Week 3, Collier!

Describing Recommendations and District/Campus Improvement Initiative/Action Research Lessons Learned 

     The experiences that I was afforded in Spring Branch have shaped me as a leader and allowed for me to think more globally about the work that I do on a daily basis.  The three problems that I addressed for this assignments are not only areas of struggle in my district but dimensions that people struggle with across the state, and I truly believe that we are on the right path to solving some of the problems in a positive and student friendly way. 

            I first discussed the upcoming implementation of House Bill 5.  This has been a wonderful piece of legislation that opens doors and avenues for students that might have been closed before.  Although student friendly, there are still several questions for schools and districts regarding its interpretation and implementation.  In SBISD, we are working to have conversations regarding graduation plans, course sequencing, endorsements, certifications, and how it overall ties into our district goal.  These conversations have lead to several documents, which help to provide clarity, insight and innovation into a system that was dry and lifeless before.  Teachers are more energized, and I believe that in our upcoming course selection, you will see more students choosing the courses that they want with purpose than ever before, which will validate the work being done.

            The second issue that I chose to address is our System of Care initiative.  The System of Care was created because we were wasting millions of dollars a year suspending students who needed to be in classrooms.  In addition, the number of Hispanic and African American students being suspended was extremely weighted compared to all other students.  The system of care was designed to look at positive behavior reinforcement practices that could help shift the mentality of students being sent home to finding ways to celebrate students who were still in school.   In addition, the initiative provides more resources to schools with a greater need than others.  Since the initial implementation in October, the committee has seen a 50% decrease in the number of students who have any form of in-school or out-of-school suspension as well as attendance rates improving.  We hope to continue to move on this trajectory and spend the money saved on additional resources for the students of greatest need.

            Finally, the district single focus goal of T-2-4 might be our greatest challenge yet.  The challenge to be held responsible for student's years after they leave the system was one that had people fearful at first, however; all adults in the system are beginning to believe and invest in this program and our initial data points returned two years in show that we have had a 15% increase in the number of students completing some form of higher education, and that the interest and awareness of students as a whole has significantly increased.  Educators are proud of the work that they are doing and this pride is resonating through the students.  SBISD is 20 points above the state college completion average and we hope to continue on an upward trajectory for years to come. 

            As you can see, although we have great challenges ahead of us, I am proud of the work that we are doing in Spring Branch and I look forward to watching the system grow over the years.