Title I School Improvement (SIG) Grant 1003(g)
SIG I Year 2 District Commitment and Capacity and Fiscal First Onsite Monitoring Visit in Prince George’s County Public Schools
Maryland State Department of Education
SIG Monitoring and Fiscal Team First Onsite Visit Feedback
Maryland State Department of Education—Title I School Improvement Grant (SIG), section 1003(g)
LEA: Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) LEA Turnaround Director: Ed RyansLEA Turnaround Lead: Duane Arbogast, Chief Academic Officer Date of SIG Team’s Onsite Visit: November 18, 2011
MSDE SIG Team Members: Geri Taylor Lawrence and Jim Newkirk Date Shared with PGCPS: November 28, 2011
Title I School Improvement Grant (SIG): The School Improvement Grant (SIG) Program, authorized under section 1003(g) of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, provides funding through State educational agencies (SEAs) to local educational agencies (LEAs) with the lowest-achieving schools that have the greatest need for the funds and demonstrate the strongest commitment to use the funds to raise significantly the achievement of students. The United States Department of Education (USDE) views the large infusion of Federal funds into the SIG program through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) as a historic opportunity to address one of the most intractable challenges for America’s education system: turning around or closing down our Nation’s persistently lowest-achieving schools.
Purpose of the SIG Monitoring and Fiscal Teams’ Third Onsite Visit: As approved by USDE, MSDE, through SIG Monitoring Teams, will conduct three onsite monitoring visits annually in each LEA that receives a school improvement grant to ensure that the LEA is implementing its intervention model fully and effectively in Maryland’s Tier I and Tier II schools. As part of the SIG I Year 2 first onsite visit for school year 2011-2012, the SIG Team will interview members of the LEA Central Support Team which is the leadership body for planning, implementing, supporting, monitoring, and evaluating the LEA’s approved SIG Plan. In addition to the interviews, the MSDE SIG Fiscal Team will monitor SIG I Year 1 budgets that include the LEA Budget, Consolidated Budget, and the individual SIG I schools’ budgets.
Table Organization of SIG I Year 2 Monitoring and Fiscal Teams’First Onsite Visit Feedback for SY 2011-2012
Table 1 / PGCPS Overarching Issues
Table 2 / PGCPS Central Support Team Interview Questions and Responses
Table 3 / SIG I Year 1 LEA Budget for Prince George’s County Public Schools
for the 2010-2011 School Year
Table 4 / SIG I Year 1 Consolidated Budgets for Prince George’s County Public Schools
for the 2010-2011 School Year
Table 1
Overarching Issues forPrince George’s County Public Schools’ Approved SIG Plan
Issues / Required Response(s) from Prince George’s County Public Schools / Timeline
1. Turnaround Requirement:
Extended Learning Time
· Based on the Guidance on School Improvement Grants (USDE- January 21, 2010), to satisfy the requirements of the turnaround model for providing increased learning time, a before- or after-school instructional program must be available to ALL students in the school.”
· PGCPS has been out of compliance on this Turnaround Intervention Model Requirement.
· PGCPS communicated that all SIG I schools will implement their Extended Learning Requirement by December 2011. / · Provide a summary for each SIG I school that describes in detail how the school satisfies the requirement of increased learning time for all students in its building.
· Within its response for each school, provide implementation strategies/activities and schedules that provide extended learning time for the 2011-2012 school year. / On or before January 15, 2012
2. SIG I Year 1 Grant Period
· PGCPS’ SIG I Year 1 Grant sunsets December 30, 2011. / No Response Is Required / No Timeline Is Required
3. LEA Programmatic Support and Monitoring
· Based on information shared by PGCPS in its implementation of Section 4: LEA Commitment and Capacity, the school system must submit programmatic amendments to MSDE for approval.
· Based on information shared SIG school staff to MSDE’s SIG Teams, it is determined that new activities/strategies being implemented in the schools required a system programmatic amendment to reflect these changes.
· After a review of 2011 MSA data for each school, PGCPS stated they would be revising the annual goals for each school that were approved in the system’s approved SIG. The school system understands this change will require MSDE approval through the programmatic amendment process in its grant. / · Submit grant budget/program amendments as soon as possible to MSDE for review and approval.
Special Note:
PGCPS must receive prior written approval from the MSDE Program Monitor before implementing any programmatic changes. / On or before January 15, 2012
4. LEA Fiscal Support and Monitoring
· In PGCPS’ Consolidated Budgets, specifically its SIG 1003(g) Title I, Part A funds, the system’s allocation is $1,013,314.
