Lastschoolyear,SanAntonioISD(SAISD)launchedeffortstoredefineexcellenceforourstudentsandintheprocess,transformtheDistrictintoanationalmodelforotherurbanschoolsystems.TheDistrictestablished10measurableacademicgoalstoensureaccountabilityandprogressby2020.

Sincelastyear’sStateoftheDistrict,muchhasbeenaccomplished.Halfwayintothesecondyearofourtransformativeefforts,wefindourselvesonasolidpathpavedwithinnovationandchoice:

• Wehavelaunchedoutside-the-box programstosupportacademicexcellence andprovidemorechoicetofamilies, withfivenewin-districtcharterschoolsto commencethisAugust.

• Wehavedevelopedandlaunched programsinpartnershipwithexternal entitiesthatrepresentcreativein-house

approachestohelpfilloursignificanttalent needs.

• Ourbaseofsupportcontinuestogrowas weformmorestrategicpublicandprivate partnershipstoassistourefforts.

• Wehavesecuredmuch-neededresources tohelpfundourstrategies,thankstoSAISD voters,whooverwhelminglyapprovedtwo revenue-generatingproposalsontheNov.8 ballot.Additionally,wehavereceivednew federalgrantsupport.

• Weareseeingpromisingprogressrelated toourestablishedgraduationandcollege- goinggoals.

The2015-16schoolyearlaunchedYear1ofoureffortsandisourbaselineformeasuringfutureprogress.ThatfirstyearwasdedicatedprimarilytolisteningtoourstakeholdersandunderstandingthechallengeswefaceasaDistrict.

Blueprint for Excellence: Target 2020Driving change through innovation and choice

FEBRUARY 22, 2017

Thisyear,Year2,wearefocusedonimplementation.WehavebeenbusysettingupsystemsandconditionsneededforDistrictwideexcellenceandaregettingoffthegroundtheprogramsthatwereinplanninglastschoolyear.SupportingoureffortsareourPillarsofSuccess:Academic Excellence, Talent Management,CultureShift,StakeholderEngagementandFiscal Management.

SAISD Transformative Efforts

Talent Management

FortheDistrict’sacademiceffortstosucceed,itmusthavethehighest-caliberschoolleadersandteachingtalentinplace.Wearefocusingoncreativeandcollaborativesolutionstomeetourneeds.

• Creatednewroleof“MasterTeacher”and launchedextensiverecruitingefforts internallyandexternallyfor250+highly skilledteacherswithatrackrecordof achievinghighlevelsofstudentsuccess. Placementinspecifiedclassrooms/programs includesstipendsfortheadditional responsibilities,includingextendedhours anddays.

• Partneredtocreatelab schools,where aspiringteachersarepairedwithMaster Teachersinanintensiveclassroom environmentwhiletheyworktoward certificationandanadvanceddegree. Afteroneyear,thesenow-residentteachers moveontootherSAISDcampuses,taking withthemvaluableknowledgeand

leadershipskillsneededtoimplement innovativeprogramsandpracticesat theirschools.

• Partneredtoofferadvanceddegree programstoelevateliteracyinstructionand increasethenumberofteachers credentialedtoteachdual-creditand AdvancedPlacementcourses.Partners includeTexasA&M-SanAntonioandthe RelayGraduateSchoolofEducation.

• LaunchedtheNewLeadersAspiring PrincipalsProgram,ayearlong,intensive principalresidencyprogramdelivering thebenefitsofreal-worldexperience,expert coachingandskillsforsuccesstodevelop astrongpipelineofprincipalswhoareready toleadourschools.

Innovation in Schools

InnovationisakeystrategyforimprovingDistrictwideachievement.TheinnovativemodelslistedbelowjoinourYoungMen’sLeadershipAcademyandYoungWomen’sLeadershipAcademy,single-genderschoolsthathavebeenbrightspotsinourDistrict.

• AdvancedLearningAcademyforhighly motivatedstudentswaslaunchedinAugust 2016,inpartnershipwithTrinityUniversity.It openedwithgradesK-10andwilladdpre- kindergarten,11thand12thoverthenext twoyears.Thislabschoolisdrawingfamilies fromaroundthecitytotheurbancore.ALA operatesclassroomsascreativecenterswith individualandcollaborativelearningfor studentsofsimilarlevels ofachievementwithout traditionalgradelevels. Principal,KathyBieser.

• CAST Tech High School willbeacareer themedschoolfocusingoncoding, cybersecurity,gaming,entrepreneurship, businessandmore.Locatednearthecity’s downtownTechDistrictontheFoxTech campus,theschoolwillworkhand-in-hand withindustrypartners.CASTTechalsowill serveasalabschoolforeducator developmentwithasoon-to-be-named highereducationpartner.Openingin August.Principal, Dr.KellyFlieger.

