McCormick School District SACS CASI Overview

McCormick School District SACS CASI Overview

McCormick School DistrictSACS CASI OverviewPresented by:Kelly Coxe & Mary Greene Thomasson

KC: Hello my name is Kelly Coxe and this is Mary Greene Thomasson. As Directors of Instruction for McCormick School District, we are pleased to provide you with an overview of the SACS District Accreditation process.

MG: Although McCormick School District has historically sought and obtained School Accreditation, this year the School Board of Trustees has approved a recommendation that we seek District Accreditation.

KC: The current 2010-2011 school year will be used as a year of preparation for District Accreditation. It is the goal of McCormick School District to obtain SACS District Accreditation in the Fall of 2011.

1SACS CASISouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement

MG: SACS CASI is an acronym for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement.

KC: SACS CASI is a division of AdcancED. The North Central Association on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) and the National Study of School Evaluation (NSSE) collectively make-up AdvancED.

MG: AdvancED creates the worlds largest education community, representing 27,000 public and private schools and districts across the United States and in 65 countries worldwide.

KC: NCA CASI and SACS CASI schools share a unified, clear and powerful accreditation process designed to help schools continuously improve.2SACS CASI District AccreditationProvides the district with a comprehensive framework for continually improving student achievement.Supports a powerful systems approach to improving student performance results and organizational effectiveness over time.Recognizes that increasing student achievement is a result of how well all the parts of the education system-the district, school, and classroom-work together to meet the needs of students.

KC: Unlike school site accreditation, District accreditation provides a framework through which a district can evaluate and enhance the entire system. District accreditation recognizes that increasing student achievement is a result of how well all the parts of the education system work together the district, the school, and the classroom to meet the needs of the individual students.3A Basic Premise of SACS CASI"The capacity of any organization to improve is directly related to its ability to recognize, acknowledge, and act on its strengths and limitations.The District Accreditation process provides a vehicle forassisting school systems to effectively identify their strengths and areas needing improvement;providing external experienced professionals who, through a structured onsite visitassess the capacity of the system to meet the criteria for accreditationcommend worthy accomplishments, and recommend strategies that hold the promise of important systemic improvements.Dr. Mark Elgart, President/CEOAdvancED

MG: On the SACS CASI webiste, Dr. Mark Elgart, President and CEO of AdvancED has been quoted as saying that, "The capacity of any organization to improve is directly related to its ability to recognize, acknowledge, and act on its strengths and limitations. The District Accreditation process provides a vehicle for assisting school systems to effectively identify their strengths and areas needing improvement, as well as for providing external experienced professionals who, through a structured onsite visit, assess the capacity of the system to meet the criteria for accreditation, commend worthy accomplishments, and recommend strategies that hold the promise of important systemic improvements."4Earning and Maintaining District AccreditationTo earn and maintain District Accreditation from SACS CASI, school systems must: 1) Meet the AdvancED Accreditation Standards for Quality School Systems and ensure that their schools meet the AdvancED Standards for Quality Schools2) Engage in continuous improvement3) Demonstrate quality assurance through external review

KC: (Read Slide)

5AdvancED Accreditation Standards for QualitySchool SystemsThe standards require that the district and its schoolshave a clear vision and purpose; have effective and responsive leadership; have a rigorous curriculum taught through sound, research-based methods; collect, report, and use performance results; provide adequate resources and support for its educational programs; and value and communicate with their stakeholders.

MG: (Read Slide) Throughout the 2010-2011 school year we will continue to engage in the process of continuous self-assessment, as we prepare for District Accreditation through the completion of the Standards Assessment Review Report.

KC: Through the accreditation process, all staff members continuously review the standards and indicators to ensure that the standards are being met and to identify areas that may need to be strengthened or improved. This review challenges the school system to identify the data, information, evidence, and documented results that validate that it is meeting each standard.6Engagement in Continuous ImprovementTo demonstrate continuous improvement, the district and its schools mustimplement an improvement plan based on student performance and school/community data, anddocument growth in student performance and organizational effectiveness.

KC: (Read Slide) As you can see, "The process for district accreditation helps focus school systems on a continuous process of improvement, providing external checks, support, and feedback to help school systems continuously improve."

7Demonstration of Quality Assurance through External ReviewDistricts must be evaluated by a team of professionals from outside the district on a periodic basis. The team serves to engage the district staff in a healthy, professional dialogue about district improvement efforts; validates that the district meets the standards for accreditation; and provides feedback and makes recommendations concerning future efforts to improve student performance and organizational effectiveness.

MG: (Read Slide) The District plans to host the Quality Assurance Review Team visit in the Fall of 2011.8AdvancED Accreditation StandardsThere are 7 StandardsThe Standards are comprehensive statements of quality practices and conditions that research and best practice indicate are necessary for schools to achieve quality performance and organizational effectiveness.

