• Strategic Priority #2 - 2.3

    Status:  In Progress - 

  • Strategic Priority
    2.3 Utilize a comprehensive continuous improvement process at the district, school, and program level to cultivate an organizational culture around growth, increased student achievement, and social-emotional development.

  • Outcomes

    • Review, update, and implement the District and Building Cognia School Improvement Plans. (Timeline: 2021-2023)
    • Review, update, and implement the District wide program evaluation model. (Timeline: 2021-2023)

  • Strategy Leader
    Dr. Mike Rupprecht

    Key Members
    Dr. Mark Adler, Dr. Cecilia Wilken

    Key Terms
    District Steering Committee, District & Building Administration, Guiding Coalitions/School Improvement Teams

    Progress Update:
    • 11/8/2021:  The District Administration has met with each Building Principal to review School Improvement Plans.  During this, they discuss action steps, support needed, and the data that will be used to guide decision making.  Building administrators will meet with District Administration again following the winter data to support the continued improvement process.  

    • 11/19/2021:  During the 2020-21 school year, the District Steering Committee developed a research-based Program Evaluation model.  This model was developed in response to the 2018-19 External Accreditation Team’s suggestions as a priority for improvement (2.12), and is designed to systematically assess the effectiveness of the program/suggest changes for improvement.  The Program Evaluation Model consists of five distinct steps:  (a) Program description, (b) Asking evaluation questions, (c) Methodology/gathering data, (d) Collecting and Reporting Results, and (e) Communication of Key Findings).  The Program Evaluation model will be piloted by the DSC team during the 2021-2022 school year, and modified based on the results of the process.

    • 12/9/22:  In August 2022, the District Steering Committee began the process of adopting the updated Cognia standards.  These new standards are built around four quality characteristics: Culture of Learning, Leadership for Learning, Engagement of Learning, and Growth in Learning.  Central to these new quality characteristics is an emphasis on three key themes found within each standard including (a) a learner-centric environment that emphasizes student voice and agency, (b) a demonstration of equity that values the diversity of individuals, families, and cultures, and (c) the well-being of the learner that addresses multiple aspects of the learners’ circumstances and environment.  These updated standards have been paired with a new, formative Teacher Observation Tool (TOT) designed to promote growth, equity, engagement, and student empowerment in the learning process.  Training on the Teacher Observation Tool is tentatively scheduled for the spring of 2023, with the implementation process scheduled to begin during the 2023-24 school year.