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The Broad Prize Framework for School District Excellence

Broward County Public Schools

Instruction

Sharing and Implementing Effective Instructional Strategies – Broward County Public Schools

Broward County Public Schools provides several tools to document and share research-based instructional strategies that will engage students and address their individual needs.

1 – Best Practice Repository Brochure explaining how to access and share instructional strategies through the district’s best practice repository.
What to Notice To support the fourth goal in their district strategic plan, focusing on innovative practices, the district looks within its own ranks to share and promote best practices across the district. The district’s structured format for collecting best practices not only serves as an efficient and cost-effective way to share and align good work happening within its classrooms, but it also increases and encourages collaboration and professional growth opportunities for the district and school communities. This brochure clearly explains how best practices are submitted and vetted for the best practice repository. Selections are made by a committee composed of multiple district leaders, and the process extends beyond a simple paper review. The best practice categories overlap with the district’s strategic goals and include operations, finance, parent involvement and partnerships. The level of expertise on the committee and the thorough submission process illustrates a level of rigor and quality control that moves beyond similar efforts in other education organizations. The document also explains why sharing best practices is important for creating a learning community and aligning instructional strategies with the district’s strategic plan.	Questions to Ask How often are submissions solicited during the school year? What is the average number of submissions per cycle? Are submissions evenly distributed across grade levels, content areas and geographic zones? What is the time commitment for each member of the review committee? Do committee members rotate annually? How often do teachers use the best practice repository? Do they find it useful? Other than teachers, what other district stakeholders submit best practices? How is the repository managed? Is there a cost associated with creating and maintaining it?
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2 – Weekly Team Meeting and Team Planning Forms Forms that guide the team meeting process.
What to Notice The weekly meeting form provides clear guidelines for how time is to be utilized during team meetings, with the majority of it spent on academic planning. The box at the bottom allows participants to log their concerns and receive administration feedback on those concerns. The team planning form does a good job of tying in the district’s eight-step instructional process with the planning process. The form prompts users to divide their students into three performance groups, and to identify one of the eight high-yield strategies and how technology will be used to support the strategy. At the bottom is a place to identify how skills will be maintained. This form is helpful for guiding team members through a continuous improvement planning process that uses data and aligns interventions with the district’s research-based instructional approach. It also provides a useful record for teachers to review and track performance and planning across the entire year.	Questions to Ask Does the administration feedback box on the weekly meeting form refer to the school principal? How often do teachers receive that feedback? Who monitors team meetings to ensure that the time is spent appropriately? How are team leaders selected? Are they responsible for filling out the team meeting form? Does each team member receive a copy of the form? Who reviews the completed forms and how is that information used? Who is responsible for filling out the team planning form? Does each teacher fill one out, or is it completed based on aggregated results? What kind of training is provided to support the use of these forms? How often do teachers in the same meeting group find significant variance in their students’ mini-assessments scores? Does that variance impede or promote sharing instructional strategies and materials? Are different instructional strategies targeted to different student needs (e.g., enrichment vs. bubble students)? Do teachers or teams revisit these forms to review outcomes of the selected high-yield strategies? Who reviews the completed forms and how is that information used? Are both of these forms available and completed by teachers electronically? How often is each of the two forms used?
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Support for Teaching and Learning

Designing an Aligned and Relevant Professional Development Program – Broward County Public Schools

Broward County Public Schools places a special emphasis on professional development as a tool to improve instruction. The human resources development (HRD) department designs a comprehensive professional development system and requires each teacher to design a professional growth plan (PGP).

1 – Professional Development System Overview Comprehensive description of the district’s approach to professional development.
What to Notice Produced by the human resources development (HRD) department, this document provides an overview of the district’s approach to professional development. Notice that the district references relevant state requirements and places the plan in the context of the mission of the HRD department (see page 8). Later, the document articulates specific performance expectations for professional development staff. The Professional Pathways Policy (Appendix C) applies to all district employees and reinforces a culture of continuous improvement at the faculty, school and district levels.	Questions to Ask How does the district use evaluation data? What are some examples of changes made to professional development as a result of evaluation findings? How much does the district spend on professional development and training? How does this compare to similar institutions in K-12 education, other nonprofits or businesses in the private sector?
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2 – Professional Growth Plan PowerPoint presentation to teachers describing how to design a professional growth plan.
What to Notice As a part of state’s professional development system, each teacher in Broward is required to design a professional growth plan (PGP) in collaboration with his or her principal. However, Broward purposefully emphasizes the importance of the PGP not as a compliance exercise, but as a tool for improving student achievement. Notice that the presentation includes several samples of effective PGPs, along with arrows that highlight particularly important parts of the plan. Student data is one large piece of the PGP, and teachers are expected to set specific goals for student achievement. Growth plans are meant to address specific teacher needs, as reflected in the student outcomes data. Note that failure to meet a professional development objective is used as a learning tool to reassess strategies, not as an opportunity to penalize teachers.	Questions to Ask Who tracks teachers’ progress against their professional development goals? Who is responsible for collecting and analyzing the PGPs? What are the best practices of principals in regard to the development of PGPs and the support of teachers? How are highly effective principals involved in the training process for other principals and teachers?
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Evaluating Professional Development Plans – Broward County Public Schools

