Guide for charter school planning and reporting

34 Pages·1998·4.5 MB·English

by  Alberta. Alberta Education. Planning Branch

uide for
Charter School
Planning and
Reporting
June 1998
/diberra
EDUCATION
Guide for Charter School Planning and Reporting
Contact Information
Sharon Campbell, Director Frank Horvath, Director
Planning Branch Regional Office Branch
Alberta Education Alberta Education
111 60 Jasper Avenue 1 1 160 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0L2 Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0L2
Phone: [phone]*
Phone: [phone]*
Fax: [phone] Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
* t o be connected toll free from outside the Edmonton area, dial 310-0000.
ALBERTA EDUCATION CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA
Alberta. Alberta Education. Planning Branch.
Guide for charter school planning and reporting.
ISBN 0-7732-9917-3.
1 . Charter schools - A lberta. 2. School management and organization -
Alberta. 3. Educational accountability - Alberta. 4. Education and state - Alberta
I. Title.
LB2806.36.A333 1998 379.3
Copyright © 1998, the Crown in Right of Alberta as represented by the Minister of Education.
Permission is given by the copyright owner for any person to reproduce this publication or any part
thereof for educational purposes and on a non-profit basis.
Guide for Charter School Planning and Reporting
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Overview in Accountability in Education 1
Charter School Planning and Reporting 2
Distribution and Communication 3
Provincial Monitoring and Feedback 3
Charter School Education Plans 4
Elements 4
Requirements 8
Charter School Annual Education Results Reports 12
Summary of Reporting Requirements, 1998 and 1999 16
Required Performance Measures, 1998 and 1999 17
Appendices
1. Basic Education in Alberta - t he Definition 18
2. Setting Local Targets for Student Achievement 20
3. Advice on School Authority Performance Measurement in Alberta 22
4. Sample Statements of Responsibility 23
5. Glossary 24
6. List of Source Documents 25
7. Feedback Form / C omments
June, 1998
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Guide for Charter School Planning and Reporting
OVERVIEW - A CCOUNTABILITY IN EDUCATION
Authority: The legislation which Education plans and results reports are accountability
authorizes the Minister to require plans
documents for a results-focused education system. The plans
and reports for charter schools is the identify the results to be achieved for each goal, the actions that
School Act (Statutes of Alberta, 1 988,
will be implemented and the measures that will be used to
Chapter S-3.1 as amended, S. 60.2 [1-3])
assess and report on progress and achievement.
and the Government Accountability Act,
Statutes of Alberta, 1995, Chapter G-5.5,
S.16). This guide outlines the provincial requirements for charter
school education plans and annual education results reports.
Other relevant provincial government
policies are contained in the Charter schools have a unique purpose in Alberta's public
Accountability in Education: Policy education system: to provide different and innovative
Framework (June, 1995), the Policy, approaches to improving student learning not only for the benefit
Regulation and Forms Manual (April, of their own students but also for use in other public schools
1997) and the Charter School Handbook over the longer term.
(1996).
School board education plans and results Charter school planning and reporting take place in the context
reports:
of government's three-year plan for education and other
• are public documents approved by
provincial directions for Alberta's education system. From the
the board, provincial plan for education, Alberta Education has identified a
• specify student learning priorities, core set of goals, results, performance measures, and priorities
• guide decision making and for improvement that charter boards use in updating their
budgeting, education plans and report on in their annual results report.
• meet provincial requirements and This enables charter schools to address their purpose, needs
local needs, and and priorities while ensuring their plans are consistent with
• improve the education system. provincial directions.
Accountability Cycle for Alberta's Education System
School Authority
Education Plans
Annual Budget
Allocations to Programs/Schools
Performance Measures
Provincial Directions for
School Authority Plans
and Reports Implementation
School Authority
Funding Announcement
Local Priorities for Improvement
i
School Authority
Provincial 3-Year Plan
Budget Targets Annual Results
Performance Measures Reporting
Audited Financial
Statement
Government
Directions
Priorities for Improvement - Provincial Annuj
Results Reporting
- Audits of Alberta
Education
June, 1998
Page 1
Guide for Charter School Planning and Reporting
Charter School Planning and Reporting
Charter school education plans and reports on results achieved
are key to improving education, achieving the purpose of their
charter, ensuring resources are put to good use, enhancing
communication and accountability, and strengthening the
linkage with government directions for education.
Charter school plans must: When updating their plans each year, charter schools should
maintain a time frame to end of consider:
charter,
• the information in their results report and in the provincial
include required provincial goals,
three-year plan and annual results report,
results and performance measures,
• the feedback they receive from Alberta Education, their
include goals, results and measures
related to the purpose or focus of monitoring authority, school councils and parents, and
their charter, • how to allocate resources to achieve desired results.
address provincial and local priorities
The charter school education plan maintains a time frame to the
for improvement,
end of the charter. The plan is reviewed and adjusted annually,
indicate how their budget supports
based on recent experience. As one year is completed another
the goals and priorities in their plan.
is added, rolling the plan forward. It s hould be unnecessary to
rework the plan each year except in unusual circumstances.
