" If you are thinking one year ahead, sow seed.
If you are thinking ten years ahead, plant a tree,
if you are thinking one-hundred years ahead, educate the people."
- Chinese proverb
The following chart is an overview of our four-year accountability process:
| Year One
Phase One |
Year Two
Phase Two |
Year Three
Phase Three |
Year Four
Phase Four |
| Monitor and review
Implementation plan
Clarification of expected schoolwide learning results Participate in training orientation and goal setting Deliniate criteria Create schoolwide focus groups Develop school / community profile Administrative Review and progress report. Develop Improvement plan for year two. Community forum |
Further development
of self study
Gather data based on accountability criteria Synthesis of data and creation of a schoolwide action plan based on findings and focus group recommendations Assurance of schoolwide consensus and further development of action plan Prepare a report for the visiting committee Community forum |
Low-stakes site visit
by a group of peers
Report from peers to school with recommendations Develop plan for improvement and timeline Implement and monitor improvement plan Self-study for Year 4 Renewal application Community forum |
Charter renewal
application
High-stakes visit Renewal committee Ongoing Implementation of improvement plan Committee reports to school and district Community forum |
The following Critical Questions will guide much of our accountability plan. They have been taken from the Colorado League of Charter Schools and borrow heavily from those being used in Massachusetts and some other states.
- Is the school faithful to the terms of its contract?
- Is the school faithful to its stated mission, goals, and objectives?
- Is the academic program a success?
- Is the school a viable organization?
- Does the school recognize clearly where growth is most essential?
Related questions: Is the school design and educational approach clearly defined and coherent?
Do the school's organic documents-charter, educational vision, mission statement, guiding
principles, etc.-reflect a coherent school design?
b) What are the school's goals listed in the charter application? Note any revisions made in the school's goals since it opened. (Reserve examination of school's academic goals for 3a-c.)
If the school has non-academic goals for students (character, responsibility, behavior, leadership, citizenship, etc.) list those, too.
Are these goals consistent with the school's mission? Are they clear?
Is the school meeting these goals?
b) Assessments: How is student learning being assessed? Are the external and internal assessments
in place well matched with the school's academic goals? Are they aligned with the school's goals
to meet or exceed state or district standards? Are they aligned with the school's mission?
c) Results: Has the school made reasonable progress in meeting its own internally established
measurable goals over its first few years of operation? Is student performance strong and/or are
there clear indications students are making strong progress?
d) What strategies are in place to see that students with special needs, those at-risk of failure, and
those not making reasonable progress are meeting-or are being given opportunities and reasonable
accommodations to meet-the academic goals? Are those strategies proving effective for these
students in terms of improved academic performance?
e) What kinds of curriculum and objectives and/or course outlines are in place? Are they clear?
Are they consistent with the mission? Do they reflect high expectations?
f) How does the school evaluate the effectiveness of its academic program?
g) What changes have been made over the past year or two to improve the academic program?
How are those changes being evaluated?
b) Does the school have appropriate controls and procedures for the management of financial
resources?
c) Does the school commit its resources in ways that will help it achieve its mission and major
purposes? Does it look like the school is making investments in staff and training, and in books,
technology, and other supplies, that are consistent with the school's priorities?
d) Is a lack of financial resources impeding improved academic achievement?
e) Is attendance strong? Is the school meeting attendance goals?
f) Is enrollment stable and near capacity? Is the school showing good results on
retention of students?
2001-2002 _____
2002-2003 _____
2003-2004_____
Waiting list currently is _____
Number of current students not returning _____
g) Is school governance sound? How effective is the board?
h) Is school day-to-day leadership strong? How effective is the school's management/
administration? (Principal or school director; curriculum leaders; business managers; etc.)
i) Is the school's leadership-the combined work and joint efforts of the board and school
management to lead the school-effective?
j) What is the quality of teaching? Is professional staff competent and resourceful? Look into
continuity in staff.
k) What professional development is in place to support teachers in order to see that more
students are meeting the standards?
l) Is the school a place where students and teachers are safe and feel safe?
m) Is the school climate good? Does it seem to be a positive learning and social environment? Is
there a tone of decency and respect among and between students and the faculty?
n) Is discipline handled effectively? Gather data for last two years on:
Office referrals_______
Suspensions _______
Expulsions ________
o) Are the physical facilities adequate for the program of the school?
p) Are parents satisfied with the performance of the school? What measurements are in place to
indicate parent satisfaction? In what areas do they express concerns, and what steps are in place
to address those concerns?
q) How strong is parent involvement?
r) How strong is the relationship with the chartering authority? Is that going to be a factor in the
school's success and in its future?
- Summary data showing the school's major goals and progress toward achieving them
- Summary data showing student academic progress including HAP data.
- A summary of major decisions and policies established by the school's governing board during the year
- Data on the level of parent involvement in the school's governance (and other aspects of the school) and summary data from an annual parent and student satisfaction survey
- Data regarding the number of staff working at the school and their qualifications
- A copy of the school's health and safety policies and/or a summary of any major changes to those policies during the year
- Information demonstrating whether the school implemented the means to achieve a racially and ethnically balance student population
- The number of students on free or reduced lunch
- The number of students receiving special education services, including limited English proficiency
- An overview of the school's admissions practices during the year and data regarding the numbers of students enrolled, average daily attendance, the number on waiting lists, and the number of students expelled and/or suspended
- Analysis of the effectiveness of the school's internal and external dispute mechanisms and data on the number and resolution of disputes and complaints
- Other information regarding the educational program and the administrative, legal, and
governance operations of the school relative to compliance with the terms of the charter generally
The following components will be a framework for the personnel evaluation plan:
- Collective goal setting
- Self evaluations
- Management directed evaluations
Management Directed Evaluations: An evaluation tool may be created or adopted in order to
assess teachers in effective teaching practices. The education director, or a trained professional
named by the education director, may conduct observations and report on the strengths and
weaknesses of individual teachers. These reports may be used by the education director to plan
in-service training or in suggesting professional development for the teaching staff.
Effective teaching practices to be evaluated may include such criteria as those based on Berliner and Tikunoff's (1976) Effective Teaching Behaviors. The effective teachers will:
- React constructively to students' feelings and attitudes
- Give directions or threats and follow through
- Demonstrate confidence in teaching
- Demonstrate a grasp of the subject matter
- Monitor student progress and adjusting instruction accordingly
- Express positive, pleasant, optimistic attitudes and feelings
- Encourage students to take individual responsibility for his/her own classwork
- Encourage an appropriate level of self-directed work
- Capitalize instructionally on unexpected incidents
- Prepare students for lessons by reviewing, outlining, explaining objectives and summarizing
- Approach class activities with a stimulating and imaginative attitude
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