Presentation to the Board of Education, DPS March 3, 2016 The - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Presentation to the Board of Education, DPS

March 3, 2016

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The Luminary Learning Network (LLN) will manage and support Denver’s first innovation school zone.

ECE-5 Accredited on Watch 47.52% 406 Minority: 91% FRL: 88% ELL: 39% SpEd: 5% ECE-5 Accredited on Watch 47.65% 535 Minority : 95% FRL: 92% ELL: 40% SpEd: 16% K-5 Meets Expectations 73.08% 279 Minority : 18% FRL: 13% ELL: 2% SpEd: 6% ECE-8 Meet Expectations 55.32% 536 Minority : 61% FRL: 59% ELL: 23% SpEd: 13% Innovation School Profiles: Grades: 2014 DPS SPF Rating: SPF Score: SY15-16 Enrollment: Student Population: Mission LLN will accelerate innovative approaches to ensure all kids succeed in Denver. Through an Innovation Zone, the LLN brings together a diverse group of schools that are committed to providing unique and exciting learning environments for students while empowering teachers and leaders to design and run excellent schools. Vision LLN envisions a new model of organizing schools for improvement, excellence and equity. By leveraging autonomies and the power

• f a self-designed collaboration within the context of strong

accountability for results, the LLN will not only accelerate their

• wn performance, but also become a national proof point for school

autonomy, innovation and excellence.

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Although all LLN schools have acquired ‘innovation school’ status, they do not have sufficient autonomy to execute their innovation plans.

DPS’s culture of innovation has established an environment that is ripe for innovation in order to drive improvements in student

• utcomes; however, some governing and operational features are impeding schools in their ability to execute their plans and deliver

the results they know they are capable of. Current Challenges

• Frequent introductions of new policies and the repealing of existing policies render a large percentage
• f innovation schools’ waivers void, denying schools the required level of autonomy to execute their plans
• Of the 37 waivers that the four founding LLN schools were approved to receive, 30 apply to repealed

policies leaving only 7 active waivers

• The % of waivers no longer valid for LLN’s founding schools include: 68% of C3’s waivers; 78% of Ashley’s

waivers and 89% of Cole’s and DGS’s waivers

• Innovation schools are not automatically exempted from new DPS policies and, therefore, do not retain

autonomy granted by the district. When new policies are put into place innovation schools’ staff must vote

• n changes.

District Requirements

• The experience of innovation school leaders and teachers has varied tremendously from school to school
• Some schools and educators experience the advocacy they need to truly innovate; others feel a strong and

persistent pull to revert to the common practices of non-innovation schools and therefore experience their ability to exercise their autonomies precarious, and space to innovate limited. Management and accountability

• Innovation schools are often expected to implement their innovation plans and district mandates

without additional resources Resources

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The Zone will raise the bar for innovation schools and enable them to accelerate student gains. Theory of Action If schools are provided strong accountability expectations, genuine and un-mitigated flexibilities, and a novel funding structure, both supported and overseen by an independent governance and management structure, AND If schools are supported in deepening their instructional visions and practices through a uniquely designed service center that draws heavily on deep collaboration and peer-to-peer learning; Then, schools will be able to:

• utilize the collective creativity and power of a Zone to better protect their current autonomies and

collaboratively design new ones;

• realize economies of scale that are both unique to a cluster of schools and not achievable by

individual schools alone;

• direct key resources—including people, time and money—more autonomously and more

strategically;

• integrate and leverage the schools’ common innovations to both accelerate their impact and to

enable new ones; And, in turn, accelerate the student gains already unleashed by the individual schools of innovation.

