|
Goal 1. - Design and Structure: Provide effective organizational
structure for Close the Gap Project. |
|
Strategy |
Responsible
Person |
Date |
Benchmarks |
|
1. Organize and
convene the project design team |
Assistant Commissioner and project coordinator |
2/15//04-6/1/04 |
Design team will have developed project structure
including, consortium school identifiers, project format and
timeline, and major components of professional development
|
|
2. Create concept paper to broadly define project
|
Design team |
5/1/04 |
Concept paper completed and available for
distribution |
|
3. Establish
Statewide Close the Gap Advisory Committee |
Assistant Commissioner |
7/15/04 |
Statewide Advisory Committee formed and active
|
|
4. Develop project action plan
(both detailed action plan and executive version)
|
Project coordinator |
6/30/04 |
Action plan completed and approved by Assistant
Commissioner |
|
5. Develop and disseminate
annual calendar of Project activities |
Project Coordinator |
5/30/04 |
Calendar approved by Assistant Commissioner and
posted on web site |
|
6.
Formalize contractual
relationships with OSEDA, McREL, regional RPDCs and other
consultants |
Assistant Commissioner |
7/1/04 |
Letters of intent and/or contracts in place |
|
Goal 2. - School Identification and Engagement:
The project will engage 20-25 schools in a consortium and secure
staff to effectively support project objectives. |
|
Strategy |
Responsible
Person |
Date |
Benchmarks |
|
1. Key
identifiers will be selected for creation of a database of
schools eligible for the project |
Design Team |
4/30/04 |
Key identifiers selected and prioritized |
|
2.
A database will be
developed to identify the degree of achievement gap between the
state average performance for White students on the MAP and
various selected subgroups in the school |
OSEDA |
4/30/04 |
Database developed and reviewed by Design Team |
|
3.
Collaborate with
district and building leadership to identify schools to
participate in consortium |
School Administration, RPDC Directors, and
Coordinator |
6/30/04 |
Identification complete and agreed to at all
levels |
|
4.
Meet with district
administration to present project overview and packet |
Assistant Commissioner and project coordinator |
6/30/04 |
Presentations complete in selected districts |
|
5. Meet
with building administration to present project content and
process |
RPDC directors and others as appropriate |
6/30/04 |
Presentations complete in selected schools |
|
6.
Identify school
leadership team for project |
Building principal |
9/15/04 |
Leadership teams identified |
|
7.
Assess existing reform
initiatives in district and building, in collaboration with
district leaders. |
School Administration, leadership team and
Mentor/Coach |
10/1/04 |
nventory of
initiatives complete |
|
Goal 3. - Professional Development -
Content and Process: Provide appropriate professional
development activities to ensure the consortium school
leadership teams and mentors are equipped to effectively support
collaborative schools. |
|
Strategy |
Responsible
Person |
Date |
Benchmarks |
|
1.
Plan professional
development activities for mentors, leadership teams, building
principals and other key project personnel around research-based
practices for improved student performance including leadership
and closing the achievement gaps. |
McREL, Design
Team and district and building staff |
Major training
events scheduled for second week of Aug., Oct., Jan., and April |
All areas prioritized in design addressed with
guided practice, reflection , and goal setting/implementation
strategy development opportunities in place |
|
2. Coordinate
the ongoing work of the Design Team in the identification and
delivery of professional development activities supportive of
Project goals |
Design Team and
district and building staff |
Ongoing |
Areas of need
identified during project year were addressed.
