Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Transcription

1 District Prfile Rank amng U.S. Schl Districts (by size): 4 Number f Schls: 378 Number f Students: 353,283 Number f Teachers: 23,566 Annual Budget: $6 billin Miami-Dade Cunty Public Schls Superintendent: Gvernance: Teachers Unins: Dr. Rudlph Rudy F. Crew became superintendent f Miami-Dade Cunty Public Schls in July During his 25 years as an educatr, Crew has served in a range f capacities acrss the cuntry as superintendent, cllege prfessr, administratr and teacher. Prir t becming superintendent f Miami-Dade, Crew served as directr f district refrms fr initiatives at the Stupski Fundatin and previusly as chancellr f the New Yrk City Bard f Educatin. Nine-member schl bard, elected by gegraphic regin t serve furyear terms. United Teachers f Dade (UTD) Student Characteristics Percent f Students Eligible fr Free/Reduced-Price Schl Lunch: 61 % Percent f Students Designated as English Language Learners: 15 % Student Demgraphics African-American 28% 10% 2% Hispanic White 60% Other Wilshire Bulevard, Twelfth Flr, Ls Angeles, Califrnia [email protected]

2 Student Achievement Miami-Dade Cunty Public Schls (MDCPS) student achievement gains are evidenced by publicly available data cllected and analyzed by MPR Assciates, Inc., a leading educatin research cnsulting firm. Amng the reasns that MDCPS std ut amng large urban schl districts: Greater verall perfrmance. In 2006, Miami-Dade utperfrmed ther districts in Flrida serving students with similar incme levels in reading and math at all grade levels: elementary, middle and high schl, accrding t The Brad Prize methdlgy. Greater subgrup perfrmance. In 2006, Miami-Dade s African-American, Hispanic and lw-incme students utperfrmed their peers in similar Flrida districts in reading and math at all grade levels, accrding t The Brad Prize methdlgy. In 2006, Miami-Dade s Hispanic students achieved higher average prficiency rates than their statewide peers in reading and math at all grade levels. In 2006, Miami-Dade s African-American and lw-incme students achieved higher average prficiency rates than their statewide peers in elementary schl reading and math. Greater verall imprvement. Between 2003 and 2006, Miami-Dade shwed greater imprvement than ther districts in Flrida serving students with similar incme levels in reading and math at all grade levels, accrding t The Brad Prize methdlgy. Greater subgrup imprvement. Between 2003 and 2006, Miami-Dade s African-American, Hispanic and lw-incme students shwed greater imprvement than their peers in similar Flrida districts in reading and math at all grade levels, accrding t The Brad Prize methdlgy. Frm 2003 t 2006, Miami-Dade was mre successful than the state average in increasing the percentage f Hispanic and lw-incme students at the mst advanced level f prficiency in reading and math at all grade levels. Frm 2003 t 2006, Miami-Dade was mre successful than the state average in increasing the percentage f African-American students at the mst advanced level f prficiency in elementary and middle schl reading and math. Between 2003 and 2006, participatin rates fr African-American and Hispanic students taking the SAT exam, the ACT exam and Advanced Placement exams rse in Miami-Dade. SAT scres als rse fr African-American students. Clsing achievement gaps. Miami-Dade narrwed achievement gaps between the district s Hispanic students and their white peers in the district in reading and math at all levels between 2003 and Between 2003 and 2006, Miami-Dade narrwed achievement gaps between the district s African-American students and their white peers in the district in elementary and middle schl reading and math and in high schl math Brad Prize Miami-Dade Cunty Public Schls Page 2 f 7

