STRATEGIC PLAN REPORT: STUDENT SUCCESS · 2019-11-19 · Target = performance goal for the first three years of the Strategic Plan Focus (SY 2017-18 through SY 2019-20) Baseline =

STRATEGIC PLAN REPORT:

STUDENT SUCCESS

We commit to reach, challenge, and prepare every student for success in school and life.

November 2019

FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Scott Brabrand, Ed.D.

Division Superintendent

Frances W. Ivey, Ph.D. Deputy Superintendent

Marty K. Smith

Chief Operating Officer

GOAL CHAMPION Sloan J. Presidio, Ed.D., J.D.

Assistant Superintendent, Instructional Services

RESEARCH AND STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENT Lidi Hruda, M.S.Ed.

Director

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Contents

Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 4

Report Organization ................................................................................................................. 4

Performance Color Codes ....................................................................................................... 5

Return on Investment .............................................................................................................. 6

Elimination of Gaps ................................................................................................................. 7

Overview ................................................................................................................................... 7

Detail ......................................................................................................................................... 9

Reading and Mathematics .................................................................................................................... 9

College-Career Readiness ................................................................................................................... 19

Digital Access ...................................................................................................................................... 25

Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) ................................................................................................. 29

Advanced Coursework ........................................................................................................................ 37

Future Considerations ............................................................................................................48

Early Education .......................................................................................................................50

Overview ..................................................................................................................................50

Detail ........................................................................................................................................50


Portrait of a Graduate .............................................................................................................55

Overview ..................................................................................................................................55

Detail ........................................................................................................................................55


Appendix .................................................................................................................................60

Elimination of Gaps ................................................................................................................60

Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 60

Reading and Mathematics .................................................................................................................. 62

College-Career Readiness ................................................................................................................... 67

Advanced Coursework ........................................................................................................................ 75

Early Education .......................................................................................................................79

Introduction

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Introduction

This year’s Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Student Success Report provides information on the division’s performance during School Year (SY) 2018-19 with respect to the Desired Outcomes, Aspirations, and performance metrics associated with Goal 1 of the division’s Strategic Plan.

Report Organization

Reporting on each Desired Outcome comprises six sections: Overview names the Desired Outcome (What) and Strategic Action (How) adopted by the School Board and presents SY 2018-19 performance and progress toward the 2019-20 targets for each of the associated Aspirations. Detail portrays the results from SY 2018-19, including progress toward the 2019-20 targets

for the subsections below, which are repeated for each of the plan’s seven Aspirations.

• Outcomes Narrative details the performance on each metric and highlights progress toward the 2019-20 target.

• Actions Narrative highlights specific activities implemented under the overarching Strategic Action.

• Return on Investment (ROI) Analysis provides evidence of the relation between funds expended on activities and strategic benefits.

• Data Analysis and Conclusions provides an analysis of the effectiveness of the activities taken to make progress toward the Aspiration and what adjustments, if any, are recommended for FCPS to make continued progress or extend efforts to new initiatives.

Future Considerations contains implications for policy, funding, and strategic concerns. Appendix offers supplemental data tables and information providing context, further detail, or additional reference for reported metric performance.

Introduction

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Performance Color Codes

Each metric listed in the Overview section of the report has a color-coded assessment of overall progress toward the 2019-20 targets. The assessments of progress reported on in this report are interim assessments toward the 2019-20 target and, therefore, any improvement since baseline was judged as having progressed toward the target. Both the overall progress assessment and the color-coding of SY 2018-19 performance uses the following color codes.

Dark teal indicates that SY 2018-19 performance met or exceeded the 2019-20 target.

Light teal indicates that SY 2018-19 performance progressed toward the 2019-20 target.

Yellow-green indicates that SY 2018-19 performance made limited progress toward the 2019-20 target, meaning performance was above the baseline, but not improved performance over the prior reporting year.

Yellow indicates that SY 2018-19 performance did not make progress toward the 2019-20 target.

*In cases where the metric includes performance by student groups, all groups must have met

the 2019-20 target for the metric’s overall progress to be color-coded dark teal , and all but one student group must have progressed toward the target (not including limited progress) for overall progress to be color-coded light teal . For any metric where a majority of student groups showed progress (even if only limited progress), but one or more groups did not make

progress, overall progress was color-coded yellow-green . For any metric where the majority of student groups did not show progress, overall progress was color-coded yellow .

The graphs and data tables throughout this report use standard abbreviations to represent data elements and student groups.

n = number of meeting the metric criteria (e.g., number passing tests; number participating in programs)

% = percentage of meeting the metric criteria (e.g., percent passing tests; percent participating in programs)

Target = performance goal for the first three years of the Strategic Plan Focus (SY 2017-18 through SY 2019-20)

Baseline = average performance over a 3-year period (SY 2014-15 through SY 2016-17), unless otherwise noted

Econ. Dis. = Economically Disadvantaged, students eligible for free or reduced-price meals EL = English Learner, students eligible for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

services with a current English Language Proficiency (ELP) level of 1-5, unless otherwise noted

SWD = Students with Disabilities, students with an individualized education program (IEP), unless otherwise noted

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Introduction

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Return on Investment

This is the second year that return on investment (ROI) information is being included in FCPS’ annual Strategic Plan reporting. In this second year, the ROI calculations are based on funds that could be directly tied to new or enhanced actions associated with the current metrics. It is anticipated that future reports will allow for more complex ROI analyses, as the division aligns programs, services, projects, and initiatives to the Strategic Plan Focus metrics and targets. FCPS uses a continuum of approaches for evaluating the link between expenditures and benefits to analyze ROI (see graphic below). As approaches increase along this continuum, so do the time, data, and expertise required for execution. Less complex approaches are more descriptive than evaluative, describing outcomes observed after related funds are spent. More complex approaches become increasingly evaluative and, in some cases, can definitively link specific expenditures to their related benefits. The five approaches that FCPS uses to assess the return on investment are:

• Cost per participant describes expenditures in relation to the number of participants in a program or project or the number of recipients of services provided by a service or initiative.

• Cost description is a process of identifying observed benefits or outcomes that are associated with a specific program, service, project, or initiative that has been funded, such as improvements to student achievement, operational efficiency, or teacher retention.

• Monetary ROI evaluates whether a monetary investment results in a monetary gain larger than the initial investment amount (e.g., cost savings or cost avoidance).

• Impact ROI is used to show the non-monetary outcomes, such as student achievement, associated with expenditures in a school division.

• Social ROI evaluates a combination of monetary, impact, and community outcomes1 to

assess the full impact of funds spent.

Continuum of ROI Analyses

1 Monetary outcomes include benefits such as cost savings or cost avoidance such as benefits of early childhood expenditures on reducing special education costs. Academic outcomes include those non-monetary benefits to the school division, such as increasing high school graduation rates or operational efficiencies. Community outcomes include those benefits to others outside the school division, such as a decreasing welfare dependence.

Elimination of Gaps

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Elimination of Gaps

Overview

Desired Outcome (What) FCPS will eliminate gaps in opportunity, access, and achievement for all students.

Strategic Action (How) Transform current practices to ensure all students achieve academic excellence through staff use of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

SY 2018-19 Performance

Reading and Mathematics Aspiration: All students will be successful in reading and mathematics. Metrics:

• Pass rates on mathematics SOLs [Achievement] Progressed Toward

Target

• Pass rates on reading Standards of Learning (SOLs) [Achievement] No Progress During This

Reporting Period

• Percent of Grade 3 students who read at or above grade level (based on progress reports) [Achievement]

Limited Progress During This Reporting Period

• Percent of EL students who become English proficient in five years [Achievement]

Metric Under Development

College-Career Readiness Aspiration: All students will graduate on time, college or career ready. Metrics:

• Virginia on-time graduation rates [Achievement] Limited Progress During

This Reporting Period

• Percent of students who either pass a college-level exam, pass a Dual Enrollment course, or earn an industry certification before graduation [Achievement]


• Percent of students with plans for college or career on the Senior Survey [Achievement]

No Progress During This Reporting Period

Digital Access

Aspiration: Through the FCPSOn initiative, all students will have access to an FCPS provided individual computer or tablet consistent with One Fairfax’s policy of digital access for all residents. Metric:

• Percent and number of high school students with access to an FCPS provided individual computer or tablet [Access]


https://www.fcps.edu/node/32799

Elimination of Gaps

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Advanced Academic Programs Aspiration: Participation and performance rates will be similarly high across student groups in Advanced Academic Programs (AAP). Metrics:

• Percent of classrooms where students receive instructional experiences using AAP curriculum [Opportunity]

Met or Exceeded Target

• Percent of students participating in AAP (Grades 3-8) [Access] Limited Progress During

This Reporting Period

• Percent of AAP students demonstrating advanced performance in Reading or Mathematics on SOL tests (Grades 3-8) [Achievement]


• Number of schools offering the Young Scholars model [Opportunity] Progressed Toward

Target

• Number of schools offering Local Level IV instruction [Opportunity] Progressed Toward

Target

Advanced Coursework Aspiration: Participation and performance rates will be similarly high across student groups in advanced coursework. Metrics:

• Percent of students who participate in Algebra 1 by eighth grade [Access]


• Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency (pass course and Algebra 1 SOL) in Algebra 1 by eighth grade [Achievement]


• Percent of students who participate in Honors courses (Grades 7 to 12) [Access]


• Percent of students who participate in Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or Dual Enrollment courses by the end of high school [Access]


• Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency (pass course) in one or more Honors courses (Grades 7 to 12) [Achievement]


• Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency (pass course) in at least one AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment course by the end of high school [Achievement]


• Percent of students who earn a passing score on one or more AP or IB exams by the end of high school [Achievement]


Elimination of Gaps

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Detail Reporting on the Elimination of Gaps Desired Outcome is divided into five sections to reflect the five Aspirations: Reading and Mathematics, College-Career Readiness, Digital Access, Advanced Academic Programs, and Advanced Coursework. Metrics for each Aspiration are monitored for gaps in opportunity, access, and achievement across FCPS student groups. As the Strategic Plan Focus aims to close gaps and promote equity, FCPS must continue to direct resources to make additional strides towards closing these gaps.

Reading and Mathematics Aspiration: All students will be successful in reading and mathematics.

Associated Metrics:

• Pass rates on mathematics SOLs

• Pass rates on reading SOLs

• Percent of Grade 3 students who read at or above grade level

• Percent of EL students who become English proficient in five years

SY 2018-19 Outcomes—Reading and Mathematics The narrative on the following pages reports outcomes for each metric associated with the Aspiration for reading and mathematics success for all students.

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Summary: FCPS mathematics performance on SOL tests improved in SY 2018-19 compared to both baseline and prior year.

Metric: Achievement

• Pass rates on mathematics SOLs

Progressed Toward Target

In SY 2018-19, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) introduced new mathematics SOL tests aligned to the revised state standards. Both FCPS and the state as a whole saw improvements in mathematics pass rates based on the new assessments. Whereas SY 2017-18 mathematics performance was down slightly from the baseline, in SY 2018-19, all student groups surpassed baseline performance. The English Learner group saw the largest one-year gains, improving eight percentage points from SY 2017-18. Despite increases across all student groups, achievement gaps among student groups persist. Continued improvements similar to those seen in SY 2018-19 will be necessary to reach SY 2019-20 targets for all students.

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Summary: SOL reading outcomes declined slightly across reporting groups in SY 2018-19 compared to both baseline and prior year.

