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First Things FirstFirst Things First::A Framework and Supports A Framework and Supports

For District and School ReformFor District and School Reform

Steve GeringSteve Gering

Kansas City Kansas Public SchoolsKansas City Kansas Public SchoolsInstitute for Research and Reform in EducationInstitute for Research and Reform in Education

St. Louis, MOSt. Louis, MOApril 23-24, 2004April 23-24, 2004

Archived Information

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Who Are We?Who Are We?

Institute for Research and Reform in EducationInstitute for Research and Reform in Education

IRRE is a not-for-profit organizationIRRE is a not-for-profit organization We created and developed the district and We created and developed the district and

school reform framework First Things Firstschool reform framework First Things First We provide direct technical assistance to We provide direct technical assistance to

schools and school districtsschools and school districts We advise state departments of educationWe advise state departments of education

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A comprehensive reform framework...A comprehensive reform framework...

developed to raise students’ academic developed to raise students’ academic performance... performance...

to levels required for post-secondary to levels required for post-secondary education and high quality employment.education and high quality employment.

What Is First Things First?What Is First Things First?

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Who Does IRRE Work With?Who Does IRRE Work With? Urban Districts Urban Districts

– Kansas City, KSKansas City, KS – Kansas City, MOKansas City, MO – Riverview Gardens, MORiverview Gardens, MO – Houston, TXHouston, TX – New Orleans, LANew Orleans, LA

Rural DistrictsRural Districts– High schools in High schools in Greenville and Shaw, MS Greenville and Shaw, MS

State Departments of EducationState Departments of Education– MissouriMissouri– ColoradoColorado– New JerseyNew Jersey

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Who Are IRRE’s “Sponsors”?Who Are IRRE’s “Sponsors”?

Private FoundationsPrivate Foundations State Departments of EducationState Departments of Education US Department of EducationUS Department of Education

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FTF StrategiesFTF Strategies

Small Learning CommunitiesSmall Learning Communities

Family Advocate SystemFamily Advocate System

Instructional ImprovementInstructional Improvement

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Evidence Of EffectivenessEvidence Of Effectiveness

Preliminary data from external evaluation Preliminary data from external evaluation of FTF in Kansas City, Kansasof FTF in Kansas City, Kansas– Approximately 20,000 studentsApproximately 20,000 students– Majority of children minorityMajority of children minority– 74% free and reduced lunch74% free and reduced lunch– Four comprehensive and one selective high Four comprehensive and one selective high

schoolsschools– Completed third year of district-wide Completed third year of district-wide

implementation of FTF in 2003implementation of FTF in 2003

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Five Year Trend In KCK -Five Year Trend In KCK -High School Attendance RateHigh School Attendance Rate

70%

80%

90%

100%

1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02

ALL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS (N=4)

Source data: Kansas State Department of Education

All high schools implementing FTF

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KCK Dropout Rate – KCK Dropout Rate – Six Year TrendSix Year Trend

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03

ALL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS (N=4)

Source data: Kansas State Department of Education

All high schools implementing reform

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KCK Graduation Rate – KCK Graduation Rate – Six Year TrendSix Year Trend

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03

ALL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS (N=4)

Source data: Kansas State Department of Education

All high schools implementing reform

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Trends In 11Trends In 11thth Grade Reading Assessment Scores: Grade Reading Assessment Scores:

Kansas City, Kansas High SchoolsKansas City, Kansas High Schools

34%29%

25%

36%

44%45%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

2001 (N=977) 2002 (N=988) 2003 (N=1050)

Proficient/Advanced Unsatisfactory

Source data: Kansas State Department of Education – all students tested

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Closing The Racial Achievement Gap In KCK Closing The Racial Achievement Gap In KCK (Grade 5, 8 and 11)(Grade 5, 8 and 11)

48%

29%

55%

45%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

% of Readers

Proficient or Above

2002 2003

Non Minority Minority

Source data: Kansas State Department of Education – all students tested

N=905 N=3140 N=896 N=3313

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Closing The Economic Achievement Gap Closing The Economic Achievement Gap (Grades 5, 8 and 11)(Grades 5, 8 and 11)

43%

28%

53%

44%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

% of Readers

Proficient or Above

2002 2003

Paid Lunch Free/Reduced

Source data: Kansas State Department of Education – all students tested

N=1338 N=2721 N=1291 N=2918

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Other Evidence Other Evidence

