Division of PK-12 Education
AEA Annual Progress Report (AEA-APR)2013-14
Submitted to the Iowa Department of Education August 20, 2015
281--IAC 72.10(2)
Minimum Requirements
INSTRUCTIONS281--IAC 72.10(2)(a)
- Baseline and trend line data related to each agency-wide goal should be included in this section.
- The agency’s data on success indicators or effectiveness should be aligned to agency-wide goal performance. These data may help describe progress toward goal attainment.
- The agency describes when each agency-wide goal was established -- within the "Goal" textbox.
- If less than three years of data are available an explanation is provided in the textbox for the missing years.
Agency-Wide Goal - Number 1 of 3
Goal Title / Progress Toward Agency-Wide Goal #1- Increase student acquisition and application of 21st century skills and knowledge.Goal
Include goal statement, year established, and baseline. / Goal created in fall of 2009.
In order to meet our goal to increase student acquisition of 21st century skills and knowledge, schools need to have four components in place. Students and teachers need to use technology in the classroom for critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration, they need to have access to technology, they need a skill set to utilize technology, and a supportive environment which includes professional development. Starting in 2013, GWAEA has been utilizing a data collection tool called Clarity to assess how well our schools are doing in these four areas.
Progress Toward Agency-Wide Goal
School Year 2013-14.
Data was provided by Stacy.
Need info from Dave, sorted data from survey / The total responses of teachers (which includes N = 1037 general education and special education teachers) who either agreed or strongly agreed with the following statement, ''Services provided by GWAEA have contributed to acquisition of 21st C skills and knowledge,'' were as follows:
2011 (baseline year) - 70.5%
2012 - 70.7%
2013 - 68.2%
2014 –68%
Growth in the LEAs’ use of the agency’s many online database resources available through AEA Online has grown astronomically. Part of this is due to how some of the resources capture and count hits to their sites. Still, we have grown from a total of 2.6 million (baseline year) to 123.7 million hits in the 2012-2013 school year. The agency has become one of the largest Internet aggregators in the state, providing over 2.5 gigabytes of bandwidth to the public and nonpublic schools accessing the Internet through the agency.
Technology is a key driver towards instruction that impacts student learning outcomes, both on standardized assessments and for 21st Century Learning skills. Students must have regular opportunities to engage in the 4Cs. The 4C’s are communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.
In an effort to support the districts’ and nonpublic schools’ efforts to provide quality technology-focused education for their students, the AEAs have entered into a three-year contract with Clarity Bright Bytes, which has created a rigorous survey instrument and report interface that allows the districts and the AEAs to get feedback from teachers, students and parents regarding the level of development their schools have in the area of technology. The reports provide a range of proficiency from ''beginning'' to ''exemplary.'' The survey also covers classrooms, access to the Internet, skills of the students and the teachers, and the school’s overall technology environment.
The tool utilizes a CASE Framework, which is a flexible, research-based framework that informs the data gathering and analytical processes used to improve the impact of technology on learning outcomes. CASE™ examines Access to technology, Skills, and factors in the school Environment. All three areas converge to produce the results in the Classroom. Each of the four CASE™ domains contains 3-8 success indicators—areas that research has shown are linked to student outcomes. This framework provides a medium for all stakeholders to establish a common understanding of technology use.
Baseline data was collected in 2013-2014. This data represents responses from 2594 teachers in the GWAEA service area. (In 2014-15, 21 of our districts will be participating so we will have data from a wider sample of teachers.)
Baseline CASE Score: 1059 - This indicates that overall score for teachers, which falls into the proficient range. Our goal is for our teachers to perform in the exemplary range.
