Back to School! · 2014. 9. 10. · period (Sanders, 1996) eliminating gaps Having a high-quality teacher throughout elementary school can substantially offset or even eliminate the

Back to School!

Presentation to School Committee September 10, 2014

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BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS


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Agenda

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• Human Capital

• Operations

• Academics

• Madison Park

• Dearborn



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Human Capital

A Great Teacher in Every Classroom

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diversity “A teaching force that represents

the nation’s racial, ethnic, and

linguistic cultures…is

advantageous to the academic

performance of students of all

backgrounds, and for students of

color specifically” (National

Education Association, 2014)

student growth Students assigned to a good

teacher over three years in a row

will score 50 percentile points higher

on tests than students assigned to

weak teachers over the same

period (Sanders, 1996)

eliminating gaps Having a high-quality teacher throughout

elementary school can substantially offset

or even eliminate the disadvantage of low

socio-economic background (Rivkin,

Hanushek and Kain, 2002)

Having a top-quartile teacher rather than a

bottom-quartile teacher four years in a row

may be enough to close the black-white

test score gap (Gordon, Kane and Staiger,

2006)


Hiring

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Recruiting, staffing, and hiring data are

annually reported as of October 1 to

make accurate comparisons across hiring

seasons.

OHC will look forward to updating what

we will share tonight after this year’s

October 1 Report is complete.

Our approach and belief in mutual

consent hiring has remained

consistent through all phases of the

hiring process - even in late August

when we historically have forced

placement of teachers.

Ensuring both teachers and schools

have choice in the process will

ultimately lead to the best

outcomes for students. Mutual

consent hiring is the guiding

principle that drives the BPS hiring

strategy and complements the

educator evaluation process to

ensure there is a great teacher in

every BPS classroom, every day.

TIMELINE FOR DATA UPDATES MUTUAL CONSENT


Recruitment

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OUTCOMES FOR 2013-14*

3,763 unique teacher applicants

27,272 teacher applications submitted

817 teacher jobs posted

OUTCOMES FOR 2014-15**

5,849 unique teacher applicants

54,484 teacher applications submitted

1,277 teacher jobs posted

**as of September 3, 2014 *as of October 1, 2013


Recruitment

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APPLICANTS FOR 2013-14* APPLICANTS FOR 2014-15**


18%

4%

7%

61%

9%

0%

Black

Asian

Latino

White

Decline

Other

15%

4%

7%

60%

13%

1%

Black

Asian

Latino

White

Decline

Other


Teacher Hiring

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NEW TO BPS HIRES FOR 2013-14* NEW TO BPS HIRES FOR 2014-15**


15%

8%

12%

56%

8%

1%

Black

Asian

Latino

White

Decline

Other

20%

4%

14%

54%

7%

1%

Black

Asian

Latino

White

Decline

Other


Leadership Development

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OBSERVATION & FEEDBACK (O&F) COURSE

The BPS began offering the 15-hour O&F course last year. Around 250 evaluators took

the course in 2013-14 and remaining evaluators will complete it this year.

Professor Matt Kraft, of Brown University, is studying the impact of the course as he

shared the preliminary results, he noted, “the pre-post survey analyses are incredibly

impressive. Participants are overwhelmingly positive and report increasing their

ability on a number of evaluation-related skills. I don't think I've seen such positive

feedback about PD ever.”

The course is coordinated and facilitated by experienced BPS school leaders and a

team including Kris Taylor, Emily K. Qazilbash, Mary Driscoll, and Jessica Madden-

Fuoco have revised the course in response to findings from the first year, in

consultation with Susan Naimark.



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OBSERVATION & FEEDBACK (O&F) COURSE: SELECTED FINDINGS*

*OHC will provide the full report for your review



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ASPIRING PRINCIPALS PROGRAM LYNCH FELLOWSHIP

6 aspiring school leaders are learning

to effectively communicate and

operationalize an instructional

mission and vision, build effective

teams, have crucial conversations,

and learn leadership moves from

highly effective school leaders in

Boston and nationally.

