Overview of Roles and Responsibilities of School Leadership Teams

1. Overview of Roles and Responsibilities of School Leadership Teams NYC Department of Education

2. Overview • In order to provide ongoing support and technical assistance to School Leadership Team (SLT) members, the Office for Family Engagement and Advocacy (OFEA) has developed this presentation • Topics covered today: • Overview of the roles and responsibilities of School Leadership Teams • Brief overview of the comprehensive educational planning process • School budget process • Beginning in January 2008, more extensive training opportunities for SLT members will be provided by specialists partnering with OFEA and the DOE to ensure that team members are prepared for this important work.

3. Upcoming “Nuts and Bolts” Training Topics • Chancellor’s Regulation A-655 • Commissioner’s Regulation 100.11 • Title I Parent Involvement Requirements • Biennial Review Process • Development of the CEP • Data Analysis and Budget Planning • Team Building/Meeting Management/Consensus Building • Decision-Making with a Purpose

4. School Leadership Teams • In December 1996, amendments to the New York State Education Law required the Chancellor to take steps to ensure that each school established a School Leadership Team (SLT) • SLTs are governed by Chancellor’s Regulation A-655 (CR A-655) which has been recently revised to align more closely with the requirements of Commissioner’s Regulation 100.11 and State Education Law, Section 2590 • Revised CR A-655 will be released on or before December 1, 2007 • SLTs are required to establish bylaws that conform with CR A-655

5. SLT Governance SLTs are governed by: • New York State Education Law (Section 2590) • Chancellor’s Regulation A-655 • New York State Commissioner’s Regulation 100.11 • SLT Bylaws

6. Team Composition • The mandatory members of the SLT are the Principal, PA/PTA President or designated PA/PTA Co-President, and UFT Chapter Leader or their designee(s). • No additional core/mandatory members may be added. • The composition of the team is determined initially by the mandatory members. • The size of the SLT must be between ten (10) and seventeen (17) members. • SLTs may also include students and representatives from Community Based Organizations (CBOs). • High schools: minimum of two students required • SLTs must have an equal number of parents and staff members – including the Principal • Students and CBO representatives do not count in this balance requirement.

7. Role of the SLT • SLTs are required by New York State Education Law to create the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) • How? By developing the school’s overall mission, goals, and objectives in order to help all children reach their full potential and to align that plan with the school’s budget. • The SLT is not responsible for the hiring or firing of school staff.

8. Additional Responsibilities of SLTs • SLT members have additional responsibilities which include: • Developing bylaws that comply with CR A-655 • Attending SLT meetings regularly and actively participating • Communicating with the members of the school community in an ongoing and meaningful way • Participating on SLT subcommittees • Serving on the Level I C-30 Committee in accordance with Chancellor’s Regulation C-30 • Attending mandatory training

9. Writing the Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) Nine Steps to Writing the CEP: • Agree on vision and mission • Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment • Establish priorities • Develop annual goals and measurable objectives • Select strategies and activities • Develop an action plan for implementation • Develop the budget • Implement the plan • Evaluate the plan

10. Comprehensive Educational Planning • The CEP should be a product of collaborative discussion among all stakeholders: • Parents • Staff • Administrators • Students and CBO members (where appropriate) • School Leadership Teams serve as the vehicle for meaningful consultation and dialogue between parent and staff representatives. • While the processes that individual schools use to build their plans may vary, the plan itself will be successfully implemented only when all partners assume collective responsibility for results. • As such, having team members take collective responsibility for student and school success is key to creating a credible, workable Comprehensive Educational Plan. 

11. CEP Action Plan • The Action Plan is the part of the CEP that is most closely correlated to budgeting • The items you are asked to describe in an Action Plan are directly linked to allocation categories and specific items in your galaxy budget • Use your Action Plan as a budgeting tool • Describe how you will use available funding to accomplish your goals and meet your objectives

12. Aligning the Budget with the CEP Action Plan • Schools are expected to coordinate funding sources to support a comprehensive strategy for school improvement. • During this step the SLT develops a school-based budget and staffing plan, which describes how the proposed educational program is being supported through available budgetary resources. The use of resources must be aligned with the strategies and activities described in the action plan. • The budget must be aligned with the educational program and the activities reflected in the CEP Action Plan. Each item in the budget must be reflected in the activities and each activity must be fiscally provided for in the budget.

