida (100 schools, over 55,000 students, and 2,500 teachers)

� Implemented “College Readiness System” in low performing urban high schools and middle schools across the state of Florida

� Provided leadership in the overall management of the deliverables with Kaplan K-12 Services, AVID Center and Florida Virtual Schools

� Developed a partnership with the FLDOE staff to implement a strategic plan for the Florida Partnership � Increased high school graduation rates across several high schools in participating districts by 5% every

year of the partnership � Increased college readiness rates by 5% each year across all high schools in participating districts by

increasing student participation and success in AP, IB, and dual enrollment courses approved by the Florida Department of Education, as well as the SAT/ACT, especially among students from underrepresented groups

� Florida’s Hispanic population outpaced the nation in AP Courses; while 20.7% of Florida public school students are Hispanic, 24.2 % of AP Exam Takers in Florida are Hispanic

� Provided AP professional development opportunities for over 3,000 administrators, teachers, and counselors in urban and rural schools

� Worked with Government Relations staff to foster relationships with key legislators and developed relationships with Florida Department of Education, Florida Legislature and Governor’s Office

� Supported the College Board’s K-12 unit in the Southern Region to include the following: assisted with the development, monitoring and management of the operating budget; oversaw and developed a budget

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in areas of direct responsibility; supervised and evaluated the program’s related activities conducted by assigned support staff

� Supported districts and schools to secure federal and state grants to provide College Readiness Programs and Services for all students

The College Board Waltham, Massachusetts November 2005 - June 2006Senior Educational Manager

� Directed the College Board’s K-12 unit in the New England Region to develop, monitor, and manage the operating budget; oversaw and developed a budget in areas of direct responsibility; supervised and evaluated the program’s related activities conducted by assigned support staff

� Implemented the College Board’s partnership with the State of Maine (DOE) to include SAT for all 11th

graders. The SAT became the state test for Maine’s high schools � Worked with Boston Public Schools to increase college readiness, AP participation and performance for

minority and underrepresented students � Implemented a partnership with UMass-Boston, Boston Public Schools, and Northeastern University to

create vertical teams with secondary school teachers and college professors in order to increase math and science AP Scores across the district (Boston Public Schools)

High School of Science and Technology Springfield, Massachusetts February, 2003 – December, 2005Principal

� Led urban high school with a total student population 1,700 � Doubled AP participation and performance for minority and underserved students � High school named 2005 College Board Inspiration Award semifinalist � Increased college acceptance rate to 86% of graduating class � Developed a partnership with UMass-Amherst’s School of Engineering� Implemented processes which lowered 9th grade retention (Small Learning Community and after school

tutoring program with GEAR-UP) � Fostered and expanded community involvement with business leader MassMutual Financial Insurance

(Fortune 500 Company) � Increased community relations within the school system and the community � Implemented an in school alternative setting (Twilight School); decreased school drop-out rate by 3.3%

per year � Monitored and supervised Freshmen Success Academy (SLC), FATE Initiative, funded by Mass Mutual

Financial

Van Sickle Middle School Springfield, Massachusetts August, 2001 – February 2003Assistant Principal

Coral Gables Sr. High School July 1998 – July 2001Coral Gables, Florida Dean of Students, Bilingual Biology Teacher, Assistant Athletic Trainer

South Dade Sr. High School June 1996 – July 1998Homestead, Florida Head Athletic Trainer

RELATED EXPERIENCE:

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University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida August 2013-present Adjunct Professor- EDA 7224, Human Resource Development in Educational Organizations

� Course provides a foundation for and understanding of the personnel management function in organization systems, it also helps students understand the role of the administrator as supervisor within the framework of teaching and learning

University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, October 2010 – May 2011Instructor- Issues in Urban Education

� Examine many of the key issues and research facing public schools in Urban America

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP AFFILIATIONS:

� Articulating Coordinating Committee, Appointed by Florida Commissioner Pam Stewart� City Year Orlando, Board Member, 2013-present� Metro Orlando American Heart Association, Board Member, 2012-present� Junior Achievement, Advisory Board Member, 2014-present� Association of Supervision & Curriculum Development, Member 2013-present� Florida Association School Administrators, Member � South Florida ALAS, Member representing Orange County 2014 - present� Leadership Training, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, NC, Summer 2005� Member of the Principal Think Tank, University of Pittsburgh, Principles of Learning� Dealing with Emotions in Negotiations for Business, Harvard University� Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, Redesigning America’s High Schools (limited enrollment)

summer 2005� Certified Educational Leadership (All Levels), FL � Certified Biology Teacher 6-12, Florida

PRESENTATIONS:

� High Schools That Work National Conference, Three R + High Expectations, July, 2005� Florida College Access Network Conference, October, 2007� Destination Equity: Charting Bright Futures for All Students, April, 2008� Education First: Our Future Depends on It, Houston, TX, October, 2008 � Cultural Competency and You! Atlanta, GA, February, 2009� Spotlight on Sweeping Changes- A Statewide View, Maine DOE, October, 2009� Revolutionizing the Way We Teach, Lead, and Learn Through Digital Curriculum, Instruction and

Assessment, October, 2013, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents� Digital Implementation in OCPS, October 2014, Great Council of City Schools� Preparate, Educating Latino for the Future of America, Plenary Panelist, Moving Beyond Pockets of

Excellence: Key Issues in Education, March, 2015� Panelist: America’s 21st Century School: Aligning Educational Reforms� Plenary Speaker: The Southern Commitment to Opportunity with SAT

AWARDS:

� National Association for Bilingual Education, Educational Leadership Award, 2014� Central Florida’s Don Quixote Excellence Award Finalist, 2014

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Candidate Questionnaire

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Board of Education unanimously approved a leadership profile that outlined four core competencies intended to drive the recruitment/search process: (a) community-building and vision-casting capacity, (b) organizational/culture change expertise, (c) innovative approaches to talent and turnaround, and (d) expertise with similar student populations. This four-part test of candidate effectiveness came from the work of a 17 member Community Search Advisory Committee and included outreach to educators, parents and others in the development of this profile. Please describe your capabilities and track record in each of the four core areas. a) I applaud the Board of Education for its leadership of this rigorous search process that includes the entire community in developing a leadership profile for the future Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools. After reviewing the comprehensive reports that drove the recruitment/search process, I am extremely excited to submit my resume and background documentation that highlight my skill set for the position of Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools.

After more than 20 years’ experience in education, I have developed the necessary skills to match the four qualities identified by the Search Advisory Committee, and evidence that I perform and lead at high levels. As an executive running a statewide office for a non-profit organization, I brought community leaders across an entire state in partnership with urban, suburban, and rural school districts to increase college readiness opportunities for minority and underserved students. This effort was known as the Florida Partnership; in my leadership role, I worked closely with the Governor’s Office, the Florida Department of Education, College Board staff and over 50 schools across the state. As the lead executive, I set the vision in collaboration with the Department of Education so school districts could expand college readiness opportunities for minority and underserved students. Partnership members included local Urban Leagues, individual schools, churches and other community partners (such as the Boys and Girls Club). Our community partners provided after-school and Saturday school tutorials for students.

In 2010, after my fourth year of leading this Partnership, the state of Florida outshined the country with the following results. Florida, which has the fourth-highest number of students taking Advanced Placement Exams in the nation, experienced the largest single-year increase in the percentage of its student population receiving at least one score of 3 or higher (passing) on an AP Exam during high school (3.1 percent). Florida was one of seven states with the greatest expansion of AP Scores of 3 (passing) or higher since 2004. Between 2004 and 2009, the number of Black or African-American AP Exam takers in the senior cohort of Florida public schools increased 101.7 percent. During the same years, the number of Hispanic or Latino AP Exam takers in the senior cohort of Florida public schools increased 74.1 percent. For the five years between 2004 and 2009, the number of AP Exams scored 3 or higher taken by Hispanic or Latino students in the senior cohort of Florida public schools increased 48.4 percent. Florida is the only state with a student population comprised of more than 7 percent Hispanic or Latino students that has achieved the significant milestone of eliminating the equity and excellence gap. (NOTE: Florida’s student population was comprised of 22.2 percent Hispanic or Latino students.)

