“Rigorous curriculum” means multiple courses of study any one of which will prepare students to successfully meet the Oregon diploma requirements. These courses are cognitively demanding and challenging to students as those students apply the fundamental concepts and skills from various disciplines to real world problems in complex and open ended situations.

How will the district ensure the defined curriculum includes clearly defined scope and sequences and learning objectives aligned to state and / or national standards?

The district’s Quality Curriculum Cycle (QCC) provides a systematic means for making decisions about curriculum review, revision, development, and adoption of practices and instructional materials in Mathematics, Science, World Languages, Social Studies, Fine Arts, English Language Arts, English Language Development, Physical Education and Health.

The Project Team is expected to complete the following:

(1)    Description and evaluation of the current program

(2)    Review of current research on effective practices and programs

(3)    Philosophy/Position Paper articulating a vision and direction for the program

(4)    Recommendations for instructional and assessment practices

(5)    Recommendations for instructional materials

(6)    Recommendations for professional development and implementation support

(7)    Budget Implications

Regular opportunities for input from all staff, parents, students and other community members are provided.

 Three groups are central to this work: the School Board, the Project Team, and District Staff (Teaching & Learning Department Staff and Teacher Cadre members).

SCHOOL BOARD

The School Board has the responsibility to prescribe the course of study and instructional materials for the District in accordance with State law. The School Board, by District policy and administrative regulations, charges the Superintendent to form Project Teams to conduct curriculum reviews and prepare recommendations for the Board.  The Board receives regular updates on this work as it progresses.  The Board makes the final decisions regarding the recommendations for curriculum, instructional materials, and instruction and assessment practices that come from the Project Team. 

PROJECT TEAMS

Project Teams are created by the Superintendent at the direction of the School Board for the purpose of providing a thorough review of the current curriculum area program and making recommendations regarding materials to purchase, instruction and assessment practices, and professional development for teachers to the Board. Project Team members agree to serve for a minimum of two years. Parents, students, and other community members join teachers, administrators and a School Board member on the Project Team.  The application process is administered by Community Involvement and Teaching & Learning departments. Once the roster is determined, it is presented to the Board for affirmation.

 Team members are expected to fulfill multiple roles as they work to serve the School Board and the community by providing recommendations that reflect educational research, a broad range of viewpoints, and current program effectiveness.  One of the key challenges of the Project Team is to engage as many individuals among staff and the community in the process as possible.  The Project Team typically meets once or twice per month during the school year.  It does not meet during the summer.

TEACHER CADRES

Cadre members are recommended teachers selected by Teaching & Learning to provide classroom-based expertise to support the process.  Cadre members supply background information, prepare initial drafts of documents, and make revisions of drafts based on Project Team direction.  Cadre members also support communication to teachers across the District during the process.  Several Cadre members also serve simultaneously on the Project Team to enhance the link between the two groups.

TEACHING & LEARNING SUPPORT

The Administrators for Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment take the lead in coordinating and supporting the Project Team and help facilitate Project Team meetings.  Curriculum specialists are assigned to support the Project Team, help facilitate meetings, and coordinate the Teacher Cadre’s work in support of the Project Team. The Administrator for Accountability supports the review of current program data, a critical element of the QCC.

 District Policy IF - Curriculum Development

“High quality instructional programs“ means that teachers teach knowledge and skills through the use of an appropriate variety of instructional strategies reflecting best practice and based on state/national standards and assessments that effectively measure what the standards require. Such instruction is not universal but is situational based on instructional context.

 What is the district’s process for ensuring classroom instruction is intentional, engaging and challenging for all students?

●       adoption of the 5D instructional framework

●       adoption from the QCC has focused on instructional practices, specifically in the areas of ELA  and Math including conferring and increasing student talk

●       offering of culturally relevant teaching (CRT) professional development for educators to integrate key elements of CRT into a variety of content areas

●       Principal instructional rounds calibrating instruction.