The LLN’s innovation zone design will ensure autonomy and allow schools to improve student achievement

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Building on the culture of innovation at DPS, LLN is primed to have a positive and significant impact within the district

✓ LLN will ensure greater school autonomy enabling schools to differentiate their educational models to better accommodate diverse student needs and improve student achievement Students LLN’s value proposition is significant to all stakeholder groups within the district. Teachers and Schools ✓ LLN will ensure school autonomy so that school leaders can focus more of their resources on educational programming ✓ LLN will provide accountability by liaising with the district to ensure mandatory compliance while reducing the amount of administrative compliance that schools must address individually District ✓ LLN will aim to transform schools to provide high-quality seats to students aligned with the Denver 2020 Plan ✓ LLN will support the knowledge- sharing of effective innovation strategies among district school leaders ✓ LLN will act as a disruptive force to ensure effective, more-flexible central systems at DPS

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LLN’s design embodies two major innovations in education management

LLN’s success requires the implementation of a new governance model and a new operating model, outlined below and described in more detail on the subsequent slides. An independent 501(c)(3) that is jointly governed by community members, school representatives and Denver Public Schools, and operated through a memorandum of understanding with DPS, ensures autonomy, provides accountability (for individual school and zone performance), and manages LLN schools. Governance Model A model that optimizes LLN’s performance and efficiency by: i. Modification of the student based budgeting formula to increase financial autonomy, maintain connectivity to DPS priorities, and allow LLN schools to fully realize their Innovation Plans; ii. Granting educators – who remain district employees – a) greater control over policies; and b) full implementation flexibility over protocols and processes that impact the unique needs of their schools; iii. Having a lean, central administration oversee zone- wide operations and facilitates opportunities for collaboration in the zone and with the district; iv. Having the district provide any central support and standardized services that do not need to be differentiated for LLN’s schools versus other district schools. Operating Model

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LLN’s governance model has three distinct but complementary features that aim to ensure both autonomy and accountability

LLN’s new governance model will enable sustainable school-level autonomies so that schools can focus on improving the quality of their educational programming by executing their innovation plan. It will also ensure compliance to mandatory regulation and help ensure that school leaders are fairly held accountable for their results. ✓ DPS Board of Education (BoE) plays a vital role for the Innovation Zone: ✓ Retains its non-delegable legal duties ✓ Approves creation and renewal (every 3 years) of LLN ✓ Authorizes schools to enter LLN ✓ Determines when low- performing schools should exit LLN ✓ Has ultimate dispute resolution authority DPS Board of Education Role and Responsibilities NEW: Governing Board of Directors ✓ Self-perpetuating, 9-member Board

• f Directors (BoD) consisting of:

✓5 community representatives ✓4 DPS representatives: ✓ The board’s composition supports collaborative problem solving; however, in the event of conflict and consistent with the BOE’s statutory and constitutional authority, the DPS BOE will resolve the conflict and may involve a BOE/LLN approved mediator. (List of BoD duties is in the appendix) NEW: Legal Structure ✓ LLN is an independent 501(c)(3), classified as a Supporting Organization ✓ Relationship between LLN schools and DPS is articulated in the MOU and LLN’s Innovation Zone Plan

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LLN’s operating model consists of two features that enable schools to balance the need for autonomy and community

LLN’s new operating model will help ensure that the LLN schools have the resources and support that they need to not only successfully execute their innovation plans, but share their learning with other DPS schools. ✓ DPS continues to play a vital role for LLN: ✓ Retains ultimate authority to hire and dismiss DPS zone employees from district employment ✓ Provide Human Resources support and oversight to DPS employees employed by zone schools ✓ Receives and considers in good faith LLN recommendations for selection and retention of principals for Zone schools ✓ Continues to provide any central services to LLN schools that schools have not opted out of NEW: Zone Administrative Structure for Schools ✓ Acts as main interface between schools, LLN Board, DPS Staff and Board of Education to foster a culture