KC: (Read Slide) Each of the even standards has corresponding indicators and an impact statement. Indicators are operational definitions or descriptions of exemplary practices and processes. Collectively, they provide a comprehensive picture of the Standard. The Impact Statement describes characteristics, processes, and actions that would be observable and verifiable in a district that effectively implements the standard.9The Seven StandardsStandard 1: Vision and PurposeThe system establishes and communicates a shared purpose and direction for improving the performance of students and the effectiveness of the system.

MG (Read Slide) A system is successful in meeting this standard when it commits to a purpose and direction that is sharedsystem-wide. The leadership establishes expectations for student learning aligned with the system's vision that issupported by system and school personnel and external stakeholders. These expectations serve as the focus forassessing student performance and district effectiveness. The system's vision guides allocations of time andhuman, material, and fiscal resources.10The Seven StandardsStandard 2: Governance and LeadershipThe system provides governance and leadership that promote student performance and system effectiveness.

KC (Read Slide) A system is successful in meeting this standard when it has leaders who are advocates for the system's vision andimprovement efforts. The leaders provide direction and allocate resources to implement curricular and co-curricularprograms that enable students to achieve expectations for their learning. Leaders function with clearly definedauthority and responsibility and encourage collaboration and shared responsibility for system and school improvementamong stakeholders. The systems policies, procedures, and organizational conditions ensure equity of learningopportunities and support for innovation.11The Seven StandardsStandard 3: Teaching and LearningThe system provides research-based curriculum and instructional methods that facilitate achievement for all students.

MG (Read Slide) A system is successful in meeting this standard when it implements a curriculum based on clear and measurableexpectations for student learning that provides opportunities for all students to acquire requisite knowledge, skills,and attitudes. The system ensures that teachers use proven instructional practices that actively engage students inthe learning process; provide opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills to real world situations;and give students feedback to improve their performance.12The Seven StandardsStandard 4: Documenting and Using ResultsThe system enacts a comprehensive assessment system that monitors and documents performance and uses these results to improve student performance and school effectiveness.

KC (Read Slide) A school system is successful in meeting this standard when it uses a comprehensive assessment system based onclearly-defined performance measures. The assessment system is used to assess student performance on expectationsfor student learning, identify gaps between expectations for student learning and student performance, evaluatethe effectiveness of curriculum and instruction, and determine interventions to improve student performance. Theassessment system yields timely and accurate information that is meaningful and useful to system and school leaders,teachers, and other stakeholders in understanding student performance, system and school effectiveness, and theresults of improvement efforts.13The Seven StandardsStandard 5: Resources and Support SystemsThe system has the resources and services necessary to support its vision and purpose and to ensure achievement for all students.

MG (Read Slide) A system is successful in meeting this standard when it has sufficient human, material, and fiscal resources toimplement a curriculum that: enables students to achieve expectations for student learning, meets special needs,and complies with applicable regulations. The system employs and allocates staff well-qualified for their assignments.The system provides ongoing learning opportunities for all staff to improve their effectiveness. The system ensurescompliance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations.14The Seven StandardsStandard 6: Stakeholder Communications and RelationshipsThe system fosters effective communications and relationships with and among its stakeholders.

KC (Read Slide) A system is successful in meeting this standard when it has the understanding, commitment, and support ofstakeholders. System and school personnel seek opportunities for collaboration and shared leadership amongstakeholders to help students learn and advance improvement efforts.15The Seven StandardsStandard 7: Commitment to Continuous ImprovementThe system establishes, implements, and monitors a continuous process of improvement that focuses on student performance.

MG (Read Slide) A system is successful in meeting this standard when it implements a collaborative and ongoing process forimprovement that aligns the functions of the system with the expectations for student learning. Improvementefforts are sustained and the system and its schools demonstrate progress in improving student performance.New improvement efforts are informed by the results of earlier efforts through analysis of student performance,system effectiveness, and assessment of the improvement process.16District Accreditation Advisory CommitteeThe District Accreditation Advisory Committee consists of the Executive Leadership Team Members.

Dr. Earlean Smiley, SuperintendentMamie BanksJackie BrownDewey CareyKelly CoxeLuella CrosbyRebecca FullerJohn GreeneGeraldine MorrisRoni ScottMary Greene Thomasson

KC: (Read Slide)17Additional CommitteesAdditional Committees will be needed and your assistance will be required as we strive to obtain District Accreditation.

MG: (Read Slide) If you have interest in a particular area, please let your principal/supervisor know, as we will be actively recruiting additional participants with this project.

KC: We thank you for your time and attention as we have shared this critical information with you. We look forward to work with each of you in the very near future. 18Additional InformationFor further information of the SACS CASI District Accreditation process visit:

http://www.advanc-ed.org/accreditation/standards/advanced_district_standards.pdf

OrContact Kelly Coxe or Mary Greene Thomasson [email protected]@mcormick.k12.sc.us