· Based on PGCPS’ Spend Down Data on November 18, 2011, the school system has only spent 6% ($64,662.) of these funds. / No Response Is Required / No Timeline Is Required
Table 2
Section 4: LEA Commitments and CapacityLEAs that accept 2009 Title I 1003(g) school improvement funds agree to establish a central support team to oversee the implementation of the selected models in Tier I and Tier II schools as well as the strategies that the LEA will implement in Tier III schools. The Title I office must be represented on the Central Support Team. The team will coordinate the support, as well as monitor, and assess the progress for each of the identified schools. Complete the Table 4.A. Add rows as needed. /
Table 4.A
1003(g) Central Support Team
Turnaround Executive Committee for School Year 2011-2012 /
· There are several layers to PGCPS’ Turnaround Executive Committee that coordinates the support, as well as monitors, and assesses the progress for each of the system’s identified SIG I schools.
· The committee meets once a month and is chaired by Dr. Duane Arbogast, Chief Academic Officer.
· Main committee members include chiefs from the following departments:
ü Curriculum and Instruction;
ü Department of State and Federal Programs;
ü Human Resources;
ü Student Service;
ü SIG I Principals; and
ü Special Education.
· Within the main committee, there are subcommittees from various system departments that provide push in services and support to the 4 SIG I schools when issues arise. Gladys Whitehead of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction leads the Turnaround Executive Committee’s subcommittees.
· In addition to the main committee and subcommittees, the SIG I Turnaround Office with a staff of 6 which includes:
ü Turnaround Director;
ü Administrative Budget Analyst;
ü Compliance Specialist;
ü Reading Specialist;
ü Math Specialist; and
ü Student Support Specialist.
· The Turnaround Director meets bi-monthly with its Research for Better Teaching partner. This partnership provides support for the SIG I schools in the areas of teaching and learning, leadership, and professional development.
· MSDE’s Breakthrough Center meets monthly with District Team as well as provides school and district support in the areas of reading and mathematics, as well as leadership.
Name of Central Support Team/Turnaround Executive Committee Members / Title / Responsibility / Tier Assignment
e.g. Tier I schools, Tier II Schools, or Tier III Schools / Estimate of the time each individual will devote to supporting Tier I, II, and III schools
(Hours per Month)
Superintendent’s Designee for SIG 1003(g)
Dr. Duane Arbogast / Chief Academic Officer / Provide oversight for the development & implementation of the 1003(g) School Improvement Grant; report on the progress of all aspects of the grant program to the Superintendent & Board of Education / Tier II Schools -
Benjamin Stoddert MS
Drew Freeman MS
G. James Gholson MS
Thurgood Marshall MS / 2 hours X 2 days per month (4 hrs. per month)
2 hours X 1 days per month (2 hrs. per month)
Central Support Team/Turnaround Executive Committee
Dr. Duane Arbogast,
Central Support Team Lead
Central Support Team/Turnaround Executive Committee Members:
Mrs. Dr. Debra Mahone
Ms. Karen Lynch
Dr. Gladys Whitehead
Mr. Robert Gaskin
Dr. Joan Rothgeb
Mr. Douglass Anthony / Executive Director
School & Leadership Development Office
Executive Director Title 1 Executive Director, Department of State and Federal Programs
Chief of Student Services
Director of Curriculum & Instruction
Director of Recruitment (HR)
Interim Director for Special Education
Director of Human Capital Management / Establish a central support team to coordinate all aspects of assistance, monitor implementation of turnaround strategies, and assess the progress of each identified school.
Convene monthly meetings with Turnaround Director and support team to:
· Identify obstacles to improve teaching & learning ,
· Review & analyze student achievement data to support student learning,
· Monitor the implementation of LEA turnaround strategies,
· Provide feedback about effectiveness to stakeholders,
· Maintain SANE documentation of central support team meetings,
· Collaborate with school staff, district staff, and community on school improvement efforts, and
· Report findings including, evaluation of effectiveness and make recommendations for improvement. / Tier II Schools:
Benjamin Stoddert MS
Drew Freeman MS
G. James Gholson MS
Thurgood Marshall MS / Monthly Meeting
2 hours X 1 days per month (2 hrs. per month)
Dr. Edward Ryans / Acting Turnaround Director / Direct support to the 4 Turnaround principals and schools.; conduct monthly co-observations with principals through the Framework for Teaching evaluation tool; provide coaching, mentoring and feedback to principals and teachers through a formative assessment evaluation process, conduct one performance planning conference per month with principals around specific student achievement and school metrics to assess learning and growth, and maintain SANE documentation of collaboration meetings with turnaround principals
Direct support to the four (4) turnaround principals and schools:
1. Participate and become certified as a Framework for Teaching observer,
2. Participate in observation coaching with the consultants from the Danielson group to calibrate observation ratings,
3. Collaborate with Curriculum and Instruction to provide support to teachers,
4. Provide coaching, mentoring and feedback to principals using the district’s evaluation system, create performance planning model around specific metrics to assess learning and growth of students. / Tier II Schools -
Benjamin Stoddert MS
Drew Freeman MS
G. James Gholson MS Thurgood Marshall MS / 8 hours X 20days per month (160 hrs. per month)
Steering Committee (Subcommittee Members)
Mrs. Betty Joseph
Mr. D. Vance Williams
Dr. Gladys Whitehead
Ms. Joann Durham
Ms. Valerie Nelson
Dr. Diane Powell
Ms. Janice Briscoe
Mrs. Sheila Jackson
Ms. Sharon Hodges
Ms. Patricia Smith
Dr. Indira Acker
Ms. Gail Gilmore
Ms. Cora Rose
Ms. Rhonda Pitts
Mr. Lawrence W. Fryer, Jr.
