TSBA Academy Vision for Excellence by Tennessee School Boards Association

Vision for Excellence

2016-2017 School Board Academy In cooperation with The Tennessee Department of Education

Vision for Excellence

School Board Academy

Agenda

8:00 a.m.

Welcome and Overview

8:15 a.m.

Exercising Board Leadership through the Visioning Process

9:15 a.m.

Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Role in Creating a Vision

9:45 a.m.

BREAK

10:00 a.m.

Public Education in Tennessee

12:00 p.m.

LUNCH

1:00 p.m.

Translating Vision into Action

2:15 p.m.

BREAK

2:30 p.m.

Ensuring Vision Becomes a Reality

3:45 p.m.

Wrap-up and Evaluations

4:00 p.m.

Adjourn

To access the digital version of this notebook, please visit www.issuu.com/tsba.

Vision for Excellence

Table of Contents

Exercising Board Leadership Through Visioning Process

1-6

Boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Role in Creating a Vision

7-12

Public Education in Tennessee

13-17

Translating Vision Into Action

18-32

Ensuring Vision Becomes a Reality

33-41

Vision for Excellence

EXERCISING BOARD LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE VISIONING PROCESS School Boards As Leaders School boards are charged with the responsibility of educating all children to their full potential. In a time of rapid social, economic, and technological change, the board’s responsibility is greater than ever. School board members, both individually and collectively, must be leaders in their school system and in their community. A board exercises leadership within the school system when its members can combine their talents to: • Create-on behalf of and with extensive participation by the entire community-a vision of the district’s education future • Set common goals congruent with that vision and prioritize them • Establish a structure to achieve its vision, developing educational standards designed to meet the needs of all students and an assessment program designed to determine district and student progress • Enact fair, workable, and carefully considered policies • Hold the board and all staff members accountable by monitoring student achievement, evaluating board and district programs in light of student achievement goals, providing appropriate training opportunities, and keeping the public informed about the status of education programs and progress • Align personnel and financial resources with the district’s vision and standards • Ensure a safe and orderly climate in which students can learn and teachers can teach • Serve as advocates for children and for the public schools through collaborative relationships designed to bring people together • Question, revise, refine and revisit in order to ensure continuous improvement (Source: Becoming A Better Board Member, NSBA, Third Edition, 2006)

Vision for Excellence

Vision: The Board’s Work The board’s work is about vision, the mental picture of what the schools and district would be if everything were perfect. It’s a mental image of success. Effective school boards commit to a vision of high expectations for student achievement and quality instruction and define clear goals toward that vision. They have strong-shared beliefs and values about what’s possible for students and their ability to learn, and of the system and its ability to teach all children at high levels. Effective boards are data savvy; they embrace and monitor data, even when the information is negative, and use the insights to drive continuous improvement. Effective boards also align and sustain resources, such as professional development, to meet district goals. To ensure that the board’s vision becomes reality, the board should develop a strategic plan and establish policies for implementation. The board’s community leadership function involves building the public support necessary to implement the vision. Boards exercise leadership by holding themselves and staff accountable for monitoring student achievement, evaluating board and district programs in light of student achievement goals, providing appropriate training opportunities, and keeping the public informed about the status of education programs and student progress. Boards need to lead as a united team with their superintendent to ensure the vision is implemented. Why do boards need a vision? A clear and compelling vision is necessary for districts to achieve excellence. Districts that can see beyond the present and create a vision for the future reach heights that surpass the expected or even imagined. Management guru Peter Drucker wrote:

Every few hundred years in Western history there occurs a sharp transformation. We cross ... a divide. Within a few short decades, society rearranges itself- its worldview; its basic values; its social and political structure; its arts; its key institutions. Fifty years later, there is a new world. And the people born then cannot even imagine the world in which their grandparents lived and into which their own parents were born.

Vision for Excellence

We are living through one of these periods of transformation. As boards create vision statements, they need to ask, “Are we educating our students with educational constructs that were created for their parents and grandparents? Do students feel disconnected from the current approaches to learning?”

What is Vision? Vision is not about what we are, but what we want to be. It captures a critical dimension of dynamic systems. For school boards, it is about where you are going and what kind of district you are trying to create. A positive vision is future-focused and seeks to shape events rather than simply let them happen. Vision is the ability to see and create the future education system you desire. While current realities you face are important, vision means having a clear image of what “better” looks like -- and taking the necessary governance steps to get there. Positive and inspiring visions require the widespread involvement of those whose lives will be influenced and shaped by vision. Powerful visions are the product of endless hours of discussion and dialogue among key stakeholders. Without involvement, there is unlikely to be much commitment on the part of those upon whom we must rely to achieve it. Your vision is not the same as your mission statement. The mission statement is a simple explanation of purpose -- the reason a school district exists. A mission statement clearly explains the needs the district fulfills, whom these needs are fulfilled for, and how these needs will be met. What does having a vision do for the board? It helps you think beyond your boundaries; provides continuity for your planning; identifies direction and purpose; alerts stakeholders to needed changes; promotes interest, commitment, and laser-like focus; encourages and builds confidence; builds loyalty through involvement; and results in efficiency and productivity. What can kill a board’s vision? Commonly it is tightly held tradition, fear of ridicule, complacency among some stakeholders, short-term thinking, and naysayers.

Sample Mission Statements To prepare all students with the skills they need to be confident in academics, sophisticated in learning, and global in orientation. To provide instruction by a diverse group of effective teachers that capitalizes on students’ native attraction to interactivity and learning by doing. To provide for all students exemplary programming that instills wonder, values discovery, and encourages problem solving. To prepare all students with not only the basic areas like math, reading, and writing but also how to think and communicate in ways that will help them thrive. To empower all students to communicate, collaborate, and learn globally. To help students prepare for work, active citizenship and college using a combination of classroom work and community internships.

Vision for Excellence

The Value of a Shared Vision and Core Values Developing a shared vision that reflects your school community’s core values and beliefs is the starting point for a school board and its focus on student achievement. This shared vision is the kernel of the mission and goals that direct board and staff actions and gains the entire community’s commitment to improving achievement for all students. Engaging the entire community in creating the vision generates support for getting the resources- both financial and human capitalnecessary to make it a reality.

Knowing what you really value, individually and collectively, guides your aspirations and your mission as a district. It also guides your behavior. This sma II set of principles should not be confused with specific cultural or operating practices, nor are they short-term goals. In visionary school districts, core values don’t need a rational or external justification because they don’t sway with trends or fads and they don’t shift with different priorities in education. These five to six guiding tenants are the foundation for the way the district acts, how it treats people, and what it will do to achieve the vision and mission.

Building a shared vision requires you to agree on your core values and beliefs. Core values drive the vision. They underlie the work to be done, define how individuals interact with each other, and help determine the strategies necessary to fulfill the mission. Core values are the belief systems that motivate a person or group to choose one alternative over another. They are guiding principles that remain constant even when the mission and vision may change.

Your vision should inspire, look ahead, and lead. Defining your vision is taking charge of your destiny. For districts, that destiny must be improving achievement for all students. A vision with anything less than student achievement as the top priority cannot fulfill the public education’s core mission.

Creating A Vision Vision becomes reality through the daily actions of everyone in the organization. In a school district, “everyone” includes employees, parents, community advocates, businesses, government agencies, and higher education. Engaging the community makes the vision more likely to be accepted and encourages the behaviors necessary to achieve the vision. As a board of education, it is your responsibility to work with the community to develop student achievement as the top priority. Achieving such total commitment requires multiple steps. First, gather input to identify the community’s core beliefs and common values. Once those are defined, develop a process for drafting a vision statement. After the draft statement is written, test it by seeking feedback to ensure it reflects the community’s core beliefs and inspires a commitment to improving student achievement. When the vision statement is complete, the dissemination process begins.

Vision for Excellence

Communicating the vision to the entire community is essential. As board members, you must articulate the visionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main points at every opportunity, both when you are together and when you are in the community. By constantly repeating, reinforcing, and embracing these main components, you will develop the constancy of purpose necessary to sustain the vision. This work takes persistence. Knowing that your board is committed to investing the time necessary to achieve the vision will motivate staff to be committed to working as hard and as long as necessary to be successful. Your constancy of purpose and commitment to your districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long-term change gives staff the encouragement to try new ideas that may need time to become successful. Long-term results require long-range thinking and commitment.

