Ninety Six School District Where Children Are Our First Priority Ninety Six School District Where...

Ninety Six School DistrictWhere Children Are Our First Priority


District Accreditation…“You are good…. only as long as you are trying

to get better.”



What do you know about District Accreditation?

KNOTSThere is something I don’t know that I am supposed to know.I don’t know what it is I don’t know, and yet am supposed to know, and I feel I

look stupid if I seem both not to know it and not know what it is I don’t know.

Therefore I pretend I know it.This is nerve-racking since I don’t know what I must pretend to know.Therefore I pretend I know everything.I feel you know what I am supposed to know but you can’t tell me what it is

because you don’t know that I don’t know what it is.You may know what I don’t know, but not that I don’t know it. And I can’t tell you.So you will have to tell me everything.

~From KNOTS by R.D. Laing



What does District accreditation involve?

The capacity of a school district and its schools to address three major elements.

As such, a school district and its schools must:Meet requirements as expressed through

accreditation standards and criteria;Engage in a continuous process of improvement; andDemonstrate quality assurance.



Three Tiers of Accreditation School-based Accreditation (traditional)

The school engages in an internal review (self-study) that includes an analysis of meeting standards, engaging in continuous improvement, and providing for quality assurance.

Accreditation as a Super System (Ninety Six) All schools in a school system are accredited (traditional method) and

in good standing so the district is also. District Accreditation

The district engages all aspects of accreditation systemically and conducts a system-wide self-study that includes an analysis of meeting standards, engaging in continuous improvement, and providing for quality assurance.

The district monitors and provides evidence that all the schools in the system meet accreditation requirements.



Purpose of District Accreditation

District accreditation is not a stand-alone process that is put on the shelf. It is ongoing.

District accreditation is a process that examines how all the processes and functions of a system work in concert to the benefit of student learning.



District AccreditationBuilds the capacity of a system and its schools to

increase and sustain student learningInspires a culture of collaborationSupports accountability requirements and

strengthens efforts to meet themIs continuous vs. episodicStresses excellence over compliance Is cost effective for districts and schoolsPromotes a systems approach:

systematic, systemic, synergistic, sustainable



Systems Approach System

network of parts which function as a whole Systemic

all parts are interrelated, interdependent, aligned all parts contribute to shared purpose

Systematic parts are organized, structured, arranged processes are planned and predictable

Synergistic the total effect of the system is greater than the sum of the effects of

the separate parts Sustainable

capacity to endure, to embed and to maintain



Key PointThe district accreditation process develops a

quality “school system,”

not a “system of schools,”

whose main focus is improving and sustaining student achievement through a continuous

journey of self-reflection.



Ninety Six SACS Leadership:SACS District Accreditation Leadership

(includes Superintendent & SACS Co-Chairs)

CSIP Team(includes Administrators,

Stakeholders, & SACS District Accreditation Leadership)

Steering Committee(includes Standards Committee

Chairs and SACS District Accreditation Leadership)

7 Standards Committees(includes Stakeholder

Representatives)

School SIP Team(includes Principal, Asst.

Principals, & Others Identified by Principal)



District AccreditationSteps to District Accreditation:

District expresses interest, in writing, to SACS CASI. SACS CASI representatives schedule and conduct readiness visit. District seeks approval from Board of Trustees and submits written

commitment to SACS CASI. SACS CASI representative monitors the district’s preparation to host

Quality Assurance Review visit. SACS CASI appoints QAR chair and team members.

District conducts its guided self-study with input from representative stakeholders.

Schools write their School Improvement Plans as a reflection of the district’s plan.

District hosts Quality Assurance Review Team, including visits to schools.



SACS CASI Guided Self-Study for District Accreditation

The Guided Self-Study is a summary document involving as few as 25-30 pages!!!

Section 1: Overview of the district’s preparation and organization to conduct the Guided Self-Study. (See timeline handout.)

Section 2: Narrative analysis of the Standards-Summarizes how the district meets each of the 7 standards for district accreditation. (See sample Standard Committee handout.)

Section 3: Summary description of the school system and its schools’ improvement planning process. (Balanced Scorecard for data analysis and a new District Action Plan format will be developed by the district and stakeholders.)

Section 4: Summary of what methods the district employs to provide for Quality Assurance.



Guided Self-Study, Section 2

Analysis and Response to Standards

For each major standard area, school system officials must prepare a narrative response describing evidence of meeting the standard.


Seven District Standards:

1. Vision and Purpose2. Governance and Leadership3. Teaching and Learning4. Documenting and Using Results5. Resources and Support Systems6. Stakeholder Communications and Relationships7. Commitment to Continuous Improvement


District Standards:

Vision and PurposeVision and PurposeA quality system develops and communicates a vision, beliefs and mission that

provide a focus for the quality of the work of the students and the quality of the work of the system and schools.

Governance and LeadershipGovernance and LeadershipA quality system provides for and promotes stability in the leadership,

governance and organizational structure which include a focus in developing and maintaining a vision; an emphasis on improving student learning; and support for innovative efforts that produce desired results.

Teaching and LearningTeaching and LearningA quality system offers a research-based curriculum based on clearly

defined expectations for student learning that is subject to review and revision at regular intervals. A quality system develops and employs instructional strategies and activities in support of student achievement of the expectations for learning defined by the curriculum.


District Standards

Documenting and Using ResultsDocumenting and Using ResultsA quality system uses effective and continuous performance

management systems for assessing, aligning, and improving student learning and operation performance, including organizational and instructional effectiveness, at all levels and areas of the system.

Resources and Support Systems A quality system has qualified staff that is supported by the financial

and physical resources necessary to fulfill the vision, mission and goals of the system. A quality system identifies and has a network of services that support the development and well-being, including the health and safety, of each student.


