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School Improvement�Needs Assessment -�Abbreviated Report Sample

Assessment Conducted by the Iowa Association of School Boards

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The #1 Job of a School District -

to ensure that each and every student acquires the knowledge and skills needed to be ready for college, career, and life

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How do you know if you are getting the job done?

Results from student achievement assessments that are well aligned to the Common Core Standards.
Needs Assessment of the characteristics found in effective/high-performing schools.

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Needs Assessment Components�Characteristics Common to Effective/High-Performing Schools:

Clear shared vision, purpose, and goals
High expectations for student learning
Leadership and teamwork at all levels
Rigorous content standards and a comprehensive assessment system

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Needs Assessment Components�Characteristics Common to Effective/High-Performing Schools:

High quality instruction
Professional development focused on improvement
Access to and use of data
Family and community connections

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Your Roles as a Board/Leadership Team:�

Set clear expectations.
Create conditions for success.
Hold the system accountable to the expectations.
Build public will.
Learn together as a team.

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Needs Assessment Findings:�

The results of the Needs Assessment are displayed graphically in the next sets of slides. Results are compared for district board members and staff, district parents and community members, and students.

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High Performing Schools Characteristic #1

Goals and Expectations

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Indicators of Goals & Expectations

People indicate that they can get better.
There are ambitious/stretch goals.
There is a lack of excuses.

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What Percentage of Students Are Meeting Standards/Grade-Level Expectations

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Survey Item#1 - "The current level of student achievement is about what we can expect."

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Survey Item#11 - "Student achievement barriers, such as poverty and lack of family support, can be overcome by quality teaching & learning."

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High-Performing Schools Characteristic #5

High Quality Instruction

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Indicators of High Quality Instruction

Instruction actively engages the students.
There is evidence of research-based instructional practices.
Instructional tasks include a blend of cognitive demand/rigor.

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Survey Item#9 - "Our students are actively engaged in classroom learning tasks."

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Survey Item#15 - "We use research-based instructional practices in this district."

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Needs Assessment Survey

Open-Ended Responses

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“What is the top priority for improvement?”

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Respondents – What is the top priority for improvement?�

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Major Findings and Recommendations

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Major Strengths:�

Most parents and staff members believe that there are strong leadership teams in the district.
Most staff say that they have a voice in decision making.
A strong majority of respondents believe that the school board can have a positive impact on student performance.

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Major Improvement Recommendations:�

Create urgency consensus around the belief that virtually all students can learn at high levels, that barriers can be overcome, and that major improvements can and will be made in student achievement.
Focus attention and resources on improvement of instruction, rigor and relevance, and student engagement.
Continue to improve the assessment system to align to the content and rigor of the Common Core Standards.

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School Improvement�Needs Assessment -�Abbreviated Report Sample

Assessment Conducted by the Iowa Association of School Boards