●       Principal PD centered around instructional leadership

●       Development of a PD plan to integrate CRT into all Teaching & Learning offered PD in al content areas

How are feedback and coaching used to guide instructional staff towards research-based improvements to teaching and learning (such as formative assessment practices, culturally responsive pedagogy and trauma informed practices)?

●       Math studio classrooms, led by TOSAs at the elementary level

●       Middle and High School coaching development as well as direct classroom coaching for AGS1

●       MTSS inventory has been developed and will be designed into a functional framework for SY 2019

●       Social Emotional Learning

●       Instructional walkthroughs with principals

●       5D framework instructional calibration with a focus on feedback with staff.

“Long-term professional development plans” means teacher training reflecting best practice as defined by national standards related to content, process, and context. Such training supports: (A) Continuing advancement of professional collaboration; (B) Ongoing, job-embedded experiences, (C) Standards-based instruction, and (D) Continual, guided reflection on school/student data a part of professional learning.

“Short-term professional development plans” means a component of a long term professional development plan with a direct connection with one or more of the following–individual continuing professional development plans; board, district or school goals; state certification criteria; or other regulatory mandates. Such plans may be responsive to emerging needs not yet addressed in long-term professional development plans.

a. How does the district align professional development and learning activities to the needs of teachers?The

Teaching & Learning Department reviews school report card data to inform plans for professional development.  Teachers are asked via survey to identify what professional development topics they are interested in as well as their preference for the format and timing of professional development sessions.  Classroom observations and walk-throughs gauge the fidelity of implementation of adopted curriculum and best practices and inform future professional development plans.  Curriculum Administrators and Teachers on Special Assignment design professional development sessions based on this information. Professional development is also delivered at school sites based on the needs surfaced through building leadership teams.

The Special Education Department reviews student data (i.e. statewide assessment, discipline, and SPR&I) and identifies a variety of needs for professional development.  The department then completes an annual survey of certified and classified staff to determine what those staff members agree should be an area of focus for professional development. The Special Education Department then hosts  two professional development days to cover the items that have been selected for training.

The Multilingual Department (MLD) works closely with administrators, TOSAs, and teachers to develop a comprehensive professional development plan. The department seeks input from the MLD Cabinet team that consists of principals at each level, teacher representatives at each level, MLD TOSAs, T&L administrator, and the MLD accountant to determine how Title III grant funds will be used.  Most Title III grant funds are used to pay for professional development.  This team also determines which programs paid out of TItle III will continue or not depending on presentations and metrics developed for each line item that helps the department determine impact of expenditures.  Every professional development opportunity paid out of the grant has metrics so there is a high expectation that monies spent out of the grant are impactful to staff and students. 

b. What processes are in place to identify and address any disparities that result in students of color, students experiencing poverty, students learning English and students with disabilities being taught at higher rates than other students by ineffective, inexperienced, or out-of-field teachers?

The District reports teacher evaluation scores to ODE annually, and as a rule, they do not include any teacher rating of unsatisfactory (ineffective). This is because they are either placed on a Plan of Awareness or a Plan of Assistance before they get to this point. If teachers are unsuccessful in meeting standards, they are not allowed to remain employed in their positions. HR requires teachers have the correct licensure at the time of placement and are not mis-assigned. The majority of teachers hired, regardless of location, are experienced. Teachers new to the profession are provided experienced mentors to support their growth and development. Equitable distribution of teachers in high poverty schools is assessed using a combination of the percentage of classes taught by appropriately licensed staff and the percentage of teachers with 4 or more years of teaching experience. Teachers teaching out of field either are supported to attain appropriate licensure/endorsement for their assignment, are reassigned, or are transferred to a low-poverty school.

“Safe educational environment” means a healthy, positive school climate free of drug use, gangs, violence, intimidation, fear, and shaming, ensuring the physical and emotional well-being and academic and social growth of every student.

a. What has the district done to ensure students, parents, caregivers and community members experience a safe and welcoming educational environment?