• f accountability, continuous

improvement and collaboration ✓ Works with DPS to ensure compliance with applicable laws, statutes and policies, including issues related to ELL and SpEd ✓ Supports LLN schools in the planning and execution of their innovation plans by facilitating opportunities for LLN educators to collaborate, fundraising for LLN initiatives, etc. (List of administrative functions is in the appendix) NEW: Financial Model ✓ DPS reallocates funds to LLN schools in lieu of providing optional district services; LLN schools have the option of buying back some (indirect) district services, if they wish ✓ Schools will determine the use of funds with guidance from LLN staff and LLN BoD ✓ LLN will be empowered to fundraise on behalf of the Zone schools. (More details on the budget on subsequent slides) REVISED: DPS Role and Responsibilities

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DPS Budget Development Guiding Principles

In developing the Budget and Financial considerations, DPS applies two guiding principles. Supporting the district’s core value of Equity, including: ✓ Meeting the moral and legal responsibilities of the Consent Decree, attracting and serving an equitable share of ACCESS 1 to 3.5 students, and providing equitable enrollment service to late and mid-year arriving students (including seat back- filling across grade levels), to meet capacity needs and ensure equitable access to high-quality seats. Support district priorities including maximizing resources available to all schools, including  Supporting shared obligations that reflect DPS priorities such as pooling of resources across District schools for core service or program offerings (e.g., athletics, transportation), and targeted increased funding to schools serving a higher number of ELLs, Newcomers, Pathway students, or those in turnaround settings.  Implementation of the iZone should not increase overall costs of the District nor reduce per pupil funding available to other non-zone schools.

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LLN Budget Autonomies Negotiating Principles

In developing the Budget and Financial considerations, LLN applied the following guiding principles. LLN requests zone schools have maximum autonomy over the use of financial resources, because  LLN believes that school leaders must have significantly increased discretion over resource allocation so that strategies and approaches may be tailored and customized to schools unique needs  This autonomy, coupled with the LLN’s focus on accountability, will ensure schools accelerate student achievement LLN believes this financial model will create a more responsive DPS support services system, where  The district receives additional feedback on the services they provide, and in turn, how systems might be adapted to better meet schools’ needs  The district expands and contracts in line with schools use

• f these services

 The district explores alternatives to achieving objectives, particularly those related to the shared priority of equity for both DPS and LLN, that devolve greater control over the use of funds to schools

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LLN and the district have worked collaboratively to develop an alternative funding model that increases financial autonomy

DPS currently allocates per pupil dollars on the basis of students through its Student Based Budget (SBB). To afford schools additional flexibility over resource use, LLN schools and the district have worked to devise an alternative funding mechanism. This process has presented a number of challenges and opportunities. Opportunities ✓ An alternative funding model could increase school-level flexibility, allowing schools to customize services and better leverage funds ✓ An alternative model could increase budget transparency for additional district departments providing both direct and indirect services ✓ An alternative model could better ensure equity by allocating dollars to students with the same needs or characteristics Challenges ✓ Both itemizing and unbundling district services is a complex process requiring DPS staff time and analysis ✓ Ensuring the District is able to uphold the Three Equities: Equity of Opportunity, Equity of Responsibility and Access, and Equity of Accountability, using an alternative funding model ✓ The possible impact of an alternative funding model on district departments and personnel as district enrollment shifts ✓ DPS staff recognize the challenges the alternative funding model may present if implemented on a larger scale (More details on the Three Equities is in the appendix.)

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LLN’s new financial model for year 1, SBB+, will be a modification of DPS’ current Student Based Budgeting

Under SBB+, LLN schools receive current Student Based Budget allocation and may opt out of some additional services for which they receive corresponding funds. This model will be refined and adjusted annually to ensure school leaders the greatest degree of autonomy over funds. In the event that the SBB+ model is unable to afford schools the maximum flexibility over resources use, LLN may develop and propose a new funding model for use in subsequent years. The following services are under discussion: Central Funds Directly Spent at Schools

• Textbooks*
• Assessments
• Mental Health Expansion
• Teacher Leadership Collaborative**
• Denver Math Fellows**

Central Funds Indirectly Supporting Schools

• Elementary IS Teams
• Curriculum & Instruction
• Imaginarium
• Educational Resource Services
• Principal Professional Development
• Teacher Performance Assessment Professional Development
• Education Technology
• HR Recruiting
• Culture, Equity & Leadership Team
• Budget Office (Financial Partner)

