I2 strategic plan 2015 2020

AISD Strategic Plan 2015-2020 Reinventing the Urban School Experience Together

AUSTIN Independent School District

August 2015 [Tentative Date]

WORKING DRAFT, SUBJECT TO REVISION 07/23/2015

Dr. Paul Cruz

A Message from the Superintendent … The AISD Strategic Plan 2015‐2020 is the result of months of work by our community and educators, district administration, and the Board of Trustees. As you read through this document, you will find that the strategic plan is all about mutual commitments and expectations for all stakeholders. Strategic planning is a recognized best practice in accelerating an organization and keeping it on an upward trajectory. This strategic plan will provide us with focus and direction for the next five years, and position us to make continued progress into the future. This will be critical given our decreasing resources in the face of increasing academic standards. If we all work together to implement the components of this strategic plan – many of which are innovative, aggressive, and even bold – we can close achievement gaps and graduate all of our students on‐time and prepare them for college, career, and life in an highly changing and competitive world. I look forward to sharing my commitment to the expectations established in this strategic plan with all stakeholders of AISD.

WORKING DRAFT, SUBJECT TO REVISION 07/23/2015 Page 2

AISD Board of Trustees (From Left to Right) Ann Teich, District 3; Amber Elenz, VICE-PRESIDENT, District 5; Julie Cowan, District 4; Edmund T. Gordon, District 1; Kendall Pace, At Large 9; Robert Schneider, District 7; Gina Hinojosa, PRESIDENT, At Large 8; Paul Saldaña, District 6; Jayme Mathias, SECRETARY, District 2

INSIDE Page AISD Basic Data 4 Introduction: Strategic Plan Development 5 Strategic Plan Implementation 6 Strategic Plan Framework 8 Strategic Plan Scorecard 9 District Improvement Plan 10


AISD Basic Data (for the 2014-2015 School Year)

Campuses

High Schools 16 Middle Schools 18 Elementary Schools 84 Other Campuses 11

TOTAL 129 Student Enrollment Hispanic 50,353 (59.5%) African American 6,762 (8.0%) White 21,892 (25.9%) Other 5,584 (6.6%)

TOTAL 84,591

Limited English Proficiency 23,337 (27.6%) Economically Disadvantaged 50,487 (59.7%) Special Education 8,549 (10.1%) Employees Teachers 6,369 (52,9%) Other Professionals 3,162 (26.2) Auxiliary 2,522 (20.9%)

TOTAL 12,053 Budget Operations $909,666,345 (86.1%) Food Service $40,891,553 (3.9%) Debt Service $105,615,701 (10.0%)

TOTAL $1,053,173,599

State Recapture $175,539,902 Net Operations $877,633,697 Total Tax Rate $1.242/$100 valuation Bond Ratings Aaa(Moody’s), AA+(S&P), AAA/AA+(Fitch)


AISD Strategic Plan 2015-2020

Introduction

Strategic Plan Development

Preliminary work on a new AISD strategic plan for 2015-2020 involved the review of several other strategic plans from large school districts across the country. In addition, input on strategic plan priorities was obtained through three community meetings and an online community survey. Development of the strategic plan began in earnest in late 2014 with the retention of a nationally recognized expert in educational strategic planning, the Cambrian Group. The Cambrian Group assisted the district in facilitating a Strategic Planning Team consisting of 30 stakeholders, including parents, students, community and business members, teachers, principals, counselors, librarians, and central administrators. Over the course of three full days in early January 2015, the Strategic Planning Team developed a preliminary draft strategic plan.

As a next step in the planning process, seven Action Teams totaling over 150 diverse stakeholders developed detailed action plans related to strategies in the preliminary draft plan. The Cambrian Group provided training for the co-leaders of each of the Action Teams. The Strategic Planning Team reconvened to review all of the action plans and made final recommendations to the Superintendent in late April 2015.

On a parallel course, the Board of Trustees worked through the spring of 2015 to develop a Strategic Plan Framework, including statements of the district’s Vision, Core Beliefs and Commitments, and Values. The Board approved the Strategic Plan Framework in June 2015. The Board also worked to develop a Strategic Plan Scorecard, with performance indicators and targets related to each of the 11 Commitments in the Strategic Plan Framework. The Board approved the Strategic Plan Scorecard in August 2015. [Tentative date]

The Superintendent led the process to combine the work of the Board and the input of district stakeholders to form a cohesive strategic plan. Under each of the Commitments in the Board’s Strategic Plan Framework, the District Improvement Plan (DIP) provides Strategies and Key Action Steps that will serve as the detailed work of the Superintendent and administration over the next five years. As part of mutual commitments and expectations (which will be explained more in the next section on Strategic Plan Implementation), the 5-year DIP identifies offices of the district responsible for accomplishing each Key Action Step and providing annual status reports.