Maintaining a safe school environment is a priority for the Beaverton School District. Many factors are critical to fostering a “Safe School Climate”. A critical ingredient in creating a safer school environment is classroom response to an incident at school. Weather events, fire, accidents, intruders and other threats to student safety are scenarios that are planned and trained for by students, teachers, staff and administration, in partnership with our first responders.

The Beaverton School District, in collaboration with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), Beaverton Police (BPD) and Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue (TVFR), has implemented the Standard Response Protocol (SRP). The SRP is not based on one individual possible scenario but on the response to any given scenario. One large benefit of the SRP is the standard language used by all responders; this includes students, parents, staff and first responders. The protocol also allows for a predictable series of actions as an event unfolds.  The SRP is based upon four actions: Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter. Each has specific staff and student directives that are unique to the action.

The Beaverton School District has implemented a Student Threat Assessment Team (STAT) and a Sexual Incident Protocol Committee (SIRC) in collaboration with Washington County Mental Health, Washington County Sheriffs, and Beaverton Police.

●       The district’s Student Threat Assessment Team (STAT) was developed to implement a systematic approach to investigate and assess students who are engaged in or exhibiting behaviors implying aggression or violence directed at other people. This system combines the use of investigative information gathering strategies along with questions related to targeted violence. The purpose is to collect data to help make informed decisions about a student’s level of threat towards others, identify potentially dangerous situations, and develop and implement a safety/monitoring/management plan. “Risk Investigation” and “Risk Assessment” are part of the STAT process. If a student/staff suspects there is a targeted threat of violence, building administration and Public Safety will be notified. Student Threat Assessment (STAT) training for staff focuses on threat identification, threat assessment best practices, and a review of the BSD Level 1 STAT Manual.

●       The district has a leveled protocol in place to address concerning sexual behavior between students, the Sexual Incidents Response Protocol (SIRP). When school officials learn of concerning sexual behavior or the threat of concerning sexual behavior occurring on or off school grounds, before, during, or after school, they will file the required report with the appropriate protective body (i.e. law enforcement, Child Objectives of staff raining in SIRP include identifying socially inappropriate vs. non-normative behaviors, emphasis on a team approach to assessment and paperwork, and how to develop a thorough safety and supervision plan.

The Beaverton School District takes suicide concerns very seriously. School staff follow the BSD Suicide Intervention Protocol for all students identified as being at risk for suicide. Trained suicide screeners (school counselors, school psychologists, and administrators) interview students of concern to assess risk, notify the parent/guardian immediately, and develop a comprehensive Student Support Plan to ensure safety and ongoing monitoring. Interventions may include additional assessment/evaluation and safety planning through the Washington County Crisis Team, the local Emergency Dept, and/or consultation with law enforcement.

The Student/Family Handbook (SFH), first published in 1996-97, was established to protect both students' rights and those of others. The Handbook outlines the academic, behavioral and extracurricular expectations for students and provides guidelines for dealing with behaviors that interfere with the education of students and lead to disciplinary actions. The document is written to agree with local, state and federal laws and is updated each year. In the most recent revision, the Student Family Handbook Committee reviewed the text of the Handbook and edited it to more clearly communicate expectations to stakeholders. Student Behavior Data was analyzed to identify areas for future professional development for staff.

The District prohibits discrimination and harassment based on any basis protected by law, including but not limited to, an individual's actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national or ethnic origin, marital status, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, familial status, economic status, veteran status, or because of a perceived or actual association with any other persons within these protected classes.

The district prohibits discrimination and harassment in, but not limited to, employment, assignment and promotion of personnel; educational opportunities and services offered students; student assignment to schools and classes; student discipline; location and use of facilities; educational offerings and materials; and accommodating the public at public meetings. All administrators have received training in Title IX requirements.