In Broward, the research development and assessment department plays an integral role in evaluating the success of professional development initiatives. Following a board decision to offer additional professional study days (PSD) to high school teachers as part of its commitment to high school reform, the research department evaluated the fidelity of implementation to the initiative’s purpose and the preliminary impact of the initiative on student achievement. Each school determines how it will utilize these additional PSDs – the administration and faculty at South Broward High School used their additional days to redesign professional development around “professional learning communities.”

1 – Professional Study Days (PSD) Initiative Evaluation Three studies examining the implementation of PSDs and impact on student achievement.
What to Notice In the early phases of the PSD initiative, the research development department focused its evaluation on the fidelity of implementation —understanding if and how schools were utilizing the extra days and whether teachers found PSDs effective as a tool to implement high school reform. Subsequent reports have built on these early evaluations to examine improvements to the program based on earlier recommendations and changing perceptions of the initiative’s value. Most importantly, the latest evaluation of the initiative incorporates student achievement data as a measure for its success.	Questions to Ask How did the district decide what kinds of quantitative and qualitative evaluation approaches to include? What kinds of resources (data, systems, personnel) are necessary to conduct a robust examination of the initiative’s impact on student achievement? What obstacles did the district face in conducting this analysis, and how did it overcome those obstacles? How does the district ensure that recommendations for improvement will be addressed? What has been the impact of those recommendations on student achievement?
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2 – Professional Learning Communities at South Broward High School Survey Results Description of professional learning communities initiative and teacher feedback.
What to Notice This report describes the results of the school’s transition to professional learning communities (PLCs) in response to the district’s professional study days (PSD) initiative. Empowering educators is at the core of this program and reflects the original purpose of the PSD initiative. Survey data from teachers indicate that the program has been well-received (at the time of the report, an analysis of the impact on test scores had not yet been completed). These PLCs are created by faculty members with a particular interest in one aspect of the school’s program of curriculum and instruction and originated from the board’s decision to grant additional professional study days to high school teachers.	Questions to Ask How are aspiring principals identified from the teacher ranks? Who is responsible for this crucial function, and what criteria do they use? How many teachers are in this pool? How are PD programs evaluated? How are results analyzed and used to improve effectiveness? How does the district track its success in developing strong leaders from within?
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Strategic Planning

Strategic Management of Teaching and Learning – Broward County Public Schools

Broward County Public Schools uses clear and structured processes to achieve their well-defined vision and mission.

1 – K-12 Non-Negotiable Effective School Blueprint Document illustrating various non-negotiables for schools in various stages of restructure.
What to Notice This document provides a graphic organizer showing how the district manages its established practices (seven correlates, eight-step process, and nine high-yield strategies) with intervention strategies for low-performing schools. This is very useful, as many districts implement their interventions separately from well-established district practices. This chart clearly delineates expectations and roles by governance level (depending on their restructure phase), marking an “X” by designated practices that have full school autonomy. No items under the “7, 8 and 9” practices are granted full autonomy on this blueprint.	Questions to Ask How were the designated areas of autonomy selected? How are the autonomies monitored? What happens when a granted autonomy continues to show poor performance? Do low-performing schools that are not in restructure have complete autonomy outside of the 7, 8 and 9 practices? How about average- to high-performing schools? Who makes decisions for schools completely under district control? What supports are available for those schools?
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Performance and Accountability

Evaluating and Supporting School Administrators – Broward County Public Schools

Broward County Public Schools have implemented a comprehensive system designed to communicate clear performance expectations for school administrators and to identify and support struggling administrators. The responsibility for assessing the performance of principals —and for providing support to those who need additional help— falls to the area director, who oversees multiple schools.

