How States Can Support Transformation in Tough Times

1. How States Can Support Transformation in Tough TimesMoving Forward Conference January 13

2. ERS is a non-profit consulting firm, head-quartered in BostonWe work with leaders of public school systems to rethink the use of district and school-level resourcesWe analyze district spending, human resources, school organization and performance data to generate insight around resource strategies We leverage this insight to design new ways to allocate and organize resources at the district and school level Our work is grounded in over a decade of experience, working with school districts across the country Education Resource Strategies, Inc.2Education Resource Strategies

3. Real spending doubled from $3,800 to $8,700 per pupil

4. 80% of increase went toward adding staff positions and increasing benefits while educator salaries remained flat in real dollars*

5. Spending on special education programs has gone from 4 to 21% of district budgets while regular education spending has dropped from 80% to 55%**Despite increased spending achievement gaps persistFromto:19702005* Parthenon group analysis, 2008**Richard Rothstein, Where has the money gone? 2009Education Resource Strategies, Inc.

6. Source: Digest of Education Statistics 2007: Tables 61, 64, and 66 Overall class sizes have decreased, but basic structure of schooling has remained the same4Education Resource Strategies, Inc.

7. 5Education Resource Strategies, Inc.Budget Gaps are systemic due to a fundamental cost structure that continues to rise regardless of revenueTeaching salaries growingat ~2-4% annually

8. Benefits growingat ~10+% annually

9. Expensive class size mandates

10. SPED spending continues to grow

11. Tax revenue falling

12. Enrollment declining

13. Sudden drop in Federal FundsThe districts we have are not the systems we needWE HAVE WE NEED Schools and students with same needs receiving different levels of resources

14. Rigidly defined budgets that don’t enable principals to match needsEquitable, transparent, and flexible funding across schools Effective teaching for all studentsSalary and job structures that do not encourage effectiveness , contribution or collaborationSchool designs that maximize teaching effectiveness, academic time and individual attention Antiquated schedules and school organizations that do not match time and individual attention to priority needs6Education Resource Strategies, Inc.

15. The districts we have are not the systems we needWE HAVE WE NEED Aligned curriculum, Instruction, assessment, PDUnderinvestment in formative assessments and fragmented professional developmentStrong school and district leadersUnderinvestment to build and reward leadership effectivenessCentral services that foster empowerment, accountability and efficiencyCentral office services that are not designed to improve productivity or customize support to school needsPartnership with families, communities and outside experts Districts that pay too much for social services and non-core instruction that could be provided through outside partners7Education Resource Strategies, Inc.

16. CompensationReducing compensation spending by managing teaching work-force mix and differentiating instructional rolesClass size models to target individual attentionStrategically raising class sizes and rethinking one-size-fits-all class size models for providing individual attentionSpecial EducationRedirecting special education spending to early intervention and targeted individual attention for all studentsTimeStrategically using existing time and extending where needed to meet student learning needs 8Four of the biggest areas of “misalignment” that states influence include:Education Resource Strategies, Inc.

17. Build understanding of the needed changesCreate the right incentivesRemove barriersSupport and invest in new strategies and structuresChange legislationProvide political cover 9How can states support transformation at the district level?

18. Education Resource Strategies, Inc.10High-performing schools are about team, not just individual performanceDeliberate assignments to teaching teamEach school’s specificcurricular,faculty, andstudent needsSchool-based expert supportCollaborative planning timeFormative assessments

19. Education Resource Strategies, Inc.11Most districts spend little to reward increased teacher responsibility and contribution$88,052$78,232BenefitsResponsibility & ResultsLongevityEducationBaseDistrict ABalanced work-forceDistrict BSenior work-forceCompensation cost adjusted to District A areaSource: ERS District Aspen District Analysis FY 2009

20. Stop or reduce increases for steps and credits to redirect compensation spending toward increased responsibilities and contributionAggressively manage low performers out of the systemRevise compensation structures to link pay to increases in responsibility and contribution as well as individual resultsRevise work rules to insure flexibility in teacher assignment to match team and school needs12What can be done to optimize compensation spending?Start NowBuild TowardEducation Resource Strategies, Inc.

