Request for Applications
Applications Due: Monday, August 17, 2015 by 11:59 p.m.
Application Training Webinar: Wednesday, July 22, 2015, 9:00-10:00 a.m.
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
For district teams to provide optimized and differentiated support
to low-performing schools
For program questions contact:
Cindy Ward ([email protected] or 720-425-0258)
For fiscal/budget questions contact:
Evan Davis ([email protected] or 303-866-6129)
For RFP specific questions contact:
Kim Burnham ([email protected] or 303-866-6916)
Colorado Department of Education
Unit of Federal Program Administration
1560 Broadway, Suite 1450, Denver, CO 80202
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy - Overview
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
Applications Due: August 17, 2015 by 11:59 p.m.
The Turnaround Learning Academy will support improved academic achievement for
Colorado students by working directly with central district personnel to explore
challenges and best practices in district-level leadership of school turnaround. The
Turnaround Learning Academy seeks to build capacity among district leaders while
catalyzing systems-level change initiatives leading to differentiated support and
oversight of turnaround schools by districts. The program will provide relevant,
research-based professional development for district leaders. Program participants will
benefit from a mix of facilitated group learning and individualized consulting at the
district level.
Introduction
Program
Overview
Districts apply to participate and commit to engaging a core team of 5-8 district-level
senior leaders spanning functions such as academic oversight (e.g., Chief Academic
Officers), school supervision, curriculum, student services, accountability, assessment,
human capital management and community engagement (small and rural districts may
engage smaller teams). The Turnaround Learning Academy is specifically designed with
the central office leader in mind, with a focus on district systems and practices to
provide differentiated support for subsets of low performing schools. The Turnaround
Network, also facilitated by CDE, focuses at the school level while concurrently building
the capacity of a District Partner who directly supervises the Network school(s). The
Turnaround Learning Academy is specifically designed with the central office leader in
mind and complements without duplicating the Turnaround Network program that is
also facilitated by CDE. Some districts may find it beneficial to participate in both the
Turnaround Learning Academy and the Turnaround Network while others may seek to
only participate in one or the other. The Eligibility and Selection section below provides
further information about the criteria to participate in this program.
Turnaround Learning Academy topics will include:
 Observation and Feedback Practices for Principal Supervisors;
 Assessment Systems and Strategies;
 Academic Priorities and Common Core Curriculum;
 Adult Learning and Professional Development; and
 Accountability Clock Pathways.
Districts across Colorado are tasked with the difficult challenge of guiding their low
performing schools through significant improvement initiatives while still supporting
higher performing schools in the district. Sixteen districts in Colorado have at least one
school with an accreditation rating of Priority Improvement for three or more years.
As a result, the district needs to act quickly to dramatically improve outcomes for
students. Much of the research and best practice available only addresses school level
practices, focusing on effective leadership, instruction and school culture. But the
question remains how best a district can structure its services and oversight of schools
to maximize their ability to undertake effective improvement efforts.
The 2015-16 school year will be the pilot year of the Turnaround Learning Academy,
COLORADO TURNAROUND LEARNING ACADEMY
2
welcoming the first cohort of five to seven Colorado districts. Districts will remain part
of the Academy for at least one year. Participation in the program will be funded
through CDE administered 1003a reallocated grant funds for turnaround and school
improvement initiatives. Grant funds will cover the costs for districts to receive an
initial district-level diagnostic review using the Conditions for Dramatic Improvement
(Appendix A), to participate in a series of targeted workshops, and to receive additional
site-based coaching and consulting supports that the districts may elect to engage.
Program
Overview
(Continued)
District teams will be responsible for ongoing evaluation and redesign of district level
systems in order to address barriers to dramatic improvement at both the district and
school levels. CDE’s District and School Performance Unit and the district team will
work collaboratively to monitor progress and address challenges in an innovative,
timely way. Unified Improvement Plans will be updated to reflect activities related to
findings from the district diagnostic review. A follow up review of district systems using
the Conditions for Dramatic Improvement (Appendix A) will be conducted in May 2016
to determine implementation successes and challenges.
