StrategicPlan-FINALASOF11-09

8/3/2019 StrategicPlan-FINALASOF11-09

1/64

GREATEXPECTATIONS

200913STRATEGIC PLAN

NEWARKPUBLICSCHOOLS


2/64

NEWARK PUBLIC SCHOOLS200913 STRATEGIC PLAN

ACKNOWLEdGmENTSThis strategic plan was evelope with the help o scores o Newark Public Schools

(NPS) ainistrators, principals, an teachers, as well as about two oen counit

leaers ro governent, civic, business, an aith-base organiations, incluing the

Cit o Newark, Coittee o Avocates, Newark Alliance, montclair State Universit,

Rutgers-Newark, Newark Teachers Union, an the Cit Association o Supervisors an

Ainistrators.

The Pruential Founation, Victoria Founation, an Nicholson Founation provie

iportant nancial an intellectual support.

We also benete greatl ro the an hunres o parents, guarians, an counitebers who participate in several counit eetings (co-sponsore b the

Coittee o Avocates) an joine the conversation on our eicate strategic plan Web

site (www.greatschoolsnewark.org).

We relie heavil on stuent perorance ata, nings, an recoenations ro

recent auits an school-level ata that helpe ienti areas o priorit nee.

The Institute or Eucational Leaership, with support ro the Counit Builing

Institute an KSA-Plus Counications, oversaw evelopent o this plan. The nal plan

was inore b an interi plan, moving Forward Together, publishe in April 2009.

To all those who participate, our sincere thanks. The stuents o Newark owe ou a ebt ogratitue, as oes the counit. An NPS owes ou our ocuse work.

NOVEmBER 2009


3/64


TABLE OF CONTENTS

GREAT EXPECTATIONS ................................... ..................................... .......... 4

OUR SHAREd GOAL .................................. ..................................... ................ 7

PRIORITy 1.Ensure highl eective teachers an principals eliver

strong curriculu, instruction, an assessent .......................................... A challenging curriculum, instructional program, and assessment consistently

implemented ...................................................................................................

Proessional improvement plans ......................................................................

Stronger pipeline o quality teachers and principals .........................................

PRIORITy 2.Buil a sste o great schools that serve stuents,

their ailies, an the counit ..................................................................

Aligned Pre-Kgrade programs ....................................................................

Stronger middle grades

................................................................................... ransormed high schools ...............................................................................

Aggressive turnarounds or the lowest-perorming schools .............................

PRIORITy 3.Ensure that schools are sae, welcoing, an working

collaborativel with parents, ailies, an counit partners to

support stuent success .................................................................................

Sae, amily-riendly schools ...........................................................................

Inormed and involved parents and amilies ...................................................

Stronger community and national partnerships .............................................

PRIORITy 4.Iprove our eucational practice b creating an

accountabilit sste that prootes ata-inore, eective, an

ecient anageent an operations ............................................................

Reorganized and streamlined central and regional oces ..............................

A culture and system o accountability ............................................................

ransparent decisionmaking and reporting ....................................................

APPENdICES

Developing year action priorities and responsibilities

.................................. Achievement trends, ........................................................................

Proessional development standards ...............................................................

Reorganizing central oce ..............................................................................

Regions and high school clusters/eeder patterns ............................................

Raising the bar or all schools .........................................................................

Bright spots ....................................................................................................

Accomplishments to date ................................................................................

Endnotes ........................................................................................................

What atters ost or Newark

to have a great sste o

schools is howwe get there

an not just when we get

there. Our goals, even when

reache, cannot be sustaine

b the courageous eorts o

iniviuals. Unit in action is

the exaple o power we will

clai as we journe through the

change process. Our chilreneserve no less.

dr. Clior B. Jane, State

district Superintenent,

Newark Public Schools


4/64


2

EXECUTIVE SUmmARy

A strategic plan represents a collective vision o where we intend to go ... and provides

a basic blueprint o how to get there. For Newark Public Schools, it is a down payment

on turning around our school system. Te our priorities and strategies described in

this plan will drive all o our thinking, actions, and investments in the coming years.

When we do what we say we are going to do, the community should expect to see

steady gains in student progress, year by year.

Te stakes could not be higher. Our youth need to be able to compete in an increas-

ingly complex, competitive, and diverse world. Many o the best new jobs require not

just a high school diploma but at least two years o college. We need to raise the bar,

and we are. Our goals or are very challenging:

Ready to learn by kindergarten. percent o our students will be ready to

learn by kindergarten, up rom percent in .

Reading and writing at grade level by the end o 3rd grade. percent will be

reading and writing by the end o rd grade, up rom percent in .

Ready or the middle grades. percent o th graders will be procient or

above in language arts literacy and procient or above in math, up rom

percent and percent, respectively, in .

Ready or high school. percent will be on track or graduation, up rom percent o reshmen who are on track to begin the school year.

Ready or college or work. percent will graduate, and percent o graduates

will enroll in college, up rom percent and percent, respectively, in .

96.2% o couniteeting participants agree

that all teachers ust have the

skills an knowlege to provie

qualit instruction to eet theultiple an varie nees o

stuents.

95.5% o couniteeting participants sa all

new teachers shoul receive

coaching an assistance ro

an eective entor teacher.


Newark high school stuents

shoul be expecte to grauate

ro high school.


5/64

3


EXECUTIVE SUmmARy

Despite some encouraging progress, we have a long way to go. We must do better.

And we can.

Te priorities, strategies, and actions in the ollowing pages have been careully crated,

guided by public discussions, and inormed by data. Tey will move us in the right

direction. But words will not transorm the system. People will.

People who demand more o themselves and o each other. People who have high expectations

or students and consistently send that message. People who are willing to think big, prepare

well, take risks, work together, and be held accountable or results. Tat means all o us

administrators, teachers, sta, parents, community members, and o course, students.

Te work starts with great expectations, but it must be powered by a relentless and

ocused commitment to keep our promises to each other, to the children, to our

community. It is time.

PRIORITy 1. Ensure highl eective teachers an principals eliverstrong curriculu, instruction, an assessent

A challenging curriculum, instructional program, and assessment consistently

implemented

Proessional improvement plans, based on students needs and perormance

Stronger pipeline o quality teachers and principals

PRIORITy 2. Buil a sste o great schools that serve stuents,

their ailies, an the counit

Aligned Pre-Kgrade programs

Stronger middle grades

ransormed high schools

Aggressive turnarounds or the lowest-perorming schools

PRIORITy 3. Ensure that schools are sae, welcoing, an working

collaborativel with parents, ailies, an counit partners to

support stuent success

Sae, amily-riendly schools

Inormed and involved parents and amilies

Stronger community and national partnerships

PRIORITy 4. Iprove our eucational practice b creating an

accountabilit sste that prootes ata-inore, eective, an

ecient anageent an operations

Reorganized and streamlined central and regional oces

A culture and system o accountability

ransparent decisionmaking and reporting

95.5% o couniteeting participants think

schools shoul oer career

an college awareness

opportunities in the ile

graes so stuents start

thinking about their utures.

100% o couniteeting participants think

that schools shoul provie

custoer service training orall school an central oce

sta to ensure that parents an

ailies are treate courteousl

an with respect.

100% o couniteeting participants think

schools shoul serve as

neighborhoo centers, working

with counit partners

to provie ault eucation,

job counseling, an siilar

progras an opportunities or

parents an ailies.


6/64


4

Toas kinergarteners will grauate ro high school in 2022 an

perhaps ro college in 2026. Their ears o highest earning potential

will start in the 2040s an continue or another ecae or two. Their

oler siblings an neighbors alrea are having to ake their wa in

a ore copetitive an coplex worl.

What will todays students need to thrive? Tis strategic plan helps answer that ques-

tion. It is ambitious but practical. We know that only a transormed system will help

our children truly build the knowledge and the st-century skills to succeed at work,

at home, in their neighborhoods, and as citizens. We also know that what took decades

to create will take years to x.

