The Road to Continuous Improvement: Standards 3 and 4

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The Road to Continuous ImprovementStandards 3
and 4

• A Review of the District Accreditation Process
  through AdvancED

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What is District Accreditation?

• A national protocol for school systems
  committed to systemic, systematic, and
  sustainable continuous improvement

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Benefits of District Accreditation
1. Mark of Quality
2. Meet and exceed local, state, national
requirements
3. Coherence and continuity
4. Resources and peer support
5. Professional opportunities
6. Benefits for students
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How do districts earn accreditation?

• Meet quality standards.
• Engage in a continuous process of improvement.
• Demonstrate quality assurance through internal
  and external review.

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AdvancED Accreditation Standards

• The district provides evidence of meeting the
  Standards for Quality Systems
• Vision and Purpose
• Governance and Leadership
• Teaching and Learning
• Documenting and Using Results
• Resources and Support Systems
• Stakeholder Communications and Relationships
• Commitment to Continuous Improvement

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Standard 3 Teaching and Learning

• The system provides research-based curriculum and
  instructional methods that facilitate achievement
  for all students.

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Standard 3 Teaching and Learning

• In fulfillment of this standard, the system
• Develops, articulates, and coordinates curriculum
  based on clearly-defined expectations for student
  learning, including essential knowledge and
  skills
• Establishes expectations and supports student
  engagement in the learning process, including
  opportunities for students to explore application
  of higher order thinking skills and investigate
  new approaches to applying their learning

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Standard 3 Teaching and Learning

• In fulfillment of this standard, the system
• Ensures that system-wide curricular and
  instructional decisions are based on data and
  research at all levels
• Supports instruction that is research-based and
  reflective of best practice
• Supports a curriculum that challenges and meets
  the needs of each student, reflects a commitment
  to equity, and demonstrates an appreciation of
  diversity

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Standard 3 Teaching and Learning

• In fulfillment of this standard, the system
• Allocates and protects instructional time to
  support student learning
• Maintains articulation among and between all
  levels of schooling to monitor student
  performance and ensure readiness for future
  schooling or employment
• Supports the implementation of interventions to
  help students meet expectations for student
  learning

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Standard 3 Teaching and Learning

• In fulfillment of this standard, the system
• Maintains a system-wide climate that supports
  student learning
• Ensures that curriculum is reviewed and revised
  at regular intervals
• Coordinates and ensures ready access to
  instructional technology, information and media
  services, and materials needed for effective
  instruction

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Standard 3 Teaching and LearningEssential
Artifacts

• District curriculum guide (and relevant
  accompanying artifacts such as pacing guides)
• District calendar with number of instructional
  days and teacher work days
• Media services and technology plan

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Standard 4 Documenting and Using Results

• In fulfillment of this standard, the system
• Establishes and implements a comprehensive
  assessment system, aligned with the systems
  expectations for student learning, that yields
  information which is reliable, valid, and free of
  bias
• Ensures that student assessment data are used to
  make decisions for continuous improvement of
  teaching and learning

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Standard 4Documenting and Using Results

• In fulfillment of this standard, the system
• Conducts a systematic analysis of instructional
  and organizational effectiveness, including
  support systems, and uses the results to improve
  student and system performance
• Provides a system of communication which uses a
  variety of methods to report student performance
  and system effectiveness to all stakeholders

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Standard 4Documenting and Using Results

• In fulfillment of this standard, the system
• Uses comparison and trend data from comparable
  school systems to evaluate student performance
  and system effectiveness to all stakeholders
• Demonstrates verifiable growth in student
  performance that is supported by multiple sources
  of evidence

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Standard 4Documenting and Using Results

• In fulfillment of this standard, the system
• Maintains a secure, accurate, and complete
  student record system in accordance with state
  and federal regulations

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Standard 4Documenting and Using
ResultsEssential Artifacts

• District student performance data
• Trend data (past three years, multiple
  assessments)
• Comparative data with other like districts
• Government report cards and/or accountability
  ratings
• District student assessment plan

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Standard 3 Teaching and LearningInterview
Questions
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Standard 4 Documenting and Using Results
Interview Questions
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Next Steps

• Prepare site-specific responses to these
  questions
• Presentation from SACS representative in February
• Standards 5 and 6 review in February
• QAR Team Visit April 19-22, 2009

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Quality begins on the inside. . . and then works
its way out. Bob Moawad, Chairman
CEO, Edge Learning Institute