The Strategic Plan Consists of Three Parts:

Strategic Plan Framework (Board of Trustees) Strategic Plan Scorecard (Board of Trustees) 5-Year District Improvement Plan (Superintendent)


Strategic Plan Implementation

Implementation of the strategic plan begins with its communication to all stakeholders. This is also a first step in mutual commitments and expectations, which are necessary to ensure successful implementation of the strategic plan. The strategic plan and related information, in English and Spanish, will be housed on a dedicated page of the AISD website: http://www.austinisd.org/powerofus.

All employees of the district will be emailed a link to the strategic plan with a message from the Superintendent asking them to become familiar with the plan and to identify how it will affect their work. In addition, information on the strategic plan will be included in new employee orientation and in the Employee Handbook, and be incorporated in the Superintendent’s annual convocation of all district staff at the beginning of the school year.

The strategic plan will also be presented in meetings with the community and business partners. In addition, agendas of the Board and district advisory committees will show alignments with the strategic plan, and during reports to the Board on the district’s work the Superintendent will make connections to the strategic plan.

Annual Campus Improvement Plans (CIPs) are developed by each campus using a standard template, which will include alignments to the strategic plan. The CIPs provide campus-level commitments to implementing the strategic plan. The content and role of the strategic plan will be included in training provided to campus administrators and Campus Advisory Council (CAC) members. As previously mentioned, the 5-year DIP provides administrative commitments to implementing the strategic plan at the district level. After the conclusion of each year school year, offices assigned responsibility for each Key Action step in the plan will provide status reports which will be compiled into one annual DIP status report.

In the autumn of each year, the Superintendent will lead a review of the strategic plan, to ensure that it remains current and strongly focused on the needs of the district. The Board will either reaffirm the Strategic Plan Framework and Scorecard or make revisions as needed, and the Superintendent and Senior Cabinet will do likewise with the DIP. Also in the autumn of each year, the Superintendent will present a Strategic Plan Scorecard results report. This report will inform the annual State of the District address and the recommendations of the District Advisory Council (DAC) on strategic plan review and budget priorities.

Another very important strategic plan alignment is with the annual district budget. Itemized expenditures in the Preliminary Budget and Proposed Budget will show alignments with the strategic plan.

On the next page is an at-a-glance “rhythm” showing annually recurring steps for implementing the strategic plan.


AISD Strategic Plan 2015-2020

Annual Implementation “Rhythm”

Timeframe

Recurring Implementation Steps

February Preliminary Budget developed with strategic plan alignments

July-August CIP template developed with strategic plan alignments and CIP training

August Beginning of school year convocation of all district staff August Board approves District Budget with strategic plan

alignments August Annual status report on 5-year DIP October CIPs submitted and reviewed October Annual Strategic Plan Scorecard results report October State of the District Address October-November DAC recommendations on strategic plan review and

budget November-December Annual strategic plan review:

Board reaffirms or revises Strategic Plan Framework and Strategic Plan Scorecard

Superintendent and Senior Cabinet reaffirm or revise the DIP


VALUES:

Physical, social, and emotional health, and safety

Ensure all students perform at or above grade level in math and reading

Prepare all students to graduate on time

Develop civically‐engaged students

Develop effective organizational structures

Achieve excellence by delivering a high‐quality education to every student

Reinventing the urban school experience together.

VISION: Austin ISD will reinvent the urban school experience.

CORE BELIEF ONE: All students will graduate college‐, career‐, and life‐ready.

Implement the transformative use of technology

Whole Child Every Child

Create a positive organizational culture that values customer service and every employee

Generate, leverage, and utilize strategically all resources

Build ownership in AISD among internal and external stakeholders

Develop and maintain community partnerships

As part of this, we commit ourselves to:


Austin ISD 2015‐2020 Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan Framework


CORE BELIEF THREE: We will create vibrant relationships critical for successful students and schools.