This measured teacher performance in these categories:
Use of 4 C’s:
Teacher-Beginning
Student-Emerging
Use of Digital Citizenship:
Teacher-Proficient
Student-Emerging
Assessment:
Teacher-Emerging
Assistive Technology:
Teacher-Proficient
Foundational skills:
Teacher-Advanced
Student-Advanced
Online Skills:
Teacher-Proficient
Student-Advanced
Multi-Media Skills:
Teacher-Proficient
Student-Proficient
We are hopeful that this tool will help the schools better determine their students’ and teachers’ needs as they collect meaningful data for their individual schools and districts. Our agency’s school technology consultants will also engage in assisting the schools in AEA10 so that they are providing contemporary, effective pedagogy on behalf of all learners
The agency also continues to offer training in 21st Century technology skills, and we now have four, full-time consultants providing training and working with the schools. These classes draw high levels of participation and glowing evaluations from participants. Training for superintendents, school administrators, teachers and agency staff continues in the best practices and use of Google tools - documents, groups, circles, sites, email, and other applications.
Agency-Wide Goal - Number 2 of 3
Goal Title / Progress Toward Agency-Wide Goal #2- Increase the academic performance of all students.Goal
Include goal statement, year established, and baseline. / This goal was created in 2001. Student performance, based on Iowa Assessment test scores, have been used to measure the achievement toward this goal.
Baselines for student test scores were as follows:
Reading
Grade 4 Base Year 2001-2003: 78%
Grade 8 Base Year 2001-2003: 75%
Grade 11 Base Year 2001-2003: 82%
Mathematics
Grade 4 Base Year 2001-2003: 77%
Grade 8 Base Year 2001-2003: 78%
Grade 11 Base Year 2001-2003: 84%
Science
Grade 4 data unavailable
Grade 8 Base Year 2001-2003: 82%
Grade 11 Base Year 2001-2003: 84%
Progress Toward Agency-Wide Goal #2: Increase the academic performance of all students.
School Year 2013-2014 / This goal was created in 2001. Student performance, based on Iowa Assessments test scores have been used to measure the achievement toward this goal.
Baselines and current year data are as follows:
Percent Proficient in Reading
Base YearCurrent Year
(2004-2005)(2012-13)
Grade 4:78.7% 75.49%
Grade 8:73.49%68.02%
Grade 11:79.67%84.71%
Percent Proficient in Mathematics
Base YearCurrent Year
(2004-2005)(2012-13)
Grade 4:79.69%79.17%
Grade 8:77.65%77.24%
Grade 11:81.53%85.70%
Percent Proficient in Science
Base YearCurrent Year
(2004-2005)(2012-13)
Grade 4: 80.84% 82.32%
Grade 8:84.13%76.96%
Grade 11:84.66%87.71%
Progress toward Agency-Wide Goals
We have seen some growth in proficiency levels at the 4th grade level; however, at the 8th and 11th grade levels, overall student performance has been essentially flat from 2001 to the present. Thus the need exists for us to pursue even more aggressive support systems such as the MTSS/RTI.
Toward the goal of improving the performance of all students, all of the AEAs and the Iowa Department of Education have developed a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)/Response to intervention (RTI) in Iowa. The intent is to work more effectively and efficiently as a full educational system to accomplish a few agreed upon priorities.
Research has shown that low income students are significantly more likely to test below proficient level than classroom peers who do not qualify. Throughout the course of our reporting for the APR from the base year to present, the actual percent of students who qualify for free or reduced lunches has increased almost every year.We believe this trend has an impact on this area’s proficiency rates.
The initial focus of the RTI work is on early literacy and closing the achievement gaps with the goal that every child is proficient by the end of third grade. The group selected this priority because of the integral role literacy proficiency plays in all other academic and social areas.
To attain this goal, the team working on this studied high-performing systems around the world, reviewed Iowa’s performance across Iowa Assessments and the National Assessment for Educational Progress, reviewed Iowa’s strengths and challenges, and distilled what has been shown to work into four interconnected strategies that when leveraged, result in higher performance and greater success for children/youth:
- Standards and Curriculum (the what)
- Educator Quality (the who)
- Response to Intervention (the how)
- School Improvement (assessing quality and need for improvement).
