Presentation to the Board of Education, DPS

March 3, 2016

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The Luminary Learning Network (LLN) will manage and support Denver’s

first innovation school zone.

ECE-5

Accredited on Watch

47.52%

406

Minority: 91%

FRL: 88% ELL: 39%

SpEd: 5%

ECE-5

Accredited on Watch

47.65%

535

Minority : 95%

FRL: 92% ELL: 40%

SpEd: 16%

K-5

Meets Expectations

73.08%

279

Minority : 18%

FRL: 13% ELL: 2%

SpEd: 6%

ECE-8

Meet Expectations

55.32%

536

Minority : 61%

FRL: 59% ELL: 23%

SpEd: 13%

Innovation School Profiles:

Grades:

2014 DPS SPF Rating:

SPF Score:

SY15-16 Enrollment:

Student Population:

Mission

LLN will accelerate innovative approaches to ensure all kids

succeed in Denver. Through an Innovation Zone, the LLN brings

together a diverse group of schools that are committed to

providing unique and exciting learning environments for

students while empowering teachers and leaders to design and

run excellent schools.

Vision

LLN envisions a new model of organizing schools for improvement,

excellence and equity. By leveraging autonomies and the power

of a self-designed collaboration within the context of strong

accountability for results, the LLN will not only accelerate their

own performance, but also become a national proof point for school

autonomy, innovation and excellence.

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Although all LLN schools have acquired ‘innovation school’ status, they

do not have sufficient autonomy to execute their innovation plans.

DPS’s culture of innovation has established an environment that is ripe for innovation in order to drive improvements in student

outcomes; however, some governing and operational features are impeding schools in their ability to execute their plans and deliver

the results they know they are capable of.

Current Challenges

• Frequent introductions of new policies and the repealing of existing policies render a large percentage

of innovation schools’ waivers void, denying schools the required level of autonomy to execute their plans

• Of the 37 waivers that the four founding LLN schools were approved to receive, 30 apply to repealed

policies leaving only 7 active waivers

• The % of waivers no longer valid for LLN’s founding schools include: 68% of C3’s waivers; 78% of Ashley’s

waivers and 89% of Cole’s and DGS’s waivers

• Innovation schools are not automatically exempted from new DPS policies and, therefore, do not retain

autonomy granted by the district. When new policies are put into place innovation schools’ staff must vote

on changes.

District

Requirements

• The experience of innovation school leaders and teachers has varied tremendously from school to school

• Some schools and educators experience the advocacy they need to truly innovate; others feel a strong and

persistent pull to revert to the common practices of non-innovation schools and therefore experience their

ability to exercise their autonomies precarious, and space to innovate limited.

Management and

accountability

• Innovation schools are often expected to implement their innovation plans and district mandates

without additional resources Resources

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The Zone will raise the bar for innovation schools and enable them to accelerate student gains.

Theory of Action

If schools are provided strong accountability expectations, genuine and un-mitigated flexibilities, and a

novel funding structure, both supported and overseen by an independent governance and

management structure, AND

If schools are supported in deepening their instructional visions and practices through a uniquely

designed service center that draws heavily on deep collaboration and peer-to-peer learning;

Then, schools will be able to:

• utilize the collective creativity and power of a Zone to better protect their current autonomies and

collaboratively design new ones;

• realize economies of scale that are both unique to a cluster of schools and not achievable by

individual schools alone;

• direct key resources—including people, time and money—more autonomously and more

strategically;

• integrate and leverage the schools’ common innovations to both accelerate their impact and to

enable new ones;

And, in turn, accelerate the student gains already unleashed by the individual schools of innovation.

The LLN’s innovation zone design will ensure autonomy and allow

schools to improve student achievement

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Building on the culture of innovation at DPS, LLN is primed to have a

positive and significant impact within the district

✓ LLN will ensure greater school

autonomy enabling schools to

differentiate their educational

models to better accommodate

diverse student needs and improve

student achievement

Students

LLN’s value proposition is significant to all stakeholder groups within the district.