1 – District Interventions for Struggling Principals Overview of Broward’s approach to supporting struggling principals.
What to Notice Broward empowers the area director —a type of regional superintendent— to determine when a principal is not meeting performance expectations. The area director considers different types of evidence in his or her evaluation: test scores, site observations, audits, teacher input, satisfaction surveys, etc. Principals are offered many types of support in their effort to meet improvement expectations.	Questions to Ask What percentage of principals has a professional improvement plan at any given point? Of these, how many are eventually dismissed? How many are able to turn around their performance? How does the district measure the success of the intervention programs? Does the district offer area directors any more specific guidance about performance expectations for principals? If so, how is it communicated? What kind of training does the district provide to area directors about assisting struggling principals? How were these interventions identified?
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2 – Administrator Performance Planning and Appraisal System Evaluation Tool Evaluation tool for school administrators.
What to Notice The area director uses this evaluation tool to assess the performance of a school principal in seven key areas: (1) leadership, (2) information analysis, (3) strategic quality planning, (4) customer focus, (5) human resources, (6) management of processes, and (7) operational results and student achievement. Notice that Broward uses a three-point scale: highly effective, effective and ineffective. Each area requires a rating, plus text comments and a description of the principal’s “focus for professional growth.”	Questions to Ask How did Broward select the seven areas of performance? Were any principals involved in the development of the tool? How frequently are principals evaluated using this tool? What kinds of interim discussions occur between the area director and the principal to provide feedback? How effective is the evaluation process in guiding professional growth? How do principals and area directors use it as an opportunity to reflect on past performance and agree on improvement plans? What percentage of principals falls into each of the rating categories? How effective is the evaluation process in identifying low performers? What are the consequences of poor performance?
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3 – Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) One-page worksheet for principals to articulate improvement plan in an area of “deficiency.”
What to Notice For principals who are determined to have a performance concern, this worksheet allows the area director to articulate a specific improvement plan. Notice that each “area of deficiency” requires a separate improvement plan. The area director specifies the activities necessary to demonstrate improvement, along with a timeline, and the principal is given the opportunity to respond to the area director’s assessment and recommendations.	Questions to Ask What are the benefits and disadvantages of using a word like “deficiency” to describe an area in which an employee is not meeting the expectations for their position? How effective is the PIP in improving performance? What challenges has the district faced in its communication or implementation? Can the area director describe specific quantitative targets for performance (e.g. test scores)? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach? How much time will an area director spend with a principal who has been designated as having performance deficiencies? What types of training do area directors receive in coaching and mentoring?
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4 – Manual of Evaluation Procedures Handbook of policies and procedures for the evaluation of school and district administrators.
What to Notice At the beginning of the manual, the district outlines the purpose of the Administrator Performance Planning and Appraisal System (APPAS). These goals are framed positively, focusing on the communication of clear expectations and the provision of effective feedback. Later, the manual provides much more detailed performance expectations, as well as clear descriptions of what “highly effective” vs. “effective” vs. “ineffective” performance looks like. Finally, the guide outlines the five stages of the APPAS process, starting with orientation and ending with professional development.	Questions to Ask How consistent is the process for providing new principals with an orientation on the performance planning and appraisal system? How are administrators made aware of the performance expectations which apply to their position? How does the district ensure that different supervisors are applying standards consistently? What process exists for area directors to conduct “calibration” meetings in which they compare evaluation ratings and try to ensure consistency? How does the district assess the effectiveness of evaluation procedures? How is principal feedback collected?
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Providing Tools and Information to System Stakeholders – Broward County Public Schools

Broward County Public Schools uses several tools in addition to the volumes of data provided by the state’s impressive K-20 data warehouse. To ensure teachers and leaders know where to focus interventions and support, the district created multiple methods for collecting and reviewing various types of data. In addition to distributing data, the district provides a user-friendly web-based portal to connect educators and other stakeholders to the latest instructional technologies.

