St. Louis Public Schools’ Accountability Plan October 20, 2009

1. St. Louis Public Schools’ Accountability PlanOctober 20, 2009 Kelvin R. Adams, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools

2. Overview: The Accountability Plan for SLPS • Purpose: The Accountability Plan • After the 4th Cycle MSIP Full Review in the Spring 2009 and the presentation of findings from that review in the Fall 2009, SLPS has developed an Accountability Plan, as required Outcome: • The Accountability Plan is the two year strategic document that will support and address what SLPS must do to: • Regain accreditation with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) • Remedy deficiencies identified by the MSIP Review • Address and execute the standards, goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Long Range Plan (CLRP)

3. Background: Development of the Accountability Plan • DESE directed unaccredited districts to create an Accountability Plan after a Full MSIP Review to address findings not met or met with concern • District staff and one Special Administrative Board (SAB) member, under the guidance of the Superintendent , and in consultation with the Missouri School Board’s Association ,developed the Accountability Plan • Five teams, with a selected leader, worked collaboratively to consider the CLRP, known district performance challenges and MSIP findings to identify precise objectives, strategies and action steps that would guarantee improved performance in five areas: • Student Performance • Highly Qualified Staff • Facilities, Instructional Programs and Support • Parent and Community Involvement • Governance

4. Key Components of the Accountability Plan • Twelve critical and urgent objectives that correspond to the objectives of the Comprehensive Long Range Plan • Five major goals – one for each of the five performance areas • 30 objectives – “what” SLPS must do to meet the goals • 63 strategies – “how” SLPS will accomplish its objectives, and • Action steps – the specific part of the plan that describes the: • “owners” – persons responsible for the action to be taken • “benchmarks” – points in time for the action to be taken • “timelines”– deadlines and measure s for accomplishment

5. Current Situation of the Accountability Plan • Following approval by SAB and acceptance by the DESE, the Accountability Plan will become the strategic performance document for SLPS • The Accountability Plan includes elements that provide for constant monitoring, a focus on continuous improvement and measures of progress • The SLPS Accountability Plan benefits from the experiences of the Kansas City Metropolitan School District - as that district has implemented the accountability process with success and is being used to communicate district improvement to the community and to DESE

6. Accountability Plan Reporting Process • The reporting process developed for the plan includes constant monitoring and measurement at specific levels and ties specific progress to the actions of specific individuals • Progress will be reported through data compiled into composite profiles for each of the Plan’s five performance areas • Data reports will inform the superintendent’s monthly reporting to the SAB at its regular meetings and also inform the district quarterly reporting to its DESE/MSIP supervisors • External and internal monitoring will be done by an Accountability Advisory Group composed of vested stakeholders

7. Success Benchmarks for the Accountability Plan • Specific and meaningful information generated by the monitoring process will provide SAB members and SLPS administrators the capacity to inform the community about district progress with accurate and current information • The District ‘s Accountability Plan will be the dynamic tool which will be used to continually monitor SLPS, with each school revising its School Improvement Plan into a School Accountability Plan that encompasses the performance elements identified in the District plan • The five performance areas – especially the action steps - will be constantly sharpened, focused, measured and revised over the next two years as the plan is executed

8. Summation • The Accountability Plan outlines the expectations, responsibilities, interventions and measures SLPS will follow for the next two years • The Accountability Plan states clear, comprehensive and high standards on educational progress towards meeting student performance standards • The Accountability Plan allows for: • educational performance of SLPS to be based on review of reliable and valid data from the district • an appraisal of the effectiveness of objectives and action steps taken to improve student learning within SLPS • building collaborative relations with those invested in the success of SLPS