Rock Island School District 41

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Rock Island School District 41

• School Closing/Restructuring Report to the Board
  of Education
• Rock Island High School Library
• January 11, 2005
• 500 p.m.

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Facility Study

• An extensive Long-Range Facility Study Report was
  presented to the Board of Education on September
  28, 2004.
• Of the many findings and recommendations offered
  by the committee, the following relate directly
  to school closing(s).

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Facility Study Recommendations Short-Term

• 1. Close two elementary schools Grant and
  Lincoln.
• 2. Close Marshall School - move program to
  Lincoln.
• 3. Sell the Marshall and Grant properties.
• 4. Review boundaries every five years to balance
  student enrollment.

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Rock Island School District 41 Enrollment Trend
1971 - 2004
1971 11,502 1982 7,597 1993 7,114 2004 6,582
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Improvement Status for RI Schools

• Lincoln School Choice
• Grant Corrective Action
• Hawthorne-Irving Corrective Action

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Consequences for Not Meeting AYP
Lincoln
Grant and Hawthorne-Irving
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Timeline

• September 28, 2004
• Facility Study Report to Board of Education
• Superintendent Loy directed to determine the next
  appropriate steps
• October 26, 2004
• Timeline and Action Plan for providing
  recommendations to the Board of Education
  presented

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Timeline-Action Plan
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• October 15 November 10, 2004
• PHASE I Information Need for Action / Beliefs
• Provide information regarding
• Facility Study Recommendations
• No Child Left Behind Status and Consequences
• Superintendents Beliefs Regarding Student
  Performance Gap
• Gather information regarding
• Beliefs Regarding Student Performance Gap
• Input Regarding Student Performance Gap
• Begin Effective Schools Research

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Teachers Parents Administrators
Unions Community Members
A-Call-To-Action Committee Media
Pastoral Council Grant Task Force
School Board
Many stakeholder groups were asked to provide
input toward the goal of having a recommendation
for the Board of Education ready in January.
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PHASE I Information Need for Action / Beliefs
November 5 23, 2004 PHASE II Data Analysis
and Communications Analyze Facility Study
Recommendations Analyze input from meetings with
staff and public Begin to answer questions and
concerns Continue research on Effective Schools
Select Superintendents Advisory Task Force
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Grant and Lincoln
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Close Grant Lincoln - Boundary Students K-6
Building Capacities Met
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On November 30th, after analyzing findings of the
Facility Study and studying GIS data, our
Leadership Team determined that to close 2
schools by next year we would have to make
massive changes in school boundaries that would
affect an estimated 1000 students. Thus came the
recommendation to close just one school next year.
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Superintendents Advisory Task Force
David Bloom, Administrator Rick Loy,
Administrator Jay Marino, Administrator Lucille
McCorkle, Administrator Bill Osborne,
Administrator George Henderson, Community Gerald
Jones, Community Rev. David McAdams,
Community Mark McVey, Community Dave Rockwell,
Community Gary Rowe, Community
Phyllis Schwindt, Community Liz Sherwin,
Community Lori Angel-Young, Parent Teresa
Campbell, Parent Stephen Moller, Parent Kim
Calhoun, Parent Liz Byczynski, Staff Christine
DePooter, Staff Keith Gotthardt, Staff Connie
Snell, Staff Linda Taylor, Staff
Purpose To provide Superintendent with
recommendations as to the closing and/or
restructuring of our 3 Watch List Schools Grant,
Hawthorne-Irving, and Lincoln
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PHASE I Information Beliefs / Need for Action
PHASE II Data Analysis and Communications
November 18 December 17, 2004 PHASE III
Develop Possible Scenarios for School Closing(s)
and/or Restructuring Advisory Task Force to
develop 3 to 4 scenarios for school closing(s)
and/or Restructuring. Meet with the schools
directly involved to keep them updated and answer
questions and concerns. Continue Effective
Schools research, possibly secure a consultant.
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Close Grant Boundary Students K-6 Building
Capacities Met
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Close Lincoln Boundary Students K-6
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• On December 7th, both Leadership Team and the
  Superintendents Advisory Task Force recommended
  closing Grant School (over Lincoln). The
  following reasons were emphasized
• Number of students impacted (117 as to 295)
• Facility Study recommendations (the last 3
  studies have recommended closing Grant School)
• Grant is in the NCLB Corrective Action Stage, as
  to Lincoln is at Choice
• ISAT Scores Grants continue to drop, Lincolns
  have improved over past 2 years
• Number of teachers impacted, Lincoln has more
  than twice the number of staff
• Proximity to other schools, Lincoln is more
  centrally located
• T. Marshall Leadership team believes Grant would
  be a better facility for their program