Engage authentically with students, parents/guardians, teachers, and community

Life‐long learning

Equity, diversity, and inclusion

Approved by the Board of Trustees on June 22, 2015

High expectations for all students, employees, parents/guardians, and community members

Creativity, collaboration, and innovation

Community schools

CORE BELIEF TWO: We will create an effective, agile, and responsive organization.


2014 2015 Target

Met

Target Trend Source

1 Reduce equity gaps in graduation rates TBD TBD ≥ prior year TEA

2 # students completing CTE industry licensures or certifications in high school TBD TBD ACC and other

3 % middle school students who complete a science fair project TBD TBD Campus Report

4 % of high school seniors who complete a capstone project TBD TBD Campus Report

5 % of graduates who earn credit on Advanced/Dual Credit courses 63% 63% TEA

1 Adequate opportunity to use technology at school 60% 61% Parent Survey

2 Computer proficiency (grades 5 and 8) TBD TBD AISD DRE/CTE

1 STAAR Reading/ELA 80 78 TEA

2 STAAR Mathematics 81 79 TEA

3 STAAR Writing 93% 94% TEA

4 % of K‐2 students reading on or above grade level 93% 94% DRA/EDL

1 4‐Year State Graduation Rate 84.9% 86.4% ≥ prior year TEA

2 Applications submitted to 4‐year colleges 90.0% 91.2% ≥ prior year HS Exit Survey

3 Direct to college enrollment of graduates 63% 63% 70% AISD DRE

4 Attendance Rate 95.2% 95.3% ≥ prior year TEA

5 % Distinguished level graduates TBD TBD ≥ prior year AISD DRE

6 % of students with a 4‐year graduation plan/promotion plan 35% 34% ≥ prior year Naviance

1 Discretionary disciplinary actions TBD TBDReduction from

prior year AISD SS

2 Participation in community service TBD TBD ≥ prior year HS Exit Survey

2014 2015 Target

Met

Target Trend Source

1 Parents are treated with courtesy 3.4 3.5 ≥ prior year Parent Survey

2 Atmosphere of trust and mutual respect 70% 70% ≥ prior year TELL Survey

1 TELL Survey Question: Overall, my school is a good place to work and learn 90.0% 91.2% ≥ prior year TELL Survey

2 Administrative Cost Ratio TBD TBDExceed State

Standard SchoolFirst

3 % Highly Qualified Teachers TBD TBD ≥ prior year PEIMS

4 Student Climate Survey Question: I like to come to school. 70% 75% ≥ prior year Student Climate Survey

1 Unqualified Audit Opinion TBD TBD 2 Establish a balanced budget and maintain bond ratings TBD TBD 3 Value of revenue from new partnerships TBD TBD ≥ prior year 4 Number of schools over and under capacity (FMP criteria) TBD TBD ≥ prior year Facilities

2014 2015 Target

Met

Target Trend Source

1 Parent participation is welcomed 3.4 3.5 ≥ prior year Parent Survey

2 Number of activities to gain stakeholder input TBD TBD ≥ prior year Community Engagement

3Percentage of high school students who participate in at least one community service

project or extracurricular activityTBD TBD ≥ prior year Community Engagement

1 Develop a marketing plan for increasing market share TBD TBD TBD 2 Number of tutors and mentors TBD TBD ≥ prior year APIE

1 Number of joint‐use agreements/partnerships TBD TBD ≥ prior year Facillities

Commitment 10: Build ownership in AISD among internal and external stakeholders

Commitment 9: Engage authentically with students, parents/guadrtians, teachers, and community

Commitment 11: Develop and maintain community partnerships

Commitment 7: Develop effective organizational structures

III. We will create vibrant relationships critical for successful students and schools.

Commitment 8: Generate, leverage, and utilize strategically all resources

Commitment 6: Create a positive organizational culture that values customer service and every employee

Commitment 5: Develop civically‐engaged students

Increase over

prior year

and exceed

State rate

Increase over

prior year and

exceed State

rate

Increase over

prior year

II. We will create an effective, agile, and responsive organization.

Commitment 1: Achieve excellence by delivering a high‐quality education to every student

Commitment 2: Implement the transformative use of technology

Commitment 3: Ensure all students perform at or above grade level in math and reading

Commitment 4: Prepare all students to graduate on time


Strategic Plan ScorecardReinventing the urban school experience together.

I. All students will graduate college‐, career‐, and life‐ready.

Approved by the Board of Trustees on August 24, 2015 [Tentative Date]


Strategies Key Actions Responsible Office

a. Adopt a policy that articulates the district's theory of action for

teaching and learning.

