Report of the Quality Assurance Review Team for Warren Consolidated Schools Anita Drive Warren, Michigan, United States

Transcription

1 Report of the Quality Assurance Review Team for Warren Consolidated Schools Anita Drive Warren, Michigan, United States Dr Robert Livernois, Superintendent I Susan Kattula, Chair, Warren Consolidated Schools Board of Education Mrs Kathy Reifschneider, Chair, Quality Assurance Review Team Review Dates: 04/10/ /13/2011 North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), and the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA) are accreditation divisions of AdvancED

2 Quality Assurance Review Report Contents About AdvancED and NCA CASI/SACS CASI 3 Introduction to the Quality Assurance Review 4 Summary of Findings 5 Commendations 6 Required Actions 7 Next Steps 8 Standards for Accreditation 10 Standard 1 Vision & Purpose 10 Standard 2 Governance & Leadership 11 Standard 3 Teaching & Learning 13 Standard 4 Documenting & Using Results 15 Standard 5 Resource & Support Systems 17 Standard 6 Stakeholder Communications & Relationships 19 Standard 7 Commitment to Continuous Improvement 20 Quality Assurance Findings 23 Schools Visited 25 Conclusion 26 Appendix 27 Quality Assurance Review Team Members 27 AdvancED Standards for Quality School Systems 27 Warren Consolidated Schools AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 2 of 28 Warren Consolidated Schools AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 2 of 28

3 About AdvancED and NCA CASI/SACS CASI Background Founded in 1895, the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and Schools (SACS CASI) accredit public and private schools and districts in 30 states, the Navajo Nation, Latin America, and the Department of Defense Schools worldwide In 2006, NCA CASI, SACS CASI, and the research and development arm of the accrediting associations, the National Study of School Evaluation, unified to form AdvancED Dedicated to advancing excellence in education, AdvancED provides accreditation, research, and professional services to 23,000 schools in 65 countries, serving 15 million students NCA CASI and SACS CASI serve as accreditation divisions of AdvancED Through AdvancED, NCA CASI and SACS CASI have defined shared, research-based accreditation standards that cross state, regional, and national boundaries Accompanying these standards is a unified accreditation process designed to help schools, school districts, and educational service agencies continuously improve The Accreditation Process To earn and maintain accreditation from NCA CASI or SACS CASI, school districts and their schools must: 1) Meet the AdvancED Standards and Policies for Quality School Systems School districts demonstrate adherence to the seven AdvancED standards and policies which describe the quality practices and conditions that research and best practice indicate are necessary for school districts to achieve quality student performance and organizational effectiveness 2) Engage in continuous improvement School districts and their schools implement a continuous improvement process that articulates the vision and purpose that the school district is pursuing (vision); maintains a rich and current description of students, their performance, school and district effectiveness, and the school community (profile); employs goals and interventions to improve student performance (plan); and documents and uses the results to inform what happens next (results) 3) Demonstrate quality assurance through internal and external review School districts and schools engage in a planned process of ongoing internal review and self-assessment In addition, school districts host an external quality assurance review team once every five years The team evaluates the school district's adherence to the AdvancED quality standards, assesses the efficacy of the school district's improvement process and methods for quality assurance, and provides commendations and required actions to help the school district improve The team provides an oral exit report to the school district and a written report detailing the team's required actions The school district acts on the team's required actions and submits a progress report two years following the review NCA CASI and SACS CASI accreditation engages the entire school district community in a continuous process of self-evaluation and improvement The overall aim is to help school districts and their schools maximize student success and improve organizational effectiveness AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 3 of 28

4 Introduction to the Quality Assurance Review Purpose The purpose of the Quality Assurance Review is to: Evaluate the school district's adherence to the AdvancED quality standards and policies Assess the efficacy of the district's improvement process and methods for quality assurance Identify commendations and required actions to improve the district and its schools Make an accreditation recommendation for review by the national AdvancED Accreditation Commission A key aim of the Quality Assurance Review is to verify that the school district is operating with institutional integrity - that it is fulfilling its vision and mission for its students School District Preparation To prepare for the Quality Assurance Review, the school district and the community complete the AdvancED Standards Assessment Report The report engages the district in an in-depth self assessment of each of the seven AdvancED standards The school district identifies and describes the evidence that demonstrates that is it meeting each standard Through this internal review, the school district examines how its systems and processes contribute to student performance and school district effectiveness Summary of Team Activities The Quality Assurance Review Team is led by an AdvancED certified District Lead Evaluator and comprised of professionals from outside the school district The team reviews the findings of the school district's internal self-assessment, conducts interviews with representative groups of stakeholders, reviews student performance data and other documentation provided by the school district, and observes practices and daily operations The team engages in professional deliberations to reach consensus on the school district's adherence to the standards for accreditation The team provides an oral exit report and prepares a written Quality Assurance Review Team Report designed to help the school district and its schools improve The Quality Assurance Review Team Report Following the visit, the review team completes the Quality Assurance Review report After review by a nationally-trained reader, the report is submitted to the district The report contains commendations and required actions for improvement Using the Report - Responding to the Required Actions The school district uses the report to guide its improvement efforts The school district is held accountable for addressing the required actions identified in the report The AdvancED State Office is available to assist the school district in addressing the required actions Following the Quality Assurance Review Team visit, the school district must submit a progress report detailing the actions and progress it has made on the team's required actions The report is reviewed at the state and national level to ensure the school district is addressing the required actions Accreditation Recommendation The Quality Assurance Review team uses the findings from the onsite visit to make an accreditation recommendation that is reviewed by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission Accreditation is granted by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission and communicated to the school district following action from the commission AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 4 of 28

