Bureau of School Improvement, Differentiated Accountability
Region V Mid-Year SIP Reflection Facilitator Guide
Step A: Preparing for Mid-Year Reflection: Assemble evidence (quantitative data and qualitative evidence) to guide the Leadership Team in rich discussions and deep reflection.1 / Title Slide:
Bureau of School Improvement, Differentiated Accountability Region V, Mid-Year SIP Reflection Guide
2 / Purpose of the Mid-Year Reflection:
The purpose of the Mid-Year Reflection is:
•Continuously problem-solve how best to achieve SIP goals.
•Engage in collaborative conversations on goal achievement, strategy implementation, and barrier reduction.
•Adjust strategies and resources as necessary to improve student achievement.
The School Improvement Plan (SIP), which is a “living document,” allows schools to continually problem solve how best to reach their goals and adjust strategies and resources as necessary to improve student achievement. To encourage strategic thinking and quality discussions, SIP includes a Mid-Year Reflection to be completed in CIMS within 30 days of the release of mid-year assessment data.
3 / Questions school teams will consider (for each goal in SIP):
- Have barriers been eliminated or reduced?
- Were strategies implemented with fidelity?
- What are our benchmarks for success?
4 / Who is required to complete a Mid-Year Reflection in CIMS?
- The Mid-Year Reflection is required for Focus, Priority, Former F and School Improvement Grant (SIG) 1003(g) schools as indicated by the blue R icon on the Plans page.
5 / Mid-Year Reflection Timeline:
- Step A – Preparing for Mid-Year Reflection: Assemble evidence (quantitative data and qualitative evidence) to guide the leadership team in rich discussions and deep reflection.
- Step B – Leadership Team Reflection and Problem-Solving: Meet as a leadership team with key stakeholders to analyze and reflect on evidence to guide the Mid-Year Reflection process.
- Step C – Input Data in CIMS: Complete the Mid-Year Reflection online tool in CIMS within 30 days of the release of your school’s mid-year assessment data.
6 / Resources in the CIMS Toolkit:
If needed, facilitators may wish to demonstrate how to navigate to the resources in the CIMS Toolkit on the user’s Dashboard page at The purpose of each tool is outlined on the slide and how to navigate to where it may be downloaded from the CIMS Toolkit.
7 - 8 / Step A: Preparing for Mid-Year Reflection: Assemble evidence (quantitative data and qualitative evidence) to guide the Leadership Team in rich discussions and deep reflection.
Assemble evidence and analyze data to document the reflection process for Step 6 and Step 7. See the list of examples of evidence (on the next slide and on Table 1.1 in the Facilitator’s Guide) schools may wish to consider to document the fidelity of the implementation of strategies (Step 6) and the reduction or elimination of barriers (Step 7) for each goal in SIP.
Guiding Questions:
•Does the evidence for Step 6 document the fidelity of the implementation of your Strategy?
•Does the evidence for Step 7 document the reduction or elimination of your Barrier?
NOTES for School Teams /
- The next step (Step B) of the Mid-Year Reflection process is when Leadership Teams and their Key Stakeholders gather to analyze data and other evidences documenting school improvement, discuss and reflect on the school’s progress towards achieving its goals.
- The header questions on the subsequent slides are the key questions in the SIP Mid-Year Reflection.
- Additional, possible probing questions for school team discussions are listed belowfor your consideration.
- The goal of these discussions is to reflect and engage in rich conversations on school improvement.
- We encourage you to dig deep in the analysis of your school’s progress towards overcoming barriers and improving student achievement.
Step B: Leadership Team Reflection and Problem-Solving: Meet as a leadership team with key stakeholders to analyze and reflect on evidence to guide the Mid-Year Reflection process.
9 / “Has the Goal Been Achieved?”
The first question in the Mid-Year Reflection is: “Has the Goal Been Achieved?” and “What evidence do you see that you have achieved the goal?”
Reflect on your SIP plan that was created through the 8-Step Problem Solving Process at the beginning of the year. Review the targets identified in Step 1 and the evidence for goal completion in Step 8 for each goal. Discuss, using probing questions such the ones below.
•How do the structures and systems in place at our school ensure all facets of the school culture create predictable environments and a school climate that supports our SIP goal?
•What are the gaps that exist between our current state and our desired state? How will we address them between now and the end of this school year?
•Is the desired outcome of the goal evident throughout all applicable areas of the school?
•Does the evidence for Step 6 document the fidelity of implementation of your Strategy?
•Does the evidence for Step 7 document the reduction or elimination of your Barrier?
10 / “Is desired progress being made to accomplish the goal?”
The next question is: “Is desired progress being made to accomplish the goal?” and, “What evidence do you see that desired progress is being made to accomplish the goal?”