Here are several key questions to ask as you work toward a shared vision for your district: 1. Do you use data to tailor solutions based on the needs and assets of each school and its community? 2. Is your accountability system based on best practice and sound research? 3. Do you embrace vigorous standards? 4. Do you recognize that sustained or pervasive underperformance cannot be tolerated? 5. Do you see that advocacy is the only way to shift state and federal policy matters from mandatory prescriptive programs to providing assistance and resources to spur innovation? 6. Are you a catalyst for innovation with a customer service approach to the education of every student? 7. Do you realize year-round or other non-traditional school calendars and extended days and years will be common in the school district of the future? 8. Do you see the need to expand innovation to business operations and infrastructure (outsourcing, facility sharing, job sharing, etc.)? 9. Do you respect the fact that parents and students have choices? 10. Do you see the need to provide a portfolio of public school options in your jurisdiction to help parents and students determine their best option? 11. What is the ideal school year? 12. What is the ideal school day? 13. Do you think the curriculum that your students need most can be taught effectively within a traditional classroom setting? 14. How much freedom should students be given in deciding when, where, and how they connect to learning? 15. How do we ensure that all children have access to the full range of connective technologies and are taught the skills necessary to use them effectively? 16. Do you educate your students with educational constructs that were created to serve the agricultural and industrial ages?

Vision for Excellence

The answers to these and similar questions can help board members reflect on actions needed now to achieve the envisioned future. A well-developed and clearly articulated vision for your school system can help you see a bit farther into the distance. Defining your vision means taking charge of your destiny. For school districts, that destiny must be improving student achievement for each and every student. Anything less canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fulfill the core mission of public education. After all, our obligation to our students is to prepare them for the world they will inherit.

Vision for Excellence

BOARD’S ROLE IN CREATING A VISION Tennessee’s Vision Far too few Tennessee ninth graders will eventually graduate from college. For every 100 ninthgraders, only 87 graduate high school. And, of those 87, only 59 enroll in a public postsecondary institution; of those 59, only 46% will complete a postsecondary credential within six years of high school. Given the projection that by 2020 58 percent of the jobs in Tennessee will require some type of postsecondary education, this is a problem. To consider Tennessee’s vision that has focused on preparing students for their future, let us examine some of the recent events that have set our course.

of students from state to state, military families’ concerns, and the low number of students ready for postsecondary education or the workforce. As a result, Tennessee decided to join a state-led effort, coordinated by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. This efforts was focused on raising academic expectations and resulted in the development of the Common Core State Standards. In July 2010, Tennessee’s State Board of Education adopted these standards and began a phasing in of the standards in the 2010-2011 school year. In May 2014, Senate Bill 1835 required the continuation of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) and Tennessee to initiate a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to select a new assessment. This process was led by the state’s Procurement Office. In the fall of 2014, a new assessment company, Measurement Inc., was selected and began development of Tennessee’s assessment called TNReady.

In 2007, the National Chamber of Commerce comparison report card of key education factors in all states gave Tennessee an “F” in the category of “Truth in Advertising” due to the comparison of Tennessee proficiency (our state assessments at the time) to national proficiency (NAEP). Governor Bredesen launched the Tennessee Diploma Project in 2008, which set new standards for Tennessee students, more rigorous graduation requirements, and a single path diploma. By 2010, Tennessee students were being assessed on the new standards and proficiency results dropped statewide. It was during the same year, that Tennessee passed board education reform legislation that ultimately resulted in the state being one of the first two states receiving “Race to the Top” funding (over $500 million). The Tennessee Department of Education and individual districts and schools set trajectories of improvement and focused activities to meet the state’s First to the Top goals. Because the federal legislation (No Child Left Behind – NCLB) was not reauthorized, Tennessee requested and was awarded a waiver.

In October 2014, Governor Haslam launched a public review process for Tennessee’s math and English/language arts standards. The State Board of Education typically reviews standards every six years, but following increased public discussion surrounding the standards, the governor sought to provide all stakeholders the opportunity to give feedback after four years of implementation. Public input helped inform the work of six advisory teams appointed by the State Board of Education to review and recommend changes to the current Tennessee standards. The advisory teams included classroom teachers across grade levels, subject areas, and geographic regions of the state. The teams developed a set of recommendations for changes to Tennessee’s State Standards. During the 2015 legislative session, policymakers reached a compromise in House Bill 1035/Senate Bill 1163 which called for the standards to be reviewed and revised. This bill codified the standards review process and adds another an additional

During the time that this work was occurring, Tennessee was helping lead a larger conversation about how to continue to raise the bar for its students. This conversation was focused on challenges that included the varying expectation

Vision for Excellence layer of review in the form of a Standards Recommendation Committee. State leaders will now appoint members of this committee for each set of standards to be reviewed moving forward.

After years of ranking near the bottom of all states on the Nation’s Report Card (NAEP), historic gains since 2011 have moved Tennessee into the top half of states for fourth-graders in math and science, as well as for eighth-graders in science.

Tennessee’s continued focus on improving public education is helping ensure students have the best opportunities and brightest futures. The significant student achievement progress made in our state in recent years can be attributed to shared commitment among educators, policymakers, parents, and other partners statewide to promote high-quality teaching, enhance the rigor of academic standards, focus on using data to inform educational decision-making, and provide dedicated, visionary leadership in schools and districts.

Despite these accomplishments, work remains to continue on the path that will help all students graduate with the skills and knowledge needed to be competitive with their peers across the state, country, and globe. Although Tennessee students are performing at higher levels on rigorous assessments, still too many students continue to graduate from high school without the content mastery and skills they need to succeed in college and their careers. Too many of our young students struggle to gain essential literacy skills. Tennessee’s continued rise will also depend on meeting the learning needs of all students, while narrowing student achievement gaps.

From 2010 through 2015, Tennessee made impressive gains in student learning. The percentage of Tennessee’s students proficient or advanced in grades 3-8 math increased from 34.6% in 2010 to 55.6% in 2015. In science, the percentage of students proficient or advanced grew from 51.9% to 64.5%.

As a state, we can be proud of the phenomenal and historic growth we have made. However, we must continue our work to ensure that all Tennessee students have an opportunity at a bright future once they graduate from high school. It will be important for all stakeholders to build upon this success by accelerating academic gains for students while staying committed to studentcentered decision making at the school, local, and state level. Collectively, all stakeholders are encouraged to engage in making the following priorities for improvement during the coming year:

Although much smaller and less impressive, Tennessee saw some improvement in reading and language arts during this same time period. This area remains a focus for our state. Tennessee students saw gains in high school subjects also, specifically algebra I and II along with biology. This included double digit gains in algebra and notable growth in biology.

• •

These improvements, coupled with the significant milestone achieved by Tennessee in 2013 as noted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) naming our state as the “fastest improving state in the nation” in terms of students achievement outcomes across fourth and eighth grades reading and math, give cause for our state to be proud of the work that the students, teachers, school and district leaders, and school boards have been doing.

•

Accelerate support for Tennessee’s educators Drive toward excellence and equity for all Tennessee students – especially underserved students Stand firm on Tennessee’s policies that have led to historic gains, while seizing opportunities to advance innovation

Vision for Excellence

What Can School Boards Do? • • • • • • •

Ensure formative assessments are aligned to the state standards. Expand appropriate professional learning opportunities for teachers and principals that are found to improve students learning. Expand teacher and student access to higher quality learning materials that are aligned to the standards. Support and expand teacher leadership opportunities in the district. Ensure teachers, principals, and district leaders have access to data that will support student learning. Design a long term plan for enhancing the district’s use of instructional technology. Ensure students have early instruction on technology and keyboarding to prepare them for technology-based assessments and success beyond high school.

National Vision Tennessee is a leader in education nationally. It has been in the forefront in educational policy reform, including educator evaluation, differentiated compensation, rigorous standards and aligned assessment, and other issues impacting student success. Tennessee’s steady improvement with regard to student outcomes has garnered attention from other states’ leaders, educators, and foundations. Although state level funding remains a concern in this economic climate, Tennessee has continued to focus on improving opportunities for its students. Since 2011, the Governor has invested more than $430 million in new funding for teacher salaries. Under the legislature and Governor Haslam, Tennessee has increased total K-12 spending by more than $1.3 billion. The national vision, as well as Tennessee’s, recognized that the future growth and stability of our global economy depends on the ability of education systems around the world to prepare all students for career opportunities and help them attain higher levels of achievement. This would result in meeting the demands of the 21st Century learners and employers. Although the vision is then global, the path to 21st Century education requires a local journey; one that recognizes and responds to specific challenges and opportunities. (Source: Cisco Systems, Inc., “Equipping Every Learner for the 21st Century”)

Vision for Excellence Vision Self-Assessment Use this tool to assess your initial understanding of vision and to get a sense of where you are as a board on this essential work. Indicate the degree to which your board/district/staff has achieved the following elements toward establishing a vision to improve student achievement. Fully Achieved

Mostly Achieved

Stakeholder representatives (school board, senior leadership, district staff, school staff, employee organizations, parents, community advocates, higher education, business leaders, and students) helped create the vision. As a board we have discussed the core values of our school district, supervisory union/employee groups, and community, and these values are reflected in our vision. Our board has established a written vision that commits to student achievement as the top priority of the school board, staff, and community. Our vision is clearly articulated and known to all community members who have a vested interest. We frequently revisit and reaffirm our vision to ensure our constancy of purpose/ Our vision is the foundation for all long-range, strategic planning, and policy decisions. Our vision is the guiding force that sets the framework for how we operate as a local district and supervisory union. We base our resource and budget decisions on our vision. Everything we do as a a board of education aligns to achieve our vision.

