New Project Objectives & Performance Measures

USDE Recommendations / Other Recommendations
Objective 1 – To recruit, train and support new principals for rural schools.
Performance Measures
1a. By August, 2014, 55 new principals (the “Rural Cohort”) will graduate from the University of Alaska – Anchorage with the special knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in Alaska’s high poverty, high need rural schools.
1b. By August 2014, 40 or more of the Rural Cohort principals will be employed in one of the project’s eighteen participating districts’ high needs schools.
1c. By August, 2014, 90% of RAPPS district principals new to the profession or new to Alaska schools, who have received two years of coaching services, will remain employed as a principal in a high needs school at the end of their fourth year.
Comments: Overall strong measures! For 1a, will there be criteria to determine the “special knowledge and skills necessary to be successful…”?
Objective 2 – To increase student academic achievement. / To increase student academic achievement and principals’ leadership skills.
Performance Measures
2a. By August, 2014, 75% of principals who are actively involved in RAPPS professional development activities for at least two years will show gains in effective school leadership skills for high-poverty, low-performing schools.
2b. By May of each year 20% of the RAPPS program schools who are identified by EED as a School In Need of Improvement, or in Corrective Action status, and who are actively involved in RAPP professional development, will make Adequate Yearly Progress for that year.
2c. By May of each year, (beginning with May 2010), 50% of RAPPS program schools who are indentified as a School In Need of Improvement, or in Corrective Action status, and who are actively involved in RAPP professional development, will achieve one or more of their student academic learning objectives as stated on their School Improvement Plans.
2d. By May 2013, disseminate project findings, results and materials locally to 100% of Alaska rural school districts and nationally in school districts with similar rural educational leadership needs addressed by this project. / 2d. By May 2013, have a minimum of 2-3 formal presentations about RAPPS program activities, findings, and outcomes been disseminated annually (years 3-5) at local, regional, and national conferences, meetings, workshops with 80-90 percent of presentation participants reporting RAPPS presentations to be informative and relevant to their needs.
Comments from USDE:
■  For 2a, how much “gain” will be shown?
■  2a does not align with the objective. The objective is referring to increased student achievement whereas 2a is referring to gains in school leadership skills. Perhaps is the objective was reworded to include leadership it might be better aligned.
2d should focus more on the outcome of disseminating the project findings as opposed to stating that the dissemination will be completed.