Teachers and Schools

✓ LLN will ensure school autonomy

so that school leaders can focus

more of their resources on

educational programming

✓ LLN will provide accountability by

liaising with the district to ensure

mandatory compliance while

reducing the amount of

administrative compliance that

schools must address individually

District

✓ LLN will aim to transform

schools to provide high-quality

seats to students aligned with the

Denver 2020 Plan

✓ LLN will support the knowledge-

sharing of effective innovation

strategies among district school

leaders

✓ LLN will act as a disruptive force

to ensure effective, more-flexible

central systems at DPS

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LLN’s design embodies two major innovations in education management

LLN’s success requires the implementation of a new governance model and a new operating model, outlined below and described in

more detail on the subsequent slides.

An independent 501(c)(3) that is jointly governed by

community members, school representatives and

Denver Public Schools, and operated through a

memorandum of understanding with DPS, ensures

autonomy, provides accountability (for individual school

and zone performance), and manages LLN schools.

Governance Model

A model that optimizes LLN’s performance and

efficiency by:

i. Modification of the student based budgeting

formula to increase financial autonomy, maintain

connectivity to DPS priorities, and allow LLN

schools to fully realize their Innovation Plans;

ii. Granting educators – who remain district

employees – a) greater control over policies; and b)

full implementation flexibility over protocols and

processes that impact the unique needs of their

schools;

iii. Having a lean, central administration oversee zone-

wide operations and facilitates opportunities for

collaboration in the zone and with the district;

iv. Having the district provide any central support and

standardized services that do not need to be

differentiated for LLN’s schools versus other district

schools.

Operating Model

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LLN’s governance model has three distinct but complementary features

that aim to ensure both autonomy and accountability

LLN’s new governance model will enable sustainable school-level autonomies so that schools can focus on improving the quality of

their educational programming by executing their innovation plan. It will also ensure compliance to mandatory regulation and help

ensure that school leaders are fairly held accountable for their results.

✓ DPS Board of Education (BoE)

plays a vital role for the Innovation

Zone:

✓ Retains its non-delegable legal

duties

✓ Approves creation and

renewal (every 3 years) of LLN

✓ Authorizes schools to enter

LLN

✓ Determines when low-

performing schools should exit

LLN

✓ Has ultimate dispute resolution

authority

DPS Board of Education Role and

Responsibilities NEW: Governing Board of Directors

✓ Self-perpetuating, 9-member Board

of Directors (BoD) consisting of:

✓5 community representatives

✓4 DPS representatives:

✓ The board’s composition supports

collaborative problem solving;

however, in the event of conflict and

consistent with the BOE’s statutory

and constitutional authority, the DPS

BOE will resolve the conflict and

may involve a BOE/LLN approved

mediator.

(List of BoD duties is in the appendix)

NEW: Legal Structure

✓ LLN is an independent 501(c)(3),

classified as a Supporting

Organization

✓ Relationship between LLN schools

and DPS is articulated in the MOU

and LLN’s Innovation Zone Plan

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LLN’s operating model consists of two features that enable schools to

balance the need for autonomy and community

LLN’s new operating model will help ensure that the LLN schools have the resources and support that they need to not only

successfully execute their innovation plans, but share their learning with other DPS schools.

✓ DPS continues to play a vital role

for LLN:

✓ Retains ultimate authority to hire

and dismiss DPS zone

employees from district

employment

✓ Provide Human Resources

support and oversight to DPS

employees employed by zone

schools

✓ Receives and considers in good

faith LLN recommendations for

selection and retention of

principals for Zone schools

✓ Continues to provide any central

services to LLN schools that

schools have not opted out of

NEW: Zone Administrative Structure

for Schools

✓ Acts as main interface between

schools, LLN Board, DPS Staff and

Board of Education to foster a culture

of accountability, continuous

improvement and collaboration

✓Works with DPS to ensure

compliance with applicable laws,

statutes and policies, including issues

related to ELL and SpEd

✓ Supports LLN schools in the planning

and execution of their innovation

plans by facilitating opportunities for

LLN educators to collaborate,

fundraising for LLN initiatives, etc.

