REBUILDING AND TRANSFORMING: A PLAN FOR IMPROVING PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NEW ORLEANS. Bring New Orleans Back Commission Education Committee

Transcription

1 REBUILDING AND TRANSFORMING: A PLAN FOR IMPROVING PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NEW ORLEANS Bring New Orleans Back Commission Education Committee 1

2 1. Executive Summary A System in Crisis Prior to Katrina, Orleans Parish ranked among the lowest performing of large, urban school districts nationwide and was facing significant financial problems. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita only exacerbated the problems, causing enormous physical devastation to schools that were already in poor condition. Even more damaging was interruption to thousands of children s education and the scattering of New Orleans families, teachers and principals. Transforming Crisis into Opportunity In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Orleans Parish has the opportunity to build a new world class, truly inclusive public school system. Now more than ever before, the people of New Orleans are determined to unite towards improving schools, and supporters from all across the country and around the world are on board to help. To seize this opportunity, Mayor Nagin appointed the Bring New Orleans Back Education Committee to develop a long term plan for re-building the public education system. A New Vision for Public Education in New Orleans We can and must set ambitious goals and become a model for large urban school districts throughout the country. As a starting point, the Committee developed the following longterm vision for public education in New Orleans: VISION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NEW ORLEANS: THE MODEL FOR U.S. EDUCATION IN THE 21 ST CENTURY Prepare every student for success at each step in the educational process: Graduate all students ready for post secondary education and the workplace Promote and instill a passion for lifelong learning (Pre-K through post secondary education and adult education) Create schools and learning-centered environments that meet the academic, emotional and social needs of all students Develop an educational system that will be a positive, distinguishing feature for New Orleans, attracting both families and businesses to our city: Adopt best practices from the most successful educational systems in the world Achieve top 10% performance in the U.S. across key measures Achieve fundamental and lasting transformation Attract, develop and retain the best teachers and educational leaders for New Orleans Establish clear lines of accountability and include all stakeholders in the accountability system: governing body, principals, teachers, community, parents and students Monitor and deliver measurable, accountable progress towards realizing the vision, showing dramatic benefits in the first three years and achieving the full benefits of transformation by 2025 Close achievement gaps (racial, socioeconomic and gender) Relentless focus on student learning and achievement A Fact-Based and Inclusive Process To craft this transformational plan for New Orleans Public s, we committed to a fact-based process that would enable all New Orleanians to participate and stay informed. Through our process, we heard from more than 1,500 students, parents, educators and 2

3 community members who collectively have connections to every public school that was open prior to Katrina. In addition, we interviewed over 40 education experts and studied high-performing or significantly improving school districts across the country. We also compiled a fact base of the performance and capacity of Orleans Parish s both preand post Katrina. We held bi-weekly public meetings with our Stakeholder and Steering Committees. All of the presentation materials used in these meetings are available online at Key Recommendations Bringing together the facts, advice from experts and voices of New Orleans, we arrived at ten key design principles that guided the development of the final plan. The Education Committee used the design principles to develop a bold new model for education that is illustrated below: Educational Network Model Networks Top Talent Learning and 1 Achievement for All Students 2 Empowered and Accountable s Lean District Office 3 Organizational Cornerstones Aligned Governance 4 Engaged Parents and Communities 1. Deliver learning and achievement for all students, regardless of race, socioeconomic class or where they live in New Orleans with the goal of graduating all students ready for college and the workplace 2. Develop a new school-focused philosophy that empowers schools as the centerpiece for transformation and holds them accountable for student performance 3. Create a new Educational Network Model with four organizational cornerstones designed around students and schools that provides more flexibility, options and accountability than ever before in order to drive student learning and achievement 3

4 4. Develop new partnerships to engage parents and the community to support student learning We Need To Work Together To Make This Happen To facilitate the repopulation of New Orleans and attract new people to the city, this transformation process must start immediately with the involvement and cooperation of parents, teachers, government, businesses and the community. To succeed, our committee, the Orleans Parish Board, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and the Louisiana Recovery Authority will all need to work together. It is critical that we all endorse one single plan for achieving these goals, and that we ensure that everything done in the short term to open schools in Orleans Parish is consistent with the long-term objectives of developing the best system of schools possible. To that end, we have developed a number of recommendations to help bridge the gap between the present state and our end-goal. The months ahead will see detailed planning to lay out the specific actions required to create this system of schools. Working together, we can build a world-class system to deliver a great education to all the children of Orleans Parish. 2. Introduction The mission of the Education Committee is to re-build and transform the New Orleans public education system. Our goal is to instill a new relentless focus on student learning and achievement for all students. Our children are the future of New Orleans. We believe that all children are entitled to a high quality education regardless of race, socioeconomic background or where they live in New Orleans. We are also convinced that all children can learn and achieve when provided with the right kind of learning environment. We believe strongly that the entire community: parents, businesses, religious organizations and community groups all have important roles in supporting our children s education, and therefore as community leaders have come together to develop this plan. Now more than ever, New Orleans needs a public education system that can develop a new generation of young leaders to re-build the neighborhoods, culture and spirit of New Orleans. The Development of This Plan This plan was developed by New Orleanians for New Orleans. As illustrated in Exhibit 2.1, this is the result of the efforts of many members of our community. In an attempt to be both far-reaching and inclusive we regularly held open meetings and welcomed input from all attendees. Each week we incorporated feedback with additional research and presented updated findings in an open forum and through multiple distribution channels. In this manner, we steadily built a plan that has undergone review at every step and represents the collective thinking of a highly engaged and passionate group. 4