3 Between 2003 and 2006, Miami-Dade als narrwed achievement gaps between the district s African-American and Hispanic students and the state average fr white students in elementary and middle schl reading and math and in high schl math. Between 2003 and 2006, Miami-Dade narrwed achievement gaps between the district s lw-incme students and the state average fr nn-lw-incme students in reading and math at all grade levels. Fr example, the gap between Miami-Dade s lw-incme students and the state s average fr nn-lw-incme students narrwed by 13 percentage pints in elementary schl reading and 8 percentage pints in elementary schl math. Key District Plicies and Practices SchlWrks, an educatin cnsulting firm based in Beverly, Mass., cllected and analyzed evidence f Miami-Dade Cunty Public Schls (MDCPS) plicies and practices affecting teaching and learning. This qualitative analysis included a site visit, hundreds f interviews and analysis f extensive dcumentatin. The criteria fr evaluatin, available at are grunded in research-based schl and district practices fund t be effective in three key areas: teaching and learning, district leadership and peratins and supprt systems. MDCPS demnstrated the fllwing effective plicies and practices: Teaching and Learning Research shws that effective teaching is the primary factr cntributing t high levels f student achievement. MDCPS cmprehensive curriculum, interim assessment system and increasing presence f instructinal leadership at the schl level prmte strng teaching and learning. Curriculum MDCPS has cmprehensive, cmpetency-based curriculum guides acrss grade levels and subject areas. The curriculum prvides teachers with the big picture r the what t d t becme aligned with state standards. Explicit learning bjectives ensure that students acquire essential knwledge and skills. In the schl year, the district adpted the Hughtn-Mifflin prgram and textbk series at the elementary level fr reading and English language arts instructin in rder t address high student mbility rates, ffer clear instructinal guidance t new staff and increase fidelity f curriculum implementatin. The district prvides schls with instructinal pacing guides brken dwn int nine-week segments, allwing schl-based staff the autnmy t determine hw cntent is presented, crdinated and mved within a nine-week blck. Schls then develp fcused calendars, which cntain weekly r bi-weekly benchmarks, t assess student mastery and determine which skills and cntent need t be re-taught. The district curriculum is regularly reviewed by a team f district staff using data frm the interim assessments. An instructinal review cmmittee prvides further input n additinal resurces t supprt the curriculum. The district curriculum, maintained nline, that ensures revisins are easy t 2007 Brad Prize Miami-Dade Cunty Public Schls Page 3 f 7

4 update and disseminate. At the schl level, ne- t tw-week pacing charts ffer teachers pprtunities fr real-time mdificatins acrss cntent areas and grade levels. Assessment Acrss the district, MDCPS persnnel reprt that increased use f assessments has been a primary cntributr t student achievement gains. The MDCPS interim assessment system was specifically designed t ffer teachers a resurce t think abut, discuss and imprve classrm learning. In the schl year, the district fully implemented interim assessments in reading, language arts and mathematics t mnitr student mastery f cntent and skills in relatin t state standards and t infrm instructin. Interim assessments, administered quarterly fr students in grades 3-10, are a crnerstne f the MDPCS assessment system. A bank f test questins serves as a resurce fr teachers t create bi-weekly assessments t measure student learning at the classrm level n a mre regular basis. In additin t bi-weekly assessments, infrmal bservatins and a variety f supplemental and interventin prgrams are used t infrm planning, mdify instructin and supprt the learning needs f all students. Assessment infrmatin is used t enrich, intervene and rganize student instructinal grups and re-teach cntent and skills. Instructinal Leadership In the schl year, MDCPS principals began t make the shift frm fcusing n cmpliance and schl management t serving as instructinal leaders. The district has implemented new technlgies, such as webcasts, t imprve the flw f infrmatin t schl leaders. Principals and assistant principals are the primary instructinal leaders in schls. Based n specific schl needs, the district als deplys additinal supprt in the frm f reading and mathematics caches and curriculum specialists. District administratrs and schl leaders reprt that webcasts are used t train schl leadership. Principals and ther schl leaders n lnger need t leave the schl building fr training. In additin, webcasts have ensured that a cnsistent message is simultaneusly transmitted t staff acrss a very large gegraphic area. District Leadership District leadership must supprt the essential wrk f teaching and learning in schls. Research shws that district leadership must set and cmmunicate a clear missin and strategic gals and hld the rganizatin accuntable fr implementatin in rder t realize student achievement. MDCPS clear missin, visin and cre values, alng with its multi-year strategic plan and articulated perfrmance gals fr schls and administratrs all fcused n increasing student achievement hld the rganizatin accuntable fr imprving teaching and student learning Brad Prize Miami-Dade Cunty Public Schls Page 4 f 7