5 Summary of Findings A Quality Assurance Review Team representing the NCA CASI Michigan State Office (NCA-CASI-MI), a division of AdvancED, visited Warren Consolidated Schools on 04/10/ /13/2011 During the visit, members of the Quality Assurance Review Team interviewed 70 administrators, 112 teachers, 57 support staff, 86 parents and business partners, 78 students, and 3 Board of Education members for a total of 406 stakeholders In addition to meeting with district personnel and stakeholders, the team visited 8 schools within the school district During the school visits, team members interviewed school stakeholders, observed classrooms, and reviewed relevant school artifacts The team also reviewed documents, student performance data, and other artifacts provided by the district Specifically, the team examined the district's systems and processes in relation to the seven AdvancED standards: Vision and Purpose Governance and Leadership Teaching and Learning Documenting and Using Results Resource and Support Systems Stakeholder Communications and Relationships Commitment to Continuous Improvement The AdvancED standards focus on systems with a school district and systematic methods of attaining high student performance and organizational effectiveness The power of the standards lies in the connections and linkages between and among the standards The Quality Assurance Review Team used the AdvancED standards to guide its review of the school district, looking not only for adherence to individual standards, but also for how the school district and its schools function as a whole and embody the practices and characteristics of a quality school district Through its examination of the school district's adherence to the standards, the Quality Assurance Review Team prepared reports on each standard, highlighting strengths and suggestions for improvement specific to each standard These reports can be found following this summary The Quality Assurance Review Team also examined the effectiveness of the district's methods for quality assurance The team reviewed the district's practices and methods to monitor and document improvement, provide meaningful feedback and support across the district, ensure that AdvancED standards are met and strengthened, and regularly collect, use, and communicate results The team's findings in this area can be found following the standard reports The team used the standard reports and quality assurance findings to identify common themes, significant accomplishments, and pressing needs facing the district These became the basis for the overall commendations and required actions that are provided below The commendations and required actions should serve as the focus for the district as it acts on the team's findings They represent the areas that the team believes will have the greatest impact in helping the district further its improvement efforts The standard reports and quality assurance findings can be used to help reinforce and enrich the district's understanding of the commendations and required actions AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 5 of 28

6 Commendations The Quality Assurance Review Team commends the Warren Consolidated Schools for the following strengths and accomplishments While additional strengths are noted in the detailed review of each standard that appears later in this report, the commendations listed below are the strengths that the team believes are most deserving of being highlighted The district is meeting the challenges of diversity within the student population, both academically and financially, while maintaining the district vision of creating success for all students Warren Consolidated Schools supports 21 languages within the district The district made a commitment to the English Language Learner (ELL) program, even though finances have been reduced from the state, by hiring an ELL Director, additional teachers, and paraprofessionals The district has also implemented "Language Line' a telephone system used to communicate with parents when discussing school issues The district has acknowledge the importance of providing an educational program for all students in the district Parents interviewed acknowledged and praised the district for the resources dedicated to diverse student populations As noted above, the district has lost 40 million dollars over the past 10 years and is looking at a further reduction of funding during this current school year The programs they have put in place will ensure success for the diverse population the district serves, even in weakening financial times The school board, district leadership, and teachers have created a culture of collaboration and transparency that promotes a strong commitment to success for all students One of the greatest strengths and supports of this commendation is Professional Learning Communities (PLC) The district has created a culture of collaboration using the PLCs model Using PLCs the district has created a collaborative network for all stakeholders to work and learn together Many teachers interviewed rated the protected PLC time provided by the district as the number one tool to continually improve curriculum, instruction and assessment practices Professional Learning Communities is embedded in the collaborative culture of Warren Consolidated Schools All stakeholders embrace the vision, mission, commitments and goals Warren Consolidated Schools (WCS) have been successful in articulating and implementing a shared vision throughout the district with all stakeholders Evidence through interviews conducted by the QAR team reinforced this commendation Stakeholders, over and over communicated the district's vision of "Success for Students" In their own words they validated that in partnership with families and community WCS promotes a level of excellence in teaching and learning which will enable all students to succeed At all levels of the district the vision, mission and commitments drive decision making and their high expectation for students and staff The district s decisions and resources are aligned with the vision, mission, commitments and goals The governance and leadership of Warren Consolidated Schools displays clear evidence of functioning in a fashion that promotes the systems vision, mission, and commitments Both documentation and interviews AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 6 of 28

