Bozeman School District

Long Range Strategic Plan: 2016-17 Implementation Framework & Annual Report

Implementation Framework approved at the October 2016 Board Meeting.

(Year-end updates embedded in italics below. Presented to Trustees in June & August, 2017.)

Introduction

Bozeman Public Schools’ Long Range Strategic Plan process is intended to define our goals as well as our plan for accomplishing those goals.  Each fall, a subcommittee of the Board of Trustees (September 27, 2016) meets to discuss the focus initiatives, action plans, and a process for monitoring the implementation of the plans.  The following document is intended to describe the “work plan” for implementing the LRSP for the 2016-17 school year.

Update (June 2017): The LRSP implementation framework was rolled out to all schools and departments in the Fall.  In total, nearly 60 action plans were written by various school and department teams.  An “At-a-glance” matrix has been created which outlines the LRSP action plans. This matrix provides a snapshot of the work of the District.  This document is linked HERE.

This implementation framework is divided into three areas:  

Section A: Relaunching the LRSP: Objectives and Action Plans,

Section B: Reporting on the LRSP: Board Luncheons, School Reports, District Reports

Section C: Evolution of the LRSP: CCR Framework & Balanced Scorecard

1. Relaunching the LRSP 2016-17

1. Central Office Plans:  It is recommended to the Trustees that the following action plans be areas of focus for the central office teams. (*Superintendent Action Plans)

1. Strategic Objective (SO) 1.01 Personalized Learning: MTSS - Implementation of REAL 2.0 (Next generation of MTSS from OPI), Special Education - Implementation of interagency transition council, Gifted Education, McKinney Vento (Services to homeless families/students), American Indian Students, English Learners
2. SO 1.02 Instruction and Assessment:  fair grading practices, standards/resources/assessments review in areas of Fine Arts, Science, Health Enhancement, District assessments (STAR, SBAC interim assessments)
3. *SO 1.06 College and Career Readiness:  Implementation plan of the BSD7 CCR Framework, baseline data for CCR Framework - academic markers & essential skills/supports

Update (August 2017): Significant progress has been made in communicating the CCR Framework to staff and community. In addition, several non-profit partner organizations have aligned strategies and initiatives with the CCR Framework.  The Office of Public Instruction has included College and Career Readiness as part of their ESSA plan.  Here is the Superintendent’s action plan in this area:

• Supt. SO 1.06: College and Career Readiness Framework

1. *SO 2.02 Facility Decisions:  HS Programming Process, HS Design Process, define the related costs for the May 2017 levy election.

Update (August 2017): The action plan in this area addresses the pre-bond steps regarding the planning and programming for future high schools in Bozeman.  Now that the bond has passed, the work of this strategic objective will transform into a post-bond LRSP action plan.  Hereis the Superintendent’s action plan for the pre-bond work:

• Supt. SO 2.02 Future High School Programming  

1. *SO 3.02 Educational Partnerships: Bozeman Schools Foundation - STEM initiative

Update (August 2017): The development of our STEM initiative has proceeded with lots of support from our Bozeman community in terms of donations and guidance.  The Foundation has raised approximately 80% of the funds needed for full implementation.  This summer, 16 teachers (2 from each of the 8 elementary schools) will be trained in the Project Lead the Way curriculum for pilot implementation during the 2017/18 school year.  Here is the Superintendent’s action plan which documents work in this area:

• Supt. SO 3.02 BSD7 STEM Initiative

1. SO 4.01 School Environment: School safety
2. SO 4.02 Wellness:  Wellness committee (to include recommendations from the Supt Commission for Nutrition Education and Food Service), and Employee Wellness Committee

2. School Plans: It is recommended to the Trustees that individual schools be given the following guidance in developing action plans:

1. Each school will be required to submit a minimum of 3 action plans.
2. School plans should focus on at least three of the following strategic objectives and initiatives:  

1. School choice areas of focus: 1.01 Personalized Learning (MTSS), 1.02 Instruction and Assessment (ELA, Math, or Performanced Based Grading), 1.04 Professional Development (PLC),
2. Required area of focus: 1.06 College and Career Readiness (School will identify specific focus, see examples below)

3. At least one plan should be from 1.06 and should focus on a component of the College and Career Readiness Framework.  Schools can write more plans in 1.06 if the team wants to focus on more than one area in the CCR Framework.
4. For 1.06, schools will identify the specific initiative; For Example: 1.06 - Attendance or 1.06 - Growth Mindset or 1.06 - Collaboration or 1.06 - Engagement

2. Reporting on the impact of the LRSP:

1. Board Luncheons:  

1. Starting in September and continuing through January 2017, the Board will be invited to each school for a short presentation and opportunity to visit classrooms.

