Middle Cities
Education Association
Creating Opportunities for the Urban
Learner
Overall Building Capacity for Success
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Category I OVERALL
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR SUCCESS
This tool adapted an instrument used by ASCD in its Signature Schools Program (see website resources for their web address) using the categories developed by Victoria Bernhardt in her book The School Portfolio. The categories include: Quality Planning, Student Achievement, Data Analysis, Continuous Improvement, Leadership, Professional Development, Partnership Development and Resources.
Example uses:
For more ideas, contact Judy Schaftenaar, at MCEA phone: 517/347-0292 or jschafte@msu.edu
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School Improvement-Capacity Indicators
| I. QUALITY PLANNING | |||
| A. To what extent are programs and practices at your school guided by a clear set of beliefs and a vision of success? | |||
| not at all (1) | sometimes (2) | most of the time (3) | always (4) |
| B. To what extent are programs and practices at your school guided by a jointly developed plan with timelines and designated responsibilities? | |||
| not at all (1) | sometimes (2) | most of the time (3) | always (4) |
| C. What % of the staff accept responsibility for carrying out the school improvement plan? | |||
| 0 10% (1) | 11 30% (2) | 31 65% (3) | 66 - 100% (4) |
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II. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, DATA ANALYSIS, AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT |
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| D. To what extent are state and district standards and benchmarks used to direct instruction and assessment in your classrooms? | |||
| not at all (1) | sometimes (2) | most of the time (3) | always (4) |
| E. To what extent do teaching staff understand what is taught prior to and following their grade level? | |||
| not at all (1) | sometimes (2) | most of the time (3) | always (4) |
| F. How are instructional strategies chosen to support school improvement goals for ALL students? | |||
| random, up to individual teacher (1) | small group (2) | department or grade level discussion (3) | through joint research of best practice (4) |
| G. How are chosen instructional strategies monitored for consistent use to support student learning? | |||
| not monitored (1) | principal, when time (2) | staff meeting discussion (3) | study team discussion (4) |
| H. What kinds of assessment is used in measuring student success related to school improvement goals? | |||
| none (1) | state test (2) | state and district (3) | state, district and building (4) |
| I. How many times a year are student achievement goals, related to school improvement, measured? | |||
| less than one time (1) | one time only (2) | 2-3 times (3) | 4 or more times (4) |
| J. What does disaggregation of student data show? | |||
| nothing, it is not done (1) | no subgroup differences (2) | moderate subgroup differences (3) | extreme subgroup differences (4) |
| K. What kind of plan is used to disseminate data gathered in assessment? | |||
| no formal plan (1) | discussed at school improvement meeting, if time (2) | scheduled meetings for discussion and planning by school improvement team (3) | integrated plan with all stakeholders, including annual school report (4) |
| III. LEADERSHIP | |||
| L. To what extent does an inclusive leadership team make decisions about instruction and assessment related to school improvement goals? | |||
| not at all (1) | sometimes (2) | most of the time (3) | always (4) |
| M. To what extent is the staff committed to continuous improvement - measurement, analysis, revision, planning and action? | |||
| 0 10% (1) |
11 30% (2) |
31 65% (3) | 66 - 100% (4) |
| N. To what extent do the staff believe in the reality of all students being able to meet standards of significance? | |||
| not at all (1) | sometimes (2) | most of the time (3) | always (4) |
| O. How do staff participate in budget and resource discussions? | |||
| none, principal makes decisions (1) | individual submission to principal for approval (2) | representative team submits requests of grades or department (3) | discussion and decision by all related to school improvement goals (4) |
| P. Does your school's district leadership believe that it's important for your school to change and improve? | |||
| no (1) | not sure (2) | yes (3) | |
| IV. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | |||
| Q. How are Professional Development decisions made? | |||
| external to building (1) | internal to building, individual request (2) | small subcommittee of School Improvement team (3) | analysis of student needs and best practice discussed and decisions made accordingly (4) |
| R. To what extent does the building staff development employ inquiry processes (starting with teacher questions around student work)? | |||
| not at all (1) | as individuals, the teachers measure success related to instruction (2) | teams of teachers study best practice to match student achievement (3) | through school improvement the majority of staff research best practice and use action research to measure success (4) |
| S. What % of professional development is related to the school improvement goals and aimed at success of ALL students? | |||
| 50% or less (1) | 51-70% (2) | 71-90% (3) | 91% or above (4) |
| T. How is professional development evaluated? | |||
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opinion survey of participants (1) |
staff use MDE standards to measure effectiveness (2) |
teachers self-assess related to long term change (3) |
effectiveness is measured and reported through action research (4) |
| U. How is time for professional development supported? | |||
| contract language, i.e. professional days (1) | conversion of current time, i.e. staff meetings (2) | manipulate the schedule, i.e. banked time (3) | integrated plan using a variety of district, personal and building ideas for time (4) |
| V. How is mentoring new teachers carried out? | |||
| assignment of a mentor, not prescribed duties (1) | assignment of a mentor and protocol followed (2) | mentor/mentee are involved in inquiry process (3) | new teacher is part of a study team focused on improving practice related to school improvement (4) |
| V. PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT | |||
| W. How is administrative support (both building and CO) of school improvement planning and implementation expressed? | |||
| no comment (1) | informal discussion at staff meetings or school improvement meetings (2) | specific suggestions are developed by the administrator and shared with staff(3) | written plan jointly developed and reviewed quarterly (4) |
| X. To what extent are parents involved in the school? | |||
| attend programs (1) | plus volunteer (2) | plus support strategies at home (3) | plus on school improvement team (4) |
| Y. In what ways do business and industry participate in the life of the school? (cumulative) | |||
| donation of $ (1) | donation of time (2) | respond to student products or portfolios (3) | provide teacher internships (4) |
| VI. RESOURCES | |||
| Z. What is the percent of the school building budget devoted to the school's professional development program? | |||
| less than 1% (1) | between 1 and 2% (2) | between 2 and 3% (3) | over 3% (4) |
| AA. What is the percentage of students who are reading at grade level? | |||
| 50% or less (1) | 51-70% (2) | 71-90% (3) | 91% or above (4) |
| BB. What is the trend in student standardized test scores? | |||
| mostly down (1) | mixed (2) | mostly up (3) | |
| CC. What is the trend in student discipline referral? | |||
| mostly up (1) | mixed (2) | mostly down (3) | |
| DD. What percentage of your classrooms are equipped with computers that have access to the internet? | |||
| 10% or less (1) | 11-50% (2) | 51-90% (3) | 91% or above (4) |
| EE. What is the ratio of students to computers? | |||
| 1 computer for every 20 or more students (1) | 1 computer for every 10-19 students (2) | 1 computer for every 5-9 students (3) | 1 computer for every 1-4 students (4) |
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COMPUTING YOUR SCORE: Tally your score for each answer using the number in parentheses next to each answer. In the spaces provided below, total your score for each section (maximum scores for each section are indicated in parentheses); then write the sum of those section scores into the box marked total score. |
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| QUALITY PLANNING (12 POSSIBLE): | I.__________ |
| STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, DATA ANALYSIS, AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT (32 POSSIBLE): | II. _________ |
| LEADERSHIP (19 POSSIBLE): | III. _________ |
| PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (24 POSSIBLE): | IV. _________ |
| PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT (12 POSSIBLE): | V. __________ |
| RESOURCES (22 POSSIBLE): | VI. _________ |
| TOTAL SCORE (124 POSSIBLE) | T _________ |
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