Slide 1

Ensuring Success For Each Student FLEXIBILITY & ACCOUNTABILITY Legislative Requirements and Options for Georgia School Systems

Slide 2

Ensuring Success For Each Student Legislative Requirement O.C.G.A. 20-2-84.3: No later than JUNE 30, 2015, each local school system shall either notify the department of its intention to request increased flexibility pursuant to this article OR shall comply with subsection (b) of Code Section 20-2-80.

Slide 3

Ensuring Success For Each Student Legislative Requirement O.C.G.A. 20-2-8o: (b) A local school system may elect NOT to request increased flexibility in exchange for increased accountability and defined consequences and opt to remain under ALL current laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Status Quo = No SBOE Waivers

Slide 4

Ensuring Success For Each Student Flexibility Options Status Quo IE2 Contract: (Investing in Educational Excellence) Charter Contract (Charter System or System of Charters)

Slide 5

Ensuring Success For Each Student Current Status of GA School Systems IE2 - ApprovedCharter System - Approved Forsyth Gwinnett Rabun Banks Barrow Calhoun Carrollton Cartersville Coffee Commerce Dawson Decatur City Dublin Floyd Fulton Glascock Gainesville Gilmer Gordon Haralson Lumpkin Madison Marietta Morgan Putnam Union Warren White

Slide 6

Ensuring Success For Each Student Length & Parties to Contract Status QuoIE2Charter SystemSystem of Charters NO Contract Five-Year Contract Local Board SBOE GOSA Five-Year Contract Local Board SBOE Five-Year Contract Individual School Local Board SBOE

Slide 7

Ensuring Success For Each Student Scope of Flexibility Status QuoIE2Charter SystemSystem of Charters NO flexibility waivers Negotiated / specified flexibility Proportionate to accountability goals Maximum flexibility allowed by law Maximum flexibility allowed by law There can be no waiver of federal laws and regulations, and no waiver of state laws and regulations pertaining to health, safety, and accountability requirements.

Slide 8

Ensuring Success For Each Student IE2 Flexibility Forsyth County Schools Academic Program FlexibilityHR / Financial Flexibility EIP / LEP / Gifted - delivery models Graduation Req. - seat time Instructional Extension - use of resources Middle School Program - instructional time Promotion & Retention - response to initial assessment results Scheduling Instruction - move on when ready School Day / Year - for students and staff Class Size - for all grades/programs Categorical Allotment - flexible allotment Expenditure Control - flexible application QBE Financing - maintain earnings

Slide 9

Ensuring Success For Each Student Charter Flexibility Typical use of Broad Flexibility Academic Program FlexibilityHR / Financial Flexibility Alternative Programs Attendance Protocols EIP / ELL / Gifted / REP Graduation Requirement Health/PE Requirement Instructional Extension Middle School Program Promotion/Retention Scheduling Instruction School Day / Year Seat Time Statewide Passing Score At-Will Contracts Certification Class Size Required Personnel Categorical Allotment Expenditure Controls Salary Schedule QBE Financing

Slide 10

Ensuring Success For Each Student Accountability Status QuoIE2Charter SystemSystem of Charters NO contractual accountability measures Contractual accountability measures for each school Contractual accountability measures for the district Contractual accountability measures for each school

Slide 11

Ensuring Success For Each Student Forsyth IE2 Accountability Performance Goal: Close gaps for all students and subgroups in reading, ELA, math, and writing between the schools performance and the state average Schools are expected to meet targets for 3 years of the 5-year contract. Goal Met If: School did not miss more than one subgroup target in a given subject AND Same subgroup did not miss a target in more than one subject area OR Schools CCRPI is 85 or higher and is in 85 th percentile of CCRPI scores across state If a school does not meet targets in 3 years but meets goals by the 5 th year, the school will be deemed as meeting contract goals

Slide 12

Ensuring Success For Each Student Forsyth IE2 Accountability ES Measures % exceeds grades 3-5 Reading/ELA % exceeds grades 3-5 Math % meets/exceeds grade 5 Writing MS Measures % exceeds grades 6-8 Reading/ELA % exceeds grades 6-8 Math % meets/exceeds grade 8 Writing HS Measures % exceeds grade 9 Literature % exceeds Math II % exceeds GA HS Writing Mean scale score on SAT-Writing

Slide 13

Ensuring Success For Each Student Fulton Charter Accountability Academic Goals Goal 1: Continuous Improvement meet/exceed state performance targets exceed state avg. on all CRCTs/EOCTs reduce number of schools not meeting SPT by 10% / year Goal 2: Students College/Career Ready meet/exceed SPT for graduation rate reduce % not graduating by 10% / year Increase grads w/ college credit 5% / year Goal 3: All Students High Performing decrease % not meeting SPT 2% / year increase % exceeds CRCT/EOCT 2% / year Goal 4: Improve on National Assessments increase % rank on ITBS by 7 points total increase district SAT by 6 points total increase district ACT by 0.1 points total Increase % taking ACT or SAT by 1% / year

Slide 14

Ensuring Success For Each Student Fulton Charter Accountability Operational Goals Goal 1: Positive School Environment decrease % students absent 15 days by 1% increase student satisfaction by 7% maintain parent volunteer rate of 85% Goal 2: Economically Sustainable financially sound per external audit effective allocation of budget resources maintains adequate cash reserves Goal 3: Foster School-Level Governance by year-3, all schools will use a School Governance Council by year-4, all schools will hold at least one earned request for flexibility all School Governance Councils will have annual governance training

