Receivership in Community School District 9 New York

Receivership in Community School District 9 New York City Department of Education Bronx, New York Wednesday, January 9, 2019 Claudy Makelele, Deputy Superintendent Jasmin Varela and Ryan Spass, Directors of School Renewal 1

Richard Carranza, Chancellor Cheryl Watson-Harris, First Deputy 2 Meisha Ross Porter, Bronx Executive Superintendent Leticia Rodriguez Rosario, CSD 9 Superintendent

Objective Outcomes for This Session ✓ Present the journey of Community School District 9’s Receivership Schools (from 2014 -15 to present) ✓ Discuss the Comprehensive Educational Plans’ Annual Goals and the New York City Chancellor’s Priorities ✓ Provide an overview of the implementation of the 6 Keys of School Improvement ✓ Illustrate three high-leverage examples: (1) Response to Intervention, (2) Instructional Core, and (3) Leadership Support 3

District 9 Location Bronx District 9 is on the western edge of the South Bronx including the neighborhoods of Grand Concourse, Morrisania and Tremont. It ends east of Crotona Park and is home to Yankee Stadium. * *Excerpt from Insideschools. org 4

District 9 Overview Number of Schools 48 Number of Receivership Schools (as of 2015) 5 Number of Receivership Schools, Preliminarily not designated as CSI (as of June 2019) 0 Number of Students 33, 505 Ethnicity Breakdown 68% Hispanic or Latino, 28% Black or African American, 2% Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 1% White, 0. 5% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0. 3% Multiracial Gender Breakdown 49% Female, 51% Male % of Multilingual Learners (MLLs) 23. 1% % of Students With Disabilities (SWDs) 20. 9% % of Title I Students 90% 5

Receivership in District 9 Under the previous New York State law, five District 9 schools were designated as Receivership schools in 2015: 09 X 022, 09 X 117, 09 X 219, 09 X 328, 09 X 339. All of our Receivership schools are middle schools. ● As of July 2018, three of our schools were removed from Receivership because they reached their benchmarks: 09 X 022, 09 X 117, 09 X 328. ● Two schools, 09 X 219 and 09 X 339, have again made Demonstrable Improvement in 2017 -18, and are preliminarily scheduled to be removed from Receivership and designated as schools in Good Standing as of June 2019. 6

Receivership Demonstrable Improvement Review: 09 X 219 7

District 9 Demonstrable Improvement: A Look Back School 2015 -16 2016 -17 2017 -18 09 X 022** 100% Removed from Receivership 09 X 117** 100% 92% Removed from Receivership 09 X 219 68% 92% (identified to be removed from Receivership in June 2019) 09 X 328 90% 83% Removed from Receivership 09 X 339 53% 83% 92% (identified to be removed from Receivership in June 2019) **09 X 022 and 09 X 117 were designated as Persistently Struggling schools in 2015, but both made 100% of their benchmarks in their first year of Receivership. 8

Successes Throughout the Journey Joseph H. Wade Academies (09 X 117) ● ● ● ● ● Attendance has increased to 91% Received Persistently Struggling Schools Grant and Community Schools Grant from New York State Math and ELA state exam proficiency scores increased and % level 1 students decreased Formed successful relationship with Community Based Organization, Community Association of Progressive Dominicans Newly tenured Assistant Principal Adopted new curricula in ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies Data Wise model school Teacher Rounds collaboration between the ELA and the ENL department Summer School Bronx STEAM academy host school New Venture School (09 X 219) ● ● ● ● Attendance has increased to 90% Received Community Schools Grant from New York State Math and ELA state exam proficiency scores increased and % level 1 students decreased Opened a school-based health clinic (Montefiore Medical Center) Formed successful relationship with Community Based Organization, Children’s Aid Society The New York State Commissioner, Associate Commissioner, and Integration Intervention Team (IIT) visits provided the school with actionable next steps and ongoing feedback Newly appointed Assistant Principal, with a strong instructional literacy lens 9

New York State Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) Rigorous Instruction: Annual Goals 2018 -19 Joseph H. Wade Academies (09 X 117) By June 2019, teachers will implement rigorous Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS) Units of Study in ELA and Math. This will result in a minimum decrease of 10% (181) of level 1 students and a minimum increase of 10% (131) in the number of students obtaining proficiency in levels 3 and 4 in ELA. In Math this will result in a minimum decrease of 10% (267) of level 1 students and a minimum increase of 10% (87) in the number of students obtaining proficiency in levels 3 and 4 as measured by the NYS standardized exam. New Venture School (09 X 219) By June 2019, we will increase the percentage of students in ELA achieving at level 3 from 18% to 24%, increase the percentage of students achieving at level 4 from 4% to 6%, and decrease the number of students at level 1 from 38% to 28%, as evidenced by the New York State ELA exam scores. In Math, we will increase the percentage of students achieving at level 3 from 9% to 18%, increase the percentage of students achieving at level 4 from 1% to 2%, and decrease the number of students at level 1 from 67% to 57%, as evidenced by the New York State math exam scores. 10