Charter schools are encouraged to:
• re-inforce the charter purpose in their plan;
• build on the provincial vision and mission for education;
• adapt the provincially required goals and results to reflect
the unique characteristics and circumstances of the school;
• include other goals, results, performance measures, and
strategies that reflect school focus, needs and
circumstances; and
• consult with parents, staff, school councils and other
stakeholders in the development of their education plans.
Charter schools are responsible for carrying out their education
plans and reporting annually to their monitoring authority and
stakeholders on results achieved following the completion of the
school year.
AERRs are concise reports to the public Charter school Annual Education Results Reports (AERRs)
on results that:
using provincially required and locally identified performance
• highlight and assess progress and measures show progress is being made toward achieving
achievement, common goals of the education system and unique goals
• identify areas for improvement, related to the focus of the charter school. These results reports
• place the results in context, highlight good results as well as identify areas needing
• communicate results to parents, the improvement. The results reports also give charter schools an
public, and the public education opportunity to:
system. • provide contextual information,
• explain the variation between planned and actual
performance, and
• report progress on achieving the terms or purpose of the
charter.
June, 1998
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Guide for Charter School Planning and Reporting
Preparing education plans and results reports gives charter
boards opportunities to work with school staff, school councils,
community members, professional groups and other
stakeholders. Such involvement strengthens commitment to
and understanding of the goals and priorities of the school.
Distribution and Communication
Updated plan to be completed by Charter school education plans and annual education results
September 1 , 1998. reports are public documents approved by the charter board.
The complete plan is to be on file and available for department
Place on school website and notify
inspection and stakeholder and public review in the school. The
Alberta Education by e-mail to:
askED. [email protected]. ab.ca or by letter key people responsible for implementing the plan - board
to: members, staff and school councils - will need copies.
Director
Regional Office Branch Charter schools may wish to prepare detailed implementation
Alberta Education plans for use within the school and to provide highlights of their
3rd Floor West, Devonian Building plan to parents and stakeholders. Charter school technology
11 160 Jasper Avenue plans complement the education plan. These are also to be
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0L2 available for department and monitoring authority inspection and
for stakeholder review in the school.
Annual education results report to be
published by November 30 each year The charter school Annual Education Results Report (AERR) is
and a copy provided to the department.
a public report about the education of students and use of
Place on website and notify Alberta resources. (This is in addition to information the school collects,
Education by e-mail to: analyzes and uses to inform the planning process and school
decision making.) A copy of the AERR that the school
askED. [email protected] or send
2 copies to: distributes to parents and other stakeholders must be provided
Director to the department and the monitoring authority either
Regional Office Branch electronically or in print.
Alberta Education
3rd Floor West, Devonian Building
1 1 160 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0L2
Provincial Monitoring and Feedbacl<
Alberta Education monitors charter school Alberta Education monitors charter school plans and results
plans and results reports to ensure that: reports each year to ensure:
• plans:
• these documents are consistent with key provincial
- are aligned with provincial directions; and
directions for education,
- are developed using results • the accountability policies have been implemented
information, throughout the education system.
- include the required goals, results Alberta Education provides feedback to charter schools on the
and performance measures,
monitoring of their education plans and results reports.
- address provincial priorities for
improvement, Provincial monitoring also enables information from charter
school plans and reports to be considered in updating the
- include locally-developed
strategies, and provincial three-year plan and results report, and developing
• reports: province-wide initiatives and policies for education.
- include information on the Alberta Education does not review charter school plans and
required performance measures, reports for writing style, format, or level of staff and community
- identify improvement areas. involvement in charter school planning and reporting.
June, 1998 Page 3
Guide for Charter School Planning and Reporting
CHARTER SCHOOL EDUCATION PLANS
Elements
Required Elements of Charter School
Education Plans
The elements of the charter school education plan are inter-
Statement of Board Responsibility
related. The charter school uses information about what and
Vision
where a charter school is (mission, beliefs, profile, issues and
Mission
trends, current performance levels) to help determine where the
Principles and/or Beliefs charter school would like to be (vision, goals, results), how
Profile/Issues and Trends (new) achievement of results will be assessed (performance measures
Priority Areas for Improvement and targets), and what actions will be taken (strategies) and how
Goals resources will be allocated (budget) to achieve the desired
goals. The following elements are to be included in the charter
Results
school education plan.
Performance Measures
Targets
Statement of Responsibility
Strategies
Budget Information • confirms that the charter school plan was developed in
accordance with legislative authority and government
Plans are to be completed by
requirements.
September 1, 1998
• indicates the commitment of the charter school to achieve
Statement of responsibility is: the goals and results contained within the plan.
• a commitment to work toward
• is signed by the board chair and superintendent.
achieving what's outlined in the plan,
• signed by board chair and • See Appendix 4, page 23, for sample statement of
superintendent. responsibility for charter school plans.