*Funds for the first year of adoption cycle – will only receive funds in subsequent years if adding grades or when curriculum is adopted for student population at the school **Funds would be subject to some requirements if allocated directly to schools ***No amount listed since funds are now being used solely to support TLC (listed under “Funds Directly Spent at Schools”)

Central Funds Indirectly Supporting Schools

• Chief Schools Office
• Family & Community Engagement (2541)
• Office of CAIO
• Portfolio Office (non-authorizing functions)
• Multilingual Outreach (certain translation services)
• Budget Assistance
• Unassigned Teachers and Unassigned Teacher Leaves
• HR School Support

Next Steps for LLN and DPS Discussions

• Review departmental budgets to determine optional vs.

required services.

• Ensure LLN schools comply with state law and district policies.
• Ensure LLN schools have maximum flexibility around

implementation of school and zone innovation plans. Further discussions are needed related future practices and protocols that may be adopted by the District. In collaboration with LLN, the district has identified the following

• ptional services:

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What Is Authorizing?

Authorizing is a process through which school designers seek approval for their plans and accept accountability for achieving the aims of their plans. On behalf of DPS, Portfolio offers authorizing processes for:

1.

New schools (charter or district)

2.

Replicating schools (charter or district)

3.

School redesigns (district)

4.

Innovation school designs (district)

5.

Innovation zone designs (district) – new!

Confidential: Do Not Distribute

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Approval of plan Accountable for plan

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Confidential: Do Not Distribute

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1. A quality standard applies, regardless of governance type. 2. Statutory and policy requirements are considered in plan development and in DPS and State Board of Education approvals or denials. 3. The DPS Board of Education has a vetted, public body of evidence to consider when approving or denying a plan through a public vote. 4. Universal (SPC/SPF) and differentiated accountability for schools, based on unique elements of plans. 5. Equitable access to a fair, transparent and quality-based “entry” process for all interested design teams. 6. Stakeholders post-approval, including employees of schools (whether charter or district) and existing or prospective parents/guardians of those schools, have access to publicly available documents that clearly define plans, including achievement goals for students, and for monitored accountability results.

Authorizing ensures …

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Confidential: Do Not Distribute

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Process Steps & Timeline

Confidential: Do Not Distribute

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Date Step Notes February 29 Application and rubric released Zone schools and LLN commence writing the application, with DPS supports as requested February 29-April 4 School leaders directly engage with staff and school community on the content and implications of joining an Innovation Zone DPS meets with DCTA March 3 Special DPS Board Meeting LLN and DPS Staff presenting overview of Zone to the Board March 16 Application due to the School Development Team Innovation Review Team (IRT) reads and evaluates the Zone Application by 3/23 March 24 Innovation Review Team convenes Collect evidence and formative feedback for same-day delivery to inform final application to be submitted to the DPS BoE and CDE BoE April 1 Final revisions due Produce a final draft of the Innovation Zone plan based on IRT feedback Note: This deviates from best practice, in terms of staff and community time to review the final plan – typically two weeks. This is a risk. See next step. April 4 Staff votes Collaborative School Committee (or equivalent body) votes To be approved the plan must receive more than 50% in support of the plan, more than 60% if there are new or revised CBA waivers April 4 (date change) Public Comment Recommendation to DPS Board April 7 DPS BoE votes on Zone application Final version ready to send to State BoE

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How did the plan come together?

Process for developing the Zone’s proposal : Spring 2015 Today The proposal for the Denver Innovation Zone has been developed over the past year months, synthesizing expertise in regulation, systems design, and school-autonomy.

LLN has been meeting with DPS staff and Board Members to identify shared interests in forming a zone, including alignment to the Denver Plan 2020. In December, the DPS Board passed a Resolution asking LLN to submit an innovation zone application.