Teaching and Learning

b. Ensure that AISD curriculum is aligned to the Texas Essential

Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and is supported by a coherent

and aligned assessment system.


c. Create an aligned curriculum for core courses, magnet

programs, and Advanced Placement (AP) courses.


d. Include student and stakeholder voice through participatory

curriculum design processes.


e. Develop a process for students to explore and study post‐

secondary career opportunities.


f. Provide a safe, caring, and positive learning culture that

inspires innovation and excellence.


g. Build partnerships with stakeholders that extend student

learning to meet individual student needs.

Finance

h. Provide professional development that promotes cultural

understanding and teacher efficacy.


i. Make available mentoring and leadership opportunities for

every student.


a. Students will have multiple opportunities for flexible,

personalized learning.


b. Ensure that teachers have the tools and understanding needed

to effectively deliver instruction across all content.


c. Provide an array of course offerings and programs to fit

individual student interests.


a. Each student will have access to personalized learning and is

supported by qualified, caring adults.


b. Each student will be actively engaged in learning and is

connected to the school and broader community.


c. Each student will be academically challenged and prepared for

success in college or further study, employment, and

participation in a global environment.


d. Each student will learn in a physically and emotionally safe

environment.

Teaching and Learning, Finance

e. Each student will learn about and practice a healthy lifestyle. Teaching and Learning

1.1 We will individualize

teaching and learning.

Core Belief One: All students will graduate college‐, career‐, and life‐ready.

1.2 We will provide our

students a variety of

unique opportunities for

unlimited learning.


Reinventing the urban school experience together.

Commitment 1: Achieve excellence by delivering a high‐quality education to every student

1.3 We will provide

services and supports for

every student on every

campus.

5‐Year District Improvement Plan



a. Provide immersive, student‐centered, inquiry and problem‐

based instruction to all AISD students.


b. Increase online learning opportunities for students and staff. Teaching and Learning

c. Align professional development technology integration model

and technology deployment.


d. Deploy new systems and processes for building capacity among

all stakeholders (e.g., Enterprise Resource Planning, curriculum

management, student information).


e. Adopt a robust technology integration model for

transformational use of technology for teaching and learning.


f. Ensure technology access and equity. Teaching and Learning, Finance

a. Optimize online learning and online learning environments. Teaching and Learning, Finance

b. Update and enhance AISD infrastructure. Finance

c. Promote interoperability of all technology solutions. Finance

a. Optimize new roles to enhance district support for technology

integration and implementation.


b. Promote the role of AISD principal as technology leader. Teaching and Learning


a. Develop and implement a literacy plan that includes the

science of reading instruction and includes practical

applications of concepts.


b. Provide campus‐level support for implementation of the

balanced literacy model to support students at all ability levels.


c. Provide ongoing, campus‐based professional development that

supports the core instruction, Response to Intervention (RtI),

and curriculum implementation.

Teaching and Learning,

Human Capital

d. Evaluate the dual language program to determine impact on

student achievement.

Human Capital

a. Implement a plan to increase number of students performing

at or above grade level in math.


b. Refine and expand the computational fluency model to

increase student achievement in mathematics and provide

targeted intervention.


c. Support explicit, direct instruction that is systematic,

sequential, and cumulative.


d. Provide ongoing, campus‐based professional development that

supports numerical fluency, problem solving, and curriculum

implementation.


Human Capital

3.2 We will improve the

numerical fluency and

problem solving skills of

all students.

Commitment 3: Ensure all students perform at or above grade level in math and reading

2.2 We will provide flexible

learning environments.

2.3 We will promote

technology through our

organizational structure.

2.1 We will integrate

technology into curriculum

and instruction.

Commitment 2: Implement the transformative use of technology

3.1 We will improve the

reading and writing of all

students.


a. Provide varied and substantive support to enhance math and

reading skills in early childhood, pre‐K, and early grade levels

across campuses.


Human Capital

b. Expand early literacy, early childhood education, and pre‐k

programs and locations.


Human Capital, Finance

c. Work with campuses to build effective literacy and math

supports and interventions at early grade levels.


Human Capital


a. Improve supports to struggling learners by improving

interventions, resources, and training, and articulate these

interventions in curriculum and instructional tools.


b. Ensure successful transitions between campus levels

(elementary to middle school, middle to high school, high

school to post‐secondary).