7 support the efforts of the district to provide professional development and resource for teachers to accomplish the goals of the District/School Improvement Plan Instructional programs are in place to meet the needs of all students The community recently supported the passage of a 65 million dollar bond issue to provide necessary facility improvement to buildings and technology infrastructure Passage of the recent bond issue illustrates the strong commitment of the community to support the district This shared commitment, when coupled with the teamwork approach to strategic planning, will insure that Warren Consolidate Schools maintains a focussed vision, mission, and commitment Fostering effective communication and collaborative relationships with and among its stakeholders both at the school and district level Parent Portal District Website Robo Call Language Line Stakeholder focus groups The WCS fosters collaboration with stakeholders to support student learning Examples are illustrated by: the parents, students, staff surveys, access to a current and up-to-date website that can be translated into multiple languages, the use of the Robo Call Messaging System, the Language Line a real-time translator for conference phone calls, the prompt "within 24 hours" return of parent phone calls and s, and the WCS Journal (fall, winter and spring editions) A noted strength of the district is their web site and web presence Stakeholders interviewed praised the website for both information provided and ease of use Providing multiple ways for communication with stakeholders is essential to the development of a collaborative culture Warren Consolidate Schools has accomplished this within the district Required Actions In addition to the commendations, the Quality Assurance Review Team identified the following required actions for improvement The team focused its required actions on those areas that, if addressed, will have the greatest impact on improving student performance and overall effectiveness of the school district The Warren Consolidated Schools will be held accountable for making progress on each of the required actions noted in this section Following this review, the school district will be asked to submit a progress report on these required actions The district should refer to the detail provided in the standard reports for guidance and greater depth on the required actions Fully develop a systematic and systemic assessment system district wide for analyzing data, both local and state, to drive instruction and school-wide initiatives This process would include: Ongoing development of formative and common/benchmark assessments in all content areas K- 12 Development of shorter/frequent formative assessments to drive day to day instruction Implement and improve student interventions based on data analysis Complete the development and implementation of Data Director as a district-wide initiative for housing and analyzing all district data AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 7 of 28

8 Each of the above initiatives have begun to be developed, but none are completed nor fully implemented across all grade levels and school levels Curriculum development and aligned common summative assessments have begun in several content areas, but need to be completed across all content areas The development of formative assessments will give teachers a valuable tool to drive day to day instruction and provide learning at all student levels Although data from common assessments is being collected and used in making instructional decisions, teachers and administrators indicate the need to increase the use of assessment data and the data management tool, Data Director Developing the criteria and use of Data Director would allow for consistent use in all quislings across the district With a systemic and systematic assessment system in place and fully implemented across the district, Warren Consolidated Schools will have a comprehensive, focussed approach to quality teaching and learning for all students Review of AdvancED Standards for Quality Schools: The team reviewed the district's adherence to each of the AdvancED standards The findings from this review are provided in the next section of this report Next Steps The school district should: Review and discuss the findings from this report with all stakeholders Ensure that plans are in place to embed and sustain the strengths noted in the commendations section to maximize their impact on the school district Develop action plans to address the required actions made by the team Include methods for monitoring progress toward the required actions Use the report to guide and strengthen the school district's efforts to improve student performance and district effectiveness Two years following the Quality Assurance Review, submit the Accreditation Progress Report detailing progress made toward addressing the required actions The report will be reviewed at the state and national level to ensure that significant progress is being made toward the required actions Lack of progress can result in a change in accreditation status Continue to meet the AdvancED accreditation standards, submit required reports, engage in continuous improvement, and document results Resources AdvancED offers a range of resources to support your school district as it acts on the findings in this report The AdvancED Resource Network, available at wwwadvanc-edorg/resourcenetwork, provides an online network of peer-to-peer practices, best practices, and resources and tools designed to help school districts and their schools with continuous improvement Celebrating Accreditation Following the visit, the Quality Assurance Review Team submits an accreditation recommendation to AdvancED for review and action at the national level by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission, which confers accreditation and communicates it to the school district Upon receiving its accreditation, the school district should celebrate its achievement with the community Flags, door decals, diploma seals, and other related items can be ordered from the website to help you share your accomplishment with your community AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 8 of 28

9 Summary The accreditation process engages the school district, its schools, and community in an ongoing journey of continuous improvement The next steps in this journey are to build on the commendations and address the required actions noted in this report Doing so will enable the school district to advance in its quest for excellence and deepen the fulfillment of its mission for all students AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 9 of 28

