race to the top - kent.k12.wa.us€¦ · project budget ..... 54 activities and results ... how the...

Report to the Board of Directors

December 9, 2015

Division of Academics and Innovation

Louanne Decker, Chief Academic & Innovation Officer

Dr. Ann Minckler, Assistant Director, Grants and Special Projects

Successfully Preparing All Students for Their Futures

Race to the Top Project 1: English Language Learner

Leadership Academy

KENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

Successfully Preparing All Students for Their Futures

Board of Directors

Ms. Karen DeBruler, President Ms. Debbie Straus, Vice President

Ms. Agda Burchard, Legislative Representative Mr. Russ Hanscom, Board Director

Ms. Maya Vengadasalam, Board Director

Dr. Calvin J. Watts Superintendent

Division Chief Officers

Dr. Keith Beeman, Chief Talent Officer Ms. Louanne Decker, Chief Academics & Innovation Officer

Mr. Thuan Nguyen, Chief Information and Digital Strategy Officer Dr. Richard Stedry, Chief Business Officer

School Improvement Officers

Dr. Millicent Borishade Mr. Brad Brown

Dr. Eric Hong Ms. Allison Deno

Executive Directors Dr. Pamela Ansingh, Program and Professional Development

Dr. Razak Garoui, Accountability, Research & Assessment Mr. Randall Heath, Student & Family Support Services

Mr. Chris Loftis, Communications and School/Community Partnerships Ms. Moriah Martin, Human Resources

Mr. Stanley “Stosh” Morency, Information Technology Mr. John Sander, Inclusive Education Services

Ms. Ann Valanzuolo, Standards-Based Instruction

Kent School District 12033 SE 256th Street Kent, WA 98030-6503

253-373-7000 www.kent.k12.wa.us

Race to the Top: Project 7 Report 1

Contents Race to the Top Project Overview ...................................................................................................... 2

District History and Project Information ......................................................................................... 2

Board Goals ................................................................................................................................... 43

Project Budget .................................................................................................................................. 54

Activities and Results ........................................................................................................................ 65

RTTT Year 1 – 2012-2013 School Year .......................................................................................... 65

RTTT Year 2 – 2013-2014 School Year: Activities .......................................................................... 65

RTTT Year 3 – 2014-2015 School Year: Activities .......................................................................... 65

RTTT Year 3 – 2014-2015 School Year: Results ............................................................................. 76

Heritage English Language Learners Leadership Academy ....................................................... 76

RTTT Year 4 and Year 5 – 2015-2017 School Years: Activities ...................................................... 98

How the Work has Changed ..................................................................................................... 98

Budget and Program Considerations for 2017-2018 ...................................................................... 109


Race to the Top Project Overview

Race to the Top, Project 1 creates a fund that districts may access to improve teacher and

principal skills and abilities, to assist in the creation of personalized learning environments

in the region’s high-need schools. The emphasis of this fund is on math, science and ELL

instruction as well as teacher/principal leadership.

District History and Project Information

Recognizing the disparity in ELL performance on standardized tests, in 2009 the Kent

School District (KSD) established a partnership with Heritage University to provide

opportunities for KSD teachers to participate in the English Language Learner Academy

and English Language Learner Institute. The Heritage program provides Kent teachers the

ability to:

Focus professional development on data driven teaching and learning need

identified at the school level,

Build professional learning communities to support teacher knowledge and skills

that facilitate culturally responsive teaching across the system,

Apply instructional strategies designed to increase student achievement of all

English Language Learners in their school, with the effect of closing the

achievement gap,

Receive training on pedagogy that fosters equity, inclusion and empowerment of

students,

Access district personnel who model best-practices in English Language Learner

teaching and learning strategies,

Develop a program to meet English language learner teaching needs and

requirements as identified by the district,

Produce qualified candidates with an ELL and/or Bilingual endorsement or

equivalent,

Meet OSPI and state standards for all English language learners.

In order to provide a similar learning opportunity for building and district administrators, the

English Language Leadership Academy has been created. This academy consists of

seven modules designed for building and district administrators, instructional coaches, and

district support personnel to enhance and support concepts and research-based, best

practices for English Language Learners. Through a series of professional development

modules, to the cohort engages in deep, meaningful, and focused learning, gaining

knowledge and job-embedded skills to help support standards-based instruction and


assessment for English language learners (ELLs). Culturally responsive teaching (CRT)

strategies are integrated throughout the ELL Leadership Academy. Content is aligned to

the Washington state ELL and bilingual education endorsement competencies (WAC 181-

82A) Multilingual Education Director Nina “Will” Williams participates in all cohort sessions

as co-facilitator.

