|
|
The accreditation process is a perpetual cycle of
assessment, planning, implementing, monitoring, and reassessing
(self-study, visit, ongoing FOL) as directed and documented in an action
plan. It contains the critical elements of
school improvement:
- Clarity of the school's purpose and expectations for
all students
- The involvement of the school community in
self-directed problem solving
- The opportunity for meaningful dialog to analyze the
actual program for students and for collaborative decision-making
- The use of research-based criteria for analysis
- Development of a schoolwide action plan designed to
help the school better meet its stated purpose and expectations
- Outside perspective regarding the proposed activities
with the Visiting Committee
- Monitoring progress and refining goals and actions
through accreditation reviews and reports
|
Action Plan
|
The purpose of the self-study is to make sound decisions
about what should be the most beneficial strategic work of the school
over the next several years which support the desired learning results.
Based on its study, staff drafts a "preliminary action plan" within the
self-study. This plan may be amended an/or expanded based on the
insights from discussion with members of the Visiting Committee.
Following the visit, the school refines and implements the action plan
with the Leadership Team coordinating this implementation, annual review
of progress, and refinement (revision) of the appropriate steps in
meeting the goals.
|
Check the information about the self-study for
public schools and for
private schools for additional information.
|
Writing an annual summary report based on the big ideas
in the action plan will help continue commitment, provide celebrations,
and help create progress reports (including Chapter 3 in the next full
self-study. Consider including
- Significant developments at the school/district
- How well the process for monitoring the plan has
functioned. What, if any, changes will be made
- For individual goals within the plan
- The goal
- To what degree was the goal achieved
including data that supports this conclusion
- Lessons learned
- Changes planned for the next year that will be
included in the revised plan
- How will the change be evaluated?
|
|
Additional helps
include:
|
- Search the Web for "effective proposals." Many of the
resources deal with marketing proposals, however, the core guidelines of
clarity, language, and alignment are key.
|
As
used here by the California Department of Education, "plan"
refers to any document—an application, plan, or proposal—that may be
developed in response to a state or federal program. A comprehensive
plan is comprised of a clearly expressed vision, the methods for developing
the vision, the program components, the evaluation design, and a description
of how the results will be used to improve the program.
|
Making it all work
|
|
Treated as a six-year process,
- Data should be updated annually and discussed
with stakeholders
- Progress on the schoolwide action plan should be
summarized annually, noting key evidence, making necessary
refinements or modifications, and celebrating successes in improved
student learning
- Synthesize and complete a three-year progress
report to submit to WASC; obtain Board approval of the report
- Host a mid-term review if this is a condition of
the accreditation term granted
- Periodically, review the schoolwide student goals
and school purpose
- In preparation for the next full self-study, make
sure all stakeholders are knowledgeable about
 |
current data
|
|
|
current student
achievement |
|
|
the operating schoolwide
action plan |
|
|
all progress via reports
|
|
-
Using the criteria, examine the
program; gather and analyze any additional data/information needed
-
Summarize key findings organized
around the categories of criteria
-
Revise the schoolwide action plan to
show what will be accomplished during the next five to six years
-
Finalize the "new" self-study report
|
If the school follows this path, the reports
generated will comprise the major portion of the next self-study. Quite
different from may schools' current practices!
|
Some schools continue to us the schoolwide focus
groups in the follow-up process. (Generally, the name is changed to
something more appropriate to the school culture.) Others choose to move all
responsibility to other, existing groups (department chairpersons,
curriculum council, faculty senate). Where the school has
parent/community advisory groups, they should be involved.
|
Beyond these thoughts
|
- Check in often with your Board and administrative
staff (school and next level) as well as regional and state
organizations
- Look for external resources
|
|
|
|
|
|
   |
|
Acknowledgements |