(List of administrative functions is in the

appendix)

NEW: Financial Model

✓ DPS reallocates funds to LLN

schools in lieu of providing optional

district services; LLN schools have

the option of buying back some

(indirect) district services, if they

wish

✓ Schools will determine the use of

funds with guidance from LLN staff

and LLN BoD

✓ LLN will be empowered to

fundraise on behalf of the Zone

schools.

(More details on the budget on

subsequent slides)

REVISED: DPS Role and

Responsibilities

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DPS Budget Development Guiding Principles

In developing the Budget and Financial considerations, DPS applies two guiding principles.

Supporting the district’s core value of Equity, including:

✓Meeting the moral and legal responsibilities of the Consent

Decree, attracting and serving an equitable share of ACCESS

1 to 3.5 students, and providing equitable enrollment service

to late and mid-year arriving students (including seat back-

filling across grade levels), to meet capacity needs and

ensure equitable access to high-quality seats.

Support district priorities including maximizing resources

available to all schools, including

Supporting shared obligations that reflect DPS priorities

such as pooling of resources across District schools for

core service or program offerings (e.g., athletics,

transportation), and targeted increased funding to schools

serving a higher number of ELLs, Newcomers, Pathway

students, or those in turnaround settings.

Implementation of the iZone should not increase overall

costs of the District nor reduce per pupil funding available

to other non-zone schools.

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LLN Budget Autonomies Negotiating Principles

In developing the Budget and Financial considerations, LLN applied the following guiding principles.

LLN requests zone schools have maximum autonomy over

the use of financial resources, because

LLN believes that school leaders must have significantly

increased discretion over resource allocation so that

strategies and approaches may be tailored and customized

to schools unique needs

This autonomy, coupled with the LLN’s focus on

accountability, will ensure schools accelerate student

achievement

LLN believes this financial model will create a more

responsive DPS support services system, where

The district receives additional feedback on the services

they provide, and in turn, how systems might be adapted to

better meet schools’ needs

The district expands and contracts in line with schools use

of these services

The district explores alternatives to achieving objectives,

particularly those related to the shared priority of equity for

both DPS and LLN, that devolve greater control over the

use of funds to schools

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LLN and the district have worked collaboratively to develop an alternative

funding model that increases financial autonomy

DPS currently allocates per pupil dollars on the basis of students through its Student Based Budget (SBB). To afford schools

additional flexibility over resource use, LLN schools and the district have worked to devise an alternative funding mechanism. This

process has presented a number of challenges and opportunities.

Opportunities

✓ An alternative funding model could increase school-level

flexibility, allowing schools to customize services and

better leverage funds

✓ An alternative model could increase budget transparency for

additional district departments providing both direct and

indirect services

✓ An alternative model could better ensure equity by allocating

dollars to students with the same needs or characteristics

Challenges

✓ Both itemizing and unbundling district services is a

complex process requiring DPS staff time and analysis

✓ Ensuring the District is able to uphold the Three Equities:

Equity of Opportunity, Equity of Responsibility and Access,

and Equity of Accountability, using an alternative funding

model

✓ The possible impact of an alternative funding model on

district departments and personnel as district enrollment

shifts

✓ DPS staff recognize the challenges the alternative funding

model may present if implemented on a larger scale

(More details on the Three Equities is in the appendix.)

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LLN’s new financial model for year 1, SBB+, will be a modification of DPS’

current Student Based Budgeting

Under SBB+, LLN schools receive current Student Based Budget allocation and may opt out of some additional services for which

they receive corresponding funds. This model will be refined and adjusted annually to ensure school leaders the greatest degree of

autonomy over funds. In the event that the SBB+ model is unable to afford schools the maximum flexibility over resources use, LLN

may develop and propose a new funding model for use in subsequent years.

