“ “The real value of the Campus Snapshot was that it enabled us to

have a collaborative discussion about needed change based on

unbiased authentic data and then work toward solutions.

DISTRICT SNAPSHOTTM

WHAT IS DISTRICT SNAPSHOT?

The District Snapshot provides districts with a robust profile of their current capacity and

will to support immediate and sustainable student success by all students on all campuses. It moves the discussion of school improvement from the individual campus to the district level, examining the alignment of all district processes toward a single vision of student success through integrated and supportive policy and practice.

Using multiple data perspectives, the District Snapshot deeply examines all levels of district operations for a comprehensive analysis and understanding of the current district status in its role of supporting student achievement.

Surveys of campus/district leaders

Observations of practice in action

Direct interviews

Analysis of performance and demographic data

Analysis of district policy, procedures, protocols

Achieving excellence on a broad scale requires a district-wide strategy for improving instruction in the classroom and an organization that can implement it; District offices will have to transform themselves so as to carry out the ‘strategic function’ and create an organization that is coherent with the strategy.

- Childres, Elmore, Grossman (2006)

HOW DOES THE DISTRICT SNAPSHOT SUPPORT THEIMPROVEMENT EFFORTS OF THE DISTRICT?

The District Snapshot provides multi-variant data to support a comprehensive analysis of district-level practices which impact transformational efforts for chronically under-performing schools.

The District Snapshot will:

Develop a collaborative and open process between the district and campus leaders through a systemic review of district-level standards of practice which support and/or hinder student achievement.

Facilitate data collection from all district-level departments/facets to assist in clearly capturing the scope of priority focus on student achievement. Policy and procedures orientations, staff and resource management, and data-guided decisions are examined for strength of systemic function and flexibility towards the unique needs of low-performing schools.

Enable comprehensive data analysis to outline the current capacity and will of the district to support the level of urgency required for immediate and sustainable change in chronically low-performing campuses.

Provide a foundation to identify critical need areas toward the development of a district-level action plan addressing specific gap analysis determinations for rapid and effective impact on low-performing campuses.

Assessing a district’s ‘readiness model’ requires an examination of the district readiness to act pro-actively through resource authority/autonomy, resource ingenuity, agility in the face of turbulence, and preparation for flexible and innovative responses. To do this, the district policies, processes, and practices must be openly reviewed collaboratively.

(adapted from Calkins, 2007)

THE DISTRICT SNAPSHOT MODEL

When it comes to turning around a low-performing school, there is no substitute for leaders with expertise in organizational diagnostics [who] recognize dysfunctional policies, practices, processes, programs and personnel.

- Daniel Duke (2009)

The foundations of a high-performing district structure is the work of the District Snapshot model, providing a framework for portraying a district’s current practice. Through the lens of performance, learning, staffing, data management, communication, community, operations and education settings districts can examine the multiple aspects of their organization for consistency and strength.

Daniel Duke (2009) identifies several distinct yet interconnected dimensions of organizational focus which could hinder and/or support a district’s establishment of a deep foundation of practice poised to impact schools in crisis.

These district dimensions are often organized departmentally, representing broad foundations of district behavior responsive to campus and student performance. Each foundation incorporates an array of district organizational functions which individually and interactively impact success at the campus level. These functions are clustered in varied ways, but are reflected here as the District Foundations.

FOUNDATIONS: PROFILE OF A DISTRICT SUPPORTING HIGH PERFORMANCE ON ALL CAMPUSES

The District Snapshot provides a thorough needs-assessment across all district operations to guide focused plans of support for all campuses to become high-performing schools. To address the achievement performance of the most challenging campuses, current research suggests there are foundations of practice that must be present as the core foundation of district behavior and must be pervasive across all policy, programs, processes, and practice.

These foundations provide a framework for analyzing a district’s level of preparedness for successfully improving performance in the highest need schools as evidenced by the district’s ability to:

Establish and maintain a clear focus on high achievement by all students.The district provides verbal, written, and visual focus on student achievement being the primary work of the district. Clear plans across the organization are developed to address increasing performances for all students on all campuses.