5 EXHIBIT 2.1: PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING THE PROPOSED MODEL Stakeholder Input Interviews with students ~1,500 parents, teachers and principals participated in public consultation process Public participation at all meetings Website and distribution list Outreach to diaspora communities Teachers and Principals Union Leaders Education Committee Feedback Weekly meetings with Steering and Advisory Committees Regular conference calls in between meetings Education Experts Interviews with over 20 national experts Panel discussions with experts and Steering and Advisory Committee members Key Design Principles Educational Network Model Situation Assessment Comprehensive analysis of pre and post Katrina school performance and capacity Best Practices of High Performing s Case studies of America s top performing schools and extensive literature review 3. Post-Katrina Situational Assessment Prior to Hurricane Katrina, Orleans Parish Board operated 118 public schools throughout Orleans Parish. While they had dedicated staff and bright students, many schools were failing to meet State performance standards. The schools themselves were in varying conditions, with many in desperate need of repair and renovation. The damage and disruption that resulted from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita brought about a whole new set of challenges for a school system that was already burdened with a host of challenges. Physical capacity and demand. According to estimates by the financial management firm Alvarez and Marsal, of the schools were damaged beyond repair by the Hurricanes. However, considerable efforts were being put into re-opening schools that were less damaged. At the time of writing of this report (January, 2006), there were approximately 9,000 students in 17 schools. An 18 th school is scheduled to open at the end of January with an additional 400 spots. The total capacity at this time is 12,000 students. While this would indicate that there are plenty of spots for students, some schools have reached their maximum enrollment and have had to refer interested students and families to other schools, leading to frustration among parents who are anxious to get their children back into school. The Financial Situation. Before Katrina struck the region, the New Orleans Public district was already in dire financial straits, with its bills persistently exceeding its revenues. In July 2005, the school district s finances were handed over for management to an outside contractor, Alvarez & Marsal. After Katrina, Alvarez & Marsal completed an analysis of the district s financial situation, revealing a host of financial obligations in addition to the regular school operating budget. The district s outstanding debt obligation totals approximately $370 million. In addition, New Orleans will need a major capital outlay on the order of $1 billion to repair and rebuild its schools. This construction effort 5

6 will be funded primarily by FEMA, which will reimburse 100% of emergency-related repairs and 90% of all other repairs. FEMA also provides funds to completely rebuild structures that are more than 50% compromised. Recovery District. In November 2005, the State Legislature passed Senate Bill No. 49, which mandated that all schools with a school performance score below that of the state average be transferred to the Recovery District for a minimum of five years. In New Orleans in the academic year, 68 schools were deemed academically unacceptable while another 44 were below the State average, resulting in a total of 102 schools transferred. The Recovery District is an intermediate educational unit that operates with the same general authority as a local school system, but has no authority to levy taxes. The Louisiana Department of Education is the administering agency and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) serves as the oversight board. Charter s. Of the schools that have re-opened in New Orleans, 15 are charter schools. Charter schools are granted approval and are overseen by an approving agency, in this case either the RSD or OPSB, and provided with public funding to operate their schools. The schools are operated by their own individual boards who hire principals, teachers and staff. The schools must meet key performance criteria or risk having their charter, and funding revoked. The resulting governance situation in New Orleans is highly fragmented. There are two different chartering authorities: the Orleans Parish Board and the Recovery District. Among the charter schools, some are operating independently while others are forming groups (e.g., the Algiers Charter Association). Also in the mix are some traditional district run schools. The charter schools have provided both the State and OPSB with an expedient way to open schools and address legacy of underperformance. They offer a variety of innovative models to serve diverse learning styles and interests. They also provide schools with greater control over budgets, staffing decisions and choice of service providers. Accountability can be monitored using key performance criteria, while the flexibility they are given creates an entrepreneurial environment may attract new talent However there are a number of drawbacks to an all-charter model. There are limited options to intervene in struggling or failing schools. It is also difficult to coordinate administrative activities and other shared services for schools. An all-charter system requires a significant number of high capacity leaders and administrators to enforce the numerous charter contracts. Furthermore, the diverse array of school types and curricula may hamper student mobility across schools. Probably most concerning of all is that charter school performance is highly variable across the U.S. and there is no example of an all single charter district. The Challenges Ahead Clearly, the challenges facing New Orleans schools extend far beyond merely rebuilding the damaged structures. But the people of New Orleans see this as an opportunity. They are 6