Metric: Achievement

• Pass rates on reading SOLs


During SY 2018-19, both FCPS and Virginia as a whole saw declines in SOL reading performance. One contributing factor at the secondary level is the increased use of state-approved substitute tests for verified credit (i.e., WorkKeys). Based on strong pass rates for FCPS students on these assessments together with state policy change that extended the opportunity for locally awarded verified credit to English, fewer high school students are retaking SOL tests multiple times to achieve a passing SOL score. In general, SY 2018-19 SOL reading pass rates are down two percentage points compared to the prior year for the Hispanic and English Learner student groups and down one percentage point in all other student groups. This outcome shows stabilization of student performance after the substantial declines experienced statewide in SY 2017-18, when the Virginia Grade Level Alternative (VGLA) test was removed as an option for English Learners in reading.

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Summary: Grade 3 progress report reading levels were up from the baseline in all reporting groups.

Metric: Achievement

• Percent of Grade 3 students who read at or above grade level (based on progress reports)


Based on progress report data, Grade 3 students in the Asian, Black, Economically Disadvantaged, and Students with Disabilities groups showed continued gains in reading level for SY 2018-19. In particular, the increases for the Black and Economically Disadvantaged student groups are notable at eight to ten percentage points over two years. The White and English Learner student groups maintained their SY 2017-18 performance level, with both outcomes exceeding baseline. The Hispanic student group declined from SY 2017-18 but remained seven points above the baseline. Overall, performance toward this metric is progressing in a positive direction. One contributor to improvements may be the consistent use of universal screening in reading at Grade 3 in SY 2018-19, with enhanced resources to guide teachers to further diagnostic assessments for students showing areas of need.

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Summary: Over two-thirds of FCPS English Learners become proficient within five years.

Metric: Achievement

• Percent of EL students who become English proficient in five years

Progress to Be Determined

The metric approved by the School Board to measure ELs who become English proficient within five years is modeled on a new VDOE measure. Data for the SY 2018-19 EL cohort (ELs entering FCPS five years prior) indicate that 68 percent of these students achieved English proficiency within five years of enrollment in FCPS. Baseline, target, and prior year performance rates are currently pending and will be updated for School Board reporting when available.

SY 2018-19 Actions—Reading and Mathematics Summary: In SY 2018-19, department staff aligned professional development and resources to improve mathematics learning through new mathematics basal resources. In SY 2018-19, FCPS implemented new basal mathematics resources across all schools and classrooms in grades K-12. The goal with these resources is to see high-quality, rigorous materials used daily for instruction. The new resources provided teachers with concept-focused lessons and tools to engage students. This infusion of resources into schools created the opportunity to develop and implement professional development that both leveraged the new resources and was aligned to the FCPS Learning Model. Each school selected a mentor teacher, who served as a liaison between the school and central office staff, as well provided


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turn-around training and support to teachers in their schools. Increases to mathematics SOL scores across the division can be attributed, at least in part, to the new basal resources and mathematics mentor teacher professional development model. The work most directly aligned to the Access to Rigor driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

Summary: In SY 2018-19, department staff provided targeted resources and support to improve literacy development through the introduction of a secondary literacy concept-based planner and skills tracker. To support the new state English standards that were released in 2017, department staff created a concept-based unit planning template and resources aligned to the new standards and the FCPS Learning Model. This new unit planner includes a Skills Tracker to ensure that planned instruction is inclusive of all VDOE content. Together, the unit planner and Skills Tracker allow teachers to identify and plan for the standards addressed in each unit. Once fully implemented by teachers, the concept-based units and Skills Tracker is expected to result in improvements to reading and writing SOL scores across student groups. Further resources and supports are in development to enhance writing achievement, including exemplar units, lessons that embed daily reading and writing, and additional assessment of writing skills to monitor areas of student need. This action most directly aligned to the Academic Support driver in the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Summary: In SY 2018-19, FCPS implemented structured school supports for academic improvement through Region support teams, including tiered supports from Project Momentum. The charge of Project Momentum is to ensure all FCPS schools are fully accredited under the Virginia Standards of Accreditation (SOAs). In SY 2018-19, Project Momentum provided systematic supports for schools demonstrating challenges with English (reading and writing), science, and mathematics academic indicators for state accreditation. The initiative offered direct professional development and support for 18 schools identified with academic needs (five Intensive and 13 Targeted Schools). Support to these schools was determined by data, to include VDOE SOAs outcomes. With changes to the areas monitored by the SOAs, staff anticipated new areas of school need. As a result, the Project Momentum model expanded for SY 2018-19 to incorporate additional support in the areas of special education, ESOL, and Multi-Tered Systems of Support (MTSS) to address the SOA achievement gap data. In SY 2018-19, Project Momentum was impactful in improving performance toward state standards in reading, science, and mathematics, as measured by the SOAs. Based on success to date, the model will further adjust in SY 2019-20 to introduce targeted supports for the non-academic indicators incorporated in the revised SOAs: chronic absenteeism, on-time graduation and completion, and dropout prevention. Project Momentum is most closely aligned to the Academic Support driver within the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Summary: In SY 2018-19, department staff expanded elementary reading and mathematics intervention supports. During SY 2018-19, FCPS invested in building the capacity of elementary teachers to analyze assessments and tailor instruction to meet student needs in reading and mathematics. Different approaches targeting mastery of foundational skills were implemented in mathematics and

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reading. These actions were mostly closely aligned to the Academic Support driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

• In mathematics, Add+Vantage Math Recovery® (AVMR) was expanded. This professional development course provided teachers with the latest in research on how students develop number sense and computation skills. During SY 2018-19, 200 teachers participated in this professional learning. In order to meet the growing demand and scale more quickly, 12 FCPS staff received advanced professional development in order to serve as division-level trainers.

• In language arts, a Grade 1 intervention was designed and implemented in two schools, focusing on students who have specific skill gaps. Grade One Accelerated Literacy (GOAL) used a 10-12 week intervention model to accelerate at-risk students’ reading and writing progress by shoring up phonological gaps and teaching students to transfer phonetic information into both reading and writing.

Both intervention supports—AVMR and GOAL—saw positive response from teachers and school leaders regarding the value of the professional learning. For example, 96 percent of participants highly recommended AVMR courses to others, and 100 percent of participants identified new knowledge they had gained about mathematics instruction. In language arts, GOAL data showed that all students made improvements toward grade level reading. For example, approximately half of the students made one year’s worth of reading growth as measured by the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA2). Ninety-nine percent of students increased their phonics and phonemic awareness skills as measured by the Hearing and Recording Sounds in Words (HRSW) assessment. The most significant growth made by all students was in their writing fluency, as indicated by the Vocabulary Writing Spree assessment. In addition, 100 percent of teachers reported that participation in GOAL had broadened their knowledge base around phonics instruction. Based on the reception and outcomes to date, these efforts will be extended in SY 2019-20. Summary: In SY 2018-19, EL Innovation Cohorts and an EL Innovation Networked Improvement Community provided professional learning to support and enhance implementation of the FCPS Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP) for English Learners. To support improved outcomes for ELs through consistent programming, department staff developed and introduced new LIEP standards. Both the EL Innovation Cohorts and Networked Improvement Community supported schools with implementation of these new standards. Twenty schools participated in EL Innovation Cohorts for the first time during SY 2018-19. Teams from these schools attended two days of professional learning about the FCPS LIEP for English Learners. Schools then completed a needs assessment and were supported in developing a school-based innovation plan aligned to the LIEP standards. Five schools that had previously participated in the EL Innovation Cohort joined a Networked Improvement Community. The Networked Improvement Community met three times during the year and schools self-identified and monitored specific, targeted improvements for ELs through plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles. Innovations and improvements were shared among schools. As a result of participation in the EL Innovation Networked Improvement Community, four out of five schools showed an increase in the percentage of English Learners making annual EL progress as defined by the VDOE. Based on experience in SY 2018-19, staff will continue to offer school teams the opportunity to participate in EL Innovation cohorts and Networked

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Improvement Communities. This work was aligned to the Academic Support driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Summary: Staff redesigned and expanded training and coaching models to strengthen teachers’ supports for students with disabilities. During SY 2018-19, staff collaborated across offices and departments to expand and enhance supports for teachers of students with disabilities throughout the division through three strategic efforts. These efforts were aligned to the Academic Support driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

• First, staff redesigned the training and mentoring supports for novice and new-to-FCPS special education teachers. Cohorts were established for teachers of students with both high and low incidence disabilities, and content was delivered by program specialists and managers, who were experts in these fields. Monthly professional development and mentoring was provided to develop teachers’ understandings and skills related to division expectations, proactive learning environments, cultural proficiency, literacy and mathematics instruction, evidence-based practices for assessment and behavioral supports, and best practices for special education procedures, inclusion, and transition services.

• Second, addition of five new central office special education resource teacher positions allowed each region support team to include an expert in special education instructional practices. These resource teachers collaborated to develop and lead job-embedded professional learning for teachers focused on effective implementation of evidence-based instructional practices, including differentiation and scaffolding. They provided intensive supports in schools identified with achievement gaps, working closely with school leaders to identify needs, plan, and implement best-practice instructional programming for students with disabilities and as a strategy to meet school improvement goals.

• Third, department staff provided Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training to approximately 250 school-based staff, including general education, special education, and ESOL teachers as well as school administrators and literacy leaders. This three-day professional development opportunity addressed both the content and processes of reading instruction, with a focus on the foundations of reading, oral language, vocabulary, comprehension, phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency.

These efforts aimed to strengthen instruction for students with disabilities through a focus on improved teacher practice fostered through intentional training and coaching models. All three efforts will be continued in SY 2019-20.

SY 2018-19 Return on Investment—Reading and Mathematics Summary: Improved pass rates on the Reading or Mathematics SOL at Project Momentum schools were associated with an investment of approximately $28,000 per improved student group. [Cost Description] FCPS invested approximately $4.3 million in Project Momentum during SY 2018-19 to move schools from Performance Level 2 or 3 to Performance Level 1 within the SOA school quality

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indicators. This means an average investment of approximately $240,000 in each of the 18 schools identified for intensive or targeted support from Project Momentum during SY 2018-19. Funds were used to support the unique needs of each school through a tiered structure. The approach included additional funds for improvement planning and designated support teams to provide job-embedded professional development as well as targeted support from instructional coaches and specialized professional development, among other supports.

