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Aligning performance management tools with district-wide goals
Top district administrators in both Brownsville and Aldine have used performance management tools to set performance expectations and goals for schools, regions and the district as a whole to channel everyone's efforts toward the district's overarching objectives.
Brownsville
Brownsville is guided by a five-year strategic plan, a "vision document" that was developed in close cooperation with educators and community members to direct the district's continuous improvement over the long term. A district improvement plan then builds on this vision by establishing more specific, short-term and actionable goals for student achievement and district performance.
Every year, a district education improvement council (DEIC)—a group of representatives from every school, as well as from the district, community and parents—oversees the process of building the district's improvement plan. The process begins with a detailed review of district-wide achievement and demographic data and includes feedback from individual schools, teachers, parents and community members. Each plan builds on the prior year's goals to identify specific improvement strategies across areas such as attendance, math and reading achievement, high school graduation and parent involvement.
As Berta Peña, an area superintendent in Brownsville, explains, "members of the DEIC review previous years' improvement plans and repeatedly ask the question, 'Did our strategy work? If not, what were the barriers? What do we need to try this year instead?'"
Under the current plan, Brownsville's strategic objectives are to ensure that all students meet or exceed state, national and international standards of achievement; that all students graduate; that all students experience ongoing success in their careers; and that all students become productive, responsible and contributing members of society. Detailed improvement strategies follow from these objectives and guide district and school leaders with specific goals that they each must meet over the course of the year.
Perhaps most importantly in Brownsville, every school has a campus improvement plan that outlines school-level goals that directly align with the district improvement plan. Campus improvement plans are tailored to each school's needs, strengths and weaknesses to ensure that the goals are both reasonable for the school and directly support the district's objectives.
For example, academic performance targets for Charles Stillman Middle School are the same as those of the district: to ensure that 90 percent of students achieve mastery across reading, writing, math and science content areas. But Stillman's improvement plan also includes specific action steps that take into account the proficiency level the school has already achieved. Because more than 90 percent of Stillman's students achieved mastery in writing the previous year, the campus improvement plan stretches the school to obtain a 98 percent passing rate on the state writing assessment in the next year. The plan also includes an action item for seventh and eighth-grade teachers to offer daily enrichment courses for their students who are struggling in reading, because students in those grades fell short of district standards in reading the previous year.
"Based on where students were last year, campus improvement plans tell teachers where the school needs to go for next year," says Barry Moshragan, teacher and chair of the math department at Brownsville's Hannah High School. "The plan spells out, section by section, what our goals are, how we are going to achieve them with our students, and who is responsible for making sure that each objective is being met."
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How do you stack up?
Want to know how your school district compares to the 2008 Broad Prize finalists and winner?
Check out the quantitative data that The Broad Prize review board and selection jury evaluated to determine the 2008 finalists and winner—now available online.
Visit www.broadprize.org/resources/
100_districts.html for the following new information:
- In-depth student achievement data reports on each of the 100 school districts eligible for The Broad Prize and the 2005-2008 winners.
- Summary data on the 100 school districts eligible for The Broad Prize and the 2005-2008 winners. Here, you can compare district progress across a number of indicators and subgroups.
- Simulation tools that enable users to change a district's performance data to determine how those changes would have affected that district's "performance residuals" (how far above or below expectations a district has performed).
Our friends in Rochester, N.Y. have already dug into the data, and have this to say about it:
"I know that you will enjoy this as much I do. It lists 100 districts and historical data trends. What's really cool is the state growth vs. district growth analysis."
-Jean-Claude Brizard, superintendent, Rochester City School District
"It's Christmas in New York! We had a great time with this data."
-Jeanette Silvers, Ed.D., chief of accountability, Rochester City School District
Tell us how your district uses this information, and we may feature you in an upcoming issue of Eye on the Prize. Write us at broadprize@broadfoundation.org.
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Aldine
Aldine uses a similar process to clarify and align district objectives with school-level goals. Much like Brownsville, Aldine articulates its vision through a strategic plan that is informed by a variety of data—including scores on state and interim assessments, SAT and ACT scores, graduation rates, college enrollment rates and other indicators of student success.
For example, Aldine administrators reviewed student achievement data to inform the development of a recent year's district plan. Results of end of year tests revealed a dip in science scores.