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APP graduates have become

principals and headmasters in BPS

since spring 2013.

6 fellows have been completing full-

time practicums in BPS schools since

August, leading teams and growing

their capacity to lead others. They

have been completing professional

learning as a cohort since July.

2/4

members of last year’s first cohort

are now principals in BPS.


Professional Development

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NEW TEACHER DEVELOPMENT

This year, OHC has launched a new

model for the new teacher

development program. New

teachers will now receive mentoring

from a teacher within their school

building.

This re-design provides a leadership

opportunity to veteran teachers as

they become part- time new

teacher developers to support

novice teachers.

88% teachers agreed/strongly agreed

that their NTD met their needs as a

growing professional last year

90%

of administrators agreed/strongly

agreed that their NTD met the

Beginning Teachers' needs last year

173 beginning teachers will participate

in SY 2014-15


Professional Development

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TEACHER LEADERSHIP

Teachers and school administrators

state that the most valuable

professional learning opportunities

are embedded in schools and

shaped by practitioners; these

opportunities necessitate strong

teacher leaders who build capacity

of schools to serve their students

Lead Teacher program offers BPS

teachers opportunity to take on

leadership roles at schools. Will

launch in September.

1 lead teacher per school (2 if more

than 1,000 students)

$2,250

stipend for supporting school-based

professional learning, promoting a

culture of collaboration,

coordinating school teams to

improve instructional practice,

implementing MA Curriculum

Frameworks, using data to inform

instruction, and facilitating teacher

teams.



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Operations

Food and Nutrition Services


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BPS has new new three-year

food service contract

New contract includes provisions for quarterly taste-tests by students and regular student and parent involvement in

school menus

We asked vendors to include more fresh, local options and healthy choices


The BPS salad bar pilot project will resume this fall in 6 schools

During the summer, the Summer Food Service Program

provided free breakfast and lunch to Boston children at more

than 120 sites

Facilities


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Facilities oversaw

approximately 50 ongoing

projects this summer

Opened new schools at the

Alighieri and the P.A. Shaw

Installing modular classrooms at the Haley

Carrying out projects on the Curley schoolyard and Channing Roof roof Moved schools and BPS programs, including BATA, Boston Green Academy, and Dorchester

Academy

Ordered new furniture and supplies for Kindergarten classes


P.A. Shaw Elementary School, opening this fall

Long-term projects are also

moving forward

RFP for Facilities Master Plan is out; Bids were due September

9, 2014

Dearborn project is in design phase, with demolition planned for later this year

Transportation


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Photo credits: David Ryan/Globe; Kim Rice/BPS

Transportation Implementation


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In March, the School Committee voted to provide free seven-day

MBTA passes to eligible 7th and 8th grade students

In 2014-15, we are providing the following:

8th Grade Students: MBTA passes, with waivers for students in certain situations (see next slide)

7th Grade Students: Yellow bus transportation with an option to receive a free MBTA pass instead

Students with disabilities who receive yellow bus transportation as part of

an IEP will continue to receive yellow bus service, just as before.

We are undertaking communication, engagement, partnership,

and evaluation strategies to ensure successful implementation


Transportation Implementation


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Waivers are available to 8th grade students

Travel waivers are granted to students who have more than one

hour of travel time and/or 3+ transfers*

3-member panel to review safety waivers

Students with siblings who receive yellow bus transportation to the

same school are also eligible to ride, subject to seat availability

Waivers

* Grade 6 Waivers: 38; Grade 7 Waivers: 45 (in schools already participating in

MBTA programs/pilot programs)

Opt Ins

106 6th grade students requested an MBTA Pass

340 7th grade students requested an MBTA Pass


Grade Total Safety Time Sibling Mult.