The analysis conducted for this ROI compared the number of student groups at targeted and intensive Project Momentum schools that demonstrated increased pass rates on the Mathematics and Reading SOL assessments between SY 2017-18 and SY 2018-19. Results indicated that an average of five student groups per school improved their performance on Mathematics SOLs and three student groups per school improved their pass rates on Reading SOLs. In the prior year, Project Momentum schools had an average of four student groups that improved in their Reading SOL and four that improved in their Mathematics SOL pass rates. Among the performance improvements in mathematics, at least fourteen of the eighteen Project Momentum schools showed improvements in the performance of Economically Disadvantaged, Hispanic, Black, Students with Disabilities, and White student groups. The other two student groups (Asian and English Learners) showed improvements in at least half of the schools. In mathematics, increases in SOL pass rates at so many of the Project Momentum schools may have helped the division attain higher pass rates, especially those demonstrated in the division by the Black, Hispanic, Economically Disadvantaged, and Students with Disabilities groups. As compared to the prior year, these student groups each saw a six or seven percentage point increase on the SOL pass rates in mathematics throughout the Division. For Reading, more than half of the Project Momentum schools showed improved performance among the White and Student with Disabilities student groups. The increase in SOL Reading pass rates among student groups receiving Project Momentum supports contrasts with the overall division where Reading pass rates decreased for all student groups. Thus, while the number of student groups demonstrating improvements at Project Momentum schools decreased somewhat from the prior year (when four student groups on average improved), in comparison to FCPS overall, the majority of Project Momentum schools continued to see improvements in Reading pass rates in several student groups. Supporting the division-level improvements translated into a cost of approximately $28,105 per student group that improved. This per student group investment was about $8,000 more than last year when more schools received targeted and intensive support through Project Momentum, keeping costs down. However, in the prior year, improvements at Project Momentum school were not mirrored in the division level performance, so unlike this year, that smaller investment per student group did not move the strategic plan metric data forward as did this year’s investments. Summary: English Learners in the EL Innovation Network Improvement Community schools made progress in English proficiency at a cost of $23,000 per percentage point increase, but this progress was not yet reflected in the metric data. [Impact ROI] Approximately $68,000 in staff costs to support professional development and assistance could be attributed to the Networked Improvement Community. A portion of those costs went to funding a dedicated central office staff member to help the Networked Improvement Community schools implement their innovation plan. Additionally, approximately $8,000 in Title III grant funds supported materials and substitutes for three-day training. Thus, during SY 2018-19, a total of $76,000 was needed to support the Networked Improvement Community schools.

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Analysis of performance on WIDA progress (a measure of English proficiency) and the Reading SOL conducted for this ROI found mixed results. Networked Improvement Community schools did show greater progress than other FCPS schools in the percentage of students showing progress on WIDA. However, analysis of Reading SOL scores did not find higher pass rates for EL students in the five schools involved in the program than their peers in other schools. This was true when accounting for demographic differences among students and the percent of EL students in the school. Similar analysis conducted with schools participating in EL Innovation Cohort did not find an impact on WIDA progress or Reading SOL pass rates. FCPS investment in this program totaled approximately $273,000 in operating funds or $14,000 per school. Additionally, grant funding of $32,000 supported materials and substitutes for training at the 20 EL Innovation Cohort schools. The EL Innovation Cohort is intended to be a pathway to participation in the Networked Improvement Community. ROI analyses indicate that the EL Innovation Cohort alone does not have an impact on EL proficiency, while Networked Improvement Community does have an impact. This supports the intention that schools continue their continuous improvement in applying the LIEP standards by stepping up into the Networked Improvement Community. Though not yet influencing Reading SOL scores, the ROI results for Networked Improvement Community suggest the program is having some impact in supporting student growth in English proficiency. Growth in proficiency is an early indicator of whether the Networked Improvement Community program has the potential to impact the two approved metrics (English proficiency within five years and Reading SOL pass rates). It may take more than one year to see the results of Networked Improvement Community participation on these metrics, so ROI on this action should be conducted again next year. Furthermore, when metric data become available regarding English proficiency within five years, it should be analyzed considering Networked Improvement Community impact.

SY 2018-19 Data Analysis and Conclusions—Reading and Mathematics Summary: Continued strategic efforts are needed to address persistent achievement gaps in reading and mathematics. All students being successful in reading and mathematics is fundamental to the division’s mission. Reflecting on the actions undertaken in SY 2018-19, there was continued emphasis on providing professional development in order to build the capacity of teachers to meet the needs of all students. Teachers participated in professional learning via job-embedded, customized supports such as Project Momentum, cohorts of learners such as in EL Innovation, or through learning provided through departmental or school-based instructional leaders. These models varied in frequency and intensity, but all required teachers to learn, plan, implement and reflect in order to truly change practice. Considerations for changes to calendars and teacher planning time, as well as staffing for additional school-based instructional leaders, will allow for increased job-embedded professional development and facilitate an increased rate of change.

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College-Career Readiness Aspiration: All students will graduate on time, college or career ready. Associated Metrics:

• Virginia on-time graduation rates

• Percent of students who either pass a college-level exam, pass a Dual Enrollment course, or earn an industry certification before graduation

• Percent of students with plans for college or career on the Senior Survey

SY 2018-19 Outcomes—College-Career Readiness Narrative on the following pages reports outcomes for each metric associated with the Aspiration for on-time graduation and college-career readiness for all students.

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Summary: FCPS made limited progress in closing achievement gaps for on-time graduation in SY 2018-19 compared to baseline.

Metric: Achievement

• Virginia on-time graduation rates


Compared to the baseline, more students graduated from high school “on-time” in SY 2018-19. All student groups increased the Virginia On-time Graduation Rates above the baseline, with the exception of the Hispanic student group. Hispanic student graduation rates remained below baseline but did increase by one percentage point from the prior year. Though rates remained lowest for the English Learner group, results demonstrated steady improvement over the reporting years, from 66 percent at baseline to 67 percent in SY 2017-18 and 68 percent in SY 2018-19. Analysis of metric outcomes demonstrates that efforts to improve school-level strategies for intervening with students at risk of not graduating on-time were successful in improving graduation rates. However, graduation rates still show unacceptable discrepancies for the Hispanic and English Learner student groups.

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Summary: Gaps persist for students earning scores, credits, and credentials to prepare for college or career.

Metric: Achievement

• Percent of students who either pass a college-level exam, pass a Dual Enrollment course, or earn an industry certification before graduation


In September 2019, this metric was revised to include a passing grade in a Dual Enrollment course in addition to earning an industry credential or attaining a qualifying score on an AP or IB exam. This revision allowed the metric to account for students who give preference to Dual Enrollment courses over the AP or IB programs. However, even with an additional way to fulfill this metric, performance rates across student groups are nearly identical to calculations under the previous version of the metric, and achievement gaps just as significant can be seen in the May 2019 Student Success Report. This outcome points to a continued need for strategic efforts across schools and departments to better support students in accessing courses and certifications that will prepare them for success after high school.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BCEVFZ760392/$file/Student%20Success%20Strategic%20Plan%201819%20Report%20Formatted_(BoardDocs_5-23).pdf

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Summary: While rates of students reporting plans after graduation declined in SY 2018-19 compared to baseline, over 87 percent of Grade 12 students in each student group report plans for college or career.

Metric: Achievement

• Percent of students with plans for college or career on the Senior Survey


Compared to SY 2017-18, each group experienced a negative change in the percent of students with a post-secondary plan, with drops between one and seven percentage points. One possible factor contributing to these rate changes was an increase in the number of students returning a senior survey in SY 2018-19. Overall, 745 more students responded in SY 2018-19 than in the baseline years, with the largest increases observed in the Hispanic, Economically Disadvantaged, and English Learner student groups. Despite a lack of progress toward the metric targets, over 87 percent of seniors in each student group indicated that they had plans for college or career. Additional student supports will be implemented in SY 2019-20 to address the lower rate of plans among the English Learner group, including a new high school course focused on academic, career, and life skills for ELs in their second year in FCPS.

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SY 2018-19 Actions—College-Career Readiness Summary: In SY 2018-19, department staff collaborated with school leaders to enhance schoolwide access to AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) strategies. Department staff increased schoolwide use of AVID strategies in all 21 schools offering the program by offering a variety of professional learning opportunities. Part of this model included establishment of an AVID Leader Corps, consisting of nine school-based leaders, who delivered professional development and offered supports for colleagues across the division. SY 2018-19 efforts aimed to increase opportunity, access, and academic support for all students by raising awareness of AVID and teachers’ ability to implement AVID strategies across content-area classes, including Honors, AP, and IB courses. Professional learning focused on AVID’s high-engagement strategies tied to the WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading) framework. Demonstrating the increased enthusiasm for this work across schools, almost 100 educators attended the 2019 AVID Summer Institute, compared to only 21 attending in summer 2018. Focus on AVID also contributed to budget approval to expand the program to three new schools in SY 2019-20 (two middle schools and one elementary school). This work most closely aligns with the College and Career Readiness driver in the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Summary: In SY 2018-19, cross-departmental collaboration strengthened professional learning and support for student graduation outcomes. Cross-departmental staff increased targeted professional development, resources, and added coaching supports for schools determined to be at-risk of not meeting the benchmarks for the Standard of Accreditation (SOA) indicators of Graduation and Completion Index (GCI) or Dropout Rate. Schools were supported in systematically reviewing their graduation cohort data as it was updated from the VDOE three times throughout the year. These resources and supports promoted ongoing analysis and problem-solving within schools to better identify and respond both to individual student needs and to broader challenges within schools related to graduation and dropout rates.

SOA outcomes from 2019 for GCI and Dropout Rate demonstrate that providing individual coaching and collaborative professional development for at-risk schools had some impact on performance in the targeted schools. Feedback from the individual schools that were supported was overwhelmingly positive, both in terms of receiving targeted interventions that are specific to a school community, as well as, opportunities to connect with other schools that are facing similar challenges with on-time graduation and dropouts. Interdepartmental collaboration will continue to strengthen prevention efforts for all schools, and an expanded focus on non-academic indicators within Project Momentum for SY 2019-20 will provide further resources and supports to targeted high schools. This effort is aligned to multiple drivers of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework, including Relationships, Academic Support, Ready to Learn, and College and Career Readiness.

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Summary: Department staff enhanced structures for schools to support industry credentials. Department staff continued to offer differentiated professional development to school-designated Career and Technical Education (CTE) Credentialing Leads at base high schools and academies. In SY 2018-19, CTE Credentialing Leads received training on a new Education Decision Support Library (EDSL) CTE industry credentialing demographics report. Training included how to analyze student participation data to compare rates of credentials attempted versus credentials earned by student group and cohort. CTE leads applied their learning to inform development and implementation of local testing plans. One example of a response implemented based on the data review was the decision to offer a new credential, the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), specifically for seniors still in need of an industry credential for graduation requirements. The NCRC was effective in providing an alternative credential option for students who had previously struggled to pass a credentialing exam, with positive success rates among English Learners and Students with Disabilities. This work most closely aligns with the College and Career Readiness driver in the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Summary: Department staff provided local guidance on revised graduation requirements. During SY 2018-19, department staff worked with the School Board to revise local graduation requirements for the Standard Diploma to match VDOE requirements and provide additional flexibility for students, including one less required social studies course. Based on these important changes, department staff updated local guidance, including the transcript update handbook and all graduation requirements resources. Staff provided professional development for all secondary school counselors and directors of student services in understanding the revised requirements and how to track graduation requirements in the Student Information System (SIS). Feedback from the professional learning will be used to further enhance resources to include best practices for consistent and equitable academic advising and high school course planning to ensure on-time graduation. This work most closely aligns with the College and Career Readiness driver in the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

SY 2018-19 Return on Investment—College-Career Readiness Summary: Compared to SY 2017-18, the enhanced schoolwide use of AVID was related to one of seven student groups increasing the percent of high school seniors indicating college or career plans at a cost of $143,000 in FCPS operating funds. [Impact ROI] The actions designed to enhance schoolwide use of AVID strategies cost FCPS a total of approximately $230,000 in SY 2018-19. There were 21 AVID schools in FCPS, including two secondary schools, 11 high schools, and eight middle schools, so the cost per school was approximately $11,000. About three-quarters of the funds invested ($180,000) went to staff work to develop an AVID Leader Corps and provide a variety of professional development opportunities for teachers at AVID schools. The other major investment of approximately $50,000 sent school teams to the national AVID Summer Institute, an AVID program requirement. Of the total costs, those associated with enhanced schoolwide use at the 11 high and two secondary schools was approximately $143,000 (which is the investment included in the ROI analysis as it could be associated with the metric for college and career plans).

