Professional Learning Communities and Collaboration as a Vehicle to School Transformation - presented by Partners in School Innovation and Alum Rock Union Elementary School District at the California Department of Education Title 1 Conference in March 2014.

1. Professional Learning Communities
and Collaboration as a Vehicle to
School Transformation
Rene Sanchez, Kelli Sorich, Rebecca Jensen,
Tom Green & Viviana Cabrales Garcia

2. Introductions
Please share:
• Your name
• Why you chose this
session

3. Session Objectives
• Learn how Cesar Chavez Elementary School
transformed from one of the lowest
performing schools in the state to having an
API of 823
• Identify ways that you can strengthen your
transformation work, taking advantage of
the lessons Chavez leaders learned and the
frameworks they used to support their work

4. The Cesar Chavez
Elementary School
Transformation Story

5. Latino
84%
Asian
12%
Other
4%
Free/red
uced
lunch
88%
English
Learners
70%
484 students,
East San Jose

6. 626
645
709
773
812 823
590
616
689
759
803
825
500
600
700
800
900
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Growth on the California
Academic Performance Index
All Students English Learners

7. Transformation
Efforts designed to:
• Make changes
throughout a every
part of a system
• Influence, in
significant ways,
every student and
staff member in a
school system

8. SCHOOL
TRANSFORMATION
FRAMEWORK
Q7ICBX
Develop a System for
Teacher Professional Learning
Instructional
Coaching
Ensure
Academic
Success for
Every Child
Use
Assessments
Purposefully
Define
a Rigorous
Curriculum
Deliver
Effective
Instruction
Continuously Improve
the Instructional Program
Teacher
Collaboration
Professional
Development
Lead Results-Oriented
Cycles of Inquiry
Set Vision
Establish urgency
Articulate core values
Reflect &
Adjust
Adjust plans and
leadership actions
Act
Distribute leadership
Communicate expectations
Plan
Set goals
Define strategy
Assess
Student learning
Instructional quality

9. Results-Oriented Cycle of Inquiry
Plan
Act
Assess
Reflect &
Adjust
Set
Goals

10. · Assigned an
experienced
principal to lead
transformation
efforts
· Completed
renovations to
symbolize a
renewed
investment in the
school
· Stabilized the
learning
environment
· Developed vision of
Chavez student
· Provided extended
time for teachers to
unpack standards,
analyze data and
plan lessons
collaboratively
· Formed a
partnership with
Partners in School
Innovation
· Formed an
Instructional
Leadership Team
(ILT)
· Identified the
“Chavez Essentials”
– instructional
practices
· Provided intensive
professional
development on
strategies to
support English
Learners
· Renewed focus on
instruction through
strong unit planning
and direct instruction
· Hired an
instructional coach
· Leaders
communicated clear
expectations and
conducted regular
classroom
walkthroughs
· Built ILT members
capacity to lead
collaboration and
professional
development
· Collaborated with
City Year to ensure
after-school
tutoring was
aligned to student
needs
· Prepared for
transition to
Common Core
State Standards
500
600
700
800
900
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Growth on the California
Academic Performance Index
All Students English Learners
Exited program
improvement after
two years of
dramatic gains in
student
achievement!
Serves as
demonstration
site –
supporting
students and
teachers to
thrive.
Listed in
the bottom
5% of
schools
across the
state.

11. Core Themes
• Vision-driven
• Student-centered
• Investment in teachers
• Ensuring high-quality instruction
• Collaboration

13. Year 1: 2008-
09

14. Year 1: 2008-09
• Focused on creating a safe, orderly, and
inviting school environment
• Began clarifying our student vision
• Invested in the infrastructure of the school
– Repainted the exterior of the school
– Invested in technology upgrades

15. Year 2: 2009-
10

16. Year 2: 2009-10
• Used staff meetings to deepen our vision for
students and unpack our biases and assumptions
about students
• Dedicated time for teachers to collaborate and
supported each team with a facilitator
• Ensured that teachers were able to meet weekly to
analyze data and plan instruction
• Limited distractions (e.g. after-school interventions,
fund-raisers, etc.)

17. Grade Level
Collaboration
Agenda 2008-09

18. Year 3: 2010-
11

19. Year 3: 2010-11
• Let go of a complicated RTI plan and began
focusing more on core instruction – the
“Chavez Essentials”
• Instructional Leadership Team members
helped define the priorities:
– Gradual release
– Strategies for supporting English Learners
• Began to ensure alignment of all resources
and External Support Providers

20. “The Chavez Essentials”

21. Year 4:
2011-12

22. Year 4: 2011-12
• Teachers involved in leading professional
development sessions on our core strategies:
gradual release and support for English Learners
• Hired an instructional coach
– Began focused coaching cycles
• Conducted regular walkthroughs to monitor the
quality of instruction and provide specific feedback
to teachers on the “Chavez Essentials”

23. Classroom Observation Tool

24. Year 5:
2012-13

25. Year 5: 2012-13
• ILT members took on leadership roles in
facilitating their grade level meetings
• Collaborated with City Year to ensure that
after-school tutoring aligned to core
instruction
• Continued to protect time, and be creative in
providing additional time, for teachers to
work together

26. Instructional Leadership Team Summer Retreat

27. 626
645
709
773
812 823
590
616
689
759
803
825
500
600
700
800
900
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Growth on the California
Academic Performance Index
All Students English Learners

28. Lessons We Learned
• Invest in people not programs
• Prioritize core instruction and limit
distractions
• Help foster the best, the brightest, the most
committed
• Use data to reflect and adjust