Categories

Grade 8 127 30 36 53 8

Transportation Implementation – Week 1


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Safety

AM/PM Incidents: 0

AM/PM Issues: 2 (PM) – Issues involve needing additional adult

presence for students walking from school to the MBTA

BPS Safety Ambassadors/Stop Watch: BPS Staff, MBTA Staff/Transit,

City Year, BCYF Street Workers and BPD deployed to MBTA stations to

provide information, support, and build relationships with youth

Operations

MBTA Capacity Issues: 0

BPS Shuttle Capacity Issues: 0

BPS added shuttles for BLS, S. Greenwood, Orchard Gardens

Lila Frederick students opted for MBTA#16 over BPS shuttle (so far)

BPS, BPD, and MBTA hold weekly Friday morning calls to debrief on the week and plan for the upcoming week


Transportation Implementation – Week 1


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Coordination and Response

Coordination across BPD, MBTA, BCYF, City Year, and city agencies leads to rapid response, proactive planning, and strengthened communications

Transportation Eligibility

Modernized tools to calculate transportation eligibility:

Provides greater accuracy for determining transportation eligibility (1, 1.5, 2 miles)

Families were expecting transportation based on past practice

Action: BPS is grandfathering transportation for these families for the 2014-15 school year

Transition from grade levels (Grade 5 to 6 and Grade 8 to 9)

When families transition in certain grades, transportation eligibility changes

On-time Performance – September 10th

84.3% before the bell (in comparison to 86.2% last year)



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Academics


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Academics Introduction The Office of Academics is

becoming a more nimble, data-

driven & project-based

organization with the capacity

to turnaround, transform,

improve and sustain schools.

The Office of Academics is accountable and

focused on eliminating the academic achievement gap, successfully implementing

the MA Curriculum Frameworks & PARCC and

supporting the increase of full inclusion

opportunities for students with disabilities.

Theory of action to improve instruction & achievement outcomes

Improved student learning

requires improved

instruction.

Schools are the units of

change for instructional

improvement, and

principals/headmasters

and their school-based

teams are the leaders of

that change.

BPS SY 2012

Facilities Liaison

Family &Student Engagement

Liaison

Special Education

Liaison

Educator Effectiveness

Liaison

Human Resources

Liaison

Educational Technology

Liaison

ELL Liaison

Finance Liaison

Math Liaison

ELA Liaison

Operational Leader

Data Liaison

Network

Superintendent Leveraging Central

Office – academics

& operations to

support instruction


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Academics Structure

CAO

Instructional Research &

Development

Networks A-F

K - 8

Network G

High School Deputy CAO

Students, Parents, Community

School Committee

Superintendent

Schools, Principals, Head Masters, Teachers

Reporting Line

Support Line

Achievement Gap

Academic Transformation &

Turnaround

District Transformation &

Turnaround


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Academics Org Chart

CAO

Instructional Research &

Development

Academic Transformation &

Turnaround

Humanities, History & Literacy

Science/ Technology/ Engineering

Arts

Early Childhood

Academic Response

Teams

Summer/ Acc.

Academies

ELT/ DELTAS

Ed. Options

Post Secondary Initiatives and Partnerships

Guidance

Online & Blended Learning

Technical & Vocational Education

Networks A-F

K - 8

Network G

High School

Math

Deputy CAO

Academic Support

Operations Support

Central Transformation

Strategy & Compliance

Specialized Learning

Student Interventions

Adult Education

Achievement Gap

OELL SPED OFSE

Operations OHC

Transportation Facilities

OIIT OFSE

ODA OELL SPED OFSE

Equity ODA OELL SPED OFSE

Reporting Line

Connection to other

Departments

Admin. Support

CAO

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Deputy

CAO

Eileen de los Reyes Chief Academic Officer

Carroll Blake Achievement Gap Executive Director

Kavita Venkatesh Instructional Research

& Development Executive Director

Catherine Carney Academic Transformation

& Turnaround Executive Director

Melissa Partridge District Transformation Strategy & Compliance

Director

Drew Echelson Network F

Superintendent

Margarita Ruiz Network A

Superintendent

Marice Edouard-Vincent

Network B Superintendent

Edward S. Lee

Network C Superintendent

Cheryl Watson-Harris Network D

Superintendent

Albert Taylor Jr. Network E

Superintendent

Mary Skipper Network F

& High School Superintendent


BBOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Instructional Research & Development:

Key Updates

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• Partnerships with external organizations (e.g. Carnegie), developing protocol for evaluating 8th grade math, revising all documents to align with standards in new school year

Math

• Planning and coordinating events throughout the year, providing professional support beyond BPS Art

• Managing the roll out of Focus on Core (Early Adopters) with Fundations and Expeditionary Learning, will begin to plan for subsequent year rolls outs

ELA

• Developing Modules based on district identified needs for writing instruction (ELA and interdisciplinary), reviewing curriculum integration with ELA

Writing

BBOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Instructional Research & Development:

Key Updates

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• Identifying and supporting new staff across district, developing resources to support staff

World Languages

• Planning and coordinating events throughout the year, providing professional support beyond BPS Art

• Developing district protocols for all trips (day, overnight, international), spearheaded safety review of former and current protocols

Global Education

• Renewing all partnerships, beginning to develop new ones, working on History/SS ATI assessments

History/Social Studies

• Updating Performance Based Tasks across all units and grade levels for implementation this year (collaboratively with Directors of Specialized Learning)

Science, Technology, Engineering

Basket carries

integrated core actions.


Disciplinary Literacy is required for a

strong content base to teach all learners.

UDL

Universal

Design for

Learning

elevates our

practice to

higher levels.

Academic Transformation & Turnaround - ATT

Student Interventions

•Strategically match Afterschool and Extended Day opportunities to appropriate schools and students.

•Work in collaboration with partners to increase and improve effectiveness of programming.

Academic Response Teams

•Partner with schools to strategically improve instruction and ensure structures that support both student learning and adult learning in a school.

•Provide a direct connection between content and practice vetted through IR&D to schools.



Academic Response Teams - ART

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Academic Response Teams

ELA / SS / History

Math

Science Tech &

Engineering

ELL

SPED

ELA/S

S/Hist.

Principal/Hea

dmaster

Math

STE

ELL

SPED

Central Teams

School Based Teams

Building District-wide Strategy for Turnaround and

Transformation


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•BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

We will….

Define and describe a turnaround and transformation strategy for the

district that is research based, proven and sustainable.

Redefine the role and expectations of Central Office Departments to

provide timely, efficient and effective supports to Turnaround and

Transforming schools, DESE designated Level 4 and stagnant Level 3

schools.

Generate a knowledge capture of theories and practices from

turnaround and transforming schools to leverage in schools in the BPS.

•Review of Literature

•Document Experience

•Engage Stakeholders

Use Evidence

•Cross-functional team

•Implementation Plan

Design Strategy

•Data Inquiry

•Implementation Fidelity

Progress Monitor

Madison Park


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Start of School: PD and orientations

with faculty & students to reset

culture & expectations

Hiring: 54 out of 57 filled

Open positions: 2 instructional

positions (SEI Physics and

Telecommunications) and 1

administrative position (Director of

Academics)

Schedules: All students have

schedules as of 9/9/14. Master

schedule is being rebuilt by a BPS

central team and Madison Park

guidance counselors to better

meet the needs of students


Dearborn Early College STEM Academy


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Start of School: New STEM leader,

summer PD focused on STEM

project-based learning and

redesign of inclusion model

Successful Move to Burke:

Headmasters of Burke and

Dearborn working collaboratively

Challenges with schedule due to last

minute staffing changes, space

constraints and feedback from

Monitoring Site Visit by DESE

Turnaround Status: Level 4 status

under review, new draft

intervention plan being developed

and ongoing community

conversation


Documents

Back to School! · 2014. 9. 10. · period (Sanders, 1996) eliminating gaps Having a high-quality teacher throughout elementary school can substantially offset or even eliminate the