Vision
A vision statement looks to the future and
derived or extracted from the statement of purpose or
describes an ideal to be achieved.
philosophy in the charter.
New vision statement for Alberta's a description of the fundamental characteristics of education
education system:
that the charter school is committed to achieving.
Alberta's young people are the best describes where the charter school wants to be, what its
educated in the country, able to achieve
students will have achieved, and what its services and
their individual potential, create a positive
future for themselves, their families and programs for students will look like over the longer term.
their communities, and contribute to is consistent with the provincial vision for education.
Alilfbe.e rta's prosperity and superior quality of also called a preferred future.
Mission
Mission - a clear, concise statement of an derived from purpose, goals, or focus of the charter.
organization's overall purpose and role.
New mission for education in Alberta: an organization's reason for existing.
gives focus to all the programs and services provided for
To ensure that all Alberta students have students.
the opportunity to acquire the knowledge,
skills and attitudes needed to be self- is consistent with the provincial mission for the education
reliant, responsible, caring and
contributing members of society. system.
June, 1998
Page 4
Guide for Charter School Planning and Reporting
Principles and/or Beliefs
Principles and/or beliefs reflect the values • serve to guide all decision making and assist in the
of the charter school and what it s tands
development of the mission, vision, and goals.
for.
• can be derived from charter philosophy or purpose.
• should be consistent with the principles for the provincial
education system: access to quality education, equity,
flexibility, responsiveness and accountability.
Profile/Issues and Trends (new required element)
The profile is a brief description of the • overviews the characteristics of the charter school, the
school.
students and the community it s erves (e.g., students,
An issue is an existing or emerging programs).
condition or situation which, if l eft
unaddressed, could interfere with the • identifies issues, trends, opportunities, and challenges
ability to fulfill a mandate or achieve facing the charter school that need to be taken into account
when developing goals, strategies, results and measures for
goals.
the plan.
Trends are directions of data established
over time that:
• three years' worth of data is the minimum needed to
• show increases, decreases, or no establish a trend. Five years' worth of trend data is a
change (e.g., enrolments over time, manageable amount to report and use.
student achievement over time),
• need to be taken into account in Priority Areas for Improvement and Funded Initiatives
planning and budgeting.
Provincial and local priority areas for improvement are identified
Required Provincial Priority Areas for from performance measures information.
Improvement:
Charter school plans must include strategies:
improving co-ordination of services
for children, • to address improvement areas which have been identified
increasing high school completion from their annual education results reports;
rates,
• to address provincial priority areas for improvement for the
improving secondary student
education system as identified in First things first ... our
achievement in mathematics,
improving access to information ctiiidren: tfie Government of Alberta's 3 Year Plan for
technology, Education, 1998/1999 to 2000/2001; and
improving public satisfaction with • to enable targeted groups of students (as applicable) to
education (new). achieve provincial learning expectations.
Charter schools are to indicate strategies Provincial investment funding is provided over the next three
(if a pplicable) for: years to help charter schools address the provincial priority
• students whose first language is areas for improvement and meet the needs of targeted groups
other than English, of students.
• students with special needs (mild, • New initiatives:
moderate, severe, gifted) as defined
by Alberta Education, - Early Literacy Initiative
• Native students, - Teacher Assistants
• disadvantaged students, and - English as a Second Language for Canadian-born
• other students at risk of falling students
behind.
June, 1998
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Guide for Charter School Planning and Reporting
Continuing initiatives:
- Special Education
- Native education funding
- English as a Second Language for immigrant students
- Program Enhancement Project (PEP)
- Enhanced Opportunity Program (EOP)
- Technology Integration
Goals
Goals are general improvements or aims improvements to work toward over the long term in order to
to be achieved over the longer term.
realize an organization's vision and to fulfill its
Provincial requirement for unique responsibilities.
charter school goal (new):
goals are developed to establish direction for the education
Charter schools must include at least one system and change little over time.
goal related to the focus of their charter
required provincial goals may be restated to reflect the
(see page 8).
charter school perspective; rewording of a required goal
Required Provincial Goals for charter should retain its original intent.
school plans:
at least one goal related to the philosophy or methodology of
1 . Education is focused on what the charter school that focuses on improved student
students need to learn and students
learning outcomes must be included.
achieve high standards.
2. Education in Alberta is responsive to other goals to address school needs and circumstances, as
students, parents and communities. determined by the charter school and its community, may be
4. Teaching in Alberta consistently is of included in the plan.
high quality.
5. Information technology is integrated
into education to enhance student
learning, and increase efficiency and
flexibility of delivery.
7. The education system is open and
accountable for the achievement of
results and use of resources.
Results
Results are measurable outcomes to be
achieved. • results answer the question, "What will this look like when
we get to where we want to be?"
• There is at least one designated
• required results may be restated to reflect local needs and
result for each goal (see pages 8-11)
conditions; rewording of a required result should retain its
• Results are to be identified for
original intent.
additional charter school goals.
• at least one result for each school goal must be included.
• for provincially required goals, schools may develop results
additional to those that are required.
June, 1998 Page 6