The seven ELL leadership modules cover the following topics:

Module 1 – Historical and Legal Foundations of ESL/Bilingual Education

Module 2 – Language Acquisition

Module 3 – ESL/Bilingual Models

Module 4 – Culturally Responsive Practice

Module 5 – English Language Learners and Assessments

Module 6 – ELLs in the Classroom

Module 7 – Leadership Practicum

The ELL leadership cohort is a district-wide learning community focused on closing the

achievement gap for all students. Discussions pursuant to the learning are collegial,

intense, and add exponentially to each participant’s depth of understanding. Participants

emerge as changed professionals with a renewed commitment to ensuring equity for all

students. Below is the list of administrators who participated.

Page Meyer Director, Early Learning

Sandra Murray Assistant Director, Instructional Leadership and Professional Learning

Diane Ellis Principal, Pine Tree Elementary

Tricia Hoyle Principal, Fairwood Elementary

Suzy Kontos Principal, Meadow Ridge Elementary

Cynthia Green Principal, Ridgewood Elementary (Formerly AP at Meadow Ridge)

Sherilyn Ulland Principal, Northwood Middle School (Formerly Principal at Mill Creek)

Millicent Borishade SIO

Brian Patrick Principal, East Hill Elementary

Alene Arakawa Assistant Principal, Millennium Elementary

Eric Hong SIO

Lisa Couch Assistant Principal, Daniel Elementary

LySander Collins Principal, Meridian Elementary (Formerly AP at Meridian)

The program aligns to Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning by providing

Kent School District leaders with professional learning to expand their knowledge, skills,

practices and dispositions in the education of English Language Learners, focusing on the

following standards through the initial learning and ongoing support:


Learning Communities – establishment of the cohort model to deepen relationships and

learning connections throughout the year

Leadership – increasing the knowledge and skills of principals, instructional specialists,

and mentor specialists

Board Goals

1. High Student Achievement

6. Highly Effective Staff


Project Budget

Project 1-ELL Leadership (Program 1813)Type: Competitive

Carryover Carryover

Year 1

FY 2012-2013

Year 2

FY 2013-2014

Year 3

FY 2014-2015

Year 4

FY 2015-2016

Year 5

FY 2016-2017Heritage University English Language Learner Leadership Academy - This project provides the Heritage University Leadership Program leading to an ELL and/or Bilingual endorsement for administrators in each of the Race to the Top schools. Currently 8building and district-level administrators are participating in this first year program.Nina (Will) Williams, Program Lead

No Award

$0

No Award

$0

Contract #8623 signed 6/13/14$99,608 Effective 9/01/14

Year 3 Budget: $99,608Expenditures (thru July 2015):Contractual $93,312*Indirects $2,000Total $48,656

*Heritage University(Indirects on first $25K)

Position(s) Funded:None

$4,296

Contract #TBD$103,152 Effective 9/01/152-year Award$107,447 with carryover

Year 4 Budget: TBDExpenditures Anticipated:Trainer $16,800Tuition $31,200Books $2,925Materials $500Indirects $3,617Total $55,042

Positions Anticipated:

Contract #TBD$52,405

$52,405

Year 4 Budget: TBDExpenditures Anticipated:Trainer $16,800Tuition $$28,800Books $2,700Materials $503Indirects $3,602Total $52,405

Positions Anticipated:


Activities and Results

Below is the work that was proposed for each round of funding and the anticipated

results of the activities.

RTTT Year 1 – 2012-2013 School Year

No grants were awarded

RTTT Year 2 – 2013-2014 School Year: Activities

Award: $0

A proposal for this grant year was submitted to the ESD for consideration, but the

proposal was not funded.

RTTT Year 3 – 2014-2015 School Year: Activities

Award: $ 99,608

This competitive grant will pay for the following:

Proposed Activity Proposed Results

1. Provide the Heritage University English Language Learner Leadership Academy for school administrators, instructional coaches, mentors and district level administrators

Participants will:

Better understand the learning needs of English Language Learners in the classroom

Identify classrooms strategies that support ELL student learning

Be prepared to support instruction for ELL students


RTTT Year 3 – 2014-2015 School Year: Results

Heritage English Language Learners Leadership Academy

During the 2014-2015 school year, thirteen administrators participated in the program. Tuition

for eight members of the cohort was paid through RTT. Tuition for five members was paid

through the Roadmap ELL Endorsement Project, which provided opportunities for both teachers

and administrators to engage in gaining endorsements. Had additional participants expressed

interest in joining the cohort, they would have been supported with Title III funding. Response

from the program was very positive, and each administrator has made changes within their

sphere of influence in order to better support English language learners in their schools and

across the district. Below are some examples of how the program is impacting participants’

practice:

All of the first year cohort members understand that removing students from instruction

is the least effective model of ELL instruction, and serves to widen the gap for English

learners (Thomas and Collier, 2001-2009) All are working on ways to approach in-class

support for students and teachers. They are working toward ensuring that ELLs have

meaningful access to core instruction (Lau v. Nichols, 1974), along with explicit

supplementary instruction in the four language development domains.

