Updates on the Fight for Quality Public Education in Brevard County, FL
0:00 We’ll be right back.
15:59 This time they want everything uploaded into our computer so
15:43 they can reference it regardless
15:45 of where they’re at in case we have to do any virtual pieces.
15:49 References needed again, but impact over time is the gold
15:53 standard.
15:54 What is that impact that is shown over time of projects that we’ve
15:58 initiated?
15:59 So they’ll do the district visit and school visits in January.
16:03 They will interview superintendent, school board, parents and
16:07 community, principals and
16:08 teachers and students.
16:10 They’ll do that again this time, just like they did in 2016, but
16:13 this time they want
16:14 to see is everybody aware of the strategic plan and the impact
16:18 that it’s having on the work
16:20 we’re doing in our school district.
16:23 Classroom observations.
16:24 They use a tool called the Elliott.
16:26 We’re going to discuss that in just a little bit.
16:28 They’ll be using the Elliott again and they’re going to want to
16:31 see does the impact of our
16:32 strategic plan, is it evident in our classrooms with the work
16:35 that’s being done with our students.
16:38 And finally stakeholder involvement.
16:42 We’ll use our district surveys to show that we do have
16:45 stakeholder involvement.
16:47 So who will be the stakeholders who are interviewed when the
16:51 teams come?
16:52 They’ll start with Dr. Mullins and he’ll do a state of the
16:55 school speech to them on their
16:56 first day arriving.
16:58 Then they’ll interview our school board members.
17:00 They’ll do that individually with each of you.
17:04 Central office staff, building administrators, instructional
17:09 staff, parents and community and students.
17:12 The number that you see here, the 723, this is how many they
17:15 interviewed last time we were
17:16 here so that’s the projection for how many people they’ll be
17:19 interviewing the next time they’re here.
17:26 Thank you.
17:27 Mrs. Stevenson just explained to me that’s from a different
17:29 district, but it’s very, it will be very similar.
17:33 Okay.
17:34 We have our Elliot.
17:35 I was concerned I had two more board members I didn’t know about.
17:38 Thank you for the clarification.
17:40 Then we have our Elliot tool.
17:44 That is the tool that they’ll be using.
17:46 Elliot stands for effective learning environments observation
17:49 tool.
17:49 That is a tool that the reviewers will use when they’re
17:53 observing in classrooms.
17:54 They will visit approximately 30% of our schools.
17:57 We do not get to choose the schools that they visit.
17:59 They will select them randomly and go in and visit the schools.
18:03 And they will use this tool that is aligned with our Brevard IPHIS.
18:08 So it is very similar to what our teachers already have as an
18:11 observation tool.
18:12 The observations are conducted for a minimum of 20 minutes.
18:15 And the focus of their observations is on student engagement.
18:22 So what were the results of our last Elliot when they came
18:25 through in 2016 and looked at our classrooms?
18:28 If you look at the domains that are listed over on the left-hand
18:31 side, then you can see what, under external review,
18:34 what our ratings were against the average ratings.
18:37 The average ratings are for what Advanced Ed has nationwide for
18:40 the schools that they accredited.
18:42 So if you look at equitable learning environments, we were 2.62
18:47 compared to a 2.69.
18:49 High expectations environment, we were 2.86 compared to a 2.81.
18:55 Supportive learning environment, Brevard, was a 2.99 compared to
19:00 a 3.06.
19:01 Active learning environment was 2.99 compared to 2.94.
19:06 Progress monitoring and feedback environment, 2.73 compared to 2.79.
19:12 Well-managed learning environment was 3.11 compared to a 3.13.
19:17 And digital learning environment, Brevard was a 1.46 versus a 1.82.
19:23 Overall, you can see that Brevard was very close to the national
19:26 average for those schools that are accredited through Advanced
19:29 Ed.
19:29 So in 2016, our findings for what were Brevard’s powerful
19:35 practices.
19:36 Under leadership capacity, BPS had developed and implemented
19:41 comprehensive standards-based professional development for site-based
19:45 and aspiring administrators.
19:46 Another powerful practice was under learning capacity, Brevard
19:51 Public Schools provides meaningful ways for teachers to meet and
19:54 explore strategies to improve student learning.
19:56 And under resource capacity, Brevard Public Schools focused on
20:00 facilities, services, and equipment maintenance to provide a
20:04 safe, clean, and healthy environment for all students and staff.
20:07 Included broad planning and targeted action that supported its
20:11 purpose and direction.
20:12 Those were our powerful practices that they found.
20:14 So what areas did they find that might need for improvement?
20:18 Now remember, this was back in 2016.
20:20 So under leadership capacity, they felt that we could improve
20:24 establishing and evaluating and implementing a continuous
20:28 improvement process with clear guidelines to ensure alignment
20:32 with the system’s purpose of prioritizing strategies to maintain
20:35 and enhance curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
20:38 Learning capacity.
20:39 Establish, monitor, and evaluate a process that ensures all
20:42 students have equitable and challenging learning opportunities.
20:45 And resource capacity.
