
Dear Madison Community,
We are pleased to present our second quarterly review of progress for the 2015-16 school year. Our school district is on a mission to close the gaps in opportunity that lead to disparities in achievement and to ensure that every child graduates ready for college, career, and community.
That requires embracing a culture of excellence with equity. We believe that every child can be successful. We must hold high expectations for all students and then provide the unique support that each student needs to meet that high bar.
As a district, we conduct a deep review of progress once a quarter and report on our progress publicly. This process provides a space for us – school based leadership teams, central office, Board of Education and community – to examine both implementation and outcomes, to identify strengths and challenges, to collaboratively problem solve and make adjustments where needed. We are very excited about the progress that we’ve made since our first quarter review - and this latest review ensures that we are clear on our action steps for the remainder of the year.
We are pleased to share with you the work of the first half of our year. Thank you for taking the time to read about our progress.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Cheatham
Superintendent
Read our March 2016 Quarterly Review
Read the December 2015 Quarterly Review (highlighting our progress for African American students)
Read the February 2015 Quarterly Review
Read the November 2014 Quarterly Review
Read the March 2014 Quarterly Review
Read the December 2013 Quarterly Review
Read the MMSD Strategic Framework
Progress on Priority Area Next Steps as of March 7, 2016 Priority Area 1: Coherent Instruction |
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Priority Area 1: Coherent instruction
Provide every student with well-rounded, culturally responsive and coherent instruction that leads to college, career and community readiness.
Develop and implement CCSS aligned units of instruction in mathematics with authentic performance tasks for K-8 and Algebra 1. |
On track |
Continue to refine CCSS aligned MMSD Scopes and resources for English/Language Arts and Bi-literacy, using core materials, model units of instruction, and performance tasks aligned by quarter to support implementation. |
On track |
Support schools in building foundational literacy skills in early grades by providing computer adaptive software to supplement core instruction and quarterly professional development in grades K-2 at highest need schools. |
On track |
Continue to middle schools through strengthened professional development and begin process to purchase common instructional materials for literacy. |
On track |
Provide support and professional development around the district’s Great Teaching framework, with a specific focus on new resources around culturally and linguistically responsive practices in teacher team toolkit. |
On track |
Develop and begin implementation of comprehensive Board-approved plan for English Language Learners. |
On track |
Develop and begin implementation of comprehensive Board-approved plan for Students with Disabilities and realign Student Services department based to better support schools. |
On track |
Increase professional development opportunities in alignment with individual school BEP implementation plans, targeting classroom engagement and behavior management practices while also providing additional support for tiers 2 and 3 systems and structures. |
On track |
Develop and implement a phased-in plan for World Language program coherence and access. Continue capacity building phase of Any Given Child Madison by incorporating the Arts Rich School Blueprint and Continuum into the School Improvement Plan Development Process. |
Caution |
Provide ongoing professional development for schools in their use of evidence based intervention/strategies with a focus on implementation of computer adaptive software designed to supplement core instruction for students in Bilingual classrooms and English Language Learners in grades 6-8, and build foundational skills in K-5 in both English and Spanish. |
On track |
Priority Area 2: Personalized Pathways
Engage students in charting personalized pathways to college, career and community readiness.
Better support students in eighth to ninth grade transition, by developing systems at each high school to keep students on track to graduation during their freshman year. |
On track |
Begin to align curriculum, assessments, secondary policies, and graduation requirements to the vision of a graduate. |
On track |
Deepen partnership with Madison College, Chamber of Commerce of Greater Madison and Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin to align curriculum to increase dual credit opportunities and to develop a collaborative infrastructure that will increase work-based learning opportunities. |
On track |
Increase school and district readiness for pathways implementation by implementing professional learning for school and central office leaders. |
On track |
Implement Academic Career Planning in 8th and 9th Grade. Plan for 7th and 10th grade expansion by integrating PBS, AVID and ACP. |
On track |
Support schools in developing and aligning Comprehensive School Counseling Program to School Improvement Plan. |
On track |
Launch AVID best practices by identifying schools excelling in AVID practices and setting up visits for other schools to learn from and collaborate with these schools. |
On track |
Priority Area 3: Family Engagement and Community Partnerships
Engage family and community members as partners.