• SteeleMontessoriAcademywillopenas anin-districtcharterinAugusttoour youngerstudentsattheformerSteele Elementarysite,becomingthefirstpublic MontessorischoolinSanAntonio.The programisbeingdevelopedincollaboration withtheNationalCenterforMontessoriin thePublicSector.Studentswillbetaughtby trainedMontessoriteacherswithafocuson thewholechild.Theschoolwillopen withages4to6,expandingtoage 12inupcomingyears. Principaltobehired.

• TwainDualLanguageAcademywill providedualEnglishandSpanishimmersion fortheentirestudentbody,beginningwith gradesPK-2,ultimatelyexpandingtoserve PK-8.Theacademyisbeingdevelopedwith inputfromnationalandlocalexpertsinthe fieldofduallanguageeducation. OpeninginAugust.Principal, RickyFlores.

• OgdenElementary,inpartnershipwith theRelayGraduateSchoolofEducation,will becomealabschoolnextfall.Keyelements ofthisin-districtcharterincludecustomized,

interdisciplinarycurriculum,multi-age experiences,andclassroomsfacilitated bybothmasterteachersandintern teachersworkingtogether. Principal,IxchellGonzalez.

• LamarElementarywillconvertthisAugust toanin-districtchartertoincludeproject- basedlearningwithacivicengagement focus,social-emotionallearning,dual languageprogramsandanextendedschool dayandyearforpre-kindergartenthrough 6thgrades.Thecampuswillcontinueto serveasaprofessionaldevelopmentschool whereLamarandTrinityeducation studentsengageinmeaningful learningtogether.Principal, BrianSparks.

ExpandingWhatWorks

• IBexpansion–BurbankHighSchoolhas beenhometotheInternational Baccalaureateprogramfornearly20 years.WoodlawnAcademy’smulti-yearIB authorizationprocessisunderwayand nearingcompletion,andthisyear,SAISD addedthreenewIBcandidateschools– JeffersonHighSchoolandHarrisand Longfellowmiddleschools.Morecampuses areexpectedtobeaddednextyear.

• Additionof6thgradeat11 elementaryschools–thefirststepin SAISD’seffortstoincreasethenumberof PK-7orPK-8schoolsintheDistrict, providingfamilieswithmoreeducational options.Studiesshowstudentsbenefitboth sociallyandacademicallybystayinglonger intheelementary-schoolenvironment.Next year,wewilladd7thgradetoeightofthe11 elementaryschools,andninemore elementarieswilladda6thgrade.

The CENTERS for APPLIED

SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY

Real Dreams. Real Futures.

TECH

• Students on the Rise–aprogramthat connectsourtopstudentswiththenation’s bestcolleges,specificallythosethatoffer fullfinancialassistance,andlinksthemwith dedicatedmentorstohelpthemthroughthe collegeprocess.Overspringbreak,District staffandcommunityvolunteerswill accompany83topjuniorsontourstohighly selectivecollegesanduniversities acrossthecountry.Visitsalsowereheld lastfall.

Fiscal ManagementInNovember,SAISDvotersapprovedtwoballotproposalsfora$450millionbondanda13-centincreasetotheMaintenance&Operationstaxrate.ThisfollowedtheDistrictlearninginSeptemberthatitwasawardeda$46million,five-yearfederalgranttoimplementperformanceincentivesandotherinitiativesforimprovingstudentachievementinourmostunderperformingschools.

Thesefunds,alongwithacombinationofothergrantsandprivatepartnerships,provideuswithadditionalresourcesthatwillgoalongwayinhelpingtheDistrictmeetitsboldacademicgoals.

• Firstpriorities o Forminga2016BondCitizensAdvisory Committeeof24memberstoadvise theschoolboardonmattersrelatedto thebondimplementationprocess. Communitymemberswereinvitedto applyforthecommittee.

o PreparinganRFQforarchitectsand contractorsforBond2016forthe13 schoolstoreceivemajorrenovations.

o Purchasingtechnologydevicesfor classrooms,startingwithupgradingthe oldestequipmentinthoseschoolswith lowestcomputer:studentratio.

o Conductingacomprehensivefacilityand needsassessmenttoprioritizetheroll outofnew21st-centuryclassroom upgradestoenhancelearning.

o Developingamonthlongextensive summerschoolprogramforJune.

o Hiringof250+MasterTeacherstohelp acceleratestudentswhohavebeen retainedorarewell-belowgradelevel.

SAISDisthankfultothecommunityforitsinvestmentinourstudentsandinthelong-termvisionforexcellence.WewillcontinuetodemonstratestrongfinancialstewardshipinspendingtherevenueandworktirelesslyattransformingtheDistricttomeetourgoalsfor2020.