Tis document oers important priorities, strategies, and actions. Tey have been

careully crated, guided by public discussions, and inormed by data. Tey will move

Newark Public Schools (NPS) in the right direction o every student graduating ready

or college, work, and citizenship. But words will not transorm the system; people will

People will transorm the system when they demand more o themselves and more o

each other. Having great expectations starts in the classroom with students who believe

that excellence does not depend on a ZIP code. It means recognizing that each child

is ull o unrealized potential, passion, and creativity and is not just an unwrapped

bundle o needs.

We also must expect more o the amilies o students. Families are the rst adults to set

expectations or children. Parents, guardians, and older brothers and sisters can make

sure students do their homework, get enough sleep, and come to school ready to learn.

And parents and guardians can help the school improve by being inormed and involved.

Research shows that the single most important actor in student achievement over

which the district has responsibility is the classroom teacher. Eective teachers care.

Tey have high expectations. Tey are skilled at helping students learn, even when

students are challenging. Tey nd a way, year ater year, to improve their crat, retain

their enthusiasm, and inspire their students. Tey oten extend their eorts beyond the

minimum commitments because that is what it takes.

eachers become committed to expecting more o themselves, each other, and their

students when they are working or principals who truly lead and build a positive

environment or learning throughout the school community.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS:FOR OUR CHILdREN, OUR FAmILIES, OUR STAFF, ANd OUR

COmmUNITy

In a 21st-centur worl where

jobs can be shippe wherever

theres an Internet connection;

where a chil born in dallas

is copeting with chilren

in delhi; where our best job

qualication is not what ou o,

but what ou know eucation

is no longer just a pathwa to

opportunit an success; it is a

prerequisite.

Presient Barack Obaa,

march 10, 2009


7/64

5


GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Schools do better when they are well supported by central oce, when administrators

make getting things done easier, not harder. Principals should not have to spend so

much time spinning wheels, resolving problems that should have been handled down-

town. Central oce sta, when they expect more o themselves and each other, serve as

problem solvers and supports or principals and school sta.

Having partners step up is important as well. Partners are essential to schools success,whether it is the Newark eachers Union (NU); the City Association o Supervisors

and Administrators (CASA); the Newark City Government; the Newark Alliance; the

Committee o Advocates; Montclair State University; Rutgers-Newark; or the many

philanthropic oundations that so generously support our eorts (including Prudential,

Victoria, Nicholson, Amelior, and GEM).

Raising expectations works. In a partnership that includes NU and Seton Hall,

Joseph Del Grosso, NU president, has raised the bar at the Newton Street School.

Te New York imesreported:

Mr. Del Grosso has told teachers to expect to supervise more ... students, and,

i necessary, to work with them on Saturdays. eachers who are unwilling todo so will be moved to another school because they do not t in with the plan

or what is being called the new Newton, he said.

Te school also plans to have teachers specialize in certain subjects, like math

or social studies, and may move out some teachers who lack such specialties,

Mr. Del Grosso said.

And it is working. For example, the test results or students in math and language arts

literacy have both risen signicantly in the past year. Te percentage o students testing

as procient or better in math went rom as th graders in to as th graders

in , and in language arts it went rom to or the same group o students.

Great expectations, like those emerging at some Newark public schools, must become

the norm in every school and apply to every student, their parents, all sta, and our

community. It is the only way that we will build a system o great schools. (See page

or some examples o success in NPS, according to recent independent audits.)

Raising expectations is not only important to our students; it is important or Newark as

a city and Essex as a county. Without a skilled workorce and engaged, involved citizens,

it will be dicult to attract desirable businesses. Also, when students progress in their

education, they earn more and spend more. According to data or New Jersey, a

student who does not complete high school earns, on average, approximately $, per

year. A high school graduate earns, on average, $, per year, and a college graduate

earns $, per year. o put these numbers in context, the real cost o living or a three-

person amily in New Jersey is about $, a year. When students learn, they earn.

And they also contribute more to the civic well-being o the community as good citizens,

voters, volunteers, and good neighbors who are committed to service.

The research on urban school

reor suggests strongl that

accelerating an sustaining

stuent achieveent gains

rests, in large easure, on the

abilit o the counit to pull

together in a single irection

aroun an agree-upon set o

reors that are ene aroun

better instruction.

Council o the Great Cit

Schools, Raising Student

Achieveent in the Newark

Public Schools, 2007


8/64

6


GREAT EXPECTATIONS

All chilren in our societ

eserve the opportunit to

succee in school, an we know,

unequivocall, that teachers are

the ost iportant eterinant

o stuent achieveent. At

montclair State Universit, we

are coitte to working in

partnership with the Newark

Public Schools to eucate

outstaning teachers who will

ake a ierence in the lives o

Newarks chilren an prepare

the or ull an prouctive

participation in our eocratic

societ.

Susan A. Cole, Presient o

montclair State Universit

We have a long way to go. It is no longer acceptable to graduate only percent o our

students as we did in . It is no longer acceptable to have only o our th grade

students and middle grades students (less than percent) score at advanced pro-

cient in both content areas in . We must do better. And we can.

Te stakes could not be higher. Our youth will need to be able to compete in an econ-

omy where the competition is not only sti but global. Nations such as India, China,and Hungary are actively competing with us or jobs in virtually every industry. We

also need to prepare our students or jobs close to home, where the Newark Alliance

has targeted our major growth sectors: transportation and logistics; health services;

education and knowledge creation; and entertainment, arts, and retail. Many o these

require not just a high school diploma but at least two years o college. We recognize

the new reality that students need basically the same preparation whether they are

headed directly rom high school to college or a career. We need to raise the bar, and

we are.

Tis strategic plan represents a collective vision o where we are headed and provides

a basic blueprint o how to get there. For NPS, it is a down payment on turning aroundour school system. Te our priorities and strategies described in the ollowing pages

will drive all o our thinking, actions, and investments in the coming years. When we

do what we say we are going to do, the community should expect to see steady gains in

student progress, year by year.


9/64

7


We are ocusing on every major step in a students career, making sure each and every

student stays on track to graduate rom high school and is prepared or the next phase

o his or her lie. Our students need to be:

Ready to learn by kindergarten. Our goal is or percent to pass the Develop-

mental Reading Assessment (DRA) by , up rom percent in .

Reading and writing at grade level by the end o 3rd grade. Our goal is or

percent o our students to be procient or above on the state test by , up rom

percent in .Ready or the middle grades, which at a minimum means reading and doing

math on grade level by the end o th grade. Our goal is or percent procient

or above in language arts literacy and percent procient or above in math by

, up rom percent and percent, respectively, in .

Ready or high school, which is dened as on track or graduation (an index

that includes test scores and attendance in grades , , and ). Our goal is or

percent o reshmen to be on track, up rom percent at the start o the

school year.

Ready or college or work, which at a minimum means graduating rom high

school, enrolling in college classes without remediation, and contributing toNewarks development through community service projects. Our goal is or a

graduation rate o percent by and a college enrollment rate o percent,

up rom percent and percent, respectively, in . College enrollment

is important but not sucient; our graduates must be able to take credit-bearing

college courses without remediation. Tat requires students to bring a new

discipline to the traditional challenges o college lie. Specically, our goal is or

percent o our graduates to be able to enroll in two-year community colleges

without remediation in English and reading and percent without remediation

in math. Although statewide data are not available, we know that percent o

NPS students attending Essex County College in all required remediation

courses in math and percent required remediation in English and reading.

(See the ollowing pages or the more detailed measures that we will use to report on our

progress annually.)

OUR SHAREd GOAL:PREPARING ALL STUdENTS FOR COLLEGE, WORK, ANd

CITIzENSHIP

High schools are our nations

ront line in the battle to

restore Aericas global

copetitiveness. High school

copletion is the rst step in

the earnings an skill laeran the brige to postseconar

eucation, work reainess, an

lielong learning.