Districts that are accepted into the Academy will receive targeted resources, support,
and/or funding up to $75,000 to support their participation in the Academy. Any
resources or funding provided through the Academy will be directed by CDE staff and
may be discontinued for a variety of reasons, including: lack of active participation; lack
of implementation of agreed-upon strategies; or lack of support by the district.
For further details about the Turnaround Learning Academy, please see Appendix C.
The Turnaround Learning Academy allows the Colorado Department of Education and
recipient Education Providers to fulfill the following CDE Strategic Goals:

Meeting CDE’s
Strategic Goals



Start strong: Every student starts strong with a solid foundation in grades
preschool-3.
Read by third grade: Every student reads by the end of third grade.
Meet or exceed standards: Every student meets or exceeds standards.
Graduate ready: Every student graduates ready for college and careers.
These goals are in alignment with the goals to which CDE holds our schools and districts
accountable in their performance frameworks. They are also aligned with the goals for
which the U.S. Department of Education holds CDE accountable.
Eligible
Applicants
The pilot cohort of districts in the Turnaround Learning Academy will be selected from
among applicants that meet the following eligibility criteria:
 Districts with accreditation ratings of Priority Improvement or Turnaround;
 Districts that receive Title funds and have a concentration of Title I Priority
Improvement and/or Turnaround schools (e.g., five or more Priority
Improvement/Turnaround schools in the district or more than 60% of schools in the
district have Priority Improvement or Turnaround plan type assignments);
 Districts who can commit to engaging teams of 5-8 senior leaders from the central
office to participate in the collaborative learning workshops over the course of this
program (small and rural districts may engage smaller teams).
Please see Appendix B for the full Eligibility List.
COLORADO TURNAROUND LEARNING ACADEMY
3
The application window for districts is July 2015 with acceptance in mid-August. A
training webinar will be held on Thursday, July 22, 2015 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Application
Process
The electronic copy must be received at CDE by Monday, August 17, 2015 at 11:59 p.m.
The electronic version should include all required components of the application as one
document. Faxes will not be accepted. Please attach the electronic budget workbook as
a separate document. Incomplete or late application will not be considered.
Available Funds
Approximately $500,000 is available for awards. Recipient districts will be awarded an
initial award of up to $20,000 for the cost of a district diagnostic review and additional
funding of up to $55,000 to cover program costs and participation. Funds must be used to
supplement and not supplant funds that would otherwise be used for proposed activities.
Review Process
and Timeline
A cross-unit CDE committee will review applications to determine each school’s fit and
readiness for the Academy. In order to be recommended for the Turnaround Learning
Academy, the application must receive 80% (24 points) of the total possible points (30
points) on the Application Scoring Rubric (Page 8). Applications that score below 19
points may be asked to submit revisions that would bring the application up to an
acceptable level. All program decisions are final. Applicants will be notified of
Turnaround Learning Academy acceptance no later than August 28, 2015.
CDE staff will review applications and, based on the responses to the application
questions, select districts to participate in the Turnaround Learning Academy. For
identified districts, the program kick-off session is tentatively set for August. CDE will
arrange for the diagnostic site visits to occur in September/October. Workshops are
tentatively scheduled for October, November, January, February and April. Optional
Spring site visits, providing consulting and customized supports to each district through
engagement with external partners, will occur in March, April or May. The optional
learning visit (or visits) to another district can occur in the winter or early spring,
depending on district schedules and availability. CDE’s District and School Performance
Unit will provide ongoing support throughout the duration of the program.
Duration of
Program
September through June, CDE will provide monthly performance management support
to Academy districts related to the redesign and alignment of district level conditions
per the diagnostic review.
Turnaround Learning Academy districts will remain a part of the Academy for at least
the 2015-2016 school year. Most districts will participate for two years (through the
2016-2017 school year). At the end of the 2015-2016 school year, districts will submit a
brief renewal application that describes progress made and proposed changes to the
district’s improvement plan (UIP). Progress monitoring data collected throughout the
year will inform the renewal conditions for the Turnaround Learning Academy districts.