10 Standards for Accreditation The primary requirement for accreditation is that the district demonstrates that it meets the seven standards for accreditation The findings of the Quality Assurance Review Team regarding the standards for accreditation are summarized on the following pages The Quality Assurance Review Team divided into standard teams to review each standard and prepare a standards report summarizing the team's findings These standard reports, along with the quality assurance findings that follow these reports, provided the basis for the team's identification of over-arching commendations and required actions presented earlier in this report The reports submitted by each team are provided on the following pages for the district's review and use Each report reflects its respective team's unique voice, perspective, and deliberations The reports can be used to help enrich and deepen the district's understanding of the overall commendations and required actions Standard 1 Vision & Purpose Standard: The system establishes and communicates a shared purpose and direction for improving the performance of students and the effectiveness of the system Description: Warren Consolidated Schools have been successful in implementing a shared vision that is exemplified throughout the district The mission statement, updated as part of the process establishing Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in 2004, is proudly displayed throughout the central office, in print and electronic media In an effort to allow the individual buildings autonomy, each site was afforded the opportunity to draft their own unique mission and vision statements While not identical in wording, stakeholders have adopted their own mission and vision statement(s) that focus on Success for Students, the central theme of the district s mission and vision As part of the Superintendent s Entry Plan of July 30, 2008, the central office was reorganized and a Central Office Cabinet was formed One of the positions to serve on the Cabinet was that of a Chief Academic Officer The rationale given to create this position reads, Given the importance of student achievement, which is our core mission, I strongly recommend that an administrator assume full and complete responsibility for this division without having to wear additional administrative hats This statement reflects the commitment to student achievement that is evident throughout the district While economic conditions of the district have been challenging, the commitment to the district s core mission has remained steadfast Professional Learning Communities has fostered a team-work atmosphere that is evident throughout the district As teams of stakeholders collaborate to establish goals, which serve as the catalyst to shape the future of the district, it is imperative that the attainment of these goals are measurable This process can only be accomplished through the dissemination of reliable data Warren Consolidated Schools has established a system in which data can be compiled; however, it is imperative that this system be implemented and aligned throughout the entire system While the Warren Consolidated Schools demographics have changed at a rapid pace, the district is be commended for creating a family atmosphere The method in which the district has adapted to diversity is AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 10 of 28

11 a testament to all stakeholders Pride, loyalty, commitment, safety, successful, empowering, engaging, and caring are just a few of the traits that were individually identified by shareholders during the reflective process These traits when coupled with the teamwork approach to strategic planning ensure that Warren Consolidated Schools will continue to maintain a vision and mission that is obtainable and outcomes that are coveted by all shareholders Strengths - The team noted the following successful practices deserving of recognition: Warren Consolidated Schools Student achievement is the core of the district s mission and vision statements and is evident throughout the entire system The district has fostered a family atmosphere, within a collaborative environment, which is focused on student achievement There is a commitment by administration to invest district resources in support of the mission and vision established by the stakeholders Opportunities - The team offers the following opportunities for improvement in this standard area: Compile, evaluate, and validate data consistently throughout the district and utilize as a vehicle for continuous improvement and quality assurance Finding: Based on the evidence reviewed, the Quality Assurance Review Team has assigned the overall assessment level of "Highly Functional," indicating that the Warren Consolidated Schools has met the accreditation requirements for the "Vision & Purpose" standard Standard 2 Governance & Leadership Standard: The system provides governance and leadership that promote student performance and system effectiveness Description: The governance and leadership of Warren Consolidated Schools displays clear evidence of functioning in a fashion that promotes the system s vision and improvement efforts It is readily apparent, from reviewing the evidence; the district has worked hard in recent years to improve administrative communication with the intent of improving student achievement A clear delineation of roles and responsibilities is evident throughout the system An understanding that clear communication is an expectation throughout the district is obvious Interviews with the superintendent and school board illustrated a understanding of roles and responsibilities Minutes of District School Improvement Team (DSIT) note the desire to develop further parent surveys to help inform board and administrative decisions A noted strength of the Warren Consolidated School District is their outstanding web site and web presence The web site contains links to the policies and procedures of the district It was stated in an interview that Board policy is how we run our district It is noted that a premium is placed upon the ease of access of said policies The district engages in distributing printed versions of staff and student handbooks It is also evident that the district communicates operational policies in the form of staff training Every member of the review team noted the absolute clarity of administrative and leadership authority The roles and responsibilities between the superintendent and the school board are crystal clear Interviews with key administrative stakeholders evidenced a deep understanding and appreciation of each other s roles The focus upon a clear method of communication has allowed the board and administration to work AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 11 of 28

12 collaboratively in addressing the needs of students and families The superintendent provided a transparent explanation of the method of communication between him and the board Interviews with board members validated the success of this particular communication format Members of the board noted an ability to hear each other, a testament to the clarity of communication in these trying times The clear communication witnessed throughout the district helps ensure the compliance with applicable local, state/federal laws, standards, and regulations Evidence of attaining this standard came in the form of printed material and interviews A visit to the transportation center yielded information that displayed a deep knowledge of government regulations and how to meet the stated regulations The district provides the requisite resources, in the form of staff members, to administer state and federal grants The evidence regarding the training of the governing board came in the form of conversations regarding school board training opportunities It is apparent that the board utilizes the Michigan Association of School Boards in training and preparation for their elected duties In interviewing stakeholders it was evident that Warren Consolidated School District is working to engage stakeholders in securing public resources The absolute clearest evidence of the district s success in garnering public support is in the passage of a massive school bond It is a testament to the Warren community that they approved a 65 million dollar bond that will improve the structural and educational infrastructure of the district The review team witnessed evidence of systemic planning in allocating the financial resources from the bond Interviews with teachers displayed a high level of excitement for the purchase of instructional technologies The pride in properly spending the allocated money was evident in speaking with a member of the district s physical plant Evidence of the district s access to legal counsel and appropriate insurance was found within the evidence binder provided Interviews with the Board of Education and administrators displayed evidence of a desire to review student performance in a way that becomes systemic, intentional, and timely Stakeholders appreciated that all board meetings contained a component of attention on the academic focus of the district It is evident that the district has allocated resources to strengthen capabilities in this realm Stakeholders acknowledged cutting the department of academics too deeply and the adverse effect this had on student achievement The district has addressed this issue by reorganizing the department in such a way that attends to the desire to become data driven and to meet the needs of every student in the district The formation of curriculum teams and their charge with aligning curriculum and creating assessments is evidence of a desire to improve in this realm The district commitment to the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) process is further evidence of the focus on collaboration in the Warren Consolidated School System The district has placed a premium on the PLC concept as a method for creating collaborative networks for district stakeholders (staff) to engage in the mission of the district Interviews with stakeholders yielded a consistent theme of collaboration and a deep belief in the Warren Consolidated School District that collaboration is the lynchpin for student success A concerted effort appears to be underway in becoming a school district as opposed to a district of schools The use of the web presence to unify and codify district policy is quite evident The efforts of the superintendent and board to build a positive working relationship have been a positive influence on the district The effort to allocate human resources to areas of need demonstrates a willingness to place resources in areas that most impact student achievement An area in need of improvement is the involvement of internal and external stakeholders in the decision making process Interviews yielded evidence of limited knowledge in areas such as the annual report and school improvement teams Stakeholders interviewed by the QAR team took a considerable amount of pride in the Warren AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 12 of 28