Slide 15

Ensuring Success For Each Student Consequences Status QuoIE2Charter SystemSystem of Charters NO contractual penalties tied to performance Intervention or loss of governance for individual schools not meeting performance goals Intervention or loss of charter for district not meeting performance goals Intervention or loss of charter for individual schools not meeting performance goals

Slide 16

Ensuring Success For Each Student Fiscal Impact Status QuoIE2Charter SystemSystem of Charters Regular QBE funding NO cost savings through waivers Regular QBE funding Potential cost savings through waivers Regular QBE funding Potential cost savings through waivers Additional Allotment - $100/FTE - $4 million cap - $3.8 million for HCS Regular QBE funding Potential cost savings through waivers Eligible to apply for federal grants (if funded)

Slide 17

Ensuring Success For Each Student Governance Status QuoIE2Charter SystemSystem of Charters No change in current governance structure Increased school-level governance required Increased school-level governance required

Slide 18

Ensuring Success For Each Student Expectations for Charter Governance The States intent is to maximize school level decision making for Personnel Budget / Resource Allocation Curriculum and Instruction School Operations and Improvement District Level School Level GDOE wants charter schools to be as close to this end as possible Decision-Making

Slide 19

Ensuring Success For Each Student As Stated in the Charter Contract Local BoardSchool Governance Team The Local Board shall ultimately be responsible for all duties to be performed by the Charter System and the schools within the Charter System under this Charter. The Governing Councils at each System Charter School shall be subject to the control and management of the Local Board. Each System Charter School shall utilize a Governing Council as its governing body, which shall operate with the intent and purpose of maximizing school-level decision making.

Slide 20

Ensuring Success For Each Student Guiding Principles District Level Decision MakingSchool Level Decision Making is necessary to Preserve equity and consistency Minimize legal risk Maximize economies of scale Reduce the burden upon schools Produce systemic results is necessary to Carry out the district/school mission and vision Meet the unique needs of students, staff, and school community Manage allocated resources for greatest effect on student achievement

Slide 21

Ensuring Success For Each Student Practical Application Personnel Budget / Resource Allocation Curriculum and Instruction School Operations and Improvement SGC refers principal candidates Principal refers staff candidates Principal manages and evaluates staff XO evaluates principal w/ SGT input CO provides HR support BOE approves employment, placement, termination SGC provides input, approves and monitors school budget and staffing plan Principal and staff develop and manage school budget and staffing plan CO allocates resources BOE approves and monitors district budget SGC provides input for instructional innovations Principal and staff manage and evaluate instructional program and innovations CO directs systemic instructional initiatives and provides support services BOE approves systemic instructional initiatives SGC approves fund-raising, field trip, use of facility requests; school addendum to dress code; CSIP; monitors charter accountability Principal and staff manage daily operations CO provides support services to schools BOE adopts policies for effective operation of school system

Slide 22

Ensuring Success For Each Student Fultons Plan for School Governance TransitionStructureResponsibilitiesAccountability All schools have SGC by year-3 Year-1 planning - communication, elections, and training 3 parents 2 teachers 2 school staff 2 community 2 students (HS) / (non-voting) Principal (non-voting) Two-year terms Approve school improv. plan Approve budget and allocations Approve Request for Flexibility Participate in selection of principal Serve as Title I Committee Standard set of SGC Bylaws and Code of Conduct Certification of SGC SGC training and monitoring by district Use of BoardDocs for transparency And Cluster Advisory Councils to support cluster-wide coordination

Slide 23

Ensuring Success For Each Student Flexibility Contract Approval Process Status QuoIE2Charter SystemSystem of Charters Conduct one public hearing Sign GDOE statement Conduct one public hearing HCBOE approval Submit to GDOE Negotiate contract SBOE approval Signed contract Conduct two public hearings Send notice to all staff and parents HCBOE resolution approving petition Submit to GDOE SBOE approval Signed contract Each school develops charter petition Staff/parents vote to submit petition HCBOE approval Submit to GDOE SBOE approval Signed contracts

Slide 24

Ensuring Success For Each Student Considerations Will upcoming elections result in changes to this legislative requirement? How will the SBOE handle the matter of class size waivers for FY16? Stakeholder input will be required for IE2 or charter system we must build this into our timeline. Our next SACS accreditation review will be Spring 2016 we must remain aware as we consider IE2 or charter system implementation plans and timelines.

Slide 25

Ensuring Success For Each Student Proposed Next Steps March - April 2014 Determine if we can rule out status quo as an option If so May - June July 2014 Obtain / present principal feedback Superintendent and board identify preferred flexibility option Resume development of application and plan for use of flexibility July - August - September 2014 Initiate communication plan Obtain stakeholder input Conduct public hearing(s) October 2014 HCBOE action on final draft of plan If approved, submit application to GDOE November 2014 August 2015 Prepare for implementation

Slide 26

Ensuring Success For Each Student Questions for Discussion Which option is the best fit for our school system? Why? Which option is the best fit for our community? Why? What questions and/or concerns do you have? What suggestions do you have?