Improvement Science from the Bottom Up

A Profile of District Transformation Efforts in East San Jose

Derek Mitchell, Ph.D.CEO, Partners in School Innovation

Our Mission

Partners in School Innovation transforms teaching and learning in the lowest-performing public schools so that every child, regardless of background, thrives.

How Partners Works

Partners in School Innovation engages with teachersand leaders in under-performing school districts todrive results by strengthening teaching and learningthrough our sustainable, adaptable approach tocontinuous improvement.

By targeting students of color living in poverty, we aim to provide fair and equal access to high-quality education—one

of the most valuable opportunities in a young person’s life.̶ Derek Mitchell, CEO, Partners in School Innovation

Our Scope

• Partners in School Innovation works at the school and district levels– 3 Bay Area districts• San Francisco, Alum Rock & Franklin-McKinley

– Kellogg Strategic Partnerships• 2 districts in Michigan (Battle Creek & Grand Rapids)• 2 merging districts in Mississippi (Indianola &

Sunflower)• Albuquerque Public Schools

Theory of Action

Tools We Use• Program Implementation Checklist– Monthly fidelity of implementation measure

• District Transformation Review– Annual audit of district instructional system capabilities

• School Transformation Review– Annual audit of school leader and teacher

implementation of 76 essential practices

• Student Performance Measures– State assessments and/or quarterly benchmarks in

Literacy and Math (MS)

Staffing our ApproachPartners Staff Focus in the Systems work

Regional Director (1 per district)

• Superintendent & Cabinet• Support for district instructional planning

and capacity-building

District Partnership Director (1 Per cluster of Schools)

• Area Superintendents, staff & Principals• Support for high performing team

development, content expertise, and building systems of professional learning

School Innovation Partners(1 per school)

• Principals and their Instructional Leadership Teams & teachers

• Facilitation of grade level & school-wide ROCI, Content expertise (Literacy), leadership & instructional coaching

Alum Rock PartnershipYear 1 Started at a Single School, in the middle of the year with significant

reluctance from the district, Partners and the principal.Year 2 Expanded to 5 elementary schools and 2 districtwide networks in year

two based on the results in Chavez and the undertow created by them. District hired Director of School Transformation at the end of this year to support the work.

Year 3 Expanded to include 7 schools (two middle schools added) in year three, and work began at the district level to create Quarterly ‘Cycle Reviews at the district leadership level. Superintendent Transition threatened to derail the effort.

Year 4 Work stayed on-track, even as principals leading the work were promoted into district leadership roles, and a new Superintendent began a district redesign effort, with ROCI and Transformation at the center.

Year 5 We’re beginning to transition, leaving capacities in place and learning a great deal about sustainability, how to make the work resilient.

TOA: ChavezAR Year 1

Program Implementation

STR Results (Percent of Growth target met)

CST RESULTS

99% completion Lead: 100% Systems: 100% Instruction: 92.5%

Percentage Pt. Gain +7.5%

Core of our Improvement Science: ROCI

ROCI

At A

ll Le

vels

District Leadership TeamCabinet, Instructional Supports

Teachers in working with Coach & students

Grade Level Leads & Teacher Teams

Principals & Instructional Leadership Teams

Area Superintendent Leadership Teams, District wide networks

Chavez Accolades• Went from lowest

performing (in the 5%) to successful in 3 years.

• 177pt API Growth• Exited School

Improvement after 2 years of partnership

• Most improvement of any SIG-eligible elementary School using Transformation in CA.

• Did it without SIG dollars.

Alum Rock District Accolades

2010 2011 2012 2013

PSI San Francisco 685.142857142857

681.714285714286

712.625 716

PSI Alum Rock 718.4 754.4 788 791.6

CA 767 779 788 789

660

680

700

720

740

760

780

800

PSI San Francisco PSI Alum RockCA

• Went from 4/27 API 800 schools in 2008 to 16/29 in 2013.

• Most improved district in Santa Clara County

• Sustained momentum through a Superintendent transition

ROCI at Partners: A Way of Life

Variation: Chavez STR Data Over 4 years

Where to next

• Recreate the Alum Rock story in Michigan with predominantly African American student population.

• Work to better understand the variation that can be controlled within the approach.

• Study sustainability as we leave Alum Rock to see if our bets on resilience pay off.

• Document the rigor within the approach in order to model for partner organizations.

Contact

PartnersInSchools.orgRenewing the Promise of Public Education

Derek Mitchell

dmitchell@partnersinschools.org

1060 Tennessee Street, 2nd FloorSan Francisco, CA 94107t: 415.824.6196 x 109 | f: 415.824.6198 |

Chief Executive Officer