Closing Remarks Mas Fps

MAS/FPS Closing Remarks by the MDE August 7, 2009 Courtyard Rooms / Park Place Hotel Traverse City, Michigan

Presentations from Mike Radke and Linda Forward: Mike reported first, that there is a change in how the the Office of School Improvement is configured. Office of School Improvement is no more as it has be reconfigured into TWO new offices: Office of Field Services and Office of Education Improvement and Innovation (OFS and OEII) Office of Field Services Section 31A--still in the hands of the legislature Section 41 Billing--will be going away — $0 funded (Mid-Michigan Migrant will be affected)) Title IA Title I C Title I D Title II A Title II D Title III ELL (English Language Learners) Title VIB Title X--Homeless Office of Educational Improvement and Innovation High School Reform Curriculum PS Academies Educational Options School Improvement High Priority Schools Educational Technology-it is about increasing relevance; student achievement; embedding into the

classroom The Office of Field Services will focus on the federal programs as listed above. Please note: Section 41 will be going away ($0 funded). This follows the fate of Title V, which is gone. Office of Educational Improvement and Innovation: Everything high priority schools do in regard to addressing their needs will be built around the school improvement framework: Leadership, academics, data, etc. Activities will be centered on helping schools improve the use of educational technology to TEACH better; and to get better instruction in the classroom (as well as more relevance for the kids). MDE is COMMITTED to having these two new offices be successful in working together.

They will maintain monthly management team meetings of the two offices (Coordination, reducing duplication, integrating clear direction, etc.)

Linda Forward's Report:

Upcoming deadlines for school improvement--due September 1, 2009 Nearly 900 buildings are using the school improvement portal. Even if you are not using the portal, technically, you need to be able to produce your school improvement plan upon request (desk audits--MDE). Some schools are submitting these plans to their ISDs. (Do all high schools have a school improvement plan that fulfills P.A. 25 & NCLB requirements?) The online portal gives access to : District Process Profile and Improvement plan

AdvancED Website Update - things are not yet required but are there to use by schools, district leaders, etc. Schools can make information available to coaches and management companies.

Data component of CNA will be available online, probably Nov. or Dec. NCLB Strategies and Assurances — district and building levels will be present also in the tool, along with formative and summative evaluations. School data profile will be populated with state information; but local data, such as parentteacher conference information would be something that districts would need to populate.

Planning, implementation, etc. NCA schools will now have to list evidence in conjunction with their self-assessment. MDE has been working with AdvancEd. If schools/districts are not yet inputting their school profile and plans into the school improvement site, you can start NOW. The state is entering much data on their end (state data); but locals enter their unique information. Then, will not have to re-do your LEA planning school--it will be done for you. MDE is considering MANDATING the use of this tool if you are a Title I school or if you are a Title I district (if you have a Title I school within your district, you're a Title I District). Discussion ensued from the group about the concern of the schoolwide schools who most recently have come on board this summer; as to whether or not the work would have been done "all over" again. Some of the text boxes have limits on the number of characters that can be inputted. Linda mentioned that if it is mandated; it would not be required until NEXT year. It was emphasized by MDE, that schools can begin NOW inputting the data and plans so it can be submitted in this manner for next year. As buildings are restructured, how will this work? DISTRICTS: if this was mandated, how would this impact you? (If mandated to do the electronic version of the profile and school improvement.)

Evidence (called a "pick list") for self–assessment. Pick list for status of activities: "did not implement" / "partially implemented." LEA planning cycle — CNA will be done at the district level and flow out to the buildings, creating a district school improvement plan. They will work together to prepopulate. LEA planning cycle is out of MEGS and into the CNA. You will have created your LEA planning cycle by using the district CNA. (it's coming together) Glitches possible, but once worked out ... SMOOTH. Coming: Word template of actual site. ISD/RESA access to view reports. Access codes--they have been changing every year. The ISDs will get the access codes for the buildings and districts. It was brought up by the schoolwide assistance team, that as they are working with building teams, there is STILL confusion about what is a goal, what is a strategy. Linda mentioned that they will look at providing a webinar to help "teach" teams about this. How should districts proceed with their school improvement planning if they

