Race to the Top. District of Columbia. State-Reported APR: Year One
Author: Department of Education (ED)
Date: 2012-01-20
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Academic Achievement,Academic Standards,Accountability,Achievement Gains,Achievement Gap,Administrator Effectiveness,Administrator Evaluation,Best Practices,Budgets,Career Planning,Charter Schools,Competition,Data,Disabilities,Educational Assessment,Educational Change,Educational Improvement,Elementary Secondary Education,English Curriculum,Enrollment,Federal Legislation,Federal State Relationship,Graduation Rate,Grants,Higher Education,Language Arts,Leadership Effectiveness,Mathematics,Measurement Objectives,Models,Outcomes of Education,Partnerships in Education,Performance Based Assessment,Poverty,Principals,Professional Development,Program Evaluation,Program Implementation,Reading,School Districts,School Effectiveness,School Turnaround,State Government,STEM Education,Systems Approach,Teacher Effectiveness

This paper describes the District of Columbia's progress in implementing a comprehensive and coherent approach to education reform from the time of application through June 30, 2011. In particular, this report highlights key accomplishments over the reporting period in the four reform areas: standards and assessments, data systems to support instruction, great teachers and leaders, and turning around lowest-achieving schools. Washington, DC has made significant progress in implementing a comprehensive approach to education in the four core reform areas since receiving the Race to the Top grant. Highlights of this report include: (1) Race to the Top has collaborated with the Division of Standards, Assessment and Accountability to create an aggressive Common Core Standards Roll-out Plan for the District. Each LEA (local educational agency) will implement the Common Core Standards beginning in school year 2011-12. During the spring and summer of 2011, OSSE (Office of the State Superintendent of Education) and Race to the Top participating LEAs provided extensive professional development for their teachers, including those teaching special education. Additionally, OSSE provided guidance to all LEAs so they could provide information on the Common Core Standards to parents through parent meetings and Back-to-School nights using parent guides created by the National PTA; (2) Washington, DC awarded $5,000,000 in Instructional Improvement Systems grants to four lead Local Education Agencies. These lead LEAs with expertise in instructional improvement systems are sharing their technology and expertise with 20 LEAs that are not as far along in their data systems initiatives; (3) DC has developed a number of rigorous metrics and tools for measuring the performance of teachers and schools and informing improvements to instruction. OSSE has developed common criteria for Race to the Top participating LEAs' teacher and leader evaluation systems. OSSE is in the process of managing a process of reviewing these plans to ensure that they meet these criteria. DC has adopted a common schoolwide growth model for use in the 2011-12 school year that is based on 2010-11 DC CAS data. The model results will be used as part of the Public Charter School Board's Performance Management Framework, DC Public Schools' School Score Card, and OSSE will give the data to LEAs to inform their practice. DC has also adopted a common value added model for use in participating LEAs' teacher evaluations; and (4) Although funding is not scheduled to begin until Year 2 of the Race to the Top grant, Washington, DC has been a leader in implementing initiatives for turning around the lowest-achieving schools. During the reporting period, DCPS, its largest LEA, implemented plans for turnarounds in 21 of its most struggling schools, including significant staffing changes at six schools being reconstituted under the No Child Left Behind law. DC Public Schools also has a comprehensive screening process that produces high quality teachers and principals for all of their schools, many of which are low achieving. As it relates to Race to the Top activity, DC PS has defined needs and requirements for SY11-12, established a detailed turnaround plan and timeline for each school slated for turnaround, posted job requisitions for enhanced capacity, and identified potential vendors to support the work. [For the parent document, &quot;Race to the Top Annual Performance Report,&quot; see ED529267. For the state summary report, &quot;Race to the Top. District of Columbia Report. Year 1: School Year 2010-2011. [State-Specific Summary Report],&quot; see ED529308.]