20:46 Develop, implement, and monitor a comprehensive plan for
20:49 professional learning in the use of performance matters,
20:53 particularly incorporation of Unified.
20:55 So then two years later, after our accreditation visit, you do a
21:01 two-year follow-up report to show what progress have you made
21:04 since they’ve given you those original findings.
21:06 So these were the components that were in our report that we did
21:12 in 2018.
21:13 So components of that plan were included, and our new strategic
21:17 plan at the time, included restructuring the leadership
21:20 hierarchy with lower ratio of schools to supervisors.
21:23 Brevard identified priority schools based on achievement gaps
21:27 and differentiated instructional support for those schools.
21:30 Developed and implemented a new vision for actual instruction,
21:33 which we are still using in all of our schools.
21:35 We implemented PAC teams comprised of principal, assistant,
21:39 principal, instructional coach from each school.
21:41 Those teams have had a tremendous impact on the instruction that
21:44 we’re doing with our elementary schools.
21:46 We implemented instructional reviews defined as classroom walkthroughs
21:50 by system and school leaders using a common observation tool and
21:53 look-fors.
21:54 We recruited and support minority students’ enrollment in
21:58 advanced courses.
21:59 Developed a monitoring system for students’ achievement in
22:02 instructional change.
22:03 We also implemented a system-wide discipline plan to improve
22:07 equity.
22:07 Implemented increased social-emotional supports for all students.
22:10 And embedded performance matters and unified training in multi-tiered
22:14 system of supports, MTSS as most know it.
22:17 Coaching, instructional coaching, and other professional
22:19 development activities.
22:20 So that was in our report.
22:22 And all of those are continuing to this day.
22:24 So in 2021, during this school year, what does the new Cognia
22:29 rating scale look like?
22:31 Well, here’s the scale.
22:33 And you can see that up at the top, under rating, you see
22:37 impacting again, because that again is what they’re going to be
22:40 listening for and hearing.
22:41 What is the impact of our strategic plan on the work that we are
22:45 doing in our district.
22:46 So when they give us our report, and I’ll show you what it looks
22:50 like in a few minutes.
22:51 On the scales, you’re going to want to see a lot of blue and
22:55 green.
22:55 Yellow is okay.
22:56 We don’t want any red.
22:58 So blue, impacting noteworthy practices, producing clear results
23:03 that positively impact the institution.
23:05 Green will show that we are improving in areas.
23:08 Quality practices that are improving and meet the standards.
23:10 That’s all good.
23:11 Yellow means we’re initiating.
23:13 So if there’s something new that we initiate this year, areas to
23:16 enhance and extend current improvement efforts.
23:18 And then finally red, insufficient.
23:20 Areas with insufficient evidence or evidence that indicated
23:24 little to no activity leading towards improvement.
23:27 So remember we have the three domains, leadership, learning, and
23:33 resources.
23:34 So the leadership capacity standards, and I know it’s hard to
23:37 see on the slide, but you have them in front of you.
23:39 But this is how the report will look.
23:41 And you can see that they’ll have the columns.
23:43 Under each standard will have impacting, improving, initiating,
23:46 insufficient.
23:47 And they will score us in each of those areas.
23:50 As well as give a final report.
23:53 Then we have our learning capacity and our resource capacity.
24:02 So what are our next steps?
24:04 We know how each BPS department connects to the strategic plan
24:08 goals.
24:08 So that’s key.
24:09 And we have to make sure that all of our schools know how the
24:13 work they’re doing connects to our strategic plan goals.
24:15 And we have to make sure, Janet Stevenson is going to do this
24:20 with us, is that make sure that our strategic plan is woven
24:25 through all of our school improvement plan.
24:28 There needs to be like a golden thread so that when they read
24:31 our strategic plan and if they review school improvement plans
24:34 and as they talk to our teachers and they talk to our
24:37 administrators, everybody can see that the work that we’re doing
24:40 from the top up here as a system goes all the way down into the
24:46 classroom and is having that impact on the student sitting in
24:49 that classroom.
24:50 We need to know our student achievement data.
24:53 That’s critical at the school level and at the district level.
24:56 And I know that leading and learning is working hard to make
24:58 sure that happens.
24:59 And we’ve been doing that for the last several years.
25:02 We need to review the cognitive standards, not only at the
25:05 district level, but all the way down to the teacher level.
25:08 And we’re working on that with our schools and marking our
25:11 calendars for January 24th through 27th because everybody will
25:15 be involved and invited to the party.
25:17 January 24th is the day the team of 16 people from around the
25:22 country will arrive.
25:23 So that’s basically just an arrival and get to know you for them
25:26 to meet each other.
25:27 Our work with the team really doesn’t start until Monday the 25th
25:31 and there’ll be a lot more information coming out about that.
25:34 So now if you have any questions, I turn it over to Janet Stevenson.
25:38 No, we’re both here to answer questions.
25:40 Did you say there was a party?
25:47 There will be a party.
25:48 And when is this?
25:50 Is that on the 24th to 25th?
25:52 And what are you serving there for food?
