Report on Progress - July/August 2011

To date, three Memoranda of Understandings (MOU) in the area of Quality of Education have been negotiated and approved by the plaintiffs and School Board. The MOUs in place to date include:

Student Achievement, Student Discipline and Assignment to Programs and Classes.

Each MOU includes provision for semiannual meetings (February and July) of both parties to provide data updates and review progress toward aspirational goals and means and methods set forth in the memoranda. This report and supporting data includes the following elements referenced in the MOU.

Student Achievement

·         Evidence of School Improvement Plans including data on black student achievement relative to white and other students in general, strategies and interventions to improve black student achievement, and school-based individuals responsible for implementation

·         Equitable allocation of resources

·         Data to support the above using district data systems such as EDS/Portal/Reporting Services

Student Discipline (Behavior)

·         Evidence of School Improvement Plans including data on black student discipline relative to white and other students in general, behavioral strategies and interventions to improve student behavior and school-based individuals responsible for implementation

·         Evidence of schoolwide behavior plans to include positive behavioral supports and professional development in the implementation of the plan through the use of data for identifying the underlying causes of negative behavior through problem solving (PS/RtI:B)

·         Data to support the above using district data systems such as EDS/Portal/Reporting Services.

Assignment to Programs and Classes

·         Evidence of School Improvement Plans including data relative to assignment of students by race to exceptional education programs, accelerated classes, district application programs, AVID, and/or gifted programs, means and methods to achieve continuous improvement and school-based staff responsible for implementation.

·         Data related to black student participation in exceptional education programs, accelerated classes, magnet/application programs, AVID, and gifted services.

Quality of Education – Student Achievement

FCAT Results

Disaggregated student achievement data is reported by the Florida Department of Education in the annual Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports for the district and individual schools and can be accessed at http://schoolgrades.fldoe.org/default.asp. Additional FCAT demographic data is available through the FCAT Demographic Report website and can be accessed at https://app1.fldoe.org/FCATDemographics/Default.aspx. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in reading held steady in Pinellas County between 2010 and 2011 for all students (62% proficient), white students (70% proficient) and black students (35% proficient). AYP in mathematics declined between 2010 and 2011 for all students, white students and black students. The decline for black students was one percentage point (37% to 36%), which was less than the decline for all students (two percentage points, 66% to 64%) and white students (three percentage points, 76% to 73%). Individual school AYP longitudinal data is also provided by school level (elementary, middle, high) and type (ESE centers, charters).

Supporting Data - Three year longitudinal AYP charts are prepared annually by the PCS Research & Accountability Office. NOTE: This is a different format from the February 2011 report, but the data source is the same. The new report from R&A will provide a consistent format for future reporting.

Three Year District and State AYP Chart

Three Year Pinellas Schools AYP Charts

Graduation Rate

Official Graduation Rate data becomes available from the FDOE in October each year and will be included in the February/March Bradley MOU Report.

Supporting Data

·         3 Year Grate District Report - NGA - Breakdown By Race And Gender.pdf

·         GRATE SCHOOL BREAKDOWN 2009-10_FINAL REPORT_corrected_report_ready.pdf

College Readiness Scores

SAT and ACT scores become available from the College Board and ACT in September and will be included in the February/March Bradley MOU Report.

Supporting Data

·         SATTrends0510_AchGap.xls

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

The district Student Data File is provided by the College Board in mid to late July each year and requires some additional formatting and analysis by Pinellas County Schools. This preliminary process has taken place at the time of this report. The number of Advanced Placement exams taken by black students in Pinellas continues to increase. In 2011, 491 black students took one of more AP exam, up from 467 in 2010, an increase of 24 students. These 491 students took a total of 753 AP exams in 2011, up from 660 in 2010, an increase of 93 exams. Reversing last year’s decline, the percentage of black students earning AP exam scores of 3 and above increased from 13.6% in 2010 to 14.5% in 2011. Likewise the district percentage of students earning exam scores of 3 and above increased from 41.0% to 41.7%.