The Multilingual Department provides qualified language assistance services to parents and ensures they have adequate notice of and meaningful access to information about all BSD programs, services and activities. A wide range of parent outreach and communication strategies are implemented including experienced and highly qualified bilingual facilitators, multilingual posters clearly posted in BSD buildings, multilingual School Messenger communications, Spanish-English bilingual BSD Briefs, and comprehensive translation and interpretation services.  Translation and Interpretation services are provided for parent-teacher conferences, special education meetings, discipline meetings, counseling appointments, home visits, and phone calls.  There are 12 bilingual facilitators in the Multilingual Department who are responsible for providing district-wide translation and interpretation services. In addition, there are 17 Spanish-speaking bilingual facilitators responsible for strengthening home-school connection at the middle and high school levels in addition to providing school-specific translation and interpretation services.

Welcome posters posted throughout the district convey the message that all students and families belong. Gay Straight Alliances operate in all high schools and the majority of middle schools.  The Office of Equity and Inclusion maintains an LGBTQ resources page for staff and produces a bi-monthly communication to all staff.

Half-time Student Success Coaches are provided at each elementary school to coach teachers on how to address the social-emotional and behavioral needs of students. Title IA funds supplement district funding to create full-time Student Success Coaches at all Title IA schools.

The Beaverton School District employs five district social workers to support families with connecting outside mental health supports. The aim of the School Social Worker is to enhance the social and emotional growth and academic outcomes of students by reducing barriers to post high school success. These obstacles include poverty, lack of basic needs, substance use, systemic racism, behavioral challenges, and trauma related mental health concerns, such as depression and anxiety.

The District funds counseling supports at all schools in the district. The Beaverton School District's Comprehensive K-12 School Counseling Program is a data-driven systemic and developmental program that serves as an integral part of the total educational program in every school. The Comprehensive School Counseling Program assists every student in acquiring the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to become effective students, responsible citizens, productive workers and lifelong learners.  The district’s Comprehensive K-12 School Counseling Program is aligned with Oregon’s Framework for School Counseling which includes the professional and ethical standards as set forth by the American School Counselor Association.

School Counselors support all students by providing both direct and indirect student supports. Direct student supports include delivering school counseling core curriculum, academic advising, short-term counseling, small group activities, and crisis response.  Indirect student supports are services provided on a student's behalf include referrals for additional assistance, consultation and collaboration with teachers, parents, other educators and community organizations.

b. What efforts has the district undertaken to remove barriers that impede equity of opportunity for all students, specifically for Native American students, students of color, students learning English, students experiencing poverty and students with disabilities?

The District implemented AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) college readiness system five years ago at all of the middle and high schools to elevate the success of historically marginalized students, specifically students of color, students in poverty, and first generation college students.  AVID is a schoolwide approach to curriculum and rigor that works to improve instruction, systems, leadership, and culture on campus to prepare all students for college and career readiness. Each secondary campus in Beaverton has an AVID Site Team and an AVID Coordinator that work to implement and refine practices that support all students across the campus. AVID is also a targeted approach to closing access and opportunity gaps through the AVID Elective class which is an academic acceleration approach in which students are supported to take the most rigorous coursework on their campus and in the future. The AVID Elective class is during the school day and students apply, are interviewed and then placed in the elective class.

The BSD American Indian/Alaska Native program works closely with all stakeholders to bridge the gap in student achievement. To help remove barriers that impede equity of opportunity for all students, the AI/AN program developed a few focus areas for the coming school year:

●       At present the district is taking corrective action within how it identifies students of color. This is being done to better serve students and families through increased data accuracy; better serving historically marginalized communities. For example, inaccurate identification of AI/AN students impairs district goals of improving graduation rates, truancy rates, tracking disproportionate disciplinary action and ultimately, underserving the desired population.

●       The district has undertaken long term goals directed at training classified and unclassified staff relative to best practices for creating equitable outcomes, i.e. equity lens-based pedagogy, space creation and support systems.