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The analysis conducted specifically for this ROI indicated that six out of seven student groups in AVID schools had little to no change in the percent of high school seniors with college or career plans from SY 2017-18 to SY 2018-19. All ethnic and racial student groups as well as students in the Economically Disadvantaged student group maintained at least 96 percent of students with college and career plans. The Students with Disabilities group dropped slightly from 89 percent reporting having a plan to 87 percent. The exception to the generally steady rates was the English Learner student group, which had a six percentage point increase, from 85 percent to 91 percent.

SY 2018-19 Data Analysis and Conclusions—College-Career Readiness Summary: FCPS is committed to ensuring that all students have experiences leading them to on-time graduation and college and career readiness. Reflecting on the actions undertaken in SY 2018-19, the focus was on providing professional development and resources for school teams aligned to the metrics for college and career readiness. With the changes to local and state graduation requirements, an increased emphasis was placed on updating and developing resources, including technology resources, to support knowledge and practices among school staff. Department staff will continue to offer professional development in each of the areas of college and career readiness, including enhanced onboarding for new school counselors and teachers with responsibility in these areas. Specific areas of focus will include training in career pathways and supporting students to earn “career-ready” industry credentials at high school, as well as, earlier academic and career planning with students in elementary and middle school. Additionally, continued resources will be directed to further support schools with needs related to on-time graduation and dropout prevention, including increased collaboration across central office teams to better support schools.

Digital Access Aspiration: Through the FCPSOn initiative, all students will have access to an FCPS provided individual computer or tablet consistent with One Fairfax’s policy of digital access for all residents.

Associated Metric:

• Percent and number of high school students with access to an FCPS provided individual computer or tablet

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SY 2018-19 Outcomes—Digital Access Summary: Access rates for FCPSOn held steady in SY 2018-19 compared to the prior year, pending School Board approval for expansion of the FCPSOn initiative.

Metric: Access

• Percent and number of high school students with access to an FCPS provided individual computer or tablet


Results for SY 2018-19 remained consistent from the previous school year. The data reflect students in the FCPSOn Phase 1 high schools who had the opportunity to receive a device as part of the pilot. These high schools are Annandale, Chantilly, Fairfax County Adult, Falls Church, Justice, Lee, and Mount Vernon. In addition to the access measure, the division has contracted with Johns Hopkins University to provide a formal program evaluation of the FCPSOn initiative, which was presented to the School Board in October 2019. High level findings from the SY 2018-19 evaluation include that: stakeholders hold positive perceptions of the value of the initiative; teachers are becoming increasingly more effective technology users; students are more engaged and accountable for learning; and FCPS-purchased devices have contributed to equitable access to learning experiences across students of varying backgrounds.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BGMQZH6AABB8/$file/JohnHopkins%20Y3%20Evaluation%20of%20FCPSOn.pdf

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SY 2018-19 Actions—Digital Access Summary: During SY 2018-19, department staff directed efforts to prepare high schools for School Board-approved expansion of FCPSOn to all high schools in SY 2019-20. During SY 2018-19, Learning Transformation Teams were established at each high school that would be implementing FCPSOn for the first time in SY 2019-20. The role of these teams was to help prepare their schools for implementation of FCPSOn. Learning Transformation Team members attended professional learning that focused on developing instructional practices aligned to the FCPS Learning Model and spent time planning for turn-around implementation at each school. As these trainings took place throughout the school year, input from participants and school administrators was used to develop and refine content for each training session. In addition, cross-departmental staff visited each school to complete a readiness protocol. The goal of the Learning Transformation Teams was to develop teacher readiness before the 1:1 devices were implemented in the schools. Schools prepared to both manage devices and make instructional shifts to leverage the device for more student centered, meaningful learning opportunities. Through the two year FCPSOn pilot and learning from the experiences of other large school divisions, the need for preparation for teaching in 1:1 learning environments before students receive devices was determined. This initial professional development, as well as the ongoing opportunities that will follow, will support teachers with shifting instruction and have the potential to impact several metrics in the Student Success Goal area. The preparation work from SY 2018-19 supported the FCPS Closing the Achievement Gap Framework drivers of Ready to Learn and Academic Support, by preparing students to receive 1:1 devices in SY 2019-20. Summary: Department staff expanded digital citizenship resources. FCPS continues to approach digital citizenship by working to develop a culture of shared responsibility among school staff, parents, and students. In SY 2018-19, supports were provided to students, school staff, and parents/guardians. Students were supported through a new curriculum for Grades 3-8, with lessons aligned to related content areas and Portrait of a Graduate. Teachers provided all students with at least one digital citizenship lesson in the first quarter. Additionally, department staff promoted the use of the Common Sense Recognition framework to support school leaders with building a culture of shared responsibility and new FCPS staff were required to take the digital citizenship eLearnIT overview training. Staff also expanded FCPS digital citizenship resources to include a shared responsibility statement and tips for establishing expectations for technology use at home. Further, department staff provided materials and planning support for parent education events. The Division’s digital citizenship work is monitored through a number of methods, including user feedback (from parents, students, and teachers), impact statements from schools, and the number of schools earning Common Sense Recognition. This work most aligns with the Access to Rigor driver in the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

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SY 2018-19 Return on Investment—Digital Access Summary: During SY 2018-19, FCPS invested an average of $10 per high school student to support FCPSOn in the original pilot high schools. [Cost Per Participant] During SY 2018-19 FCPS spent slightly under $205,000 to support FCPSOn in pilot schools. Of this total, approximately $132,000 could be attributed to support FCPSOn costs in pilot high schools, which translated into an approximate cost of $10 per high school student. These costs covered an enterprise license for survey and usage data (BrightBytes), an external evaluation of the program, and substitutes to support teacher professional development. The costs reported for the Phase 1 pilot FCPS schools do not include maintenance or replacement costs for devices or MiFi devices to support equitable internet access for students. Beyond the costs included in the ROI calculation, FCPS spent approximately $290,000 to prepare the remaining high schools in the division to implement FCPSOn in SY 2019-20. Approximately $254,000 of these additional costs were spent for materials and central office time to create and deliver professional development, and the remaining $36,000 covered substitutes to support professional development and Learning Transformation Team trainings, including site visits to other schools.

SY 2018-19 Data Analysis and Conclusions—Digital Access Summary: While implementation of FCPSOn will close high school technology access gaps by SY 2019-20, the Division remains focused on ensuring the appropriate and safe use of these devices through development of digital citizenship. In preparation for the full implementation of 1:1 devices in FCPS high schools as approved by the School Board, Learning Transformation Teams were deployed within each school during SY 2018-19. These teams were successful in deepening teachers’ knowledge and skill in leveraging devices to provide student-centered, meaningful learning opportunities aligned to Portrait of a Graduate outcomes. As 1:1 devices were deployed in SY 2019-20, these teams evolved into Learning Innovation Teams, to support teachers in aligning disciplinary literacy and FCPSOn initiatives for fidelity of implementation across classrooms. Beyond the technical responsibilities of providing and utilizing 1:1 devices in instruction, to fully attain the Aspiration of digital access for all, it is necessary to also ensure students have the skills and dispositions to be safe and productive digital citizens. During SY 2018-19, many supports for school staff, students, and parents were put into place in an effort to create a culture of shared responsibility. These efforts will continue during SY 2019-20, with the goals of expansion of family resources and an increase in the participation of schools in digital citizenship learning opportunities.

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Advanced Academic Programs (AAP) Aspiration: Participation and performance rates will be similarly high across student groups in AAP.

Associated Metrics:

• Number of schools offering the Young Scholars model

• Number of schools offering Local Level IV instruction

• Percent of classrooms where students receive instructional experiences using AAP curriculum

• Percent of students participating in AAP (Grades 3-8)

• Percent of AAP students demonstrating advanced performance in Reading or Mathematics on SOL tests (Grades 3-8)

SY 2018-19 Outcomes—Advanced Academic Programs Narrative on the following pages reports outcomes for each metric associated with the Aspiration for equitable participation and performance in advanced academic programs.

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Summary: Over one-third of elementary classrooms reported use of AAP curriculum resources within core instruction in the first year of data collection.

Metric: Opportunity

• Percent of classrooms where students receive instructional experiences using AAP curriculum [Opportunity]

Met or Exceeded Target

With adoption of this new School Board metric in March 2019, department staff began collecting data on classroom use of APP curriculum resources beginning in spring 2019. Teacher responses in this first year indicated 34 percent of general education classrooms utilized AAP content-specific curriculum resources at least once per quarter. Although this rate is above SY 2019-20 target, it nonetheless indicates that access to AAP curriculum is inconsistent. This inconsistency potentially leads to inequities across classrooms and schools for students accessing these rigorous learning experiences. Moving into SY 2019-20, increased awareness of this metric expectation among school administrators, advanced academic resource teachers (AARTs), and teachers is expected to increase AAP curricular opportunities for students.

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Summary: FCPS made gains in AAP participation for all but one reporting group in SY 2018-19 compared to baseline.

Metric: Access

• Percent of students participating in AAP (Grades 3-8)


In SY 2018-19, Level IV AAP participation saw gains between one and four percentage points compared to the baseline for all but the Students with Disabilities group, where performance remained constant from the baseline. However, access gaps persist, with participation rates among most groups below 20 percent, compared to the highest reported group (Asian) at over 40 percent. Despite improvements from the baseline, the Hispanic, Economically Disadvantaged, and English Learner student groups saw static or reduced SY 2018-19 outcomes compared to the prior year. Because the metric does not capture AAP Level II and Level III services, it is an incomplete picture of students accessing AAP services. Percentages for student groups accessing AAP Level II range from 10 to 12 percent and those accessing AAP Level III range from eight to 17 percent. Nonetheless, gaps in Level IV access are apparent. Possible causes for the lack of progress toward this metric include comparing students to a national norm versus a local norm and uneven fidelity of implementation of the Young Scholars model across the division. A combination of strengthening fidelity of implementation of Young Scholars, Local Level IV, and increased teacher use of AAP curriculum will support continued growth toward the Aspiration.

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Summary: FCPS did not make progress in SY 2018-19 in closing achievement gaps for advanced performance on SOL tests.

Metric: Achievement

• Percent of AAP students demonstrating advanced performance in Reading or Mathematics on SOL tests (Grades 3-8)


Achievement gaps in advanced performance on reading and mathematics SOL tests among AAP Level IV students roughly mirrors gaps seen in SOL performance as a whole. Overall, the Division has not made progress towards the Aspirational goal of advanced SOL performance for all AAP Level IV students. Three student groups (Asian, Black, Economically Disadvantaged) maintained their performance compared to baseline, while two (Hispanic and English Learners) declined compared to baseline by two and three percentage points respectively. Students with Disabilities improved compared to baseline but declined compared to the prior year. Only the White student group made gains compared to both baseline and prior year. One contributing factor to the lack of progress for this metric could be that AAP Level IV mathematics curriculum is more aligned to performance tasks than to standardized assessment formats, affording little time for SOL test preparation activities within Level IV classrooms.

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Summary: FCPS made strides in expanding opportunities for students to access advanced academic programming through the Young Scholars and Local Level IV models.