7 determined to make their schools not only good, but great, and they have a lot of ideas about what great schools should mean in New Orleans. 4. Stakeholders Perspectives A critical element in planning the transformation of New Orleans public schools is understanding the hopes and needs of the community. The Education Committee talked to the people who know the schools best: students and their families, teachers, principals, school staff, and other members of the community. Each of the people with whom we spoke is directly involved in the schools or has been touched by them in some way. Reaching a broad group of families and teachers was no easy task, they are now scattered throughout the country. We spoke with students who are now living in Houston and St. John s Parish. We met with dozens of parents, both in focus groups and in detailed interviews. We gathered over 100 surveys from parents attending town hall meetings in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. An additional 370 parents submitted surveys online. We held focus groups, conference calls, and interviews with teachers from more than 25 schools, and also held interviews with leaders of the teachers union. In addition, some 330 teachers, representing more than 80% of schools in New Orleans, responded to the online survey. We conducted focus groups, conference calls, and interviews with principals from more than 20 schools and interviewed the leadership of the principals union. In addition, 39 NOPS principals responded to online or paper surveys. We held conference calls and interviews with the senior leaders of five major New Orleans post-secondary institutions to understand how we can partner with them. We conducted discussions with the more than 30 members of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee, who represent a broad spectrum of teachers, principals, community and civic leaders, and the post-secondary education community. We also pursued a number of outreach initiatives with the broader community, in order to ensure that all New Orleanians could make their voices heard: We sent online surveys to more than 4,000 parents and teachers from the New Orleans school system and received more than 1,000 replies (an extremely high response rate for any survey, indicating the degree of investment that these parents and teachers have in sharing their views on planning schools for New Orleans). More than 4,500 parents, teachers and community members receive our weekly Education Committee e-newsletter, which is available through our website: All the materials from our meetings have been posted on our website, along with tools that help members of the public submit messages to the committee. We also reached out to more than 30 leaders of faith-based communities and have been keeping their communities informed Coverage of committee meetings has appeared in local newspapers and television In total, we heard from parents and educators from 122 schools throughout New Orleans. 7

8 EXHIBIT 4.1: MAP OF SCHOOLS REPRESENTED AMONG SURVEY RESPONDENTS Participants representing ~100% of N.O.P.S. schools shared their opinions through online and paper surveys Six Major Aspirations For New Orleans Public s In the survey responses and in our conversations with stakeholders, one main vision emerged: Providing the best possible education to all the children of New Orleans. When we asked stakeholders what they meant, their responses centered on the six ideas in Exhibit 4.2. While not all stakeholders mentioned all six themes, these six ideas were remarkably consistent across the groups we spoke with. EXHIBIT 4.2: SIX KEY ASPIRATIONS VOICED BY ALL STAKEHOLDERS 1 Top quality schools in every neighborhood, for every student 2 Caring, qualified teachers and school leaders 3 s that provide a supportive environment for teaching and learning Providing the best possible education to all the children of New Orleans: Achievement for All 4 Safe schools with effective discipline 5 s that engage and empower their communities 6 s that embody and promote the spirit of New Orleans 8

9 1. Top-quality schools in every neighborhood, for every student Stakeholders were united in their belief that schools would succeed for the students of New Orleans only when they were truly equitable and provided the best education to every student. This goal of equity and inclusiveness had two main components: raising the quality bar across the board and having all schools respond to all students needs. Raising the quality bar across the board Parents, teachers, and educational leaders are unified in their conviction that expectations need to be high for all students. Educational leaders from NOPS bemoan the different levels of expectations that have existed for different public schools in New Orleans. In particular, schools should set ambitious goals for all students: e.g., attending college and pursuing lifelong learning. Both parents and teachers were highly critical of Orleans Parish for not aspiring to the same level of achievement goals as other regions of America. They found that many students horizons were limited, both in terms of their actual educational experience and also in terms of the community s expectations. Students also felt that they deserved to be equipped with the skills and qualifications to attend college, whether or not they choose that option. In addition to setting ambitious goals, people feel that the school system should distribute resources equitably so that all schools are good schools. Many stakeholders were discouraged by the uneven distribution of resources: funding, materials, special programs, and talent. Ensuring that all schools respond to all students needs Parents, teachers, and students all want flexibility and choices in education. Parents and children want to find the best school for each child and the right level of challenge. Moreover, parents want to have a simple, transparent mechanism for enrolling their child in that school. In the pre-katrina system, they felt as though only highly motivated, well informed, and better-off parents could get their kids into good schools. Stakeholders also agree that students needs should be put first. Parents and stakeholders were tired of disagreements over governance, power, and This community has accepted failure for most of its schools as a norm, and looked to only a subset of its schools as being good. Principal s should treat all children as having unlimited potential, and should set high expectations. Kids know when they are expected to fail and often meet those awful expectations. Parent The most important thing to me is that ALL children, regardless of RACE, ECONOMIC BACKGROUND, religion, etc. receive the same education and access to resources. - Teacher There were some schools that were good and some that weren t. If the kids in your neighborhood school didn t come to learn, you should be able to go somewhere else. Student The children should be priority one and the lip service should be replaced with action of substance to achieve this goal. Principal I want a more unified school board; if we can t agree on things, then what does that show to the kids? Parent 9

