FUNCTIONAL TRANSFORMATION

How to move a large district forward with efficiency and effectiveness

Jeff Heller & Mike JaszczakParma City SchoolsNovember 1, 2012

Jeff Heller 440-885-7084

hellerj@parmacityschools.org

Mike Jaszczak 440-885-8603

jaszczakm@parmacityschools.org

Background: Parma City School District in 2010. Challenges faced The importance of building trust with

stakeholders

OVERCOMING THE HURDLES

Maximizing your Transformation/Leadership team

Cultivating district teacher leaders Backwards designing benchmarks and

building subcommittees Building internal capacity for

transformation

Maximizing your Transformation/

Leadership team

MAXIMIZING YOUR TRANSFORMATION/LEADERSHIP TEAM

Are the right people at the table? Directors: Do you have who you need in

order to properly align resources and implementation? No rubber stamping!

Teachers: At least 50% membership, preferably chosen by Association. No nodding heads!

MAXIMIZING YOUR TRANSFORMATION/LEADERSHIP TEAM

The Collaborative Norms Equity of voice Confidentiality Be present Honor the time Active listening Respect for other perspectives

MAXIMIZING YOUR TRANSFORMATION/LEADERSHIP TEAM

What is the vision for this team and its work?

Who is setting this vision and creating a sense of importance/priority?

Shared voice. Why are teachers at the table? Voices from the field / New perspectives Facilitate a sense of buy-in Take shared ownership of the work – not just more

on central office’s plate.

Cultivating District Leadership Teams

CULTIVATING DISTRICT TEACHER LEADERS Teachers released 40% to 50% to oversee aspects of

district transformation

Benefits More experts with dedicated time to oversee the work Inexpensive alternative to hiring more directors Keeps decision-making grounded by classroom perspective Helps potential teacher leaders transition into central office

leadership, Association leadership, or other such high-impact roles.

Encourages such potential leaders to stay within the district. Higher buy-in. Teachers have a MEANINGFUL voice in the

process.

CULTIVATING DISTRICT TEACHER LEADERS PCSD currently has five District Teacher

Leaders District Facilitator of Race to the Top Lead Resident Educator Coordinator Performance Plus Lead Trainer (IIS) (2) Peer Assistance Review Teacher

Consultants

Backwards Designing Benchmarks and

Building Subcommittees

BACKWARDS DESIGNING BENCHMARKS AND BUILDING SUBCOMMITTEES

1. Where does your district need to be by 2014?

2. What needs to happen each quarter in order to get there?

3. Set precise and simple action goals. 4. Establish a committee and responsible

point person5. Meet monthly to measure progress and

trouble-shoot.

BACKWARDS DESIGNING BENCHMARKS AND BUILDING SUBCOMMITTEES

Each subcommittee is headed by a member of our RttT Transformation Team.

All Transformation Team members must sit on at least one subcommittee

Monthly Transformation Team meetings are 2.5 hours long. 1 hour is allocated to subcommittee updates/reports out.

PCSD SUBCOMMITTEES

Performance Plus (Area B) Training modules Training implementation Database management

College & Career Readiness (Area C) Coordination w/ Colleges and trade

schools Teaching & Learning (Area C)

Core roll out Curriculum Writing Teams

District Leadership Team (Area D) TBTS Prof Development

Equity Subcommittee (Area D) Resources Effective instruction Ratios Least restrictive enviroment

Evaluation Team (Area D) Rewarding Outstanding Teachers Performance Based Compensation

Peer Assistance Review Team (Area D) OTES Assisting struggling teachers

Resident Educator Program (Area D) Student Growth Measures (Area D)

Protocols Communication Pilot Groups Research

Pilot Teams PCSD currently participates in six

Building Internal Capacity

BUILDING INTERNAL CAPACITY

Content Area Coaches Specialists working in Central Office Deliver Core Curriculum roll-out training Facilitate curriculum writing and alignment Are liaisons between central office and teachers of

content Data Coaches

One to three teachers per building Experts in value-added and IIS utilization Paid a regular stipend to offer onsight assistance to

peers as needed

BUILDING INTERNAL CAPACITY

District Leadership Team1. Made up of all Central Office directors, one

administrator per building, and one member from each Building Leadership Team.

2. Effective transmission of communication between DLT and BLT on a monthly basis.

3. BLTs monitor teacher progress and concerns, articulate findings and identified areas of need upward to DLT.

4. Professional Learning opportunities, district directives, and district policies are shaped in response to this feedback.

5. DLT Steering committee: Smaller group of DLT members that sets the agenda for DLT meetings.

The Results

THE RESULTS

Three years rated as an EXCELLENT district One of only two districts in the state rated

EXCELLENT with over 7,000 students and over 40% free and reduced lunch

Graduated out of the Ohio Improvement Process.

On-target or ahead for nearly all Race to the Top assurances and upcoming state mandates.

Sustainable internal structure for facilitating continued change