Founding School Leaders Independent Voices District Students & Families Teachers

In April 2015, a proposal was submitted to Denver Public Schools outlining their interest in forming an Innovation Zone. Four innovation school leaders continue to lead this effort and make up the Luminary Learning Network. Design meetings were held with the founding school leaders who partnered with Mary Seawell and the Gates Family Foundation to align on a proposal. The school leaders have engaged faculty, students & families throughout the process. The Gates Family Foundation enlisted the support of Empower Schools, an organization with expertise developing innovative zone models in Massachusetts, to provide strategic advisory support.

Appendices

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The Zone’s schools student demographics show that the Zone will cater to diverse communities and students’ needs

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Guiding Principles – The Three Equities

All public schools in Denver, regardless of governance type, operate within the “Three Equities”:  Equity of Opportunity means that the schools have access to equitable per pupil funding, support services from the district (as part of an administrative fee and through purchased services), and available facilities (through the Facility Allocation Policy.)  Equity of Responsibility and Access means that the schools must offer equitable and

• pen access to all students—regardless of socio-economic status, disability, home

language, or other status—and share an equal obligation in district-wide responsibilities, such as the cost of district-wide special education services. This equity includes participation in SchoolChoice.  Equity of Accountability means that all schools have the same accountability system under the District’s School Performance Framework and that standards of performance are applied evenly across all school types under the SPF and the School Performance Compact.

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The needs and interests of many local stakeholder groups were considered in the design of the Zone

The following Core Principles were developed to ensure that LLN’s strategy, management and operations are aligned with stakeholder needs. ✓ LLN formalizes a culture of relentless continuous improvement and innovation to ensure schools develop strategies so that every child succeeds. ✓ LLN offers intentionally designed and aligned lean services to personalize school support and meet individual school and student needs. ✓ LLN models distributed leadership by magnifying the voice of school leaders through their role on the governing body and by actively seeking teacher voice in school and network decisions. ✓ LLN values collaboration within each of its schools, across schools, and between the LLN and DPS. LLN’s Core Principles for the Innovation Zone Stakeholder Groups: District Founding School Leaders Teachers Students & Families State Independent Voices

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The Zone will employ a lean administrative team

The Zone’s lean administrative team (initially 2 FTE) provides central administrative services for schools, helping to realize economies of scale and reduced overhead costs while allowing Principals to focus on meeting the needs of their students and families. Liaises with District Manages centralized services Supports school innovations

• Serves as the main interface

with the District (allowing schools to focus on instruction).

• Manages shared service

providers and relationships with key partners;

• Provides HR and staffing

supports;

• Manages lean, central-shared

spending;

• Coordinates state-mandated

and zone-specific assessments.

• Provides support to schools on

prioritizing innovation initiatives and disseminates best practices. Ensures compliance

• Ensures all state regulations are

met (including ELA);

• Monitors compliance with the

District-Zone contract (see subsequent section). Initial Zone Team: Liaises with Board

• f Directors

Leads development initiatives

• Serves as the main interface

with the Board of Directors, to help add value (e.g. develop an accountability system for Principals).

• Designs development strategy;
• Builds and manages

relationships with donors and philanthropic organizations. Drives external relations strategy and agenda

• Builds and manages

relationships with community and civic organizations, including the media. Executive Director Leverages expertise in high-performing, autonomous schools to provide strategic leadership and advocacy for the schools Director of Operations Provides logistical support to the schools to ensure efficiency and regulatory compliance.

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Innovation Zone Development: Process 1. Weekly standing meetings beginning February 1

• Governance/HR (generally Tuesdays, 2 hours)
• Finance/HR (generally Fridays, 2 hours)

2. Weekly memorandum

• Delivered to Anne and Barbara as Board representatives
• Reviews content of weekly meetings and captures

alignments 3. Weekly Internal check-ins

• Phone check-ins with senior DPS leaders (generally

Fridays, 30 minutes)

• Review progress each week and get internal alignment

for the coming week