Districts may be asked not to participate for a second year. Districts that have met or
exceeded all of academic targets and have demonstrated that improvements can be
sustained absent the Turnaround Learning Academy may be asked to not participate
for a second year. Districts that have not met any implementation targets, have not
met participation requirements, or fail to meet a majority of academic targets may be
asked to not participate for a second year.
COLORADO TURNAROUND LEARNING ACADEMY
4
Evaluation &
Reporting
Participation in the Turnaround Learning Academy will require engagement by all
parties in performance management routines, protocols, and documentation.
Participating districts and schools must utilize an online Performance Management
(PM) tool which will require entering, managing, and sharing district’s UIP action steps
and interim data. Each district will be trained in how to use the Performance
Management tool and expectations for inputting data (Attachment D).
Each district will be asked to frequently track key district improvement indicators and
will be asked to submit final data by June 30, 2016.
Technical
Assistance
An application training webinar will be held on Thursday, July 22, 2015 from 9:00 –
10:00 a.m. To register, email [email protected].
Submission Process and Deadline
The electronic application must be received at CDE by Monday, August 17, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. to:
[email protected]. The electronic version should include all required components of the
application as one document. Faxes will not be accepted. Incomplete or late application will not be considered.
Applications will be due by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, August 17, 2015 to:
[email protected]
Timeline:
Action
Application sent out to districts with eligible schools
Applications due to CDE
Participants are selected and notified
Timeline
July 7, 2015
August 17, 2015
August 28, 2015
COLORADO TURNAROUND LEARNING ACADEMY
5
PART I: Cover Page (Complete and attach as the first page of application)
District Name:
Mailing Address:
Title I Authorized Representative:
Telephone:
District Code:
Email:
DUNS #:
Lead District Contact:
Telephone:
Email:
Email:
Fiscal Manager:
Telephone:
Email:
Name and title of person completing district questions:
Has the local school board been notified of the district’s intent to apply to the
Academy?
☐ Yes
☐ No
Does the local school board support participation in the Academy?
☐ Yes
☐ No
Name of District Authorized Representative
Signature of District Authorized Representative
Name of School Board President
Signature of School Board President
COLORADO TURNAROUND LEARNING ACADEMY
6
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
Evaluation Rubric
Part I:I
Cover Page
No Points
Part II:
Narrative
Part III:
Budget Narrative and Electronic Budget
/24
/6
GENERAL COMMENTS: Please indicate support for scoring by including overall strengths and weaknesses. These
comments are used on feedback forms to applicants.
Strengths:


Weaknesses:


Required Changes:


Recommendation:
Approved ______
Approved with Changes ______
Not Approved ______
COLORADO TURNAROUND LEARNING ACADEMY
7
Application Scoring Rubric
The following scoring rubric will be used to select Turnaround Learning Academy participants. In order to be recommended for the Academy, the
application must receive 80% (24 points) of the total possible points (30 points).
Please respond to the questions below in a MS Word document or PDF document. A cross-unit CDE committee will review applications to determine
each school’s fit and readiness for the Turnaround Learning Academy. See details below for selection process and timeline.
Part II: Narrative
1) Please articulate the top two or three motivating factors for your participation in the Turnaround Learning Academy. What
interests you most? What aspect of the design of this program is most appealing? What aspects do you still have questions
about?
Minimal
Adequate
Excellent
0
1
3
0
1
3
Describes why the Academy would be a benefit for the district and the district’s motivation to participate.
REVIEWER COMMENTS:
2) The Turnaround Learning Academy seeks to provide learning opportunities related to the following learning topics through
a series of one day workshops provided by partner organizations. For each topic, provide a brief synopsis (approximately 3
sentences) of your district’s learning objectives and explain how the learning topic aligns to current district initiatives
(additional 2-3 sentences).
Turnaround Learning Academy Learning Topics:
 Observation & Feedback Practices
 Assessment Systems and Strategies
 Academic Priorities and Common Core Curriculum
 Adult Learning and Professional Development
 Accountability Clock Pathways
Clearly articulates the district’s current strategies and focus. Shows command of how the learning topics relate to systems level needs in the
district.