|
|
3. Disseminate
information regarding professional development activities of
project |
Coordinator |
Ongoing |
Information
regarding staff development activities has been communicated to
RPDC, mentors, project school leadership teams, and key DESE
staff through web site, email, and memos |
|
4. Conduct evaluation of each staff
development activity |
Coordinator and
McREL |
Ongoing |
Feedback was
solicited at the conclusion of each training session to assess
effectiveness and information was summarized for reports
submitted to the Assistant Commissioner |
|
5. Create
a mechanism for providing professional development opportunities
for Regional Success Teams to ensure capacity building and
dissemination of content, processes and tools throughout
Missouri |
Coordinator and
RPDC directors |
7/1/04 |
Scheduled
opportunities for structured professional development is in
place for Regional Success Teams |
|
Goal 4. -
Research and Project Evaluation:
Conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of the Close the Gap
Consortium project. |
|
Strategy |
Responsible
Person |
Date |
Benchmarks |
|
1. Create
project evaluation design |
McREL, DESE, and
OSEDA |
5/30/04 |
Evaluation design complete |
|
2. Conduct
project evaluation in accordance with evaluation plan |
McREL,
coordinator, and mentors |
6/30/05, 06, 07 |
Evaluative data has been collected,
summarized and reported to DESE
Evaluation completed |
|
3. Examine
student information systems, APR, and other data sources for
participating consortium members to establish base-line data and
benchmarks |
Mentor and
school leadership team |
9/30/04 |
Data profile developed |
|
4. Conduct
focus groups of key participant groups to assess perceptions of
project effectiveness |
Coordinator |
6/30/05, 06, 07 |
Focus groups have been conducted and
input reported to Assistant Commissioner |
| 5. Review
results of evaluation activities and prepare recommendations for
project adjustments and/or expansion |
Assistant
Commissioner |
7/30/07 |
Evaluation reviewed by DESE and
program adjusted where needed. |
|
Goal 5. - Communication/Collaboration: Ensure that information,
technical assistance, and consultation related to research-based
effective educational practices are available to project
participants and other Missouri school improvement projects. |
|
Strategy |
Responsible
Person |
Date |
Benchmarks |
|
1.
Utilize Project Success web
site, newsletter, mailings, and presentations for information
and technical assistance regarding the project |
Coordinator and McREL |
Ongoing |
Various forms of communication were
used to promote research-based school improvement models |
|
2.
Prepare quarterly reports
enumerating project activities and services |
Coordinator |
Quarterly |
Activities at consortium schools
have been documented through logs and communicated to the
project coordinator by mentors. Summaries of the reports were
reported the the Assistant Commissioner |
|
3.
Periodic progress reports will
be provided to the Commissioner and State Board of Education
through the Assistant Commissioner |
Assistant Commissioner and Coordinator |
Annually, or as requested |
Reports were made to the
Commissioner and State Board of Education |
|
4.
The project will collaborate
with other school improvement initiatives to ensure
efficient use of available resources in
consortium schools |
Project
coordinator and RPDC directors |
Ongoing |
Other school improvement models and
resources are coordinated in consortium schools |
|
Goal 6. - Best Practices: Identify, collect and disseminate
effective practices utilized by the project. |
|
Strategy |
Responsible
Person |
Date |
Benchmarks |
|
1.
Identify best methods for
dissemination of project design and both formative and summative
evaluation data |
Coordinator |
9/1/04 & Ongoing |
Project dissemination plan
established and implemented |
|
Goal 7. - Funding: Determine funding levels and sources needed
to effectively meet project goals. |
|
Strategy |
Responsible
Person |
Date |
Benchmarks |
|
1. Conduct
an analysis of funds needed for project to effectively deliver
support to participating schools |
Coordinator |
Annually |
Project needs have been identified
and costs determined |
|
2. Explore
additional funding sources for support of project expansion and
replication |
Assistant
Commissioner, RPDC directors and coordinator |
Ongoing |
Additional
funding sources have been explored as needed |
|
Goal 8. - Staffing/Personnel: The project will secure staff to
effectively support project objectives. |
|
Strategy |
Responsible
Person |
Date |
Benchmarks |
|
1. A
project coordinator will be identified and employed |
Assistant Commissioner and OSEDA Director |
2/1/04 |
Project coordinator has been selected and is
serving |
|
2.
Position description and contract format for mentor/coaches will
be developed |
Project coordinator |
6/1/04 |
Position description and contract has been
developed and approved by the Assistant Commissioner |
|
3. Mentor/coaches
will be recruited, selected, and employed with consideration
given to the context of each specific school |
Project coordinator/RPDC Director with approval
of DESE and consortium school |
7/1/04 |
All necessary
mentor/coaches have been employed |
of
Elementary &
Secondary Education