10 budgetary matters. 2. Caring, qualified teachers and school leaders In online and paper surveys, community members clearly stated that having top teachers should be the number one priority for the rebuilding efforts. Students and parents echoed the importance of having great teachers in the classrooms. I want strong, certified, qualified teachers. Teachers who give you courage. NOPS student We need a clear promotion track for teachers, with transparent criteria for promotion. Teacher I would like to see teachers supported at an extraordinary level with regard to professional development, with real, solid, day-to-day support on a consistent basis. - NOPS administrator Recruiting top teachers and school leaders Students want teachers who are strong and caring, who challenge them to do their best, and who look out for them when they are struggling. Parents look for teachers they can easily talk to, who can both maintain discipline in the classroom and inspire their children to do their best. Enhancing professional and careerdevelopment programs Teachers, school leaders, and stakeholder committee members spoke of the need to dramatically improve the professional and career development programs for teachers and school leaders. Teachers emphasized how important it is for them to be able to continue learning through professional development programs. All groups highlighted the need for a better process to cultivate school leaders from within the local teaching staff, rather than hiring school leaders from outside the district. Retaining New Orleans best teachers and school leaders. The teachers we heard from were dedicated to their professions, but were frustrated by their school environments. They spoke of the need to create more supportive environments in which teachers could work more collaboratively. 3. s that provide a supportive environment for teaching and learning Stakeholders were clear that creating an environment that truly supports teaching and learning requires small class sizes, individual attention to students, well-equipped and well-maintained facilities, good before- and after-school programs, and support for students with special needs. Small class sizes and individual attention to students. Students, parents, and teachers consider small class sizes as one of the key ways that the schools can provide better education. Students described their appreciation for teachers who take individual interest in them and how that made them feel more engaged in the learning process. Class size is a top-three area of focus for both teachers and parents, and is among the top 5 reasons for parents to enroll children in private / parochial schools Well equipped, well maintained facilities. 10

11 All stakeholders would like to see new learner-centered buildings to replace those that have been damaged. In all the discussions, stakeholders pointed to a need for better maintenance of school property. Teachers cited a need for better supplies and books. Before-school and after-school programs that support student learning. All stakeholders agreed that the public schools play an important role in supporting student learning both before and after school. Community members, committee members, and parents agreed that students need constructive options for their after-school time. Students also stated their desire for programs that would help them in areas where they were struggling, as well as programs that prepare students for standardized tests. Support for students with special needs. All stakeholders would like to see schools that can serve the needs of all students. In particular, teachers and school leaders would like to have greater levels of training, resources, and support staff so that they can better include students with special needs into classes. 4. Safe schools with effective discipline Everyone we interviewed or surveyed who was familiar with public schools in New Orleans pointed to two fundamental factors schools need to be truly successful: safety and discipline. Safety was the number one reason parents gave for enrolling their children in private or parochial schools. Infrastructure and policies that support a safe learning environment. Parents, educators, and students were united in their belief that safety was the base on which an education was built without safety, none of the other goals of a school could be fulfilled. While opinions differed on the right tools and processes to make schools safe (e.g., secure facilities with ID cards, guards, and cameras), safety itself was a universal focus among all stakeholders. In large classes they should have assistant teachers, because otherwise there are always fights going on. Student I like my new school better because we have our own text books, we don t have to share with other kids, so we can bring our books home to study. Student We had an after-school program, like when you are getting ready to take a test like LEAP, they help you get ready for it. I had problems with math so they helped me. - Student Security plays a major role in the schools. It even plays a part in how much kids want to attend school. If they don t feel safe, they won t go. Parent I want a school where the teachers are in control of the students, not the students in control of the teachers. NOPS student We need a district-wide discipline policy. We need a system wide set of rules and a way to effectively deal with kids who have problems. NOPS teacher Effective discipline policies at both school and district levels. Discipline was also seen as a key element; parents, teachers and students were all very clear that when time is taken away from education for discipline, schools can no longer support learning. Teachers stated that they need certain key supports from the school and district in order to maintain discipline in the classroom. 11