Supporting Data

·         Longitudinal AP Exam Report 2011.xls

·         Multiyear AP Exam Comparison All High Schools through May 2011.xls

School Improvement Plan (SIP)

As the MOU requires, each school is to include data on black student achievement relative to white and other students in general, strategies and interventions to improve black student achievement and school-based individuals responsible for implementation. This requirement is communicated annually to all school principals during annual SIP technical assistance. Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, SIP technical assistance and monitoring is coordinated through the district Research and Accountability Department. SIP technical assistance in 2011 is provided through the SIP Moodle site and during the administrator professional development at Envision 2014 held in August 2011.

The 2011 FDOE template used by all Pinellas schools has been designed to support the inclusion of data disaggregated by race for reading, math, writing and graduation rate. The SIP template also includes a table to indicate strategies and interventions and responsible individuals to address black student achievement. Individual 2011-2012 school SIPs are due
September 30, 2011 and may be accessed at http://www.flbsi.org/1011_SIP/Login.aspx by selecting Pinellas, the individual school and clicking the view school improvement plan (read only) link.

Included below is information on the Bradley MOU SIP goal requirements and the 2011-12 SIP template. Additional supporting data include the 2011-12 SIP Peer Review Checklist and a list of potential barriers and possible strategies for inclusion in the SIP that were developed by the Curriculum and Instruction Department to assist schools. Sample SIP goals will be included in the February/March Bradley MOU Report.

Supporting Data

·         SIP Bradley SIP Objective Requirements

·         Final 2011-2012 SIP Template

·         SIP Peer Review Checklist 2011-12 Final

·         Sample Barriers and Strategies for Reading, Math, Writing and Science SIP Goals

Equitable Allocation of Resources

Through a variety of local, state, and federal funding sources such as Title I, schools with large populations of black students receive additional human and financial resources.

Resource allocation to provide differentiated funding for targeted schools is still being finalized for the 2011-12 school year at the time of the August 11, 2011 report. The year 2 $1.5 million School Improvement Grant (SIG) will continue to support the 4 high schools identified in the lowest 5%. The district was recently awarded a new $2,285,000 SIG for Fairmount Park, Lakewood, and Woodlawn elementary schools. Additional district resources for schools identified in 2011 as Intervene or Correct II D/F under the state accountability system are currently being finalized and will be shared at the next mediation meeting.

Supporting Data

·         Tiered_Support_for_Schools

Quality of Education – Student Discipline (Behavior)

Suspension Report

The indicator of discipline required as a goal in the FDOE School Improvement Plan template is suspensions, both out-of-school and in-school suspensions. Pinellas County Schools’ Research and Accountability Office has developed yearly suspension reports for the first semester and end-of-year since 2006. A supplemental suspension report is compiled to specifically compare black and non-black students. These reports are based on historically archived data on a date certain for each report. The main report includes changes from the previous year and these reports are the most consistent and reliable suspension data available. All the suspension reports are posted on the district Research and Accountability website and the links to all of the current and past year reports can be found with the supporting data below.

The 2010-11 Main Out of School Suspension Report indicates that the total number of black student suspensions declined by 458, from 9,184 in 2010 to 8,726 in 2011. The total number of unique individual black students suspended declined by 187, from 4,207 in 2010 to 4,020 in 2011. This report also disaggregates suspensions by race by grade levels. Additional reports for individual schools detailing total black student suspensions and individual black students suspended are also included below. All suspension reports can be found on the PCS Research and Accountability web page at the link below.

Supporting Data

·         2010-11 Main Out of School Suspension Report

·         2010-11 Total Number of Suspensions - Black vs Non-Black

·         2010-11 Individual Suspensions – Black vs Non-Black

·         Suspension Reports Web Page – PCS Research & Accountability

Discipline Trends

During Bradley mediation, a graphical report of Discipline Trends including suspension and arrest data from the Educational Data Solutions (EDS) system has been shared in recent years. This report was designed by the Directors of School Operations (a position that no longer exists in Pinellas County Schools) and has been compiled by staff in the MIS office. This report is included for consistency with the February 2011 Bradley MOU Report. Data in the two reports may vary slightly as the MIS graphical report is developed from dynamic data pulled on a specific day and not the same “date certain” used for the Research and Accountability Suspension Reports.