13 Consolidated School District Parents were found to be very proud of their schools, teachers, and principals The district has completed stakeholder surveys In speaking with stakeholders, it is evident that Warren Consolidated School District is working collaboratively to create an improved teacher evaluation model Clear documentation of staff expectations and professional growth models were found Strengths - The team noted the following successful practices deserving of recognition: The board and superintendent express a shared commitment to their respective roles and responsibilities The community has a deep pride in their schools and community which serves as a testament to the effective governance and leadership of the district A concerted attempt to communicate the vision of the district at every stakeholder level Opportunities - The team offers the following opportunities for improvement in this standard area: Engage stakeholders, especially parents, in the school improvement process Assess all components of PLCs to ensure they are present district wide Warren Consolidated Schools Finding: Based on the evidence reviewed, the Quality Assurance Review Team has assigned the overall assessment level of "Operational," indicating that the Warren Consolidated Schools has met the accreditation requirements for the "Governance & Leadership" standard Standard 3 Teaching & Learning Standard: The system provides research-based curriculum and instructional methods that facilitate achievement for all students Description: Warren Consolidated Schools (WCS) is committed to creating a culture for learning by working together, providing a curriculum that challenges and engages all students, implementing research based strategies to maximize learning, and monitoring and supporting student achievement Curriculum design, planning, adoption, and implementation have been accomplished by a recently board-adopted model from the Office of Curriculum and Instruction The district has a comprehensive curriculum in grades kindergarten through twelve Curriculum development teams of teachers and content specialists (Curriculum Steering Committee) write curriculum, pacing guides and common assessments based on State of Michigan s Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCE) and High School Content Expectations (HSCE) Besides the variety of programs, including AP classes, at each high school, there are programs at Macomb Math and Science Technology Center, Warren Consolidated School of Performing Arts, Career Preparation Center, Macomb County International Baccalaureate, Alternative Education High School, and North Star Academy (MS alternative program) The district has completed curriculum development in the content areas of Math and Science Reading initiatives are currently being evaluated district-wide All teachers have the opportunity to review proposed curriculum and materials A curriculum review/revision timeline ( ) was documented for review by the QAR team District curriculum information is housed on their website for accessibility by students and parents Interviews with administrators and teachers acknowledged that GLCEs and HSCEs have been identified within the curriculum Although these targets provide consistent expectations for student learning at each grade level for specific content areas and are discussed at building levels, most vertical alignment AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 13 of 28

