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Please view the Watch Me First video prior to proceeding.
Considerations When Choosing Indicators
This interactive guide is meant to support schools in choosing indicators that are in alignment with the identified root cause(s).
Indicators shown in this guide ARE NOT the only indicators available to schools.
Please visit http://www.indistar.org/ for the complete list of indicators.
Core Functions in KansaStar
Leadership & Decision Making
Curriculum, Assessment & Instructional Planning
Classroom Instruction
Parent, School & Community
Tiered Support
Considerations When Choosing Indicators
Classroom Instruction
Do you have a team that meets regularly to drive school improvement?
1
Questions & resources to consider:
A Leadership Team consisting of the principal, teachers who lead the Instructional Teams, and other key professional staff meets regularly (twice a month or more for an hour each meeting) to review implementation of effective practice.
The leadership team is the group that is responsible for setting school improvement goals, serving as key communications to all stakeholders, and analyzing data to make decisions for the school.
2
3
Does the school have common instructional expectations?
Questions & resources to consider:
Indicator 110: Districts often provide curriculum guides that align the curriculum to standards and assessments, and sometimes to instruction (as in a pacing guide). Typically this and similar documents are used by teacher Instructional Teams to develop detailed and differentiated unit plans and lesson plans. When such a document is not provided by the district, the Instructional Teams develop the alignment as part of their construction of unit plans.
No - Consider the following indicators:
Indicator 110 - All teachers are guided by a document that aligns standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
Indicator 116 - All teachers differentiate assignments (individualize instruction) in response to individual student performance on pre-tests and other methods of assessment.
Indicator 118 - All teachers clearly state the lesson’s topic, theme, and objectives.
Indicator 126 - All teachers reteach when necessary.
Indicator 128 - All teachers review with questioning.
Indicator 129 - All teachers summarize key concepts.
Indicator 160 - All teachers use a variety of instructional modes (whole-class, teacher-directed groups, student-directed groups, independent work, computer-based, and homework).
Indicator 165 - All teachers reinforce classroom rules and procedures by positively teaching them.
Indicator 167 - All teachers engage all students (e.g., encourage silent students to participate).
Yes - this means you have an implementation issue.
Do you have a team that meets regularly to drive implementation?
Questions & resources to consider:
A Leadership Team consisting of the principal, teachers who lead the Instructional Teams, and other key professional staff meets regularly (twice a month or more for an hour each meeting) to review implementation of effective practice.
The leadership team is the group that is responsible for setting school improvement goals, serving as key communications to all stakeholders, and analyzing data to make decisions for the school.
Indistar Effective Practices: Research Briefs & Evidence Ratings - pg 33: Establish a team structure with specific duties and time for instructional planning.
No - Consider the following indicators:
Indicator 42 - A Leadership Team consisting of the principal, teachers who lead the Instructional Teams, and other key professional staff meets regularly (twice a month or more for an hour each meeting) to review implementation of effective practice.
Indicator 46 - Teachers are organized into grade-level, grade-level cluster, or subject-area Instructional Teams.
Is the team regularly communicating the implementation of the plan clearly?
Questions & resources to consider:
The purpose of planning for communication is to help manage the change process. This provides a method to ensure that the BLT is providing consistent message, giving necessary information to the appropriate groups, and helping them understand why the change and timeline is necessary, as well as what it will mean to them. Communication must be timely and bi-directional.�
Does the leadership team have a protocol for what, who, how and when information is shared?�
No - Consider the following indicator:
Indicator 43 - The Leadership Team serves as a conduit of communication to the faculty and staff.
Is the team regularly using data to adjust implementation?
Questions & resources to consider:
Developing a systematic and purposeful way of exploring data as a leadership team is essential in the successful implementation of effective practices for school improvement. Wise Ways Indicator 45 works in unison with the selection, implementation and sustainability of all other indicators. �
Leadership teams should be situated to access and review a broad range of school achievement, climate, and satisfaction data to enable them to make decisions on the focus and direction of the school and where resources can best be directed; however, professional development on how to analyze and apply data for school improvement will likely be essential. �
Yes
Answering "yes" to all the questions indicates that your team has successfully implemented the components of this core function, and your root cause is likely connected to a different core function.
As you look at your root cause analysis again, determine what other core function might be related to your root cause.
No - Consider the following indicator:
Indicator 45 - The school’s Leadership Team regularly looks at school performance data and aggregate classroom observation data and uses that data to make decisions about school improvement and professional development needs.
Questions? Please Reach Out!
Kayla Day
Michele Hayes - Director of the Kansas Learning Network