Continuous Prof Dev Plan

II. Needs Assessments

This section of the Plan contains:

1. Pertinent information and statistics relevant to the school entity, its professional educators, students, and community which were used to determine the needs addressed by the Action Plan.

2. Summary of the statistical information.

3. Results of a Continuing Professional Education Needs Assessment survey completed by the teaching staff and administrative staff.

4. Descriptive narrative overview of the needs addressed by the Action Plan which is complemented by the additional explanation provided under the heading Needs which accompanies each item comprising the Action Plan

Mission:

The Chester Upland School District is dedicated to the educational success of all students. It is committed to the intellectual, emotional, physical and social development of each student as she/he strives to become a contributing member to this community and the world.

Community:

The Chester Upland School District is made up of Upland Borough, Chester Township and the City of Chester. There are six elementary schools, four middle schools and one high school.

II. Needs Assessment

Professional Staff

There are approximately 420 professional staff in the Chester Upland School District. The Continuing Professional Education Plan will service: teachers, educational specialists, and administrators.

Professional Staff Profile:

Teachers: 35% Bachelors degrees

64% Masters degrees

1% Doctorates

27% of the teachers have one to eight years of service in the district.

There is an 8% turnover rate of new teachers.

Administrators: 4% Doctorates

6% Masters degrees

Students

Enrollment: 4,934 students enrolled in elementary, middle and high school

Racial profile: Native American 0.1 %

African-American 88.6 %

Asian 0.1 %

Hispanic 7.6 %

White 3.6 %

School and student profile statistics:

Academic Summary: (2002-03 data)

PSSA Reading -Only 10% of 9^th graders entering the high school read on grade level; 90% read below grade level; 60% scored at the bottom and 30% score at the low to middle range of the PSSA.

3% to 35% of sixth graders entering middle school read on grade level; of the sixth graders who read below grade level, 65% to 96% score at the bottom to low middle range of the PSSA.

PSSA Math - Only 5% of 9^th graders entering high school score on grade level in math; of the 95% who are below grade level, 70% are at the bottom and 16% score in the low to middle range of the PSSA.

18% to 20% of sixth graders entering middle school score on grade level in math; of the sixth graders scoring below grade level, 62-100% score at the bottom to low middle range of the PSSA.

*Grade level is defined as scoring in the high to high-middle range on the reading or math sections of the PSSA.

The percentage of students receiving D’s and F’s during the fourth quarter of 2002-2003:

High School 41.5 to 49.8%

Middle School 13.8 to 31%

Elementary 3.1 to 22%

Alternative 46 to 57%

Safe and Orderly Environment:

Statistics on the number of suspensions district wide from 2000-2003 reveal problems teachers and administrators continue to face in trying to provide an atmosphere conducive to learning in all schools.

Restoration of Trust and Cooperation Among Parties

Statistics revealing the relatively small number of parents involved in the schools district-wide suggest a need to restore trust and cooperation among parents and the schools.

Data shows that students who attend Chester Upland Schools are nearly all “minority “ students, most live in poverty, and few perform well academically. SAT-9 scores demonstrate that aggregate student achievement is well blow the national average (of 50) and PSSA results indicate that two-thirds or more of the students perform at the “basic” or “below basic” level. While poverty, inadequate parental supervision and crime all work to reduce student achievement, we believe that student performance can be improved as a result of activities and strategies outlined in this Continuing Professional Education Plan.

Survey Results:

As part of the development of this Plan, a survey was conducted of all Chester Upland School District professional staff (see Addendum A). Teachers and administrators surveyed were asked to prioritize a wide range of issues as they relate to importance in the school district. Survey results are summarized below:

Continuing Professional Education Needs Assessment

Teacher Survey Results

High Teacher Priority

ŽHelping students to improve test-taking skills.

ŽEnhancing student’s self-esteem.

ŽDeveloping techniques for motivating students.

ŽHelping students develop critical thinking skills.

ŽDeveloping instructional strategies for special needs students.

ŽHelping students to improve test taking skills.

ŽUsing strategies to deal with disruptive students.

ŽHelping students accept differences in others.

Moderate Teacher Priority

ŽIdentifying alternative means for assessing student achievement.

ŽIdentifying different styles of learning.

ŽUsing effective classroom management techniques.

ŽDeveloping peer collaboration skills among students.

ŽEstablishing appropriate performance standards.

ŽUsing group strategies to enhance achievement.

ŽEvaluating one’s instructional methods.

ŽLearning to use the computer.

ŽGrade level meetings.