The following services are under discussion:

Central Funds Directly Spent at Schools

• Textbooks*

• Assessments

• Mental Health Expansion

• Teacher Leadership Collaborative**

• Denver Math Fellows**

Central Funds Indirectly Supporting Schools

• Elementary IS Teams

• Curriculum & Instruction

• Imaginarium

• Educational Resource Services

• Principal Professional Development

• Teacher Performance Assessment Professional Development

• Education Technology

• HR Recruiting

• Culture, Equity & Leadership Team

• Budget Office (Financial Partner)

*Funds for the first year of adoption cycle – will only receive funds in subsequent years if adding grades or when curriculum is adopted for student population at the school

**Funds would be subject to some requirements if allocated directly to schools

***No amount listed since funds are now being used solely to support TLC (listed under “Funds Directly Spent at Schools”)

Central Funds Indirectly Supporting Schools

• Chief Schools Office

• Family & Community Engagement (2541)

• Office of CAIO

• Portfolio Office (non-authorizing functions)

• Multilingual Outreach (certain translation services)

• Budget Assistance

• Unassigned Teachers and Unassigned Teacher Leaves

• HR School Support

Next Steps for LLN and DPS Discussions

• Review departmental budgets to determine optional vs.

required services.

• Ensure LLN schools comply with state law and district policies.

• Ensure LLN schools have maximum flexibility around

implementation of school and zone innovation plans. Further

discussions are needed related future practices and protocols

that may be adopted by the District.

In collaboration with LLN, the district has identified the following

optional services:

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What Is Authorizing?

Authorizing is a process through which school designers seek approval for their plans and

accept accountability for achieving the aims of their plans.

On behalf of DPS, Portfolio offers authorizing processes for:

1. New schools (charter or district)

2. Replicating schools (charter or district)

3. School redesigns (district)

4. Innovation school designs (district)

5. Innovation zone designs (district) – new!

Confidential: Do Not Distribute 13

Approval of plan Accountable for

plan

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1. A quality standard applies, regardless of governance type.

2. Statutory and policy requirements are considered in plan development

and in DPS and State Board of Education approvals or denials.

3. The DPS Board of Education has a vetted, public body of evidence to

consider when approving or denying a plan through a public vote.

4. Universal (SPC/SPF) and differentiated accountability for schools,

based on unique elements of plans.

5. Equitable access to a fair, transparent and quality-based “entry”

process for all interested design teams.

6. Stakeholders post-approval, including employees of schools (whether

charter or district) and existing or prospective parents/guardians of

those schools, have access to publicly available documents that

clearly define plans, including achievement goals for students, and for

monitored accountability results.

Authorizing ensures …

15 Confidential: Do Not Distribute 15

Process Steps & Timeline

Confidential: Do Not Distribute 15

Date Step Notes

February 29 Application and rubric released Zone schools and LLN commence writing the application, with DPS

supports as requested

February 29-April 4 School leaders directly engage with staff and school

community on the content and implications of joining an

Innovation Zone

DPS meets with DCTA

March 3 Special DPS Board Meeting LLN and DPS Staff presenting overview of Zone to the Board

March 16 Application due to the School Development Team Innovation Review Team (IRT) reads and evaluates the Zone

Application by 3/23

March 24 Innovation Review Team convenes Collect evidence and formative feedback for same-day delivery to

inform final application to be submitted to the DPS BoE and CDE BoE

April 1 Final revisions due Produce a final draft of the Innovation Zone plan based on IRT

feedback

Note: This deviates from best practice, in terms of staff and

community time to review the final plan – typically two weeks. This

is a risk. See next step.

April 4 Staff votes

Collaborative School Committee (or equivalent body) votes

To be approved the plan must receive more than 50% in support of

the plan, more than 60% if there are new or revised CBA waivers

April 4 (date change) Public Comment

Recommendation to DPS Board

April 7 DPS BoE votes on Zone application Final version ready to send to State BoE

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How did the plan come together?

Process for developing the Zone’s proposal :

Spring 2015 Today

The proposal for the Denver Innovation Zone has been developed over the past year months, synthesizing expertise in regulation,

systems design, and school-autonomy.

LLN has been meeting

with DPS staff and Board

Members to identify

shared interests in forming

a zone, including

alignment to the Denver

Plan 2020. In December,

the DPS Board passed a

Resolution asking LLN to

submit an innovation zone

application.