Probing questions:
•Describe the quantitative and/or qualitative evidence you have assembled to document progress towards achieving your SIP goal.
•What evidence (from multiple sources) is your school using to monitor for sustained, continuous improvement?
•Are your data meetings to measure and monitor goal progress regularly scheduled, with all critical decision makers present?
•How do you know that progress is being made?
•Are the timelines and processes for collecting and analyzing data through Step 8 being adhered to?
•Are data meetings to measure and monitor goal progress ongoing, with critical decision makers present?
•Do you have quantitative and qualitative data that demonstrates progress toward achieving the goal?
11 / “Have the originally targeted barriers been eliminated or reduced?”
The next question is: “Have the originally targeted barriers been eliminated or reduced?” When desired progress toward a goal is not being made, schools should first take a close look at the selected barriers (Steps 2-3).
Probing questions:
•What evidence do you see that the indicated barrier has been reduced or eliminated?
•What evidence do you have that the barriers are wide-reaching and will help you achieve your goal?
•Do you believe that the elimination of this barrier will help you achieve your goal?
•Have you determined that the selected barrier for this goal is not as impactful as you originally thought?
•If progress towards eliminating the barrier is not sufficient, where or what is the breakdown?
•Did your school identify other barriers beyond what was selected in the SIP that could serve as effective re-entry points into the plan?
12 / “Are the original strategies being implemented with fidelity, as designed?”
This the final question in the Mid-Year Reflection. Discuss using the following probing question:
•Were decisions to continue, intensify, modify, or terminate strategies or action steps based on specific evidence?
13 / Where are we in the process of School Improvement?
NOTE: This set of questions is not in the Mid-Year Reflection, but they may help your team wrap up and return to the essentials of the mid-year reflection process:
- How will progress towards our goal impact student achievement?
14-16 / These slide templates have been provided here as optional resources that may assist school teams in preparing for theirschool’s Mid-Year Reflection meetings.
Step C – Input Data in CIMS: Complete the Mid-Year Reflection tool in CIMS within 30 days of the release of your school’s mid-year assessment data.
17 / Note the due date for your school’s Mid-Year Reflection to be submitted in CIMS: ______
18 / The final slide provides the contact information for members of the DA Region V team.
Table 1.1. Examples of Evidence
State/District/School Summative and Interim Assessments / Summative Assessments: Florida Standards Assessments (FSA); End-of Course Assessments (e.g. FCAT Science, Civics, Algebra I & II, Biology, American History).
Interim Assessments: district and school created assessments; published tools (Achieve 3000 or iReady.)
Student Progress Monitoring Data / Formal progress monitoring tools: FAIR-FS, Reading Running Records; published assessments (such as Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System); Lexile Level growth measures (such as Achieve 3000 or Scholastic Reading Inventory).
Classroom based progress monitoring: unit and chapter tests; mini-assessments; notebooks, journals, formal papers, on-demand writing, writing process work, and other examples of performance based writing; lab reports and graphic organizers; samples of problem-solving.
Student Diagnostic and Intervention Assessments / Assessment data for Tier II and Tier III intervention (RtI); implementation of strategic and intensive interventions and intervention programs (such as Fundations, Reading Plus)
Professional Growth and Development (PD to Practice) / Classroom walkthrough data (e.g. iObservation, observation checklists); conferring and debriefing meetings; implementation of the coaching cycle, lesson study, collaborative planning, PLCs, data chats, and/or learning team meetings.
Student Performance Based Assessments / Learning goals and scales; rubrics or checklists for evaluating student projects, experiments, reports, performances and demonstrations; anecdotal records of student observations and accountable talk.
Demographic and Early Warning Systems Data / Trend data such as total student enrollment, enrollment by ethnicity, ELL, SWD, FRL and/or migrant status; attendance data including absence and tardiness; student referrals for in-school or out-of-school suspension; referrals for student support services, behavior support systems, RtI.
Perception/Survey Data / Parent, student, and teacher surveys; school climate and culture surveys; minutes or notes from PLCs, staff meetings, IEP meetings, and/or parent and community events.
Systems Data / Master schedules; teacher evaluation data (such as iObservation); curriculum resources including pacing guides, curriculum scope and sequence, and/or Instructional Focus Calendars; development of goals and scales, unpacking the standards, and collaborative lesson planning; learning team/data chats; progress reports and report cards.
Budget Related Data / Event expenditures such as field trips and parent nights; expenditures for student support; substitute expenditures and trends (analysis of substitute needs by teacher, purposes, and timing when substitute needs occur); instructional materials, technology purchases and other purchase orders; repairs and unexpected costs.
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Bureau of School Improvement, DA Region V - Updated: 1/16/16