As deputy superintendent here in Orange County, I lead the vision and implementation of our Digital Learning Program in OCPS “LaunchED”. LaunchED is an immersive and interactive learning experience offered in select schools throughout the district. LaunchED provides students access to world-class digital tools and resources that help students collaborate, connect, critically think, problem solve, create and innovate. LaunchED provides highly qualified teachers with the necessary tools to innovate in the classrooms. Our goal in OCPS was to be the leader and model for the state and country. In 2014, we met our goal of adopting over 75% of instructional materials with digital content for our schools. Our teachers were trained in high-yield strategies and using technology to engage students and monitor progress. Professional learning has been the key to our success. All teachers were provided opportunities to participate in (paid) online professional development during the summer. As digital leaders, OCPS will roll out over 73,000 devices across the district. LaunchED provides more than a device: OCPS has transformed curriculum into a digital world for our students and teachers.

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In 2013, we created a new Philanthropic Development department, which reports to the associate superintendent for Research and Accountability under the division of Teaching and Learning. The department secures extra funding and resources to support the school district’s strategic plan. In the last three years, our department has brought in over $21 million into district to support programs such as Full Day-PreK, Licensed Nurses, Access to STEM (including comprehensive partnership with Lockheed Martin), Literacy Tutoring, City Year, Suspension Centers, and programs that support college and career readiness (“Success After OCPS”). As we move forward, we constantly measure our return on investment (ROI) against the industry standards of the philanthropic sector. Nationally, nonprofits work to spend no more than 10 to 20 cents to raise a dollar. At OCPS we are currently spending only 3.02 cents to raise a dollar. Our mission is clear; we will lead our students to success with the support and involvement of families and the community. As you can see from our results to date, our community is intimately involved in our school system from digital learning to philanthropic development.

b) From my early career as an administrator, I have been known as a change agent. At every level, I have excelled as a transformational leader with proven results. During my first job as a high school principal, I was placed in February to replace an outgoing principal to turn around a large urban high school. I built a team that improved the lives of over 1,700 students in Springfield, MA. In a short time, we turned around a school that was named semifinalist for the College Board’s “Inspiration Award”. The High School of Science and Technology doubled AP participation, increased its graduation rate, decreased its dropout rate, improved student attendance and improved teacher retention. By every measure, the school changed for the better.

I have also accomplish similar stellar results as chief operations officer/superintendent. In 2010, I was hired for that role by Monroe County Public Schools. The former superintendent was removed from office by the Governor, who then appointed a new superintendent. The State Attorney’s Office had investigated and arrested the former superintendent’s spouse for stealing money from the school district; the public’s trust for the school district was at an all-time low. I was hired by the new superintendent as an executive cabinet member to work with him and the school board to improve the relationship between the community and school district. After 18 months, the superintendent left the district and I was appointed as superintendent of schools. In my tenure as superintendent in Monroe County, we balanced the budget, increased the fund balance, cleaned up audit findings from the Auditor General’s report, improved academic performance to a record high statewide ranking (8th). The school district’s eighth-grade students outperformed the state in Algebra 1 and high school students’ AP participation increased to the highest in the history. In my last year, I worked collaboratively with the school board to pass a referendum for flexible funding of capital to operations; the vote passed 3:1. Our capital improvement projects also improved: for the first time in the district, Monroe County built a new K-8 school that was completed on time and under budget. By encouraging collaboration between my administration and the school board, we improved academic outcomes for students that outpaced other districts in Florida, and also improved community trust as well as financial stability.

c) In OCPS, data clearly show that our students are performing in the top tier of large urban districts in Florida. However, we still have a lot of work to do to close the achievement gap. As we began our transition into the new standards, we felt it was critical to monitor instruction in every classroom, every day. We initiated a progress monitoring system to provide teachers with feedback to improve classroom instruction and provide professional development to all school-based leaders. The transition into new standards coupled with the new evaluation system tool for all administrators gave us another key opportunity: the chance to provide coaching for all teachers and administrators at high levels. Our goal was simple: improve the knowledge of school-based

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administrators so they can provide teachers with support using Marzano’s Instructional Framework. Our teachers received more productive feedback in their practice, thereby increasing their skills.