"Across the district, we held discussions about the reasons for the decline—we talked with district administrators, principals, teachers and community members," says Aldine School Board Member Viola M. Garcia, Ed.D. "We realized that science would need to be a focus in the coming year's plan. It's a variety of data like this that inform what we decide to focus on as a district and what our targets should be."
District administrators, staff and community representatives analyze this type of information using the Baldridge National Quality Program—a widely recognized framework for organization performance—to determine key objectives and multi-year targets for the district's improvement. Each of the district's goals is captured in a district-wide balanced scorecard—an organizational planning and management tool frequently found in the business sector—that empowers Aldine's leaders to analyze performance and adjust their strategies on an ongoing basis.
District-wide goals then cascade down to individual district departments, pre-K-12 feeder patterns, individual schools and—in some cases—even teachers and students, to form their objectives for the current school year. Math curriculum directors in the central office, for example, can use their scorecards to track trends on interim math assessments across all schools and to inform adjustments to the course content that will support progress toward 100 percent mastery. Principals set school scorecard goals for attendance, student performance, staff development and parental involvement. As in Brownsville, some department and school goals are unique to particular programs, while others—such as student achievement and attendance—are based on overall district targets.
Because each school-level scorecard represents a microcosm of the larger district plan, principals can rest assured that by focusing on their own school's goals, they will ultimately contribute to achievement of the district's strategic objectives. Aldine relies largely on site-based decision-making, which allows each school to pursue its targets in a unique way. But when school-level scorecards are aligned with the district's, school progress inevitably contributes to Aldine's continuous improvement as a district.
"The most powerful aspect of the scorecards is that they empower everyone in the district with the ability to measure and drive their own improvement," says Garcia. "From the classroom teacher who examines the achievement of the students in her class, to our superintendent, who can look at our progress as a whole, we all have the ability to examine data and make decisions that support our district's key priorities."
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Monitoring and revising performance plans on an ongoing basis
In both Brownsville and Aldine, district and school leaders use their performance management tools—improvement plans and balanced scorecards—as living documents that are revised and discussed often, rather than tomes to be filed in a drawer and pulled out only once a year. Staff members at all levels of the district are able to consistently measure their performance against their goals and make adjustments to interim standards or programs that aren't meeting the needs of students.
Brownsville
In Brownsville, campus and district improvement plans are formally revised on an annual basis to reflect the changing needs of schools and the district—all part of the district's philosophy of continuous improvement. In addition to these annual reviews, area superintendents monitor schools' progress toward their campus goals throughout the school year. Principals meet every six weeks with their area superintendent to revise and update their campus plans based on student progress.
"Our campus improvement plans are working documents," says Brownsville Superintendent Hector Gonzales. "They're designed to help us keep the student at the forefront so that every decision we make is in his or her best interest. We won't let an ineffective program continue all year long just because it is written into a plan."
In addition, ongoing monitoring of improvement plans helps principals provide continuous feedback at the classroom level as they track teachers' and departments' progress toward school goals.
"If as a teacher you want to know how your students are progressing toward your school's objectives at any point during the year, you can go to your principal and they'll just pull up [the most recent student achievement scores] for you right then and there," says Eloisa Flores, a fifth-grade
Aldine
Leaders and staff in Aldine similarly review and revise their goals and strategies throughout the year to ensure that they reflect the most up-to-date student achievement data. Every quarter, principals set school scorecard goals for attendance, student performance, staff development and parental involvement. Area superintendents and central office staff review their scorecards each quarter as well. The scorecard then enables them to monitor their progress and redirect staff, resources or activities to serve the district's key objectives if they have exceeded expectations or veered off track.
"We have really stressed with our principals that the balanced scorecards are working documents," says Anne-Marie Hazzan, an area superintendent in Aldine. "Throughout the year, if they see that a particular strategy isn't working for their school, we tell them, 'strike it and try a different strategy. It is okay to have a messy document.' Because at the end of the year we can look at their scorecard and find visual proof that they have pursued whatever works to meet their goals."
This approach reflects the district's belief that strategic planning should include both a long-term district-wide view and a short-term cycle of planning, action and reflection. If data indicate that changes should be made, Aldine leaders don't wait for an arbitrary review date to shift gears.
Area-level scorecards recently enabled a quick redirection in several schools that had seen a drop in math benchmark test scores. The district had targeted specific student subpopulations for additional math instruction at the start of the school year. "But a few months into the school year, we looked at our interim test data and realized that scores for other groups of students were suddenly on the decline," says Pat Leon-Wade, an area superintendent in Aldine. "So we revised our plan and began pulling students from several different subgroups to improve their math performance."