12 5. s that engage and empower their communities Engaging and empowering communities should mean not just expecting more involvement from parents, but rather engaging families in their children s education. Teachers and school leaders described the challenges they faced in reaching out to parents, many of whom struggle with reading and math themselves. Parents voiced a demand for more support to help them help their kids. Breaking down the resistance to parental involvement is a monumental effort that requires strong leadership and programs designed to get parents inside schools. Principal We have got to stop waiting for parents to show up, we have got to get out there and bring the school to the parents. Teacher Many stakeholders agreed that schools could make significant contributions by partnering with community organizations to provide programs to promote family involvement by co-locating near community centers and promoting partnerships with local businesses and universities. Programs to get families more involved in their children s education. I want to help my child with his homework, but I need some help myself to understand it all. Parent s should be a focal point for the neighborhood, not just educating the kids, but also serving as local libraries, gathering places for adult education, community groups, city health and human services. Stakeholder Committee member All stakeholders recognize the important role that parents play in their children s learning. They would like to see more programs that would engage and empower parents. Parents and stakeholder committee members called for greater programs to support adult literacy. s as centers for community activities. Many people suggested that New Orleans should take advantage of this rebuilding to plan community centers in and around schools. s that offer activities, services, and gathering places for the community would help to bring the community together and also engage people more with their local schools. Some cautioned, however, that the schools must not lose their focus on educating children. Partnerships with businesses and universities. Stakeholders recommended exploring opportunities for schools to partner with businesses, to expose students to business opportunities and also to have businesses take a more active interest in the education system. College and university leaders on the stakeholder and advisory committees offered several concrete ideas of programs where universities can partner with K-12 on programs for students and teachers and school leaders. 6. s that embody and promote the spirit of New Orleans New Orleans is a city defined by its vibrant culture and enriched by the diversity of its people. The community takes pride in its deep-rooted cultural heritage. However, Hurricane Katrina has up-rooted this community and scattered its people throughout the country. Community members want their schools to help bring the city s various communities back together, while also teaching the city s unique heritage and culture. 12

13 s that play a valuable role in rebuilding New Orleans communities. New Orleans is a city known for its closeknit communities. Students, parents, teachers, and others were unanimous in their vision that schools must be a crucial part of helping to bring New Orleans back together. They want top schools that will serve as magnets to bring families and businesses - back to the city. New Orleans community members want schools that will be good enough that people of all backgrounds will want to send their children there. New Orleans is not a city, it s a way of feeling, it s a state of mind. Dr. Scott Cowan, President, Tulane University We have got to bring the arts and music back into the schools. Nowhere else is this more important than in a cultural city like New Orleans. Stakeholder committee member We have a heritage to preserve, and the schools are the only way that we will be able to do it. Stakeholder committee member Curriculum that promotes New Orleans unique heritage. New Orleans has a strong cultural heritage and many people spoke of a desire to have this heritage play a much more active role in the schools. 5. Best Practices of High-Performing s As a key input to the development of the master plan, we studied the practices of highperforming schools and school systems throughout the U.S. Our studies included successful schools such as the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), and school districts that are currently undergoing reform and are seeing considerable improvement in student achievement such as Norfolk, VA and Philadelphia, PA. Our goal was to identify the best practices and determine what a high-quality public education system looks like. To aid in this process, we also collected and synthesized the opinions of leading educators and educational researchers nationwide. Several themes emerged as essential elements in the success of high-performing schools. These must haves are listed in Exhibit 5.1 and discussed in detail below. Exhibit 5.1: Must Haves A clearly defined goal of success in post-secondary education, with aligned instruction standards and support systems across all grade levels Equitable access to high-quality school options for every student and community autonomy coupled with equitable allocation of resources Transparent, data-driven measurement and accountability systems Strong leaders at every level High performing teachers who are fully committed to educating students Professional development and mentorship programs aligned with school goals Parents and community engaged to support student success Effective and efficient services supporting each school s mission Safe and orderly facilities designed for learning 13