Provide professional development across the district to strengthen the conditions in schools necessary for thriving family-school partnerships. |
On track |
Implement “Request for Assistance System” at Central Office to quickly and effectively respond to requests and inquiries from families and community members. |
On track |
Create a “Family Engagement Toolkit” aligned to the family engagement standards through a collaborative process with families and community partners. |
On track |
Identify opportunities for family members to partner at all levels of the system, providing families with valued role to share advice, feedback, and make decisions. Provide families learning opportunities through multiple formats. |
On track |
Develop a long term student engagement strategy that promotes meaningful student involvement. |
On track |
Enhance learning opportunities for schools and community members to align partnerships with district goals and priorities, with a focus on tutoring networks. |
On track |
Better define the District’s strategy for innovation. |
On track |
In partnership with the City of Madison, Dane County and Madison-area out of school time providers, launch Madison Out of School Time (MOST) Program Locator and design the city-wide data sharing system. Work with Board, community partners and schools to explore and design an implementation plan for full service community schools. |
On track |
Priority Area 4: Thriving Workforce
Cultivate a work environment that attracts, develops and retains top talent.
Develop year 2 of teacher, instructional coach, mentor and principal induction through Forward Madison. |
On track |
Launch and continue to develop TEEM Scholars program through Forward Madison, to grow current students to become future Madison teachers. |
On track |
Develop and implement comprehensive recruitment strategy. |
On track |
Develop evidenced based evaluation systems for other roles-central office, psychologists, social workers etc. |
On track |
Conduct compensation study and develop recommendations. |
On track |
Priority Area 5: Accountability Systems
Ensure accountability at every level.
Enhance the Teacher Team Toolkit, support its use by all teachers, and institute feedback processes. |
On track |
Enhance School Support System tools that outline the work of Central Office programs in supporting our schools in implementing their School Improvement Plan. |
On track |
Create and provide planning and implementation monitoring tools that align high-leverage actions and next steps of the Strategic Framework with Central Office actions as outlined in departments’ COMPs. |
On track |
Create and provide on-demand data tools and strategies to monitor special education, English Language Learner, and Advanced Learner programs through the STAT system. These tools will inform SIP development and prioritize the work of certain central office departments. |
On track |
Develop and provide a 9th grade on-track toolkit to monitor high school students’ progress toward graduation. |
On track |
Take steps towards increasing transparency of budget process, improving equity of school allocations, and examining opportunities to increase flexibility in school budgets. |
On track |
Supporting our Framework: Technology Plan
Continue to implement student devices in group one (G1) schools; including purchasing devices, loading apps, and creating personalized learning environments. |
On track |
Implement G1 professional learning on personalized learning in support of our local definition of Great Teaching; G1 Library media technology specialist leading site-based support. |
On track |
Continue to improve G1 learning spaces to allow for flexible, collaborative, and personalized digital learning; assess needs for G2 schools; purchase digital media for libraries. |
On track |
Manage and maintain servers, wide area network (WAN), local area networks (LAN), LAN switches, and the wireless system; increase bandwidth, and create an IT Disaster Recovery Plan. |
On track |
Continue to review student information systems for efficiencies; implement Academic Career Plan electronic portfolio platform; begin research for Learning Management System. |
On track |
Provide technical support for staff devices; continue family support strategies for G1 schools; provide Parent Academy sessions. |
On track |
Our district's technology plan supports each part of our strategic framework and gives equitable access to technology to every child. We believe this plan closes opportunity gaps for many of our students who may not otherwise have access to technology that can improve their learning experience. In this first quarter, students in our first group of schools to participate in the technology plan are using devices to enhance learning in the classroom.
Together as a community, we can commit to ensuring all of our students are successful. We must work in partnership, creating an organized effort to lift up our students of color, especially our African American students.
Youth Leadership |
On track |
Mentoring and Tutoring |
Caution |
Services and Supports to High-needs Neighborhoods |
On track |