13. CEP Action Plan • The Action Plan is: • The part of the CEP that is most closely correlated with budgeting • Directly linked to allocation categories and specific items in your galaxy budget • Galaxy budget for your school can be found online at:www.nycenet.edu/offices/d_chanc_oper/budget/dbor/galaxy/galaxyba/schallo3.asp • Used as a budgeting tool • The Action Plan describes how to use available funding in order to accomplish goals and meet objectives

14. CEP Action Plan

15. CEP Action Plan: What OBJECTIVES • State what the program is going to accomplish in order to meet needs and move closer to reaching goals • Specific and measurable

16. CEP Action Plan: Who • Identify populations to be served • Students • Grade Level • Special Needs (ELLs, etc.) • Staff (for professional development objectives) • Can include Supervisors, Teachers, Paras, etc. • Identify relevant information (grade level, subject area, assignment) • Parents (for parent/family engagement objectives)

17. CEP Action Plan: How • List tasks to be completed • List all activities that will be undertaken in order to meet objective(s) • Tasks and activities must be aligned with requirements identified through the comprehensive needs assessment and data analysis.

18. CEP Action Plan: When • A timeline must be described for every objective including: • Start and end date • Day(s) of the week • Start and end time • A well defined timeline will help you to calculate the cost associated with each activity

19. CEP Action Plan: Support • In this section of the action plan you must identify the resources (people and things) that will be used to perform tasks and conduct activities • Identify costs of each item • Identify the financial resources (funding sources) that can be allocated for the personnel, purchased services, supplies, and materials.

20. Identifying Resources to Support the CEP Action Plan • Identify appropriate funding source: • Tax Levy funding pays for mandated services (instructional programs) • Mandated services include all basic services as required by City law • Supplemental funding pays for non-mandated services • Supplemental services are those above and beyond mandated services

21. Principal Secretary Classroom Teacher Basic Equipment (desk, chair, mandated curriculum materials) IEP Mandates ELL Mandates In Intermediate and HS one Guidance Counselor for Articulation Small Group, Push in-Pull out Supplemental Teacher Attendance Outreach Services Professional Development Parent Involvement Extended Day Programs Mandated vs. Supplemental MANDATED SUPPLEMENTAL

22. Funding Source and Program Pyramid Competitive Grants NYS Legislative Grants NYC Council Member Items Discretionary Title I (SWP or TA) Title III ELL Early Grade Class Size Reduction AIDP State Incentive Grant (SIG) State Magnet State Standards Middle School ELA State AIS (formerly PCEN) Chapter 53 Supplemental Targeted Needs IDEA Part 154 PCEN/LEP S/N AIS Mandated Services (Targeted) Tax Levy – Instructional Program NYSTL Tax Levy Project Arts Required For All Students

23. Targeted Assistance (TA) Instructional and Support Services are provided to lowest performing and/or at-risk students only. Professional Development must target teachers of eligible students. Parent/family engagement activities for families of eligible students. Schoolwide Programs (SWP) All students* are served. * Priority given to lowest performing or at-risk students Professional development can target all teachers Parent/family engagement activities for all parents/families Funding Source Example: Title I Purpose: Increase achievement of students not meeting or at risk of not meeting State Academic Standards.

24. Funding Source Example: Early Grade Class Reduction (EGCR) • These funds support class size reduction in grades K-3 • EGCR: State-mandated class size reduction in grades K-3 to average 20 students per class • Title IIA (EGCR Federal funding) • First priority is to reduce class size • Where space limitations prevent the opening of a new classroom, supplemental instructional services (push-in) are provided.

25. Funding Source Examples: Other Reimbursable Funding • State Standards, ERSSA, SIG, Chapter 53, etc. • Information regarding appropriate use of all reimbursable funding streams can be found in the “Reimbursable Handbook” on the DOE Website: • http://schools.nyc.gov/Administration/Organization+of+the+DOE/ISC/Budget/

26. The Golden Rule for Using Reimbursable Funds: Supplement Not Supplant • Supplement: to complement, complete, fill in or round out • Supplant: to take the place of (another); to cut out, displace • Reimbursable funds are used to provide additional services to targeted populations. These services must be over and above the tax levy mandate • Reimbursable funds CANNOT be used to pay for mandated services

27. Best Practices for SLTs • Involve all school staff in some fashion and solicit input from families, students, and other stakeholders • Ensure all voices are heard. • Let discussions be informed by student achievement data and other evidence about the quality and effectiveness of educational practices. • Seek out information about proven practices and research-based approaches, and learn about similar schools which are achieving good results. • Reflect on the Guiding Questions that will be provided as an addendum to the CEP Guide(to be released in January) and consider other questions that are suggested by your experiences and unique circumstances.

28. Best Practices for SLTs • Identify only a few priorities which can be implemented successfully and will produce high-impact results. • An effective CEP focuses on a few high-leverage approaches and aligns its resources (staff, budget, etc.) accordingly. • The plan is only the beginning: • Treat it as a living document and plan to adjust along the way. • Keys to achieving desired results: • Careful implementation • Detailed follow-through • Continuous evidence-based monitoring of progress: Review of student performance data

29. THANK YOU • Thank you for your participation today. Please direct additional inquiries regarding this presentation to: OFEA@schools.nyc.gov