Atlanta Board of Education

AdvancED/SACS “Required Actions”

February 14, 2011

2

Agenda

Meeting Overview

Old Business

New Business

Closing

3

By the end of tonight’s meeting:

Objective #1 – The Board will sign the Project Charter.

Objective #2 – The Board will review the project status of the project to date.

Objective #3 – The Board will review, discuss and approve the high-level action plans for Required Actions #5 and #2.

Meeting Objectives

4

Old Business

Sign the Project Charter

5

New Business

Status Update

– Work completed to date

– Next Steps “Required Actions”

6

SACS Required Actions Status Update

▪AdvancED/SACS outlines 6 “Required Actions” for the Board’s attention

–Each recommendation to date has a status of

one of the following:

• Not Addressed• Stalled• In Progress• Completed• Exceeded

SACS Required Actions Status UpdateInitial Project Work

– January 25, 2011, the Board passed a resolution to accept the AdvancED/SACS report

– Accepted APS Project Management Framework and agreed to utilize expertise of district staff to manage project

– Committee of the Whole and Legislative meetings will be combined and occur on second Monday each month; Old business will include SACS project work

– Board will dedicate three Monday evenings per month to SACS project work

– Board agreed upon group norms and team ground rules for project work

– Approved high-level timeline

– Agreed to set an aggressive internal deadline of completing SACS Six Required Actions by April 29, 2011

– On February 7, 2011, approved a project charter as a commitment to completing the work and to officially initiate the start of the project – to be signed at the February 14th meeting

– SharePoint site set up and Board received a project guidebook to track work

– Weekly survey process for feedback on each meeting

7

SACS Required Actions Status UpdateSACS Required Action 1– Develop and implement a long term plan to communicate with and engage

stakeholders in the work of the district to achieve the Board’s mission for educating the students of Atlanta Public Schools (APS). The plan should focus on efforts that will regain stakeholders’ trust and confidence in the governance and leadership of Atlanta Public Schools.

Status: In Progress

Board Update– Discussed makeup of groups that should be represented on citizen committee– Engaged in a preliminary discussion on roles, level of engagement, and several

processes to select committee members– Draft High-Level Action Plan completed and ready for review and approval– Review of communication strategies scheduled– Draft survey to constituents group completed and ready for review and

approval

8

SACS Required Actions Status UpdateSACS Required Action 2– Secure and actively use the services of a trained, impartial professional

mediator who will work with the Board members to resolve communication, operational and personal issues impeding the effectiveness of the governing body.

Status: In Progress

Board Update– Selection of mediator declared an emergency procurement– Reviewed Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators and sample solicitations–Worked with staff to develop an RFP– Selected an approach for review of RFP responses (Option A) and agreed on a

timeline for the process– RFP released on February 8, 2011 and posted on Georgia Procurement Registry,

APS website, and announcement on Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution’s website

– Board scheduled to receive training on scoring RFP written proposals and oral presentations

9

SACS Required Actions Status UpdateSACS Required Action 3– Ensure that the actions and behavior of all board members are aligned with

board policies, especially those related to ethics and chain of command, and AdvancED/SACS CASI Accreditation Standards and policies.

Status: In Progress

Board Update– Draft High-Level Action Plan completed and ready for review and approval– Draft Scope of Work for policy professional to assist Board completed and ready for

review and approval– RFP scheduled for approval at February 21st meeting

10

SACS Required Actions Status UpdateSACS Required Action 4– Review and refine policies to promote the processes that are needed to achieve

the Board’s Mission in the education of the Atlanta Public School students. The board members shall provide evidence that they have refocused all of their energies on improving the teaching and learning processes for all their students.

Status: In Progress

Board Update– Draft High-Level Action Plan completed and ready for review and approval– Draft Scope of Work for policy professional to assist Board completed and ready for

review and approval– RFP scheduled for approval at February 21st meeting

11

SACS Required Actions Status UpdateSACS Required Action 5– Develop and implement a process for selecting a superintendent that is

transparent during all phases, engages public participation, and demonstrates integrity throughout the process. It is strongly suggested that the final selection of the superintendent should be determined by more than a simple majority vote of approval by the Board.

Status: In Progress

Board Update– Dissolved superintendent search committee and committed to involving entire Board

throughout the process– Agreed to utilize a search firm in the selection process for a new superintendent– Voted to require a ¾ (7 of 9) vote of seated Board members for final selection of a

superintendent and/or interim– Declared hiring of a superintendent search firm an emergency procurement– Reviewed sample solicitations and worked with staff to develop an RFP– Board selected an approach for review of the RFP responses (Option D) and agreed on a

timeline for the process– RFP released on February 8, 2011 and posted

12

SACS Required Actions Status UpdateSACS Required Action 6–Work directly with the State of Georgia to address the inconsistencies in the

Atlanta Independent School System Charter so as to ensure alignment with system policies and governing Board actions.

Status: In Progress

Board Update– Draft High-Level Action Plan completed and ready for review and approval– Draft Scope of Work for policy professional to assist Board completed and ready for

review and approval– RFP scheduled for approval at February 21st meeting

13

14

Next Steps

Finalize RFP Policy Professional

RFP Scoring Training

Community Engagement Committee Process

Survey Review Communication Strategies

Communication Plans Review

Continue High-Level Action Plan Reviews

15

New Business

High-level Action Plan

– Required Action #5 and #2

– Review, discussion, approval

16

Closing

For the good of the order

Review of action items

Homework

Agenda building for next meeting

Meeting evaluation – surveys sent electronically