●       Great effort has been taken to bridge cultural divides and create space where healing can transpire within the Beaverton School District. This process has been undertaken through the creation and continued funding of community liaisons, targeted culturally specific programing and partnership with community organizations. Noting that historically marginalized communities report disproportionately negative experiences and outcomes within mainstream education.  Beaverton School District’s efforts to create programing and resources such as the above mentioned are fundamental within helping to close achievement gaps. These efforts also work to mitigate historical traumas, moving toward building a more equitable and sustainable community-based trust.

Secondary schools with more than 40% of students eligible for free- or reduced-price lunch receive more classroom teachers and per-pupil non-salary funding than other secondary schools.  Currently, these schools are:  Meadow Park, Mountain View, Five Oaks and Whitford Middle Schools, and Aloha, Beaverton, Southridge and Community High Schools. Community School also is designated for targeted school improvement.  The school’s TSI grant will fund access to additional math support to improve the achievement of Latino students.

SpEd program redesign: The Beaverton School District has completed a 3-year review of the secondary resource room model. Guidelines for the delivery of Specially Designed Instruction in the resource room has been developed and will be implemented for the 2019-20 school year. 2019-20 Discretionary & Non-Discretionary Resource Room agreements.docx

The Multilingual Department (MLD) designed three Newcomer Centers to help remove barriers that many of our newly arrived ELs experience by being in a new country, specifically language barriers. The mission of the Newcomer Centers is to provide recent arrivers with tools that will increase their confidence and use of the English language and at the same time assist in the positive acculturation of students in the new environment so they grow to be productive navigators of society. As students transition out of the Newcomer Centers and back to their home schools, staff at the Newcomer Centers convene transition meetings to ensure the transfer is a successful transfer.  The MLD conducts parent/guardian surveys when students leave the program to determine the impact of these programs. To date, 100% of the families reported that their child had less anxiety coming to school by being in the newcomer program. Additionally, 96.8% of families reported that they were satisfied with the services provided in the Newcomer Centers as well as the services provided to families to help stabilize the homefront. 

The Multilingual Department engaged in a three-year program model study to determine the correlation between program model designs and student achievement. As a result of the study, a four-year implementation plan has been developed for elementary as the correlation to student achievement were more significant at this level. We will be continuing a shorter term study for secondary that meets the needs of this level. The redesign plan is still under development and will be released once completed.

c. How will the district support efforts to reduce the overuse of discipline practices that remove students from the classroom, which may include identifying and supporting schools with high rates of discipline, disaggregated by each of the subgroups of students.

The Beaverton School District believes that equity in education is about inclusiveness and social justice and not to be used interchangeably with the principles of equality. Efforts to reduce the overuse of discipline practices include a foundational principle of educational equity going beyond formal equality where all students are treated the same. Instead, educational equity fosters a barrier-free environment in which all students have the opportunity to benefit equally. 

A key internal measure is the number of students excluded from class and the number of days students are removed from class disaggregated by school and by student groups. In order to reduce the overuse of discipline practices that remove students from the classroom and disproportional rates of exclusion from class of historically underserved student groups, the district:

●       Supports personnel at all organizational levels to engage in culturally relevant practices and to develop skills for eliminating opportunity gaps and other disparities in achievement.

●       Identify and mitigate culturally biased instructional materials, assessments, and pedagogies that result in achievement disparities;

●       Provide multiple pathways to success in order to meet the needs of a diverse student body and shall actively encourage, support and expect high academic achievement for each student.

●       Employ Restorative Practices which focuses on building community, fostering healthy relationships, and repairing harm. This includes Restorative Conferencing, which can be used in response to more serious offenses as an alternative to exclusionary discipline.

