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Team Visit Report

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THE PLAN FOR GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT

 

The purpose of the self-study and accreditation process is first and foremost to establish whether the school meets the Standards for Accreditation, the fundamental requirement to be accredited. However, establishing that the school has in place the building blocks for a quality school is largely an exercise of looking backward to see what has been accomplished.

 

The Designing our Future protocol is based upon the principles and concepts of strategic planning. Therefore, the protocol requires the school to be forward thinking, not focusing so much on the past and past accomplishments but, instead, focusing on the future—what does the school have to do differently or do better to further its mission and to ensure that all of its students are able to achieve the knowledge, skills, and characteristics the school has defined in its Profile of Graduates.

 

Therefore, the culminating activity of the self-study and accreditation process is the developing of a Plan for Growth and Improvement in Student Performance and Organizational Capacity.

 

Developing a Plan for Growth and Improvement involves:

  • Establishing a vision for the school by creating or reaffirming a statement of mission.
  • Identifying a set of beliefs that will serve as the school’s ethical code.
  • Developing a profile of the knowledge, skills, and qualities the school expects of its graduates.
  • Identifying the areas of student performance that are the priorities for growth and improvement.
  • Developing action plans to achieve the performance objectives.
  • Monitoring implementation of the action plans.
  • Conducting periodic reviews of the progress being made toward achievement of its objectives.

 

Following are the required components of the Plan for Growth and Improvement:

  • A Mission
  • Beliefs
  • A Profile of Graduates
  • Three, four, or five objectives measurable student performance/organizational capacity objectives; at least two must be focused on growing and improving student performance
  • One or more assessments for each objective
  • Baseline data for at least one assessment for each objective
  • Technical approval of the objectives
  • Comprehensive action plans to achieve the objectives
  • A plan for regular monitoring and review of the Plan (at least once annually)

 

 

 

A.  STUDENT PERFORMANCE/ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY OBJECTIVES AND ACTION PLANS

 

The centerpiece of the school’s Plan for Growth and Improvement is formed by the three, four, or five areas of measurable objectives the school has identified as being the highest priorities for growth and improvement if the school is to move closer to achieving its Mission. At least two of the objectives must focus on areas of student performance that have been determined to be priorities for growth and improvement. The remaining one, two, or three objectives may be either student performance objectives and/or objectives focused on growing and improving the school’s organizational capacity to produce the levels of student performance desired and expected by the school’s community of stakeholders. Space is provided below to evaluate the maximum number of objectives. This limited number of objectives is suggested so the school can focus on the most critical aspects of student performance without diverting its energies in too many directions.

 

To identify these priority areas, the Planning Team asked itself:

  • What are the gaps between what we say in our Profile of Graduates regarding what we want our graduates to know, be able to do, and/or what qualities we want them to demonstrate and our students’ actual performance in those areas?
  • Which of these gaps constitute the highest priorities for narrowing if we are to move closer over the next seven years to achieving our mission?
  • Are there areas of our organization’s capacity that must be improved in order to improve our students’ performance to the levels we desire and expect

 

Specifying clear and measurable student performance objectives identifies the school’s commitment to achieve specific end results and thus, is tied directly to accountability. The objectives must be written in such a way that they outline growth in student performance for the next seven years and represent a major focus for growth and improvement in student performance in the school. The objectives should be consistent with the mission and should extend and define the aim portion of the Mission in more specific detail. Objectives explicate in measurable terms the key end results that the school seeks to realize from its Mission, as expressed in its Profile of Graduates. Not only should the objectives be related to the school’s Mission, but where there is also a district or system plan, the objectives should be linked to one or more of the district’s or system’s objectives.

 

The term “student performance” is intended to be defined in the broadest possible terms.  The objectives submitted for accreditation may be focused on any of the outcomes expected of students as stated in the Profile of Graduates.

 

Action plans describe the methods the school will use to accomplish its Mission and its performance/capacity objectives. Action plans provide detailed descriptions of the specific actions required to achieve desired results outlined in the student performance improvement and organizational capacity objectives. This is the “doing” part of the plan. Action plans can and should include multiple activities that will engage the school in improvement activities for the next seven years. Action plans should be specific and tell in detail how the school will accomplish its objectives. Action plans should relate directly to the objectives, but they also should be related to the mission.

 

The Visiting Team examined the action plan(s) for the performance/capacity objectives in the school’s Plan for Growth and Improvement according to the criteria for effective action plans.

 

 

Technical Review

 

Prior to the Team Visit, the school’s objectives were reviewed by their MSA Accreditation Liaison as to whether or not the objectives met the technical requirements of the self-study. 

 


 

Instructions:

  • The Designing Our Future protocol requires the school to have a minimum of three but not more than five measurable objectives.
  • At least two of the objectives must focus on areas of student performance that have been determined to be priorities for growth and improvement.
  • The remaining one, two, or three objectives may be either student performance objectives and/or objectives focused on growing and improving the school’s organizational capacity to produce the levels of student performance desired and expected by the school’s community of stakeholders.
  • Space is provided below to evaluate the maximum number of objectives. If the school has fewer than five objectives, delete the remaining sections.
  • The Designing Our Future protocol requires the school to have action plans to achieve its student performance objectives. The school may have a separate plan for each objective or, when appropriate, may have an action plan for two or more of the objectives. Space is provided below to evaluate the maximum number of action plans. If the school has fewer than four action plans, delete the remaining sections.
  • The action plans should be included in the Self-Study Document. Examine the action plans and then 1) answer the question below and indicate in the table provided the degree to which each Action Plan meets the LSP criteria for action plans.

 

 

Objective #1:

 


 

A.      Objective

 

Instruction: Copy the school’s Objective #1 from the Self-Study Document and paste it into the space below.

 



 

Instruction: In the table below, indicate the degree to which Objective #1 meets the criteria for student performance objectives.

 

Yes / No

Is the objective:

Closely associated with the exit outcomes for students as expressed in the Profile of Graduates, graduation requirements, and/or performance expectations for the school’s students?
Reflective of the school’s Mission, and supportive of the strategic plan of the larger organization?

Does the objective:

Include baseline data, and are they logically organized and presented in an easily understood format?
Enjoy the support of the school’s stakeholders as one of the highest priorities for growth and improvement in student performance?

Does the school:

Have sufficient energy and resources to support the implementation of the action plans and the achievement of the objectives?
Have an effective and efficient way to gather data to assess the progress of the objective?
Is the objective reasonable and achievable?


 

What recommendations can the Team offer to the school for any areas evaluated “No” and/or to improve the clarity and focus of this objective?

 


 

B.      Action Plan

 

In the table below, evaluate the degree to which this action plan meets the criteria for an effective action plan.

 

Does this action plan:

Yes / No

Outline the action steps to be taken in year one of the accreditation term?
Demonstrate discipline and reasonableness by taking into account the school’s resources such as time, energy, personnel, etc.?



 

What recommendations can the Team offer to the school for any areas evaluated “No” to improve the clarity and focus of this action plan?

 



 

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