Partially Achieved

Beginning to Achieve

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Know/ Unsure

Vision for Excellence

Roles and Responsibilities of the School Board and Superintendent in Vision and Planning

The School Board • • • • • • • •

•

Approves a strategic planning process to include the community in creating the vision for student achievement. Adopts the vision. Adopts board goals that support the vision. Communicates the vision. Keeps vision at the forefront of all decision making. Adopts policies needed to achieve the vision. Allocates resources based on the vision. Monitors progress toward vision.

• • •

The Superintendent • • • • • • • • •

Recommends a visionary strategic planning process to the board that incorporates participation by a broad swath of the community. Ensures the integrity of the planning process. Ensures staff development to carry out the planning process. Ensures the recommendations of the strategic planning team are presented to the board for action. Coordinates periodic review of the strategic plan. Ensures short- and long-range vision plans are developed and carried out at both the district and school levels. Develops performance indicators, based on data, to measure progress toward the board’s vision for student achievement. Conducts work sessions with the board to increase its understanding of progress

• • • • • •

needed. Recommends performance indicators for board action. Works with the board to identify its role in supporting the vision. Works with the board to develop plans for carrying out its goals. Communicates, through the district’s communications plan, the vision to the staff and community in a team approach that incorporates board participation. Prepares and disseminates information about progress toward the vision. Uses the vision to guide priority recommendations to the board. Uses the vision to guide decisions throughout the organization. Recommends policies needed to support the vision. Conducts periodic review with the board to identify additional policies or revise existing ones. Recommends resources needed to support the vision through the budgeting process. Conducts periodic review with the board to identify resources and funding needed. Brings data to the board periodically that enables the board to review student achievement progress. Recommends changes based on data.

Vision for Excellence

Possible Agenda Items Relating to Vision

Dialogue and work session with staff and community representatives to create Vision and Mission statements

Formal adoption of Vision and Mission statements and establishment of yearly goals

C) Discussion and action on the superintendent’s recommended strategic plan for the district D) Strategic Plan Review √ Are we meeting our timetable? √ Plans for assessing successes and shortcomings √ Yearly update of district goals E)

Community open forum on the district’s vision, mission, and goals

Reports from community advisory committees

District’s communications plan and public relations activities

Recognition events for students and staff who exemplify the district’s vision

Superintendent’s report on school improvement plans

(Source: The Key Work of School Boards, NSBA, 2009)

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A TENNESSEE EDUCATION TIMELINE

A TENNESSEE EDUCATION TIMELINE 1988

The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAPJ, a series of standardized achievement tests, were implemented to measure student progress. 1992

The Education Improvement Act (EIA) passed requiring the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) to publish annual school and district report cards using the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) as an effectiveness measure. The law also established the Basi c Education Program (BEP) to allocate financial support to districts and consistency in school superintendent selection. The BEP is Tennessee's education funding formula through which state education dollars are generated and distributed to Tennessee schools. In 2016 the legislature approved the second largest increase in state funding for the BEP. Tennessee should continue to make smart investments in public education funding to support students and teachers. The Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS} measures the impact schools and teachers have on their students' academic progress. TVAAS measures student growth, not whether the student is proficient on the state assessment. This formula was developed in Tennessee by Dr. Bill Sanders.

2007 The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released the Leaders and Laggards report giving Tennessee an “F” in “Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness” and a “D” in “Academic Achievement,” due to student performance and college completion rates i n Tennessee being below national averages. Tennessee's math and reading scores ranked in the low 90th percentile whereas national data showed proficiency in the mid-20th percentile. Tennessee also received an “F” in “Truth in Advertising” due to wide gaps in student performance between Tennessee's assessments and national assessments. 2010 Tennessee's First to the Top Act passed establishing annual teacher and principal evaluations . Th e act also allowed the Tennessee Department of Education to take over persistently underperforming schools to be managed by the state-run Achievement School District. 2011 Tennessee passed legislation lifting the cap on the number of charter schools and restrictions on the types of students who could enroll in those schools.

2010 Tennessee's First to the Top Act passed establishing annual teacher and principal evaluations . Th e act also allowed the Tennessee Department of Education to take over persistently underperforming schools Vision for Excellence to be managed by the state-run Achievement School District. 2011 Tennessee passed legislation lifting the cap on the number of charter schools and restrictions on the types of students who could enroll in those schools. Sweeping changes to teacher tenure were enacted, redefining the tenure process and incorporating, for the first time, teacher evaluation scores in tenure decisions.

2013 Results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly referred to as “The Nation's Report Card,” showed Tennessee was the fastest-improving state for academic achievement.

2014 Public Chapter 905 reaffirmed Tennessee's sovereignty over its academic standards, required the continuation of TCAP assessments, and prompted Tennessee to pull out of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness For Coll ege and Careers (PARCC). Governor Haslam and the Tennessee State Board of Education launched a public review process for Tennessee's State Standards for English language arts and math, later expand ing the review to science and social studies. The Tennessee Central Procurement Office awarded a contract to Measurement Inc. to develop the new TNReady assessment, a replacement for the TCAP test for English language art and math.

2015 NAEP results show that Tennessee remained the fastest-improving state in education for 2013-2015. For the first time ever in any subj ect, Tennessee fourth-graders scored in the top 25 f or mathematics.

2016 The “Testing Transparency Act” eliminated two unnecessary statewide assessments, provided high school students the opportunity to take the ACT or SAT a second time, free of charge, and required the release of the majority of statewide assessment questions to parents and educators. The Tennessee State board of Education unanimously approved new Tennessee-specific academic standards for math and English language Arts after a public review and revision process l ed by the Standards Recommendation Committee who were appointed by the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, and confirmed by the General Assembly. Technical problems forced the Tennessee Department of Education to halt state testing for grades 3-8 and terminate the contract with Measurement Inc., the provider of the TN Ready assessment. Due to these technical challenges, educators are not obliged to use 2016 assessment data in calculating their annual evaluations. An emergency procurement process began to hire a testing provider for the 2016-2017 school year.

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“A TENNESSEE EDUCATION TIMELINE” “A TENNESSEE EDUCATION TIMELINE” FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TheTHE TENNESSEE STORY Tennessee Story of Initiatives OF INITIATIVES Use the “A Tennessee Education Timeline” to answer the following Usedocument the document “A Tennessee Education Timeline” to answer the followingquestions questionsto to formatively formatively assess your understanding of Tennessee’s story. assess your understanding of Tennessee’s story.

Question

Board Response

The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) was first implemented in an effort to measure student progress on Tennessee’s academic standards in what year?

The Education Improvement Act of 1992 established two very important efforts in Tennessee. What were they?

What was so significant about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Leaders and Laggards report in 2007?

In 2010, Tennessee’s First to the Top Act established several changes. Name two.

The NAEP identified Tennessee as the fastest improving state from 2011-2013 for what?

In 2014, several significant events occurred in Tennessee education. Name two of them.

In 2016, the “Testing Transparency Act” reduced statewide testing by two tests and provided students the opportunity to take the ACT or SAT a second time, free of charge. True or False Bonus: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) has been reauthorized twice in recent history and called what?

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ASSESS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF ASSESS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF TENNESSEE’S TENNESSEE’S PRIORITIES FOR 2017 PRIORITIES FOR 2017

2016-2017 THE STATE OF EDUCATION IN TENNESSEE

What can your Board do to support the state’s priorities for 2017? What can your Board do to support the state’s priorities for 2017? PRIORITIES

BOARD SUPPORTS

Accelerate support for Tennessee’s educators • • • •

•

Tennessee should be one of the nation’s leaders in improving teacher preparation Tennessee must continue its commitment to the state’s multi-measure teacher evaluation system Improving teacher compensation must remain a top priority Tennessee must better empower teachers through stronger professional learning and expanded teacher leadership opportunities. Ensuring effective school leadership in every Tennessee school must be a higher priority for Tennessee’s state leaders

Drive toward excellence and equity for all Tennessee students – especially underserved students • •

•

Expanding access to highly effective and diverse teachers Tennessee must capitalize on opportunities in ESSA to develop and deliver an accountability system that serves all students’ needs Tennessee should ensure all students have the opportunity to take advantage of rigorous early postsecondary and career opportunities Employers have an expanded role to play in students’ career readiness

What can your Board do to support the state’s priorities for 2017?