REVIEWER COMMENTS:
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
8
3) The Turnaround Learning Academy is a cohort-based learning and planning program. Who are the leaders from the district
central office that will participate in this program? For each person, provide the name, title, and an overview of their role
and responsibility within the district. How is the role of each individual related to the Turnaround Learning Academy
learning topics listed in question 2? Did these individuals volunteer? To what degree were they involved in drafting the
response to this RFP? Small and rural districts may wish to include BOCES leadership.
0
1
3
0
1
3
0
1
3
0
1
3
Clearly describes how individuals chosen to participate have decision making authority related to learning topic areas.
REVIEWER COMMENTS:
4) What current themes exist across low performing schools in your district related to challenges and priorities? Note whether
any of your schools are participating in the CDE sponsored Turnaround Network, or if you have plans for principals or central
administrators to participate in specific Turnaround Leadership training programs.
Clearly articulates themes across low performing schools related to challenges and priorities.
REVIEWER COMMENTS:
5) What turnaround strategies or differentiated supports has your district utilized in the past to address challenges for low
performing schools? What were the lessons learned in these efforts? Please articulate 2-3 strategies related to academic
systems (curriculum, assessment), differentiated school supervision, talent management (training, hiring flexibility, and
prioritized hiring), school culture, and resource prioritization/operations. Explain why the initiatives were not successful.
Clearly describes the district’s current role in supporting low performing schools. Response conveys a sense of urgency and eagerness to
dramatically improve student outcomes.
REVIEWER COMMENTS:
6) Districts participating in the Turnaround Learning Academy will receive a diagnostic review by a partner organization that is
focused on district systems using the District Conditions for Dramatic Improvement. Please review the District Conditions
for Dramatic Improvement (Appendix A) and provide a brief self-reflection addressing the following questions:
a) Which conditions represent areas of relative strength for your district? Why?
b) Which conditions require additional focus? What plans are currently in place to address those conditions, if any?
c) What is the vision for the district’s role in providing direct service and support to schools?
Self-assessment (Appendix A) identifies current areas of relative strength as well as areas in need of additional focus.
REVIEWER COMMENTS:
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
9
7) How has current performance of low performing schools been communicated to the Board? In what ways is the Board
holding district leadership accountable for the improvement of this specific subset of schools? What data is used to inform
the Board of progress or lack of progress toward improved student outcomes for this subset of schools? What is the Board’s
role in improving student achievement in low performing schools?
0
1
3
0
1
3
Clearly articulates the local board’s vision for support of low performing schools as well as ways in which the board currently holds district
leadership accountable for improving student outcomes at low performing schools.
REVIEWER COMMENTS:
8) In addition to ongoing support from the School and District Performance Unit at CDE, partner organizations will be offering
optional on-site coaching related to the learning topics. Please describe your level of interest in on-site coaching support.
Articulates level of interest in optional on-site support from partner organizations.
REVIEWER COMMENTS:
Total Points
__/24
Part III: Budget Narrative and Electronic Budget
Recipient districts will be awarded an initial award of up to $20,000 for the cost of a district diagnostic review and additional
funding of up to $55,000 to cover program costs and participation. Funds must be used to supplement and not supplant funds
that would otherwise be used for proposed activities.
1) Provide a brief budget and budget narrative that describes the diagnostic review timeline and activities. An adequate
response will include a line item to pay for the diagnostic review provider, potential staff release time, and supplies for
improvement planning.
Minimal
Adequate
Excellent
0
1
3
0
1
3
REVIEWER COMMENTS:
2)
Demonstrate how the funds awarded under the program will be able to supplement the level of funds available for
authorized programs and activities, and will not supplant any funding currently being used on providing leadership
development services or support.
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
10
REVIEWER COMMENTS:
Total Points
__/6
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
11
APPENDIX A
District Conditions for Dramatic Improvement
Culture of Performance
The superintendent plays a critical role in conveying messages of high expectations and no excuses.
