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The School Portfolio story in Columbia began just over two years ago. Dr. Cheryl Cozette, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education, reports that Columbia Public Schools were looking at school improvement processes in elementary buildings as the district was going through preparation for MSIP and updating the CSIP. Buildings were involved in reform initiatives such as Accelerated Schools and Basic Schools, for example, and the district sought ways to pull these together in a school improvement model that still allowed such previously chosen processes to be retained.
Dr. Cozette was introduced to The School Portfolio Implementation Process through The Leadership Academy. Subsequently, she introduced the process and the work of Dr. Bernhardt to elementary principals through a study group format. The School Portfolio process was quickly viewed as a process that could document what schools were already doing, focus on data, and promote data-driven decision making.
When considering the results achieved to-date through the School Portfolio process, Dr. Cozette cited those of principals focusing on results-based school improvement while giving teachers a format and a framework for looking at data and making decisions collectively for students at both the building and classroom level. Principals and teachers began asking for more data and, thus, changed the focus of assessment programs at the elementary level. Data became the driving force for making instructional decisions.
Gradually, using the new process helped the district begin to view data as a tool to enhance instruction, achievement and program development. A lot of data is not used to "paint a picture" of students, classrooms and the district. Those educators who accepted the premise of the School Portfolio saw the data as a measure of student success. The district has begun to gather data for classroom pictures of student progress, making data more meaningful. The continuums and categories of the School Portfolio have helped "pigeon hole" the data. Dr. Cozette sees the process as a tool for change through the self-assessment process on each of the continuum areas. It has "tremendous potential" for the whole school picture. The challenge has been to get the data organized, so that it is usable-a procedure that takes time, money and energy.
From a professional development perspective, Dr. Mary Anne Graham, Staff Development Coordinator, is positive about the School Portfolio due to support from the Leadership Academy. The partnership and the process foster school improvement. Dr. Graham sees the School Portfolio as a way to help staff formulate goals and work together to improve them. It focuses on measurable goals and has a structure for looking at how schools are doing by analyzing data and making data based decisions. In other words, we now look at "where are we and where are we going." As teachers view student data, they begin making changes in their teaching and see changes in student achievement. Use of baseline data allows teachers to know if they are making an impact when looking at future student scores. Dr. Graham believes that the process gives meaning to data. Instead of a "hodge-podge" view, there is a consistent way to look at student achievement that can be replicated from building to building, year to year. According to Dr. Graham, the most important pieces are data analysis and data-based decision making. In her view the School Portfolio provides a structure for how students learn and what to do to improve learning, as well as a way to support building and CSIP goals.
The School Portfolio has been in use for nearly three years at New Haven Accelerated Elementary, reports principal Dr. Terri Martin. New Haven was in a school reform process three years ago as an Accelerated School, but not analyzing data or making decisions based on data. It was decided that the School Portfolio facilitates both procedures and helps manage them. Since the implementation of the process, the school climate has become "student learner centered" and "conversations revolve around student achievement." A part of the New Haven process is to establish a goal, review the data related to it and establish appropriate benchmarks for it. This procedure helps eliminate ineffective programs. According to Dr. Martin, the School Portfolio has refined the way New Haven educators look at data, helping them decide what data is necessary for student achievement gains. It has given them multiple measures and a way or organizing data and having it make sense. The process has "made life easier" by having the data and the analysis of the data has been "productive" for New Haven. Dr. Martin believes that a major strength of the School Portfolio is that is has united the staff ensuring that all are headed in the same direction while focused on student learning. Teacher morale is improved because pressure is taken off of any one classroom teacher. Teachers are willing to work together collegially, while looking at data and not feel negative or blameful. Even though instructional approaches vary, results for students are positive and teachers are given credit for good teaching.
After viewing School Portfolio materials, Fairview Elementary Principal, Elaine Hassemer believed that the process was a perfect match for the school. The School Portfolio would "improve the framework already in place" and not add anything new for the teachers. This was key for Ms. Hassemer. The fact that the process appeals to a variety of schools was also a plus for her. While implementing the School Portfolio, the staff was allowed to keep the school vision and move toward it, first impacting the staff, then the students. In an organized way, the school’s educators used data to make decisions that were all tied to the vision. The professionals became more "proactive" in deciding how to improve instruction as they used data in planning and realized the importance of a good data base. The data analysis caused the staff to change its standardized testing, establishing consistent assessments in third and fifth grades. According to Ms. Hassemer, teacher leaders developed and emerged as dialogue changed and "teacher talk" became more student focused. Fairview was named a Blue Ribbon School in May. Mrs. Hassemer says that this honor was one result of the School Portfolio Process. She expressed her belief that with so much information in place from the process, the application took less time to complete. Due to the School Portfolio, the school was "already doing most of what was required."
During the 2002-2003 school year, Fairview Elementary went through a major change. Fairview Elementary had grown to be a school with over 900 students and was literally bursting at the seams. In the fall of 2002, a new elementary school was opened and 400 of Fairview’s students transferred to the new school along with half of the school’s teachers. Elaine Hassemer, the principal of Fairview Elementary, also transferred to the new school. Fairview Elementary was faced with a huge change to it's culture.
Even though this process of change was a major one for the school, it did not stop the work of school improvement. The school portfolio had become a vital part of Fairview Elementary and it remained an effective tool for the new administration. Using tools that were put into place, the Fairview staff has continued to follow the principles of the school portfolio. Staff members at Fairview Elementary have learned that improvement can flourish in times and can provide a focus for the entire staff.
In the fall, the schools climate was assessed using the School Portfolio continuums. Staff members used the information from the continuums to set goals and make plans for the school year. In the spring, staff members were surveyed again and areas of improvement were noted. Staff members also analyzed these results for areas of improvement.
Fairview Elementary has been able to weather a major change to its culture and still focus on maintaining its goals of improving student achievement. The school portfolio has been an important part of this evaluation and improvement process and will continue to guide the school in the future.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Cheryl Cozette
Assistant Superintendent
Columbia Public Schools
www.columbia.k12.mo.us
In the summer before school opened, we began the process. We used the school portfolio to guide us, as a vision that was shared by all members of our community was developed. Values and beliefs were discussed, as the culture of our school was created. The end result of our summer work was a purpose/mission that has guided us on our journey of improvement. We developed action plans, utilized the norms and meeting suggestions and began to collect data.
Now, at the end of our first year, we are ready to develop the product of a school portfolio. The staff has collected artifacts and will assemble it this summer. The conversations which result from compiling the portfolio will help us focus on areas for growth next year. In addition, the continuums were marked at the end of the year and will also be used to develop and refine our improvement plan.
Opening a school is an awesome experience. The year has been extremely successful and results are far beyond expectations. Victoria Bernhardt's School Portfolio has been our beacon to guide us in our journey toward school improvement. Through rough times and the calm, her approach to school improvement has kept us focused on our vision which has enhanced student achievement.
Elaine Hassemer
Principal
Paxton Keeley Elementary
Columbia Mo
ehasseme@columbia.k12.mo.us
www.columbiapublicschools.com
