The federal programs district improvement plan lays out a roadmap for improving student achievement.
The systematic implementation of effective strategies for instruction that promotes mastery of content for all levels of learners is the first identified overarching need. The number of students achieving a level three or four as measured by Georgia Milestones EOC and EOG state assessments directly impacts overall CCRPI scores.
Goal 1: Increase the district's CCRPI score which reflects student achievement by 3% of the gap each year from the baseline year per the Strategic Waiver. [Baseline year (2018) = CCRPI Score 73.5]
- Action Step 1:
- The expectation is that common assessments will be developed and that the pacing guides will be agreed upon and utilized by all teachers. The protocol for analyzing student work (TKES #6) established by the district to make instructional decisions and differentiate to meet the needs of all levels of learners will be utilized. School-level administrators will have oversight in ensuring that common assessments, pacing guides, and the protocol for analyzing student work are utilized.
- Action Step 2:
- Staff members will participate and implement what is learned from professional learning opportunities that are evidence-based and align with ESSA (sustained, intensive, collaborative, job-embedded, data driven, and classroom-focused).
- Provide professional learning on current practices in education (pedagogy and content development) (Moderate)
- Provide professional learning on instructional technology that supports students learning at high levels, provide training that supports technology integration and use of learning management system and computer software platforms, and provide training that supports virtual learning. (Promising)
- Provide professional learning on family engagement and partnerships. (Promising)
- Provide a mentoring program for teachers with teachers who are new to the profession. (Promising)
- Provide professional learning on working with special populations (including special education, gifted and advanced placement, and limited English proficient) (Moderate)
- Action Step 3:
- Provide supplies, computer software, programming, technology, additional assessments or reimbursement for advanced placement assessments for low-income students, and tutoring for all students in need of additional support including special education, limited English proficient, neglected and delinquent, socio-economically disadvantaged, migrant, and homeless.
- Action Step 4:
- At least 8 teachers at each elementary school will participate in the Growing Readers Initiative (Grades K-3) and implement strategies with students during individual conferences and small group settings. Academic coaches will support this work. Teachers in grades 4-9 will participate in MTSS training to support instruction to meet the needs of all students.
- Action Step 5:
- Provide support to school staff to build staff capacity and for parents to build parent capacity on literacy and math in the home.
- Action Step 6:
- Implement a program to create intentional IEP goals based on specific student strengths and weaknesses, which includes assessments and progress monitoring.
- Action Step 7:
- Teachers will be held accountable for developing and providing instruction which includes an emphasis on contextual math, number sense, and reasoning skills.
The implementation of effective strategies for meeting the needs of the whole child, including addressing behavioral and emotional needs is the second identified overarching need.
Goal 2: The desired outcome is to have a reduction by 3% in the number of referrals to the district's Behavioral Specialist during the FY23 school year and a reduction in the number of new behavior intervention plans. During the FY22 school year, there were 241 referrals, with 49 new behavior intervention plans being developed.
- Action Step 1:
- Professional learning will be provided for school staffs on meeting the social and emotional needs of students and in the proactive protocol to communicate positively with children to avoid the need to de-escalate problematic behaviors.
- Action Step 2:
- Implement a program to identify social emotional needs and provide suggestions and/or programs for interventions. In addition, connect families with community resources that help support social emotional wellness and the needs of the whole child.