Based on the June 23, 2011 MIS graphical Discipline Trends MIS Report, out of school suspensions for black students declined by 520 students, from 9,294 in 2010 to 8,774 in 2011. Disaggregated black and non-black data is provided for the district and individual schools. The data provided includes suspensions, arrests, most common incidents resulting in suspensions and the number of days suspended by incident type. The number of black student arrests for campus related incidents declined by 154, from 666 in 2010 to 512 in 2011.

Supporting Data

·         Discipline Trends 6-23-2011

Disciplinary Reassignments and Expulsions

The five Region Superintendent Offices have developed summary reports related to reassignments and expulsions. Disaggregated data by race is included for the past four years. The total number of student reassignments declined by 81 students, from 602 in 2010 to 521 in 2011. The total number of black students reassigned declined by 45 students, from 280 in 2010 to 235 in 2011. The total number of student expulsions declined by 2 students, from 22 in 2010 to 20 in 2011. The total number of black student expulsions increased by 2 students, from 10 in 2010 to 12 in 2011.

Supporting Data

·         2010-2011 Reassignment Summary

·         2010-2011 Expulsion Summary

School Improvement Plans

As required by the MOU, each school is to include data on black student discipline relative to white and other students in general, behavioral strategies and interventions to improve student behavior and school-based individuals responsible for implementation. The 2011 FDOE template used by all Pinellas schools has been designed to support the inclusion of suspension data and schools were instructed to include disaggregated data on the number of black students suspended. Schools were also encouraged to include an additional goal in the SIP related to development and implementation of their schoolwide behavior plan and other relevant goals. Individual 2011-2012 school SIPs are due September 30, 2011 and may be accessed at http://www.flbsi.org/1011_SIP/Login.aspx by selecting Pinellas, the individual school and clicking the view school improvement plan (read only) link.

Information on the Bradley MOU SIP goal requirements and the 2011-12 SIP Template can be found above in the Student Achievement section of this report. Examples of RtI Behavior goals are listed below and samples from selected SIPs will be included in the February/March Bradley MOU Report

Supporting Data

·         Other Goal RtI Behavior Samples Final 2010-2011 SIP.doc

Schoolwide Behavior Plans and Response to Intervention: Behavior (RtI:B) Implementation

Pinellas County Schools has developed a district wide Tier 1 positive behavioral support plan that aligns to Problem Solving Response to Intervention. In 2010 all School Based Leadership Teams (SBLT) participated in training to build capacity to implement a Schoolwide behavior plan that positively supports all students. The schools developed an action plan and designated an RtI: Behavior Facilitator. In September of each year, all schools submit a Schoolwide behavior plan to their Region Superintendent. The Schoolwide behavior plan template is included below as supporting data. Plans are due to the Regional Superintendents by September 26, 2011.

The school-based RtI: Behavior Facilitators attend training monthly to gain extensive knowledge on how to implement the plan with fidelity. These trainings are provided by the districtwide RtI: Behavior Coordinators. During these sessions, schools are taught how to progress monitor and review data to ensure fidelity of implementation. Data is obtained by all schools on the PBS Implementation Checklist (PIC) and the Benchmarks of Quality (BOQ). These results are shared with all stake holders.

The PBS Implementation Checklist (PIC) is completed by each school in October and February to assess each SBLT’s PBS implementation level and is reported in the February/March Bradley MOU Report.

The Benchmarks of Quality (BOQ) assesses the development and implementation of schoolwide RtI:Behavior. The BOQ Lists 53 benchmarks of quality in schoolwide RtI: Behavior programs within 10 critical elements. This document is completed by school teams first as a baseline and then at the end of each school year to identify areas of strength and weakness. The BOQ is used by the district to guide technical assistance and training, identify model schools and evaluate outcomes related to level of implementation. When a school obtains a score of 70% or above it is determined to be implementing the key elements with fidelity. The BOQ data for the 2010-2011 school year is included in this report for schools by level and individual schools. Schools reaching the 70% level overall or for individual critical elements are considered to be implementing with fidelity.

Included below is a summary of the Benchmarks of Quality assessment used to monitor implementation of PS/RtI:B including the specific benchmarks assessed in each of the ten critical elements. Also included are graphs of aggregating the BOQ responses across all participating schools in the district, and graphs for schools by level/type. The data indicates that across all schools the total average score has increased from the baseline of 48% in 2009-10 to 71% in 2010-11. The district wide 71% average score indicates that on average, schools are implementing PS/RtI-B with fidelity. BOQ graphs for each participating school are also included.