30. Tools We
Relied On

31. Support for Our Transformation
• Informal thought partners
• District formed PLCs for:
– Principals
– Instructional Leadership Teams
– Grade Levels (2nd grade, Kinder)
• Partners in School Innovation

32. Alum Rock USD School and District Transformation
Systems Map, 2012-13 (Updated 10/2/12)
School Transformation Cross School Professional
Learning
District Transformation
ILT PLC
IL PLC
RT
PLC
K PLC
2nd ELA
PLC
MS ELA
PLC
1, 3, 4,
5
Sci., SS,
PE, VPA
Intervention
& Resource
FS HR
IT MOT
CNS
MS
Math
PLC
Counsel
ors
Blue= PSI Support
Green= Pivot Support
Purple= District Support
1
ES
ESES 2
ES
ESES
3
ES
ESES 4
ES
ESES
5
ES
ES
ES
ES
6 & 7
MS
MSMS
IS
ST
SE
SSS&F
AS

33. Leaders using ROCI
Build shared
ownership of a
vision and set
SMART and
equitable goals
Plan
Act
Assess
Reflect &
Adjust
Set
Goals
Create a theory of
action and plan for
attaining the vision
and goals
Create
opportunities for
teachers to learn to
use new practices
Monitor implementation of new
strategies and their impact on
student learning
Use data to
inform
adjustments to
strategies and
support
provided to
teachers

34. Annual Goals and Theory of ActionCHAVEZ Theory of Action, 2011-2012
PD topics will include…
EL support: sentence frames, lang obj.
Direct Instruction/GRR
Workshop/Differentiation
DIBELS
Technology (Promethean, Activotes)
PD will include…
Take away’s to impact classroom
Integration of core values
Teachers actively share best practices
Focused collaboration
Use of ROCI & backwards mapping
Differentiate between RtI and core planning
Focus on teacher response to data and reteaching
Opportunities for cross grade level collaboration
Commit to follow up and check ins/Accountability
(everyone brings data, revisit and adjust charters, know strengths of colleagues)
Support for RtI block to meet the needs of students
Model, observe, facilitate lesson studies, peer observations, and peer coaching
Focused on improving instructional practices, and student learning
Analyze data
Help focus lessons on objectives, and align to C2IA
New teacher support
Follow the coaching cycle
Build collective ownership
Exemplify core values: optimism & high expectations
Focused on teacher and student learning
Communicate expectations for implementation of C2IA
Engaged in professional and student learning
Support implementation of the Theory of Action
Communicate action items and goals to the staff
A “Wall of Fame” is posted in every classroom
Monthly celebration for students meeting grade level standards (80% mastery) and growth goals
Develop a school-wide reading program
Log parent volunteer hours
Host Back to School Night, Open House, and parent nights
Coordinate with City Year to maximize their impact on student achievement
Develop a plan for implementing a highly effective Peacebuilders program
School-Wide CST Goal: 65% P/A in
ELA; 75% P/A in Math; 800+API
ELLs and Latinos will increase 25%
pts. on the ELA CST
ELL and Latino students will move
up at least one performance band
on the CST
Move 50% of Basic Students into
the Proficient Band
Move all BB & FBB students into the
Basic Band
Chavez students will read 12,000
books in the 2011-2012 school year
100% of students will master 80%
of key standards for the grade level
as measured by key standard
assessments
Achieve 80% of parent
participation rate on Back to School
Night and Open House
100% parent attendance for Fall
parent-teacher conferences
30% of parents will complete 30
hours of parent volunteer hours
Curriculum: When we plan…
• Content objectives with particular focus on English
Language Learners..
• Standards-driven (power/key standards) units and lessons
that are broken into measurable and teachable objectives
• Plan with end in mind (backwards planning)
• Write content objectives and make them relevant and in
kid-friendly language.
• “I can…”
• “We will…”
• “Students will be able to…” (SWBAT)
Instruction: When we teach…
• Content objectives and make them relevant and kid-friendly
• Use Direct Instruction/Use Gradual Release of
Responsibility (I do, We do, You Do)
• Use sentence frames and language objectives
• Use white boards/paddles, exit tickets, thumbs up/down,
and think-pair-share as Checks for Understanding
Assessment: When we assess
• Use consistent assessments: DIBELS, INSPECT, Short Cycle
Quizzes
• Use Standards-based assessments for MATH AND ELA
• Students track their progress for all Key Standards
• Monitor data of all subgroups (using DIBELS, Inspect, CST,
CELDT)
Culture: When we create a culture that…
• Reinforces a college going culture
• Celebrates students’ growth and achievement
• Encourages students’ love of reading
• Welcomes and encourages parents to be active in the school
and in the classroom
Student Goals Professional Learning
System
Classroom Systems
Professional
Development
Teacher
Collaboration
Instructional
Coaching
Instructional
Leadership
Team
Culture &
Community

35. Cycle Action Plan

36. Teachers Using ROCI
Plan
Act
Assess
Reflect &
Adjust
Set
Goals
Working together as a
team to define clear
outcomes for
student mastery
Collaboratively
designing
assessments and
planning units and
lessons
Teaching with
similar pacing;
sharing lessons
learned along the
way
Collecting evidence of
student learning using
common assessments
Comparing
student progress
toward goals and
thinking together
about how to
adjust instruction
to better meet
student needs

37. Time for Teachers
to engage in ROCI
(Release Day
Agenda)

38. Example of
a Unit Plan

39. After listening to the
Chavez story, how are
you thinking about
deepening your own
transformation work?

40. Contact
Rene Sanchez
rene.sanchez@arusd.org
Tom Green
Thomas.green@arusd.org
Viviana Garcia
vgarcia@partnersinschools.org