Accountability for results begins at the top, with the superintendent and other central office staff explicitly signaling a willingness to be held accountable for school improvement and student learning
outcomes.
District leadership has a comprehensive, explicit and compelling theory of action about district culture that communicates a sense of urgency, bold goals for improvement, and acknowledgement of
the need for change.
The superintendent conveys a high level of intensity in the message of high expectations accompanied by clear expectations of personal responsibility for results, resulting in increased teacher and
principal accountability.
Each school is evaluated on its implementation of high-leverage improvement strategies, documenting and reporting progress to the superintendent. The superintendent, in turn, reports progress to
the board.
The district sets district, school, and student subgroup achievement targets which serve as a focus for district work.
The district’s vision and goals drive programmatic and financial decisions at all levels of the system and the district goals translate into what happens in the daily life of schools and classrooms.
Data is used to justify decisions about programs and resources; ensuring student learning is at the center of decision making.
Ongoing recognition and celebration of improvement serves to energize people for future efforts.
Academic Systems
Explicit, focused efforts are made to ensure the alignment of the written, taught, and tested curricula through the implementation of a rigorous and coherent curriculum and related assessments that
are aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards and provide a foundation for effective instructional practice, regular monitoring of student performance, and regular monitoring of progress toward
academic goals.
The district articulates a common district framework for instruction that is tightly coupled with district academic and instructional goals and includes a common instructional language.
Rigorous, high-quality interim assessments are selected or created and (1) align to the district’s instructional sequence of clearly defined grade level and content expectations; (2) are administered 46 times per year; (3) provide a transparent starting point for teachers (i.e. teachers have access to the assessments at the beginning of each cycle and use the assessments to define the road map for
teaching); (4) are aligned to state tests and college readiness; (5) reassess previously taught standards; (6) are analyzed by teacher teams at each site at the question level with “tests in hand”; and (7)
a district-wide calendar prioritizes interim assessments.
Sophisticated but user-friendly data collection systems are used at the classroom, grade, school, and district levels. Data is used to predict attainment of district academic goals and identify need for
mid-course correction.
The district works with schools to provide early and intensive intervention for students not making progress.
Differentiated Support and Accountability for Schools
The district strategically differentiates resource allocation to reflect the intensity of individual school-level turnaround efforts necessary to meet district academic and instructional goals.
Data is used to identify schools that will receive targeted, prioritized interventions in working toward district academic and instructional goals.
The role of central office is redefined from oversight to support of schools, with clearly articulated roles and working norms. Increased support for schools from central office is paired with increased
expectations for accomplishing district academic and instructional goals.
The district pursues changes to formal policy and informal standard operating procedures to empower schools to implement their turnaround strategies and accomplish academic and instructional
goals.
The district designates a central office administrator or discreet district unit to direct and coordinate the district’s turnaround efforts through close oversight of a cluster of priority schools. The
administrator or unit is given adequate authority and accountability, and reports regularly to the superintendent on the progress of schools toward meeting district level academic and instructional
goals.
Priority schools receive more intensive performance management from the district to ensure district academic and instructional goals are met.
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
12
APPENDIX A
District Conditions for Dramatic Improvement
Talent Management
The district has a comprehensive approach and long-term plan for recruiting, evaluating, and retaining high-quality teachers and leaders with skills that align to district academic and instructional
goals.
Performance incentives and performance based contracts are implemented and are linked to the accomplishment of non-negotiable district academic and instructional goals.
The district implements a competency based selection process for turnaround principals that looks for evidence of specific competencies associated with successful school turnaround, including
driving for results, influencing inside and outside the organization, problem solving, and showing confidence to lead.
The district implements a system for prioritized hiring for its lowest performing schools which may include altering hiring procedures and budget timelines to ensure teachers with critical
competencies can be recruited and hired before they seek employment elsewhere.
The district human resources department is explicitly redefined as a service provider for schools, with procedures put in place to assess school staff satisfaction with their efforts and processes. An
investment is made to develop the capacity of the human resources department to partner with priority schools to make critical staffing decisions and support in meeting district academic and
instructional goals.