National Governors

Association


10/64

8


Holing Ourselves Accountable or Stea Progress

HIGH SCHOOLS

(test results base on the states 11th grae high school proicienc assessent [HSPA] test)

Inicator

BASELINE BASELINE GOALS

State 2009 Newark 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

% avance onl Literac: 13%

math: 23%

Literac: 2%

math: 6%

Literac: 5%

math: 10%

Literac: 8%

math: 15%

Literac: 11%

math: 19%

Literac: 13%

math: 23%

% pr o cient or a vance Liter ac : 8 4%

math: 73%

Literac: 55%

math: 43%

Literac: 64%

math: 54%

Literac: 74%

math: 65%

Literac: 83%

math: 76%

Literac: 92%

math: 86%

% partiall procient (top)*

Literac: 16%

math: 27%

Literac: 33%

math: 54%

Literac: 27%

math: 43%

Literac: 20%

math: 33%

Literac: 14%

math: 23%

Literac: 8%

math: 14%

% partiall procient (botto)* Literac: 12%

math: 4%

Literac: 9%

math: 3%

Literac: 6%

math: 2%

Literac: 3%

math: 1%

Literac: 0%

math: 0%

% o special nees stuents

scoring procient or above

Literac: 47%

math: 29%

Literac: 15%

math: 8%

Literac: 23%

math: 17%

Literac: 31%

math: 26%

Literac: 39%

math: 34%

Literac: 46%

math: 41%

Gener gap

(% o eales/ales

procient or above)

Literac/math

F-m gap: 6/0

Literac/math

F-m gap: 12/1

Literac/math

F-m gap: 10/1

Literac/math

F-m gap: 9/0

Literac/math

F-m gap: 7/0

Literac/math

F-m gap: 6/0

Racial gaps: white/black,

white/Hispanic, Hispanic/black (% procient or above)

Literac/math

W-B gap: 28/40W-H gap: 19/27

H-B gap: 9/14

Literac/math

W-B gap: 28/37W-H gap: 22/23

H-B gap: 6/13

Literac/math

W-B gap: 26/35W-H gap: 20/21

H-B gap: 4/11

Literac/math

W-B gap: 24/35W-H gap: 18/19

H-B gap: 2/9

Literac/math

W-B gap: 22/33W-H gap: 16/17

H-B gap: 0/7

Literac/math

W-B gap: 20/31W-H gap: 14/15

H-B gap: 0/5

Grauation rate

(base on National Governors

Association stanar)

N/A. State uses a

ierent calculation.

54% 59% 65% 70% 80%

Attenance/truanc

(% absent 18 as or ore)

N/A. State uses a

ierent calculation.

9th: 34%

11th: 46%

9th: 27%

11th: 36%

9th: 19%

11th: 25%

9th: 12%

11th: 15%

9th: 5%

11th: 5%

% o stuents scoring 3 or

above on at least one AP

exa

70% 21% 29% 36% 43% 50%

% o grauates who enroll in

college

2-ear: 31%

4-ear: 29%

2-ear: 17%

4-ear: 21%

2-ear: 21%

4-ear: 27%

2-ear: 26%

4-ear: 33%

2-ear: 31%

4-ear: 39%

2-ear: 35%

4-ear: 45%

% o college enrollees not

neeing reeiation**

N/A NPS reshen at

Essex Count

College (all 2008)English: 13%

Reaing: 13%

math: 2%

English: 22%

Reaing: 22%

math: 11%

English: 32%

Reaing: 32%

math: 21%

English: 41%

Reaing: 41%

math: 30%

English: 50%

Reaing: 50%

math: 40%

% o eploers who believe

stuents are prepare or

jobs***

N/A 42% 50% 60% 70% 80%

*Te state has only one category (partially procient) or all students who do not demonstrate prociency on the NJASK or HSPA tests.o provide more clarity about perormance, NPS has divided the partially procient category in two: students who are in the top hal othe partia lly procient group (scores rom to ) and students in the bottom ha l (scores rom to ).

**Te state is just starting to collect college remediation data. For now, we are using as a proxy data rom Essex County College, whichreceives the largest share o NPS college students.

***NPS-specic data are not available. As a proxy starting point, we are using the percentage o Northern New Jersey employers whobelieve that students graduating rom the states K education system are very or airly well prepared or work. (Source: WorkorceChallenges Survey, September , North Jersey Partners.)

OUR SHAREd GOAL


11/64

9


OUR SHAREd GOAL

mIddLE GRAdES

(test results base on the New Jerse Assessent o Skills an Knowlege [NJ ASK] test or graes 6, 7, 8)

Inicator


State 2009 Newark 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013


math: 26%

Literac: 3%

math: 9%

Literac: 5%

math: 8%

Literac: 8%

math: 7%

Literac: 10%

math: 6%

Literac: 12%

math: 6%

% pr o cient or a vance Liter ac : 7 5%math: 70%

Literac: 47%math: 41%






Literac: 25%

math: 31%

Literac: 48%

math: 45%

Literac: 38%

math: 39%

Literac: 30%

math: 33%

Literac: 22%

math: 28%

Literac: 14%

math: 20%


math: 14%

Literac: 4%

math: 11%

Literac: 3%

math: 7%

Literac: 1%

math: 3%

Literac: 0%

math: 0%



Literac: 36%

math: 32%

Literac: 16%

math: 13%

Literac: 24%

math: 22%

Literac: 32%

math: 30%

Literac: 40%

math: 38%

Literac: 47%

math: 45%

Gener gap

(% o eales/ales procient

or above)

Literac/math

F-m gap: 8/0

Literac/math

F-m gap: 12/4

Literac/math

F-m gap: 11/3

Literac/math

F-m gap: 10/2

Literac/math

F-m gap: 9/1

Literac/math

F-m gap: 8/0


white/Hispanic, Hispanic/

black (% procient or above)

Literac/math

W-B gap: 32/36

W-H gap: 25/25

H-B gap: 6/11

Literac/math

W-B gap: 41/47

W-H gap: 26/25

H-B gap: 15/22

Literac/math

W-B gap: 39/45

W-H gap: 24/23

H-B gap: 15/22

Literac/math

W-B gap: 37/43

W-H gap: 22/21

H-B gap: 15/22

Literac/math

W-B gap: 35/41

W-H gap: 20/19

H-B gap: 15/22

Literac/math

W-B gap: 33/39

W-H gap: 18/17

H-B gap: 15/22

Prepare or high school

(reshen on track or

grauation, base on an NPS

at-risk/on-track inex)

N/A. State oes not

use this calculation.

38% 62% 68% 74% 80%

Attenance/truanc

(% absent 18 as or ore)

N/A. State uses a

ierent calculation.

7th: 25% 7th: 20% 7th: 15% 7th: 10% 7th: 5%

ELEmENTARy GRAdES

(test results base on the states NJASK test or graes 3,4,5)

Inicator


State 2009 Newark 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

% stuents rea or kiner-

garten (base on dRA test)

N/A. State oes not

use this calculation.

64% 68% 72% 76% 80%


math: 31%

Literac: 2%

math: 16%

Literac: 3%

math: 19%

Literac: 5%

math: 23%

Literac: 6%

math: 27%

Literac: 7%

math: 31%

% procient or avance Literac: 64%

math: 75%

Literac: 40%

math: 55%

Literac: 51%

math: 62%

Literac: 63%

math: 70%

Literac: 74%

math: 77%

Literac: 86%

math: 84%


Literac: 36%

math: 25%

Literac: 52%

math: 36%

Literac: 42%

math: 30%

Literac: 33%

math: 24%

Literac: 24%

math: 20%

Literac: 14%

math: 16%


math: 10%

Literac: 7%

math: 8%

Literac: 4%

math: 6%

Literac: 2%

math: 3%

Literac: 0%

math: 0%



Literac: 33%

math: 36%

Literac: 13%

math: 31%

Literac: 22%

math: 38%

Literac: 30%

math: 45%

Literac: 38%

math: 51%

Literac: 45%

math: 56%

Gener gap

(% o eales/ales procient

or above)

Literac/math

F-m gap: 8/0

Literac/math

F-m gap: 9/4

Literac/math

F-m gap: 9/3

Literac/math

F-m gap: 9/2

Literac/math

F-m gap: 8/1

Literac/math

F-m gap: 8/0


white/Hispanic, Hispanic/

black (% procient or above)

Literac/math

W-B gap: 29/31

W-H gap: 23/20

H-B gap: 5/10

Literac/math

W-B gap: 38/42

W-H gap: 20/19

H-B gap: 18/23

Literac/math

W-B gap: 36/40

W-H gap: 18/17

H-B gap: 18/23

Literac/math

W-B gap: 34/38

W-H gap: 16/15

H-B gap: 18/23

Literac/math

W-B gap: 32/36

W-H gap: 14/13

H-B gap: 18/23

Literac/math

W-B gap: 30/34

W-H gap: 12/11

H-B gap: 18/23

Attenance/truanc

(absent 18 as or ore)

N/A. State uses a

ierent calculation.

