Strengthening the Statewide System of Support

Center on Innovation & Improvement

www.centerii.org

NCLB and SSOS

“Each State shall establish a statewide system of intensive and

sustained support and improvement for local educational

agencies and schools receiving funds under this part, in

order to increase the opportunity for all students served by

those agencies and schools to meet the State’s academic

content standards and student academic achievement

standards” (No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 20 U.S.C.A. §

6301-6578).

A Technical Assistance Tool

For a Comprehensive Center to assist an SEA self-assessment team

To describe, analyze, and plan the improvement of a statewide system of support

Strengthening the SSOS is not a . . .

Compliance tool

Rating system

Means of comparing one state with another

Model for a SSOS

Strengthening the SSOS is a . . .

Framework within which many strategies may fulfill the same purposes

Process to—– develop a complete profile of the current SSOS

– consider new approaches

– develop a plan for improvement with “quick wins” and longer-term objectives

Elements of Strengthening the SSOS

SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory—completed by the SEA team

SSOS Self-Assessment Interview Form—completed by the CC consultants with the SEA team

SSOS Self-Assessment Report—completed by the CC consultants and revised with input from SSOS personnel

Plan to Strengthen the SSOS—completed by the SEA team with assistance from CC consultants

Strengthening the SSOS examines . . .

SSOS and SEA organizational structure and coordination

SSOS operational coherence and completeness

Self-assessed strengths and challenges

Steps in the Process

First 60 days Step 1: CC and SEA agree to engage in process

Step 2: SEA forms self-assessment team of 3 to 5 key personnel in SSOS

Step 3: CC orients self-assessment team to framework and process (2 hours)

Step 4: SEA self-assessment team completes SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory and assembles key documents

Steps in Process

Next 30 days Step 5: CC and SEA team complete SSOS Self-Assessment

Interview Form in interview (1 day) and CC completes interviews with SSOS clients

Step 6: CC develops draft SSOS Self-Assessment Report

Step 7: SEA team convenes wider group of SSOS personnel and partners to review and revise report (1 day)

Step 8: CC completes final SSOS Self-Assessment Report

Steps in Process

Next 10 days

Step 9: CC and SEA self-assessment team meet to develop Plan to Strengthen the SSOS (1 day)

Thereafter

Step 10: CC continues to provide TA for SEA in implementing and monitoring the plan

Functions of the SEA

Provide information Set standards Distribute resources Monitor compliance Assist with improvement Intervene to correct deficiencies

SEA Function Process Safe Zone Caution Zone Danger Zone District School District School District School Information Notification Expectation Announcement Enrichment Standards Certification Programming Assessment Resource Distribution Prioritization Conditioning Allocation Compliance Assurance Documentation Confirmation Improvement Status Assessment Gap Analysis Planning Organizational

Development

Training / Prof. Development

Intervention Remediation Corrective Action Restructuring

SEA Functions, Processes, and SupportsShaded Areas Represent Statewide System of Support

Degree of Shading Symbolizes Intensity and Duration of Support

The Statewide System of Support

Operates within the functions of the SEA

Includes partners outside the SEA

Supports the improvement of the functions of the district and school

The SSOS Framework

Incentives Capacity Opportunities

And Evaluate the Process and Results

Sum Greater Than Parts

Incentives without capacity cannot spur meaningful and sustainable change, nor

can opportunity without incentives and capacity (Elmore, n.d.; Malen & Rice,

2004; Massell, 1998; Mintrop & Trujillo, 2005).

Devoting more resources to capacity-building activities like professional

development without changes in the incentive structure appears equally

problematic (Elmore, 2002).

Incentives, capacity, and opportunity: individual legs of a three-legged stool as

opposed to separate components that could be applied effectively in isolation.

Why Incentives?

Definition: Incentives are inducements designed to motivate personnel to change or improve behavior that influences education outcomes.

Incentives are an important part of the process because without strong motivation to take on the hard work that change entails, no amount of capacity or opportunity can make change happen (Hanushek, 1994).

Incentives

State-level incentives for improvement come in many forms, described here under the following headings:

Public disclosure: standards, accountability, and information about results

Negative incentives: consequences of low school performance

Positive incentives: contingent funding, autonomy, and recognition

Market-oriented incentives: changing the “market” structure of public schooling

Why Capacity?

Definition: Capacity entails the district or school’s ability to respond to incentives in ways that improve outcomes and includes investment in new ideas, instructional methods, and human capacity.

Building district and school capacity—supported by incentives and opportunities—is the core of efforts to help schools improve (Massel, 1998; Mazzeo & Berman, 2006).

Capacity

Building Capacity at Two Levels– Systemic Capacity (the State system of education)

Create and disseminate knowledge Enhance supply of personnel equipped for improvement Provide strong data system to support improvement

– Local Capacity (the district and school) Coordinate SSOS services, components, personnel Differentiate support to districts and schools Deliver services to districts and schools (provide and

allocate resources for support)

Why Opportunities?