PRIORITIES

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BOARD SUPPORTS

Accelerate support for Tennessee’s educators Stand firm on Tennessee’s policies that have led to historic gain, while seizing opportunities to advance innovation • Tennessee should be one of the nation’s leaders in improving teacher preparation • Tennessee policymakers should provide stability for • the state’s educators by not retreating on Tennessee must continue its commitment to the state’s multi-measure teacher evaluation system assessment, accountability, or academic standards Improving teacher compensation must remain a top •• Tennessee must continue its commitment to the priority state’s multi-measure teacher evaluation system. Tennessee must better empower teachers through •• Tennessee must continue its current process of stronger professional learning and expanded teacher reviewing the state’s academic standards, setting a leadership opportunities. high bar and ensuring that expectations for students • continue to rise Ensuring effective school leadership in every Tennessee school must be a higher priority for • Tennessee should identify and take advantage of the Tennessee’s state leaders opportunities for innovation that will spur additional improvements in student achievement • Better, more transparent and integrated data systems across state agencies should directly inform new innovations in early postsecondary Drive toward excellence and equity for all Tennessee opportunities, teacher preparation , and school students – especially underserved students improvement • Expanding access to highly effective and diverse teachers • Tennessee must capitalize on opportunities in ESSA to develop and deliver an accountability system that serves all students’ needs • Tennessee should ensure all students have the opportunity to take advantage of rigorous early postsecondary and career opportunities • Employers have an expanded role to play in students’ career readiness

Vision for Excellence

TRANSLATING VISION INTO ACTION From Vision To Practice Your vision cannot end with a written statement. Organizations that complete the writing process and believe that they have a vision are mistaken. They have a vision statement. Writing is only the beginning. Moving the vision from paper into practice is the real challenge. A powerful vision should guide the district’s strategic planning process. A vision without a plan to achieve it is like a great movie title with no script. This is where the board starts developing a mission statement, which is the focal point of all goals, objectives, and strategies undertaken by the board, administration, and teaching and support staffs. It should be concise and understood by every district employee. The vital nature of the statement is that it reflects the district’s true mission with integrity, clarity and inspiration. To fulfill its purpose, a mission statement must be memorable and capture the purpose for which a district exists and its function. As a board develops its mission statement, it should consider the following criteria: 1. Does the statement capture the essential nature of the district’s reason for being? 2. Is the statement student-oriented as opposed to being inwardly or organizationally bound? 3. Does the statement represent a relatively stable anchor point for the district, one that will not require frequent change? 4. Does the statement describe the desired result rather than focusing on activities? 5. Does the statement reflect the district’s values or philosophy relevant to today and the future

Sample Vision Statements To create a school district that is focused on personalized learning so that our students will be successful in college, career, and life. To create a school district that prepares students for what they will encounter in life beyond their K-12 experiences. To create a school district that prepares students for our changing world. To create a school district thot is highly regarded for its academic excellence and for improving the community in which it operates. To create a school district that produces very high levels of student achievement and helps make its community a more pleasant place to live.

Vision for Excellence

Student Assessment During the 2015-16 school year, Tennessee began implementing a new set of assessments that reflected the state’s commitments to both high expectations and assessments aligned to state academic standards. These new TNReady assessments, however, had a difficult first year in large part because of failures by the state’s former testing vendor, Measurement, Inc. Although the test was initially scheduled to be administered online, technology problems at Measurement, Inc. on the first full day of administration led TDOE to move the test to paper and pencil. The vendor’s inability to print and deliver all paper exams led TDOE to cancel the second portion of the two-part exams in grades 3 through 8. High school students completed exams in English, math, social studies, and science (results are provided earlier in this report). TNReady results represented a reset for how student achievement is measured in the state. Results showed large numbers of students were not on track based on the state’s new performance levels. Because the percentages of students on track to graduate ready for postsecondary options matched performance on national measures like ACT, TNReady is showing early promise of being a reliable measure of college and career readiness. In July 2016, TDOE announced the selection of a new testing vendor, Questar, to implement TNReady exams beginning in the 2016-17 school year. Compared to the previous TNReady test design, TDOE announced substantial reductions to the amount of time students will spend testing and in the number of test items in the 2016-17 school year. Overall, testing time for state exams will be reduced by 30 percent, or 200-210 minutes for grades 3-8 and 40 to 120 minutes for high school.

Although a pilot of online testing for high schools is expected for some districts, most students will take 2016-17 state assessments by pencil and paper. The state has a plan to phase in online administration of assessments in the future. Prior to the implementation of TNReady, the 2015 Assessment Task Force produced a set of recommendations for ensuring highquality assessment in Tennessee. Several recommendations required legislative action. During 2016, the General Assembly passed SB 2540/HB 1537, the Data Accessibility, Transparency and Accountability Act, which provided for additional test transparency, the elimination of unnecessary tests, and an additional opportunity for students to take the ACT college entrance exam. Governor Haslam signed the bill into law in April 2016. During the spring and summer of 2016, the Assessment Task Force 2.0 discussed how assessments in Tennessee can align with revised, high-quality standards, better capture student performance, reduce unnecessary testing, and provide school and classroom leaders the information necessary to deliver the instruction students need. The group also provided feedback on TDOE’s developing plans for assessment, accountability, and school improvement under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA and Accountability. TDOE’s strategic plan, Tennessee Succeeds, outlines the five-year vision and work for public education in the state through 2020. As part of this plan, TDOE set five priorities that now guide Tennessee’s implementation of ESSA.

Vision for Excellence

The Every Student Succeeds Act became law in December 2015, reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and replacing the former federal education law, No Child Left Behind. Under ESSA, states have more authority in setting education policy. The majority of Tennessee’s existing policies are in line with the new law, but implementation provides opportunities for Tennessee to strengthen existing systems and structures, particularly regarding assessment, accountability, school improvement, and education for English learners. In addition to the passage of ESSA, in 2016 the General Assembly passed a law requiring A-F letter grades for all Tennessee public schools for the purpose of providing more transparency about school performance to parents and community members. Planning the measures for A-F grades informs the state’s accountability framework. TDOE is developing a plan to integrate the school grading system with the ESSA accountability requirements for implementation in the 2017-18 school year. The draft ESSA plan adds school-level accountability and includes three major changes to the state’s accountability framework.

The changes include a new Ready Graduate indicator measuring high school students’ readiness for postsecondary opportunities and the workforce, an Opportunity to Learn indicator measuring an additional indicator of school quality or student success, and measurement of English learners’ progress towards language proficiency. To inform the state’s ESSA plan and A-F accountability system, TDOE held town halls across the state, assembled working groups focused on specific areas of the draft plan, and opened an online portal for public feedback. Although, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a joint resolution that would overturn ESSA accountability rules issued by the Obama administration, the TDOE still plans to submit Tennessee’s final implementation plan in March 2017 to the US Department of Education for approval.

Vision for Excellence

Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) TVAAS is a statistical method used to measure the influence of a district or school on the academic progress (growth) rates of individual students or groups of students from year-to-year. The TVAAS method uses previous test score data to plot a “growth pattern” for students. Think of academic growth in terms of a child’s physical growth. Growth is measured by how much gain or progress an individual student or group of students make over time. Growth measures do not assume all students start the school year at the same academic level. By measuring the academic achievement of students and the academic growth of students, schools and teachers will have a more comprehensive picture of the effectiveness in raising student proficiency. TVAAS public site can be accessed at http://www.state.tn.us/education/mdata.shtml.

Other District

Your District

# of Enrollment % Black Schools

% Local Funding

HS Eng. All

Using the 2016-17 SCORE Card on the following pages, complete the chart.

Digging Into the Data

% % White Per Hispanic Pupil $

HS Math All

Grad Rate

ACT ACT % Composite 21+

Vision for Excellence

Digging Into the Data

Vision for Excellence

2016-17

The 2015-16 school year represented a reset for state assessments, both in terms of rigor and implementation. Last year, TNReady assessments for grades 3-8 were canceled because of problems with the state testing vendor. In turn, educators, parents, and policymakers were left with an incomplete understanding of how well schools prepared their students academically. In the absence of such data, this SCORE Card incorporates Tennessee high school students’ performance on math and reading courses, with focus on historically underserved student groups. Tennessee’s new assessments align with academic standards students must master to be ready for postsecondary education and career— reflecting a higher set of expectations for all students.