14 A clearly defined goal of success in post-secondary education, with aligned instruction standards and support systems across all grade levels. Many education experts are firm believers in establishing high goals for students. Highperforming schools all share the goal of preparing students for success in college. According to the Gates Foundation, for the last century, our school systems have operated with multiple missions preparing some students for elite universities and some for skilled labor, while pushing others out. [as] numerous economists have pointed out, we ve reached a point where knowledge and skill requirements for further KIPP Academy Yes schools Uncommon s High performing schools consistently set high goals and aligned standards to prepare students for college Mission Enable all students to "climb the mountain to college." Offer under-served students the opportunity to experience a culture of achievement To start, operate, and ensure the excellence of college preparatory schools serving low-income students in the Northeast Sample of results #1 middle school in Bronx in math and reading Highest performing public middle school in DC Newark performance rose from 31st to 91st percentile in math on Stanford 10 95% of students passed all sections of the state exams for English & Math over the last 4 years. 100% of first four graduating classes matriculated into four-year colleges - 90% were first in family to attend college Northstar Academy, Newark NJ Eliminated the achievement gap on NJ exams 100% of seniors passed proficiency assessment compared to 35% in Newark 8th grade scores place them in the top 3% of all urban districts in NJ education, work, and citizenship have converged College-ready courses of study should be the default for every student, to ensure access to further learning. Career-focused courses of study should be aligned with industry standards, as well as college readiness. All students should be prepared for college when they graduate from high school. This will prepare them for the current realities of the job market where even those who do not attend college have to be knowledgeable about, for instance, computers in order to compete successfully in today s job market. Equitable access to high-quality school options for every student and community. High-performing schools are in high demand. Many of the best schools have long waiting lists. For instance, the waiting list for KIPP Academy Houston is longer than the school s entire enrollment. This high demand reflects families strong desire for high-quality schools for their children. To address this demand, some districts are introducing a variety of options to meet students diverse learning styles, interests, and needs. In Washington DC, the district granted charters to 45 schools, encouraging parents to learn about each school s focus, size and teaching approach, and to think seriously about what environment is the best match for their child s interests and needs. Other districts, such as Norfolk, VA, are taking a more centralized approach and using standardization and accountability to raise the performance of all district-run schools. autonomy coupled with equitable allocation of resources. A common theme among high-performing schools is the ability to control decision making about resources, including time, money, and people. Control over time in class frees schools from constraints that may affect their ability to achieve their mission. Control over money allows principals to direct resources toward 14

15 s KIPP Oakland Unified District Healthy Start Academy s empowered to meet students needs Strategies Principals decide budgeting & cost allocation: - 15% teacher salary increase to offset longer days - s have decided to increase dollar allocation in music and arts s with flexibility in the hiring and firing of teachers s may choose central organization or external providers for shared services Fiscal decision-making brought back to the school level 85% of funds controlled by the schools Merit based annual bonuses ranging from $1,000 to $2,000 80% of total budget goes into teachers salaries Superior health insurance and retirement accounts areas where there is the greatest need. Control over people allows principals to hire teachers who are committed to their schools vision and goals. If teachers underperform, principals who have autonomy can move resources to support the development of those teachers or replace teachers who continuously under-perform. To ensure an equitable distribution of resources based on school needs, some districts (Seattle for example) have pioneered allocation methods where dollars follow students, with different weightings for different students based on their educational needs. To ensure equity on the cost side, an emerging best practice is to allocate personnel costs to schools based on actual rather than average salaries. This approach protects schools with high numbers of inexperienced teachers from having to subsidize schools with high numbers of experienced teachers. Oakland (OUSD) is a district that recently reformed its cost allocation to make the distribution of finances fairer. Transparent, data-driven measurement and accountability systems. Student achievement is the primary area of accountability for all stakeholders. It is critical for schools to clearly understand Organization how they are performing and where they Norfolk need to focus improvement efforts. Public Effective teachers employ data-driven s assessment techniques in the classroom to quickly determine their students needs and enhance their ability to target those needs Oakland Unified and increase instructional effectiveness. Public s accountable This process should be transparent to all educators, students, and parents. In addition, there should be clear, constant Boston Public intervention points to address students in s need of additional instruction and teachers down sizing in need of further development. KIPP Meaningful rewards should be given when achieving performance standards, and real school contracts consequences should be felt when failing to do so. Accountability of schools and people Strategies Three-tiered Comprehensive Accountability System (CAS) Progressive intervention steps Student s school remediation program Additional staff and financial support Central office expert teams Performance orientation, feedback and data based decision making Network Managers hold schools Strategy Group oversees district Chief of Community Accountability Superintendent can request audits of low performing schools Intervention steps include additional professional development, reconstitution, Accountability embedded in operating contracts with governing body State / city / board has power to cancel Weekly tests to monitor progress Students, parents and teachers sign commitment to excellence contracts 15

