Virginia Department of Education

Office of School Improvement Office of Program Administration and

Accountability

April 19, 2011

• Low-achieving schools are categorized into three tiers based on available data, and interventions and supports (including funding) can vary according to the tier.

• A low-achieving school can be rapidly improved (within three years) through one of three intervention models: Turnaround, Restart, or Transformation.

• Some schools will not demonstrate a reasonable expectation of adequately responding to one of the three aforementioned intervention models, and their students will benefit from a fourth intervention model– the school’s closure and the students’ placement in higher-achieving schools.

Under Section 1003(g) of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(NCLB), states may apply to the U. S. Department of Education (USED) for SIG funding on behalf of school divisions with schools meeting the criteria outlined in the grant requirements.

In April 2011, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) received approval of its FY 2010 SIG application.

TIER I: A Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring that is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring based on the academic achievement of the “all students” group in reading/language arts and mathematics combined and the school has not reduced its failure rate in reading/language arts and/or mathematics by 10 to 15 percent each year for the past two years

 

TIER II: A secondary school that is eligible for, but does not receive, Title I funds that is among the lowest-achieving five percent of schools based on the academic achievement of the “all students” group in reading/language arts and mathematics combined and the school has not reduced its failure rate in reading/language arts and/or mathematics by 10 to 15 percent each year for the past two years (Tier II); or

TIER II: A high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 34 CFR 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent for two years (Tier II).  

TIER III: All other Title I schools in improvement not identified for Tier I

Schools That MUST be Identified

Column 1

Tier I Title I schools in Title I School Improvement that are among the lowest-achieving five percent.

Tier II Title I eligible secondary schools that are defined as persistently lowest-achieving.

Tier III Title I schools in Title I School Improvement in Years 1-7 that are not in Tier I.

Description of Proposed Tiers

Schools identified in Tiers I and II MUST implement one of four required USED reform models.

Schools identified in Tier III may implement one of the four required USED reform models or other school improvement strategies.

Model FY 2010(2010-2011)

FY 2011(2011-2012)

FY 2012(2012-2013)

Restart Up to $2million Up to $2million Up to $2million

Turnaround Up to $2million Up to $2million Up to $2million

Transformation Up to $2million Up to $2million Up to $2million

Closure $50k - -

Funding will be based, in part, on the number of students in a school. For example, FY 2009 Tier I and Tier II schools received $1.5 million over three years, based on an average of 800 students per school.

For FY 2010, there are 19 Tier I and II eligible

schools; therefore, the funding will be competitive. Tier I and II schools must receive priority. However, Tier III schools are eligible to apply.

Schools funded in FY 2009 as Tier III schools will continue to receive FY 2009 SIG funds. Unless these schools are currently identified as Tier I for FY 2010, they will be considered the lowest priority.

Schools identified as Tier III for FY 2010 that did not receive FY 2009 SIG funds will receive 1003(a) funds if they do not apply or apply and do not receive FY 2010 SIG funds.

TurnaroundZone

Lead Turnaround Partnerfor Reform Support

Readin

ess t

o LE

ARN

Readiness to ACT

Readiness to TEACH

LocalSchoolBoard

InternalLead

Partner

Superintendentand Division

Staff

Time: Authority over scheduling,longer day, longer year

Money: Morebudget flexibility,more resources

Program: Flexibilityto shape program to students’ needs and turnaround priorities

People: Authority over selection, compensationand work rules

Educational Management Organization (EMO):• Restart• Turnaround

Reform Management Organization (RMO):• Transformation

• Assign a division staff to serve as the Internal Lead Partner or liaison between the LTP and the Superintendent.

• Develops and manages the Memorandum of Understanding.

• Must have the division-level authority to make instructional decisions quickly.

• Meet with VDOE in Richmond or via webinar to learn about selecting and contracting with a LTP - Monday, May 2, 2011.

• Meet with VDOE in Richmond for technical assistance in completing an application for Tier I and/or Tier II funds – Monday, June 6, 2011.

• Attend a summer institute for the LTP and the division at Richmond Omni Hotel. Both must attend. Dates: July 18-21, 2011

• Meet at least monthly with LTP and the division through webinar to discuss monthly reports provided to the VDOE by the division.

• Attend LTP technical assistance sessions (tentative dates): • September 20, 2011• November 9, 2011• January 11, 2012• March 13, 2012• April 25, 2012

• Attend additional training and/or webinars as needed.