Metric: Opportunity

• Number of schools offering the Young Scholars model


Metric: Opportunity

• Number of schools offering Local Level IV instruction


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Overall, the Division made growth in the number of schools offering the Young Scholars model and AAP Local Level IV services. Two additional schools have implemented the Young Scholars model and ten additional schools have implemented AAP Local Level IV services since baseline performance was established. Due to the complex planning and community buy-in necessary to successfully implement Local Level IV services, one-to-two years of preparation is required to add new schools. Four schools will begin this process in SY 2019-20, with anticipated Local Level IV implementation in SY 2020-21. Five additional schools have expressed interest in exploring the Young Scholars model during SY 2019-20.

SY 2018-19 Actions—Advanced Academic Programs Summary: Department staff increased student access to rigorous summer learning experiences through elementary Young Scholars summer programs. The Young Scholars (YS) model is a year-round focus on finding and nurturing the academic

potential of historically underserved populations of students in gifted programming. One element of the YS model that ensures continuous access to enriching experiences is a three-week summer program. The YS summer program uses AAP curriculum—which is often related to STEAM (Science,Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) concepts—and features a field trip experience and parent engagement activities. In summer 2019, FCPS offered 56 classes of elementary Young Scholars summer programming. This was an increase of seven classes from summer 2018 and allowed an additional 140 Young Scholars elementary students to be served. The main constraint to the desire to increase schools offering Young Scholars summer programming is funding, including costs associated with teachers, transportation, field trips, and supplies. As a result of this action, students are better prepared with the background knowledge, skills, and a scholarly identity that will increase the likelihood that they will enroll in and persist through challenges in advanced coursework in their K-12 schooling. Anecdotal information from teachers and families reveals a high level of student engagement and enthusiasm for learning in the YS summer program. Young Scholars summer programs support the Access to Rigor driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Summary: In SY 2018-19, FCPS expanded Level IV AAP services in elementary schools by opening four Local Level IV schools and one Level IV Center school. AAP Local Level IV services allow families the choice to have eligible students receive a full-time advanced curriculum in the four core content areas with a trained teacher at their local school site. This expands access to AAP curriculum, as additional students can push in to fill the Level IV classes. In SY 2018-19, four new Local Level IV programs were launched, and two additional elementary schools were approved to begin in SY 2019-20. Opening a Local Level IV program requires significant planning, to ensure facilities readiness, teacher professional development, and community engagement. As schools express interest, Region and central office staff support schools from the planning stage through implementation to ensure program success. One new Level IV Center, Bush Hill Elementary, was also added to alleviate overcrowding at Springfield Estates Elementary. The expansion of Local Level IV schools and Level IV Centers is aligned with the Access to Rigor driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

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Summary: During SY 2018-19, department staff revised resources for identification of students for Level IV services based on community feedback. Staff revised several components of the Level IV identification process in order to improve consistency and equitable access to screening process information and practices. The Gifted Behaviors Rating Scale (GBRS) was revised to improve consistency from teacher to teacher and school to school. Revising the GBRS was carried out with input from multiple stakeholders over the course of six months, including central office staff, principals, and AARTs. Part of the revision process was the creation of professional development resources to train grade K-7 teachers on how to apply the new identification process during SY 2018-19. Additionally, staff from across offices and departments collaborated with members of the Advanced Academic Program Advisory Committee (AAPAC) to revise parent communication resources. Updated resources provided accessibility and clarity to facilitate understanding for parents regarding available AAP services (Levels I-IV) as well as the identification process for Level IV services.

As a result of resource revision, school staff reported improved direction for Level IV screening committees, where the GBRS is completed as a group. Data collected from teachers showed that revisions and additional supporting documents made the GBRS easier to understand, helped to focus on observed behaviors, and encouraged consideration of cultural and linguistic diversity in the identification process. AARTs and principals noted deeper conversations and consideration of students whose strengths may have previously gone unrecognized. In SY 2019-20, AARTs will lead professional development on recognizing gifted behaviors in diverse student populations. Providing clarity and accessibility in resources related to the Level IV screening process supports the Access to Rigor driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Summary: Department staff increased access to resources and professional learning to support expanded use of AAP curriculum across K-12 classrooms. In SY 2018-19, department staff increased access to resources and professional learning to support expanded use of AAP curriculum across K-12 classrooms. Staff provided open access to institutes and professional development sessions and held meetings with principals, AARTs, and instructional coaches related to increasing access. Staff distributed new AAP curricular resources for all K-6 classrooms, expanded digital resources to support teacher planning, and enhanced communication strategies with school-based staff. Professional development and resources were aimed at increasing awareness and use of AAP curriculum and the embedded use of AAP strategies to promote rigorous learning experiences for all students in all classrooms. Department staff will adjust efforts in SY 2019-20 to incorporate new opportunities for job-embedded professional learning and coordination through the aid of new 1.0 FTE AARTs in all Title I elementary schools, funded by the School Board. By raising teachers’ awareness and familiarity with the AAP curriculum, overtime, FCPS can expect increased routine use of AAP curricular resources across K-6 classrooms. These actions are aligned to the Access to Rigor driver within the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

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SY 2018-19 Return on Investment—Advanced Academic Programs Summary: The Young Scholars summer program supported four student groups closing the gap in advanced performance on the SOLs faster than other AAP students, for an investment of $180,000 per improved student group. [Impact ROI] In SY 2018-19, approximately $720,000 of FCPS operating funds was spent to provide additional rigorous learning experiences for elementary and middle school students through the Young Scholars summer program. Approximately $550,000 was spent to staff the program, including teachers, site directors, and preparation work by central office staff. An additional $170,000 covered costs including transportation, food, and learning materials for the program, as well as professional development for the program’s teachers. Beyond FCPS operating funds, state funding contributed approximately $90,000 to the program, for total funding of $810,000. Of the six student groups that could be analyzed, three showed the advanced performance gap is closing faster for participants in this program than for AAP students overall. That is, greater improvement from SY 2017-18 to SY 2018-19 in the percentage of students who scored pass advanced on Reading or Mathematics SOL was found for students from the Asian, Economically Disadvantaged, and Black groups who had participated in the Young Scholars summer program during summer 2018 than among AAP students generally. Specifically, Young Scholar summer program students from these three student groups showed gains of 13, three, and two percentage points, respectively, while among all AAP students these groups saw a one percentage point improvement. Additionally, the English Learner student group had a six percentage point decrease in advanced performance from SY 2017-18 to SY 2018-19, while Young Scholars summer program participants maintained their advanced performance rate during the same time period. Therefore, the widening of the gap seen among AAP students generally across the two years in the English Learner student group did not happen among students who had participated in this summer program. The program did not show a positive impact on the gap for students in the Hispanic and White student groups, where participants from these groups demonstrated a widening of the gap compared to all AAP students (18 point decrease for White YS summer program participants versus a one point increase for White AAP students overall; four point decrease for Hispanic YS summer program participants versus a one point decrease for Hispanic AAP students overall). [Participation of Students with Disabilities in the summer program was too small to be included in analysis.] In summary, the program supported four of six student groups in outperforming AAP students in FCPS overall with respect to improved advanced performance on the Reading or Mathematics SOL in SY 2018-19.

Summary: Increasing the Local Level IV metric by one school required an investment of $5,700 during SY 2018-19. [Cost Description] In SY 2018-19, FCPS added Local Level IV services to four schools at a cost of approximately $5,700 per school, resulting in an overall cost under $23,000. Almost 65 percent of the cost ($14,600 or $3,650 per school) was in staff time, which included both central office support in preparing schools to implement Local Level IV services and planning by school administrators and AARTs. Materials and professional development costs for teachers made up the remainder of the cost (approximately $8,200 in total or $2,050 per school). As a result of this action, FCPS now has 64 of 112 schools (57 percent) that offer Local Level IV instruction, an increase from 54 percent in SY 2017-18.

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SY 2018-19 Data Analysis and Conclusions—Advanced Academic Programs Summary: While current practices are generating slow, steady progress in most advanced academic program metrics, outside perspectives are needed to inform long-range program enhancements to close opportunity, access, and achievement gaps. Reflecting on the actions undertaken in SY 2018-19, the division continues to make efforts to close the AAP participation gaps through enriched experiences for underrepresented student groups, revisions to communications and processes related to Level IV identification, and the broadened use of AAP resources to all classrooms. While each of these actions has some impact, AAP participation gaps persist between student groups. During SY 2019-20, an external research team will analyze Division data and procedures, collect input from multiple stakeholder groups, and formulate recommendations for future change. It is unknown at this time what new funding or policy revisions will be needed based on these external findings.

Advanced Coursework Aspiration: Participation and performance rates will be similarly high across student groups in advanced coursework.

Associated Metrics:

• Percent of students who participate in Algebra 1 by eighth grade

• Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency (pass course and Algebra 1 SOL) in Algebra 1 by eighth grade

• Percent of students who participate in Honors courses (Grades 7 to 12)

• Percent of students who participate in AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment courses by the end of high school

• Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency (pass course) in one or more Honors courses (Grades 7 to 12)

• Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency (pass course) in at least one AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment course by the end of high school

• Percent of students who earn a passing score on one or more AP or IB exams by the end of high school

SY 2018-19 Outcomes—Advanced Coursework Narrative on the following pages reports outcomes for each metric associated with the Aspiration for equitable participation and performance in secondary advanced coursework.

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Summary: Gaps in Algebra 1 participation and proficiency by eighth grade persist across student groups.

Metric: Access

• Percent of students who participate in Algebra 1 by eighth grade


Metric: Achievement

• Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency (pass course and Algebra 1 SOL) in Algebra 1 by eighth grade


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FCPS saw some improvement for the Black student group in accessing Algebra 1 by eighth grade (44 percent in SY 2018-19 up from a baseline of 42 percent). However, all other student groups performed at or below the baseline both in terms of access and achievement. Algebra 1 proficiency for the Black and English Learner groups saw a one percentage point increase in SY 2018-19 compared to the prior year, but both of these outcomes were still down from their baseline values. It is worth noting that the actual number of students participating and proficient in Algebra 1 by eighth grade increased compared to baseline, with the exception of the White and English Learner groups. Further, while gaps between student groups are striking in regard to student access to Algebra 1 by eighth grade, achievement gaps are nominal among those students who do participate in Algebra 1 by eighth grade.

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Summary: FCPS saw limited progress in student access to Honors, AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment courses compared to the baseline.

Metric: Access

• Percent of students who participate in Honors courses (Grades 7 to 12)


Metric: Access

• Percent of students who participate in AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment courses by the end of high school


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In SY 2018-19, FCPS reported improvements in participation rates compared to baseline for Honors and college-level courses (AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment) for students in the Black, Economically Disadvantaged, and Students with Disabilities groups. Hispanic students saw a gain over baseline for Honors course participation but a decline in relation to college-level courses. Participation for the English Learners student group declined by one percentage point for Honors participation and remained at the baseline level for college-level courses. The greatest increases from baseline (at 5 percentage points each) were seen for college-level course participation within the Black and Students with Disabilities student groups.

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Summary: Strong course performance is evident across student groups for Honors, AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment.