1 – Broward Enterprise Education Portal (BEEP) A PowerPoint presentation outlining the district’s library of digital and instructional resources for teaching and learning.
What to Notice This presentation summarizes the navigation and content of the district’s portal for digital resources: BEEP. Through BEEP, educators can access a wide array of digital media and data, including engaging video lessons, district benchmark assessments, Virtual Counselor, curriculum guides and lesson plans, bubble answer sheets, and instructional materials. The portal itself has a straightforward navigation system on the left, and four sub-portals in the middle divided into different stakeholder groups. The portal serves as a cohesive system for accessing and aligning data and digital media content within one easily accessible system. This well-organized system serves as a model for helping educators employ an underutilized instructional tool: digital media. The detailed user statistics at the beginning illustrate an important evaluation step for understanding which tools teachers value and most frequently use. The amount of information and instructional support available on BEEP shows the district’s commitment to infusing technology in the classroom.	Questions to Ask How are different stakeholders trained to use BEEP? Are there training sessions for external stakeholders like parents? How do the four targeted user groups use BEEP? Does the district encourage or “market” its use? Do teachers use all parts of BEEP? Do they use the media resources? Do they believe it is a good instructional tool for students? How has BEEP impacted the overall use of technology in the classroom? Do teachers understand how to structure lessons around video material? How is the instructional material selected for BEEP? Are teachers involved in the process? How does the district’s student information management system (TERM) relate to or interface with BEEP? Is student information from TERM, like attendance or discipline (pulled from the state’s warehouse), included in BEEP? Who developed and designed BEEP? How is BEEP funded? What is the state’s involvement in the system? How is Virtual Counselor used? Who are its main users?
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2 – Required Formative Assessments Document explaining the history and purpose of district-mandated formative assessments, as well as statistical research analyzing their predictive validities.
What to Notice This report details the development and purpose of the district’s formative assessments and analyzes student performance from those assessments. The data analysis discussion points out potential concerns with the reading assessment, illustrating the district’s commitment to continuous improvement through rigorous data analyses.	Questions to Ask Who developed this report? How is it disseminated? How will concerns highlighted from the benchmark analyses be addressed and by whom? Who developed the formative assessments? How are the developers selected? How long does it take to develop assessments for one subject and grade level? When are they written? Are developers compensated? What is the process for ensuring that test items are valid and reliable? How soon and in what form do the teachers receive the assessment results? Is there a standard for how teachers use and respond to the results? How did the teachers react when the benchmark tests were first introduced? How has that reaction changed over time?
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3 – Summary Data Reports Document illustrating sample reports populated with state and district benchmark results and other forms of student data.
What to Notice Results from the district’s benchmark assessments are used in two of the district’s additional data tools: Above the Clouds and Middle School Instructional Analysis System (MIDAS). Both provide additional performance data culled from various sources. Notice that most reports provide at least a three-year longitudinal view of academic performance, and that MIDAS includes student discipline and teacher data. Both systems offer multiple reports and query options illustrated by summary graphics. The Student Learning Gains report on page 6, Upper Level Likely report, and the Instructional Prescription reports are good examples of visually informative reports that capture important information on the lower and upper boundaries of student learning needs.	Questions to Ask What are the costs associated with these systems? How were they selected? What, if any, input did teachers and administrators have in the development of these systems? Are they maintained entirely by the district, or do they require additional support from the vendors? How are the various reports integrated with reports provided by the state? How are teachers and administrators trained to use these systems and reports? Do they use them frequently? Is their use mandated or voluntary? What formal or informal structures are provided for teachers and administrators to review and respond to reports from these systems? What other stakeholders have access to/review these data?
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Allocation of Financial Resources

Providing Big Picture Insights Through Financial Reporting – Broward County Public Schools

Broward devotes considerable time and effort to making clear public disclosures about its financial activities and status. The district’s financial reports provide not only the detailed reports required by the state, but also “big picture” insights into the district’s financial priorities and decisions. For Broward, financial reporting is more than just a compliance function.

1 – Annual Financial Report Summary of the district’s financial activities and status in 2006–07.
What to Notice The annual financial report starts with an overview of the district’s financial status, targeted at a non-financial audience. Going beyond simple state reporting requirements, the superintendent describes all of the factors affecting the financial condition, including population growth and class-size reduction efforts. Notice that the district has been recognized for “excellence in financial reporting” by the Association of School Business Officials.	Questions to Ask What is particularly effective about Broward’s presentation of its financial data? Why do you think they have been recognized for excellence in financial reporting? How would you determine if Broward has aligned its spending with its educational goals? How does Broward benchmark its spending patterns against similar districts in Florida? How has Broward’s budget changed in the last few years? What statistics or ratios would you look at to identify changes in spending patterns? How much of Broward’s budget is devoted to instruction? What is the appropriate benchmark for instructional spending?
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2 – Facilities Plan Long-term plan for building and maintaining schools.
What to Notice Broward produces this state-required report that describes the five-year capital plan for educational facilities. Addressing both new school construction and the maintenance of existing sites, the report matches anticipated enrollment with facilities needs. Once again, the district goes beyond simple compliance and frames facilities needs within the greater context of educational goals, including class-size reduction and the expansion of charter school options. The bulk of the report is devoted to a detailed school-by–school breakdown of potential capital projects and costs.	Questions to Ask How does the district project enrollment growth? What key factors drive enrollment growth or decline? Are any of these factors within the district’s control? If so, what, if any, actions has the district taken? What impact has class-size reduction had on Broward’s facilities needs? How has Broward addressed those needs, and what factors were considered in that decision? How effective have these solutions been? What challenges has the district faced in implementing these solutions? How has Broward become a leader in charter schools? Does the district provide any facilities or facilities support for high-potential charter developers or existing charter schools?
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Human Resource Systems