SCORE CARD

OVERVIEW

Tennessee has made historic gains in student academic achievement in recent years. Tennessee now ranks among the top 20 states in student achievement for fourth-grade science and among the top 25 states for both eighth-grade science and fourth-grade math. More graduates are enrolling in postsecondary programs that will provide them the skills and knowledge they need for productive lives and careers. Nevertheless, significant work remains to ensure equity in student access to educational opportunity. For example, economically disadvantaged students continue to lag behind their peers in both fourth and eighth grades, with gaps persisting or increasing in size. In terms of postsecondary readiness, fewer than 10 percent of African American students met at least three college-ready ACT benchmarks in 2016, just as in the years prior. That rate compares to 20 percent of Hispanic or Latino students, 38 percent of white students, and 52 percent of Asian American students.

Each year, the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) publishes the SCORE Card to provide in-depth data on enrollment, student demographics, and student achievement by school district. This SCORE Card is a companion to the 2016-17 State of Education in Tennessee report, providing state and district leaders, as well as community members across Tennessee selected data points indicating where Tennessee’s school districts stand.

Academic improvement is uneven among students in Tennessee. This edition of the SCORE Card presents an opportunity for state and local leaders to reflect on current levels of student success, consider areas of focus, and take action. Definitions of SCORE Card indicators follow. A significant number of school districts in Tennessee do not have high schools, and an asterisk indicates categories where district-level data are unavailable.

Vision for Excellence

SCORE CARD INDICATORS SCORE obtained 2015-16 district data for each of the following indicators from the Tennessee Department of Education.

District Characteristics

High School Success

Number of Schools – The number of schools operating in each district for the 2015-16 school year

HS Math All – The percentage of high school students taking Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, or Integrated Math who scored On Track or Mastered on the 2015-16 end-of-course exams

Enrollment – The total count of students enrolled in each individual school district as of October 1, 2015

HS English – The percentage of high school students taking English I, English II, or English III in the district who scored On Track or Mastered on the 2015-16 endof-course exams

Percent Black – The percentage of enrolled students self-identified as black or African-American Percent Hispanic – The percentage of enrolled students self-identified as Hispanic or Latino

BHN – The percentage of Black, Hispanic, or Native American high school students in the district scoring On Track or Mastered on their math or English end-ofcourse exams

Percent White – The percentage of enrolled students self-identified as white Percent ED – The percentage of enrolled students identified as economically disadvantaged. These students are “directly certified” to receive free and reduced price lunch. Directly certified students include those who qualified for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), participate in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or are in the foster program, homeless, a migrant, or runaway

SWD – The percentage of high school students with disabilities scoring On Track or Mastered on their math or English end-of-course exams ED – The percentage of high school students identified as economically disadvantaged scoring On Track or Mastered on their math or English end-of-course exams Graduation Rate – The percentage of students in each district who graduated from high school within four years divided by the number of students that entered the ninth grade four years prior

Per Pupil Spending – The total current operating expenditures on a per pupil basis in each district from state, local, and federal sources Percent Local Funding – The percentage of district per pupil expenditures that comes from local revenue sources

ACT Composite – The average score derived from scores in four separate subjects included in the ACT assessment: science, math, reading, and English. ACT composite data represents student test-takers who also graduated in 2016 within a given district ACT 21+ – The percentage of student ACT test-takers who also graduated in 2016 within a given district and achieved an ACT composite score of 21 or higher, a key qualification for HOPE Scholarship eligibility