Metric: Achievement

• Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency (pass course) in one or more Honors courses (Grades 7 to 12)


Metric: Achievement

• Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency (pass course) in at least one AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment course by the end of high school


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FCPS students who take advanced courses have a very high success rate, as demonstrated by passing the course. In fact, 98 to 100 percent of participating students pass at least one such course across all student groups except English Learners. Further, even with lower performance rates compared to other student groups, English Learners showed 96 percent proficiency for Honors courses and 97 percent proficiency for college-level courses (AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment). Although a majority of student groups performed below the baseline in SY 2018-19, overall performance remains strong, and achievement gaps are not evident across student groups.

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Summary: Achievement gaps are evident for AP and IB exam performance.

Metric: Achievement

• Percent of students who earn a passing score on one or more AP or IB exams by the end of high school


All but one student group improved AP and IB exam outcomes when compared to SY 2017-18, yet SY 2018-19 performance remained at or below the baseline for four out of seven student groups. Even with a three percentage point gain for the Black student group, performance remained below that of most other student groups. Under two-thirds of students in the English Learners and Students with Disabilities groups passed at least one of their AP or IB exams. Although English Learner exam performance declined from baseline (54 percent from 56 percent), this SY 2018-19 rate was a five percentage point improvement from the prior year. Further, most groups saw an increase in the number of students passing exams, with only the White student group declining from the baseline. This pattern demonstrated that more students are benefiting from these exams across groups, even though gaps in performance remain. Student outcomes can be found reported separately for AP exams and IB exams in the Appendix.

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SY 2018-19 Actions—Advanced Coursework Summary: Department staff established divisionwide structures to support implementation of the secondary Young Scholars model. Department staff have increased resources and professional development to expand the Young Scholars (YS) model in secondary schools. A new “YS” SIS flag launched in September 2018 made it apparent to teachers if a student was identified as a Young Scholar. Additionally, a new YS Secondary Google site was developed to communicate YS information to deepen school teams’ understanding and implementation of the YS model, including academic advising. New secondary level courses were developed to promote and support Young Scholars through the Academy and Compass catalogs. Further, additional resources were allocated to increase the number of students and schools with access to YS summer programming and grant opportunities. These resource investments allowed schools to serve 140 additional middle school Young Scholars in summer programming, increasing from 400 students in summer 2018 to 540 in summer 2019. Grants in 20 high schools facilitated school-based YS structures throughout the school year and, in many cases, included a summer component. The Young Scholars model provides early scaffolds and academic supports for student groups traditionally underrepresented in advanced academic courses, programs, and services. Data reported by the AAP office show that students participating in Young Scholars are more likely to later access Honors courses and AP/IB courses than their peers who did not receive Young Scholars supports. By further expanding opportunities for students to access Young Scholars and promoting fidelity of implementation, FCPS can anticipate a long-term impact on access and achievement gap measures related to advanced academic programing. This work was aligned to the Access to Rigor driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Summary: Department staff deployed professional development aimed at expanding opportunities for all students to access advanced coursework. Professional development carried out in SY 2018-19 provided directors of student services with skills and tools to analyze course enrollment data in order to increase student access to Honors, AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment courses. The professional development included effective academic advising strategies to ensure student access to advanced courses. Staff monitored the work through the review of enrollment of students in to Honors, AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment courses. The feedback gained through the work with directors of student services has increased the understanding of school-wide systems to promote access and opportunity. While the specific work and analysis with directors of student services will continue, there will be extended opportunities for professional development to include a joint institute for middle and high school teams in November 2019. Staff will continue to provide opportunities for school teams with representatives across content areas and positions to engage in this work. Course enrollment data show a lack of students who are traditionally underrepresented, enrolling in advanced level courses. Through explicit professional learning and strategies for directors of student services, staff hope to see an increase in participation and success in advanced coursework across student groups in the coming years. This work was aligned to the Access to Rigor driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

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Summary: In SY 2018-19, department staff revised curriculum documents for advanced mathematics courses to support expanded use of materials in FCPS classrooms. In an effort to support teachers with the planning and implementation of advanced mathematics, curriculum documents were revised to improve consistency across schools and programs. Historically, there have been two Advanced Mathematics Planning and Pacing Guides, one used on Level IV Center classrooms and one used primarily in non-center classrooms. Department staff partnered with teachers to merge the two documents. Both FCPS basal resources and AAP curricular resources are integrated into the new guide to ensure rigorous learning experiences for all students. In addition, AAP curriculum resources were provided for all elementary school sites to ensure equity of access. Development of a consistent rigorous curriculum for advanced mathematics classrooms will better prepare students of diverse backgrounds for future success in Algebra 1 by the end of eighth grade and advanced coursework as they progress in their learning. Having two parallel Planning and Pacing Guides for each level of advanced mathematics often caused confusion for collaborative teams and may have resulted in uneven outcomes for students. Teachers now report increased clarity of expectation regarding the use of advanced math resources. This work is aligned to the Access to Rigor driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Summary: Staff expanded supports in Title I schools aimed at promoting students to reach their academic potential. During SY 2018-19, students within 17 Title I schools were provided greater access and opportunity to rigorous academic opportunities and experiences. These experiences were delivered through the Virginia Tech Qualcomm Think-a-Bit Lab and the FCPS Student Leadership Academy (SLA). Course participation trends suggest that students from Title I schools were often less likely than their peers from affluent schools to access advanced coursework as they transition to middle and high school. Qualcomm Think-a-Bit Labs and SLA provided Title I students additional access to rigorous, hands-on experiences foster creativity, collaboration, flexibility, resiliency, and problem-solving skills, which are cornerstones for success in advanced courses. This work was aligned to the Access to Rigor driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

SY 2018-19 Return on Investment—Advanced Coursework Summary: The Young Scholars summer program supported better student performance in advanced middle school courses for an investment of approximately $42,500 per student group. [Impact ROI] Approximately $170,000 of the total SY 2018-19 cost of $720,000 described earlier (within the Advanced Academic Programs section) for the Young Scholars summer program could be attributed to participation by middle school students. About 65 percent of the middle school cost (approximately $110,000) was used for staffing, including salaries for teachers and central office work. Transportation, food, and learning materials cost an additional $60,000. The program served about 440 middle school students, resulting in a cost per student of approximately $385.

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The analysis undertaken specifically for this ROI indicate the pass rate for Young Scholars summer program students who took an Honors course or took Algebra 1 mirrors or exceeds that of their peers within the same student group eight of nine times the comparison could be made. (Comparisons were not undertaken when the number of students who had participated in Young Scholars summer program and an Honors or Algebra 1 course were not sufficiently large to allow for reliable analysis). Specifically, for Honors courses, about 300 of the 440 students who participated in Young Scholars summer programming were in an Honors class during the subsequent school year. The pass rate of Young Scholar participants in the Black student group was 100, in the Hispanic student group was 99, and the Economically Disadvantaged student group was 99, which exceeded by two, one, and one percentage points, respectively, the pass rates among students from the same student group taking an Honors class. Furthermore, the other two student groups that maintained equivalent performance between Young Scholar summer program participants and students taking Honors throughout the division (Asian and White student groups) did so with a 100 percent pass rate, meaning all students taking part in Young Scholars summer programming passed one or more Honors courses in the subsequent school year. The number of Young Scholars summer program students who took Algebra 1 by eighth grade was 44 of the 66 eighth graders. The percentages of eighth grade Young Scholar summer program participants demonstrating proficiency in Algebra 1 by passing both the Algebra 1 course and SOL from among the 44 participants taking the course exceeded that of other Algebra 1 students from the same student groups. More specifically, Young Scholars summer program participants from the Asian and Black student groups had a 100 percent pass rate, which was three and five percentage points, respectively, above performance by other Algebra 1 students from the same student groups. Students in the Economically Disadvantaged group who participated in Young Scholars summer programming also outperformed peers from the same student group, with a pass rate of 96, which was three percentage points higher. Only students from the Hispanic group showed lower performance with a pass rate of 88 percent, or five percentage points below that of other Hispanic students in Algebra 1. Overall the performance of five student groups for Honors courses and three student groups for Algebra 1 (for an average of four student groups per metric) demonstrated better or perfect performance by students who had participated in Young Scholars summer programming. Thus, an investment of $42,500 was needed for each of the four subgroups on average per metric. As was true for AAP performance, the ROI analysis for the Young Scholars summer program is demonstrating that it is an effective means of improving the academic performance of the program’s participants. Performance of most student groups in Honors courses and Algebra 1 shows that those who participate in the summer program exceed that of students from the same student group who are involved in similar advanced opportunities. The program does appear to be achieving its aim to nurture advanced academic potential in students from historically underrepresented groups.

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SY 2018-19 Data Analysis and Conclusions—Advanced Coursework Summary: SY 2018-19 outcome data indicate a continued need to improve access to advanced coursework for all students. Reflecting on the actions undertaken in SY 2018-19, there was an emphasis on professional development to support schools in understanding their data and current practices related to academic advisement and academic support for students enrolled in advanced courses. Through the conversations and data analysis, it is evident that school teams would benefit from increased professional learning in these areas. The targeted efforts to enhance supports and experiences for students in Title 1 schools will continue in order to increase opportunity and access for students who are traditionally underrepresented in advanced coursework. Similarly, the deepening of the implementation of the Young Scholars model at the secondary level will continue to be an area of focus to support advanced coursework participation and achievement. As a result of the experiences in SY 2018-19, department staff have developed additional opportunities for school teams to focus on data and share best practices around open enrollment. In the coming years, there will also be continued focus on expanding dual enrollment offerings across the division. It is critical that the division continue to increase opportunities and access to advanced coursework and rigorous academic experiences for all students, particularly within traditionally underrepresented student groups.

Future Considerations Summary: In light of the Strategic Plan’s focus on eliminating gaps, FCPS has substantial opportunities to grow resources and refine division policies to enable systemic changes aligned to the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework.

Budget Considerations

• Additional funds are needed to increase the number of school counselors across all school levels, in alignment with the new Standards of Quality ratios and support closing achievement gaps.

• Additional funds are needed to enhance ESOL staffing formulas at all school levels in response to an increase in ELs entering at ELP level 1.

• Additional funds are needed to support schools with non-academic indicators, social-emotional learning, and academic and career planning.

• Additional funds are needed to support all schools in implementing AAP Local Level IV and the YS model, including 2.0 FTE in central staffing and school-based funds to support the planning and training of teachers.

• Adding 1.0 FTE in all elementary schools for an Elementary Mathematics Resource Teacher (EMRT) would provide job-embedded mathematics support for teachers and ensure rigorous learning opportunities for all students.


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Policy Considerations

• Advocate for increased flexibility for high school teachers to be certified to teach Dual Enrollment courses for college credit.

• Maintain flexibility that allows for tuition-free Dual Enrollment courses from Northern Virginia Community College.

• Revise methodology for Standards of Accreditation school quality indicators related to Graduation and Completion and Dropout Rate to account for ELs with interrupted formal education.

• Advocate for legislation to decrease school counselor ratios and provide state funding to support school divisions with this staffing.

Strategic Concerns

• Board should consider providing guidance to address current inconsistent practices across schools related to academic advising and academic support for students in advanced coursework.

• Schools face challenges in expanding Dual Enrollment offerings based on limited availability of teachers qualified to teach these courses.

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Early Education

Overview Desired Outcome (What) All future FCPS families will access high-quality early learning experiences.

Strategic Action (How) Enhance FCPS partnership with families and the county government to ensure young children are ready for kindergarten using the Fairfax County Equitable School Readiness Strategic Plan.