5th: 21% 5th: 17% 5th: 13% 5th: 9% 5th: 5%

*Te state has only one category (partially procient) or all students who do not demonstrate prociency on the NJASK or HSPA tests.o provide more clarity about perormance, NPS has divided the partially procient category in two: students who are in the top hal othe partia lly procient group (scores rom to ) and students in the bottom ha l (scores rom to ).


12/64

10


A FIVE-TIER SySTEm FOR A PORTFOLIO OF EXCELLENTSCHOOLS

Although student achievement is our ultimate goal, developing a system o great

schools also is important. Schools are not only where children learn; they are oten

anchors o a community. Unortunately, too many o our schools do not help their

neighborhoods thrive. We need schools that attract amilies to neighborhoods and thatare a consistent source o pride.

As part o building a system o great schools, we have developed a typology o schools

a way o categorizing our schools to ensure all are on the right path.

An International Knowledge School, comparable to the nest public schools in

the world;

A High-Perorming School, comparable to the nest public schools in the state;

A Rapidly Improving School, on its way to becoming a High-Perorming

School;

A Consistently Struggling School, in which most students struggle to achieveprociency, gains are inconsistent, and perormance has not substantially

increased; and

A Chronically Failing School, in which most o the students do not achieve

basic prociency.

By , all o our schools will be in the top three tiers. Schools that are not will be

subject to increasing interventions until they turn the corner. Schools that are succeed-

ing will have increasing levels o autonomy. A current assessment o all o our schools

can be ound in the appendix on page .

LAyING THE FOUNdATION FOR CHANGETis strategic plan is an important step or NPS and caps a busy and encouraging year

o planning and productivity. We already have put in place many o the key building

blocks or improvement. We are working closely with the city to transorm our alterna-

tive high schools into beacons o hope. We are collaborating with the Newark each-

ers Union (NU) on a national model approach or addressing ineective teachers. A

cross section o educators, parents, and others helped crat new policies on discipline

and uniorms. Instructional walkthroughs in every school helped principals and

teachers better understand academic strengths and weaknesses. Several audits o our

nonacademic operations (rom ood service to procurement) have identied millions o

dollars in potential cost savings that we can reallocate to schools and classrooms; these

eciencies will be especially important as we grapple with the realities o the economic

recession and theAbbottcourt decision on school unding.

We have reorganized our schools into Pre-Kgrade clusters. Tis organization pro-

vides teachers, students, and parents with a clearer understanding o the preparation

needed to successully transition rom high school to college or the workplace. Educa-

tors are starting to use several powerul new data tools, which are helping principals

OUR SHAREd GOAL

Ater six ears, it has becoe

clear that No Chil Let

Behin has not succeee

in iproving the qualit o

eucation available to Aericasneeiest chilren. This Task

Force is unite aroun the nee

or a ore coprehensive

approach to eeral polic that

specicall respons to the

nees o chilren an schools

in low-incoe areas. Our Bol

Approach ienties critical

counit support sstes

that can eectivel work to

narrow the isheartening

achieveent gap that exists in

Aerica.

Pero Noguera, New york

Universit


13/64

11


OUR SHAREd GOAL

The expectations o the 21st-

centur workorce an societ

place even greater eans on

our school sstes. ... Wheneucators work in partnership

with their electe leaers an

their counities to ensure

that ever chil is health,

sae, engage, supporte, an

challenge, we equip each

stuent with the skills or

lielong success well beon

the a the grauate an leave

our care.

dr. Gene R. Carter,

Executive director an

Chie Executive Ocer,

Association or Supervision

an Curriculu

developent

and teachers pinpoint where their students need more support. Sta teams are identiy-

ing the specic indicators to measure the perormance o every department and school

and hold them accountable or meeting their goals. And, working with outside part-

ners, we engaged in a community-based strategic planning process that gave hundreds

o parents, educators, and community members numerous opportunities to help shape

our uture priorities and strategies.

Perhaps more important than any specic initiative, we are building a culture o excel-

lence in NPS. It is a culture that places a premium on our guiding principles:

ransparency, communicating more openly about our progress as well as our

shortcomings;

Collaboration, working with parents and partners rom every corner o our

community;

Accountability, delivering on what we promise and ocusing on results; and

Innovation, knowing that we need to nd a new approach to improve peror-

mance in the uture.

ransparency, collaboration, accountability, and innovation are not ends in themselves

but a new way o doing business that will help us realize the only outcome that really

matters: students who are prepared academically, socially, and emotionally or

21st-century lie. With your help, we can and will succeed.


14/64


12

[We are tol that] the district

nees higher stanars than

the state stanars but ont

we rst have to have our kis

eet the state stanars?

Counit eeting

participant, April 27, 2009,

eeting, Belont Runon

School

O all the things that are

iportant or goo schools,

nothing is as iportant as the

teacher an what that personknows, believes, an can o.

Jon Saphier, Presient,

Research or Better

Schools

KEy STRATEGIES FOR 200913

Strengthen an align curriculu with rigorous stanars, ensuring that it is

engaging, challenging, an consistentl ipleente.

Create a highl eective proessional evelopent sste or teachers an

ainistrators that is ore ocuse on elivering qualit instruction an

aligne to the learning nees o each stuent.

Ensure there is a highl eective teacher in ever classroo an a highl

eective principal in ever school b strengthening the preparation,

recruitent, inuction, evaluation, recognition, an copensation o eective

teachers an principals.

BACKGROUNd

Quality instruction is at the heart o a successul school. Curriculum, instructional

programs, and materials must be aligned with the standards, which are becoming more

challenging. In addition, the curriculum needs to be relevant and engaging to keep

middle grades and high school students in school and ocused on their studies. each-

ers deserve customized proessional development that is based on the learning needs o

their students. Principals need to be instructional leaders, trained to provide useuland timely evaluations and supports that teachers can use to strengthen their instruc-

tional strategies.

According to multiple measures, NPS is alling short in all areas. oo much o our cur-

riculum is neither challenging nor engaging. It is delivered unevenly, with signicant

variations rom class to class and school to school. Key subject areas such as literacy and

social studies have not received the centralized ocus and resources that are required

to support teachers and schools. Parents report, and our instructional walkthroughs

conrm, that too many students are bored and disengaged. It also is a act that some

o our students come to school unprepared or learning and unconcerned about the

consequences o an inadequate education.

Proessional development has been uncoordinated, ad hoc, and too rarely connected to

the standards, curriculum, and instruction. According to a recent analysis o NPS

schools, Administrators do not monitor the quality o teaching and learning or the

impact o proessional development on classroom practice closely enough. Further,

proessional development opportunities are not consistently well matched to individual

teacher needs. We will address these challenges.

PRIORITy 1.ENSURE HIGHLy EFFECTIVE TE ACHERS ANd PRINCIPALS

dELIVER STRONG CURRICULUm, INSTRUCTION, ANd

ASSESSmENT


15/64

13


We nee to ocus on having

a stable an consistent

curriculu or all stuents

instea o throwing last-inute

quick xes. Counit eeting


eeting, Caen mile

School

The arts can be transorative

or chilren pivotal to

the evelopent o ientit,

iscipline, sel-estee, an

the capacit to enjo the worl.

Not ever chil is an A stuent.

Not ever ki excels at soccer.

Soe kis are goo at ance or

theater or can pla ja trupet

reall well. This is how the

connect an evolve. The arts

contribute to the restoration oour coon huanit, lit us

to our better selves, an are a

healing orce in a ivie worl.