Vision for Excellence

District Characteristics DISTRICT

State of Tennessee Achievement School District

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS

ENROLLMENT

PERCENT BLACK

PERCENT HISPANIC

PERCENT WHITE

PER PUPIL SPENDING

PERCENT LOCAL FUNDING

1,835

997,893

24%

64%

$9,499

41%

10,348

94%

Alamo City

651

13%

17%

70%

$8,642

11%

Alcoa City

1,969

23%

10%

64%

$11,132

53%

Alvin C. York Institute

584

98%

Anderson County

6,605

95%

$9,870

38%

Arlington City

5,015

15%

75%

$7,821

49%

Athens City

1,700

17%

72%

$10,762

32%

Bartlett City

8,636

28%

62%

$9,071

45%

Bedford County

8,604

12%

21%

66%

$7,711

19%

Bells City

431

18%

22%

59%

$8,386

12%

Benton County

2,218

93%

$9,959

32%

Bledsoe County

1,874

92%

$10,121

15%

Blount County

11,040

91%

$9,228

43%

Bradford SSD

543

92%

$9,783

27%

Bradley County

10,282

91%

$8,352

31%

Bristol City

4,161

89%

$9,841

55%

Campbell County

5,744

98%

$8,717

21%

Cannon County

2,042

95%

$8,379

20%

Carter County

5,497

96%

$9,479

24%

Cheatham County

6,385

92%

$9,090

25%

Chester County

2,879

14%

82%

$7,793

18%

Claiborne County

4,446

96%

$9,643

26%

Clay County

1,115

95%

$9,263

20%

Cleveland City

5,638

15%

21%

61%

$9,365

35%

Clinton City

915

88%

$9,967

40%

Cocke County

4,624

92%

$9,516

23%

Coffee County

4,537

90%

$9,231

37%

Collierville City

8,113

18%

65%

$8,852

48%

Crockett County

2,053

14%

15%

71%

$8,382

14%

Cumberland County

7,528

93%

$8,443

33%

Dayton City

863

12%

79%

$8,705

21%

Decatur County

1,690

91%

$8,821

27%

DeKalb County

2,966

12%

86%

$8,045

19%

Dickson County

8,368

86%

$8,566

34%

Dyer County

3,997

89%

$8,719

33%

Dyersburg City

2,764

43%

49%

$10,097

36%

Vision for Excellence

District Characteristics NUMBER OF SCHOOLS

ENROLLMENT

PERCENT BLACK

PERCENT HISPANIC

PERCENT WHITE

PER PUPIL SPENDING

PERCENT LOCAL FUNDING

Elizabethton SSD

2,555

92%

$9,721

36%

Etowah City

385

89%

$9,302

23%

Fayette County

3,520

59%

35%

$9,261

31%

Fayetteville City

1,542

33%

61%

$8,733

28%

Fentress County

2,271

98%

$9,825

19%

Franklin County

5,699

87%

$8,923

32%

Franklin SSD

3,623

15%

25%

53%

$13,984

69%

Germantown Municipal

5,791

12%

74%

$8,765

51%

Gibson SSD

4,089

89%

$7,194

28%

Giles County

4,010

18%

78%

$9,088

32%

Grainger County

3,646

93%

$8,805

16%

Greene County

6,967

95%

$8,383

25%

Greeneville City

2,890

10%

79%

$10,945

45%

Grundy County

2,121

99%

$9,170

14%

Hamblen County

10,372

24%

68%

$8,437

35%

Hamilton County

44,414

31%

11%

56%

$9,728

53%

Hancock County

987

98%

$9,734

11%

Hardeman County

3,785

54%

43%

$9,940

23%

Hardin County

3,614

91%

$9,363

39%

Hawkins County

7,109

95%

$9,263

30%

Haywood County

3,137

64%

29%

$9,631

23%

Henderson County

4,012

89%

$9,083

24%

Henry County

3,093

90%

$9,563

37%

Hickman County

3,451

94%

$9,496

18%

Hollow Rock Bruceton

671

88%

$7,831

20%

Houston County

1,414

90%

$9,248

17%

Humboldt City

1,132

75%

22%

$10,870

24%

Humphreys County

3,065

92%

$8,588

27%

Huntingdon SSD

1,224

20%

78%

$8,363

25%

Jackson County

1,538

97%

$9,327

18%

Jackson-Madison County

13,048

61%

31%

$9,696

44%

Jefferson County

7,448

88%

$8,558

30%

Johnson City

8,021

15%

72%

$9,683

55%

Johnson County

2,149

94%

$10,389

22%

Kingsport City

7,403

11%

82%

$10,726

57%

Knox County

60,313

17%

72%

$9,099

52%

Lake County

869

29%

68%

$11,416

18%

DISTRICT

Vision for Excellence

District Characteristics NUMBER OF SCHOOLS

ENROLLMENT

PERCENT BLACK

PERCENT HISPANIC

PERCENT WHITE

PER PUPIL SPENDING

PERCENT LOCAL FUNDING

Lakeland

889

11%

76%

$8,177

49%

Lauderdale County

4,378

43%

52%

$9,209

17%

Lawrence County

6,863

94%

$8,303

23%

Lebanon SSD

3,745

18%

14%

66%

$9,019

44%

Lenoir City

2,393

27%

69%

$9,023

47%

Lewis County

1,820

92%

$8,240

17%

Lexington City

946

26%

66%

$10,259

28%

Lincoln County

4,009

92%

$8,489

27%

Loudon County

4,886

12%

84%

$9,354

46%

Macon County

3,797

90%

$8,857

19%

Manchester City

1,378

15%

77%

$11,474

37%

Marion County

4,205

91%

$8,815

28%

Marshall County

5,378

10%

82%

$8,665

30%

Maryville City

5,132

87%

$10,397

56%

Maury County

12,321

20%

10%

70%

$8,883

37%

McKenzie SSD

1,367

16%

78%

$7,858

22%

McMinn County

5,819

88%

$8,462

28%

McNairy County

4,363

89%

$8,185

20%

Meigs County

1,787

96%

$9,137

17%

Milan SSD

2,064

27%

69%

$8,795

27%

Millington Municipal

2,687

40%

12%

45%

$10,278

41%

Monroe County

5,452

91%

$8,553

27%

Montgomery County

32,605

29%

12%

55%

$8,647

33%

Moore County

893

95%

$11,025

39%

Morgan County

3,143

98%

$8,908

14%

Murfreesboro City

8,431

29%

12%

54%

$9,718

42%

164

85,123

44%

22%

30%

$11,726

60%

Newport City

765

84%

$9,419

28%

Oak Ridge City

4,479

17%

69%

$13,063

55%

Obion County

3,538

89%

$9,114

30%

Oneida SSD

1,262

99%

$8,933

21%

Overton County

3,240

96%

$8,474

18%

Paris SSD

1,771

26%

71%

$8,811

38%

Perry County

1,122

94%

$9,765

21%

Pickett County

759

97%

$8,729

18%

Polk County

2,507

96%

$8,913

21%

Putnam County

11,265

12%

82%

$8,755

35%

DISTRICT

Nashville-Davidson County

Vision for Excellence

District Characteristics NUMBER OF SCHOOLS

ENROLLMENT

PERCENT BLACK

PERCENT HISPANIC

PERCENT WHITE

PER PUPIL SPENDING

PERCENT LOCAL FUNDING

Rhea County

4,434

88%

$9,144

26%

Richard City

297

90%

$8,583

28%

Roane County

6,842

91%

$9,410

40%

Robertson County

11,403

12%

13%

75%

$8,761

31%

Rogersville City

663

90%

$9,462

34%

Rutherford County

43,099

19%

12%

64%

$8,495

42%

Scott County

3,023

98%

$8,602

15%

Sequatchie County

2,314

92%

$7,967

23%

Sevier County

14,580

10%

86%

$10,206

64%

Shelby County

221

112,077

78%

12%

$11,015

40%

Smith County

3,205

92%

$8,279

23%

South Carroll SSD

359

89%

$9,122

24%

Stewart County

2,088

94%

$9,257

22%

Sullivan County

10,220

96%

$9,573

47%

Sumner County

29,204

11%

79%

$8,656

39%

Sweetwater City

1,587

10%

81%

$8,187

26%

Tenn. School For Deaf

155

27%

63%

Tenn. School For Blind

133

19%

68%

Tipton County

11,376

24%

73%

$8,403

22%

Trenton SSD

1,398

29%

64%

$9,114

29%

Trousdale County

1,253

14%

82%

$8,324

21%

Tullahoma City

3,535

12%

79%

$9,846

48%

Unicoi County

2,402

12%

87%

$9,623

22%

Union City

1,613

40%

12%

48%

$9,606

35%

Union County

3,645

93%

$9,700

13%

Van Buren County

767

99%

$9,888

22%

Warren County

6,505

15%

78%

$8,910

24%

Washington County

8,765

93%

$8,550

45%

Wayne County

2,407

96%

$9,318

17%

Weakley County

4,371

10%

86%

$8,312

24%

West Carroll SSD

946

11%

87%

$8,966

24%

West Tenn. School For Deaf

36%

54%

White County

4,045

93%

$7,956

19%

Williamson County

36,812

82%

$8,946

56%

Wilson County

17,544

84%

$7,859

41%

DISTRICT

Vision for Excellence

High School Success HS ENGLISH ALL

HS ENGLISH BHN

HS ENGLISH ED

HS ENGLISH SWD

HS MATH ALL

HS MATH BHN

HS MATH ED

HS MATH SWD

GRAD RATE

ACT COMP

ACT 21+

30%

18%

17%

21%

10%

89%

19.9

42%

40%

15.4

Alamo City

Alcoa City

49%

25%

23%

18%

30%

11%

100%

22.1

59%

Alvin C. York Institute

39%

18%

93%

19.8

38%

Anderson County

30%

25%

16%

23%

10%

96%

20.8

51%

Arlington City

39%

25%

20%

24%

10%

15%

96%

22.5

63%

Athens City

Bartlett City

34%

23%

25%

15%

89%

20.8

47%

Bedford County

29%

16%

20%

14%

92%

18.6

32%

Benton County

35%

17%

27%

22%

16%

94%

19.1

38%

Bledsoe County

21%

12%

18%

23%

25%

88%

35%

Blount County

31%

18%

21%

22%

11%

12%

93%

21.3

53%

DISTRICT

State of Tennessee Achievement School District

Bells City

Bradford SSD

40%

26%

58%

49%

93%

21.1

64%

Bradley County

36%

24%

19%

30%

17%

15%

92%

19.8

41%

Bristol City

36%

23%

11%

32%

18%

15%

86%

21.7

55%

Campbell County

23%

18%

14%

10%

89%

24%

Cannon County

27%

29%

16%

11%

85%

19.3

41%

Carter County

27%

21%

17%

11%

89%

32%

Cheatham County

32%

17%

20%

12%

16%

11%

92%

19.9

43%

Chester County

35%

21%

14%

97%

19.4

39%

Claiborne County

26%

30%

18%

10%

92%

18.3

28%

Clay County

26%

23%

96%

19.3

37%

Cleveland City

33%

21%

22%

11%

90%

20.4

44%

Cocke County

24%

21%

15%

13%

12%

90%

18.2

26%

Coffee County

29%

19%

21%

19%

15%

11%

91%

19.7

40%

Collierville City

50%

30%

18%

43%

21%

13%

92%

24.6

79%

Crockett County

31%

15%

22%

13%

99%

19.1

36%

Cumberland County

36%

22%

28%

17%

87%

20.4

49%

Clinton City

Decatur County

31%

29%

25%

10%

93%

19.3

39%

DeKalb County

27%

11%

18%

10%

98%

18.8

34%

