Use of technology is limited. Teacher evaluations aren't used to help teachers improve and don't provide consistent feedback or observation. District teachers and administrators are working to develop a new evaluation, expected to go to school board for approval in February, Mr. Moreland said. School councils are unclear about their roles and responsibilities, with limited knowledge of policies. Training for teachers doesn't always address student learning needs.
More training is needed to help teachers with varied instruction strategies.
The district has already organized several training sessions for this summer to address these concerns, said Lynda Jackson, a district administrator. Schools' long-term plans are lacking, with little emphasis on student achievement. Every school is revising its long-term plan to focus on instruction and student performance, and new plans are expected to be finished this month, said Jeff Volter, a district administrator. While not all schools will progress at the same rate, building leadership is key in the schools' improvement efforts, Mr. Moreland said. Strongest progress District officials said they were most pleased with the progress at Ninth District, at 28th and Indiana, which was praised for strong leadership, a positive school culture and meaningful parent involvement.