Human Capital

c. Identify students with special needs and life circumstances and

ensure that they receive consistent access to curriculum,

appropriate services, and supports.


d. Enhance on‐time graduation supports and dropout prevention

efforts, and create multiple, proven pathways to graduation

and course credit recovery.


e. Strengthen the middle school years experience. Teaching and Learning


a. Increase civic engagement across campuses. Teaching and Learning,

Human Capitalb. Promote student participation in and support teacher

implementation of community impact projects.


Human Capital

c. Engage students in authentic problem‐solving experiences to

address and improve issues relating to gang activity, drug

awareness, bullying, and cultural proficiency and inclusion.


Human Capital


a. Provide excellent customer service in interactions with schools

and district staff.

Superintendent's Office

b. Provide transparent, accurate, and accessible information. Superintendent's Office

Commitment 5: Develop civically‐engaged students

5.1 We will provide

opportunities for civic

engagement to all

students.

3.3 We will support early

childhood, pre‐K, and

early grade levels to

promote math and

reading for all students.

4.1 We will provide high

quality interventions and

resources to support all

students.

Commitment 4: Prepare all students to graduate on time

Core Belief Two: We will create an effective, agile, and responsive organization.

6.1 Create a positive

organizational culture

that values customer

service and every

employee.

Commitment 6: Create a positive organizational culture that values customer service and every employee



a. Improve internal communications. Superintendent's Office

b. Organize central administration to support schools, and enable

campus leadership to focus on the classroom.


c. Continue to develop innovative Professional Pathways for

Teachers.

Human Capital

d. Create a rigorous and scalable pipeline for principals and

assistant principals.

Human Capital

e. Provide and maintain safe schools, facilities, transportation,

and food services.

Finance


a. Build sustained community partnerships that provide the

resources necessary to support campuses.

Superintendent's Office, Finance

b. Maximize availability of revenue streams/sources for AISD

programs and services through marketing and branding.

Finance

c. Optimize resources (buildings, programs, personnel, etc.) to

ensure they are utilized efficiently and effectively.

Finance

d. Establish new revenue streams at both the district and campus

levels.

Finance

e. Broaden opportunities for local businesses and Historically

Underutilized Businesses to work with the district.

Finance

f. Implement Breakfast in the Classroom initiative effectively in

schools requesting this delivery model.

Finance

g. Create a district property asset portfolio and plan for

acquisition and utilization.

Finance


a. Support family involvement in the academic success of their

child from early childhood through high school graduation.

Superintendent's Office,


b. Support family inclusion in district decision‐making processes

through a variety of outreach venues.



c. Increase capacity to provide consistent, quality translation and

interpretation services.



Commitment 7: Develop effective organizational structures

7.1 We will ensure

organizational capacity.

Commitment 8: Generate, leverage, and utilize strategically all resources

8.1 We will acquire

necessary resources.

Core Belief Three: We will create vibrant relationships critical for successful students and

schools.

Commitment 9: Engage authentically with students, parents/guardians, teachers, and community

9.1 We will actively

involve and value all

families.



a. Provide tools for schools to better communicate with families. Superintendent's Office

b. Promote and market the unique culture of each campus that

reflects its safe, caring, and positive learning environment.


c. Stabilize and work toward expanding enrollment throughout

the district.


d. Make available quality, full‐day pre‐K programming and

coordinate pre‐K marketing efforts.


e. Produce a plan for a state‐of‐the‐art website for the district and

campuses.


f. Modify Board transfer policies and practices to address current

student and family needs.


g. Provide opportunities for middle schools and high schools to

showcase their offerings and successes.



a. Create opportunities for the City and County to share costs

with AISD for shared services.


b. Work with community partners to define, promote, expand,

and market vertical team signature programs.


c. Promote wrap‐around services to AISD families through the

operation of family resource centers, enhanced campus

staffing, or via community partnership agreements.


d. Provide access to school‐based and community‐based co‐

curricular and extracurricular education opportunities.



e. Provide avenues for enhancing the coordination and use of

available community infrastructure.


f. Develop innovative funding mechanisms and/or operational

strategies to support district functions.


Commitment 11: Develop and maintain community partnerships

11.1 We will build

relationships with the City

of Austin and other public,

private, and non‐profit

entities.

Commitment 10: Build ownership in AISD among internal and external stakeholders

10.1 AISD schools will be

the premier choice for

families.


Documents

I2 strategic plan 2015 2020