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/school_finance/procurement/index.shtml

Low Achieving School Contracts ◦ RFP# DOE-2010-03 (PDF) ◦ Notice of Contract Award (PDF) ◦ Cambridge Education (PDF) ◦ EdisonLearning (PDF) ◦ Johns Hopkins University (PDF) ◦ Pearson (PDF)

• School closure occurs when a school division closes a school and enrolls the students who attended that school in other schools in the school division.

• A restart model is one in which a school division converts a school or closes and reopens a school under a charter school operator, a charter management organization (CMO), or an education management organization (EMO) that has been selected through a rigorous review process.

• Note: the school may “start over” in the School Improvement timeline.

• The school division must• Replace principal;• Screen all existing staff and rehire no more than

50 percent;• Implement such strategies as financial incentives,

increased opportunities for promotion and career growth, and more flexible work conditions that are designed to recruit, place, and retain staff;

• Provide ongoing, high-quality, job-embedded professional development;

• Adopt a new governance structure;

• Use data to identify and implement an instructional program that is research-based and vertically aligned from one grade level to the next as well as aligned with state academic standards;

• Promote the continuous use of student data to inform and differentiate instruction;

• Establish schedules and implement strategies that provide increased learning time; and

• Provide appropriate social-emotional and community-oriented services and supports for students.

• Note: the school may “start over” in the School Improvement timeline.

• Note: the school may implement any of the strategies in the USED transformation model.

• Increased Learning Time◦ Increased learning time means using a longer

school day, week, or year schedule to significantly increase the total number of school hours to include additional time for:

(a) Instruction in core academic subjects; (b) Instruction in other subjects and enrichment

activities; and (c) Teachers to collaborate, plan, and engage in

professional development within and across grades and subjects.

• The school division must increase teacher and leader effectiveness by:

◦ Replacing the principal;◦ Using rigorous, transparent, and equitable evaluation systems

for teachers and principals that Take into account data on student growth as well as other factors

such as multiple observation-based assessments of performance and ongoing collections of professional practice reflective of student achievement and increased high school graduation rates; and

Are designed and developed with teacher and principal involvement

◦ Identifying and reward school leaders, teachers, and other staff who have increased student achievement and high school graduation rates and identify and remove those who have not done so;

• Providing staff ongoing, high-quality, job embedded professional development that is aligned with the school’s comprehensive instructional program and designed with school staff

• Implementing such strategies as financial incentives, increased opportunities for promotion and career growth, and more flexible work conditions that are designed to recruit, place, and retain staff.

• The school division must implement instructional reform strategies that:

◦ Use data to identify and implement an instructional program that is research-based and vertically aligned from one grade to the next as well as aligned with state academic standards; and

◦ Promote the continuous use of student data to inform and differentiate instruction.

• The school division must increase learning time and create community-oriented schools by:

◦ Establishing schedules and strategies that provide increased learning time; and

◦ Provide ongoing mechanisms for family and community involvement.

• Increased Learning Time

◦ Increased learning time means using a longer school day, week, or year schedule to significantly increase the total number of school hours to include additional time for:

(a) Instruction in core academic subjects; (b) Instruction in other subjects and enrichment

activities; and (c) Teachers to collaborate, plan, and engage in

professional development within and across grades and subjects.

• The school division must provide operational flexibility and sustained support by:

◦ Giving the school sufficient operational flexibility (such as staffing, calendars/time, and budgeting) to implement fully a comprehensive approach to substantially improve student achievement outcomes and increase high school graduation rates; and

◦ Ensure that the school receives ongoing, intensive technical assistance and related support from the school division, state, or a designated external lead partner organization such as a school turnaround organization or an EMO.

• Also included are numerous permissible activities.

• See United States Department of Education Final Requirements for School Improvement Grants

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/faq.html

Because the turnaround model relies principally upon an infusion of human capital, along with changes in decision making and operational practice, the following considerations must be taken into account in determining if turnaround is the best fit for a persistently low-achieving school:

How will the LEA select a new leader for the school, and what experience, training, and skills will the new leader be expected to possess?

How will the LEA assign effective teachers and leaders to the lowest achieving schools?

How will the LEA begin to develop a pipeline of effective teachers and leaders to work in turnaround schools?