New York City Department of Education: Chancellor’s Priorities Accelerate Learning and Instruction - Provide inclusive, rigorous instruction to every child, in a safe, welcoming, and affirming environment. All aspects of a student’s identity—including their race, ethnicity, language, and gender—are assets in the learning process. Partner With Communities - Improve every community’s experiences with the NYC DOE. Empower families with a shared mission for student success and equitable outcomes. “Partner” means we are equals with parents, families, and communities. The work goes in both directions: we all must make important contributions to ensure student success. Develop People - Cultivate a learning culture by valuing and developing individuals and teams. We are a system of people. People are our most important asset. Advance Equity Now - Transform outcomes by tackling inequities in all forms throughout the system. This means investing in historically underserved communities (with resources, time, attention, and direction). This also means thinking through investments we have historically made. 11

The 6 Keys of School Improvement 12

The 6 Keys of School Improvement: District 9 Receivership Schools Improve Data Driven Practices Strengthen the Instructional Core Strengthen Instructional Leadership ● ● ● ● ● Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) Instructional Rounds/Teacher Rounds (Harvard University) Close Reading Strategies The 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions (NCTM) Math Solutions Teachers College Intervisitations Individualized Strategic Support Plans (ISSPs) Algebra for All Apply a Tiered Approach to Student Interventions ● ● ● ● Response to Intervention (RTI) i. Ready & Ready Diagnostics and Benchmarks Principal, Assistant Principal, and Teacher Teams PD focusing on refining RTI plans PD cycles on curriculum, assessment, and instruction for pedagogues Extended Learning Time (ELT) Saturday, and Recess Academies Multilingual Learner Academies Afterschool Programs ● ● ● ● ● Collaborative Learning Walks Leadership Coach Directors of School Renewal Assistant Principal Instructional Intensives Instructional Leadership Teams (ILT) School Leadership Teams (SLT) Rebranding Modeling Leadership Moves Schoolwide programming ● ● ● ● Promote a Positive, Inclusive School Environment for Students, Staff, Parents, and Community Partners ● ● ● ● ● Equity and Access For All Community Based Organizations & Community Schools Wrap-Around Services Student Governments / Councils Student Leadership Summits Parent Leadership Summits Elected Official Meetings Implicit Bias Training Restorative Justice Data Wise & Meeting Wise (Harvard University) Strategic Data Chats Student Led Parent Teacher Conferences/Academic Parent- Teacher Teams Cluster/Standards-Based Trackers Cycles of Formal and Informal Observations aligned to high leverage feedback Strategic Assessment Plans New Visions Student Sorter & Heat Map Increase Monitoring and Accountability ● ● ● Comprehensive Educational Plans (CEP) Quarterly Reports Quality Reviews (QR) State of the School Addresses Budget Support Professional Development Plan Multidimensional Principal Performance Rubric (MPPR) Shadowing Targeted coaching and support cycles Skill/Will Matrix (tiering) Progress Monitoring 13

Response to Intervention (RTI) Joseph H. Wade Academies (09 X 117) ELA RTI Plan outline ● Small group instruction, three times a week ● Universal screening (baseline, midline, endline), i. Ready/Ready data ● Students placed in one of three classifications: (1) Non-readers: students 2 or more grade levels below; focus on high definition words (2) Independent Readers: students 1 grade level below; lexile level text (3) Proficient Readers: Students on grade level; STEM enrichment activities ● Continuous progress monitoring / tracking for mastery / readjustments Math RTI Plan outline Identification of: ● Targeted math standards based on student performance and frequently tested standards ● Small group instruction, four times a week ● Assessment on targeted standard at the end of each week 14

Instructional Core New Venture School (09 X 219) Mathematics ● The 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions ● Districtwide professional development English Language Arts ● Teachers College Writing ● Teacher Rounds (intervisitations within schools and with other schools) Science ● Project-Based Inquiry Science (PBIS) ● Partnership with Urban Advantage Social Studies ● Passport to Social Studies Curriculum Originally through the Individualized Strategic Support Plan (ISSP), the school also received on-site coaching support from the Bronx Borough Office in all of these areas. 15

Leadership Support Joseph H. Wade Academies (09 X 117) Implementation of Collaborative Walkthrough Protocol ● Targeted classroom visits with a focus on standards-based lesson objectives, rigorous tasks, structures for developing student ownership of their work, linking student outcomes with teacher practices ● Identification of trends and next Steps for professional development ● Immediate teacher feedback ● Planning and providing professional development based on needs observed ● Circling back to cohorts of teachers to see evidence of improvement/professional development Quarterly Collaborative Partnership Planning ● Clear action plans; roles and responsibilities for all partners ● Timebound feedback to teachers and leadership Weekly Leadership ● Progress monitoring, support the development of a coherent school program, thought partners, walkthroughs, developing systems and structures to support high-level teaching, learning, and leading 16

Turn and Talk Choose one of the high-leverage initiatives that you’re currently implementing at your school(s)/district(s). Turn and talk to a partner who is not part your school(s)/district(s) about some of the successes and challenges you are experiencing in regards to that initiative. 17

District 9 References 18

For More Information ● Claudy Makelele, Deputy Superintendent ○ Cmakelele@schools. nyc. gov ● Jasmin Varela, Director of School Renewal ○ Jvarela@schools. nyc. gov ● Ryan Spass, Director of School Renewal ○ Rspass@schools. nyc. gov 19