5 Missin, Visin and Values MDCPS stakehlders share an understanding f the district s missin, visin and cre values, all f which are grunded in a cmmitment t student achievement, equity, student well-being, the glbal ecnmy, partnerships and excellence in educatin. The district s missin, visin and cre values were develped in 2004 based n extensive input frm stakehlders including: district administratrs, schl staff and ther rganizatins that have a relatinship with the district. This input sught thrugh surveys, frums, wrkshps and cmmittees was instrumental in ensuring that the district s purpse was unifrmly agreed upn and understd. District stakehlders reprted that a sense f urgency t imprve nw exists that did nt exist befre the current superintendent s tenure began in Strategic Planning MDCPS has a multi-year, research-based strategic plan that is fcused, measurable and actinable. The strategic plan was develped thrugh a transparent prcess that included extensive stakehlder input. A range f data was used t further infrm the strategic plan and t priritize key gals. The strategic plan cnsists f five specific gals that align with the district s missin, visin and cre values. Each gal is further defined by a set f bjectives and crrespnding metrics. In additin, the district strategic plan utlines key strategies and expected utcmes fr each f the district s 12 departments. As with the district s missin, visin and values, fcus grups with a range f stakehlders were als used t infrm strategic planning. Stakehlders included: parents, teachers, instructinal supprt persnnel, principals, assistant principals, students, district and reginal administratrs, unin fficers, emplyee assciatin representatives and business and cmmunity leaders. An envirnmental scan prvided infrmatin n student diversity, federal and state accuntability requirements, district grwth and class size, fiscal demands and cnstraints and schl safety. Perfrmance and Accuntability A linchpin f the MDCPS accuntability system is the Schl Imprvement Zne. The Schl Imprvement Zne was frmed in January 2005 and is a grup f 39 chrnically lw-perfrming schls targeted fr intensive interventins. Six zne schls were recgnized by the state at the end f the schl year as being amng the mst imprved in Flrida. In additin, district administratrs and schl leaders have clear perfrmance gals linked t the strategic plan and financial incentives encurage staff t achieve gals. Zne schls have less autnmy than ther district schls t determine, fr example, curriculum, interventin prgrams and assessment schedules. Zne schls receive additinal supprt including an extended schl day and schl year and transitin academies fr students. Staff members wh wrk in zne schls receive additinal pay based n the additinal wrklad. The MDCPS mdel f cascading accuntability, under develpment since 2004, establishes clear perfrmance gals fr the district and its staff. The accuntability mdel is bth vertically and 2007 Brad Prize Miami-Dade Cunty Public Schls Page 5 f 7