21. Education Resource Strategies13Class Size ModelsSpecial EducationSource: Elementary Grades Homeroom file Oct 2009; Includes elementary schools and K-8 schools (grades K0-5); excludes classes that are special ed 60%+, ELL 60%+; includes Advanced Work classes; excludes schools with Two-Way bilingual program; excludes classes with “mixed” grade (mainly due to teacher data NA)Most districts have opportunities to strategically raise class size…

22. Education Resource Strategies14*Core class defined as ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies; Non-core defined as Art, Computer Literacy, Vocational, Foreign LanguageSource: District A and B 9th and 12th grade course data (internal – Resource Mapping presentation)…and to target class sizes to priority subjects and studentsClass Size ModelsSpecial EducationIn these districts class sizes for core subjects are higher than non-core

23. Education Resource Strategies, Inc.15Districts have more teaching staff, but use those FTEs for specialist positions outside of the core classroomClass Size ModelsSpecial Education

24. Education Resource Strategies16A cycle of isolation and specialization pulls students with additional needs out of regular education classroomsClass Size ModelsSpecial EducationLarge, diverse classesOverextended teachersRemove “problem” student fromclassroomCurrentStructure of SWD & ELL servicesProvide additional support:- Social services- Pull-out instructionAdministration to coordinate, monitor special servicesResources and responsibility move outside regular classroom

25. Education Resource Strategies17Moving students into rigidly defined programs diverts dollars from early intervention and targeted small groups for all studentsClass Size ModelsSpecial EducationPovertyIncrement Note: Excluded are all district Alternative/Adult schools. Sources: SY10 October enrollment, district budget as of 10/09. Excludes students who did not report; ELL includes those currently in programs, excludes students who opted-out

26. Education Resource Strategies18*Rochester SWD enrollment includes all students with a designated category of disability.Source: ERS Benchmark Database, National data from U.S. DOE Programs, SDP Special Ed student data (PIMS); Self contained typically defined as 60% or more time in special education setting. Districts vary widely in how many students they place in special education settingsClass Size ModelsSpecial EducationFY06: National ID rate: 9%

27. EDUCATION RESOURCE STRATEGIES, INC.19Dollars to redirect come from the combination of fewer referrals and more cost-effective practice Special Education diagnosis rates by disability type

28. ELL enrollment trends

29. Staffing models

30. Inclusion models

31. Out of district policies

32. Program placement

33. Student assignment20Note: For the average district this translates into a savings of almost 7% of total budgetThe opportunity to redirect dollars can come from meeting student needs in different ways and using cost-effective practiceEducation Resource Strategies, Inc.Class Size ModelsSpecial EducationPercent of Enrollment

34. Highlight the class size vs. teacher quality trade-offStrategically raise class sizes in non-core classes and later gradesReview special education spending to reduce compliance spending and unplanned extra spending on subscale programsEncourage movement away from class size mandates in state regulations and contractsClarify rules on maintenance of effort spendingChampion revisions to special education funding that create incentives for more integrated servicesExplore improved ways to measure special education outcomes21What can be done to rethink one-size-fits-all class size model and redirect special education spending to targeted individual attention for all students?Education Resource Strategies, Inc.Start NowBuild Toward

35. 22Sources: District figures are from Time and Attention in Urban High Schools: Lessons for School Systems (Frank, 2010) and from ERS analyses for the Aspen CFO network. Leading Edge school figures are from Shields, R. A., and K. H. Miles. 2008. Strategic Designs: Lessons from Leading Edge Small Urban High Schools. Watertown, MA: Education Resource Strategies. Charter school figures are from The Boston Foundation report (May 2010) “Out of the Debate and Into the Schools.”Many districts have an opportunity to increase instructional time by increasing the school day National Avg. = 1170Education Resource Strategies, Inc.3. Making every minute count

36. 23….by varying time by grade and subject3. Making every minute countTypical District Percent of Student Time By Grade & Subject 100%PE80%ElectivesForeign Language60%ScienceSocial Studies40%Math20%ELA0%ES7-9th10-12thEducation Resource Strategies, Inc.