Dickson County

35%

19%

20%

17%

13%

10%

93%

19.9

40%

Dyer County

36%

26%

28%

26%

18%

22%

95%

21.2

50%

Dyersburg City

34%

16%

14%

32%

18%

14%

86%

20.2

40%

Dayton City

Vision for Excellence

High School Success HS ENGLISH ALL

HS ENGLISH BHN

HS ENGLISH ED

HS ENGLISH SWD

HS MATH ALL

HS MATH BHN

HS MATH ED

HS MATH SWD

GRAD RATE

ACT COMP

ACT 21+

35%

17%

20%

29%

18%

17%

97%

20.3

49%

Fayette County

15%

12%

76%

16.1

12%

Fayetteville City

40%

15%

16%

19%

96%

19.5

42%

Fentress County

40%

31%

23%

20%

100%

17.9

26%

Franklin County

27%

13%

16%

91%

19.1

35%

Germantown Municipal

47%

34%

33%

15%

42%

27%

22%

14%

94%

24.9

81%

Gibson SSD

42%

22%

29%

36%

26%

21%

95%

20.8

51%

Giles County

25%

10%

14%

11%

88%

18.5

32%

Grainger County

26%

14%

12%

91%

17.9

23%

Greene County

33%

17%

23%

17%

10%

96%

19.4

37%

Greeneville City

36%

23%

19%

45%

27%

26%

95%

22.5

64%

Grundy County

23%

17%

96%

17.5

22%

Hamblen County

34%

23%

24%

32%

23%

21%

94%

20.2

46%

Hamilton County

27%

14%

15%

84%

19.8

40%

Hancock County

29%

18%

10%

83%

17.9

27%

DISTRICT

Elizabethton SSD Etowah City

Franklin SSD

Hardeman County

22%

10%

14%

88%

17.5

22%

Hardin County

24%

12%

16%

19%

13%

11%

90%

40%

Hawkins County

30%

24%

20%

19%

16%

12%

95%

20.4

47%

Haywood County

18%

12%

92%

17.2

20%

Henderson County

37%

27%

25%

29%

19%

15%

96%

19.6

37%

Henry County

46%

23%

29%

26%

21%

92%

20.7

50%

Hickman County

25%

17%

12%

93%

18.6

30%

Hollow Rock Bruceton

17%

11%

96%

17.9

31%

Houston County

23%

11%

14%

13%

97%

19.4

42%

Humboldt City

15%

11%

92%

17.1

24%

Humphreys County

30%

21%

16%

21%

12%

10%

96%

19.9

42%

Huntingdon SSD

35%

21%

24%

14%

20%

10%

98%

19.8

36%

Jackson County

27%

13%

87%

38%

Jackson-Madison County

21%

12%

10%

12%

92%

17.8

25%

Jefferson County

31%

19%

21%

22%

15%

92%

19.6

39%

Johnson City

47%

26%

23%

57%

36%

37%

13%

91%

22.8

62%

Johnson County

29%

18%

29%

19%

92%

20.1

47%

Kingsport City

45%

25%

29%

51%

41%

37%

18%

96%

22.7

63%

Knox County

36%

17%

28%

11%

10%

90%

21.1

51%

Lake County

10%

73%

18.2

31%

Vision for Excellence

High School Success HS ENGLISH ALL

HS ENGLISH BHN

HS ENGLISH ED

HS ENGLISH SWD

HS MATH ALL

HS MATH BHN

HS MATH ED

HS MATH SWD

GRAD RATE

ACT COMP

ACT 21+

Lauderdale County

21%

11%

12%

21%

12%

97%

17.9

27%

Lawrence County

33%

24%

20%

24%

15%

14%

94%

37%

Lenoir City

32%

15%

14%

35%

21%

11%

92%

20.2

45%

Lewis County

22%

21%

17%

12%

14%

12%

96%

18.2

30%

Lexington City

Lincoln County

37%

32%

23%

26%

19%

18%

94%

19.3

39%

Loudon County

33%

26%

23%

22%

17%

12%

86%

18.8

35%

Macon County

25%

24%

20%

18%

12%

83%

19.7

37%

Marion County

31%

29%

20%

10%

20%

15%

16%

82%

32%

Marshall County

31%

20%

22%

26%

17%

19%

95%

34%

Maryville City

55%

27%

38%

12%

46%

20%

28%

94%

23.7

70%

Maury County

28%

15%

19%

12%

92%

19.6

40%

McKenzie SSD

33%

23%

19%

17%

96%

20.5

47%

McMinn County

32%

22%

20%

21%

13%

95%

19.4

38%

McNairy County

26%

14%

15%

17%

95%

19.6

42%

Meigs County

37%

23%

27%

12%

99%

19.1

37%

Milan SSD

31%

14%

11%

99%

19.5

38%

Millington Municipal

21%

15%

11%

81%

18.7

33%

Monroe County

29%

16%

18%

16%

92%

18.5

31%

Montgomery County

37%

29%

23%

16%

13%

95%

42%

Moore County

41%

35%

23%

16%

10%

92%

18.4

33%

Morgan County

23%

39%

12%

95%

18.3

33%

23%

16%

14%

12%

81%

18.7

31%

Oak Ridge City

50%

30%

29%

13%

30%

14%

15%

11%

88%

23.1

63%

Obion County

32%

17%

22%

23%

19%

13%

89%

45%

Oneida SSD

39%

26%

17%

96%

19.5

40%

Overton County

33%

35%

23%

37%

29%

22%

87%

19.7

44%

23%

33%

15%

92%

18.7

32%

DISTRICT

Lakeland

Lebanon SSD

Manchester City

Murfreesboro City Nashville-Davidson County Newport City

Paris SSD Perry County Pickett County

37%

30%

15%

10%

96%

19.5

39%

Polk County

29%

23%

22%

20%

14%

92%

18.5

28%

Putnam County

33%

18%

20%

26%

15%

16%

93%

20.5

47%

Vision for Excellence

High School Success HS ENGLISH ALL

HS ENGLISH BHN

HS ENGLISH ED

HS ENGLISH SWD

HS MATH ALL

HS MATH BHN

HS MATH ED

HS MATH SWD

GRAD RATE

ACT COMP

ACT 21+

Rhea County

29%

16%

20%

19%

13%

10%

79%

19.2

37%

Richard City

38%

44%

93%

17.3

25%

Roane County

29%

18%

14%

95%

19.7

41%

Robertson County

27%

16%

19%

18%

94%

19.3

37%

Rutherford County

34%

21%

20%

26%

14%

13%

95%

20.8

48%

Scott County

24%

17%

10%

91%

17.3

21%

Sequatchie County

32%

17%

25%

15%

10%

82%

19.9

37%

Sevier County

36%

22%

25%

24%

13%

12%

87%

21.1

50%

Shelby County

20%

17%

12%

79%

17.5

22%

Smith County

28%

14%

18%

29%

13%

22%

94%

19.7

39%

South Carroll SSD

37%

44%

10%

100%

19.8

41%

Stewart County

37%

22%

26%

10%

20%

23%

13%

95%

20.7

48%

Sullivan County

33%

28%

17%

25%

16%

13%

95%

20.8

48%

Sumner County

34%

18%

19%

24%

11%

92%

21.3

52%

Sweetwater City

Tenn. School For Deaf

10%

79%

Tenn. School For Blind

43%

44%

64%

Tipton County

29%

14%

17%

20%

11%

14%

97%

20.4

47%

Trenton SSD

36%

11%

21%

23%

11%

97%

19.6

40%

Trousdale County

38%

19%

22%

39%

10%

23%

95%

20.6

44%

Tullahoma City

35%

14%

17%

33%

15%

11%

93%

21.1

51%

Unicoi County

34%

25%

23%

22%

15%

10%

91%

19.3

36%

Union City

35%

16%

22%

10%

12%

91%

22.2

60%

Union County

23%

19%

13%

12%

89%

19.3

32%

Van Buren County

22%

10%

95%

19.1

33%

Warren County

21%

16%

13%

12%

94%

18.6

32%

Washington County

37%

31%

22%

32%

27%

17%

90%

20.8

50%

Wayne County

30%

27%

25%

17%

38%

12%

92%

18.4

29%

Weakley County

42%

24%

31%

22%

19%

93%

20.8

51%

West Carroll SSD

33%

29%

22%

26%

19%

94%

18.4

29%

White County

30%

35%

20%

28%

19%

17%

93%

18.6

29%

Williamson County

42%

26%

20%

10%

41%

25%

19%

95%

24.4

79%

Wilson County

35%

22%

18%

26%

14%

12%

95%

20.6

48%

DISTRICT

Rogersville City

West Tenn. School For Deaf

Vision for Excellence

ENSURING VISION BECOMES A REALITY Board Accountability Leaders in public education can only meet today’s challenges if they can clearly see the “tomorrow” they seek to create. That might sound simplistic, but it takes hard work to convert foresight into reality. Accountability means taking your fair share of responsibility for outcomes. Being accountable means that you answer not only for your actions, but also for the results of your actions. Accountability includes taking credit for achieving the desired results and accepting responsibility when targets are missed.

School boards need to ensure that they do the following: 1. Establish an accountability process based on the board’s strategic plan with measurable criteria and an annual review. 2. Participate in work sessions to understand accountability measures, including data analysis and how the board administration and staff should use this information. 3. Ensure that the superintendent’s evaluation includes accountability measures. 4. Ensure effective and timely communications on the accountability system and progress. 5. Ensure that an annual report is developed containing data on student achievement and district performance data related to goals and standards. 6. Ensure funding for implementation of accountability measures. 7. Use student achievement results to drive decision-making. 8. Ensure compliance with state accountability measures.

Your state school boards association is a good source of expertise in assessing your mission and vision statement and also assisting with strategic planning. Because this is a complex process, it might be helpful to have an informed, objective voice to lend a different perspective.

Alignment of Strategic Planning, Vision, and Accountability Although Tennessee schools have participated in school improvement planning processes for several years, the format and function of the processes have varied. Currently, all districts are required to participate in the ePlan process which utilizes an electronic platform and ensures an alignment between all federal programs (Title I, IDEA, etc.), CTE, special education, and other district programming with the district’s overall strategic plan. The ePlan is essentially a grants management system which allows districts the ability to link multiple processes: planning, application for funds, monitoring and fiscal – designed to promote collaboration among stakeholders. The Board’s Strategic Plan should support the district planning process and be aligned with the district’s data while moving the district toward accomplishment of its vision.