The research continues to affirm that our classroom teachers play a central role in positively impacting student learning and achievement. In an effort to support classroom teachers in their critical roles, we are investing in Student Success Coaches (SSCs) to support elementary school staff in achieving a positive school climate and sustaining high levels of student achievement. SSCs cultivate and promote a safe, learning‐centered school environment. This is accomplished by aligning positive student and teacher behaviors using a Multi‐Tiered System of Support/Positive Behavior Interventions. The SSCs support classroom teachers in engaging all students in high‐quality instruction and fostering a culture of high expectations for all students.

Social Emotional Learning professional development includes training in trauma informed practices using the CASEL framework. Professional development is also provided to Student Success Coaches who work on a daily basis with their building staff.

School Behavior Plans provide guidance to teachers as to what behaviors are to be dealt with in the classroom versus behaviors which need administrative intervention.  The focus of these plans is pointing students in a positive direction for changing behavior instead of just administering consequences for misbehavior.

“Family and community engagement” means a system of shared responsibility in which schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to engaging families in meaningful and culturally respectful ways while families are committed to actively supporting their children’s learning and development.

 What steps have been taken to engage parents, caregivers, communities, stakeholders and partners regarding continuous improvement efforts?

The following strategies are in place to engage our stakeholders. These are updated and evaluated annually.

●       CCI Dept. has a Strategic Communications, Community Involvement & Marketing plan in place which serves as a guide for one-way and two-way communications with multiple audiences/stakeholders

●       Robust Volunteer Management System (VMS) in place with over 12,000 volunteers in the database; communicate and market opportunities at the District and school level for parent, student and community volunteers; volunteer brochure/handbook

●       Community Partnership Teams at the District and school level include parents, business, non-profits, faith-based groups to determine needs and develop plans for meeting needs

●       Press Releases, BSD Briefs e-newsletter, social media, website and Multilingual Dept. recruitment for diverse candidates for District Audit Co., taskforces, advisory committees, etc.

●       Use of community_involvement@beaverton.k12.or.us email is widely communicated and staff are responsive to inquiries and constituent concerns

●       Supt. Internal Advisory Committee- diverse school-based teachers and support staff meet monthly with Supt.

●       School Board Meetings, Budget Co. Meetings, Listening Sessions - public comment taken at each meeting with follow up responses

●       District leaders serve on community boards and service groups; listen to larger community concerns

●       Multilingual Dept. (MLD) provides interpretation services in eight languages and can assist with over 100 additional languages as needed; regularly engage language groups in advisory committees

●       Community conversations during Strategic Planning processes with diverse stakeholder groups

●       Annual parent, student and staff surveys ask a variety of questions including communication, engagement and volunteerism

●       Community surveys

●       Cabinet weighs a variety of input and evidence from stakeholders prior to finalizing decisions

●       District leaders meet regularly with employee associations

●       Fourteen BSD Title I schools have a parent involvement plan in place to engage families in their child(ren)’s education

●       Recruitment and appointment of diverse candidates to serve on committees and task forces

●       Review process for materials promoting student, staff and family after school and extracurricular activities

●       Annual State Report Card sent to all families

●       Parent Conference, student-led conferences; fall and spring at elementary; fall and spring at the middle school level

●       District uses Synergy which provides real time data for families through Parent Vue, and Student Vue; Canvas and Seesaw are also engagement systems where families get current information about student progress and interact with teachers.

●       Use of School Messenger mass communication system provides access to a variety of communications in multiple languages

●       Schools have developed a wide variety of engagement opportunities depending on their diverse populations. Examples include: Padres Unidos, Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee, Latino Parent Nights, Breaking Barriers, ESL Game Night, ELL Family Night, Dual Language Family Night, REAP Family Night, Cultural Series for staff, SPED Parent Advisory, Culture Day or Week, Native American Advisory, and Multicultural Night

●       Annual Childcare Symposium provides professional development for caregivers to enhance after school learning

●       Staff make home visits

●       Targeted meetings in apartment community rooms and with community organizations

●       Multilingual Dept. provides telephone interpretation services as needed in 8 top languages with ability to assist parents with the other 100 spoken languages in BSD

●       BSD Briefs e-newsletter published in English and Spanish weekly

●       Culturally Responsive training for teachers and admins.; also provided for front office support staff

●       BSD website redesign (effective  June 3, 2019) is ADA accessible and built with the user in mind; ability to translate all pages into user’s preferred languages

How does the district recruit, onboard, and develop quality leaders?