Definition: Opportunity represents the environment in which schools operate, particularly policies that enable schools to operate successfully absent “rules that limit and routinize instruction” and limit allocation of staff and money (Hill & Celio, 1998, p. 75).

Organizations need to have the flexibility to change, as proponents of standards-based reform have long maintained (e.g., Smith and O’Day, 1991; National Governors Association, 1986).

Research on change efforts such as the New American Schools comprehensive school reform initiative (Berends, Bodilly, & Nataraj Kirby, 2002) and Edison Schools (Gill et al., 2005) document the importance of giving educators the flexibility to implement significant changes.

Opportunities

Provide Opportunities for Improvement– Remove barriers to innovation and improvement– Create new space for schools

Evaluation

Goals, objectives, benchmarks Monitor and report progress Evaluate and improve the system

Improvement: What buttons does the SSOS push?

Functions of the District and School

Leadership and Decision Making

Curriculum and Instruction

Human Capital

Student Support

Functions: Leadership and Decision Making

Leadership and Decision Making– Allocation of resources to address learning

goals– Decision-making structures and processes– Information and data systems

Functions: Curriculum and Instruction

Curriculum and Instruction– Alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment

with standards– Curriculum– Formative and periodic assessment of student learning– Instructional delivery (teaching and classroom

management)– Instructional planning by teachers– Instructional time and scheduling

Functions: Human Capital

Human Capital– Performance incentives for personnel– Personnel policies and procedures (hiring,

placing, evaluating, promoting, retaining, replacing)

– Professional development processes and procedures

Functions: Student Support

Student Support

– English language learners—programs and services

– Extended learning time (supplemental educational services, after-school programs, summer school, for example)

– Parental involvement, communication, and options

– Special education programs and procedures

– Student support services (tutoring, counseling, placement, for example)

Orientation for the SEA Self-Assessment Team

Agenda for Orientation Session

2 Hours in Person or Via Webinar

Welcome and Introductions

Power Point on Statewide Systems of Support

Questions and Discussion

Power Point on Strengthening the Statewide System of Support

Questions and Discussion

Review of the SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory and Key Documents

Next Steps: Tasks and Timeline

Gathering the Key Documents

Completing the SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory

Scheduling the Interview Session

Designating Principals and Superintendents for Interview

Questions and Discussion

Interview with Superintendents and Principals

Optional for SEA Conducted by CC Protocol in Manual

Key Documents from SEA

1. SSOS’s goals, objectives, and benchmarks.

2. Organizational chart that depicts the offices and entities within the SEA and outside the SEA that make up the statewide system of support.

3. Role descriptions for each person, office, or entity within the statewide system of support.

– Description of the role of distinguished educators.

– Description of the role of support teams.

– Description of the role of other consultants.

4. Criteria or rubric to determine services districts and schools receive from the SSOS. – Description of criteria to determine which districts and schools receive services.

– Description of the criteria and assessment methods to determine the intensity and duration of service.

– Description of the criteria and assessment methods used to determine the type of service.

5. A list of key URLs to State websites that assist schools and districts with improvement and a brief description of the purpose of each.

SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory

Completed by Self-Assessment Team by discussion and team consensus

Submitted to CC prior to Interview Key Documents also submitted

Interview with Self-Assessment Team

Conducted by CC in full day without interruptions

Self-Reflection Questions Exploration and Elaboration of Inventory

– Modify if clarifications warrant– Capture the full story in narrative form – Put the pieces together

Summary Appraisal to Inform Plan

SSOS Self-Assessment Report

Prepared by CC Written as narrative case study following

TOC outline in Manual Based on:

– Key Documents– SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory– SSOS Self-Assessment Interview Form– Interviews with Principals and Superintendents

Vetting and Refining the Report

First with SEA Self-Assessment Team Then convene for a day wide group of SEA

and non-SEA partners in SSOS Objective: Acquaint a large group of SSOS

personnel with the framework and process Objective: Arrive at a Report that portrays the

current SSOS with broad acceptance

Plan to Strengthen the SSOS

Prepared by SEA Self-Assessment Team with facilitation by CC

Schedule a full day without interruptions Develop Mission and Purpose of SSOS Complete Priority/Opportunity Indexes Complete Quick Win Objectives Complete Longer Term Objectives Plan coordination with SEA functions Schedule meetings and touch-bases to monitor Plan CC’s further TA

Embedding the Plan

Letter to SSOS from Commissioner/ Superintendent to give direction

Communication with Governor, Legislators, other State departments

Self-Assessment Team to monitor progress Leadership Team to drive change

A Big Job for the SEA and CC

“This transition in the state role from oversight to capacity

building requires states to redesign existing support systems

or create new ways to ensure that districts and schools have

the resources needed to bring all students to proficiency”

(CCSSO Policy Brief 9-06).