Changes are made to the negotiated agreement that allow leaders of priority schools greater control over hiring, placement, and retention of staff.
Teachers are provided with opportunities for differentiated career tracks and opportunities for growth through the creation of a career ladder that defines expectations and responsibilities as well as
monetary and non-monetary incentives.
The district actively builds the knowledge, skills, and competencies of principals as they relate to the accomplishment of district goals.
The district dedicates a meaningful commitment of funding to professional development that is tightly coupled with district non-negotiable academic and instructional goals. Professional
development and collaborative structures are built into the schedule for classroom teachers as well as support staff.
Board and Community Relationships
The district has a comprehensive family and community engagement strategy as well as district level policies that state the expectations around creating and sustaining a welcoming environment for
families, reciprocal communication, and establishing partnerships with community organizations and families.
District leaders work to engage the community in establishing collaboratively set academic goals and implementing improvement efforts through increased awareness of student performance to
demonstrate the need for change. Civic leaders and families are included in school reform and restructuring planning, and feedback is actively sought.
The board adopts collaboratively set non-negotiable academic and instructional goals, and ensures that no other initiatives take attention or resources from accomplishing these goals.
The board and superintendent present a unified vision for district and school improvement with regard to district goals and philosophy, including an explicit belief in the potential of students and
schools.
The board plays a key role in conveying the district goals and vision of reform to the community, and uses community input to refine the plan.
The board monitors progress toward the accomplishment of district goals to ensure the goals remains the top priority for attention and resources, repeatedly asking how district initiatives are related
to district goals.
The board uses its policy role to create district conditions necessary for schools to succeed and to revise policies that create barriers to meeting district goals.
Turnaround Learning Academy professional learning activities will consistently align to these five conditions. Additionally, CDE will vet partners
that can support districts in addressing their needs in each of these areas.
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
13
APPENDIX B
Turnaround Learning Academy Eligible Districts 2015
ADAMS 12 FIVE STAR SCHOOLS
ADAMS COUNTY 14
ADAMS-ARAPAHOE 28J
AGUILAR REORGANIZED 6
COLORADO SPRINGS 11
DENVER COUNTY 1
GREELEY 6
HUERFANO RE-1
IGNACIO 11 JT
JEFFERSON COUNTY R-1
JULESBURG RE-1
LAKE COUNTY R-1
MAPLETON 1
MONTEZUMA-CORTEZ RE1
PUEBLO CITY 60
SHERIDAN
TRINIDAD1
WEST END RE-2
WESTMINSTER 50
0020
0030
0180
1620
1010
0880
3120
1390
1540
1420
2862
1510
0010
2035
2690
0123
1580
2190
0070
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
14
APPENDIX C
Pilot Colorado
Appendix C
Turnaround Learning Academy
Information
About the Pilot Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
The Turnaround Learning Academy will support improved academic achievement for Colorado students by working
directly with central district personnel to explore challenges and best practices in district-level leadership of school
turnaround. The Turnaround Learning Academy seeks to build capacity among district leaders while catalyzing
systems-level change initiatives leading to differentiated support and oversight of turnaround schools by districts. The
program will provide relevant, research-based professional development for district leaders who oversee key functions
such as general academics, school supervision, curriculum, student services, accountability, student assessment,
human capital management and community engagement. The Turnaround Learning Academy will be grounded in
effective practices for adult learning and principles of successful change management. Program participants will
benefit from a mix of facilitated group learning and individualized consulting at the district level. The intended
outcome of Academy membership will be the redesign and alignment of key district level systems to support dramatic
improvement of schools. Success will be measured through ongoing evaluation of systems using CDE’s Conditions for
Dramatic Improvement.
The 2015-16 school year will be the pilot year of the Turnaround Learning Academy, welcoming the first cohort of five to
seven Colorado districts. Districts will remain part of the Academy for at least one year. Participation in the program will
be funded with Title I, Section 1003a funds for school improvement. Grant funds will cover the costs for districts to
receive an initial district-level diagnostic review using the Conditions for Dramatic Improvement (Appendix A), to
participate in a series of targeted workshops, and to receive additional site-based coaching and consulting supports that
the districts may elect to engage.