How does the district align professional growth and development to the needs of school and district leaders?

Recruitment: An Aspiring Administrator for Equity partnership with Lewis & Clark cohort of aspiring administrator leaders for equity. A diverse cohort of aspiring leaders who represent a wide array of backgrounds and experiences that will best serve the future growth and success of BSD students, staff, and our community will form in September 2019 for a two-year administrator preparation program.   Opportunities for teacher leadership in positions such as Teachers on Special Assignment, Student Manager, Special Education Facilitators, and new teacher mentors also provide leadership opportunities for teachers aspiring to holding administrator positions in schools.

Onboarding: Experienced administrator mentors support school administrators during the first and second year as a principal. All new administrators receive ongoing professional development throughout the year on leading for equity.

Leadership development: Professional development on culturally relevant instructional leadership is available to all administrators through Equity Leadership Teams. Secondary Leadership Meetings have focused on Equity, Instructional Leadership, Clarity and Feedback. During leadership meetings, secondary administrators also explored root causes of why certain demographics of students were not accessing our most rigorous classes.  School AVID coordinators joined building administrators throughout the year to explore issues and receive support for implementing AVID in their buildings. HS principals engage in monthly instructional rounds in other buildings in efforts to calibrate quality instruction. Middle school administrators participate in six learning walks and debriefs during the school year around a shared area of Inquiry. The composition of the teams is designed to foster mentorship for less experienced administrators as well as develop the capacity of assistant principals to advance to the principalship when an opportunity arises. Assistant principal professional develop at the secondary level focused on what equity looks like from a master scheduling perspective.  In 2019-20, all secondary assistant principals will engage in PD centered around equity and leadership. Monthly meetings with elementary principals focus on quality feedback, mindful practices, collective efficacy, math, and social-emotional learning.

The professional development for leaders described above is job embedded (e.g. learning walks) and is directly related to school and district strategies for improving student success.  Five executive administrators (three elementary, one middle, one high/options) lead professional learning for principals and support principals through on-site visits on a weekly or biweekly basis.

“High quality data system” means a method by which teachers and administrators have access to data needed for instructional and administrative decision-making, one that makes available to the public appropriate data content and displays and provides for regular updates to the data, maintenance and upgrading of the system, and training for key personnel on use and maintenance. The collection and use of data in such a system would include district-, school-, and student-level data describing but not limited to: (A) Instruction; (B) Accountability; (C) Demographics; (D) Achievement; and (E) Assessment.

How does the district review data aligned to demographic, student performance, staff characteristics and student access to and use of educational opportunities to inform strategic planning and resource allocation?

Strategic planning: Annually, District staff report to the Board on successes, challenges, and short and long term actions for improvement of outcomes.  These reports are found on the Strategic Plan webpage. In addition to their school learning plans in which schools identify problems of practice and goals in the areas of equity, academic excellence, and collaboration, schools also respond to data points selected by the School Board on a two-year cycle. These data includes student demographics, student achievement data, student attendance and discipline data, stakeholder perception data, and access to CTE and career-related learning experiences.  School reports identify successes and challenges related to the data along with action steps for improvement.  The Superintendent’s Advisory Council also reviews data and provides feedback to the superintendent on instruction and resource prioritization.