Lawrence P. Golan,

Presient an CEO, New

Jerse Peroring Arts

Center

PRIORITy 1. Eective Sta, Strong Instruction

ImPLEmENTING THE KEy STRATEGIES

Strengthen an align curriculu with rigorous stanars, ensuring that it isA.engaging, challenging, an consistentl ipleente.

As the state ratchets up the rigor o its standards, we must ensure that our curricu-

lum and lesson plans are aligned to these more challenging expectations, espe-cially at the high school level. Te Council o the Great City Schools (CGCS), or

example, ound in that [t]he districts curriculum documents do not dene

clearly or teachers what to teach, in what sequence, and at what levels o rigor. Te

result is that individual teachers are orced to use their best judgment in planning

and organizing the curriculum or their own use. Tis also means that students

transerring between schools within the district may not nd the same levels o

expectations about what they are expected to know rom one school to another. 2

Te more recent audit by MG o America ound: Without strong curricu-

lum policies, sta may continue to do what they have always done. MG consul-

tants could not locate specic, up-to-date curriculum policies. Existing policies lack

the procedural guidance to ensure that the district curriculum is aligned with state

standards and assessment, ensure benchmark assessments, and establish the rigor

necessary or students to be academically successul.3 Although Cambridge Educa-

tions spring audit o NPS schools ound that most have an appropriately

broad and balanced curriculum that is compliant with standards, it also ound an

inconsistency in the quality o teaching and learning in each school, with a lack o

variety in teaching styles, too little interactive learning, and insucient opportuni-

ties or students to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.4

Just as important, we will take multiple steps to ensure that teachers and princi-

pals in all classrooms and schools are actually implementing the curriculum. Te

instructional walkthroughs conducted in all schools this past year conrmed whatwe have learned rom previous audits and conversations: oo many schools are

just winging it.5 Te CGCS ound: Implementation o the districts curriculum

and programs is irregular. Principals monitor classroom instruction, but not the

implementation o the curriculum ... . Site visits oten ound teachers not using any

o the materials purchased by the school district.6 Te result is that students receive

an inconsistent mish-mash o instruction, some o which is challenging and aligned

to the standards and assessments, but much o it is not.

Arts education will be one o the areas o emphasis in strengthening the curriculum

and its implementation. Arts education osters the ability to make rich connections

and develop competencies across all disciplines throughout the curriculum. It devel-

ops a cluster o key habits o mind that include creative thinking and making

connections to many aspects o human culture and experience. Because creativ-

ity is an extended process involving many steps, arts education promotes critical

thinking and complex problem-solving skills. Arts education oten provides a way

or students to engage with community, civic, and social issues. Te arts oer a

unique opportunity or students to express themselves beyond verbal language, thus

enabling sel-discovery, creative thinking, and intercultural learning through mul-

tiple learning styles; in this respect, they can be a portal to some students who are


16/64

14



We nee the right tools in the

classroo to help stuents

learn at their own rate . We

nee to connect hea an heart.

Counit eeting

participant, June 23, 2009,

eeting, Science Park High

School

Use teachers who alrea know

what works as experts.

Counit eeting


eeting, Raael Hernane

School

otherwise disengaged and at risk o dropping out. Finally, the arts oster interactive

learning and perormance discipline through practice. Many artistic disciplines

require close coordination with peers, as in a dance ensemble or orchestra, thus

developing key lie skills such as collaboration and discipline. At present, access to

arts education is uneven across the district, with some schools airly well-served,

while most are underserved in one or more o the our core curricular disciplines:

visual, music, dance, and theater. At the same time, the district underutilizes the

extensive community o nonprot arts organizations that are eager to serve Newark

students with quality in-school- and out-o-school-time programming and to delive

proessional development or classroom teachers.

With implementing clear curriculum comes another step, eliminating the potpourri o

programs and initiatives that have built up over the years and, or the most part, only

been partially implemented. Schools, and more important, teachers can be over-

whelmed with all the dierent programs that are designed or delivery in the classroom

We will be pruning our programs to ensure all align with key goals and strategies.

Ke action steps:

Develop and distribute standards-based, grade-level curriculum rame-

works, pacing guides, and lesson plans and establish processes or helping

teachers make use o these tools. A top priority is to make sure that all teachers

have access to and know how to use the cumulative progress indicators, which

describe the increasing rigor expected as students advance through school. We

also will develop and widely distribute exemplary lesson plans, using a model

template, in all subjects and grade levels, which will help teachers develop and

rene their own lesson plans, and create curriculum maps that ensure align-

ment rom grade to grade. It is especially important that teachers have access to

and learn how to take advantage o interdisciplinary curriculum and lesson plans

as well as culturally connected Arican American, Latino, and multicultural

themes, which tend to make instruction more engaging and relevant.

Evaluate all high school course oerings (including vocational programs) to

ensure that they are aligned with current postsecondary expectations, and elimi-

nate those that are not.

Create standalone oces o language arts and literacy, social studies, and

world languages to ocus needed attention on these core subjects and comple-

ment our current oces o mathematics and science.

Provide more instructional time on task. Expanding the school year by ve

days this year is an important rst step to ensure that NPS students have addi-

tional instructional time. (See Priority , page , or a discussion o additional

extended learning opportunities ater school.)

Introduce a system o interim assessments that will measure perormance

our times a year to monitor i students are on track in language arts literacy,

math, and science. We will use interim assessments tied to the state and a student

achievement data warehouse. We will administer a new college placement test or

all students at the end o their junior year so that they have time to catch up dur-

ing the summer and as seniors.


17/64

15


96.2% o couniteeting participants agree

that all teachers ust have the

skills an knowlege to provie

qualit instruction to eet the

ultiple an varie nees o

stuents.

We ont hear a lot about

entoring principals the

nee to be entore an

evaluate [too].

Counit eeting



School


Establish a standardized system or identiying and delivering appropriate

services to gited and talented students, K12. Although we have made some

progress in adding honors and advanced placement courses in high school, we

now must provide similar enrichment opportunities to elementary students who

are ready or additional challenges. A top priority this year is or all teachers in

grades to ensure advanced students have opportunities or additional research

and independent study projects.

Assess the current status o arts education in every school and develop a

districtwide strategy, which employs both district sta and nonprot arts edu-

cation providers, to ensure that every school has a robust arts education program

based on New Jerseys core content curriculum standards.

Strengthen the special education program by implementing recommenda-

tions rom the recent MG o America audit. Tese include reorganizing and

streamlining the oce o special education, improving transition services rom

secondary programs to postsecondary opportunities, increasing inclusive educa-

tional options or students with disabilities rom the most restrictive setting (out-

o-district placement) to the least restrictive setting (general education classroom

with consultation), and implementing a consistent and appropriate Intervention

and Reerral Service process in all schools throughout the district.

Review and revise student promotion policies and strengthen them, as needed,

to ensure that students are not being advanced to the next grade until they are

ready. Students now can be retained only once, in either rd or th grade.

We know we are on the right track

when:*

A growing percentage o schools are

implementing the districts curricu-lum, as measured by instructional

walkthroughs and School Quality

Reviews.

A growing percentage o classes have

engaging instruction, as measured

by instructional walkthroughs and

School Quality Reviews.

A growing percentage o schools pro-

vide sustained, sequential instruction

in at least three o the our artistic

disciplines.

All students are beneting rom

interim assessments administered our times a year.

A growing percentage o students have access to gited/talented and advanced

programs, rom elementary through high school.


18/64

16


90.9% o couniteeting participants think there

shoul be ore opportunities

or principals an teachers to

visit each others classroos

an schools to learn rsthan

ro their peers about

successul approaches.

As an eective school leaer

ou have to believe in theevaluation process as a tool.

Counit eeting



School


Create a highl eective proessional evelopent sste or teachers anB.ainistrators that is ore ocuse on elivering qualit instruction an

aligne to the learning nees o each stuent.