Update (June 2017): The Board attended 12 school luncheons and heard from two District departments (Adult & Community Education and Fine Arts).  At each of the hosted luncheon, the Board had the opportunity to hear about LRSP implementation, successes and challenges.  In addition, at the school luncheons, the Board had an opportunity to visit several classrooms and experience the work of our District.

2. The presentation from the school Principal will include the following information:

1. 1 or 2 goals from last year and progress on those goals
2. Focus areas that are continuing this year or new focus areas for this year. (Explanation of how focus areas tie with the College and Career Readiness Framework.)
3. Successes and challenges

2. School Reports:

1. School data reports will be generated in conjunction with the school presentation for each Board luncheon.
2. School data reports will include the following information: school demographics, relevant STAR scores, Smarter Balanced assessment results in ELA and Math.  (The high school data report will likely include other assessment data.)

3. District Reports:

1. District reports will be generated by combining school data reports.
2. Board education sessions will be held at the start of each Board meeting where baseline data regarding the College and Career Framework will be reviewed and discussed.

Update (June 2017): Through the development of the College and Career Framework, the Administration identified several key data points and initiatives as targets for Board Education Sessions.  These sessions were held at the start of each regular Board meeting throughout the school year.  Here were the topics for Board education:

• kindergarten literacy skills,
• grade-level reading,
• 5th grade writing and technology literacy
• Algebra readiness
• ACT and College Ready Benchmarks
• Sustainable energy practices update
• Legislative update regarding initiative for property tax relief
• Early Warning System (dropouts) and attendance
• Comprehensive High School Education for 2020

3. Evolution of the LRSP

1. College and Career Framework

1. In the absence of an accountability process and with the implementation of a new state assessment process, it is recommended that the Trustees discuss the implementation of a local framework.

Update (June 2017):  The state and national accountability process is still in transition.  The state ESSA plan was submitted, but then withdrawn by new administration at OPI for revisions.  (ESSA has replaced the No Child Left Behind accountability process.)  The new state ESSA plan will be submitted later this summer.  The District administration has held two meetings with state OPI leaders to discuss BSD7 College and Career Framework and the possibility of incorporating some of the concepts into the state ESSA framework.  The new accountability process is still unclear at this time.

2. A locally designed accountability process, the BSD7 College and Career Framework provides a starting point for consideration.
3. It is recommended that the Board direct the District to move forward with collecting baseline data regarding the academic markers identified on the BSD7 CCR Framework.

Update (June 2017): In development of the College and Career Framework and the possibility of creating a local accountability process, the District has gathered baseline data on several of the components in the Framework.  Much of this data was presented in the Board Education Sessions.  Here are the two LRSP action plans which demonstrate the work in this area:

• C&I 1.06 College and Career Ready Academic Markers LRSP 2016-17
• C&I 1.06 College and Career Ready Essential Skills and Supports

1. Balanced Scorecard

1. The current Balanced Scorecard is built on data no longer collected (example: Criterion Referenced Test).
2. The OPI has not yet identified a set of data that will be collected or measured at the state level.
3. It is recommended that the Trustees adopt the academic markers from the BSD7 CCR Framework for integration in the Balanced Scorecard.

Update (June 2017):  At the fall meeting of the LRSP Board subcommittee, the Balanced Scorecard was discussed in depth.  The committee identified weakness and strengths of our current scorecard.  It was recommended that administration explore other options, for example a “data dashboard,” that may be easier for staff and community to use.

Special Note (June 2017): As we are now entering our 10th year with our Long Range Strategic Plan, one topic of discussion for the LRSP Committee will be the review and revision process, perhaps as early as Fall of next school year.

Respectfully prepared and submitted for Board consideration by

Rob Watson, Superintendent, BSD7

October 2016 & Updated June 2017 and August 2017