LIS SPECIFIC MODEL INFORMATION
LIS: GENERAL OVERVIEW
Established through the LAUSD-UTLA Local School Stabilization and Empowerment Initiative, LSSEI, of 2011 and provides for increased decision-making authority and empowerment of the faculty, Principal and parents to determine various aspects of a school’s educational program and policies.
Allows for deliberate adoption of specific autonomy from an array of autonomy options for local empowerment
Granted automatic waivers from District controls and parts of the LAUSD-UTLA CBA as needed to implement matters subject to local determination
Local Initiatives are to be driven solely by the imperative of continued improvement in student achievement and quality of instruction
Remain part of the District; open to students in accordance with student assignment plan
Total of 15 LIS schools across LAUSD at all school levels
LIS: AUTONOMIES
Instructional Program Autonomy: offers the following options from which to choose
Methods of Improving Pedagogy: methods to improve pedagogy and student achievement, such as articulation between grade levels/departments, intervention strategies and support programs
Curriculum: instructional standards, objectives and emphases subject to State and District minimum curriculum standards
Assessment: Local interim benchmark assessments, tests, pacing plans, aligned with and equivalent to District requirements and complying with any State and Federal requirements
Professional Development: aligned with the Single Plan for Student Achievement except as to training related to legal/compliance mandates
Internal Organization and Operations: schools may choose to exercise autonomy over the following areas
Schedule: refers to daily instructional days/minutes, school activities and events, and special schedules to accommodate additional prep time for elementary teachers subject to District mandated minimum number of school days, instructional minutes and calendar requirements
Internal Organization: such as division into academies, SLCs, houses within the assigned student population
Budget: provides general fund budget control pursuant to District’s evolving site based funding system-General School Fund Program
Internal Organization and Operations: schools may choose to exercise autonomy over the following areas
Health and Safety: aligned with District-wide health/safety mandates
Re-adoption in the Local Initiative School Program: any current special conditions/waivers already applicable to the school pursuant to SBM, ESBMM, Pilot or other arrangements
Adoption of Separate Waiver Plans: Pilot program or ESBMM subject to each programs requirements
Discipline & Code of Conduct: aligned with the District-wide standards and rules governing student conduct, suspensions, expulsions and transfers.
Staffing: three available areas of autonomy in regards to the staffing
Mutual Consent: no district mandated priority placements at the school site; schools must comply with the return rights or other placement rights to the school
Teacher Assignments:local process/method to determine assignment of teachers to grade levels, departments, subjects and classes, (looping, team-teaching, ungraded or multi-age classrooms)
Staff Appointments: local process/method toselect grade level or department chairs, coordinators, deans, instructional coaches, etc.
LIS: ACCOUNTABILITY
Local District Procedure
ESTABLISHING A LIS SCHOOL
Planning Phase
Attend Autonomy workshops hosted by the Local Options Oversight Committee (LOOC).
Submit a Letter of Intent
Review the current Single Plan for Student Achievement as well as other relevant school data and proceed through a systematic analysis of the existing data.
Engage school staff, family and community members in the data analysis process (ongoing) and collect documentation of that engagement, attaching staff and parent meeting agendas. Sign-in sheets and other evidence.
Inform staff, parents, community members, and students (in the case of high schools) of the Autonomy options offered to LAUSD schools.
Conduct the petition process and gain the concurrence of the principal.
Proposal Development
Develop and finalize the proposal
Continue to engage all school community stakeholders in the development of the proposal; document all meetings
Voting Requirements
Submit final proposal to the faculty ten working days before a vote
Convene at least one faculty meeting prior to the day of voting to review and discuss the merits of the proposal
Adoption of the LIS model requires an affirmative vote of 60% of the votes cast. Voter eligibility is limited to the UTLA-represented certificated staff assigned full-time to the school. The voting shall be by secret ballot, supervised jointly by the Principal and the Chapter Chair.
ESBMM: GENERAL OVERVIEW
Established jointly between LAUSD and UTLA in April 2010 to enhance flexibility, accountability and local control for participating schools to promote academic excellence and full engagement by the school community
Set package of autonomies available to all approved schools
Exempt from District policies and Board Rules, except those necessary for legal compliance
Subject to state and federal laws
All provisions of the District-UTLA CBA apply to all members
Remain part of the District; open to students in accordance with student assignment plan
Total of 24 ESBMM schools across LAUSD at all school levels
ESBMM: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES
Disperse Power
Participation of many stakeholders, including parents, in the governance of the school
Established governance council and committees (including the SSC) with identified roles and responsibilities such as setting the school vision, approving the annual budget and selecting the school leader
Emphasis on Professional Development. Support school objectives to build capacity for change, create a professional community and develop a shared knowledge base
Disseminate Information. Information is shared consistently and in a timely manner with all school stakeholders and is used to make informed decisions regarding the organization and direction of the school.
Effective Leadership. The principal promotes a school-wide commitment to growth in skills and knowledge by leading, delegating, dispersing leadership andengaging all stakeholders to participate in the work of the school.