14 discussion is facilitated through curriculum steering committees The district has developed some common assessments linked to curricular targets These assessments allow teachers to monitor student learning of the targets in a timely fashion Teachers indicated that their teams continue to develop and revise common assessments The district has an assessment calendar, but most are summative assessments The QAR team noted that the use of formative assessments has not been implemented with consistency within the district Although data from common assessments is being collected and used in making instructional decisions, teachers and administrators indicate the need to increase the use of assessment data and the data management tool, Data Director Interviews by the QAR team supported the inconsistent use of Data Director in some buildings The district s commitment to strengthen the Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) initiative is the driving force for curriculum development, common assessments and support of professional development for teachers The district implemented Late Start Mondays (school for students begin 45 minutes later) to give teachers protected time for collaboration A collaborative culture was observed throughout the district in all buildings Teachers indicate the time is used to discuss instructional practices, review assessment data, and plan for interventions for student learning Even though the buildings have programs in place such as Title 1 (school-wide and targeted), Section 31a intervention teachers and aids at all elementary schools, and ELL teachers at the high schools there is a need to expand interventions within the schools for students not qualifying for one of these programs The district has hired highly qualified teachers, maintained manageable class sizes, and provides professional development time for staff to improve its professional skills Instructional staff are identified and assigned to participate in appropriate district activities based on district/school improvement goals and staff surveys Besides the Monday PLCs the district supports eight school improvement days with substitute teacher support for staff to participate in the school improvement process, and allocates $ in district fundsto support this process Title 1 schools have federal funds allocated to support teacher professional development Interviews with administrators and teachers revealed that the process for requesting professional development has changed and is now under the direction of the curriculum steering committee The change was made to ensure that professional development was linked to curricular goals Teachers interviewed were in agreement with this process One suggestion made by teacher groups was to include additional all day district-wide professional development days during the school year Warren Consolidated School District has a diverse population of students There are currently 21 languages spoken within the district The district has employed an ELL Director to supervise and evaluate all the English Language Learner programs throughout the district The district has employed ELL teachers and paraprofessionals at the elementary level and Language Acquisition teachers at the high school level The district also uses Language Line to communicate with ELL parents about instructional needs of ELL students Parents interviewed praised the district for the support of the diverse population within the district Parents over and over voiced the district s commitment to student success for all students The district web site can also be translated to any of the spoken languages within the district by clicking on the flag at the bottom of the district home page The use of technology is a core initiative being implemented throughout the district Interactive projectors, whiteboards, document cameras, digital cameras, and computer labs on wheels (COWS) are currently being implemented A recent 65 million dollar bond has allocated money for technology improvements and it is a goal to have all instructional classrooms fully equipped by 2012 Teachers, students, and parents interviewed were excited about the technology to be implemented The students, staff, and parents report a climate conducive to children s social, emotional and academic development There is a collaborative culture throughout the district Classroom and school observations AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 14 of 28

15 by the QAR team reinforced these perceptions Evidence verifies that educators support and embrace the PLC philosophy and view it as a vehicle to insure student success in the classroom Strengths - The team noted the following successful practices deserving of recognition: Warren Consolidated Schools The district supports the PLC model and provides a structure for the implementation of PLCs at each school There is a system-wide climate that supports student learning and growth The district has programs and staff in place to support a diverse population of student learners There is access to instructional technology and materials for effective instruction Staff has multiple opportunities for professional development to support instructional implantation of programs within the district Opportunities - The team offers the following opportunities for improvement in this standard area: Coordinate a systematic and systemic process to extend the development of common assessments and data analysis to all content areas and grade levels Finding: Based on the evidence reviewed, the Quality Assurance Review Team has assigned the overall assessment level of "Operational," indicating that the Warren Consolidated Schools has met the accreditation requirements for the "Teaching & Learning" standard Standard 4 Documenting & Using Results Standard: The system enacts a comprehensive assessment system that monitors and documents performance and uses these results to improve student performance and system effectiveness Description: Student assessment data to drive classroom instruction is directly correlated to the district s commitment to Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) The district s assessment system supports the district's and commmunity's high student learning expectations The district implements an assessment system which includes: Michigan Educational Assessment (MEAP) / Michigan Merit Exam (MME) / Michigan's alternate assessment system (MI-Access) /English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) state assessments, to name a few Measures like those listed above are analyzed and/or reviewed during school improvement council meetings, principal meetings, leadership meetings, grade-level meetings, and other teacher meetings These measures enable school personnel to address the individual and group learning needs of students The team observed the district's desire to change and develop new projects and they do not fear change Assessments results provide a foundation for school-level curriculum and professional development offerings Schools in the district are committed to the utilization of data to make informed instructional decisions The district uses multiple and longitudinal tools to analyze student, school, and district data Two of the tools currently in use; Data Director, a data management tool, and Power School Portal, part of school information system Data Director is a tool that the district and schools use to enter data related to the assessment process, while Power School is used by stakeholders to track their student s academic progress and other information related to the school community District Administrators and stakeholders are particularly aware of a growing diverse population and have developed solutions to meet student AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 15 of 28

16 needs An example observed was district translators for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) parents and the hearing impaired and Language Line The district makes a concerted effort to distribute scores and data to school personnel in a timely manner using Data Director system Power School System served as the foundation to provide timely, accessible data to teachers, parents, students, and administrators This product allowed administrators and teachers to track trends, subgroup performance, and instructional outcomes to define strengths and weaknesses, and provide information related to academic assessment process to parents and students Newsletters, e- mail, district and individual school websites, media outlets, TV announcements, and other mediums are utilized in an effort to inform internal and external stakeholders The team validates that Warren Consolidated district personnel analyze and monitor student achievement data to make instructional adjustments on a primarily school-based activity Little evidence exists to show that the district uses comparison and trend data from comparable school systems to evaluate student performance and system effectiveness Interview data revealed that school and district personnel compare performance results, although not regularly, with peer schools and districts The district is beginning to compare performance results to peer districts and schools at a national level based on similar demographics in order to more accurately reflect achievement and target performance goals When requested district personnel provide professional development opportunities to school staff to help analyze, interpret, and report classroom and student-level data The skill level of analyzing data to make data-driven decisions varies across schools Overall, school personnel acknowledged someone in the building as being the 'data guru' or 'data savvy' In some schools a team of professionals meet to discuss student and instructional outcomes on a weekly basis during Professional Learning Communities (PLC) time Strengths - The team noted the following successful practices deserving of recognition: Warren Consolidated Schools The district maintains top performance results and demonstrates improvement in many areas Communication throughout the district and community regarding the district s performance and progress is outstanding The district is generating awareness of the need to close achievement gaps within student specific subgroups District Translators for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) parents and the hearing impaired and Language Line, phone conference system Opportunities - The team offers the following opportunities for improvement in this standard area: Develop a more robust, district-wide data process to benchmark and document progress of the district and school performance based on similar districts and schools across the state and nation Analyze high schools Advanced Placement offerings to determine whether additional opportunities for participation and additional course offerings are necessary Continue to develop and analyze the practices and results of the common assessment process across the schools in the district in a consistent manner for complete K-12 curriculum expectations that ends in a more systemic Data Director integration and implementation Finding: Based on the evidence reviewed, the Quality Assurance Review Team has assigned the overall assessment level of "Operational," indicating that the Warren Consolidated Schools has met the accreditation AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 16 of 28