Mrs. Synthia Shillings, Esq. (or designee)
Mr. Robert Gaskin
Mr. Brian Johnson
Dr. Peter Thompson
Mr. Yousseff Antar
Mr. Patrick Louis-Pierre
Ms. Renee Henderson
Ms. Peggy Harrington
Ms. Pauline Carey
Mr. Doug Gaither
Mrs. Myra Grzeskiewicz
Mrs. Rhonda Hawkins
Mrs. Felice DeSouza
Mrs. Lyvita Brooks
Dr. Kola Sunmonu
Ms. Allison Hanks-Sloan / Director, Title I
Supervisor, Title I
Director, C & I
Reading, C & I
Mathematics, C & I
Student Services
Director, DSI Supervisor, School Improvement Office (Dept. of State & Federal Programs)
Coordinating Supervisors, Teacher Development
Special Education
Director, F.I.R.S.T.
Chief, Supporting Services
Acting Chief, Human Resources
Directors of Recruiting (Human Resources)
Director, Technology Applications
Liaisons, Technology Applications
Testing & Evaluation
PBIS Coordinator
Title I Liaison Compliance Specialist
TAS Reading Specialist
TAS Mathematics Specialist
TAS Student Support Services Specialist
Director for Research & Evaluation
Director for ESOL / Conduct quarterly monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of turnaround intervention model and strategies in Tier II schools.
Attend monthly meetings with Turnaround Director to review implementation of improvement strategies and assess progress and program effectiveness. / Tier II Schools -
Benjamin Stoddert MS
Drew Freeman MS
G. James Gholson MS
Thurgood Marshall MS / 2 hours X 1 days per month (2 hrs. per month)
School-level Monitoring
Ms. Patricia Taylor
Ms. Anita Sampson
Dr. Annette Blake
Mrs. Myra Grzeskiewicz
Ms. Charity Lawson
Mr. Derrick Davis
Mrs. Teresa O’Connor
TBA
TBA / DSI Specialist-Area II
DSI Specialist-Area III
Title I Specialist-Area IV
Title I Resource Teacher
Title I Academic Coach
Title I Parent Coordinator
Special Education
ESOL
Department of Academics / Conduct quarterly monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of turnaround intervention model and strategies in Tier II schools.
Attend bi-weekly meetings with Turnaround Director to review implementation of improvement strategies and assess progress and program effectiveness. / Tier II Schools -
Benjamin Stoddert MS
Drew Freeman MS
G. James Gholson MS
Thurgood Marshall MS / 2 hours X 5 days per month (10 hrs. per month)
a. How often will the LEA 1003g central support team meet?
· The LEA 1003(g) central support team/turnaround executive committee will meet bi-weekly monthly from July 2010 through June 2013 to discuss findings from quarterly monitoring tools and other turnaround strategies as requested by the Turnaround Director.
· Mid Atlantic Equity Consortium (MAEC: parent engagement partner) attends monthly meetings.
b. How often will they report on their work and the work on Tier I, II and III schools to the Superintendent?
· The LEA Superintendent is apprised monthly of the SIG I implementation progress by the Chief Academic Officer in one-on-one meetings.
· In the following checked items, PGCPS provided revisions to its responses to this question in the system’s approved grant:
ü The LEA 1003(g) central support team/turnaround executive committee will report their work bi-weekly monthly from July 2010 through June 2011 to the Turnaround Director. The Turnaround Director will report directly to the Chief Academic Officer. Under the direction of the Chief Academic Officer, the Turnaround Director will provide monthly updates and other pertinent information to the Superintendent on the progress of each turnaround school, including quarterly progress and monitoring reports on student academic achievement, teacher evaluations, and leadership development of principals and assistant principals.
ü The Turnaround Director will be responsible for pursuing changes to formal policies and informal standard operating procedures to empower schools to implement their turnaround strategies. The director will advise schools on the appropriate operating flexibilities, resources, and support required to reduce barriers and other burdensome requirements to enable a school-wide focus on student needs and improved achievement. The director will maintain the authority to establish partnerships with external partners, inform stakeholders about school progress, communicate regularly with district staff and the community, and hold schools accountable for short-term progress and long-term academic gains.