Early Education Aspiration: All future FCPS students will enter kindergarten with the essential skills needed for school success. Metric:

• Percent of students with executive functioning skills at kindergarten entry


Detail The Strategic Plan Desired Outcome for all future FCPS families to access high quality early learning experiences is intended to ensure that students enter kindergarten with the essential skills needed to succeed in school. The focus on school readiness within the Student Success goal is intended to promote and develop prekindergarten students’ self-regulatory skills through equitable access to high quality early learning experiences. Early education provides academic, social-emotional, health and wellness, and family supports to prepare students for a successful transition to kindergarten and, therefore, aligns to the Ready to Learn driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Aspiration: All future FCPS students will enter kindergarten with the essential skills needed for school success. Associated Metric:


https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/familyservices/sites/familyservices/files/assets/officeforchildren/school-readiness/pdfs/fairfax-county-equitable-school-readiness-strategic-plan.pdf

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SY 2018-19 Outcomes—Early Education Summary: Specific overall performance baselines and targets are under development for executive functioning skills.

Metric:



The metric adopted by the School Board in March 2019 relies on data from a new state assessment—the Child Behavior Rating Scale—to be implemented for the first time in fall 2019. As a result, no data on the Board adopted metric for kindergarten readiness was available for SY 2018-19. In prior years, reading proficiency was reported as a general proxy for kindergarten readiness. For example, in fall 2018, 64 percent of entering kindergarten students overall performed at or above the iReady reading benchmark. (See Appendix.) However, evidence suggests that social-emotional development and self-regulation skills, comprised of executive function skills, represent more universal attributes that students need for school success and academic performance across different content areas. Initial executive functioning benchmark data from fall 2019 testing is expected to be available by January 2020, and these data will be included in the SY 2019-20 Student Success Report.

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SY 2018-19 Actions—Early Education Summary: In SY 2018-19, FCPS increased prekindergarten opportunities for Fairfax County students. FCPS increased student access to prekindergarten programming through a School Board-approved increase to the prekindergarten class size by one student (from 17 students per class to 18 students per class) for a total of 88 additional students served in SY 2018-19. Additionally, with the help of additional School Board funding, FCPS expanded the Bridge to Kindergarten program by two classrooms (from 81 classrooms in summer 2018 to 83 classrooms in summer 2019). While increased programming was accomplished through these actions, it should be noted that the increased number of students in prekindergarten classrooms resulted in a higher level of support needed for schools and families, which is not sustainable over time at the current level of centralized support staffing. Summary: In SY 2018-19, department staff expanded partnerships with early childhood organizations to provide enhanced student learning opportunities. FCPS improved school readiness by initiating an Early Childhood Partnership. Department staff partnered with community early childhood organizations and providers to enhance high quality early childhood learning experiences for future FCPS students. A total of 120 early childhood educators and 55 families of rising FCPS kindergartners attended face-to-face professional learning opportunities. As a result of the Early Childhood Partnership, staff expect to see increases in children meeting the fall self-regulation and social emotional benchmark for school readiness. When Child Behavior Rating Scale data become available beginning in SY 2019-20, the extent of this impact can be measured. Based on the initial successes of partnerships in SY 2018-19, partnerships will continue and expand in SY 2019-20 and beyond. Summary: Department staff enacted a focus on strengthening family partnerships during SY 2018-19. Department staff implemented two strategic efforts for SY 2018-19 to extend and enhance family engagement: 1) promotion of self-regulation skills at home; and 2) family interviews. Both of these efforts were designed to build collaborative partnerships between families and schools as a mechanism to increase positive outcomes for student success. The first effort was geared toward improving school readiness by engaging families in their children’s learning and skill development through family meetings and playgroup activities. Modules for family meetings and playgroups were designed to give families an opportunity to strengthen or build the capacity of their knowledge and skills to support learning at home through discussion and reflection. The second effort focused on engaging families earlier in the eligibility process to develop a trusting relationship with families using an interview protocol. In addition to developing a relationship with families, the interview helped identify children’s learning, behavioral, health, nutrition, or special education needs. This information allowed teachers to better prepare for meeting children’s needs in the classroom. Over 3000 families who applied to the program were interviewed (face-to-face or over the phonel), with the goal of engaging families in regular and meaningful communication early in the prekindergarten eligibility process.

Both of these efforts supported families in recognizing and leveraging their role in their children’s education. Families were asked to complete a self-assessment before and after each

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family meeting. Families consistently reported a greater awareness and ability to engage their children in similar activities at home or in their community. Additionally, families that attended playgroups reported having a greater understanding of their child’s development and how to engage their child in activities to further develop their skills. Department staff will continue to adjust these family engagement actions for SY 2019-20 to support more families in becoming partners in their children’s education and building more quality learning experiences in Fairfax County homes and communities.

Summary: During SY 2018-19, cross-departmental teams planned for initial implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) model in early childhood classrooms. Recognizing that many children enter kindergarten lacking the social-emotional and school readiness skills required to benefit from quality classroom experiences, cross-departmental staff implemented an Early Childhood MTSS model in SY 2018-19. This model was intended to better identify prekindergarten students’ needs and provide appropriate supports in a timely manner. The Early Childhood MTSS model was supported with job-embedded professional development focused on early identification and Tier 1 responses to students’ social, emotional, and academic needs in early childhood classrooms. Implementation of Early Childhood MTSS during SY 2018-19 produced positive outcomes. Staff held 171 consultations and Tier 1 coaching conversations, which resulted in teachers implementing strategies to strengthen core instruction. Additionally, 61 collaborative problem-solving teams met across various schools. In SY 2019-20, department staff will work collaboratively to utilize the division’s EDSL prekindergarten platform for Tier 2 and 3 (targeted or intensive) interventions, using the Responsive Instruction worksheet. Use of this technology tool will allow prekindergarten teachers to document the interventions they implement so information is accessible to children’s future kindergarten teachers.

SY 2018-19 Return on Investment—Early Education Summary: ROI could not be calculated for SY 2018-19 because there were no outcome data. ROI will be included in future years when outcome data become available.

SY 2018-19 Data Analysis and Conclusions—Early Education Summary: Overall, the actions implemented in support of early education were impactful based on internal program measures.

Reflecting on the actions undertaken in SY 2018-19, steady progress was made to ensure students enter kindergarten with the essential skills needed for school success. Although progress toward the new School Board metric is not yet measured, the dual focus on student programming and family engagement is rooted in research, and internal measures of program actions indicate a positive impact. For example, the increase in student programming resulted in more students participating in FCPS PreK and Bridge to Kindergarten programs. Expanded professional learning opportunities for early childhood educators in the community and FCPS PreK in SY 2018-19 strengthened educators’ skills in supporting early learners’ needs. Additionally, the holistic approach of the Early Childhood MTSS model helped to eliminate opportunity gaps for struggling children by providing the resources needed for student success.

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New family engagement actions resulted in families transferring self-regulation learning into their homes and built stronger family partnerships. These initiatives will continue to be refined based on family and educator feedback, and staff will continue to explore potential methods to reach additional Fairfax County children.

Future Considerations Summary: In light of the Strategic Plan’s focus on early education, FCPS has substantial opportunities to grow resources and expand coordination to enable systemic changes aligned to the Fairfax County Equitable School Readiness Strategic Plan.


• Funds are needed to increase the number of Bridge to Kindergarten and FCPS PreK classrooms.

• Funds are needed to implement a coherent prekindergarten family engagement initiative.

• Funds are needed for additional central staffing in ratio with the number of new classrooms and community partnerships; these funds would provide dedicated support for professional learning, community engagement, behavioral health needs, FCPS PreK and Bridge to Kindergarten instructional programs, as well as HIPPY and Early Literacy programming.

• 5.0 in central staffing for every 10 new classrooms • 1.0 in central staffing for every 100 partners


• Advocate at the state level to revise the Virginia Preschool Initiative funding methodology (qualification criteria, composite index, enrollment verifications) to better reflect families’ and communities’ needs.

• Redefine eligibility for enrollment in FCPS PreK programs and adopt a sliding scale for tuition to allow for more classroom diversity in terms of students’ backgrounds and academic/social-emotional needs.

Strategic Concerns

• Facilities are limited to expand programming at the pace needed to meet growing needs. • Complex funding from federal, state, and local sources present program restrictions and

require time-consuming external reporting. • Lack of prekindergarten data integration into enterprise databases limits the ability for

these data to appropriately inform kindergarten transitions.

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/familyservices/sites/familyservices/files/assets/officeforchildren/school-readiness/pdfs/fairfax-county-equitable-school-readiness-strategic-plan.pdf

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Overview Desired Outcome (What) All FCPS PreK-12 students will continuously progress in their development of Portrait of a Graduate (POG) attributes.

Strategic Action (How) Increase student opportunities to apply Portrait of a Graduate skills to real-world problems through teacher use of the Learning Model.


Portrait of a Graduate Aspiration: All students will meet grade-level expectations for Portrait of a Graduate outcomes as measured by their performance on end-of-year POG Presentations of Learning. Metric:

• Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency (matrix rating of “proficient” or higher) on their end-of-year POG Presentations of Learning.


Detail The Strategic Plan Desired Outcome for all FCPS students to attain POG attributes ensures that students will not only build academic content knowledge but will also develop skills and attributes that promote lifelong success. The associated Aspirational and metrics strengthen an existing division commitment to ensuring all FCPS students have access to learning experiences that lead to POG outcomes. Student participation in POG presentations of learning (POL) provides opportunities for a focus on thinking, depth, and complexity with an emphasis on growth in POG skills and, therefore, aligns with the Access to Rigor driver of the Closing the Achievement Gap Framework. Aspiration: All students will meet grade-level expectations for Portrait of a Graduate outcomes as measured by their performance on end-of-year POG Presentations of Learning.




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Associated Metric:


SY 2018-19 Outcomes—Portrait of a Graduate Summary: Specific overall performance baselines and targets are under development for Portrait of a Graduate Presentations of Learning.

Metric:



The Portrait of a Graduate metric adopted by the School Board in March 2019 relies on data from new end-of-year POG Presentations of Learning and a new common rubric, which has not yet been implemented in most schools. As a result, no formal progress measure is available at this time. However, significant actions were undertaken in SY 2018-19 to lay the groundwork for formal metric data collection beginning in SY 2019-20.

