Elementary Support Recommendation: A New Vision

Elementary Support Recommendation:A New Vision

Birmingham Public Schools …Inspiring learners through educational excellence

for a lifetime of global opportunities.

The longer an organization waits,the greater risk that events

will take control,and the organization will lose the

abilityto shape and direct its own future.

-William S. WoodsiceInstitute for Educational Excellence

The Strategic Plan

◦ Implement and strengthen differentiated instruction… (1.2)◦ Provide individualized academic support and intervention

for students who are not making expected progress (1.3)◦ Increase assessment literacy in the interpretation and use

of data in teaching, learning, and reporting (2.2)◦ Develop staff capacity to implement the BPS vision and

mission (Goal 3)◦ Develop exceptional leadership at all levels of the

organization (Goal 4)◦ Develop a financial plan to secure, allocate and reallocate

resources for student learning (Goal 6)

Board’s Budget Development Guiding Principles

o Prioritize Classroom Instructiono Support the Implementation of the Strategic Plano Adapt/Restructure Instructional Support Programso Ensure the Financial Stability of the District

Board of Education’s recent goals…◦ Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)◦ Underperforming students and achievement gaps◦ Character Education

• Silos• Little data• Formal identification of

students (Enrichment, Reading, Reading Recovery)

• Reading and enrichment have minimal connection to the classroom

• Limited connection between general education and special education

• RTI based on personal decisions

• (Most) PLCs based on themes

• Limited accountability to each other

Students tested in third grade for math and/or reading “cluster” in fourth and fifth grade (pullout 60 minutes per week)

Battle of the Books and Science Olympiad Significant variation from building to building 5 FTE Enrichment teachers reporting to

central office staff

Support students in classrooms (prefer some type of plan; differentiated instruction)

Make better use of I/E Block (ensure challenging activities)

Offer a wide variety of experiences/competitions to students outside the school day

Continue having time for highly-able students to meet (cluster)

1. Cluster activities focused on thinking skills, creativity and problem-based learning, examples:◦ Creativity lessons◦ Topic-oriented Socratic seminars◦ Collaborative long-term projects◦ Wordmasters

2. Development and use of an Instruction Plan3. Ongoing enrichment opportunities provided

through the Intervention/Enrichment (I/E) Block, examples:◦ Regroup for higher level reading (novels) or writing◦ Regroup for math extension activities

4. Accelerated math opportunities in 5th grade, example:◦ Regroup students for math◦ Complete 5th grade and as much 6th grade as possible

5. Multiple after-school enrichment opportunities for all students, examples:◦ Science Olympiad, Destination Imagination,

Imagineers, chess clubs (with cross-district competitions), Math Pentathlon, theatre activities, Math Olympiad, Jeopardy games, Young Authors, Stock Market Game, Math Fair, strategy games, Odyssey of the Mind (OM), etc.

Meetings◦ Two parent meetings held in December◦ Meetings with Department (latest was March 3)◦ Two parent meetings scheduled for

March 31st 9:00 a.m. at BCS March 31st 7:00 p.m. at Pierce April date TBA

Review Testing Protocols: streamlined, systematic assessment system (as early as this spring; latest this fall)

Training of Instructional Specialists (May and August)

Continued work with principals on “5+” math Hire Enrichment Facilitator Enrichment Facilitator will work with

CSOs/Community Ed. Dept. this summer to plan fall after school events

Develop/implement individualized plans in fall Targeted training for teachers (i.e. 5+ math, I/E

Block)

Character education initiatives are building-based, supported by district-wide committee

Counselors at elementary level currently:◦ Assist with individual student needs◦ Cover teacher planning time◦ Work on building’s Character Education initiative◦ Assist with MEAP test monitoring

We have 4 FTE (full time equivalent) counselors at the elementary level.

Character education initiatives continue to be building-based, supported by district-wide committee

Character Education Facilitator support initiatives at elementary schools, targeting their needs

Student Support Teams assisted by Instructional Specialists

Assessments assisted by Instructional Specialists

Students in crisis supported by principal, social worker, other staff/counselors

Reading Recovery and literature groups for first grade (6.5 FTE)

Reading support in grades 2-5 (5.7 FTE) Non-Public support and facilitator (1.3 FTE) Title I (not currently part of the Reading Dept.

at 1.0 FTE) Reading staff reports to Central Office

Eight Reading Specialists assigned to 8 buildings◦ Reading Recovery for first grade◦ Reading support K-5 (along with Instructional