Supporting Data

·         2011-2012 School Wide Behavior Plan template

·         BOQ Critical Elements Description

·         2010-12 BOQ Charts by School Level

·         2010-12 BOQ Charts by Individual School

Quality of Education – Programs and Classes

School Improvement Plans

Each school is to include data relative to assignment of students by race to exceptional education programs, accelerated classes, countywide programs, AVID, and/or gifted programs, means and methods to achieve continuous improvement and school-based staff responsible for implementation. Individual schools selected the type of courses or programs to address in their SIP based on the programs and courses offered at the school. Some schools may have addressed magnet or fundamental programs, while others addressed accelerated course participation or students assigned to exceptional student education programs. The 2011 FDOE template used by all Pinellas schools has been designed to support the inclusion of such “other goals” and schools can add as many other goals as they desire. Individual 2011-2012 school SIPs are due September 30, 2011 and may be accessed at http://www.flbsi.org/1011_SIP/Login.aspx by selecting Pinellas, the individual school and clicking the view school improvement plan (read only) link.

Information on the Bradley MOU SIP goal requirements and the 2011-12 SIP template can be found above in the Student Achievement section of this report. Examples of RtI:Behavior goals are listed below and samples from selected SIPs will be included in the February/March Bradley MOU Report.

Supporting Data

·         Sample School SIP Goals.doc

Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Classes (including EBD and Gifted)

2010-11 district ESE participation data is compiled in February of each school year after the start of the second semester and will be included in the February/March Bradley MOU Report.

Supporting Data

·         Bradley ESE Enrollment Trends 2011

·         School Gifted count by Ethnicity

Accelerated Classes

Enrollment of students in accelerated classes is compiled in February of each school year after the start of the second semester and will be included in the February/March Bradley MOU Report. These courses include middle school advanced, middle school honors, Algebra I in middle school, high school honors, high school dual enrollment and high school Advanced Placement (AP).

Supporting Data

·         Black Enrollment Gaps - Bradley Data 2011-12

·         Bradley Multi-Year Rigorous Course Enrollment All Middle and High Schools 2011-12

·         Bradley 2011-2012 Summary MS HS Duplicated Course Enrollment.xlsx

·         Bradley 2011-2012 Summary MS HS Unduplicated Course Enrollment.xlsx

District Application Programs (DAP) (Magnets, Fundamentals, Career Academies)

A new category for tracking enrollment and dismissal in these programs has been added to the Portal student information system that will provide more precise data by application program.

The application and acceptance period for district application programs was conducted in January and February of 2011 and parents have the ability to make late applications during the remainder of the school year, summer, and into the next school year. A proximity preference was added to School Board Policy for the application program process to give students living nearest to schools with some of these programs, located in predominantly black neighborhoods a priority for open seats. The proximity preference is applied after the feeder pattern, sibling and/or professional courtesy preferences already in existence have been applied.

For the 2010-11 school year, tracking dismissals from magnet and fundamental programs were tracked by separate data elements. The new category for tracking enrollment and dismissal will also provide a mechanism to monitor dismissals from these programs by race and dismissal reason. Baseline data for the total number of dismissals in the student information system by program is provided below. Annual data on program dismissals and dismissal reasons will be reported in future reports.

Based on data from the district application process for the 2011-2012 school year, 25 % of all applications were made by black students, 22% of invitations were offered to black students, and 21% of all acceptances were black students.

Supporting Data

·      2011-12 Program applications, invitations, and acceptances by ethnicity

·      2010-11 Fundamental dismissals by ethnicity (Previous data element)

·      2010-11 All Application Program by ethnicity and category (New data element)

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)

The AVID program is expanding from 23 middle and high schools in 2010-2011 to 30 schools in 2011-2012 including all 16 traditional high schools and 15 of the 19 traditional middle schools. The remaining middle schools will be added in 2012-2013.

Enrollment of students in AVID classes is compiled in February of each school year after the start of the second semester and will be included in the February/March Bradley MOU Report.

Supporting Data

·         Longitudinal AVID Enrollment Summary 2011-2012

·         AVID breakdown 2011-12