Founding

School

Leaders

Independent

Voices District

Students

& Families Teachers

In April 2015, a proposal

was submitted to Denver

Public Schools outlining

their interest in forming an

Innovation Zone. Four

innovation school leaders

continue to lead this effort

and make up the Luminary

Learning Network.

Design meetings were held

with the founding school

leaders who partnered with

Mary Seawell and the

Gates Family Foundation

to align on a proposal. The

school leaders have

engaged faculty, students

& families throughout the

process.

The Gates Family

Foundation enlisted the

support of Empower

Schools, an organization

with expertise developing

innovative zone models in

Massachusetts, to provide

strategic advisory support.

Appendices

18

The Zone’s schools student demographics show that the Zone will cater

to diverse communities and students’ needs

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Guiding Principles – The Three Equities

All public schools in Denver, regardless of governance type, operate within the “Three

Equities”:

Equity of Opportunity means that the schools have access to equitable per pupil funding,

support services from the district (as part of an administrative fee and through purchased

services), and available facilities (through the Facility Allocation Policy.)

Equity of Responsibility and Access means that the schools must offer equitable and

open access to all students—regardless of socio-economic status, disability, home

language, or other status—and share an equal obligation in district-wide responsibilities,

such as the cost of district-wide special education services. This equity includes participation

in SchoolChoice.

Equity of Accountability means that all schools have the same accountability system

under the District’s School Performance Framework and that standards of performance are

applied evenly across all school types under the SPF and the School Performance Compact.

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The needs and interests of many local stakeholder groups were considered

in the design of the Zone

The following Core Principles were developed to ensure that LLN’s strategy, management and operations are aligned with

stakeholder needs.

✓ LLN formalizes a culture of relentless continuous improvement and

innovation to ensure schools develop strategies so that every child succeeds.

✓ LLN offers intentionally designed and aligned lean services to personalize

school support and meet individual school and student needs.

✓ LLN models distributed leadership by magnifying the voice of school leaders

through their role on the governing body and by actively seeking teacher voice in

school and network decisions.

✓ LLN values collaboration within each of its schools, across schools, and

between the LLN and DPS.

LLN’s Core Principles for the Innovation Zone

Stakeholder Groups:

District

Founding

School

Leaders

Teachers

Students

& Families

State

Independent

Voices

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The Zone will employ a lean administrative team

The Zone’s lean administrative team (initially 2 FTE) provides central administrative services for schools, helping to realize

economies of scale and reduced overhead costs while allowing Principals to focus on meeting the needs of their students and

families.

Liaises with

District

Manages

centralized

services

Supports school

innovations

• Serves as the main interface

with the District (allowing

schools to focus on instruction).

• Manages shared service

providers and relationships with

key partners;

• Provides HR and staffing

supports;

• Manages lean, central-shared

spending;

• Coordinates state-mandated

and zone-specific

assessments.

• Provides support to schools on

prioritizing innovation

initiatives and disseminates best

practices.

Ensures

compliance

• Ensures all state regulations are

met (including ELA);

• Monitors compliance with the

District-Zone contract (see

subsequent section).

Initial Zone Team:

Liaises with Board

of Directors

Leads

development

initiatives

• Serves as the main interface

with the Board of Directors, to

help add value (e.g. develop an

accountability system for

Principals).

• Designs development strategy;

• Builds and manages

relationships with donors and

philanthropic organizations.

Drives external

relations strategy

and agenda

• Builds and manages

relationships with community

and civic organizations,

including the media.

Executive Director

Leverages expertise in high-performing, autonomous

schools to provide strategic leadership and advocacy

for the schools

Director of Operations

Provides logistical support to the schools to ensure

efficiency and regulatory compliance.

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Innovation Zone Development: Process

1. Weekly standing meetings beginning February 1

• Governance/HR (generally Tuesdays, 2 hours)

• Finance/HR (generally Fridays, 2 hours)

2. Weekly memorandum

• Delivered to Anne and Barbara as Board representatives

• Reviews content of weekly meetings and captures

alignments

3. Weekly Internal check-ins

• Phone check-ins with senior DPS leaders (generally

Fridays, 30 minutes)

• Review progress each week and get internal alignment

for the coming week