16 Best practice organizations emphasize recruiting high-potential, top quality talent and extensive training Organization KIPP s New Leaders for New s Recruiting & induction strategies Fisher Fellowship Year trains school leaders through instruction, residency and start-up assistance Intensive 1-year training process ensures that leaders have the organizational, operational and instructional skills to be effective One year training program includes education institute, seminars, and residency Focuses on school, personal and technical leadership Highly competitive application process (7% acceptance) emphasizes importance of leadership and instruction skills, capacity to define a vision and achieve it and the belief that all students can achieve Strong leaders at every level. Experts agree that one of the most important elements in creating high-performing schools is effective leadership. Effective leaders set high goals and expectations, then inspire and coach their teams to deliver on those goals. An effective leader will be able to select first-rate teachers who are committed to the vision of the school and who have the required skills to take students to the next level of learning. They will work with their staff to develop their classroom skills, develop strategies to engage parents and the community, and hold everyone accountable for academic success. High-performing teachers who are fully committed to educating students. It is essential to attract, develop, and retain high-performing educators. Many experts agree that traditional education programs do not adequately train teachers for the challenges they face in academically underserved communities. Most experts recommend that leaders look outside the traditional recruiting pools to find highly motivated people to teach in these schools. Professional development and mentorship programs aligned with school goals. A key way to distinguish a highperforming school from a lowperforming one is the amount of Organization investment that is made in developing the Oakland Market dynamics to reward school s staff. Former teachers from the Unified performance s can make trade offs in NOPS system indicate that they had District employee mix essentially zero instructional Boston Public leadership. Teachers claimed that s (CCL) administrators invested energy in with a small group of teachers addressing behavioral issues but paid Norfolk Public little attention to academics. Professional development and mentorship programs aligned with school goals and used to drive continuous improvement s Recruiting & induction strategies Collaborative coaching and learning 8-week instructional program focuses on instructional strategy and training Teachers' three year induction program Staff officers support struggling teachers Professional development sessions Examples of development and mentoring programs include: regular visits by a coach, collaborative lesson planning with other teachers, or interacting with a mentor or topic expert. The key principle is that teaching is an apprenticeship profession. The best way to master the profession is by receiving frequent, supportive feedback from current masters in the field. It is important that all professional development is aligned with the school s goals. Teachers should be targeted for development on the basis of data-driven assessments. This ensures that teachers get the training they need most to help them become better teachers and leaders, and that schools have teachers equipped to help students reach their goals. 16

17 Parents and communities engaged to support student success Organization Norfolk Public s South Texas High Arroyo High Univ. Park Campus Strategies Guiding Coalition integrated by teachers, parents, community members and board Task force to make inroads with parents Parent University Program original redesigned by community members Baylor College of Medicine s DocPrep program University of Texas Medical at San Antonio s Mini Med program Partner with math professors at UCLA to improve curriculum and instruction Partnership with Clark University Graduate students volunteer as high school teachers 11 th and 12 th are offered free college classes council integrated by parents, students, teachers and principal Parents and communities engaged to support student success. According to Nell Carvell, Director of LEAP and Preschool Teacher Education, when parents are involved, teachers are supported. In the high-performing schools we studied, school leaders used many ways to engage communities. Examples include partnering with local colleges to offer high school students exposure to college courses, internships with local businesses; partnering with theater companies, orchestras, or museums to enhance students educational experience; and actively engaging school councils made up of parents, teachers, and local business or community leaders. Effective and efficient services supporting each school s mission. It is imperative that schools are provided with low-cost, high-quality services in order to drive as much money as possible Organization toward educating students. Districts need Oakland to create efficient internal organizations Unified Public that provide high-quality services to their s schools. One advantage of charter schools is greater flexibility to shop for services with different providers. Many schools have been able to find higher-quality services than those offered by their Norfolk districts. Public Effective and efficient services supporting school mission s Strategies Central office replaced with Services Organization ( SO ) : Finance Support, HR, IT, Professional Development, Food Svc & Procurement, Facilities, Custodial, Research, Assessment, Communication External providers available, for noncore services, as alternative to service organization to foster competition Fee-for-service basis Central Office administrative services: Information systems, Nutrition services, HR, Facilities, Transportation Norfolk Public s (NPS) procurement manual and procedures Districts that have a shared service group Policy of NPS to encourage full and have allowed their schools to focus on open competition, centralized purchasing when economies can be their key task of educating and instructing realized students. Houston Independent Achievement in Excellence in Procurement Award 2005, 2004, 2003 District has realized great results by partnering with ARAMARK to implement a variety of facility management strategies. To date, the district has realized savings of nearly $43 million and realized a significant jump in employee satisfaction and productivity. Safe and orderly facilities designed for learning. Best-practice schools create environments that are safe, clean, and conducive to learning. They find ways to make sure that they have adequate resources, such as text books, computers, and laboratories. At a minimum, students and teachers should feel completely safe in all parts of a school at all times of day. Methods such as natural surveillance (i.e. having teacher offices windows looking into the playground), natural access control (i.e. having administrative offices near a central entrance), and territoriality (i.e. separating sections of the school by level and having separate playgrounds for middle and elementary school students) can be used to 17