Integrating New Teachers – Broward County Public Schools

The process of integrating and acculturating new teachers can be an important lever in a district trying to develop a performance-based culture. Broward County Public Schools has implemented programs to ensure that new teachers receive the support and guidance they need to maximize their chances for success. This process covers the first three years of a teacher’s tenure in the district.

1 – New Teacher Induction Rubric Checklist describing critical elements of new teacher induction.
What to Notice This one-pager describes all the necessary activities to be included in an effective induction program for new teachers. Each campus forms a site-based induction team, which includes school administrators, as well as members of the leadership team and professional development team. The district has a New Educator Support System (NESS) that is specifically designed to assist new hires in their first year in the district.	Questions to Ask How is this tool used, and who conducts the evaluation? How was this tool developed? Has the district identified best practices in the orientation and support of new teachers? How are best practices integrated into this tool? To what degree is new teacher induction governed by the district’s collective bargaining agreement? How has the involvement of the teachers’ association impacted the teacher induction process? What is the role of the instructional coaches and NESS school liaisons in supporting new teachers? What kind of training do the coaches receive, and from whom?
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2 – New Educator Support System (NESS) Three-Year Plan Describes the continuum of support offered for new teachers in the district.
What to Notice Broward’s New Educator Support System (NESS) provides a suite of support services designed to ensure that new teachers can be successful and provide the most effective instruction to students. Notice that the NESS program is a three-year program, not just a one-year orientation institute. Specific responsibilities are assigned to the school administrator, the district’s human resources department, and the curriculum and instruction department. In addition, each new teacher must take responsibility for their own development by seeking out appropriate professional development resources.	Questions to Ask How was the NESS program developed? How does the district measure the success of the program? What kind of quantitative measures have been established to assess program effectiveness? What kind of feedback have new teachers provided about the program? How are the roles differentiated? How does a NESS liaison differ from an instructional coach? What kind of training do these positions receive?
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Providing Clear Pathways to Leadership Roles – Broward County Public Schools

In Broward, educators have a very clear path to take on additional responsibilities and grow into leadership positions. The district offers specific programs designed to turn high-performing teachers into entry-level administrators, and high-performing assistant principals into principals. At each step, the programs are designed to inspire new educators, give them the tools necessary to succeed at the next level and provide the very best opportunities for students.