High-perorming and/or ast-improving school districts place a premium on deliver-

ing sta development that is closely aligned to the grade-level and subject-matter

curriculum objectives. Unless principals and teachers thoroughly understand thecurriculum, they are unlikely to teach it well. According to the National Sta

Development Council, eective proessional development is a key lever or increas-

ing student achievement. An analysis o evaluation research ound programs that

oered substantial contact hours o proessional development (ranging rom to

hours in total, spread over to months) boosted student achievement by

approximately percentage points.8

Recent audits and conversations with school administrators, however, indicate that NPS

proessional development is haphazard, ad hoc, and not well aligned with the districts

learning priorities. Te CGCS audit, or example, ound: Te district provides

a substantial amount o proessional development but lacks a mechanism or trackingwho participates in it or evaluating its eectiveness ... . Te districts proessional devel-

opment is mostly voluntary, rather than being required. Te result is that the ability o

the district to train all o its teachers and sta on its instructional goals and initiatives

is dependent on voluntary attendance at proessional development sessions ... . Te

district does not appear to use its student achievement data very eectively to inorm

its proessional development program or to dierentiate its instruction.9 Cambridge

Educations audit o schools in spring ound that administrators do not monitor

the quality o teaching and learning or the impact o proessional development on class-

room practice closely enough and that proessional development opportunities are not

consistently well matched to individual teacher needs.10 Our eorts moving orward will

ocus on overhauling our current proessional development system to ensure it supportsour teachers and principals. Further, our new system will align with national standards

developed by the National Sta Development Council (see the appendix on page or

highlights).

Ke action steps:

Work closely with teachers, principals, vice principals, and department chairs

to revamp the proessional development system to ensure that development

opportunities are customized to their needs and based on the perormance

o their students. Te top priority is to ensure that all educators are well versed in

the districts standards-based curriculum and able to implement it. It is especially

important that school administrators (principals, vice principals, and departmentchairs) have enough instructional expertise to help support and evaluate their

teachers. eams o teachers should observe each others classrooms using the same

district or school language o instruction as the ramework or their observations.

Tese instructional rounds are modeled on medical rounds, whose main purpose

is to observe and share best treatments and strategies, according to Dr. Robert

Marzano.

rain administrators and teachers how to analyze student perormance

data, including rom the new interim assessments, and use the inormation to


19/64

17



new teachers shoul receive

coaching an assistance ro

an eective entor teacher.

When there are a lot o new

teachers, how o ou n

enough goo entors?

Counit eeting

participant, April 29, 2009,eeting, Raael Hernane

School


strengthen instruction. Tis expertise is an essential rst step or dierentiating

instruction to meet each students needs.

Conduct certifcate-bearing proessional institutes ater school and on

weekends or two to six weeks,which will provide targeted support to teachers

and principals in high-priority areas such as literacy. Tese will supplement the

our days o district-mandated development and in-class coaching support.Develop a proessional development strategy that supports the expansion o

arts programming in every school in the district.

Require all external proessional development providers to sign perormance

contracts that speciy the expected outcomes.

Create proessional learning communities, in which groups o teachers and

principals can learn together rom each other in areas o common need or interest

as needed. Tese can be long term or short term, ace to ace or online.

We know we are on the right track when:

A growing percentage o teachers and principals can identiy at least two practicesthat they have changed as a result o the proessional development they received.

A growing percentage o teachers and principals report that they use student

perormance data to modiy instruction.

A growing percentage o students are engaged in class, as measured by the

instructional walkthroughs.

One hundred percent o external proessional development vendors have peror-

mance-based contracts and are held accountable or achieving those results.

A growing percentage o teachers are satised with their principals leadership.

Ensure there is a highl eective teacher in ever classroo an a highlC.eective principal in ever school b strengthening the preparation,

recruitent, inuction, evaluation, recognition, an copensation o eective

teachers an principals.

Education is a people-intensive enterprise. Approximately percent o the districts

budget is spent on personnel the majority o that on classroom teachers, school

administrators, and instructional coaches. Until we strengthen all parts o the

people pipeline, rom teacher preparation programs to methods or evaluating and

compensating our proessionals, student perormance will not improve. Unor-

tunately, the NPS pipeline has multiple leaks. At the ront end, we lose too many

quality candidates to better-organized districts. Principals have had virtually no say

in which teachers are assigned to their schools. Indeed, the lack o principal involve-

ment in hiring and transers has had a negative impact on morale and instructional

continuity in the classroom. Further, we lose too many quality educators once they

are on sta. We do not know how many new teachers leave ater one year, two years,

or three years. We do not know why our employees leave voluntarily other than

or retirement. Until we put processes in place to collect, analyze, and use data on

retention and attrition, we must rely on solid national research that suggests most

new teachers leave a district because o lack o support.


20/64

18



A meta-analysis o reports on NPS by the Annenberg Institute or School

Reorm ound [e]quity issues aect the hiring, assigning, support, and, ultimately,

retention o teachers across the system. Tese issues seem to contribute to ineective

teacher induction and support eorts, unacceptably high teacher attrition, and an

overall level o limited teacher perormance across the district.11

Ke action steps:

Te immediate challenge is to strengthen our inrastructure or teacher

and principal recruitment, hiring, and induction. op priorities are to hire a

K recruiter with an outstanding record o results who will work with sta to

develop clear processes that clariy roles and responsibilities and make better use

o technology to help manage the work. Tis may include a partnership with an

organization that specializes in preparing principals or turning around low-

perorming schools.

Give principals more authority to hire their instructional and non-

instructional sta, with central oce playing a support role to ensure the prin-

cipals know and use our hiring and induction processes. For this to work well,principals need to have the skills and knowledge to choose personnel eectively.

o that end, we are rolling out the Haberman process, a systematic ramework

or hiring star teachers that is research-based, aligned to core values and best

practices, and statistically reliable and valid.

Start the recruitment and hiring process much earlier, beginning with the

201011 school year.

Introduce the new teacher and principal evaluations to provide more thor-

ough and objective assessments o educator quality. Principal and teacher

evaluations will be based in part on student achievement gains and sta, student,

and parent satisaction. A central part o principals proessional development willbe to instruct teachers in using the new evaluation tool eectively.

Continue to implement our model partnership program with NU, through

which teachers receiving unsatisactory evaluations are given targeted support

and ultimately are removed i they continue to be ineective in the classroom.

Build the capacity o the human resources department to be both strategic

and administratively eective in all hiring and transer processes.

rack and improve the retention rate o highly eective new teachers. Dis-

tricts such as Rochester, NY, or example, have been able to retain our o ve

new teachers as a result o requent mentoring assistance.

Develop and administer an annual school climate and working conditions

surveyto get timely eedback rom principals, teachers, and sta about their

levels o satisaction with a variety o aspects o their work experience, includ-

ing growth opportunities, eedback on perormance, teamwork, and work-lie

balance.

Once these basic builing blocks are in place, we will begin to ocus on

several longer-ter priorities:

Explore strategies that create incentives or highly eective teachers to teach in

high-poverty, low-perorming schools.

Goo teachers/strong

relationships equal great

outcoes.

Counit eeting

participant, ma 5, 2009,eeting, Ann Street

Eleentar School

Veteran teachers also nee

eeback, critical riens,

collaboration with peers.

Counit eeting

participant, ma 5, 2009,

eeting, Ann Street

Eleentar School


21/64

19



Develop robust assessment rameworks that allow the analysis o the eectiveness

o proessional development strategies and, more generally, teacher eectiveness.

Tese rameworks will use growth models that track student achievement over

time.

Strengthen partnerships with Montclair State, Rutgers-Newark, New Jersey

Institute o echnology, Seton Hall University, Essex County College, and theUniversity o Medicine and Dentistry o New Jersey to improve the preparation

o new teachers and principals and ensure that teachers-t-be who are transition-

ing rom being in school to leading a classroom receive sustained support and

coaching through their third year o teaching.

Increase partnerships with alternative preparation programs (such as eacherNex,

Te New eacher Project, New Leaders or New Schools, and each or America)

to ensure NPS has access to a wider range o qualied candidates.

Develop a career ladder by giving teachers a chance to advance in the proession

by becoming cooperating teachers, mentor teachers, or master teachers.

Set perormance goals and provide individual and/or schoolwide bonuses to thoseexceeding the goals by eectively implementing innovative work assignments.