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Restructuring/Closing Schools Scenarios 1- Close
Grant and redistrict boundaries
2- Have 2 sister schools- 1 primary (Prek-2) and
1 intermediate (3-6), students from 3 watch
schools
3- Have 4 schools reconfigured (2 watch and 2
non watch)- 2 primary and 2 intermediate buildings
4- Reconfigure Hawthorne-Irving leave Lincoln
alone, move the students from Grant to H-I
5- Close Grant School, let students choose
school to attend, move TMLC to Grant
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PHASE I Information Beliefs / Need for Action
PHASE II Data Analysis and Communications
PHASE III Develop Possible Scenarios for School
Closing(s) and/or Restructuring
December 17, 2004 January 25, 2005 PHASE IV
Analyze Options and Make Recommendation to Board
of Education Advisory Task Force to study
advantages, concerns, and implications of each
scenario, with input from Cabinet and
Leadership. Share information with Board and
schools involved for final input. Present
recommendation to Superintendent.
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Connecting Scenarios to Long Range (Facility
Study) Plan
As the two teams studied 9 different scenarios,
the need to connect these to long-range plans was
emphasized. Much time was spent discussing the
long-range recommendations of the Facility Study,
its feasibility and timeframe. It was determined
that the long-range plan to expand and build new
larger schools would likely not happen before
2008-09. The concept of creating sister schools
emerged and was given serious consideration.
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• After extensive study and analysis, scenarios
  were narrowed down to 3
• Close Grant and redistrict boundaries
• Form 2 sister schools from remaining Watch
  Schools, a PreK-2 and a Grade 3-6
• Form 2 sets of sister schools, matching watch
  list schools with non-watch list schools

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Restructuring/Closing Schools Scenarios
1- Close Grant and redistrict boundaries
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Restructuring/Closing Schools Scenarios
2- Have 2 sister schools- 1 primary (Prek-2) and
1 intermediate (3-6), students from 3 watch
schools
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Restructuring/Closing Schools Scenarios
3- Have 4 schools reconfigured (2 watch and 2
non watch)- 2 primary and 2 intermediate buildings
4- Reconfigure Hawthorne-Irving leave Lincoln
alone, move the students from Grant to H-I
5- Close Grant and offer Grant parents choice.
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• Sister Schools Concept
• We sent a team to visit Sterling Schools, as they
  restructured their 4 schools to two pairs of
  sister schools in 2003.
• The district had numerous positives to convey
  about their change.
• The superintendent stated they did it for
  financial reasons, saving over a quarter of a
  million dollars and were surprised by the
  curricular and instructional benefits, including
  . . .

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• Flexibility and equity of class size groupings
• Equitable and efficient distribution of programs
  and services
• Instruction and assessment consistency
• Focused administrative curriculum support
• Focused, supportive intra-staff communication and
  collegiality
• Focused staff development opportunities
• Equitable and efficient deployment of support
  personnel
• Fiscal controls/predictability
• In short, many of the concerns we have about
  smaller schools are alleviated by making sister
  schools.

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• On December 14th, Leadership Team reached
  unanimous consensus in recommending scenario 2.
• On December 21st the Superintendents Advisory
  Task Force reached consensus on the same
  scenario.
• This is the recommendation the Superintendent
  will make to the Board tonight.

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Close Grant, Reconstitute Hawthorne-Irving and
Lincoln

• Create one school boundary merging the 3 schools
• Open Rock Island Academy West at the
  Hawthorne-Irving site to serve PreK-2 students
• Open Rock Island Academy East at the Lincoln site
  to serve Grades 3-6 students

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Twenty years from now you will be more
disappointed by the things you didnt do than by
the ones you did do.

• Mark Twain

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RI Academies East West Campus

• Our Plan to Help All Students Achieve at High
  Levels Based on Research and Best Practices

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• At the Rock Island Academies our vision of
  Excellence Every Day will become a reality.
  Failure will not be an option.

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Core Components

• Preparing students for academic success and high
  achievement will be the focus
• These restructured schools will incorporate the
  latest innovative educational research to ensure
  that all students reach their academic potential
• Concepts such as
• 90-90-90 school concept
• full service schools philosophy
• high expectations accountability
• strong parent involvement
• a safe environment emphasizing respect
• a commitment to quality and high academic
  achievement for every student.

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Rock Island Academies East and West No Excuses
Schools
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What is a 90-90-90 School?