The data also indicated that our executive team needed extra support in order to support principals effectively. With this insight, I offered executive coaching for all area superintendents. At the same time, we were facing a tremendous need to train and improve our talent in the classroom and school buildings. We revamped our Great Beginnings/Induction program that serves more than 1,200 new teachers annually. In Great Beginnings, teachers learn appropriate strategies for creating a learning-centered environment using standards-based planning and active learning strategies. We realigned our professional development to meet the needs of our teachers. We began providing face-to-face summer professional development, a job-embedded professional development approach, side-by-side coaching and online learning opportunities. In order to improve student achievement, we have to improve teacher capacity; our best teachers provide the coaching opportunity in our district. This past January, a new movement swept Orange County Public Schools. More than 170 teachers and administrators from across the district gathered for the inaugural ECET2

Convention, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with matching funds provided by the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools. ECET2 was a huge success and inspired our teachers across the school district. Turnaround leaders start in the classroom.

We have two dimensions for leadership development: Leadership Pipeline and Building Capacity. In the last three years, I have recommended to the superintendent over 40% of the new principals leading our 187 schools. Our leadership pipeline continues to expand and develop. After three years in the classroom, our effective teachers begin a facilitative coaching series, which provides evidence-based learning and leading at a school site. Our teacher leaders then apply to our rigorous Aspiring Leaders Academy prior to becoming assistant principals. After becoming an assistant principal, assistant principals can apply and are admitted to the three year Preparing New Principals Academy (PNPA). During this time, assistant principals are mentored by our top principals. I initiated a new program three years ago called Level 5 Academy. Our area executive directors designed and implemented a curriculum that is used to train aspiring principals. All participants in Level 5 Academy also attend the Harvard Turnaround Leadership Training. All first-year principals also participate in the Principal Induction Academy: novice principals are matched with a principal mentor in their respective learning communities. During the first year, all novice principals and their mentors also attend Harvard training. We also created a Principal Leadership Academy in partnership with University of Central Florida. Training does not stop there in Orange County: we also offer Executive Leadership Academy to all area executive directors, the chief academic officer, and area superintendents. I have been intimately involved with the development and turnaround efforts of our human capital in Orange County Public Schools. Our tightly coupled system has provided phenomenal results in building leadership capacity in the district. OCPS continues to lead in student achievement across the state of Florida.

We offer a financial incentive to school-based administrators who lead turnaround schools. Principals recruited to lead our targeted schools receive a $10,000 recruitment/retention bonus and are also eligible for a $10,000 performance bonus for a total of $20,000. Assistant principals are also eligible for a $2,500 recruitment/retention bonus. The goal is to place our highest-performing school leaders at our most challenging schools in the district. In collaboration with the teachers’ union, the district also provided teachers with final incentives. STEM teachers at selected schools can earn up to a $6,500 bonus. Master Teachers can earn $8,500, $1,500 supplement in 27 targeted schools. This year, we are adding a $50 per check for a total of $1,500 for all teachers in our targeted schools. This financial incentive did not increase our budget; we

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strategically reallocated current and recurring Title I money to support our neediest communities in the district with our top talent. Recent additions to the School Transformation Office team are senior administrators-on-assignment that act as fellows. Based on research commissioned by the Wallace Foundation, the School Transformation Office works collaboratively with Professional Development Services to provide hands-on experiences to assistant principals and senior administrators (Transformation Leaders) such as side-by-side coaching, “real world” experiences, professional development, and opportunities to develop practical problem-solving skills by shadowing a principal coach with a proven track record for improving student achievement. The goal of this project is to “build a bench” of highly effective professionals to lead our most challenging schools.