Te human resources oce has the proessional capacity to develop and imple-

ment hiqh-quality processes or recruiting, hiring, stang schools, and inducting

new principals and teachers.

A growing percentage o teachers and principals exceed the minimum credentials

needed.

Tere are progressively ewer classroom vacancies at the start o each school year,

with a goal o or ewer districtwide.

eacher hiring is based on research-based proven processes, such as the use o

multiple indicators that include, but are not limited to, advanced degrees.

Tere is a sca le to measure the quality and eectiveness o proessional development

and an increasing percentage o teacher and principals rate the system as eective.

Fewer teachers are tardy or absent, an indicator o proessionalism and dedication.

A growing percentage o principals are satised with the levels o central oce

support or recruitment, hiring, and induction.

A growing percentage o principals are trained to conduct more thorough and

action-oriented evaluations o teachers.

A growing percentage o teachers say that annual evaluations provide useul

eedback to them.

A growing percentage o teachers and principals receive procient and distin-

guished on the new NPS perormance evaluation, which emphasizes instruction

and instructional leadership, respectively.

When interviewing new

teachers, look or volunteeris

an extracurricular activities

that eonstrate the have a

passion or chilren.

Counit eeting



School


22/64


20

The Rutgers-base National

Institute or Earl Eucation

Research recentl release

a report that evaluates the

progress ae b stuents who

attene Abbottpreschools

copare to those who i

not. The results are stunning.

Stuents who attene two

ears o preschool increase

their perorance ro the 50th

percentile to the 67th percentile

through 2n grae. An onl 5.3

percent o those who attenetwo ears o preschool were

hel back in grae 2, copare

to 10.7 percent o those who

i not atten preschool. This

refects pre-Ks consierable

eects on learning an abilit

an results in savings to

taxpaers, the report sai.1

PRIORITy 2.BUILd A SySTEm OF GRE AT SCHOOLS THAT SERVE STUdENTS,

THEIR FAmILIES, ANd THE COmmUNITy

KEy STRATEGIES FOR 200913

Buil an aligne, supportive Pre-Kgrae 3 pipeline that ensures stuents

are rea or kinergarten, reaing b grae 3, an prepare to ove

orwar.

Transor the ile graes experience to ensure stuents are prepare or

high school acaeicall, sociall, an eotionall.

draaticall transor our high schools, builing a sste o thee, college-

an career-oriente schools that ensure all stuents grauate prepare or

college, work, an citienship.

Ipleent an aggressive strateg or turning aroun low-peroring

schools that inclues reconstitution, external partnerships, ull-service

counit schools, an other eective strategies.

EVERy SCHOOL AN EXCELLENT SCHOOL

We should be proud o every school in our system. Every classroom in every school in

our system must:

Maintain a culture o high expectations.

Actively support students and help remove barriers to learning that they may ace

Foster positive and sae learning environments.

Actively engage parents and guardians in the lie o the school.

Demonstrate excellence in teaching.

Tese principles, though, can be challenging to attain. Further, we have too many

schools that are not helping their students make the progress that is possible. Tis is

not the rst concerted eort to transorm schools in Newark; we must learn rom our

successes as well as our ailures. And other school systems around the country ace this

challenge; we should learn rom them as well.

Tere are a growing number o high-poverty, high-perorming schools both in Newark

and across the nation. Tey are oten dubbed // schools because about percent

o the students are eligible or ree and reduced-price lunch, percent or more o the

students are members o ethnic minority groups, and more than percent o the students

met or exceeded high academic standards, according to independently conducted tests o

academic achievement.


23/64

21


PRIORITy 2. Great Schools

Tese are exactly the kinds o gains we want to make in Newark public schools,

improving our student achievement by up to percentage points in our years. So,

why do these schools succeed? Douglas Reeves, the researcher who rst coined the term

// schools, ound the ollowing ve common characteristics:2

A ocus on academic achievement;

Clear curriculum choices;

Frequent assessment o student progress and multiple opportunities or improvement;

An emphasis on nonction writing; and

Collaborative scoring o student work.

He urther ound that the techniques used by the // schools are implemented

consistently and persistently, and most important, they are replicable. And in these

schools, every adult counts. School leaders recognized that the students day does not

really begin in the classroom, but on the bus or perhaps during ree breakast. By com-

mitting their systems to consistency in the education and behavior o adults, these lead-

ers ensure that every adult leader, rom the bus driver to the ood service employee tothe classroom teacher, is regarded as a signicant adult leader in the eyes o students.

Another hallmark o high-perorming schools is they consistently innovate. Whether it

is problem solving to address the particular needs o a student; crating a new, school-

wide approach to a vexing challenge; or using time more eectively, innovation and

problem solving is a recurring theme. Fostering innovation, rather than the compliance

mentality that pervades many o our schools, is a key to success.

Tese research-based practices undergird the strategies or school improvement described

on the ollowing pages.

OUR OVERALL GOAL

By , every NPS school will be in one o three categories:

An International Knowledge School,

A High-Perorming School, or

A Rapidly Improving School.

oo many o our schools are now in the bottom two tiers (Consistently Struggling

Schools and Chronically Failing Schools). A list o all schools can be ound on page .

Te strategies described on the ollowing pages are inormed by best practices and

include targeted interventions designed to help all schools improve. Te strategies alsorecognize that NPS needs priorities; we cannot do everything at once. (See page or

year action priorities and responsibilities.)

In building a system o great schools, NPS recognizes that there is not one model or all

schools. Indeed, our schools should oer a range o approaches and strategies that appeal

to children and their parents. One size does not t al l administratively, as well. Auton-

omy, the amount o control a principal and other school sta have to make decisions,


24/64

22



Tier 1: International Knowlege Schools

One hunre percent o the stuents are rea to copete on an international level

an are active participants in the learning process. Creativit an critical thinking

are present 100 percent o the tie.

Teachers are coitte to their stuents an creative an istinguishe in content

an instructional expertise. Aults an chilren have cultivate a culture o success.Teachers, ainistrators, an parents consistentl ake strategic use o ata to

assess, plan, an aapt instruction.

Tier 2: High-Peroring Schools

Ninet percent o the stuents are prepare or college an/or are job-rea, an

all stuents are relativel active participants in the learning process. Creativit an

critical thinking are coon.

Teachers have avance knowlege o content an instruction an are coitte to

ensuring stuent success. Aults an chilren have cultivate a culture o success.

Teachers, ainistrators, an parents requentl use ata to assess, plan, an

oi instruction.

Tier 3: Rapil Iproving Schools

Signicant increases in stuent achieveent happen ro ear to ear. man

stuents are relativel active participants in the learning process. Creativit an

critical thinking are soeties present.

Teachers have a basic knowlege o content an instruction an are coitte to

iproveent. most aults an chilren have cultivate a culture o success.

Teachers, ainistrators, an parents are activel learning to use ata to assess,

plan, an oi instruction.

Tier 4: Consistentl Struggling Schools

Fit percent o the stuents are prepare or college an/or are job-rea, an ost

stuents are relativel passive participants in the learning process. Creativit an

critical thinking are rarel present; ew aults have high expectations o chilren.

Teachers have soe knowlege o content an/or instruction, but teachers eorts

have not resulte in stuent achieveent.

Teachers, ainistrators, an parents rarel use ata to assess, plan, an oi

instruction.

Tier 5: Chronicall Failing Schools

most stuents are not rea or college an/or job-rea, an the are coonl

isengage. Creativit an critical thinking are rarel present.

Teachers a be qualie, but ver ew o their stuents succee. man aults have

low expectations o chilren.

data are not use to assess, plan, or oi instruction.

Tier 1:InternationalKnowlege

Schools

Tier 2:High-

PeroringSchools

Tier 3:Rapil

IprovingSchools

Tier 4:ConsistentlStruggling

Schools

Tier 5:

ChronicallFailing

Schools


25/64

23


96% o counit eetingparticipants sa that preschool

progras shoul oer courses

or parents to help the

better support their chilrens

acaeic an social growth.

Create agnet schools at lower

levels ro Pre-K up.

Counit eeting



School

Parents have isconceptions

that one ear o Pre-K is just

as goo as two ears an that

preschool is not iportant

that it is not real school.