1 – Teacher Leadership Opportunities Framework Chart depicting leadership opportunities for teachers.
What to Notice This one-pager provides Broward’s teachers with a guide to the leadership opportunities available to them. The blue circle in the center focuses on content that all teachers are expected to master, including core instructional tools like the Effective Schools 7-8-9 Plan, Classroom Walkthrough (CWT) protocol, using data, and continuous quality improvement. The outer circles represent specific leadership opportunities available to teachers: professional developer, coach, department chair, etc. The implicit message is that all teachers have opportunities for professional growth and instructional leadership.	Questions to Ask How do these “circles” interconnect? How is this framework communicated or explained? How does the district select teachers for each type of leadership position? What are the criteria, if the process is competitive? How does the district train coaches and professional developers?
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2 – Leadership Mentoring Programs Overview Description of leadership programs, including the LEAD program for aspiring administrators and the Intern Principal program.
What to Notice Broward provides a clear career path for educators who want to move into school leadership roles. Starting with the Leadership Experiences and Administrative Development (LEAD) program for teachers considering a move into administration, the district provides considerable support for aspiring leaders. The support extends through the first year of being a school principal, when each new principal is assigned a Professional Development Team (PDT) to ensure that he/she has the best chance for success.	Questions to Ask Who is responsible for identifying potential school leaders early in their careers as educators? Is this a function of human resources, or is the area director responsible for identifying and tracking these potential leaders? What criteria do they use? How much does the district spend on these types of leadership development programs? How does the district determine the value of these investments? What is the success rate for each program? What types of quantitative and qualitative goals does the district set for each program?
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3 – Leadership Experiences and Administrative Development (LEAD) Program Curriculum Description of curriculum for program targeting teachers who aspire to become administrators.
What to Notice Broward offers this intensive leadership development program for teachers. Notice that the content of the program is aligned with the Florida Principal Leadership Standards, just as the school curriculum is aligned with state educational standards. LEAD participants attend up to 17 professional development sessions in one semester, plus multiple learning community meetings and panels.	Questions to Ask How does the district encourage high-potential leaders to consider administrative careers? How do they market the program to potential participants? How does the district ensure that the program curriculum aligns with the Florida Principal Leadership Standards? How often does the district review the program for curriculum improvements and updates? How selective is the LEAD program? What are interested teachers required to submit (e.g., letters of reference, essays, etc.)? What percentage of LEAD participants go on to become assistant principals or principals within the district? How does their performance compare to the performance of principals who never went through the program?
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4 – Intern Principal Program Curriculum One-page graphic representation of the curriculum for assistant principals on the verge of becoming principals.
What to Notice In Broward, intern principals are given privileged access to senior principals who have been successful at the district. Each intern is placed at a school with a high-performing principal and is given a support team including two mentor principals (one practicing and one retired) and the area director. The intern is given a nine-week assignment to another school, allowing him/her to gain additional leadership experience at another school site. Professional development targets three key areas of leadership: instructional, operational and school. In addition, interns select additional professional development from a list of electives.	Questions to Ask How does the district select intern principals? What incentive does an assistant principal have to apply for the program? What led the district to establish an intern principal position? What are the advantages of such a structure? Is this program required for all aspiring principals? Does the district measure the success of former intern principals? How do schools led by alumni perform relative to other schools? How does the district measure its “return on investment”? How costly is the program, and what are the eventual financial benefits to the district (e.g., reduced turnover or lower recruiting costs)?
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Strategic Process for Hiring and Retaining Teachers – Broward County Public Schools

For a district to ensure that it has an adequate supply of skilled teachers, it must first build a clear picture of its current teaching force. Broward’s Instructional Staffing Department is dedicated to understanding the district’s staffing needs and developing recruiting and retention strategies to meet those needs.

1 – Recruitment and Retention Plan – 2008-2009 Plan outlining the district’s hiring practices, staffing needs and proposed recruitment and retention strategies.
What to Notice This document begins with a thorough analysis of the obstacles that could potentially impact the district’s hiring processes. This is an important practice, as many districts find that simple changes such as moving up the hiring timeline or improving the application process can greatly improve their ability to compete for teachers. Additionally, the report explains how the district engaged with other researchers to analyze their recruiting practices. The remainder of the document outlines the district’s current and future plans for recruitment and retention. The document lists a number of strategies that illustrate the reach of the district’s efforts to recruit and retain a diverse teacher workforce. Many of their recruitment strategies even extend into different countries. The integrated discussion of these components illustrates the district’s holistic process for analyzing problem areas and finding potential solutions. Following this annual practice annually helps the district better understand what human capital strategies provide the best results.	Questions to Ask How is this report disseminated and to whom? How are recruitment and retention strategies evaluated? Are there certain strategies that seem to work better than others? How much is spent on teacher recruitment? Has that cost changed over the past three years? Does the district collect data on why teachers leave the district? If so, has that data changed over the past three years? How is this information used? How have these strategies impacted the district’s ability to attract and retain an effective teacher force? How have they impacted the ability to hire diverse teachers? What is the role of principals in promoting teacher retention? What practices from other districts have been incorporated into this district’s strategies? What was not incorporated and why?
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2 – Staff Retention Chart A one-page longitudinal view of staff retention by job classification.
What to Notice This chart provides a clear graphic of staff retention over a three-year period. The chart collapses personnel into three main categories: administration, instructional staff and support staff. The detailed data table provides a more specific breakdown of each category to highlight which positions may pose a concern. This chart shows that retention rates of many personnel areas took a slight dip in 2006-07, but regained ground in 2007-08. These details are useful for understanding where to target recruitment and retention strategies.	Questions to Ask Who collects and reviews this data? How does a district know it is retaining the “right” personnel? Does the district collect additional data on why employees leave? If so, is that data disaggregated by the same position types? Can the instructional staffing department tie their recruitment and/or retention strategies to this retention data? Has there been a quantifiable improvement in its retention rate based on the department’s efforts?
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