EXPECTATIONS FOR EXPECTATIONS FOR MICHIGAN’SMICHIGAN’S

FOCUS SCHOOLS FOCUS SCHOOLS

04/20/23 1

FOCUS SCHOOL WEBINAROffice of Education Improvement and Innovation

School Support UnitAugust 27, 2014

MDE’s Theory of MDE’s Theory of ActionAction

• IF a school’s challenges are accurately diagnosed through data analysis and data conversations at the district and building levels,

• THEN the implementation of a focused and customized set of interventions will result in changes in adult behavior that result in school and student success.

04/20/23 2

Expectations for ALL Expectations for ALL Districts with Focus Districts with Focus

SchoolsSchools• The District is expected to:

• Identify a central office point person to support the Focus School(s)

• Target efforts toward supporting needs of lowest achievers in the school (likely through strengthening or recalibrating the multi-tiered system of support)

04/20/23 3

Expectations for Districts Expectations for Districts with Focus Schools with Focus Schools (cont.)(cont.)

• Identify System Issues that are barriers to schools’ rapid transformation

•Consider using the ERS Resource Check

•http://www.erstrategies.org/assessments/resource_check

• This self-assessment to shows how your district resource decisions compare to best practices

04/20/23 4

5

Expectations for ALL Expectations for ALL Districts with Focus Districts with Focus

SchoolsSchools(cont.)cont.)

If you learn that there are gaps between your district support and the ERS best practices, there is a District Toolkit available online

http://mitoolkit.org/

04/20/23 6

04/20/23 7

Expectations for ALL Expectations for ALL Districts with Focus Districts with Focus

Schools Schools (cont.)cont.)

•Monitor and Evaluate Focus School’s Improvement Plan

•Revise District Improvement Plan

•Report quarterly to School Board on plans and progress of the Focus School

04/20/23 8

Quarterly Board Quarterly Board ReportReport

• There is a template for this report that includes things such as:o Information about the Data Dialogues at the

district and building levelso Strategies and interventions being implemented

to close the achievement gap of the students in the bottom 30%

o Evidence of student learning at the classroom level that reflects the gap closure

o Information about the Superintendent's Dropout Challenge

o MI Excel supports (if Title I)

04/20/23 9

Quarterly Board Quarterly Board ReportReport

• Template can be found at: www.mi.gov/focusschools

• This template must be uploaded quarterly in MEGS+ for the 2014/15 school year

04/20/23 10

Expectations for ALL Expectations for ALL Focus SchoolsFocus Schools

Engage in data conversations that:

•identify root causes of achievement gaps between the highest 30% and the bottom 30% of students

04/20/23 11

www.mischooldata.orgwww.mischooldata.org

04/20/23 12

Expectations for ALL Expectations for ALL Focus SchoolsFocus Schools

• Once the root causes of the achievement gaps are identified from the data dialogues:

• Agree on one or two Teaching and Learning Priorities for interventions most likely to close the gap and record them in the Focus School Diagnostic in ASSIST by November 28

04/20/23 13

14

Expectations for ALL Expectations for ALL Focus SchoolsFocus Schools

• Participate in the Superintendent’s Dropout Challenge

www.michigan.gov/dropoutchalleng

e 04/20/23 15

04/20/23 16

17

Additional Additional Requirements and Requirements and

Supports Supports for for

Title I Focus SchoolsTitle I Focus Schools

04/20/23 18

Requirements for Requirements for Districts with Title I Districts with Title I

SchoolsSchools• Send a parent notification letter home

within ten days of the release of the state achievement data on the Scorecard site or by August 26, 2014, whichever date is later

• Notification templates available at: www.michigan.gov/focusschools at the link Memo to Title I Focus Schools

04/20/23 19

Supports for Supports for Title I Focus DistrictsTitle I Focus Districts• The MI Excel Statewide System

of Support (SSoS) provides districts with a Title I Focus School a trained District Improvement Facilitator to provide guidance and technical assistance to central office in its efforts to better provide support to its Focus Schools