Counit eeting


eeting, Raael HernaneSchool

Start introucing a secon

language at preschool level.

Counit eeting


eeting, Caen mile

School

[Chilren] nee to be reaing

an writing b 2n grae. Thir

grae is too late.

Counit eeting

participant, June 23, 2009,

eeting, Science Park High

School


needs to vary. In general, NPS believes that autonomy is earned. As schools become

ier and ier schools, school leaders will have more autonomy because they have

demonstrated, by the outcomes attained by their students, that they know how to ensure

students succeed. Lower-perorming schools generally will have less autonomy and will

be guided in their decisionmaking and strategy development. Tere is an important

exception to this. Schools that are entering a new turnaround strategy need fexibility in

governance to ensure that they are able to deploy resources in ways that make a dier-

ence. Interventions might include perormance-based partnerships, customized leader

recruitment and proessional development strategies, and scal incentives with account-

ability. Tis fexibility is critically important to success in turning around a school.

Our progress will be reported to the community in the orm o annual reports on

schools, regions, and central oce, which will describe how each school and depart-

ment perorms in student achievement and other measures.

ImPLEmENTING THE KEy STRATEGIES

Buil an aligne, supportive Pre-Kgrae 3 pipeline that ensures stuentsA.are rea or kinergarten, reaing b grae 3, an prepare to ove

orwar.

Preschool, research suggests, is the single most important investment that can be

made to reduce the achievement gap and help children, especially those at risk,

succeed. New Jersey, through theAbbottcourt rulings, has helped Newark and

other jurisdictions develop excellent preschools, usually with a ocus on prepar-

ing students or kindergarten. Recent research suggests that or the gains made in

preschool to be sustained, preschool must be ollowed by aligned and integrated

experiences in kindergarten through the rd grade.4 Further, rd grade oers a criti-

cal turning point; it is when children shit rom learning to read to reading tolearn.5

In Newark, many children do not attend preschool, and it can be hard, with the

current process, or parents to nd preschools with open slots. We will continue

to work with other community agencies to create a central intake and placement

process or young children in preschool programs o various types. Tese preschool

programs should includeAbbottpreschools, programs or young children who are

Limited English Procient, programs or young children with disabilities, Head

Start, inant/toddler programs, or any other community program that provides

early education and care services to young children and their amilies. Tis collabo-

ration will extend beyond placement. We will explore collaboration with commu-

nity social agencies, health clinics, local physicians, and aith-based organizations

to ully develop a continuum o identication, reerral, screening, and preschool

placement o eligible children, to the greatest extent possible.

Improving the quality o preschool programs also is important. We will account or the

language development o each child, which will involve changes in how they get ready

or kindergarten, whether in school or at home.


26/64

24


100% o couniteeting participants agree that

neighborhoo preschool an

eleentar school teachers

shoul eet regularl to help

chilren ake a sealess

transition.

We talk about all the stuents

having a ounation in learning

at an earl age in school. Lets

not wait until the get into highschool or college to sen the

essage, Sta in school!

Counit eeting



School

80s babies learn better in

interactive settings.

Counit eeting



School

Teachers nee ore than a ear

with a chil in Pre-K to 5.

Counit eeting

participant, ma 5, 2009,

eeting, Ann Street

Eleentar School


In general, NPS classrooms do not score as well as they should on the Early Childhood

Environment Rating Scale (ECERS), the industry standard. One o the challenges is

that there are only one or two preschool programs in a school building. Preschool sta

members, thereore, oten work in isolation, making it more dicult to improve their

practice. Te actions below recommend creating preschool centers that bring multiple

classrooms together. Tis will not only create a collegial network, it also will make

investments in equipment and acilities, such as playgrounds, more ecient because the

investments will serve more children. Te district has ample space in school buildings to

create preschool centers with our to six preschool classrooms per center within a school

or schools in each o the our regions. Such a center-based approach could improve the

overall provision o quality preschool programming, as well as their management and

supervision. Tis recommendation and analysis parallel a recommendation oered by

MG o America in its audit o NPS operations.

Ke action steps:

Create a communitywide, streamlined system o entry or all preschool

services throughout the city. Use this ramework to increase the participationo -year-olds rom percent to percent and o -year-olds rom percent to

percent.

Ensure all preschool providers (including NPS) are meeting standards o

quality, measured by an ECERS score o or higher. I an outside provider is

not meeting the ECERS standard, its contract will be terminated. I an NPS

classroom is not meeting the ECERS standard, it will have one year to improve

its quality or the Chie Academic Ocer must intervene and take steps to ensure

quality, which could include moving or closing the classroom.

Improve the curricular alignment between preschool and early elementary

school, establishing a seamless, developmentally appropriate Pre-Kgrade path-

way that ensures all children are reading.

Create preschool centers in NPS, with at least one preschool center per region.

Build these preschool centers as the oundations or literacy.

Create additional kindergarten classrooms in underserved parts o the city.

Create a collaborative working group or all preschool providers, including

NPS, to work together on these priorities. Establish similar collaborative rame-

works at the neighborhood level to oster alignment among preschools that eed

particular elementary schools.


A growing percentage o entering kindergarten students have satisactory DRA

scores and are ready to read.

A growing percentage o students are reading independently books a year by the

end o grade .

Ninety percent o all -year-olds are enrolled in a preschool program by .


27/64

25


95.5% o couniteeting participants think

schools shoul oer career

an college awareness

opportunities in the ile

graes so stuents start

thinking about their utures.

Establish internships or ile

school chilren.

Counit eeting


eeting, Caen mile

School


Ninety percent o all -year-olds are enrolled in a preschool program by .

One hundred percent o preschools receive an ECERS score o or higher by .

Transor the ile graes experience to ensure stuents are prepare orB.high school acaeicall, sociall, an eotionall.

At one point, the middle grades were largely neglected during conversations aboutschool improvement; many considered them an unimportant way station on the

path to high school a chance or students to deal with the challenges o adoles-

cence but with minimal expectations or achievement. More recently, the critical

importance o the middle grades has become more apparent. For example, a

study by Johns Hopkins University researchers ound that a ew simple actors rom

the middle grades (grades, attendance, and behavior) can predict, with percent

accuracy, which students will drop out long beore they do.6 I these students are

identied in the middle grades, schools can create targeted and timely interventions

that can dramatically improve the chance o high school success. Students who

leave th grade without the essential skills they need to be on target or college and

career readiness too oten never catch up.

We will improve our curriculum and instruction to ensure NPS students can

compete anywhere. Further, despite recent strides to improve middle grades educa-

tion, Newark has not had a systemic, comprehensive approach with its partners

that ocuses on improving the outcomes and learning environments or all young

adolescents in the district. We will start there.

Ke action steps:

Work with principals, teachers, parents, and central oce to develop a clear,

comprehensive strategy or all schools that have middle grades. Tis will

include developing a holistic approach to education that values students aca-demic success and social-emotional development and that makes learning more

engaging and challenging. NPS initially will work with the Academy or Educa-

tional Development, whose Middle Start program has been successul in urban

districts across the country. We will identiy and begin discussions with other

successul middle grades programs this year.

Provide intensive training or principals and vice principals in our key

areas: () understanding adolescent development and its implications or instruc-

tion, discipline, and the organization o middle grades schools; () using data

(including, but not limited to, test scores) to design and implement rigorous and

customized instruction; () helping teachers through leadership development col-

laborate across grade levels and subjects through thematic curriculum units that

make learning engaging and challenging; and () establishing college awareness

and readiness programs to expose students earlier to their opportunities beyond

high school. Tis in-depth training initially will ocus on low-perorming

schools in .

Expand the interdisciplinary curriculum rom the K schools now using it

to all middle grades programs.


28/64

26



Newark high school stuentsshoul be expecte to grauate

ro high school.

Allow three-, our-, an ve-

ear high school grauation

paths.

Counit eetingparticipant, April 27, 2009,


School

Establish virtual classes or

StrategicPlan-FINALASOF11-09

Documents

Transcript of StrategicPlan-FINALASOF11-09