Petaluma City Schools | BP 0520 Philosophy, Goals, Objectives and Comprehensive Plans
Intervention For Underperforming Schools
If any district school participates in the state's intervention program for underperforming schools, the Board of Education shall support the school in developing and implementing plans for immediate action in order to improve student achievement. Such plans shall be based on an evaluation of achievement data for various groups of students, a comprehensive review of the school environment and learning experience provided to students, and the identification of specific barriers to student learning. These action plans shall be approved by the Board at a regularly scheduled public meeting.
(cf. 0400 - Comprehensive Plans)
(cf. 0500 - Accountability)
(cf. 0510 - School Accountability Report Card)
(cf. 6141 - Curriculum Development and Evaluation)
(cf. 6190 - Evaluation of the Instructional Program)
Upon application to or selection by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to participate in the program, the Board shall, by October 1 of the year that the school participates, appoint a broad-based school-site and community team consisting of a majority of non-school-site personnel, with at least 20 percent of team members consisting of parents/guardians of students enrolled at the school. (Education Code 52054)
(cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees)
The Superintendent or designee shall provide the Board with frequent reports on the status and results of implementation efforts.
(cf. 2122 - Superintendent of Schools: Responsibilities and Duties)
(cf. 9000 - Role of the Board)
Selection of the External Evaluator
By October 1 of the year that the school participates in the immediate intervention for underperforming schools program, the Board shall contract with an external evaluator from the list of qualified external evaluators approved by the State Board of Education. (Education Code 52054)
In selecting an external evaluator to work with a school, the Board shall consider the evaluator's:
1. Ability to help the school and community analyze and use data to make decisions
2. Experience facilitating the preparation of comprehensive consensus-based school or district action plans
3. Knowledge of successful research-based teaching practices and professional development practices
(cf. 4131.6/4231.6/4331.6 - Professional Development Program)
4. Knowledge of state and local content and performance standards and curriculum frameworks
(cf. 6011 - Academic Standards)
5. Knowledge and experience with state and federal school improvement programs
(cf. 0420 - School Plans/Site Councils)
(cf. 0420.1 - School-Based Program Coordination)
(cf. 0420.2 - School Improvement Program)
(cf. 0420.3 - School-Based Student Motivation and Maintenance Program)
6. Knowledge and experience with fiscal and personnel management
7. Excellent written and oral communication skills appropriate to local contexts
8. Understanding of systemic change in schools
If the school's student population is at least 40 percent limited English proficient, the Board shall select an evaluator with demonstrated experience in working with English language learners. (Education Code 52054)
The external evaluator shall have a coaching role in the implementation of the school's action plan.
External evaluators shall not be employees of the district.
External Evaluator: Conflict of Interest Statement
The Board requires that the district's external evaluator not engage in any activity that conflicts, or has the appearance of conflicting, with the evaluator's responsibilities to the district. To achieve this end, the Board shall ensure that the external evaluator:
1. Works with utmost integrity and impartiality in carrying out his/her evaluation responsibilities
2. Encourages and assists schools in the consideration of a variety of alternatives with respect to programs, materials or services and does not advocate for specific programs, materials or services
3. Works actively to avoid the appearance of any conflict of interest
Works actively means that the external evaluator shall immediately disclose all situations which might be perceived as a real or apparent conflict of interest which compromises, or has the appearance of compromising the evaluator's professional judgment with regards to district obligations.
4. Resigns if any real or apparent conflict of interest develops during the period of evaluation
In order to help prevent conflicts of interest, the Board shall carefully analyze school action plans that are prepared by external evaluators who have a coaching role in the implementation of the plan.
The Superintendent or designee shall take all actions necessary to ensure the prevention, investigation and resolution of real or apparent conflicts of interest, including but not limited to:
1. Publicizing and disseminating the district's conflict of interest policy and procedure to potential district external evaluators.
2. Ensuring that external evaluators sign the district's Conflict of Interest Statement. In the district's conflict of interest statement, the external evaluator shall agree to (a) disclose all situations that might be regarded as a potential conflict and (b) notify the Superintendent or designee immediately if a new situation or situations arise that might be perceived as a potential conflict.
3. Ensuring a prompt, thorough and fair investigation of real or apparent conflicts of interest. The Superintendent or designee shall establish a procedure for the investigation of such conflicts.
4. Taking timely and appropriate corrective actions after completion.
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
33126 School accountability report card
33400-33407 CDE evaluation of district programs
45125.1 Criminal background checks for contractors
51041 Evaluation of the educational program
52050-52058 Public Schools Accountability Act, especially:
52053-52055.5 Immediate intervention with underperforming schools
60640-60647 Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program
Management Resources:
CSBA POLICY ADVISORIES
0811.99 Public School Accountability Act: Considerations for Volunteering by August 20, 1999
SBE POLICIES
0915.99 External Evaluators: Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
Policy PETALUMA CITY SCHOOLS
adopted: June 25, 2002 Petaluma, California