39. Build understanding of the needed changesCreate the right incentivesRemove barriersSupport and invest in new strategies and structuresChange legislationProvide political cover 26How can states support transformation at the district level?

40. Revise funding systems to promote equity and flexibilityRevamp teacher compensation, including benefits and pensions, to increase compensation for teachers who have the best results and contribute the most to improving student performanceOverhaul regulations that strictly define specific staff positions and use of school timeRethink graduation requirements that are linked to taking specific courses rather than demonstrating skills and knowledgeEDUCATION RESOURCE STRATEGIES, INC.27Top 10 things states can do in “tough times” to focus resources to their most productive uses …

41. Create new models of accountability and support for special education and English language learners that redirect resources to more integrated settingsInsist on turnaround strategies that restructure existing resources and consider district-wide impact, including the challenge of displaced teachersInvest in statewide leadership development and succession planning, including providing information toolsEDUCATION RESOURCE STRATEGIES, INC.28Top 10 things states can do…

42. Remove barriers to creative provision of education and support services by untraditional providers Promote the use of technology as a productivity improvement tool in education and school support servicesReport useful comparative data on school and district resource use that includes information on spending by student as well as on the use and organization of resourcesEDUCATION RESOURCE STRATEGIES, INC.29Top 10 things states can do…

43. 30Back up

44. 31The Baltimore City Schools Transformation Strategy—a three-year journeyUnder new teacher contract, decisions about trade-offs to pay higher salaryfor teaching quality will be made at school levelEducation Resource Strategies, Inc.TransformationRestructuringDecentralizationConsolidation

45. Real per pupil spending varies widely across districts, but spending patterns similarNote: Dollar amounts are adjusted for inflation (using BLS inflation adjusters) and for cost of living (NCES-CWI); all dollars from K-12 operating budgets.Uncoded dollars in Philadelphia are dollars spent on alternative schools and additional EMO paymentsSource: RCSD 2009-2010 budget data; RCSD BEDS enrollment; Oakland Unified School District annual report 2008; ERS Benchmark database32Education Resource Strategies, Inc.

46. Assumptions:Net step increase of 3.5% (4% average discounted for staff turnover)Lane increase of 2.5% Benefits increase 7.5% annuallyOne district example: If the district must pay COLA at 3.5%, this number nearly doubles to equivalent of 360 average cost teachers next year or 600+ first year teachers by 201533Education Resource Strategies, Inc.

47. Education Resource Strategies, Inc.34The way districts reward salary increase over a teaching career varies; merit pay is rare, primary increase is for leadership roles and NBPTTotal Possible Raises Over Teacher’s CareerMethodology: Experience and Education derived from salary schedules. Stipends aggregated from contracts – leadership roles conservative avg of multiple stipends (e.g. dept head, lead tchr, curricdevel)Source: Salary Schedules and Teacher Contracts.

48. 35Transformation: In year 2, BCPSS redesigned the remaining Central Office support staff to create a “network” structure to provide more direct support to schoolsSchoolSchoolMoving From a compliance focused organization …Fragmented, often reactive support, far away from the work of schoolsSchoolBudgetHRFinanceSchoolSchoolAttend.PDAc. Achieve.Sc. Sch. OfficeEle. Sch. OfficeTitle IEtc…SchoolSchoolSchoolSchool…to a performance-driven organization that supports school-based decision-making:Problem solving focused teams closer to schools; flexible design to meet the individual needs of schools Etc.Network #1Network #2Network Team Members :Network Leader

49. Instructional Support

50. Finance & Ops

51. Special Pops

52. Human Resources10-15 Schools10-15 SchoolsEducation Resource Strategies, Inc.

How States Can Support Transformation in Tough Times

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How States Can Support Transformation in Tough Times

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