It is important to note that the MTSS/RTI IS NOT:
- a system for identifying students who need IEPs nor is it a ''special education'' program
- a system to support struggling learners (it’s for all students)
- perpetuating processes that have been used in the past.
Agency-Wide Goal - Number 3 of 3
Goal Title / Agency-Wide Goal #3- Increase the percentage of students who perform at the proficient level.Goal
Include goal statement, year established, and baseline. / Increase the percentage of students who perform at the proficient level.
Goal created in 2001.
To assess this goal, the agency reviews the performance of students identified as low SES, nonwhite, or on IEPs compared to their age-group, as a whole. The data comes from Iowa Assessments scores at the 4th, 8th, and 11th grades.
Progress Toward Agency-Wide Goal #3- Increase the percentage of students who perform at the proficient level.
School Year 2013-2014 / Goal created in 2001. Baseline data is reflected in first year data shown in each of the charts.
To assess this goal, the agency reviews the performance of students identified as low SES, nonwhite, and/or on IEPs compared to their age-group, as a whole. The data come from Iowa Assessment test scores at the 4th, 8th, and 11th grades.
In reviewing this data, the trajectory of student performance in all categories and all student groups for math is positive: student performance in 4th grade is up, largely maintained at 8th grade, and again improved in the 11th grade.
In reading, we see a slight dip in performance when students were tested at the 4th grade level, but the performance improves when students were again tested at the 8th and 11th grades. A similar dip was noted for 8th grade students tested in mathematics, where each race/ethnicity subcategory underperformed on tests when compared to similar categories tested during 4th grade. However, the scores were much more positive for students tested during 11th grade.
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INSTRUCTIONS281--IAC 72.10(2)(b)(1)
Needs - Teacher, School, and School District: 281-IAC 72.10(2)(b)(1)(1)
The AEA Annual Progress Report includes, at a minimum, three years of data regarding how the AEA addressed specific teacher, school, and school district needs evidenced in local school improvement plans and annual progress reports.
- The AEA includes three years of data from the following data sources:
- Needs summarized from LEA CSIPs and LEA APRs.
- Needs from Department of Education feedback on LEA CSIPs and LEA APRs.
- A description of actions taken by the AEA to address the identified needs is included in the APR.
Progress with Teacher, School, and School District Needs
School Year 2013-2014 / All 32 districts provided data this year regarding goal achievement in math, reading and science for LEAs in 2013-14. The number of districts with goals versus goals met were:Math - 62.5%
Reading - 56.25%
Science –65.63 %
Following a review of the districts’ APRs, the following conclusions were drawn:
We experienced an increase in the percentage of districts meeting their APR goals in the areas of Math and Science.
- 59% of our district used proficiency as a measure of success,
- 31% used growth, and
- 9% used a combination of growth and proficiency.
- 59% used grade(s) specific goals,
- 21% had goals that reflected a combination of all/subgroups/and or grade, and
- 19% reflected a goal for all students.
- 84% used Iowa Assessments as their assessment,
- 3% used another assessment, and
- 13% used Iowa Assessment in combination with other assessment(s).
A majority of our districts utilized Iowa Assessments as their metric for progress.
The Leadership for Continuous Improvement series; along with other curriculum, instruction and assessment focused supports, provide opportunity for district leadership teams and lead teachers to focus on system structures and instructional practices that effect student learning. Facilitated learning, coaching and consultation are provided to build district capacity and support implementation fidelity.
The agency’s annual customer survey provides some indication of teacher and administrator satisfaction, and the number below reflects all respondents’ feedback on how the AEA helps in meeting their needs. The numbers below indicate the percent of survey respondents who said they either agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, ’’The AEA is responsive to my school’s student learning needs.’’
2002 - (N=285) 92% (base year)
2011 - (N=1862) 83%
2012 - (N=1207) 82%
2013 - (N=1666) 66%*
2014- (N=1671) 77.9%
*Previous year’s survey numbers included only responses from individuals indicating they used AEA services. That question has been eliminated and thus skews the results.