18 keep children safe from each other and from outsiders. Additionally, high expectations for student conduct will promote a culture of mutual respect, in which every infraction of the rules, no matter how minor, is addressed. 6. Defining an Operating Model for New Orleans The bold vision of student achievement for all is the essential objective of public education in New Orleans. To guide our work in developing a master plan that can convert this vision into reality, the Education Committee has identified ten key design principles. (See Exhibit 6.1) EXHIBIT 6.1: TEN KEY DESIGN PRINCIPLES DRIVE NEW ORLEANS PLAN s that embody and promote the cultural distinctiveness of New Orleans 1 Superior Standards 2 s empowered to meet 3 students needs Accountability of schools and people 4 Single, aligned, highly effective governance 5 Equitable access to highquality school options in every community 6 Highquality talent at every level 7 Resources aligned to meet instructional needs 8 Parents and communities engaged to support students success 9 Effective and efficient services supporting school mission 10 Safe, learner-centered environments These ten design principles represent a synthesis of the tremendous amount of research and stakeholder outreach that we conducted during the formation of this plan, including: Assessing the current and pre-katrina situation in New Orleans Listening to stakeholders views to identify six primary aspirations Researching the best practices of high-performing schools across the country Interviewing numerous education experts in the U.S. and abroad We discuss the ten key principles in more detail below. 1. Superior standards. First and foremost, the New Orleans educational system must have superior achievement standards that are universally supported by every element in the plan. They should include a clearly defined goal of post-secondary preparedness for all students, aligned instructional standards across all grade levels, and an organization aligned to meet the superior instructional and operating standards. 2. s empowered to meet students needs. Principals should be empowered with the authority (balanced with accountability) to best respond to the needs of their students and their families. Toward that end, resources must be distributed equitably across schools, with significant resource flexibility at the school site. 18

19 3. Accountability of schools and people. Student performance is the primary focus of accountability for all stakeholders. Teachers, administrators, and schools should receive meaningful rewards for achieving performance standards, and there should be real consequences for failure at any level. Both positive and negative interventions (supports and consequences) must be progressive and timely. 4. Clear and aligned governance. The core mission and focus of the governing body is to increase student achievement. Like a true Board of Directors, it should operate at the governing and accountability level, not the execution level. In addition, the governing body should represent a culture of achievement, integrity, and performance, and should serve as a model for all other groups in the system. 5. Equitable access to high-quality school options in every community. Families in every neighborhood must have access to top-quality schools that meet the academic and emotional needs of all students. The array of schools should represent a variety of options that address students diverse learning needs and goals, as well potential student mobility. There should be an equitable process for applying to these different schools, so that all students have a fair chance to attend their first-choice school. 6. High-quality people at every level. systems must focus relentlessly on attracting, training and retaining strong teachers and leaders at every level. Each school must have embedded professional development and support that is aligned with the school s standards, curriculum, and goals. The system should also be effective at sharing best practices and managing and developing talent. 7. Resources aligned to meet instructional needs. Resources need to be allocated appropriately to meet students needs. Time, money, and people must be aligned with school and system priorities. For example, time spent in class should be appropriate to the needs and goals of the student population. Compensation should be set at a level to attract top-quality people, who should be assigned to the schools and classrooms where they are most needed. 8. Parents and communities engaged to support students success. s should actively partner with parents and others in the community to support student achievement. Increasing parental and community involvement in the education of their children is critically important. 9. Effective and efficient services supporting the schools mission. All school support services should be streamlined and made efficient, to maximize the resources available for instruction. s should be positioned as customers of a centralized support services group. This group should establish internal and external markets to optimize economies of scale while allowing schools to choose among service providers. 10. Safe, learner-centered environments. All schools need to be safe, clean, well maintained, and designed to support the educational mission of the school. As facilities are developed or remodeled, there should be consideration for flexibility to serve the needs of both the school and the community. Underlying all these guiding principles is a broader theme: New Orleans schools should embody and promote the cultural distinctiveness of New Orleans. This can include a greater integration of arts and music into the curriculum as well as offering non-traditional education opportunities that prepare students for the jobs available in immediate New Orleans region (e.g. trade and culinary schools). In addition, schools can place an emphasis on community service and giving back to New Orleans. 19

20 Two Major Design Decisions Affecting the Operating Model With these guiding principles in mind, we need to answer two fundamental questions in developing the future operating model for public education in New Orleans: Who should operate the schools? What is the role of the central office? The answers to these two questions define three primary operating models for school systems: The command-andcontrol model The all-single-charter model The educational network model The challenge is to choose the model that most effectively realizes all the design principles recognizing that any solution must involve trade-offs. In the command-and-control model, the district runs each school. The central office is very comprehensive and controlling in the design and management of the school system. In the all-single-charter model, all schools are contracted out to independent charter organizations. The system center is very lean and takes a minimalist approach to the design and management of the resulting collection of schools. In the educational network model, there are small networks of charter, contract, and system-run schools. The system center is lean and strategic in the way it designs and manages school networks. The system center sets district-wide strategy and provides support systems for the schools. The Proposed Educational Network Model for New Orleans The Educational Network we propose is a bold new vision. There are four key components to the model: 1. Deliver learning and achievement for all students, regardless of race, socioeconomic class or where they live in New Orleans with the goal of graduating all students ready for college and the workplace 2. Develop a new school-focused philosophy that empowers schools as the centerpiece for transformation and holds educators accountable for student performance 3. Create a new operating model with four structural cornerstones designed around students and schools that provides more flexibility, options and accountability than ever before in order to drive student learning and achievement 4. Develop new partnerships to engage parents and the community to support student learning 20