17 requirements for the "Documenting & Using Results" standard Standard 5 Resource & Support Systems Standard: The system has the resources and services necessary to support its vision and purpose and to ensure achievement for all students Description: Artifacts and interviews revealed a comprehensive recruitment and hiring plan in place for new teaching and support staff The district has recently settled its contracts with all five of its bargaining units for the school year These negotiations have provided the opportunity to increase the threshold of entry level skills of support staff as well as indicating 985 percent of current teaching staff being highly qualified in their subject area Building visits indicated a substantial number of new teachers, as well as many teachers and support staff who themselves were products of Warren Consolidated Schools Over the past 10 years the district has cut over $40 million from its budget These cuts were made while protecting the classroom and student learning This was evident through observation of class size, adequate number of support staff, food service, security personnel, and resource officers in the buildings Student, parent, and teacher groups all expressed that their schools provided a safe, quality learning environment The superintendent has been transparent about the current budget concerns He has created focus groups to assist with budget planning and has recently sent a letter to stakeholders outlining the government per pupil funding reductions and its impact on the district The district has been able to maintain educational programs in addition to their comprehensive schools Students can attend the Career Prep Center (CPC), Macomb Math/Science Technology Center, Macomb International Baccalaureate, dual enrollment, and the Warren Consolidated Schools of Performing Arts Students also have opportunities within their building to take career and technical programs in addition to a full complement of advanced placement classes Alternative middle and high schools are in place to meet the needs of students who are not successful at the comprehensive middle and high schools There is evidence of a developed Professional Learning Community (PLC) system that provides teachers support of the vision and mission of the school system The district provides 45 minutes per week, during a late start Monday, for teachers to set goals, receive professional development or work on action teams that study issues to assist in student learning and success A resource for data collection, Data Director has been implemented district-wide This tool would allow for data driven decision making in classroom instruction and developing interventions for student learning Interviews and documentation reviewed support the need for more professional development in the use of Data Director Due to the increase in free and reduced lunch students and the influx of students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), the district has utilized Title I and Title III monies to support these students They have recently hired an English Language Learner (ELL) director to coordinate services throughout the district The district has hired many ELL teachers and ELL paraprofessionals to support the growing LEP population District ELL services provide after school tutoring services twice a week for ELL students Teachers have access to Language Line for communicate with families that are non English speakers Many buildings now have the need to serve free and reduced breakfasts as well as lunch The food service lives its motto: A nourished student is a learning student by making all of its food from scratch daily This provides students many healthy food choices and exposes them to foods that they may not normally AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 17 of 28

18 have an opportunity to sample in their home life Student, parent, and teacher interviews indicated a need for the update of infrastructure and technology needs in the district The community has recently approved a $65 million bond issue to address technology, transportation and facilities Transportation is poised to assist surrounding districts who may need transportation assistance and has received a new bus wash as well as additional busses All buildings are receiving new technology which includes computers, white boards, and projectors This technology will be delivered over the next two school years with half of the schools receiving updates this summer and the remaining schools the following year The data management software Data Director has been implemented and training provided district-wide This allows teachers to track progress on common assessments and use the data to make curricular decisions during their district provided PLC time Parents, students and staff also receive information and services through the district website This information is available in multiple languages Parent Portal provides assignment and grading information to both parents and students Interviews with district maintenance personnel provided us with a plan showing that all school buildings will be renovated this summer Repairs and improvements include correcting roof, carpeting, structural, parking, and security issues Strengths - The team noted the following successful practices deserving of recognition: Warren Consolidated Schools The district meets the needs of students by offering a variety of educational choices at the high school levels District supports many services and resources for diverse student populations Ongoing professional development opportunities for all employee groups The passage of a 65 million dollar community supported bond issue for needed repairs and upgrades District transportation department maintains all school busses in a safe and efficient manner District maintenance and custodial staff provide safe, clean grounds and buildings District food service provides healthy choices for school lunches, making many foods served in cafeteria in their own central kitchen Opportunities - The team offers the following opportunities for improvement in this standard area: Evaluate data obtained from common assessments using Data Director to drive a systemic process to develop and implement student interventions Finding: Based on the evidence reviewed, the Quality Assurance Review Team has assigned the overall assessment level of "Operational," indicating that the Warren Consolidated Schools has met the accreditation requirements for the "Resource & Support Systems" standard AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 18 of 28