District Standards

Stakeholder Communications and Relationships A quality system develops and supports organizational patterns or structures

that promote effective communications and relationships between and among the schools, stakeholders and system.

Commitment to Continuous ImprovementA quality system establishes, implements and monitors a continuous process of

educational improvement clearly focused on student performance.


Guided Self-Study, Section 3Guided Self-Study, Section 3

The district and its schools engage in a The district and its schools engage in a continuous continuous improvement processimprovement process..

There is There is continuity and collaborative planningcontinuity and collaborative planning among among elementary, middle level, and high school improvement elementary, middle level, and high school improvement efforts.efforts.

Each school has improvement goals that Each school has improvement goals that complement the complement the district/system’s vision and goalsdistrict/system’s vision and goals..

Each school Each school meets accreditation standards that are meets accreditation standards that are monitoredmonitored by the system and SACS CASI. by the system and SACS CASI.

An An external review teamexternal review team appointed by SACS CASI visits appointed by SACS CASI visits the system at least once every five years. The team the system at least once every five years. The team consists of 5 to 7 professional peers. consists of 5 to 7 professional peers.



The school system has the responsibility and flexibility to identify and illustrate a continuous process of improvement that is implemented throughout the system. No longer one way to do it.

School system officials should identify and implement a process that permits the school system and its schools to engage in one process of improvement.

Such a process should: Articulate the direction and purpose the school system is pursuing for

its future. (VISION) Provide a rich description of the current conditions with a focus on

student learning. (PROFILE) Identify what actions the professional staff will take to improve.

(PLAN) Document what has been accomplished and using the results to

inform what happens next. (RESULTS)

Guided Self Study, Section 3Guided Self Study, Section 3



Continuous Improvement Cycle

VISIONVISION

PROFILEPROFILERESULTSRESULTS

PLANPLAN

What future are What future are you pursuingyou pursuing ??

What actions What actions will you take will you take to improveto improve ??

What have you What have you accomplished?accomplished?

What is your What is your current realitycurrent reality ??


The district designs and implements a program of The district designs and implements a program of strategies that provide for strategies that provide for quality assurancequality assurance.. May include such strategies as professional

evaluation systems; monitoring of school improvement planning and implementation; or formal analysis and use of student performance data.

The district participates in a quality assurance review The district participates in a quality assurance review process every five years conducted by a qualified team process every five years conducted by a qualified team of professional peers.of professional peers.

Guided Self Study, Section 4Guided Self Study, Section 4


Responsibilities of the Responsibilities of the DistrictDistrict

The district provides leadership by……….

Establishing a comprehensive school improvement committee (CSIP) that has a designated district coordinator of improvement efforts



Responsibilities of the District

The district, in cooperation with its stakeholders, establishes a vision and mission statement identifies system-wide goals establishes an accountability system to document progress

The district supports its schools by providing:Direction

Expectations, guidelines, feedbackAssistance

Building understanding and commitmentUsing data and research findings

ResourcesProfessional Learning opportunitiesTime, human, and fiscal support



Responsibilities of the SchoolMeeting Standards

File an annual SACS report (on-line)Monitor and maintain compliance with standards

Engage in the system’s continuous improvement processDevelop and Implement a School Improvement Plan

(SIP) aligned with district’s CSIP.Demonstrate quality assurance

Participate in the district’s monitoring process for school improvement and accreditation



Quality Assurance Review Team: Visit Schedule

SundayTeam Orientation and Preparation MondayInterviews with key District Stakeholders (Superintendent, Central Office Adminstrators, BOE members, Principals, Parents)

TuesdayHalf-Day Visits to each School(Schools provide information and perspective on the system during interviews and tour.)

WednesdayInterviews Community members and follow up talks with District Staff 3 PM- Oral Exit Report: Commendations & Recommendations



School Visits

Each school in the school system shall be visited for a half day each.The primary purpose of the visits are to

determine:The school’s implementation and progress in the

improvement process; andThe effectiveness of the school system’s methods for

quality assurance.Conduct interviews with at least 3 groups of

stakeholders.


Summary Chart of the District Accreditation Framework

Summary Chart of the District Accreditation Framework

SchoolsSchools

Meet the SACS Standards Meet the SACS Standards for Accreditationfor Accreditation

Complete an annual Complete an annual accreditation reportaccreditation report

Engage in a continuous Engage in a continuous school improvement school improvement processprocess

Participate in the district’s Participate in the district’s quality assurance processquality assurance process

DistrictDistrict Meets SACS District Standards Meets SACS District Standards

for Accreditation for Accreditation Engages in a continuous Engages in a continuous

improvement process by improvement process by developing data analysis and developing data analysis and CSIPCSIP

Completes the 30 page Completes the 30 page narrative self-study manual.narrative self-study manual.

Monitors schools through a Monitors schools through a quality assurance processquality assurance process

Prepares for and conducts a Prepares for and conducts a SACS CASI QAR visit on a five-SACS CASI QAR visit on a five-year cycleyear cycle



Benefits of the Quality Assurance Review (QAR):

The team is comprised of highly trained and experienced reviewers (national or state team).

The nature of observations, commendations, and recommendations are systemic (less in number but greater in substance).

The QAR for district accreditation is very cost effective and substantive.



Benefits of District Accreditation

Supports and enhances a common language of school improvement throughout the district

Ensures continuity and collaboration in planning for improvement that is anchored in a common vision for education among all its schools

Examines how all the processes and functions of a system work in concert

Provides the district and community with validation and recognition for their existing improvement efforts

Provides the district with recommendations that are designed to further the district’s effort to improve



“He who stops being betterstops being good.”

- Oliver Cromwell

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