SY 2018-19 Actions—Portrait of a Graduate Summary: In SY 2018-19, department staff collaborated with schools to conduct a field test for POG Presentations of Learning. The Portrait of a Graduate Presentation of Learning field test is an intentional collaboration between department staff and school partners, wherein strategies, resources, and tools to implement POG experiences with students are co-developed and tested in schools. In SY 2018-19, department staff collaborated with 15 field test schools (10 elementary schools, one middle


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school, four high schools). At the end of the school year, 2,484 students shared their learning through culminating POG Presentation of Learning assessments. Analysis of the field test results along with teacher and student feedback suggests that the SY 2018-19 POG Presentation of Learning field test efforts were successful. Not only did nearly 2,500 students experience POG Presentations of Learning for the first time, but many more schools expressed interest in joining the POG Presentations of Learning field test, bringing participants for SY 2019-20 to more than 30 schools. POG Presentations of Learning represent a significant step in the use of balanced assessment practices to support student growth and achievement in FCPS. Summary: Intentional partnerships with school teams in SY 2018-19 generated a set of instructional practices and resources aligned to integrated POG instruction. In SY 2018-19, department staff intentionally partnered with teachers and teams across more than 60 schools from all five FCPS regions. Through this partnership, staff co-developed, field tested, and refined instructional practices and resources to support POG-integrated instruction. Strategies and resources were focused both on explicit instruction of POG attributes and on integration of POG attributes across the curriculum. With teacher input, POG resources were aligned to grade-level bands (PreK, K-3, 4-6, 7-8. 9-12) for ease of teacher use, with over 70 resources published for each band. Additionally, a group of POG County Support Teachers (18 elementary and 11 secondary) was established to support schools and teachers in applying these curricular resources. These teacher leaders received training to prepare them to assist schools with professional development requests, including support within collaborative learning team and whole school professional development sessions. The POG County Support Teachers served to scale high-quality instructional practices within their own schools while also to supporting professional learning across the division. Summary: In SY 2018-19, department staff provided professional development to support schools in planning effective goals, strategies, and actions related to Portrait of a Graduate within School Innovation and Improvement Plans (SIIPs). In SY 2018-19, 54 schools participated in professional learning to support SIIP goal-setting focused on POG outcomes for students; teachers from additional schools opted to explore POG professional learning. In total, over 4,150 teachers and school leaders participated in professional learning for POG or Project Based Learning: more than 1,350 teachers took part in Academy Courses; more than 200 teachers and leaders participated in centrally-sponsored after-school specials, institute sessions, and cohorts; and over 2,600 educators engaged in school-based professional development offerings, supported by department staff or County Support Teachers. As a result of the expanded understanding of POG engendered through this professional learning, 88 schools submitted POG goals within their SY 2019-20 SIIPs, through the revised SIIP process. This school-level focus is expected to cultivate planning, teaching, and assessing with the FCPS Learning Model and Portrait of a Graduate in mind. These embedded practices in turn will offer students more consistent and explicit access to opportunities to develop POG attributes and reflect on their POG growth. The continuous growth in schools naming POG goals in their SIIP and aligning their school-based professional learning with those goals is further evidence that the division is progressing toward the Aspiration of POG outcomes for all students.


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SY 2018-19 Return on Investment—Portrait of a Graduate Summary: During SY 2018-19, the cost per participant for FCPS’ Presentations of Learning field test was $130 per student. [Cost Per Participant] In SY 2018-19, FCPS spent approximately $325,000 toward field testing Presentations of Learning, an approach to having students demonstrate Portrait of a Graduate attributes. Nearly all funds (more than $315,000) went to staff work in developing resources to support Presentations of Learning and providing professional development to field test schools. The remaining portion (approximately $10,000) funded substitutes so teachers could attend professional development. With 2,500 students taking part in the field test, this yielded a cost per participant of $130. More sophisticated ROI analyses are expected to be undertaken in next year’s report once metric data are available.

SY 2018-19 Data Analysis and Conclusions—Portrait of a Graduate Summary: Based on internal program measures, the services, projects, and initiatives implemented for Portrait of a Graduate successfully laid a foundation for advancement of the School Board’s POG Aspirations. Reflecting on the actions undertaken in SY 2018-19, significant progress has been made to define a K-12 model for measuring student growth in Portrait of a Graduate outcomes. School teams worked alongside department staff to define expectations, clarify scoring procedures, and field test POG Presentations of Learning with students. This work clarified indicators for school implementation readiness, as well as the necessary supports needed as a school begins to implement Presentations of Learning. It became apparent that for students to reflect on their growth towards POG outcomes, it is necessary to provide them multiple opportunities throughout the year to engage with tasks that require application of POG skills. A variety of POG resources have been provided to support teacher teams in planning and implementing Presentations of Learning. In addition, focus on the creation of POG goals within SIIPs has resulted in a significant increase in the number of schools with SIIP goals related to POG instruction and POG Presentations of Learning. In SY 2019-20, 32 schools have committed to participate in the expanded POG Presentations of Learning field test. Department staff will direct attention to creating a division data collection tool so that results will be consistently and efficiently collected, analyzed, and reported.


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Future Considerations Summary: In light of the Strategic Plan’s focus on developing Portrait of a Graduate attributes for all students, FCPS has substantial need to grow resources targeted to supporting POG efforts aligned to the Learning Model.


• Funds are needed for central office specialists (5.0 FTE) to support POG Presentations of Learning professional development and school implementation across the five regions.

• Fund are needed for substitutes to allow teachers to attend POG professional learning and conduct scoring of students’ POG Presentations of Learning.

• Funds are needed to create a divisionwide data collection and reporting tool for POG assessment results.


• Board should consider establishing an implementation timeline with consideration for how POG Presentations of Learning will be equitably scaled across schools and regions over time.

• Board should consider the scheduling needs for end-of-year POG Presentations of Learning when defining calendars and schedules at the school and division levels.

Strategic Concerns

• Develop a communication and learning campaign aimed across the division’s stakeholder groups in recognition of the significant shift in practices and expectations represented in the POG Presentations of Learning model compared to traditional forms of instruction and assessment, which will be felt by school leaders, teachers, students, and parents/guardians.


Appendix

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Appendix This section offers supplemental data tables, which provide context or further disaggregation of performance outcomes related to the Student Success Report.

Elimination of Gaps Overview Summary: The following table provides information on the SY 2018-19 distribution of grade K-12 students across demographic groups, highlighting how many students fall into two groups for reporting. For example, 8,103 of the 36,479 total Asian students (22 percent) were also part of the Economically Disadvantaged student group in September 2019.

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Summary: The following table provides overall division outcomes (All Students group) for each metric within the Elimination of Gaps Desired Outcome. These overall results, may be referenced alongside student group outcomes, which are displayed in the graphs and data tables within the body of this report.

Appendix

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Reading and Mathematics

Summary: The tables below provide a comparison of SOL reading and mathematics statewide and divisionwide outcomes over the past three, as published by the VDOE. Though VDOE calculations differ from those used for Strategic Plan metrics, these comparisons may still be used as additional context when considering division performance trends.

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Summary: The following table provides state assessment reading and mathematics results for students who fall into two reporting groups (e.g., students who are represented both in the Economically Disadvantaged and English Learners groups). Calculations use the same methodology as for the Strategic Plan SOL metrics.

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Summary: The following table provides disaggregated state assessment results for the English Learners student group; reading and mathematics performance is displayed by students’ ELP levels. Calculations use the same methodology as for the Strategic Plan SOL metrics and are meant to offer additional context to performance trends among English Learners.

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Summary: The following table provides disaggregated state assessment results for the Students with Disabilities student group; reading and mathematics performance is displayed by students’ primary disability types. Calculations use the same methodology as for the Strategic Plan SOL metrics and are meant to offer additional context to performance rates across the Students with Disabilities group.

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Summary: The following tables provide state assessment results by test (grade level and high school end-of-course). Calculations use the same methodology as for the Strategic Plan SOL metrics and are presented for additional context to overall subject area pass rates.

Appendix

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College-Career Readiness

Summary: The table below provides a comparison of statewide and divisionwide on-time graduation rates over the past three, as published by the VDOE. These comparisons may serve as additional context when considering division performance trends.

Appendix

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Summary: The table below provides a disaggregation of diploma types earned in the FCPS Class of 2019 for reference in considering on-time graduation trends.

Appendix

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Summary: The following table provides four-year on-time graduation results for students who fall into two reporting groups (e.g., students who are represented both in the Economically Disadvantaged and English Learners groups). Calculations use the same methodology as for the Strategic Plan on-time graduation rate metric.

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Summary: The following table provides disaggregated four-year on-time graduation results for the English Learners student group; graduation outcomes are displayed by students’ ELP levels. Calculations use the same methodology as for the Strategic Plan on-time graduation rate metric and are meant to offer additional context to performance trends among English Learners.

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Summary: The following table provides disaggregated four-year on-time graduation results for the Students with Disabilities student group; graduation outcomes are displayed by students’ primary disability types. Calculations use the same methodology as for the Strategic Plan on-time graduation rate metric and are meant to offer additional context to performance rates across the Students with Disabilities group.

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Summary: The following table provides SY 2017-18 four-, five-, and six-year on-time graduation outcomes for the division overall and for each state reporting group. Though official VDOE reporting for on-time graduation rate uses a four-year analysis, the state also provides information on five- and six-year graduation rates, which represents persistence of students to graduate even after their original on-time graduation (four-year) cohort.

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Summary: The following table provides details on students’ Senior Survey responses regarding plans after graduation. These response types may be used for additional context alongside the referenced alongside the Strategic Plan Senior Survey metric data within the body of this report.

Summary: The following table provides information regarding college degree attainment by FCPS students from the Class of 2013. This context may offer a perspective on how past FCPS students have been successful in earning college credentials.

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Summary: The following table provides supplemental information about students’ participation in CTE experiences. Though only the CTE Credentials section of this table is incorporated into the Strategic Plan college-career readiness metric, information on students’ access to CTE courses and success in completing course sequences may offer additional context when reflecting on how FCPS helps to prepare students for careers after high school.

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Advanced Coursework

Summary: The following table provides disaggregated data on the types of college-level courses FCPS students completed by the end of high school. Calculations use the same methodology as for the Strategic Plan AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment course participation metric and are meant to offer additional context to access rates across secondary advanced programs.

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Summary: The following table provides disaggregated data on the types of college-level courses FCPS students passed by the end of high school. Calculations use the same methodology as for the Strategic Plan AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment course performance metric and are meant to offer additional context to performance rates across secondary advanced programs.

Appendix

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Summary: The following table provides information on the distribution of course marks earned for all college-level courses taken by the end of high school by students in the Class of 2019. Whereas the Strategic Plan AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment course performance metric reports students who pass at least one college-level course during high school, this supplemental data represents marks earned in every course students took while enrolled in high school. For instance, the 7,499 students from the Class of 2019 who participated in AP courses (see previous table) took a total of 36,655 AP courses while in high school, and all but 233 of these courses resulted in a passing mark.

Appendix

78

Summary: The following table provides student group performance reported separately for AP and IB exams, as a supplement to the combined Strategic Plan metric. Calculations use the same methodology as for the Strategic Plan AP and IB exam performance metric and are meant to offer additional context to exam performance rates across secondary advanced programs.

Appendix

79

Early Education

Summary: The following table provides three years of student group outcomes for the kindergarten iReady reading test. In the absence of a common measure of kindergarteners’ executive functioning skills in SY 2018-19, early literacy proficiency continues to serve as a general proxy to assess kindergarten readiness. The state’s new Child Behavior Rating Scale, which will provide executive functioning data for entering kindergarteners, will be available for reporting beginning with SY 2019-20.

Appendix

80

Summary: The following table provides the level of formal prekindergarten experience for FCPS kindergarten students. Experience is displayed overall (no experience, all experience) and by experience type for those students who had some type of formal preschool experience (FCPS or Non-FCPS).

Appendix

81

Summary: The map below illustrates the significance of geographic need for prekindergarten programming: on average, elementary schools in the pyramids shaded dark blue have 33 to 38 percent of kindergarteners entering without formal preschool experience; whereas elementary schools within pyramids shaded pale blue have only four to 10 percent of kindergarteners entering without preschool. The map also highlights the locations of current FCPS and county-operated preschool programs.

Documents

STRATEGIC PLAN REPORT: STUDENT SUCCESS · 2019-11-19 · Target = performance goal for the first three years of the Strategic Plan Focus (SY 2017-18 through SY 2019-20) Baseline =