Gates Grant

Addressing Student Performance

The following sketches highlight the capacity building that is emerging or in place that supports the student performance through the tenets of school improvement and accountability. Each deserves fuller description than space provides. Since this is a Web-based application, when available, a URL link is available that will take the reader to a more complete description.

Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment and Accountability Program (ACTAAP) – ACTAAP is based on Act 999 of 1999, which defines a statewide assessment and accountability system. Under the Act and pursuant rules and regulations, a state assessment system is being implemented based on the State’s curriculum frameworks. These frameworks set high performance standards for what students should know and be able to do. The assessments are criterion-referenced tests constructed, field tested, and calibrated based on performance levels. Data from these assessments are available to schools and become the source from which school improvement plans are to be designed.

School Improvement Planning – Each school in Arkansas is required by state accreditation standards to develop a comprehensive school improvement plan based on student performance data. The process is based on a budget-based model that requires schools to project improvement plans that link student needs with research-based models or actions. The Department of Education has completed pilot testing of a custom-designed software program that schools may use that provides a template for planning and budgeting. This program moves the schools to a technology-driven model for school improvement planning.

Smart Start – Smart Start is an initiative that began in 1998 focused on K-4 schools that sets the standard for student performance requiring that all students who complete fourth grade meet grade-level expectations in reading and writing literacy and mathematics. The initiative has the strong support of Arkansas’ Governor Mike Huckabee and the leadership of Chief State School Officer, Raymond Simon. Through this initiative, long-term professional development impacted every one of the state’s 310 districts. The focus of the training linked data-driven decision making, instruction based on standards-based curriculum, and classroom assessments that support instruction. This initiative sets a precedent for the Department of Education’s leadership capacity to impact statewide systems change.

Redesign of Licensure and Renewal for Administrators – Since 1993 the process of licensure and renewal has been underway. Prompted by legislation, multiple task forces and study groups have researched and studied the process of educational licensure in Arkansas. The results of these efforts have led to the adoption of a performance-based model adopted in principle by the State Board of Education. For administrators (superintendents and principals) college/university programs that provide programs leading to licensure are revising courses and experiential learning that will be radically different. Leaders of the administrator licensure task force and administrator educators are partners in the design of this proposal.

Arkansas’ Capacity to Utilize Educational Technology

Arkansas Educational Technology Plan – During 1999-2000, a year-long effort has been underway to revise and update the State’s educational technology plan. A series of recommendations is being forwarded to the Senior Management Team for referral to the State Board of Education that require schools to include technology issues in the overall process of school improvement, professional development and district budgeting. Those recommendations include the following: (1) Required six clock hours of professional development annually for administrators and teachers linked to classroom uses of technology; (2) Required inclusion of technology in the school improvement plan; (3) Adoption of teacher/administrator competencies in technology; and (4) Revision of the school’s technology plan to include the impact of technology on curriculum and instruction.

Arkansas Public School Computer Network (APSCN)- APSCN is a statewide electronic data transfer network. Through this system, every school building in Arkansas is connected through regional servers to a central data network. State funds provide for the connectivity, computer equipment in each school building, and the software that enables centralized data collection and reporting that is consistent across the state. Through this network every school has a minimum of a T-1 line filtered Internet access that can be distributed to classrooms, administrative offices and centralized media centers. Through this system every administrator is provided hardware, software, and connectivity to the state network. This state network will also provide the facility for Web-based sessions, chat rooms, and other distance learning options.

Fixed Motion Video Distance Learning Network – With funding provided by the Arkansas Legislature and strong support from Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, each of the state’s regional service cooperatives and a unit serving the central Arkansas districts is connected via a fixed motion video distance learning network. The network monitored through the Department of Education provides simultaneous connectivity with each region in the state. The network is used for statewide conferences, face to face meetings, and the delivery of distance learning. This network is available for delivery of training for the proposed Regional Seminars.

Summary

Hopefully the reader sees that Arkansas is poised to move forward with a structure that will impact systems thinking and address the critical need for improved student performance on the State’s assessment system. Although infrastructure is in place to utilize technology, full integration in systems planning and thinking remains as a major challenge. Through this proposal, leaders in Arkansas education commit resources to support the redesign of training to include full integration of technology. The following goal sets the stage for the Action Plan that follows.

Goal: To provide access to quality professional development, with a focus on whole systems improvement to create a high-performance learning environment through technology integration that will support and institutionalize data driven decision making , the use of technology as a management tool, and the evaluation of teacher effectiveness in the use of technology for the administrators of schools. Initially, priority will be given to training superintendents and principals of schools having middle grades (Grades 5-8). A second phase will include K-4 principals who have not experienced the impact of technology on their work. Finally, but not included in the scope of this grant, principals of 9-12 schools not previously engaged in some other way will received training.