d) As deputy superintendent in Orange County Public Schools I am privileged to serve a diverse population – we are a minority majority school district. I lead nearly 200,000 students to success; they come from 200 countries speaking 167 different languages or dialects. While 14 percent of our students are considered English Language Learners (ELL), the number jumps to 22 percent when including those who recently exited the program but are still being monitored. Our diverse population also comes with economic challenges. This year, more than 66 percent of our students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Of that total, 89 percent qualify for free lunch, an indicator of severe poverty. In fact, we have 29 schools where 90 percent or more of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Student mobility is also a challenge. Districtwide, our mobility rate is 31 percent, and several elementary schools experience a mobility rate of over 100 percent. In addition, homelessness is an increasingly worrying issue. Last year, about 7,000 students were classified as homeless, a dramatic increase over previous year. I celebrate our diversity and hold all adults accountable for setting high expectations for all students. Our efforts continue to produce outstanding results. In 2016, the prestigious US News and World Report released the top high schools in the United States. I am happy to share that seven OCPS high schools (and two Orange County charter schools) received prestigious recognition from based on their ability to serve all students, push students toward postsecondary success and demonstrate high performance in measurable academic outcomes. Our ELL student population continues to grow, and high school graduation for our ELL students is the highest among large urban Florida school districts. In addition, our efforts to increase rigor in our classrooms starts at an early age. Since 2012, I have led our Teaching and Learning Division in implementing Universal Gifted screening. In 2014 this effort identified over 340 second graders who were then moved to the next phase of gifted screening. Of the 340, 141 students were placed in gifted classrooms. Our gifted population has increased by over 2,200 students since 2012. While we each may have different perspectives on how to best achieve strong student outcomes, we are united in a desire to hire a Director of Schools deeply committed and highly capable of helping the district post significant gains in the academic performance and success of our students. With this in mind, provide at least two concrete examples, with supporting data, of efforts you were involved in that resulted in improved student achievement. Please cite specific data to indicate student growth, including the source of the data, the period of time it covers, the organizational unit that it represents (district-wide, school-wide, grade level, etc.), and explain it in terms that a lay person will understand. Please also describe your specific role in the development, execution or oversight of this effort. Finally, please provide the name and contact information of a person who can verify the information. We will contact this person before April 30.

In July 2013, OCPS expanded its efforts to improve schools. As deputy superintendent, I worked with the superintendent to establish the School Transformation Office (STO). The office was created to provide strategic, centralized support based on prioritized needs to our most fragile schools. The focus of the office is to help schools function as high-performing and dedicated teams, provide training on rigor and standards-based instruction, concentrate on the individual needs of students, utilize data to drive instruction, and sustain community engagement. In my role as deputy superintendent, I oversee the associate superintendent who supervises former principals (with track records in improving student achievement in Title I schools) serving as

