Breakout Session Workbook:Comprehensive Needs Assessments & Title II, Part AThis workbook contains notes and activity templates that correspond with each portion of the presentation.

Table of ContentsComprehensive Needs Assessments 1

School/District Self-Assessment 2

Changes in Requirements 3-4

Class Size Reduction 3

Professional Development 4

Evidence-Based Interventions 5

Strategies in Action: Alignment of Interventions with Identified Needs 6

Applying Learning: Guiding Questions for LEAs 7

Comprehensive Needs Assessments

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Data Sources

Identify data sources and gather necessary data points Consider multiple sources of data, including: state, district, and classroom assessments; attendance rates; and surveys and interviews

Data Analysis

Involve a range of stakeholders in the data review and analysis Describe trends or gaps in student performance List needs of teahers and administrators as identified by educator effectiveness/evaluation data

Prioritized Needs

Identify and describe patterns and trends in key data points Determine district and school prirorities that will most likely support educators in increasing student achievement

Plan Development

Review findings with planning team Select interventions and develop clear goals and action steps

Progress Monitoring

Support, monitor, and evaluate implementation of professional development Assess student progress and educator practice to determine effectiveness of selected interventions

School/District Self-Assessment Rate your school/district on the following statements:

1. We use a needs assessment and multiple data measures to determine areas to be funded each year.

1 = always 2 = normally 3 = sometimes 4 = rarely

Notes:

2. Multiple school- and district-level staff members are involved in the process of determining areas to be funded each year.

1 = always 2 = normally 3 = sometimes 4 = rarely

Notes:

3. We collect data on each funded area to evaluate progress and measure success.

1 = always 2 = normally 3 = sometimes 4 = rarely

Notes:

4. Our current Title IIA-funded initiatives have been in place for:

1 = 0-2 years 2 = 3-5 years 3 = 6-7 years 4 = 7+ years

Notes:

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New Opportunities: Changes in Requirements

Class-Size ReductionA meta-analysis conducted by the Center for Public Education1 identified 19 peer-reviewed studies that address reduced class-size programs. The studies found a statistically significant impact on student achievement when class sizes were reduced. The criteria for successful class-size reduction include:

Criteria Plus (+) / Delta (∆)

Focus on the early grades (K-3)

Limit to no more than 18 students to produce the greatest benefits

Span reduction across K-3 rather than only one or two of the primary grades

Target minority or low-income students in order to realize greater gains

Combine class-size reduction with meaningful preparation of experienced teachers

Deliver supports, such as professional development and a rigorous curriculum, alongside reduction programs

1 http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Organizing-a-school/Class-size-and-student-achievement-At-a-glance/Class-size-and-student-achievement-Research-review.html

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Professional Development2

A review of 1,300 studies on professional development conducted by researchers at the American Institutes for Research found only nine studies of professional development programs that met rigorous scientific standards set by the What Works Clearinghouse. Analysis of existing research suggests that professional development is effective when it is sustained, comprehensive, and embedded in the school day. There are certain common features of professional development that have been associated with changes in teacher knowledge, practice, and by extension, student achievement:

Criteria Plus (+) / Delta (∆)

Focus on higher order, subject-matter content and pedagogy of how students learn content

Involve teachers in inquiry-oriented learning approaches (e.g., observing and receiving feedback; analyzing student work)

Group teachers from the same grade or subject for collaborative learning

Align activities with other professional development and school curricula

Collect data on at least one measure of each program objective

2 http://www.schoolturnaroundsupport.org/sites/default/files/resources/compendium-of-evidence-on-titleIIA-strategies.pdf

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New Opportunities: Evidence-Based Interventions

When are evidence-based interventions required?Several ESEA programs encourage evidence-based interventions while others require it at the certain levels of strong evidence, moderate, promising, or demonstrates a rationale:

How can we determine which interventions are evidence-based?

SOURCE: What Works Clearinghouse

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Category 1: Demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on strong, moderate, or promising evidence

Interventions funded under the 7% Title I set aside

Category 2: Demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positie evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes

Class size reduction and professional development funded under Title II Certain activities funded under 21st Century Community Learning Centers program Interventions in schools identified for comprehensive intervention and support (e.g., bottom 5% of schools, graduating less than 67%, and consistent subgroup underperformance)

Strategies in Action: Alignment of Interventions with Identified Needs

LEA Local Needs Proposed Interventions Alignment NotesCategory 2: Professional Development

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The percentage of students passing ISTEP+ in grades 3-8 decreased for both E/LA and math and continues to fall below the state average. There is much room for growth on ISTEP+ in grades 3-8 and 10 in both E/LA and math with an emphasis on students who have greater needs.

District-level staff developers will provide job-embedded PD in the areas of: data team process; action research process for adult learning; math content area mathematical processes and Algebra I alignment and support; E/LA content area early literacy and content literacy; engagement strategies; and lesson design.

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The proposed professional development activities will have a positive and measurable impact on student achievement and help to reduce the achievement gaps for Black, Hispanic, English learner, and special education students.

In- and out-of-state professional development will be provided for the implementation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Academic standards will be integrated into the IB framework for literacy, math, science, and social studies.

Category 3: Class Size Reduction

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Many of the Kindergarten students enter elementary school reading below grade level according to Benchmark Assessment data as part of the leveled literacy intervention. Adding another Kindergarten section will allow for more emphasis on targeting students reading below grade level.

An additional teacher will reduce the Kindergarten class size from 29 to 22 students during core subject area instruction of reading, English, and math.

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We are able to focus on reading and math as well as implement small group RTI instruction through class size reduction. Our district has shown tremendous growth in standardized test scores due to keeping class sizes lower in our highest-need school.

An additional teacher in 2nd grade will continue providing support in critical math and English content in order to maintain progress as this additional teacher was provided by the Title IIA grant at the 1st grade level.

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Applying Learning: Guiding Questions for LEAs

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education (2016). Non-regulatory guidance for Title II, Part A: Building systems of support for excellent teaching and leading. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

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