ESBMM: AUTONOMIES
Financial Resources: site-based model funding determined by the District-General Fund School Program
Staffing: subject to restraints of CBA and District staffing policies
Curriculum and Assessment: choose curriculum materials, methodology or implementation that aligns with the state adopted CCSS
Professional Development: aligned with the instructional program to best meet the needs school community
Bell Schedules: maximize student learning and meets laws and District requirements for minimal instructional minutes
Governance: including, for example, organizational structure, composition of governing councils and committees, and roles and responsibilities, in keeping with all legal requirements
ESBMM: ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability Metrics: establish clear accountability measures for each area of autonomy
Annual Review: ensure the school is on target to meet annual improvement goals
Formal Quality Review: in year three and every five years thereafter unless the review reveals issues requiring earlier follow up
ESTABLISHING AN ESBMM SCHOOL
Planning Phase
•Attend training to learn more about the ESBM model
•Develop an outreach plan that includes involvement and engagement of all school community stakeholders in the decision to pursue the model
•Document all engagement efforts (e.g., meeting agendas, notes, etc.)
•Seek approval from the Leadership Council to pursue the ESBM model
Plan Development
•Identify a team who will support the writing and development of the proposal
•Submit a Letter of Intent and write the proposal
•Continue to engage all school community stakeholders in the development of the proposal; must host a minimum of three (3) different meetings at various times with parents and community members; document all meetings
•Periodically share draft proposal with all staff and gather feedback
Voting Requirements
•Share final proposal shared with all staff
•Conduct and document staff vote; Proposal is approved if 67% of UTLA bargaining unit members who work at least 50% of the time at the site vote in favor
Proposal Submission and Approval
•Submit plan for approval
•School receives written notification from the Superintendent or the Designee regarding next steps relative to the proposal submitted
PILOT SCHOOL: GENERAL OVERVIEW
•Created in LD 4 in February 2007, through a partnership between LAUSD and UTLA to be models of educational innovation and to serve as research and development sites for effective urban public schools.
•Set package of autonomies available to all approved schools
•Subject to state and federal laws
•Stipulate the work conditions for the coming year via an Elect-to-Work Agreement
•May waive parts of the CBA except for the following articles: IV, X, X-A, XII, XIII, XVII, and XXVIII
•Remain part of the District; open to students in accordance with student assignment plan
•Total of 50 Pilot schools across LAUSD at all school levels
PILOT SCHOOL: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES
•Unifying Vision and Mission. Reflected in all school practices and structures
•Equity. School communities are inclusive and ensure that practices provide all students with opportunities to reach high levels of achievement
•Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Teaching and learning are characterized by the following attributes:
•Explicit high expectations for every member of the school community
•Instruction is differentiated and teachers empower students to be responsible for their own learning
•Provide a rigorous core academic curriculum to all students
•Students are assessed and demonstrate their understanding of key competencies in multiple ways, including standardized tests, exhibitions and portfolios
•Commitment to Personalization. Optimal size is between 450-550 students to enable teachers and student to build strong relationships and a safe environment
•Professional Collaborative Culture
•Teachers share their practice to sustain a professional collaborative culture
•Emphasis on shared decision-making through consensus-building and shared responsibility for student achievement
•Leadership
•People closest to the students make the school and policy decisions
•Governing boards have increased decision-making power over the school’s vision, budget approval, principal selection/evaluation and local policies
•Family and Community Engagement
•Focused on respect, trust and collaboration
•Families are expected to participate as partners
•Schools form partnerships with community organizations
PILOT SCHOOL: AUTONOMIES
•Professional Collaborative Culture
•Teachers share their practice to sustain a professional collaborative culture
•Emphasis on shared decision-making through consensus-building and shared responsibility for student achievement
•Leadership
•People closest to the students make the school and policy decisions
•Governing boards have increased decision-making power over the school’s vision, budget approval, principal selection/evaluation and local policies
•Family and Community Engagement
•Focused on respect, trust and collaboration
•Families are expected to participate as partners
•Schools form partnerships with community organizations
PILOT SCHOOL: ACCOUNTABILITY
•Accountability Process: based on three categories which articulate the criteria for a high-performing quality school:
•Unwavering focus on academic achievement
•School Culture, Climate and infrastructure that support personalization and academic achievement
•Leadership that supports high achievement for students and staff
•Annual Review: a self-reflection and a day of classroom observation by a team of stakeholders who provide feedback to the school community
•Full School Review: in year three and every five years thereafter; involves all school community members in a self study and an external team conducts a comprehensive school visit
ESTABLISHING A PILOT SCHOOL
Planning Phase
•Attend orientation meeting hosted by the District
Plan Development
•Identify a team who will support the development of the proposal
•Submit a Letter of Intent and write the proposal
•Periodically share draft proposal with all staff and gather feedback
Voting Requirements
•Conduct and document staff vote; Proposal is approved if 67% of UTLA bargaining unit members who work at least 50% of the time at the site vote in favor
Proposal Submission and Approval
•Proposal reviewed by the Pilot School Steering Committee (PSSC)
•Teams may be invited by the PSSC to participate in a meeting to discuss proposal or asked to re-write sections of the proposal
•Proposals approved by the PSSC go to the Board of Education for approval
•Receive written notification of the Board of Education decision
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July 2015