Specialist) Two Reading Specialists available across

district◦ Needs of larger schools◦ Needs of schools with higher numbers of under-

performing students

Reading support before or after school through restructured use of Title I funds at qualifying buildings (ex. almost 50 students serviced at Greenfield)

With Instructional Specialists◦ Targeted professional development◦ Use of I/E Block

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9:00-9:30 Reading Recovery – Student 1

9:40-10:10 Reading Recovery – Student 2

10:20-10:50 Reading Recovery – Student 3

11:00-11:30 Reading Recovery – Student 4

11:35-12:05 Second Grade Group 1st Grade I/E

Lunch & Set-Up

1:00-1:25 Early Lit. Group (First Grade)

1:30-1:55 Early Lit. Group (First Grade)

2:00-2:25 Third Grade Group I/E-Testing

2:30-2:55 Fourth Grade Fifth Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade I/E-Testing

2:55-3:50 Planning

Continue meeting with Reading Department◦ Two meetings already – made adjustments◦ Department has continued to meet◦ Two meetings to discuss potential schedules and

how students can be served◦ Meetings with many individual reading teachers◦ Meeting to discuss role of ninth and tenth reading

teacher (3/26)◦ Continued discussion on ways to:

Prioritize students Universal screening & expected benchmark skills for

kindergarten High-level intervention for upper grades

Assessment◦ Universal screening (particularly at kindergarten

and first grade, i.e. DIBLES)◦ Multiple/expanded sources of data

Running records (K-2) MEAP (3-5) Oakland Reading Tests (3-5) Ongoing HM Unit Tests New: Standardized test

Accurate data Adaptive Cumulative (through year, over time) Predictive

Collection & interpretation of data, specific to grade levels

Facilitate teamwork approach to instruction

Assist in planning the use of I/E Block and differentiation

Targeted professional development

Enrichment Assist during I/E Block Academic interventions

in reading and/or math

• Grade level teams• Interventions based on data through

PLCs• Differentiated instruction used to service

students through I/E• Resources (i.e. Reading and

Enrichment) based on collaborative planning

• Accountable to team• RTI based on disseminated data &

decisions• Professional development based on

current needs

Examples of I/E from multiple grades◦ Second grade (differentiated for math)◦ Third grade (math & reading)◦ Fourth grade (writing)◦ Fifth grade (math)

Instructional Specialists for next year◦ Expand to all grade levels◦ Collect and interpret data◦ Additional support for students at grade levels

Role in Student Support Teams◦ Collaborate with team members to determine

next appropriate instructional strategies and interventions/enrichment

◦ Collect data on interventions◦ Monitor progress

Professional Development◦ Staff meetings◦ Targeted for grade levels

Subtraction Multiplication Conversions (standard units of length) Division Angle measures

Strategic Lesson PlanningDifferentiated InstructionQuestioning Substantive DiscourseManipulative/ Tool SelectionConnections between Concepts/ProceduresSelecting/Sharing/Contrasting Student Strategies and Thinking

Tasks as they appear in the instructional materials

Tasks as set up by the teacher

Tasks as enacted by students

Student Learning

Effective Teacher Strategies

Selecting Tasks/Activities

Content Knowledge Needed for SelfPedagogical Content Knowledge for

Teaching

Analyzed data to determine need Pre-tested Shared teaching practices Grouped students Communicated with all staff Instructed every B/D day for 25 minutes Post-tested Follow-up discussion Plan for students who still need support

2

6 5 5

11

53 2

42 2

0 1 0 0 0 1 0

4

11 10

20

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Num

ber o

f Stu

dent

s

Number Correct

Intervention and EnrichmentGeometry-Angles

Pre-Test Post-Test

Questions?

Birmingham Public Schools…Inspiring learners through educational

excellence for a lifetime of global opportunities.

Now 5 FTE Enrichment Specialists 4 FTE Counselors 12.2 FTE Reading

◦ 6.5 FTE Reading Recovery/Early Literacy◦ 5.7 FTE Reading 2nd-5th Grade

21.2 FTE

Plus 1.0 FTE Title I 2.0 FTE Reading @ Middle School 1.3 FTE Non-Public/Facilitator

Proposed 1.0 FTE Enrichment Facilitator 1.0 FTE Character Education Facilitator 8.0 FTE Instructional Specialists 10.0 FTE Reading Specialists trained in RR and/or

AARI 20.0 FTE

Plus◦ Title I Reading Support Provided Before (or after)

school at qualifying buildings◦ 1.0? Non-Public & No Facilitator◦ 2.0 Middle School – Change in some

responsibilities