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executive area directors. There are also 12 senior administrators and approximately 30 instructional coaches on the STO team. STO provides comprehensive support to 19 schools identified by the district and state as “persistently lowest achieving.” Goals are accomplished through initiatives that focus on teacher quality, leadership capacity, parental involvement and community partnerships. STO strives to improve teacher performance, which has a direct impact on student achievement. In order to meet STO’s purpose, the staff provides personalized support through a coaching cycle (e.g., coaching, modeling, observation, conferencing, etc.) based on the goals and identified needs of individual teachers. To assist schools in showing growth, the department works in collaboration with the Florida Department of Education to monitor and support the school improvement plan, monitor a multi-tiered system of support, conduct instructional rounds with principals, and create a network of best practices at each school. Executive area directors and senior administrators work collaboratively with school leadership teams to utilize data to inform decisions, help leaders foster and implement innovation, and provide customized assistance and training grounded in real-world experience and evidence-based practice. In addition, they help schools form partnerships with families, neighboring schools, and the community. STO works with community members to coordinate events and provide training, workshops and learning experiences for parents. Now in its third year of implementation, the effort has produced outstanding results. In 2013-14, 70 percent of the targeted schools improved ten or more points and their actual letter grade; 75 percent improved their total number of points in the state assessment; seven schools improved to the equivalence of two letter grades; and one school improved a full four letter grades, jumping from an F to an A in a single year. Most recent data for 2015 revealed the targeted schools within the STO improved 838 (+838) points, which compares very favorably to a decline of 929 points (-929) the previous year. In addition, Algebra I scores increased 78 percentage points and Civic scores increased 34 percentage points collectively in four middle schools. In OCPS, we monitor classroom observation data monthly, benchmark data quarterly, and summative assessment data annually. As soon as we receive our data from the FLDOE including school grades, I meet with my team (area superintendents, chief academic officer, and other Teaching and Learning staff) to review our results. Our review includes the following: achievement gap data as compared to the large urban districts in Florida in core courses; college readiness metrics (utilizing SAT/ACT); and the percentage of students in a rigorous curriculum (Advanced Placement). We also benchmark our outcomes against other district across the country. In Advanced Placement (AP), Orange County test participation and performance for 2013-14 shows the number of students taking AP tests increased 16 percent over 2012-13. Students achieving passing scores of 3 through 5 also went up 18.4 percent. We outpaced the state and nation in AP performance and participation, especially for our minority students. Last year, a decrease in SAT participation and a minor increase in performance inspired us to offer the SAT for all 11th graders on a school day. Currently, 36 percent of our students meet the college readiness benchmark. I was responsible for implementing a college readiness system districtwide for all high school students (54,000) over the past three years. Our goal was to prepare all juniors to participate in a college readiness assessment; they were part of our “All In” campaign. The data clearly show that our students are performing in the top tier of large urban districts in Florida. Our graduation rate continues to improve: last year’s rate was 77.8% in our traditional high schools, and our overall graduation rate was 89.6%. I believe that all students graduating high schools must be ready for work. Our Career Technical Education (CTE) student enrollment has increased in our middle schools from 53 programs to 75 in one year, and our current CTE enrollment is 12,864 students. In high schools, our programs grew from 168 programs in 2013-14 to 182 programs; our high school CTE enrollment is now 34,342 students. The focus for career readiness in OCPS starts in middle school. As deputy superintendent, I have worked intimately with the chief academic officer and senior executive director for CTE to expand our programs in our secondary

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schools. In partnership with Project Lead the Way, we received a $2 million grant from Lockheed Martin to add STEM programs in all our schools (187). By 2017, all our K-12 schools will have a STEM program, helping our students better compete for jobs in some of our top fields. In the last four years, we narrowed the achievement gap for our black students in science in elementary, middle, and high schools who performed at the highest achievement levels. OCPS also ranked among the top fifth of Florida districts for black elementary and high school students performing in reading (Broad Report, 2014). Our Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL) students are also outpacing their counterparts in elementary reading and math. While the data show we still have a lot of work to do to close the achievement gap, I strongly believe that our current systems and sense of urgency among our staff will continue to prepare all students for success. Why are you uniquely qualified to serve as Nashville’s next Director of Schools? What do you bring to the table others might not offer?

As deputy superintendent in OCPS, I serve as the superintendent’s designee of the ninth largest urban district in the nation. I have the honor of leading the Division of Teaching and Learning, five area superintendents, the School Transformation Office, the chief of high schools, and the Minority Achievement Office to positively impact 187 schools and close to 200,000 students. I have also had the distinct privilege to serve as superintendent of Monroe County Florida. Balancing the budget in Monroe County Schools was one of the toughest challenges of my career to date. I was able to work collaboratively with the school board to make the best decisions for the students. During the toughest of those budget years, student achievement in Monroe County reached the highest levels in the history of the school district – because we focused on our core business, student success. As a College Board executive, I led a statewide initiative to improve college readiness for minority and underserved students across the state of Florida. My exemplary interpersonal skills and passion for student achievement allow me to focus on issues of excellence and equality for all students. I strongly believe that students need advocates. As a school administrator, from principal to deputy superintendent, I have been a strong advocate for all students, especially those who are underrepresented. All children in America should have access to a quality education; zip code should not determine student success. As an administrator I have been able to build teams focused on student access to rigorous coursework and equal opportunity for a quality education. I feel strongly that education should center upon student success. As highlighted above, my vision is clear: all students can learn at high levels when adults remain focused on student learning without excuses for student success.

As an ELL student myself, I also bring something unique to the table: a deep, clear and personal understanding of how students feel when they arrive in this wonderful country. My experience as an ELL student, public school teacher, school-based administrator, executive in the private sector, and now executive in a high-performing and high-functioning school district makes me the best the candidate to lead Metro Nashville Public Schools.

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Notes

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