Cohort members understand the history of bilingual education in America, and what

events have transpired to lead us to where we are in current practice. All have begun to

look at their schools’ practice through the lens of this historical perspective, and can

evaluate the effectiveness of their schools’ English language development services in

comparison to research-based best-known practices.

District leaders who participated in the cohort have utilized their learnings and are asking

more questions about ELL services at high-needs schools. They are also engaging in

ongoing discussions about changing instructional practice, ensuring equity and access

to core instruction, and consideration of building a support system for general education

teachers to become more comfortable with their skills in differentiating and scaffolding

instruction for ELLs in their content area classes.

Principals are planning differently for language development services for the 2015-2016

school year. Several principals in the cohort brought teams of ELL and general

education teachers together for co-teaching training in June, for which we used the

seven models outlined by Honigsfeld and Dove in their book, Collaboration and Co-

Teaching, Strategies for English Learners.

All building administrators in the cohort have gained an understanding of the Washington

State English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), which are aligned to

CCSS/NGSS. They have provided guidance for their staff, as well as opportunities for

school-wide professional learning for implementation of the ELPS. This integrated

approach to scaffolding language development within each Common Core standard is

one of the keys to ensuring that content is made accessible for our English learners.


One measure that demonstrates this more intentional approach is the improvement in the 2014-

2015 Washington English Language Proficiency Assessment (WELPA) scores. Data Table B

(attached) shows the growth from SY 2013-2014 to SY 2014-2015 . Most significantly, 875

students achieved Level 4 and exited from ELL services in 2015; 234 students more than exited

the previous year.

SY 14-15 SY 13-14

Total Students Tested 5167 4940

Exited L4 875 17% 641 13%

L3 2571 50% 2661 54%

L2 1469 28% 1383 28%

L1 225 4% 226 5%

Below are the changes in the number of secondary students identified as WELPA Level 1 at the

beginning of the year, compared to the number of students who tested at Level 1 on the WELPA

in February:

Mill Creek Middle School: 25 at the beginning of the year – 5 after WELPA testing

Kent-Meridian High School: 73 at the beginning of the year – 23 after WELPA testing

We are encouraged by the growth we are seeing in quantitative data, as well as the positive

responses and changes in practices reported by those who participated in this first cohort.

Members of the inaugural cohort have all expressed an interest in remaining involved in the

program as new cohorts enter; to collaborate, discuss, and learn along with their colleagues. As

we plan strategically for future cohorts, we are exploring avenues that will allow us to make the

program more cost effective and sustainable while increasing our capacity to reach more of our

school leaders.


RTTT Year 4 and Year 5 – 2015-2017 School Years: Activities

Award: $103,152 (over 2 years)

Activity Results

1. For each of the 2 years, provide the University English Language Learner Leadership Academy for school administrators, instructional coaches, mentors and district level administrators

Participants will:

Better understand the learning needs of English Language Learners in the classroom

Identify classrooms strategies that support ELL student learning

Be prepared to support instruction for ELL students

How the Work has Changed

This year the district is establishing a new partnership with another university as a step toward

making this initiative more sustainable and extending the opportunity to a wider audience. The

content meets the newly revised Washington State competencies for English language learner

and/or bilingual education endorsements, and is focused on job-embedded practice for all

participants.

This work is aligned to the grant’s original problem of practice and theory of action which targets

increasing the district’s leadership team’s knowledge of best practice regarding English

language learners and their ability to identify specific ELL practices when observing teachers

delivering classroom instruction. This new plan increases the number of participants at a

significantly reduced price. As graduates of the Leadership Academy, KSD administrators will

be better equipped to evaluate and support teaching staff with regards to ELL through:

Understanding the impact of culture on student learning,

Increased understanding of English language learners’ needs,

Increased knowledge of instructional strategies reflecting research and best practice,

Applying various teaching and scaffolding strategies to enhance achievement,

Using English Language Development Standards to evaluate students levels of

performance and proficiency,

Using the English Language Development Standards, Essential Academic Learning

Requirements and Grade Level Expectations in the development of lesson plans that

include language and content objectives.


Budget and Program Considerations for 2017-2018

The following reflect the costs for a cohort of 13 administrators to participate in training this year,

and a cohort of 12 administrators during the 2016-2017 school year.

RTTT Funded Impact to District

2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 13 students 12 students Cost for 10 students

Trainer (Contracted Service) $16,800 $16,800 $16,800

Endorsement Fees ($2400/student) $31,200 $28,800 $24,000

Books ($225/student) $2,925 $2,700 $2250

Training Supplies $500 $500 $500

Total $51,425 $48,800 $43,100

This new university partnership will also allow us to offer ELL and bilingual education

endorsements for teachers at a greatly reduced cost to the district, increasing our capacity to

better prepare our staff to provide high-quality instruction to our English language learners.

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