6 hrizntally aligned with the gals in the strategic plan and the district dashbard a measurement tl that cnsists f perfrmance gals fr district departments, central ffice staff and schl-based administratrs. The district dashbard aligns with the strategic plan s five gals and key bjectives fr each gal and prvides related metrics t measure individual perfrmance. Aligned perfrmance gals fr district and reginal-level persnnel were rlled ut during the schl year, and gals fr principals and assistant principals were intrduced during the schl year. Perfrmance is mnitred mid-year and then evaluated at the end f the year. The newly implemented perfrmance dashbard system prvides incentives and supprts based n student achievement and schl perfrmance. Financial incentives up t 7 percent f salary fr a perfect screcard are prvided t district and reginal administratrs, as well as t principals and assistant principals. Financial incentives were implemented during the schl year. District Gvernance The Miami-Dade schl bard versees the wrk f the district and the superintendent using the lens f the strategic plan. Since 2006, all items presented t the bard must tie in t the strategic plan. The Schl Bard evaluates the superintendent based n a screcard linked t the strategic plan. The screcard cntains gals and metrics, ranging frm curriculum t business practices. Achievement f gals results in incentive pay fr the superintendent. Screcard gals are develped by the superintendent in cnjunctin with the bard. The bard frmally reviews the superintendent s prgress each year and meets with him regularly t mnitr his prgress. Operatins and Supprt Systems Research shws that the design and implementatin f district peratins and systems directly impact hw well teaching and learning are supprted. MDCPS strng fiscal practices, strategically and equitably designed rganizatinal structure and prfessinal develpment redesign have increased learning and grwth pprtunities fr students and teachers. Allcatin f Financial Resurces The district has engaged in several effrts that have made significant imprvements in the district s fiscal health. Fr example, the district implemented zer-based budgeting, where each department has t justify budget requests, starting frm a zer-based budget, t shw why specific funding will efficiently help the district meet its gals. In additin, the district has aligned the budget t the strategic plan and has aggressively built relatinships with key financial stakehlders, bth f which have resulted in imprvements in the district s fiscal health. As f the schl year, the district s Standard and Pr s credit rating has imprved frm negative t stable. The cntingency reserve has increased frm $13.5 millin (0.55 percent) t $69.9 millin (2.3 percent). Per pupil funding has increased frm $5,448 t $6,781. This has ccurred since the superintendent s arrival in Beginning in the schl year, the district has 2007 Brad Prize Miami-Dade Cunty Public Schls Page 6 f 7

7 streamlined nn-schl-site allcatins t nn-schl sites in rder t prvide increased funds t schls. Resurce allcatin fr the district and each f its departments will be fully aligned t strategic gals and activities beginning in the schl year. A district-develped system is als nw available t assist principals with allcatin and re-allcatin f resurces. Fr example, if additinal resurces are re-allcated t ne area f the prgram, the system re-calculates available funding in ther areas f the prgram. This ensures nging alignment with the strategic plan and strategic gals. Organizatinal Structures and Management Since Superintendent Crew s arrival in 2004, there has been a fcus n equitable distributin f academic prgrams acrss the district t ensure that students have pprtunities t achieve their highest ptential. COMSTAT is a prcess used by plice departments and ther gvernment agencies t cllect data abut, respnd t and fllw up n identified needs. In the schl year, the superintendent implemented COMSTAT meetings t redeply resurces within five days t schls that had an immediate need in the areas such as instructin, safety and schl management. Since the schl year, every schl in the district has maintained a gifted prgram and has fcused n enrlling minrity students in these prgrams. In additin, students with special needs and English language learners (ELL) are nw served in their hme schls. Supprt fr Teaching and Learning Since 2004, under the directin f the new superintendent and the deputy superintendent f prfessinal develpment, Miami-Dade has made numerus effrts t imprve prfessinal develpment and t build teacher and schl leader capacity. Prfessinal develpment redesign has included: 1) develpment f an nline prfessinal develpment menu and registratin system t prvide staff with a single pint f access t training and a place t manage their wn prfessinal develpment, learn abut district fferings and register fr nsite, ffsite and nline trainings; 2) mre prfessinal develpment pprtunities held befre r after the schl day r n weekends t limit interruptins f instructinal time; 3) mre pst-training, nsite supprt prvided, including fllw-up visits frm trainers, t ensure that learned practices are effectively implemented; and, 4) design and implementatin f student teacher supprt teams, which prvide laser-like prfessinal develpment t teachers n use f data. MDCPS has established clear inductin and mentring prgrams, designed t build the capacity f new teachers and principals. The New Educatr Supprt Team (NEST) prgram has been expanded t prvide nearly 200 training sessins fr new teachers, led by Natinally Bard Certified Teachers. Based n surveys, sessins have been redesigned t better reflect the needs f new teachers, and classrm fllw-up has increased. In additin, the district revamped its new teacher rientatin in the schl year and, thrugh grant funding, increased teacher mentr pprtunities Brad Prize Miami-Dade Cunty Public Schls Page 7 f 7