ŽEarly dismissal/Act 80 Day format.

ŽDelayed school day/Act 80 Day format.

ŽDeveloping and communicating appropriate academic expectations.

ŽIntegrating communication skills across content areas.

ŽDeveloping peer collaboration skills among students.

ŽKeeping abreast of appropriate resources and support services available to children.

ŽIntegrating computer technology into the curriculum.

ŽUsing technology as a management tool.

ŽLearning CPR.

ŽPlanning for professional growth.

ŽK-12 curriculum participation.

ŽTESA - Teacher Expectation for Student Achievement.

ŽSchool Law (copyright laws/teacher liability).

Continuing Professional Education Needs Assessment

Administrator Survey Results

High Administrator Priority

ŽEnhancing content knowledge

ŽStandards based instruction

ŽBest Practices in Education

ŽUse of Performance based assessment

ŽPreventative Behavior management

Moderate Administrator Priority

ŽRaising expectations of staff

ŽSchool based teaming

ŽTenex and computer applications

ŽSchool improvement planning

ŽPSSA preparation

ŽCollaboration with parents

ŽEffective classroom observations

ŽAuthentic assessment/evaluation

ŽBasic principles for language acquisition in mainstreaming

ŽHigher order skills/problem solving

ŽPro-social skills and anger control management

ŽAttendance Procedures

ŽAdapting curriculum in content areas

ŽTransition from high school into adult life

ŽReading-effective instruction

ŽAccommodations/interventions for effective instruction

ŽReading strategies K-12

ŽUsing various testing to make educational decisions

ŽWriting instruction throughout the curriculum

ŽAt risk students

ŽProfessional development in teaching strategies

ŽRoutinizing paper work (special education)

Descriptive Narrative of the Chester Upland School District

Needs Assessment

Careful analysis of the information and statistics provided reveals several areas of

critical need facing the school district: quality of instruction and student achievement. The teachers’ survey identifies the restoration of trust and mutual respect among the parties involved as areas that need to be addressed. (See Addendum A)

The PSSA scores indicate that the students of the Chester Upland School District at the elementary, middle, and high school level are not mastering fundamental skills expected of all Pennsylvania public school students.

Students who score below basic and basic of the PSSA are routinely passed on to the next grade, passing from the elementary school to the middle school, and from the middle school to the high school. As a result, middle and high school teachers must often devote classroom time to remedial instruction at the expense of instruction specified by the curriculum causing our students to fall further behind those students enrolled in other districts.

A number of factors undermine the quality of instruction in the district. Historically, standardized test scores have not been shared with teachers, denying them a valuable opportunity to assess instruction. A lack of materials and textbooks has frequently forced teachers to select lessons based on what was available instead of what the curriculum required. Consequently, students from different elementary and middle schools have often covered different material during the school year and ninth graders arriving at the high school often do not share a common core of fundamental knowledge, which should form the basis for their high school education.

In 2002, the state assumed full control of the Chester Upland School District. Exercising the power given to it under the Empowerment Act, the state appointed a three member board of control to assume the responsibilities that formerly belonged to the Chester Upland School District elected school board.

Among the first actions taken by the members of the board of control was the distribution of the district’s ten schools to private companies. Chester High School, Smedley Middle School and Stetser Elementary were placed under the direction of LearnNow. Columbus Elementary, Main Street, William Penn Elementary, Wetherill Elementary, Showalter and Pulaski Middle Schools were placed under Edison Schools, while Toby Farms Elementary was placed under the control of Mosaic. However, Mosaic was unable to operate Toby Farms and the district continues to operate the school. Edison bought out LearnNow in 2001 and now operates nine of the district’s ten schools.

In addition to placing the district’s schools under the management of private companies, the members of the board of control recognized and funded the operation of five charter schools. Two have closed. The PSSA scores of the students attending the three remaining charter schools have been below those of the students in the public schools.

In 2003, an addendum was added to the empowerment act with new members to serve on the state board of control. The three member board consisted of two being assigned by Delaware County Courts and one member appointed by the governor to serve five year terms.

Although some of the factors described have begun to be remedied, the damage they have done continues to be reflected in the continual difficulty our students have with reading, writing, and math, throughout their educational experiences.

A number of factors continue to undermine the delivery of instruction in the district. There is a lack of opportunity for teachers to communicate horizontally (for example, all first grade teachers meet to discuss instruction) and vertically (for example, all eighth grade middle school teachers meet with ninth grade high school teachers to discuss student skill deficiencies, expectations, etc.). Such meetings foster instructional continuity.