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INSTRUCTIONS281--IAC 72.10(2)(b)(1)
Needs - Student: 281-IAC 72.10(2)(b)(1)(2)
The AEA Annual Progress Report includes, at a minimum, three years of data regarding how the AEA addressed specific student learning needs evidenced in local school improvement plans and annual progress reports.
- The AEA includes three years of data from the following data sources:
- Needs summarized from LEA CSIPs and LEA APRs.
- Needs from Department of Education feedback on LEA CSIPs and LEA APRs.
- A description of actions taken by the AEA to address the identified needs is included in the APR.
Progress with Student Learning Needs
School Year 2013-2014 / Two of the statewide AEA customer survey questions apply to student learning needs. Below are the responses from all respondents:
The AEA is responsive to my school’s student learning needs.
Year - (total number of respondents) and Percent Who Agree or Strongly Agree
2002 (base year) - (n=285) 92%
2011 - (n=1862) 83%
2012 - (n=1207) 82%
2013 - (n=1666) 66%
2014- (n=1671) 77.9%
The AEA services I have received this past year have assisted in improving my students’ achievement.
2002 (base year) - (n=285) 59%
2011 - (n=1862) 79%
2012 - (n=1207) 80%
2013 - (n=1666) 71%
2014- (n=1671) 73%
The LEAs continually strive to increase parental involvement to improve student performance. AEA 10 has adopted PowerSchool (student information system). It is a web-based student information system that enables educators to make timely decisions impacting student performance while creating a collaborative environment for parents, teachers and students to work together in preparing 21st Century learners for the future. Teachers can post grades and assignments to a secure Web site. Parents can communicate with the teachers and keep abreast of their child’s needs using the system. It also facilitates schools’ abilities to cross tabulate Iowa Core skills and concepts with the school’s curriculum. The agency’s programmers have also developed attendance and behavior fields, which give administrators even more tools for analyzing student performance and help them identify barriers to quality education.
The agency has built in student assessment data analysis for LEAs using the PowerSchool system. This allows them to access student test data by grade level, by classroom or even by individual. LEAs use this information for curriculum development and student learning assessment.
Several years ago, GWAEA developed two pilot projects which have been highly successful: the Special Education Behavior Team (SEBT) and the SE Literacy Team (SPEL).
About seven years ago, AEA10 developed a Special Education Behavior Team (SEBT), which worked with teachers and students on a referral basis to help address behavior needs for students in the school environment. The work of this team was highly successful, and in an attempt to build capacity across the AEA and LEA, we have modified this model slightly, to provide more job-embedded coaching and professional development in the area of behavior to AEA and LEA staff across the agency to build and sustain capacity in this area.
In previous years, our SPEL team researched the key components needed to provide targeted reading interventions for students. The focus of the SPEL team to this point has been to give special education teachers the expertise to provide targeted literacy instruction. This learning has been scaled-up, with the goal to build capacity with other AEA staff. The training and mentoring for this scale-up took place during the summer of 2014 with continued support of the agency staff into the 2014-2015 school year.
For districts that have been identified with Schools in Need of Assistance or as Districts in Need of Assistance, the AEA provides support teams that work with the districts to address issues and to develop alternative teaching approaches to help increase the building or district’s success with students.
GWAEA provides special education “Child Find’’ services to all children ages 0-21. This service focuses on identifying children suspected of having educational disabilities, such as skills deficits, health or physical conditions, or patterns of behavior, that adversely affect their educational performance. A child must demonstrate both a disability and an educational need, which exceeds the capacity of general education in order to meet special education eligibility criteria. GWAEA uses a non-categorical (e.g. diagnosis neutral) approach to identifying and entitling children to special education. Specific procedural requirements, including written parent consent for evaluation and 60-day evaluation timelines, characterize the entitlement process. Two measures of this team’s speed in helping parents during the most recent year measured (2012-13) are:
- Early ACCESS completed all evaluations within the allotted 45 days at 99.84%
- Provided services within 30 days of consent of services being signed at 100% of the time.
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