04/20/23 20

Requirements and Supports for Requirements and Supports for

Districts with Title I Focus Districts with Title I Focus

SchoolsSchools• District Improvement Facilitators engage in

professional dialogue with district administrators in order to:• Prepare for data conversations with schools using the

school-specific data wall in MI SchoolData• Analyze central office systems in partnership with your

district leadership team using the ERS ResourceCheck leading to differentiated district support for Focus schools

• Document the ERS ResourceCheck in the District Resource Allocation Diagnostic in ASSIST

• Bring resources and research to support the revision of the District and School Improvement Plans

04/20/23 21

Requirements and Supports Requirements and Supports

for Title I Schoolsfor Title I Schools• District Improvement Facilitators support

district administrators in order to:• Hold deep diagnostic data conversations in

order to identify root causes of achievement gaps between the highest 30% and the bottom 30% of students

• Document the one or two Teaching and Learning Priorities for interventions most likely to close the gap and record them in the Focus School Diagnostic in ASSIST by November 28

04/20/23 22

Requirements and Supports Requirements and Supports for Title I Schoolsfor Title I Schools

• District Improvement Facilitators support district administrators in order to:• Direct the revision of the Focus School’s

Improvement Plan• Monitor and Evaluate the Focus School’s

Improvement Plan• Provide support to the implementation of

the Superintendent’s Dropout Challenge

04/20/23 23

Title I Focus Title I Focus SchoolsSchools

District and School Set-Aside Requirements

04/20/23 24

Title I District Set-Title I District Set-AsidesAsides

• District set-asides do not begin until Year 3 of Focus School identification

• Set-aside amount calculated as the sum of 10% of each non-Improving Focus Schools’ previous year Title I budget

• Set-aside rises to a max of 15% in Year 4

04/20/23 25

Title I District Set-Title I District Set-AsidesAsides

continued

•Set-aside funds may not be used to support the transportation of students

•District set-asides not required IF the Focus School is not identified as Focus in subsequent years

04/20/23 26

Use of Title I District Use of Title I District Set-Aside FundsSet-Aside Funds

District Title I Set-Aside Uses for support of Title I Focus Schools•Option 1: Provide or deepen implementation of a multi-tiered system of support in Focus School(s)•Option 2: Professional Learning aligned with needs of Focus School(s)

04/20/23 27

Title I Building Set-Title I Building Set-Aside for Focus Aside for Focus

SchoolsSchools

• No set-aside required during Year 1 of Focus School identification

• 10% set-aside required during Years 2, 3 and 4 of identification 04/20/23 28

Title I Building Set-Title I Building Set-Asides for Focus Asides for Focus

SchoolsSchoolsUses of Building 10% Title I Set-Aside beginning in Year 2:

•Option 1: Professional development on implementation of multi-tiered system of supports and/or scaffolded instruction of students in lowest performing student groups•Option 2: Provide weekly/daily time for teacher collaboration •Option 3: Contract for the administration of Surveys of Enacted Curriculum

04/20/23 29

Title I Building Set-Title I Building Set-Asides for Focus Asides for Focus

SchoolsSchoolsUses of Building 10% Title I Set-Aside (cont):

•Option 4: Contract with the local ISD/ESA or MDE for a School Improvement Review,

•Option 5: Professional learning about implementing the Essential Elements for teachers with MI-ACCESS students in the bottom 30%

•Option 6: Culture/climate interventions, use of time analysis or culturally-responsive teaching interventions as needed

04/20/23 30

Title I Title I Single Building Single Building

DistrictsDistrictsTitle I Single Building Districts are expected to set aside:•The required Title I district set-aside in Years 3 and 4 of identification

AND

•The required Title I building set-aside in Years 2, 3 and 4 of identification

04/20/23 31

Non-Title I SchoolsNon-Title I Schools

• There is no obligation for non-Title I districts or schools to set-aside any money for any of the options

• Districts and buildings could consider using their Title IIA monies to address the needs of Focus Schools