Although Edison now operates every school in the Chester Upland School District except Toby Farms and the alternative school, little has changed. Most of our students continue to struggle with reading, writing, and math as evidenced by their performance on the PSSA; we remain 501.

Edison has not delivered on its promise to provide the necessary leadership to meet our needs. We still lack a cohesive, comprehensive, coordinated building and district wide approach to both PSSA score improvement and general academic improvement.

Edison personnel have not seemed to grasp what is involved in successfully operating a high school. They have not provided the safe environment needed to support instruction in the high school and other buildings. Groups of students continue to roam the halls during classes, banging on classroom doors and walls, loitering in stairways and vandalizing school property. Often disruptive students, who might have benefited from alternative placements, languish in the high school at the expense of themselves and the other students. II. Needs Assessment

Although Edison personnel frequently allude to the “Edison Model”, no one at the schools have seen the model. Chester High School has never seen their English or math curriculum. Instead, teachers rely on the units in the textbooks that they have been given and their knowledge of PA Standards to shape their instruction.

Many computers throughout the schools remain unusable and we repeatedly have had difficulty obtaining adequate numbers of some textbooks.

The Edison support personnel come and go frequently sometimes going months without personally interacting with staff preferring to rely on the occasional email and conference call. The burden of responsibility for PSSA preparation strategy and implementation has been delegated to department heads and lead teachers who carry full teaching loads and the individual classroom teacher with little or no direction or support from Edison personnel. Too little was done and what was done to prepare for the PSSA was last minute.

Professional development has been disappointing. Unfortunately, our efforts to implement the Chester Upland School District Continuing Professional Development Plan approved by the Board of Control and accepted by PDE in 2001 have been unsuccessful. Although the chairperson of the Continuing Professional Education Committee requested that the committee be convened to begin its work, the Edison representative ignored the request. Consequently, no part of the Plan has been implemented. Instead Edison representatives have presented their own in house professional development workshops sometimes repeating the same workshop for the same teachers.

In addition, in violation of the Plan, teachers have not received the required document/certificate to verify their participation in professional development. Teachers who have gone on-line to monitor their PDE files have found that they have often not been credited with professional development hours for attending in services.

The delivery of instruction in the district has often been undermined by Edison’s seeming indifference to fostering professional growth and to providing sufficient opportunities for staff development. Consequently, the staff has not been adequately encouraged to broaden their knowledge or to acquire or improve skills which would enable them to better serve the needs of both regular and special education students.

The district continues to experience the gradual deterioration of the instructional climate and a safe and orderly environment necessary to support instruction. While many school buildings in the district have experienced this deterioration, it is especially evident in the high school.

Finally, the most difficult challenge facing the district may still be the need to restore trust and mutual respect among parents, teachers, and administrators. The revitalization of the district hinges on rebuilding these relationships.

Delivery System

Meeting the Educational and Staff Development Needs

of the School Entity, its Professional Educators, Students and Community

through Development of the Action Plan.

The focus of the Action Plan, which follows, was determined by analysis of the needs assessment. The Action Plan focuses on two goals: (1) improving student achievement

(2) providing required relevant opportunities for the professional staff of the Chester Upland School District to keep current in certification license areas.

Continuing Professional Education Programs,

Activities and Learning Experiences

The Chester Upland School District will provide a summer training session for all

professional staff providing that the funds are available. This training will be held at the end of

the school year with follow-up sessions during the school year on the Mondays meetings.

The professional education committee has approved the following list of professional

education options as described by the Action Plan that may be used to fulfill the 180-hour

requirement with prior approval from the Board of Control.

The option to meet these goals may include but shall not be limited to:

ŽGraduate level course work

ŽProfessionally related master’s degree.

ŽUndergraduate course work for teaching certification.

ŽGraduate level course work not taken for credit but for hours.

ŽIn-service courses.

ŽIntermediate Unit courses.

ŽDistrict’s in-service days.

ŽCounty’s in-service days.

ŽCurriculum development work.

ŽProfessional Staff Development.

ŽProfessional’s Organization Workshops.

ŽProfessional’s Organization Meetings.

ŽDistrict’s grade level, subject, specialty problem solving meetings.

ŽParticipation in professional organization seminars.

ŽParticipation in professional organization conferences.

ŽParticipation in professional organizations conventions.

ŽUtilization of professional books and journals to improve methodology.

ŽParticipating in the Induction Program.

ŽProfessional research and writing for publication.

ŽApproved sabbatical leave for study.

ŽSupervised classroom observation of other professional employees.