• 90 or More Free and Reduced Lunch
• 90 or More Minority Enrollment
• 90 or More of the Students Meet or
• Exceed Proficiency on Independent
• State Tests

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Common Elements of 90/90/90 Schools

• Focus on Achievement
• Multiple Opportunities for Student
• Success
• Weekly Assessment
• Writing as a Lever
• External and Collaborative
  Scoring

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1.) Focus on Achievement

• Charts, graphs and pictures of success are posted
  and displayed in offices, hallways, classrooms,
  local stores
• High academic performance is rewarded with high
  praise
• Students not meeting standards receive
  interventions until standards are met

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2.) A Focused Curriculum

• Curriculum focuses on a few areas math,
  language arts and reading and these areas are
  covered in all content areas (ready to enter
  junior high at or above grade level)
• Test scores increase in all areas, not just the
  areas focused on
• Identifying and aligning focused common academic
  standards at each grade level results in high
  achievement

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3.) Frequent Assessments

• When a student does poorly on an assessment, they
  are given multiple opportunities to succeed
• Student learning is the goal, not student grading
• Weekly student assessment of progress is made by
  the teacher and the student is encouraged to show
  improvement the following week

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4.) Strong Emphasis on Writing

• Most common characteristic of high performing
  schools is an ongoing writing performance
  assessment program
• There is a single rubric for all writing
  assignments in all content areas

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5.) External Scoring of Student Work

• External scoring allows schools to develop a
  common assessment practice.
• By exchanging student work for assessment
  purposes, teachers identify common expectations
  which leads to consistency among teachers

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Its The Practice!

• There is no 90/90/90 program
• These practices are neither
• secret nor proprietary
• Clear focus, collaboration and regular feedback
  are the keys!

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Closing the Achievement Gap

• Have uniform standards
• Make the curriculum challenging
• Maintenance of a school climate conducive to
  academic productivity
• Provision of increased instructional time in
  reading, mathematics, and other basic skills
• Application of in-depth, appropriate, and ongoing
  assessments of the performance and progress of
  each student
• Provide effective teachers

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Data Driven Focus on Continuous Improvement

• Student assessment data will be used to drive
  instruction and school improvement.
• Adjustments in classroom instruction will occur
  based on current and frequent student achievement
  data.
• Students will have ownership and accountability
  for their own learning through the use of
• Personal Mission Statements, Data folders,
  Student Led Conferences and other concepts of a
  student centered classroom.
• All teachers will be trained in the Koalaty Kid
  approach to continuous improvement and students
  and teachers will use quality tools and the Plan,
  Do, Study, Act process to improve learning and
  instruction.

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Case Studies- Schools Using Quality Processes and
Tools

• Other schools have done it, so can we!
• Baldrige Award Winners in Education
• Community Consolidated School District 15
  (Palatine, IL)
• Pearl River School District (Pearl River, NY)
• Chugach School District (Anchorage, AK)
• Lincoln Award Winners in Education
• Brazosport School District- example of closing
  the achievement gap and all students achieving at
  high levels (see next few slides)

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Brazosport ISD Starting Points (Math)
White
79
All Students
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Math Test Scores- Brazosport ISD
100
90
White 79
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9293
9192
9394
9495
9596
9697
9798
9899
9900
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The Common Thread

• All these schools are committed to quality
  initiatives (Baldrige, Koalaty Kid, Total Quality
  Management, etc.) and utilize Plan, Do, Study,
  Act as the only model for data driven decision
  making

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Incorporate the RISD41 Academic Excellence
Framework.

• The AEF is a comprehensive plan based on
  research, best practices and benchmarking of
  highly effective schools and provides a 6 pronged
  approach that will increase academic achievement.
  
• 1.) Implementation of Effective Instructional
  Strategies based on research and best practices.
  
• 2.) Power Standards the standards that each
  teacher will make sure that every student learns
  prior to leaving the current grade.

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• 3.) Curriculum Mapping- The alignment of
  curriculum between grade levels.
• 4.) Performance Descriptors/Exit Outcomes- The
  academic goals, performance standards and
  achievement targets that contribute to high
  expectations.
• 5.) In-Process Measures- The deployment of
  in-process measures and assessments that will
  allow for early detection of students who are
  below standards.
• 6.) System of Student Support- The procedure of
  providing behavioral/academic support as needed
  through prevention, intervention and remediation
  services for students who are not meeting the
  established academic targets.

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The Full Service Community School

• Before and after school programs for students,
  partnerships with community agencies and other
  services for families.
• The objectives of the Full Service School are
• (1) To improve the access of children and
  families to recreation, education, social
  service, and health programs by developing an
  integrated and coordinated service delivery
  mechanism at each school
• (2) To involve school faculty and staff,
  students, parents, community and nonprofit
  representatives in deciding which programs and
  services will take place in the school building
  or close by, and in monitoring their success so
  that each takes ownership of the process

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The Full Service Community School

• (3) To improve the relationship between parents,
  teachers, and school personnel so that teachers
  feel supported by parents and parents strengthen
  leadership skills, feel welcome in the school,
  consider the school a ready source of help with
  problems, and believe that their contribution to
  their child's education is valued and nurtured
  and,
• (4) To create a mutually supportive environment
  where classroom and social support services work
  together to enhance student achievement.