25:53 The party will be on the 27th.
25:55 Okay.
25:56 All right.
25:57 Now, thank you so much for putting this together.
25:59 I know this was, you know, one of the things that we were
26:03 looking at over the last couple of years, and I appreciate all
26:06 the time and effort you put into this.
26:07 So thank you.
26:08 So thank you very much.
26:09 Ms. McDougall, any questions?
26:11 No, I have no questions.
26:12 Thank you.
26:13 Ms. Duskowitz.
26:14 Ms. Campbell.
26:15 Yeah.
26:16 I’ve just got real quick on the slide.
26:17 When they do the external review, the classroom observations is
26:23 200 plus, so they’re going to be doing more than 200 plus, or
26:29 more than 200 classroom 20 minute observations.
26:32 Is that with that?
26:33 Ms. Well, I might let Janet answer this question because she’s
26:36 actually been on the review team visits and she can tell you
26:39 exactly how it looks when they go into the school.
26:40 Ms. Awesome.
26:41 Thank you.
26:42 Ms. In the past, in non-COVID times, when they go to any school
26:47 district, they go to about 30% of randomly picked, randomly
26:51 selected schools.
26:52 And then of those 30% of the schools that are selected, the team
26:59 is given a map and a key to the building, and they try to go to
27:03 as many classrooms as they can.
27:05 Individuals go into a classroom.
27:06 It’s not a team that goes into a classroom.
27:07 It’s not a team that goes into classrooms.
27:08 So I would say, at the most, staying 20 minutes, that each
27:13 person, like let’s say a six-member team goes to a school.
27:17 Each member of a six-member team would probably go to five
27:21 classrooms.
27:22 So like 30 classrooms per school that they visit.
27:26 That’s how they kind of get to that number.
27:29 You’re encouraged, as a member of a team, you’re encouraged to
27:33 get to five to six classrooms in a visit as a member of a team.
27:38 Yes.
27:39 The same thing as far as picking the school.
27:42 So they’re coming to a school, you said, in non-COVID times.
27:46 So this year, it may be, have they given, let me ask that
27:49 question first.
27:50 Have they given any guidance or suggestion of how it might look
27:54 differently from this year?
27:55 Well, they’ve given, yesterday we received an email saying that
28:02 there may be some virtual options available.
28:04 Okay.
28:05 They’ve said there may be some virtual options available.
28:07 And there is also the option to put in a request to possibly
28:12 delay the visit.
28:13 Okay.
28:14 So that might be an option too, depending on where we’re at.
28:16 Right.
28:17 At the time.
28:18 So in the same vein of how they would just, you know, give them
28:22 a key and pick the classroom.
28:22 Are they, do they have the same process as far as picking which
28:26 schools?
28:26 Or do they try to get a representative sample, some title one
28:29 schools, some, you know.
28:31 They work with the district representative to find out the
28:35 different types of schools.
28:36 And, but they will choose.
28:37 We cannot say, well, we really want you to go see this school.
28:40 Right.
28:42 Is the, is the, do the charter schools participate in this
28:45 process?
28:45 No, they do not.
28:46 Okay.
28:47 Just Brevard public schools.
28:48 Thank you.
28:49 And board members, I would just let you know that last slide
28:53 that’s still up there on the
28:54 screen of what’s next.
28:56 All the things that need to be done.
28:58 That is our homework as board members too.
29:01 Because remember each of us are going to be individually
29:03 interviewed by the team.
29:04 So, um, we have to be able to address all of those things on the
29:10 screen.
29:11 And we will get you more information as we go through the
29:14 process.
29:14 This is just to let, start getting everybody aware and letting
29:18 you know it’s coming.
29:19 But we will give you a lot more information to help you through
29:22 this process.
29:23 All right.
29:24 You’re welcome.
29:25 Ms. Belford, may I just take two minutes to recognize the
29:29 leadership of this team.
29:31 Um, you know, first Ms. Sylvester, director of elementary
29:34 leading and learning as a former
29:36 longstanding elementary principal in Brevard County, been a
29:39 director, I don’t know, three
29:40 or four years, maybe fifth year, uh, been part of the leadership
29:45 teams in past district
29:46 accreditation, certainly been through it as a principal.
29:49 And then Janet Stevenson, I had the privilege of working her
29:52 formally as area superintendent
29:54 who has done a phenomenal job of leading our school improvement
29:58 efforts.
29:59 Truly a champion of continuous improvement and pushing our
30:03 principals and evaluating
30:05 and really pursuing excellence.
30:07 To have her as a reviewer of other districts is just an added
30:13 benefit to us as Brevard Public Schools.
30:15 So, Marilyn, thank you for your leadership.
30:18 Janet, thank you for your great service and leadership as well.
30:20 We know we are in great hands.
30:22 And, uh, we wait your, your further direction to, uh, make sure
30:25 we’re ready.
30:26 So thank you.
30:27 Thank you very much.
30:28 Thank you, ladies.
30:29 All right.
30:30 There being no further business, this meeting is now adjourned.
30:35 This meeting is now adjourned.