04/20/23 32

Four Year Cohort for Four Year Cohort for All Focus SchoolsAll Focus Schools

• All Focus Schools are placed in a four year cohort that begins with their identification year

• If a school is not identified in any of the subsequent years of that four year cohort, then the Focus School requirements and supports are conditionally suspended

04/20/23 33

Four Year Cohort for Four Year Cohort for Focus Schools Focus Schools

• If a Focus School is re-identified during that four year cohort, the supports and requirements kick in at the appropriate cohort year

• For example, if a Focus Schools is identified in 2014:o This Focus School belongs to the 2014 cohorto If it is not identified in 2015; its “requirements and

supports” are conditionally suspendedo If the school is re-identified in 2016, all of the

requirements and supports are again requiredo If the school is Title I, then the Title I set-asides for

both the district and school are required at the Year 3 level

04/20/23 34

Next StepsNext Steps

What can you do?What can you do?What can you What can you

expect?expect?04/20/23 35

What are the next What are the next steps for all Focus steps for all Focus

Schools?Schools?•Ensure that staff knows the achievement levels of all students, especially those in the lowest 30%

•Consider ways to check implementation of, and strengthen/retarget the school’s current multi-tiered system of support

•Participate in Data Dialogues early in the year to assess what changes are needed to the School Improvement Plans

04/20/23 36

What are the next What are the next steps for all Focus steps for all Focus

Schools?Schools?•Record the one or two Teaching and Learning Priorities for interventions most likely to close the gap and record them in the Focus School Diagnostic in ASSIST by November 28

•Ensure that your School Improvement Plan includes strategies to address your achievement gap and that implementation planning is robust

•Sign up for the Superintendent’s Dropout Challenge

04/20/23 37

What are the next steps What are the next steps for districts with Focus for districts with Focus

Schools?Schools?•Develop a plan to address internal and community communications regarding the Focus school designation

•Conduct Data Dialogues in each Focus School early in the year to assess what changes are needed to the School Improvement Plans

•Schedule the quarterly reports to the Board of Education on the progress of identified Focus Schools

04/20/23 38

What are the next steps for What are the next steps for districts with Title I Focus districts with Title I Focus

Schools?Schools?•Send a notification letter to parents within ten days of the public release of 2014/15 student achievement data in the Scorecard or by August 26, whichever date is later

•Meet the District Improvement Facilitator in early September to plan how to engage in deep, data-rich dialogue with schools regarding achievement gaps.

•Identify the district administrator who will partner with the District Improvement Facilitator to support the Focus school.

04/20/23 39

What are the next steps for What are the next steps for districts with Title I Focus districts with Title I Focus

Schools?Schools?

Work with your District Improvement Facilitator to:

•Collaboratively complete the District Resource Allocation Self-Assessment (ERS ResourceCheck) with central office staff and follow up with data conversations about possible system opportunities

•Address the system-level opportunities identified in the Self-Assessment using the District Toolkit

04/20/23 40

What are the next steps for What are the next steps for districts with Title I Focus districts with Title I Focus

Schools?Schools?Work with your District Improvement Facilitator to:

•Upload compiled results of the District Resource Allocation Self-Assessment (ERS ResourceCheck) in ASSIST by February 28

•Revise your District Improvement Plan to incorporate your learnings

04/20/23 41

Focus Schools WebsiteFocus Schools Websitewww.michigan.gov/focusschools

04/20/23 42

ReflectionReflection

None of us is as smart as all of us

Ken Blanchard

04/20/23 43

OEII ContactsOEII Contactso Bill Witt Supervisor School Improvement Support 517.335.2957 wittb1@michigan.gov

o Karen Ruple Manager Statewide System of Support 517.241.9386 ruplek@michigan.gov

o Greg Olszta Consultant Statewide System of

Support 517.241.4715 olsztag@michigan.gov

o Jonathan Doll Consultant Statewide System of

Support 517.373.3488 dollj2@michiigan.gov

04/20/23 44