3014 - SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAMS AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS

To achieve its vision for Durham Public Schools, the Board of Education is committed to continuous improvement in student performance with principals as visionary leaders focused on high student achievement. In support of this vision, each school shall establish a School Improvement Team to develop a school improvement plan in accordance with state law, State Board of Education policy, and Department of Public Instruction guidelines.

A.  School Improvement Team

In support of this vision, each school shall select a School Improvement Team comprised of the principal and representatives from the assistant principals, instructional personnel, instructional support personnel, and teacher assistants assigned to the school, and parents of children enrolled in the school. Representatives of the assistant principals, instructional personnel, instructional support personnel, and teacher assistants shall be elected by their respective groups by secret ballot. Schools should make every effort to ensure that the staff members elected to the School Improvement Team represents a variety of grade levels and/or subject areas. The principal shall serve as the advisor to the School Improvement Team and participate as an active, voting member.

At least two parents shall be elected by parents of children enrolled in the school in an election conducted by the parent and teacher organization of each school or, if none exists, the largest organization of parents formed for this purpose. Parents serving on School Improvement Teams shall reflect the racial and socioeconomic composition of the students enrolled in the school. Only parent/guardians of students enrolled in the school are eligible to vote in this process. Election procedures should allow parents/guardians to vote, even if they are unable to come to school. No member of the building-level staff may serve as a parent/guardian representative.

School Improvement Teams may include non-voting community members.

B.  Development of the School Improvement Plans:

In order to improve student performance, each school shall develop a school improvement plan that takes into consideration the annual performance goal for that school that is set by the State Board of Education and shall be developed at least every two years.

The School Improvement Team should assess the current program and needs at the school, design strategies for improving student performance, and continually evaluate the results of its decisions and the effectiveness of the plan. Proposed plans must include plans for:

1. Using staff development funds that may be made available to the school by the Board of
   Education.
2. Preparing students to read at grade level by the time they enter second grade if the school serves students in kindergarten or first grade. The plan shall require kindergarten and first grade teachers to notify parents or guardians when their child is not reading at grade level and is at risk of not reading at grade level by the time the child enters second grade.
3. Addressing school safety and discipline concerns in accordance with the safe school plan.
4. Specifying the effective instructional practices and methods to be used to improve the
   academic performance of students identified as at risk of academic failure or at risk of   
   dropping out of school.
5. Providing duty-free instructional planning time for every teacher, with the goal of providing
    an average of at least five hours of planning time per week.
6. Providing duty-free lunch period for every teacher on a daily basis or as otherwise approved
    by the School Improvement Team.
7. Maintaining and increasing parent and community support.
8. Promoting the well being of students and staff.

Proposed plans may include:

1. Request waivers of state laws, rules or policies as allowed by law, including waivers for class size, teacher certification, duty-free period requirements and other matters;
2. Request waivers of local Board policy.

C.  Approval of School Improvement Plans:

The proposed plan must be approved by the School Improvement Team prior to the majority vote of the staff. The principal shall present the proposed school improvement plan to the school's assistant principals, instructional personnel, instructional support personnel and teacher assistants for their review and vote. The vote shall be by secret ballot. A majority vote of the staff who voted on the plan is required to approve the plan at the school level. Once the school improvement plan has been approved at the school level, it shall be submitted to the Board of Education for acceptance or rejection as provided by statute.

The Board of Education may either accept the school improvement plan or reject the plan. If the Board rejects the plan, it shall state its reasons for the action. If the Board rejects the plan, the School Improvement Team may prepare a revised plan for approval by the school staff. If no plan is accepted by the Board within 60 days after the initial submission to the Board, the School Improvement Team or the local Board may ask to use the dispute resolution process developed by the State Board of Education.

D. Duties of Superintendent and District Administration:

1. To develop regulations and procedures for implementation of this policy that are aligned with the North Carolina School Improvement Implementation Planning Guide.
2. To provide information, staff development, and technical assistance to school-based personnel and School Improvement Teams so that they make informed decisions.
3. To establish a program for assessment of outcomes at the district and school level, to report these outcomes to the public, and to use student achievement data and other non-academic indicators in the evaluation of programs.
4. To adopt laws determining the committee’s compositional operating procedures, if composition has been clearly defined. If the procedures have already been defined, it can be used to determine the number of representatives that represent parents and teachers to bring forth modification.

Attachments

Legal Reference: G.S.115C-36, -105.27

Adopted Effective:  October 28, 2010 (Replacing prior Policy 2005 – Site-Based Decision Making)