District teams will be responsible for ongoing evaluation and redesign of district level systems in order to address barriers
to dramatic improvement at both the district and school levels. CDE’s District and School Performance Unit and the
district team will work collaboratively to monitor progress and address challenges in an innovative, timely way. Unified
Improvement Plans will be updated to reflect activities related to findings from the district diagnostic review. Districts
that are accepted into the Academy will receive targeted resources, support, and/or funding up to $75,000. Grant funds
will be used to cover the costs of diagnostic reviews and to support their participation in the Academy. Any resources or
funding provided through the Academy will be directed by CDE staff and may be discontinued for a variety of reasons,
including: lack of active participation; lack of implementation of agreed-upon strategies; or lack of support by the district.
Total funding available for this project is $500,000.
A follow up review of district systems using the Conditions for Dramatic Improvement (Appendix A) will be conducted in
the May 2016 to determine implementation successes and challenges.
Turnaround Learning Academy Overview
Why: Districts across Colorado are tasked with the difficult challenge of guiding their low performing schools
through significant improvement initiatives while still supporting higher performing schools in the district. Sixteen
districts in Colorado have at least one school with an accreditation rating of Priority Improvement for three or
more years. As a result, the district needs to act quickly to dramatically improve outcomes for students. Much of
the research and best practice available only addresses school level practices, focusing on effective leadership,
instruction and school culture. But the question remains, how can a district best structure its services and
oversight of schools to maximize their ability to undertake effective improvement efforts? A primary goal of the
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
15
Appendix C
Turnaround Learning Academy is to build district capacity to evaluate, align, and redesign critical district level
systems to allow for effective differentiated support to low performing schools.
Who: Districts apply to participate and commit to engaging a core team of 5-8 district-level senior leaders
spanning functions such as academic oversight (e.g., Chief Academic Officers), school supervision, curriculum,
student services, accountability, assessment, human capital management and community engagement. (Small
and rural districts may engage smaller teams.) The Turnaround Learning Academy is specifically designed with
the central office leader in mind and complements without duplicating the Turnaround Network program that is
also facilitated by CDE. Some districts may find it beneficial to participate in both the Turnaround Learning
Academy and the Turnaround Network while others may seek to only participate in one or the other.
What: The program consists of:
o A kick-off session (half-day),
o A diagnostic site visit (one to two days) to each participating district from CDE and other district systems
experts,
o Five one day professional development workshops that convene all district teams,
o Monthly support from CDE’s District and School Performance team examine progress and address
challenges in a timely, collaborative manner,
o An optional spring site visit (two days) to provide coaching and consulting around change efforts, and
o An optional visit to another district (in Colorado or elsewhere) that is implementing differentiated
supports for their turnaround schools and seeing results from their approach.
This mix of bringing several districts together as a cohort for workshops with supporting individualized
conversations with each participant district will allow for knowledge sharing among participant districts as well as
tailored supports that are unique to the context of each district.
When: The application window for districts is in July of 2015 with acceptance in mid-August. The program kickoff session is tentatively set for August and the diagnostic site visit will occur in September. Workshops are
tentatively scheduled for October, November, January, February and April. Optional Spring site visits, providing
consulting and customized supports to each district through engagement with external partners, will occur in
March, April or May. The optional learning visit (or visits) to another district can occur in the winter or early
spring, depending on district schedules and availability. CDE’s District and School Performance Unit will provide
ongoing support throughout the duration of the program.
How: The program will provide high quality adult professional development with an emphasis on the following
topics:
Change Management Leadership. Throughout the program, districts will learn tools and strategies
specific to managing change. These research-based strategies will help districts apply what they learn in
the series of workshops. Learning about change management will be woven throughout the workshops
and site visits.
Practice-Based Adult Learning. Workshops will draw upon best practices for adult learning. Throughout
the workshops, teams will be actively engaged in activities and scenarios that help bring to life the
material that they are learning.
In addition to the learning focus, each participating district will receive a diagnostic review of district-level
systems and structures for turnaround.
