The NEASC Accreditation Process

1
The NEASC AccreditationProcess

• Self-Study
• 2007 - 2008

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What Does Accreditation Mean?

• Adherence to Standards established by member
  schools regarding the systems, processes, and
  practices of school personnel
• Demonstration of school improvement based on
  steps taken to address evaluation report findings
• Adherence to Commission procedures and policies

3
Major Phases of the Accreditation Cycle

• Self-Study Phase (1 year) 2007 - 2008
• An in-depth, reflective examination of the
  schools educational programs and services based
  on the Standards
• Hosting a Visit (4 days) Projected Fall - 2008
• A visiting committee of peers will meet with
  representatives from all school constituencies
  and write an evaluation report
• Follow-Up Phase (5 years)
• The action phase of the process during which time
  the school is responsible for implementing the
  evaluation report

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The Accreditation Ten Year Cycle
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How Will the NEASC Process Improve Student
Learning?

• Assists administrators and teachers in working
  toward school improvement
• Assures students that their needs are being met
  through a quality educational program
• Affirms that school board educational policies
  are sound
• Assures the local citizen that tax dollars are
  supporting quality school programs and quality
  facility

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How Will the NEASC Process Improve Student
Learning?

• Improved instruction
• Improved organizational effectiveness and
  long-term planning
• Enables schools to identify strengths and
  weaknesses
• Fosters teamwork and collegiality
• Improves professional development
• Improves school resources
• Provides effective system for ensuring school
  accountability
• Offers teachers buy in to use the report findings
  as a tool for continued school improvement

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How Will the NEASC Process Improve Student
Learning?

• Provides exposure to new learning trends and
  innovations
• Increased parental and community support for
  school initiatives and involvement
• Increased continuity and consistency in best
  practices
• Leads to better staffing decisions
• Provides exposure to peer evaluators

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Emphasis on Standards

• Accountability for essential learning for all
  students
• A reflective school culture
• Professional development tied to teaching and
  learning needs based on best practice
• Strong instructional leadership and resources
• Personalization
• Formative Assessment
• Equity Failure is not an Option

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Overreaching Concepts of NEASC
10
Long Term Accreditation Goals

• Engage the professional staff in using the
  Standards to impact teaching and learning
• Use the accreditation process as a foundation to
  effect changes/initiatives to benefit students,
  professional staff, parents and community
• Infuse the Mission and Expectations into the
  daily life of the school
• Use the Mission and Expectations to guide
  decision making processes

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The Essential Question

• To what extent does our school adhere to each of
  the indicators in each Standard?

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Required Tasks to Complete Self-Study

• All faculty are organized into 7 committee
  teams, representing a team for each standard
• Each committee is responsible for gathering
  evidence, conducting surveys and questionnaires,
  analyzing current practices and writing
  reflective essays in response to specific
  questions.
• Each team must collect and organize artifacts for
  the site visit.

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06-07 Timeline to Address EWHSFocus on Teaching
and Learning

• Goal
• To evaluate the structure of how we organize and
  deliver instruction to produce the graduate we
  envision.

• Activities
• Fall 06 - High School Reform Framework shared
  with ATM, HS Leadership, HS Staff
• Fall/Winter 06-07 - Development of HS Scheduling
  Committee
• Ongoing Meetings
• Staff Survey
• Research Best Practices
• Visitation to South Windsor
• Collaboration with Union

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Next Steps

• July 07
• Run Mock Schedules on Rediker
• Analyze Strengths and Challenges of Each Mock
  Schedule
• Fall 07
• Discuss with Union, Faculty and all
  Administration
• Present Findings and Recommendations to BOE
• Pilot/Implement Recommendations in 08-09

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Proposed One Year Alternative Schedule

• Monthly Two Hour Delayed Opening
• Second Thursday of Each Month
• September 6
• October 11
• November 8
• December 13
• January 10
• February 14
• March 13
• April 10
• May 8
• June 5 (1st Thursday)

• Two Hour Delayed Rotation Schedule
• A 930 1007
• B C Periods Eliminated
• D 1011 1057
• E 1101 1225
• F 1229 115
• G - 1 19 205

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Scheduling Advantages

• Instructional time remains within DRG and state
  average
• Product of the time spent by teachers will result
  in an increase of rigor in instruction for our
  students
• Research supports a later opening for teens
• Union Support
• Change does not impact contract
• Older siblings will be home with younger siblings
  to help with AM bussing
• Adequate time to accomplish NEASC requirements

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Scheduling Disadvantages

• Decrease of a maximum of 20 hours of
  instructional time
• Possible parental inconvenience
• Scheduling of Busses