Vision for Excellence

Implementing Your Vision Saying it and writing it down is only the beginning. School leaders who complete the writing process and believe they have a vision are mistaken. What they have is a written vision statement. Moving the vision from paper into practice is the real challenge. A powerful vision should guide the strategic planning process for the school district. After your board and superintendent have widely disseminated the vision statement, the next step is developing a strategic plan. A beautiful vision without a plan to achieve it is like a great movie title with no script. In creating a strategic plan, the board-staff leadership team must develop a process to identify goals that mark progress toward the vision and strategies to achieve the goals. Staff is responsible for creating work plans to implement the strategies; reviewing the goals, strategies, and work plans with the board; and reporting regularly on progress, needs, and adjustments to continue moving toward the vision. Your vision also should influence the policies the board adopts and procedures the superintendent develops to implement the policies. School boards should consider a periodic, systematic review of policies to assure consistency with your adopted vision. That kind of check-in is worthwhile because it keeps you on track and signals to staff, students, and the community that the board is committed to its vision. School leaders must pay close attention to the culture they create. For good or for ill, culture can permeate classrooms, directly affecting teaching and learning. The blend of school board policies and superintendent’s procedures sway the district’s climate. But the content of those policies and procedures is not the only consideration. Leadership behaviors and the demeanor of the board and superintendent’s staff speak volumes as you carry out your responsibilities. Ultimately, the way board members work with each other and treat staff sets a leadership tone that affects the behaviors and attitudes of staff and students. Getting that wrong can potentially undermine the positive efforts that go into embracing a vision. In sum, ensuring that public education will meet emerging challenges requires a clear vision for the work and operations of school boards in the future. With that vision before us, we can shape strategies that make boards more relevant, credible, and effective leaders of public education.

“We should try to be the parents of the future, rather than the offspring of our past.” - Miouel de Unamuno

Vision for Excellence

Sample Goals and Strategies Goal: To offer high-quality student programming so that graduates are prepared to enter the workforce or to successfully complete postsecondary education. 1. Provide personalized learning for all students. 2. Support progression based on mastery of individual student goals. 3. Embrace a collaborative culture by leveraging and maximizing parent and community partnerships to support accelerated student success. 4. Create a parent scorecard for families and the community to increase transparency with regard to student and school performance. 5. Implement a plan to transition to student-based budgeting, where funding is directly tied to students and their individual needs. 6. Require students to play a key role in setting their goals along with their teachers, advisors, counselors, and parents. 7. Provide student and families with choices and meaningful opportunities to improve their school experiences. 8. Ensure all classrooms are wired global places that encourage interactivity and learning by doing. 9. Provide a curriculum that balances individualization and vetted best practices. 10. Design classroom instruction to be a hybrid offace-to-face and online. 11. Design classroom instruction according to individual learning goals and assessment for competency. 12. Ensure all classrooms are using electronic tools for instruction. 13. Utilize digital textbooks. 14. Ensure that technology proficiency and digital citizenship literacy are part of the learning experience for each student. 15. Maximize all data sources to improve instruction for students.

Vision for Excellence

1. Ensure that every child is taught by an effective teacher. 2. Ensure that every school is led by an effective principal. 3. Increase literacy proficiency. 4. Increase math proficiency. 5. Utilize instructional coaches and intervention processes (example: RTI - Response to Intervention) to support at-risk schools and students. 6. Create or expand on-line and distance learning programs. 7. Support â&#x20AC;&#x153;Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)â&#x20AC;? education opportunities for students. 8. Design and deliver multiple career pathways that lead to industry certifications and post-secondary credit upon graduation.

Vision for Excellence

Sample Goals and Strategies (continued) Goal: To provide high quality effective teachers and administrators. 1. Require teachers to frequently assess student academic growth to constantly inform their instruction. 2. Provide teachers with opportunities to network and collaborate with external organizations to enhance student learning experiences. 3. Provide teachers with research-based ideas for the most effective instructional practices. 4. Recruit, retain, and empower excellent teachers who are adept at personalizing learning experiences for students. 5. Provide principals with the autonomy to innovate and demand excellence from their faculty and staff. 6. Hold principals accountable for meaningful school improvement and rapid turnaround for chronically under-performing schools. 7. Ensure that every principal demonstrates how they provide opportunities for student, parents, and teachers to contribute their talents, skills, and experiences to support school improvement. 8. Shift the role of teachers and administrators to a focus on serving learning as collaborators. 9. Develop professional learning communities in all schools. 10. Support leadership development for aspiring, new, and veteran school leaders. 11. Partner with higher education institutions and other state approved teacher and lecture prep institutions to ensure that teacher candidates are of the highest quality and aligned with district needs. 12. Transform the traditional role of the central office from a top-down management system to a system designed to provide meaningful support to schools and effective accountability for school performance. 13. Support the evaluation system for teachers and principals to ensure professional learning that results in increased student achievement.

Vision for Excellence

1. Link professional development to teacher effectiveness based on student performance measures. 2. Implement strategically-aligned performance incentives. 3. Develop, implement, and refine differentiated pay plan. 4. Provide instructional and data coaches to assist teachers. 5. Provide teacher induction or support services for novice and low-performing teachers. 6. Develop and implement professional learning communities. 7. Provide school leadership training programs. 8. Provide professional development and coaching programs for current administrators. 9. Provide leadership coaches/mentors for principals, especially in low-performing schools.

Vision for Excellence

Sample Goals and Strategies (continued)

Goal: To seek the involvement and participation of the entire community in the learning process. 1. Ensure that all schools are the center of community learning locally. 2. Leverage community assets and resources to build community schools that provide full-service supports for students and families. 3. Provide schools as a place for community convening and for citizens to acquire new knowledge and skills.

Goal: A board committed to excellence in education and aware of its responsibilities. 1. Have every board member participate in annual professional development. 2. Maintain ongoing review and development of pertinent policies. 3. Conduct at least one retreat for the entire board and superintendent each year. 4. Involve community and business leaders in the development of the boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision and strategic plan. 5. Develop and monitor standards for student and system performance.

Vision for Excellence

Executive Summary of 2015-16 Report Card Data ____________________________________ District

Profile Stats District Grades Served Ethnicity rates for: White ____________ Hispanic or Latino ____________ Black or African American ____________ Asian ____________

Number of students served

Number of Schools Student breakdowns: Number of English Learner (EL) students ____________ % of EL students ____________ % of Economically Disadvantaged (ED)students ____________ Number of Students with Disabilities (SWD) ____________ % of SWD ____________ Average ACT composite for all schools

Question: •

When you consider your profile data, do you have any immediate concerns that will drive your conversations with the Director of Schools or other board members?

Education Climate Stats 2015-16 K-8 Attendance rate 2015-16 9-12 Cohort Dropout rate 2015-16 Graduation rate 2015-16 Discipline/Suspension rate for all students

Finance per pupil expenditure

# Teachers

2015-16 9-12 Attendance rate 2015-16 Event Dropout rate 2014-15 Graduation rate 2015-16 Discipline/Suspension rate for: Hispanic or Latino __________ Black or African American students __________ White __________ Females __________ Males __________ Expenditure breakdown: Local __________ Federal __________ State __________ # Administrators

Questions: • •

Do you see any variance in attendance, dropout, graduation, or suspension rates? What might cause that? Does any of the climate data give you pause for concern? What additional information do you need as your consider this further?

Vision for Excellence Executive Summary of 2015-16 Report Card Data Teachers Stats Questions: • •

Does your district have any waivers for the 2014-15 school year? If so, what information is available about the kinds of waivers the district has?

Value-Added Stats Academic Achievement 3-8 Math 3-8 Reading 3-8 Science 3-8 Social Studies

2013 (Grade/Score)

2014 (Grade/Score)

2015 (Grade/Score)

Value-Added (3 year average) 4-8 Math 4-8 Reading 4-8 Science 4-8 Social Studies

Questions: • • •

2014 (Status/Gain)

2015 (Status/Gain)

What patterns do you see in your achievement and/or value added data over two or more years? How does your district’s scores compare to the states? Why are there no scores for 2015-16 in grades 3-8?

College/Career Readiness Stats Graduation Rates for: All students ________________ Asian ________________ Black or African American ________________ Hispanic or Latino ________________ White ________________ Female ________________ Male ________________ ACT College Readiness Benchmarks: All 4 categories ________________ English ________________ Math ________________ Reading ________________ Science ________________

ACT HOPE Scholarship Eligibility for: All students __________________ Females __________________ Males __________________

ACT Scores (current year scores): Composite __________________ English __________________ Math __________________ Reading __________________ Science __________________

Questions: • • • •

Do you see patterns with your college/career readiness statistics? What additional information do you need? How can the board and district/school leaders work together to meet its goals for students? How will the learning from this activity impact your role and function on the board?

This is a publication of the Tennessee School Boards Association 525 Brick Church Park Drive Nashville, TN 37207 www.tsba.net