NOTE: The program is designed to support genuine adult learning and change management planning in a safe
environment. While facilitated by CDE, the program is not designed to be part of the accountability systems at CDE.
Workshops in the Turnaround Learning Academy
Colorado Turnaround Learning Academy
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Appendix C
Turnaround Learning Academy workshops will focus on key aspects of district practice related to supporting turnaround
schools:
Observation & Feedback Practices for Principal Supervisors. Effective supervision of principals and teachers in a
turnaround setting requires expertise in providing targeted feedback that strikes a balance between support and
accountability. This workshop will focus on protocols and practices to support action-oriented and digestible
feedback, geared toward supervisors who seek to improve their coaching capacity. At the conclusion of the
workshop, districts will be prompted to explore implications for principal supervision, recruitment, and talent
development and structure school year calendars accordingly.
Assessment Systems and Strategy. Many factors go into the capacity of a district to manage and implement
strong data-driven expectations and supports. A high leverage practice at both the school and district level is to
track student learning through reliable high quality interim and classroom-based assessments. Equally important,
districts need to support teachers and leaders in changing their instruction real-time based on the data they are
collecting. Participants will have an opportunity to evaluate current assessment systems and strategies in order to
ensure a comprehensive approach is in place to assess student progress and implement effective data inquiry
cycles.
Academic Priorities and Common Core Curriculum. One of the core challenges facing districts today is the need
to ensure curricular resources, assessments, professional development and programming for students are in
alignment with the Colorado Academic Standards and the Common Core. Participants will spend one day in a
workshop focused on understanding the reading & math standards and exploring all the related district systems
that should align to prioritized shifts in instruction.
Adult Learning and Professional Development. This workshop will focus on strategies to deliver high quality
professional development that is targeted and effective. Districts will begin to explore how specific strategies for
effective professional development should inform and influence the professional development services provided
to turnaround schools as well as systemic impacts on principal supervision, curricular supports and school-level
flexibilities.
Accountability Clock Pathways. Participants will learn about models and processes for systemic redesign that
may play a role in planning for unique solutions to the state accountability clock. This may include exploration of
turnaround or innovation zones.
District Conditions for Dramatic Improvement
The Turnaround Learning Academy is grounded in the over-arching framework of District Conditions for Dramatic
Improvement. This framework articulates five key areas of focus to help align district systems to the vision for academic
improvement set forward by the district while ensuring differentiated supports, accountability, and flexibilities are
provided to low performing schools. The District Conditions for Dramatic Improvement will specifically guide the sitebased diagnostic reviews that are conducted through this program.
The five key areas of focus at the district level are as follows:
Culture of Performance. Foster a positive culture at the district and board level that sets high expectations for all
schools and ensures that there is public accountability around school performance.
Academic Systems. Provide a set of clear and coherent curricular supports and assessment systems that align to
the Colorado Academic Standards and facilitate effective data-driven instruction.
Talent Management. Plan and implement a strategic approach to hiring, developing, retaining and compensating
teachers and leaders that reflects priority needs in schools that are low-performing.
Differentiated Support for Low-Performing Schools. Create a systematic approach to differentiating supports
among the domains of culture, academic systems, talent management and oversight that prioritizes resources to
schools in need of improvement and that reflects a consistent vision for school performance.
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Appendix C
Board and Community Relations. Engage board and community stakeholders in a transparent dialogue around
school performance and establish a shared vision for success.
Differentiated
Support for
Schools
Board and
Community
Relationships
Culture of
Performance
Turnaround
End of Clock
Learning
Pathways
for
Low
Performing
Academy
Schools
Schools
Academic
Systems
Talent
Management
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Appendix D
Each district must complete a UIP where they identify student achievement targets, major improvement strategies and action steps. Network districts
use an online tool that allows districts and CDE to track District improvement progress on a monthly basis. Network districts are asked to set shortterm goals for each target and improvement strategy so they can determine whether improvement efforts are yielding results.
Sample “Leading Indicator” Tracking Page
Sample “Major Improvement Strategies” Tracking Page
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Appendix D
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