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Quality Quick Takes - March 2022

Throughout the year, this bulletin has featured several topics specific to fostering the skills of school leaders, such as coaching, facilitating conversations, building shared leadership, to name a few.  A strong instructional leader needs these skills and others to plan for the continuous improvement process effectively; however, this can be cumbersome to navigate without a long-range plan.  Long-range data planning is no different from preparing to teach the curriculum, planning for staff professional development, and implementing evaluation timelines.  

Data is the driving force to determine the contributing factors and root causes for implementing actions to address disproportionalities in student outcome data.  The data you start the year with will not be the only data set used.  While monitoring the comprehensive school improvement plans, leaders collect other data sets and plan for the conservations about the data that occur at various times of the year with different stakeholders.  Long-range data planning involves: 

• examining multiple data sets, 
• understanding the role of data planning,
• identifying and collecting data, 
• analyzing data, and 
• considering how to scale improvement practices.

In the brief from Hanover Research (listed below), there are many things to consider. Attention to detail is necessary and may be overwhelming without a plan. 

Data Dialogues, Data Digs, and Data Driven-Decision Making are all phrases that leaders hear in circles for continuous improvement.  Regardless of the name, influential leaders plan for the process.  As you reflect on the year and prepare for next year, consider the following questions:  

• How might you ensure that these details are not forgotten as you develop your comprehensive school improvement plan? 
• How are you executing a continuous improvement process with fidelity (i.e., ensuring that the plan is updated regularly)?  
• How do the skills of coaching, building shared leadership, and facilitating conversations help with long-range planning?

The core of continuous improvement practices is reflection and inquiry.  Never stop Planning, Doing, Studying, and Acting to meet the needs of your students!

Marvana Bennett

School Quality Data Coordinator

Support for High-Quality Educational Environments

Data plays an integral role in long-range planning, from comprehensive needs assessments (CNAs) to multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to implementation of scaled improvement efforts.  Given the importance of data in long-range planning, particularly continuous school improvement planning, school leaders must form a data team that is data literate and actively participates in analyses and conversations. Together, school leaders and data teams interact with data through identifying and collecting relevant information, analyzing data, conducting facilitated dialogues, and using initial and small-scale intervention data to ensure effective scaled improvement efforts.

This brief from Hanover Research presents research and best practices on how leaders and data teams use data during long-range planning and best practices for doing so. Additionally, Hanover Research provides links and QR codes to external resources that expand on long-range data planning and data protocols for school and district leaders.

Q-Tip

Effective instructional leaders utilize data throughout the continuous school improvement process.  Identifying, collecting, and analyzing multiple data sources through clear protocols and productive conversations help leaders create intentional plans for the future.  

We have provided you with a summary entitled Long-Range Data Planning.  Take a quick look to reflect on how to develop a plan for the intentional use of data and incorporate data into each phase of the Plan-Do-Study-Act process.

A technical assistance session will be held on Thursday, April 7, 2022, to discuss strategies for long-range data planning.  If you are interested in learning more, complete this registration form, TA-Long Range Data Planning, by April 6, 2022.  This training will include opportunities to reflect on your current practice, methods to enhance your planning process, and the use of data to support your school improvement efforts.  

Data Connections

Often we do not think of planning for data collection, analysis, and actions. In this article, Lockwood (2018) explains the importance of planning for developing teacher inquiry teams.  She highlights Harvard’s Data Wise Improvement Process, which is similar to the foundation principle of the Plan-Do-Study-Act.  Additionally, Lockwood discusses several essential strategies to help collaborative teams move forward in the data-driven planning process.

Long-range data planning helps us prepare for professional development and assessments.  Imagine using this data mining protocol from the School Reform Initiative (SRI).  What planning needs to occur to allow for a successful data mine?  What other timelines need to be considered to engage in this protocol?

Collaboration Corner 

SPOTLIGHT: Technology, Virtual, Digital, OH MY!

Grades K–5: Online Summer Enrichment Courses:  The Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE's) Virtual Virginia's Summer Session 2022 will feature high-quality synchronous and asynchronous enrichment instruction for elementary students in grades K–5.  These enrichment courses (instruction in STEM, French, and Spanish) will be taught daily by Virginia-certified Virtual Virginia (VVA) instructors.  Find out more information about registration and start dates from VVA today!        

Virtual VA Summer Session: Grades 6–12:  Virtual Virginia's Summer Session 2022 will feature 90 online courses for grades 6–12.  These core academic and elective courses will be taught by Virginia-certified VVA instructors.  Check out the variety of subject areas credit recovery options for a number of core academic courses today!

Higher Education Informational Webinars:  The University of Richmond Master’s of Education (M.Ed.) will provide the opportunity to learn more about the M.Ed. programs in curriculum and instruction and educational leadership and policy studies, including a post-master's certificate option.  Register for a 45-minute Zoom meeting for details about the program, requirements, costs, and resources.  All sessions will begin at 5:30 p.m.:   

• Curriculum and Instruction Program dates - March 22 or April 12; 
• Educational Leadership Program dates - March 22 or April 12 

Relevant Research and Best Practice Highlights

Best Practice Highlights:  Shared below are a couple of links to research reports designed to provide school leaders information to support school climate via best practices for English Language Learners and provide an in-depth account of school climate, implementation, and academic achievement. 

• Best Practices in School Climate and Support Services for English Language Learners 
• School Climate, Implementation, and Academic Achievement:  

Did you know? 

The new VAAP will be based on academic content standards derived from the Standards of Learning (SOL) in reading, mathematics, and science that have been reduced in depth, breadth, and complexity.  These content standards are referred to as the Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VESOL).  Two new resources are available to support families to include: The New VAAP: Introduction for Parents Video and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about VAAP for Parents Document.  For additional information about the new VAAP, please contact Deborah Johnson by email at Deborah.Johnson@doe.virginia.gov or by phone at (804) 371-2725. 

The Parent Education Advocacy Training Center (PEATC), in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), will be offering a Family Engagement Conference.  Parents, caregivers, educators, and community leaders will join together to learn strategies that empower all stakeholders to work collaboratively to develop family and school partnerships that share the goal of improving student achievement. Join us for a day of connecting and learning on Saturday, July 16, 2022, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Virginia Crossings Hotel & Conference Center.  Please refer to the Family Engagement Conference flyer for more details, including registration information.

Virginia Association of Science Teachers (VAST) Experiences for Educators:  VAST is offering four experiences around Virginia that will include visiting a quarry in two different parts of the state, walking in the footprints of dinosaurs, and learning about modern mining in Virginia.  The dates are between June 17 and July 29, 2022.  See the VAST The Science Educator, Winter Edition for more information and registration.

Reminders

School Improvement Grant (SIG) Applications Divisions are reminded that SIG reimbursements must be submitted to OMEGA at least once a month as this allows the Office of School Quality (OSQ) and the division to monitor the spend-down of the SIG funds.   Upcoming Quick Takes Topics: April 2022 - Building a Culture Through Change May 2022 - Data-Informed Decisions June 2022 - Introduction to Actionable Plans

Any feedback about this communication is greatly appreciated.  If you have a topic you would like to see in a future monthly edition of Quality Quick Takes, contact OSQ at OSQ@doe.virginia.gov.

This monthly communication is intended for school and division leadership throughout the Commonwealth.

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