reconfigure their grade levels? MDE (Mike Radke) wrote down the concern and will get back to us with guidance. It was emphasized that pre-planning (Changes in EEM, sometimes even starting "from scratch" with a new building code). EdYES Reporting window 9/21/09 to 2/9/10... December 1 (pre conference-101) and December 2nd will be the school improvement conference. Michael Fullan will be speaking on Dec. 2. August 19th at 1:30 p.m. there will be a webinar on Supplement/Supplant. It will be archived (mi-stream.net) if you are unable to attend. Mike Radke's Official Report: ARRA: Waivers: the state is applying for waivers (on behalf the locals) to the feds. This is where MDE is in the process. Last week, MDE was required to post the notices to LEAs and to the public that are applying for the waivers. There has to be five days for the public, LEAs, etc... to "comment" on the state's application. Then after the waiting period, MDE submits the waiver request plus EVERY comment verbatim that was submitted to MDE. Race to the Top: This is going to be a big deal with a big pot of money. It is a federal initiative that states will apply for on behalf of districts.

"Really innovative and really creative and really transformational." You need to be able to use achievement data to evaluate teachers and principals. There must be no barriers (including unions) to do this. National NEA is supportive of this. (Right now, MEA is not on board, however it will take conversations to make this happen.) It is a great opportunity but we must figure out how to do this.

What are the pieces: State application. The state has to work with districts-- and groups of districts to make this application. This is different than Project Re-imagine. It will be transformational. Required 4% set aside on Title I Regular and Title I ARRA. 5 million x 4% = 20 million. 5% of the ARRA --16 million. (36 million is what is available to run the statewide system of support.) $125 million is available to Michigan for school improvement is now available to help high priority schools. Guidance from USDOE has not been forthcoming yet. Probably there will be similar hurdles as per Race to the Top. Arne Duncan says "You cannot do business as usual. "

In the ARRA law it does say that: "the school must get between 50,000 and 500,000 to make the transformations necessary." There is direct money tied to this.

Arne Duncan is DEAD serious that you cannot do business the way you used to. This is going to transform education as we know it in the State of Michigan.

State will not have access to the 125 million until late January/February. Title Reporting: NEW...the state does not have guidance yet. MDE says they do know they will need the amount of STATE and LOCAL money assigned to the building by pupil. (Custodian to principals, supplies, salaries, utilities)--everything. Most districts do not do that kind of reporting. Feds need this information by Dec. 1st. LEAS will need to submit to the state first, and then MDE sends it to the fed.

Consolidated applications: Over 500 submitted 200 + to go. Nearly 50 approved. Preparing final allocations--these should go out soon. MDE will make a percentage available ASAP (2 weeks = goal) ready to draw down. If you get your final expenditure report in, MDE will roll carryover in; and ammendments can begin Nov/Dec; and MDE would hope to get those approved before 2nd semester.

If you are among the 200--MDE would like to see an application in substantially approvabel form soon. New MEGS feature: Item level approval--MDE can mark individual items "approved". If modifications are required for some different items, you can still access funds to pay for the items that are approved. This should improve cash flow. Supplemental Education Services (SES): New system for tracking, billing and reporting. There will be required training forthcoming for LEAs and providers. Even after 7 new applications approved, there are still the same number of providers this year as last year. A FAQ will be coming from MDE shortly. Streamlined for schools required to do this.

AUDITS: MDE will be doing follow up audits for targeted and schoolwide schools. MDE is also preparing for SASA federal audits to occur during the spring 2010.

Partnership: having the partnership with MDE is huge. Presence and staff presence is excellent, crucial. MDE appreciates our input and willingness to involve them in our institutes, etc. Mike has worked with many professional partners (contractors, medical schools, hospitals, etc.) The MAS/FPS and MDE partnership WORKS. Think about the partnership for the upcoming year.

Visit http://www.businessballs.com for more information and to find some of the slogans that were used during the workshop.