Implementation and sustainabilityImplementation and sustainability– Six generations (1998 – 2003) of FTF high Six generations (1998 – 2003) of FTF high

schools (24 high schools) now implementing schools (24 high schools) now implementing the frameworkthe framework

– No school beginning implementation has No school beginning implementation has stopped implementation over this periodstopped implementation over this period

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IRRE Technical Assistance IRRE Technical Assistance To Districts And StatesTo Districts And States

Clarifying expectations and rationale for Clarifying expectations and rationale for high school reformhigh school reform– OutcomesOutcomes– ConditionsConditions– Implementation strategies and standardsImplementation strategies and standards– Needed supportsNeeded supports

SchoolSchool DistrictDistrict CommunityCommunity StateState

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IRRE Technical Assistance IRRE Technical Assistance To Districts And StatesTo Districts And States

Planning process toward implementationPlanning process toward implementation– StructuredStructured– ParticipatoryParticipatory– EfficientEfficient

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IRRE Technical Assistance IRRE Technical Assistance To Districts And StatesTo Districts And States

Capacity buildingCapacity building– System leadership development to initiate and System leadership development to initiate and

sustain reformsustain reform Mapping responsibilities and building capacityMapping responsibilities and building capacity

– Existing leadersExisting leaders– Emerging leadersEmerging leaders

– Data based continuous improvementData based continuous improvement Measuring what mattersMeasuring what matters Using data to guide innovationUsing data to guide innovation

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IRRE Technical Assistance IRRE Technical Assistance To High SchoolsTo High Schools

Small Learning CommunitiesSmall Learning Communities– Staffing and schedulingStaffing and scheduling– Facilities useFacilities use– Teacher leadershipTeacher leadership– Effective team work and use of common Effective team work and use of common

planning timeplanning time– Ensuring equity and purityEnsuring equity and purity– Using data to improve student commitment Using data to improve student commitment

and performanceand performance

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IRRE Technical Assistance IRRE Technical Assistance To High SchoolsTo High Schools

Family Advocate SystemFamily Advocate System– Set upSet up– Advocate trainingAdvocate training– Curriculum Curriculum

Instructional ImprovementInstructional Improvement– Effective instructional coaching and supervisionEffective instructional coaching and supervision– Curriculum enrichmentCurriculum enrichment

Struggling readers and math learnersStruggling readers and math learners Thematic infusionThematic infusion

– Design and effective use of professional Design and effective use of professional development timedevelopment time

Engagement Engagement AlignmentAlignment RigorRigor

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Why District-wide Reform Why District-wide Reform Of High Schools?Of High Schools?

Morally defensible Morally defensible – Why don’t all our students deserve these Why don’t all our students deserve these

opportunities?opportunities?

– Prevent draining of innovative teachers into Prevent draining of innovative teachers into “reforming” schools and out of equally needy “reforming” schools and out of equally needy schoolsschools

EfficientEfficient– Not enough money to run one kind of high Not enough money to run one kind of high

school much less two or three school much less two or three

– Compels realignment of core resources to Compels realignment of core resources to support highest prioritiessupport highest priorities

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Why District-wide Reform Why District-wide Reform Of High Schools?Of High Schools?

Coherent focus for district supports and policiesCoherent focus for district supports and policies– Professional development of teachers and Professional development of teachers and

administratorsadministrators– Personnel recruitment, evaluation and retentionPersonnel recruitment, evaluation and retention

SustainabilitySustainability– Individual schools easily marginalized and tokenized Individual schools easily marginalized and tokenized

when surrounded by business as usualwhen surrounded by business as usual– Reform less vulnerable to departure of individual Reform less vulnerable to departure of individual

leadersleaders– Reform becomes the work of the district rather than a Reform becomes the work of the district rather than a

program in one schoolprogram in one school Easier to align state supports and policies with Easier to align state supports and policies with

the work of districtsthe work of districts

IRREIRRE1420 Locust Street, 7Q1420 Locust Street, 7QPhiladelphia, PA 19102Philadelphia, PA 19102215.545.1335215.545.1335www.irre.orgLaurie LevinLaurie Levinlevinassoc@aol.com levinassoc@aol.com

KCKPSKCKPS625 Minnesota Ave.625 Minnesota Ave.Kansas City, KS 66101Kansas City, KS 66101913.279.2269913.279.2269www.kckps.orgSteve GeringSteve Geringstgerin@kckps.orgstgerin@kckps.org