How will staff replacement be executed—what is the process for determining which staff remains in the school and for selecting replacements?

An LEA may: ◦ develop and increase teacher and school leader

effectiveness; ◦ use comprehensive instructional reform strategies; ◦ increase learning time and create community-oriented

schools; or◦ provide operational flexibility and sustained support.

See Guidelines for School Improvement Grant Applications – Appendix B for details.

Question: Will FY 2010 SIG funds be awarded to all eligible schools? Answer: No. Virginia’s FY 2010 funds are limited to $9 million. USED requires that states give priority to Tier I and Tier II schools when awarding funds.

Question: If Tier I and II schools will receive priority for funding, will any Tier III schools be funded?

Answer: Funds may or may not be available for Tier III schools depending on how many Tier I and Tier II schools receive funding.

Question: Are divisions required to apply for funding for all eligible schools?

Answer: No; however, some application stipulations apply for divisions with schools in multiple tiers. (Refer to slides that follow)

Question: May a division apply for funding for Tier III schools but not its Tier I schools?

Answer: No. Divisions with Tier I and Tier III schools must give priority to Tier I schools before choosing to apply for funds for Tier III schools.

Question: May a division apply for funding for Tier III schools but not its Tier II schools?

Answer: Yes. A division may apply for funding for Tier III schools without applying for funding for Tier II schools; however, the state must give priority to Tier I and Tier II schools before awarding funds to any Tier III schools.

Question: May a school receiving FY 2009 SIG funds as a Tier III school, and currently identified as a Tier I school, continue to receive FY 2009 SIG funds?

Answer: No. Schools currently identified as Tier I and receiving the prior year’s funds must apply for FY 2010 funds or lose the remainder of their FY 2009 grant (two-thirds of the total FY 2009 grant award).

Question: May a school receiving FY 2009 SIG funds as a Tier III school, and currently identified again as a Tier III school, continue to receive FY 2009 SIG funds?

Answer: Yes. Note: These schools may continue with the FY 2009 award through September 30, 2013, or apply for an FY 2010 grant.

Question: Will schools not awarded FY 2010 SIG funds receive other school improvement 1003(a) funds?

Answer: Priority for awarding school improvement 1003(a) funds will be given to eligible schools not receiving FY 2009 SIG funds and not awarded FY 2010 SIG funds.

If a school division has one or more……

In order to receive SIG funds, the school division must commit to serve….

Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III schools Each Tier I school it has the capacity to serve; at a minimum, at least one Tier I school OR at least one Tier II school

Tier I and Tier II schools Same as above.

Tier I and Tier III schools Each Tier I school it has the capacity to serve; at a minimum, at least one Tier I school

Tier II and Tier III schools As many Tier II and Tier III schools as it wishes to serve

Tier I only OR Tier II only OR Tier III only

As many schools as it has the capacity to serve

Guidelines are provided in a separate document and should be reviewed before you begin completing the application for SIG funds.

Certification PageCertification Page

Sample Middle School X X1234

School Name: 1 xxxx

School Name: 2 xxxx

Only applies if theLEA did not choosea vendor from the state list.

Pre-implementation funding is captured in a separate column.

Copy this form and complete a Budget Summary for EACH school to be served

Copy this form and complete a Budget Narrativefor EACH school to be served

FY 2010 SIG award letters will be dated July 1, 2011.

Handbook on Effective Implementation of School Improvement Grants

http://www.centerii.org/handbook/

Transformation Tool Kithttp://www.centerii.org/resources/Transformation_Toolkit-0409.pdf

United States Department of Education Final Requirements for School Improvement Grants, October 2010

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/faq.html

United States Department of Education Guidance on School Improvement Grants under Section 1003(g) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, February 2011

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/faq.html

Kathleen Smith, Director, Office of School Improvement • Phone: 804-286-5819• E-mail: Kathleen.Smith@doe.virginia.gov

Veronica Tate, Director, Office of Program Administration and Accountability

• Phone: 804-225-2870• E-mail: Veronica.Tate@doe.virginia.gov

Becky Marable, Title I Coordinator• Phone: 804-371-0044• E-mail: Rebecca.Marable@doe.virginia.gov

Janice Pierson, Lead School Improvement Coordinator• Phone: 804-371-6201• E-mail: Janice.Pierson@doe.virginia.gov

Application Application ContactsContacts