Implement a district-wide standards-based curriculum framework, aligned assessments, and high quality instruction.A written curriculum based on current Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills is in place with sequenced instructional delivery guidance. Specific emphasis is placed on student competence in the core curriculum, particularly in reading and mathematics, through the provision of formative and summative assessment tools aligned to the written curriculum.

Establish and maintain staffing policies and practices that secure and support highly qualified professionals.

Innovative human resources leadership structures the recruitment, development, and retention of highly qualified professionals for all areas of the organization. An emphasis is placed on ensuring all high-need campuses and students are served through highly effective staff.

Utilize comprehensive data management and technology systems.

The district employs current technology capacity to provide maximum efficiency and effectiveness in all areas of the organization. Staff are provided ready access to relevant data, formative and summative student and program assessments, and data analysis tools. All staff are provided training in the use and application of technology for department and campus level focus on student success.

Maintain effective communication processes with all stakeholders.Proactive efforts are engaged by district level staff to establish effective internal communication systems and transparent external communication practices. Both processes focus on streamlining collaborative efforts toward the support of all students succeeding.

Engage family and community members in supporting the mission and goals of the district.

Overt action plans are implemented to ensure open collaborations with all parents in support of individual child success, resulting in participation reflective of the school demographics. Business and community stakeholders are engaged to leverage partnership resources to the benefit of student support efforts.

Focus district operations on supporting high quality learning and teaching.All non-instructional areas of the organization focus efforts toward maximum efficiency and effectiveness in support of campus level success. Ease of access to identified resource needs and flexibility toward the unique needs of individual campuses are guiding tenets of support service operations.

Address high achievement for students in alternative education settings.

Focused attention is given to the high-need classification of students served in alternative settings. An emphasis on accelerated instruction with intensified monitoring is evidenced through highly qualified staff, instructional planning, and associated formative assessment. Transition support for successful re-entry to general education settings and/or post-graduate options is prioritized.

Success for all students is grounded by a solid core of organizational behavior, laying the foundation for meeting diverse student needs. This is evidenced by a district organization demonstrating a systemic presence of the foundations. The unique needs of under performing students/campuses require the accelerated application of these key foundations in even more intense levels through flexible, innovative actions for immediate impact on campus level practice and, in turn, tangible improvements in student performance.

School leaders charged with turning around low-performing schools face a set of challenges that differ in important ways from those school leaders hoping to prevent schools from slipping into decline.

Daniel Duke (2009)

DISTRICT SNAPSHOT PROCESS

The summary findings of the District Snapshot process reflect a review of each foundation of the district, as well as holistic view of the district through. The Summary Report provides a gap analysis with ‘next step’ recommendations and accompanying correlated research, resources, and tools.

Clear Focus on High Performance

High Quality Learning

Communication Processes

Family and Community

Operational Services

Alternative Education Setting

Data/DocumentReview

Interviews/Observations

District Snapshot Process

Foundations of High Performing Districts

Data Collection

Analysis & Report

Surveys

SummaryFindings

Highly Quali�ed Sta�ng

Technology SystemsData Management and

Each person in your [organization] operates from a different colored stripe and experiences reality from that perspective. [] What matters is not whose perspective is correct (rather) what matters is that everyone […] puts his or her brain on the table.

Scott, S. (2009)

The District Snapshot provides a process for gathering data consistently from across these foundations. Through the analysis of current performance data, district policy and procedures, organization and community perceptual data, and direct interviews across each foundation, the District Snapshot results in a summary report for use by the district leadership. Through careful review of the gap analysis between strengths and challenges identified within each organizational facet and the district as a whole, this comprehensive report may help guide the development of a focused, viable action plan for the successful turnaround of low-performing schools.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

To learn more about District Snapshot, please contact:

Donna Janssen, Project Coordinator E-mail: district_snapshot@esc13.txed.net Phone: 512.919.5431

Education Service Center Region XIII 5701 Springdale Rd. Austin, TX 78723 www.esc13.net/snapshot

Addressing equity — a major district responsibility —often means unequal treatment.

Hightower, Knapp, Marsh, & McLaughlin, 2002, p. 197

www.esc13.net ©2011 ESC Region XIII