19 Standard 6 Stakeholder Communications & Relationships Standard: The system fosters effective communications and relationships with and among its stakeholders Description: Warren Consolidated School District (WCS) enjoys and benefits from the understanding, commitment, and support of all its stakeholders The QAR team cited many examples of this There is an openness and true desire to share, as well as seek out information among and between all of the district s stakeholders During the interview parents praised the district and school individual websites The deployment of the parental portal (PowerSchool) on the school s websites has empowered parents to take a more proactive role in their students achievement Parents spoke very highly of its ease of use, its real-time orientation, and its importance A stakeholder said, some parents don t have a computer, their local school provides an area for parents to have web access The district fosters collaboration with stakeholders to support student learning Examples are illustrated by: the parents, students, staff surveys, access to a current and up-to-date website that can be translated into multiple languages, the use of the Robo Call Messaging System and Language Line a real-time translator for conference phone calls, the prompt "within 24 hours" return of parent phone calls and e- mails, and the WCS Journal (fall, winter and spring editions) The artifacts indicate that additional information is available through the broadcast and rebroadcast of Board of Education meetings, a publicity request form which is completed by teachers, coaches, sponsors, PTA, and boosters that is posted on the local cable station, the district TV station, Twitter and Facebook During the interviews process parents, community members and the superintendent provided evidence that there are many opportunities for stakeholders to become involved in district-wide stakeholders groups such as: Superintendent s Stakeholder Focus Group, Superintendent s District PTO, and District School Improvement Team While interviewing the various union leadership members, it was revealed to the QAR team that the union leadership does meet on a regular basis to discuss concerns and to proactively resolve issues One member of the group said, because of our challenges it has united all stakeholders The aforementioned include conduits that are used as formal channels to listen to and communicate with stakeholders The skill sets of parents, alumni, and other community members are solicited to enhance the school district The district produces and promotes a wide variety of one-way and two-way communication channels The district endeavors to communicate the expectations for student learning and goals for improvement to all stakeholders Stakeholders affirm that they are knowledgeable about student achievement in WCS Strengths - The team noted the following successful practices deserving of recognition: Multiple communication avenues are used to communicate with all the stakeholders A comprehensive web site is provided for stakeholder use The Parent Portal - PowerSchool has been implemented to monitor student achievement by parents, teachers, students, and administration Stakeholder information is solicited to help impact and improve school culture and climate AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 19 of 28

20 Opportunities - The team offers the following opportunities for improvement in this standard area: Create a web based portal for stakeholders to engage them in an exchange of ideas and perspective and gives them the opportunity to submit questions and search for answers Finding: Based on the evidence reviewed, the Quality Assurance Review Team has assigned the overall assessment level of "Operational," indicating that the Warren Consolidated Schools has met the accreditation requirements for the "Stakeholder Communications & Relationships" standard Standard 7 Commitment to Continuous Improvement Standard: The system establishes, implements, and monitors a continuous process of improvement that focuses on student performance Description: Warren Consolidated Schools (WCS) adheres to the state s requirements for school improvement planning at the district and school level which include: articulating the vision and purpose the system is pursing; maintaining a rich and current description of students, their performance, system effectiveness, employing goals, and interventions to improve student performance; and documenting and using the results for future improvement goals Interviews with board members, administration, teachers, support staff, students, parents, and community members clearly indicate that all stakeholders embrace the district's mission, vision, and commitments In their own words they validated that in partnership with families and the community WCS promotes a level of excellence in teaching and learning which will enable all students to become knowledgeable, productive, ethical, and successful citizens (mission) They consistently reiterated the importance of the collaborative culture of stakeholders working together creating success for all students (vision) Their commitments include high expectations for students and staff in a caring environment where high levels of student achievement are paramount At all levels of the organization the mission, vision, and commitments drive decision making WCS developed administrative guidelines delineating the district s school improvement process A District School Improvement Team (DSIT) was established in April 2010 with central office administrator, principal, teacher, and parent representatives Currently, two parent positions need to be filled The DSIT uses Michigan s School Improvement Framework (Teaching and Learning; Leadership that puts student learning first; Personal and Professional Learning including highly qualified and highly trained staff; and School and Community Relationships) to focus their work Schools are required to have a School Improvement Leadership Teams (SILT) consisting of at least 3 professional staff, one support staff, one parent, one community member, and one principal (and assistant principal if available) The purpose of the school based leadership teams is to focus programs and procedures which can help the district achieve its educational mission and vision Additionally, guidelines require that schools establish a 3 5 year improvement plan which includes: the school s mission, vision, beliefs, and collective commitments; a comprehensive needs assessment based on demographic, academic, perception, and parental involvement data; specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, and time-bound (SMART) goals based on academic outcomes; a comprehensive professional development plan tied to these SMART goals; use of community resources; and the role of each stakeholder in the improvement process School Improvement Plans (SIP) are due to the DSIT by May 1st District and school improvement plans are posted on the WCS website Professional learning communities are an integral part of this process AdvancED Quality Assurance Review Report Page 20 of 28