Recommendations & Lessons Learned

        As I come to the end of my Superintendent certification program, I have been asked to reflect upon recommendations and lessons learned through my internship activities.  What follows is a summary of those recommendations.

DAEP Placements

I conducted an equity audit as an action research project for my district.  I compared the DAEP rate for special education students within my district to the DAEP rate statewide.  It was found that the DAEP rate for the population in question was, indeed, higher than the state average.  While these are preliminary results, I will continue to assess the data and disaggregate for all populations to ensure that the district does not statistically stand as an outlier when compared to districts of similar size, location, and demographics.

Upon final assessment of the data, I will continue to review DAEP criteria as well as manifestation ARD outcomes to ensure that prior placements were appropriate, based upon the offense and the disability of the student.  In addition, I hope to develop a DAEP checklist for use within the district that will offer additional data points – beyond those required by the state.  To collect additional data points will allow the district to better disaggregate placement criteria as well as improve internal tracking methods.

PLC / DI Implementation

Beginning in the fall of 2012, the district began a large-scale implementation project within its secondary campuses to integrate Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) techniques into the existing curriculums.  The implementations were conducted using a cohort methodology where in the fall of 2011, one-half of school would implement PLCs while the other half implemented DI.  In the fall of 2012, the cohorts switched.  The goal was that by spring of 2013, all secondary schools would successfully implement both initiatives.

The implementations have occurred, but site visits and survey data indicate a need for an improved model for follow-up and ongoing professional development delivery.  Beginning in the fall of 2013, the two models will be melded into a single instructional delivery model with similar vocabulary.  All secondary instructional and administrative staff will be required to attend quarterly professional development sessions to receive ongoing training.  

The staff development sessions will be offered based upon attendance zones and feeder patterns in an effort to integrate both vertical as well as horizontal teaming opportunities within the curriculum development and delivery models.

The effort will be monitored through the development of campus PLC / DI improvement plans.  Each campus will develop a PLC / DI Improvement Plan – in addition to the standard Campus Improvement Plan in fall 2013.  The plan will designate objectives, measurement goals, evaluation criteria and ongoing needs of the campus.  Each campus will be evaluated against their approved plan in June 2014.

Improved Technology Integration

Internal survey results and classroom visits indicate a need for improved professional development offerings for instructional staff related to technology integration within the district.  While there are small pockets of effective technology integration within the district, it is not observable in a consistent manner across all school and all grade levels.  It has also been observed and communicated that a large percentage of the district’s instructional staff consists of digital immigrants that are resistant to new delivery methods.  

Beginning with the 2013-2014 academic year, all instructional staff will be required to attend specific technology integration offerings that are consistent with their ability levels as well as curriculum delivery areas.  The staff will choose from a menu of offerings.  Each offering will belong to a learning map.  As the faculty progresses through their learning map, they will earn digital badges that will be displayed on their district classroom website as well as on the wall / door outside their classrooms.  It is hoped that through the efforts to recognize technology learning and achievement, the teachers will embrace the new techniques and technologies and integrate them into their classrooms.