Aldine school board members, administrators, principals and teachers all credit the district's balanced scorecards for keeping them focused on goals that matter most to the Aldine community and enabling them to make critical mid-course adjustments to sustain student achievement.
"Scorecards really drive the decisions that we make about everything from budgeting to student achievement," says school board member Viola Garcia. "We don't have to wait until July to decide what needs to be improved. Based on the data and our targets, we can keep ratcheting up our expectations."
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Using performance plans to guide evaluations, support, and rewards
Through comprehensive performance management systems, both Brownsville and Aldine ensure that performance evaluations for employees at all levels are aligned with district-wide objectives. Both districts evaluate individual staff members on the elements and standards in their performance plan or scorecard and base employee training and developmental opportunities on the employee's progress toward individual and district goals. Regular performance evaluations also enable school and district leaders in Brownsville and Aldine to recognize staff members, individually and collectively, for their performance and contributions to the district's success.
Brownsville
In Brownsville, central office administrators and Superintendent Gonzales are all held accountable for specific, measurable goals that grow directly out of the district improvement plan. Teachers and principals are held accountable for goals that support their individual campus plans, which are in turn aligned with the district improvement plan.
The teacher evaluation process begins each school year with a review of individual goals, as well as specific goals for growth in student achievement. Teachers meet individually with their principals to outline strategies for achieving each goal, including the types of support and professional development they require. Principals conduct regular walkthroughs throughout the year to monitor progress and provide additional support.
"Many times, principals will implement a classroom action plan for a teacher to help them work on a specific area that supports the school's and district's objectives," says Dora Sauceda, principal at Gladys-Porter High School in Brownsville. "For example, I had a teacher who struggled with classroom management, which of course was impacting her students' learning and our progress toward the goals in the school improvement plan. We met one-on-one to identify specific discipline strategies and target professional development opportunities to help improve her success in the classroom."
Principal evaluations are also linked directly to student performance goals that align with district targets. "Expectations flow from the district at the top, all the way down to schools and to classrooms," says Sauceda. "We each have our own individualized goals for the students or schools we oversee, but the major components are the same."
Principals meet monthly with their area superintendent to review progress toward the goals in the campus improvement plan and discuss what additional assistance they need to ensure high levels of student achievement.
Like teachers and principals, area superintendents in Brownsville are also evaluated based on student achievement. A specific percentage of students in the campuses they oversee must achieve proficiency for area superintendents to earn "meets expectations" in their annual review.
"I recognize that my job is on the line if my schools don't do well," says Area Superintendent Berta Peña. "While it is a bit frightening to say that, in Brownsville being successful is not a deep, dark secret. I know I can meet my goals because we identify specific targets, strategies and behaviors that will help us all produce for the BISD community."
Aldine
In Aldine, leaders at all levels of the district are evaluated on the scorecard performance of the school or unit they oversee. Together with parental surveys, scorecards form the basis of principals' annual evaluations. Those components provide supervisors with a complete picture of the school.
"The scorecards are really focused on improving student achievement," says Camelia Chester, principal of Goodman Elementary School in northwest Houston. "They also include goals for improvements in areas like student attendance, discipline, staff development, parent involvement, as well as individualized goals that principals set for themselves."
Principals' professional development is aligned with the goals on their personal scorecards, as well. Every principal has access to comparative data showing the performance of their school with other schools across the district. "We can see where we compare to the other schools in our area or with our same grade levels," says Jan DeBlance, principal at Aldine's ninth-grade center. "That really begins to show you where your strengths and deficits are and what your individual goals mean in terms of the bigger district picture. A little competition can be very motivational."
Area superintendents are evaluated using the scorecard for their K-12 feeder patterns. The school board evaluates the superintendent, too, based on performance across the district-wide scorecard. "The scorecard helps us ensure that our superintendent knows exactly what her objectives are, what her targets are, and what our expectations are as a board," says Aldine School Board President Steve Meade.
For more information about performance management systems in Brownsville Independent School District, please contact:
Beto D. Gonzalez
Deputy Superintendent
bdgonzalez@bisd.us
For more information about performance management systems in Aldine Independent School District, please contact:
Archie Blanson
Deputy Superintendent
ablanson@aldine.k12.tx.us
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