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A Climate of High Expectations

• The focus of these schools will be high academic
  achievement for each and every student
• All staff will share a fundamental belief that
  all students can, will, and must learnand will
  clearly communicate this belief to all
• Students, parents and staff will understand what
  the high academic expectations are and what must
  be done if students are to meet those goals
• Research has consistently shown the link between
  expectations and high achievement

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Strong Parental and Community Involvement

• The restructured schools will ensure strong
  parental involvement through the implementation
  of a Parent Involvement Agreement.
• Parents will have multiple opportunities to
  become involved in their childs education.
• A Parent University will be created to give
  parents the skills necessary to assist their
  children with academics.
• Community partnerships will be formed with
  colleges and local businesses to ensure strong
  collaboration with the schools and mentoring of
  students.

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Other Components of the Restructured Schools.

• Students will have opportunities to participate
  in after school and intersession classes that are
  based on themes such as technology, math and
  science, fine arts and more
• Teachers and students will have access to the
  latest technology and software to increase
  academic achievement and prepare students for
  gainful employment in the 21st century
• Strategies such as looping (the teacher staying
  with the same class for 2 or more years) and
  multi-age (combining students of various grade
  levels together) will be utilized as appropriate

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Our Goal

• To create first-class restructured schools
  incorporating a climate and culture of high
  expectations and high academic achievement
  through the implementation of best practices and
  the latest educational research.
• Students making adequate yearly progress (AYP)
• Entering junior high school at or on grade level
• High academic achievement as measured by multiple
  assessments
• Motivated, life-long learners

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Savings from Closing Grant

• 1 FTE Principal 88,679
• 1 FTE Secretary 28,199
• 1 FTE Building Supv. 21,673
• 1.5 FTE Custodians 63,986
• Building repairs 22,900
• Utilities 35,490
• Supplies 3,500
• Total Savings 264,427

Closing Grant and not re-using for other
programming
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Savings from Closing Grant

• 1 FTE Principal 88,679
• 1 FTE Secretary 28,199
• 1 FTE Building Supv. 21,673
• 1.5 FTE Custodians 63,986
• Building repairs 17,904
• Utilities 25,500
• Supplies 3,150
• Total Savings 249,091

Close Grant-reuse as Alternative Education
Center. Assumes only 1 FTE custodian.
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Savings from Closing Grant

• 1 FTE Principal 88,679
• 1 FTE Secretary 28,199
• 1 FTE Building Supv. 21,673
• 1 FTE Custodian 43,832
• Building repairs 17,904
• Utilities 25,500
• Supplies 3,150
• Total Savings 228,937

Close Grant-reuse as Alternative Education
Center. Assumes 1.5 FTE custodians.
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Other Potential Benefits

• More efficient staffing resulting in better
  services to children and/or cost savings
• Classroom teachers
• PE/Music teachers
• Itinerant staff
• Nurse
• Speech
• Social worker/psychologist
• Counselor
• Food Service

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Title I Funds

• Current Allocations
• Grant 106,176
• H Irving 145,824
• Lincoln 190,848
• Total 442,848

• Estimated Allocations
• PK-2 190,848
• 3-6 246,624
• Total 437,472

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Title I Funds

• For the 2004-2005 school year the district was
  required to set aside 427,496 for School Choice
  Transportation and Supplemental Educational
  Services.
• In 2005-06 this would not be the case with
  restructured schools as the 3 will not be on the
  NCLB Watch List.

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Lights on for Learning (LOFL)

• Current Allocations
• Grant 100,000
• H Irving 100,000
• Lincoln 100,000
• Total 300,000

• Estimated Allocations
• PK-2 135,000
• 3-6 135,000
• Total 270,000

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Transportation Savings

• NCLB Bussing 65,000
• Paid from Title I funding
• 113 students
• Shuttle Bussing 9,000
• Paid for from Transportation funding
• 6 students

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Shuttle Bussing

• Shuttle Grant boundary students to
  Hawthorne-Irving and Lincoln.
• Each shuttle bus costs 21,243
• 89.95 per day per bus
• 30.75 per day per monitor
• 176 days

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Close Grant, Reconstitute Hawthorne-Irving and
Lincoln

• Create one school boundary merging the 3 schools
• Open Rock Island Academy West at the
  Hawthorne-Irving site to serve PreK-2 students
• Open Rock Island Academy East at the Lincoln site
  to serve Grades 3-6 students

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• Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it
  at the same time. What we really want is for
  things to remain the same but we get better.
• - Sydney Harris, journalist

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• Many things can wait. Children cannot. Today
  their bones are being formed, their blood is
  being made, their senses are being developed. To
  them we cannot say tomorrow. Their name is
  today.
• Gabriela Mistral