ŽProfessional conferences attendance.

ŽParticipation in professional research/business partnerships.

ŽPersonally Designed Option.

ŽParticipation in the Mentor Program.

ŽDevelopment and presentation of workshops, seminars or conferences.

ŽApproved continuing education units. credits or hours.

ŽParticipation in informational educational exchanges with other districts

ŽParticipation in annual preparation and evaluation of the Act 48 Professional

Education Plan.

ŽParticipation in meetings held to foster communication between all grade levels

ŽParticipation in meetings, seminars, etc., where the work is related to the educator’s area of assignment.

ŽCredit in an area other than area of certification or assignment if educator may be

transferred by the Board.

ŽEarly childhood and child development activities for K-3 educators

ŽSpecial education activities for sp ed and reg ed teachers

ŽReview, redesign and restructuring of school programs, organizations and functions

as determined by the school

ŽContinuing professional education courses taken for credit

ŽParticipation in various meeting/workshops/seminars

ŽPeer coaching

ŽProfessional enhancement time as approved by the district

ŽAny experience or course related to certification, general pedagogy, and the needs

identified in the district’s plan

ŽAction research/independent study (credit may be granted for work after hours)

ŽInduction professional development activities occurring in the district’s

induction program.

ŽObservation and visitations for the purpose of improving instruction and student

achievement. May include, but not limited to visits to other districts,

businesses and industry collaborations.

ŽIndividualized Projects/Pilot Programs designed to improve instruction and/or student

achievement. Time will be determined collaboratively by the individual and

supervisor prior to the beginning of the project.

ŽParent Involvement and design programs.

ŽOnline Courses

ŽDistance learning staff development

ŽPresentation by staff of the school entity

ŽState sponsored courses, programs, activities and learning experiences

ŽConduct action research studying the effects of certain curriculum and/or instructional

practices on student achievement levels.

ŽWrite a textbook or collaborate with others in writing one.

ŽDevelop and conduct workshops to assist colleagues to understand the new student

standards; or apply research based teaching strategies; or engage in peer

assistance.

ŽDevelop and conduct workshops to assist school board members and parents in understanding new curriculum, new textbooks, approaches to teaching reading,

a unique use of technology you have adopted, how you assess student work, etc.

ŽParticipate in local, region, state and national conferences/meetings/workshops/

seminars sponsored by a professional association or organization.

ŽParticipate in developing and implementing a peer assistance or differentiated

supervision programs in the district.

ŽTrain colleagues to be mentors for new teachers or teachers needing collegial

assistance.

ŽComplete the portfolio and site assessment requirements for National Board

Certification

ŽReceive National Board Certification

ŽServe as a National Board assessor

ŽReceive local, state or national recognition for teaching performance.

ŽForm a group study for teachers and/or education specialist and conduct discussions

that focus on instructional problem solving, professional decision making

and sharing.

ŽActively work with community agencies, social workers, home and school visitors

and others to strengthen delivery of social services to students.

ŽAssist the district or school to develop and implement effective teaching standards

and indicators.

ŽDevelop and conduct effective teaching academies for new teachers.

ŽTeach a practicum or methods course as an adjunct faculty member for a state

approved teacher preparation institution.

ŽComplete qualified CPE approved in service programs in one’s subject area,

technology or area that will directly enhance one’s teaching practices,

classroom management skills, research abilities, technology knowledge, etc.

ŽServe a term on an educational board.

ŽParticipation in Middle States.

ŽParticipation in textbook piloting programs or in student material selections.

ŽParticipation in school improvement plans.

The plan defines the meaning (scope, extent and/or general specifications) of the

activities listed in item 1 and includes standards for continuing education development.

1. Post-baccalaureate course work at accredited institution of higher learning which pertains to the current or anticipated educational program of the school district.

2. Master’s degree which pertains to the current or anticipated educational program of the school entity, as assessed by the professional staff member selecting this option.

3. In-service days which pertains to programs offered through the entity to meet the needs identified in the entity’s Act 48 plan.

4. Curriculum development work which pertains to the school district’s entity-sponsored individual and group work on educational programs.

5. Attendance at professional conferences, meetings, workshops, seminars, conventions pertains to the educationally related meetings, seminars, workshops

and conventions sponsored by professional organizations, government agencies,

and other sponsors related to the school district’s entity.

6. Observation pertains to observations of educational activities with the approval of the teacher(s) involved and with notification to the appropriate supervisor/administrator.

7. Personally designed option pertains to an individually created professional development experience approved by the continuing educational committee.