Resource allocation: Data informs resource allocation through three venues:

●       Multiyear Finance Plan (MYFP) - A three to five year financial plan determining the District’s investments to meet the strategic plan measures of the District goal and identifying the source of funds to make the investments possible. Targeted investments are aligned to the District goal and Pillars of Learning and estimates the cost of implementing the priorities over time. Evaluation of program effectiveness using student achievement or other metrics is essential to the decision-making process to deliver on the District’s strategic investments

●       Academic Return on Investment (AROI) - ​A mind-set and decision-making tool used to assist the District in evaluating student achievement, cost effectiveness and feasibility of a particular initiative. Using this method, the District can use metrics to evaluate if an initiative is meeting the intended goal or purpose for a reasonable cost and in a timely manner or if it should be reevaluated or discontinued.

●       School Allocation Model (SAM) - ​The formulaic method of resource allocation to schools for positions including teachers, classified support staff and administration.  This model takes into account enrollment, special education, English Language Learners and poverty percentages.

 “Data-driven” means the use of information available from a high quality data system to focus decisions regarding curriculum, instruction, staff assignment, and staff development to promote student achievement through a planned, systemic program improvement effort.

How does the district use data to set goals, making ongoing decisions about instructional practices and supports, and prioritize resources to schools with the highest needs?

 Describe the district’s process for monitoring continuous improvement processes, including updating the school board and other stakeholders on progress.

Annually, District staff report to the Board on successes, challenges, and short and long term actions for improvement of outcomes.  These reports are found on the Strategic Plan webpage. In addition to their school learning plans in which schools identify problems of practice and goals in the areas of equity, academic excellence, and collaboration, schools also respond to data points selected by the School Board on a two-year cycle. These data includes student demographics, student achievement data, student attendance and discipline data, stakeholder perception data, and access to CTE and career-related learning experiences.  School reports identify successes and challenges related to the data along with action steps for improvement.

Annually the Special Education Department reviews data provided by the Oregon Department of Education regarding specific indicators for students with disabilities. These indicators include IEP compliance, discipline, child find, academic achievement, and disproportionality. If it is determined that the district is not meeting federal and state targets for the performance of students with disabilities, the Special Education Department develops an action plan to address areas of need.

“Service plans for students” means a system of planned services outlining student educational activities, supporting students in meeting expectations for one or more content areas and continuing to academically challenge students who have exceeded expectations in one or more content areas. 

How will the district support and / or integrate early childhood education programs at the local educational agency or individual school level, including plans for the transition of participants in such programs to local elementary school programs?

To close the opportunity gaps for our most vulnerable students - students with developmental delay and disability, children of color, diverse language learners, and children experiencing poverty - we must increase access to the programs that will prepare them for school and support their families as their first teachers by making a significant investment in early learning.   The Beaverton School District is investing in our youngest learners by providing access to Pre-K within 14 classrooms across 7 schools including 6 Title I schools.  We plan to continue to expand Pre-K opportunities to more schools if funding can be secured.  We realize, however, that an outstanding pre-kindergarten experience is not enough; we need to ensure that we are providing students and families with a seamless, integrated, and purposeful P-5 experience. 

Having district-run Pre-K classrooms co-located with elementary schools is a huge asset in our alignment efforts. It allows for common professional development opportunities, data sharing, teacher collaboration, and complete program integration. From an instructional standpoint, the Habits of Mind framework used in our Pre-K classrooms is aligned to Oregon’s Early Learning Standards and has much to offer later grades as well. We have worked extensively with the state’s Early Learning and Kindergarten standards, and its focus on social/emotional learning and family engagement impacted our program design. In all of our Pre-K and alignment efforts, we work closely with community partners including the Washington County Early Learning Hub.

Our initial alignment work has focused on Pre-K - Kindergarten alignment. For example, we are expanding the focus on purposeful play (which is central in our Reggio Pre-K classrooms) and integrating it into Kindergarten. Our goal is for all BSD kindergarten classrooms to incorporate 90 minutes of purposeful play per day. This change in instructional practice will be an important step in our early alignment work; however, we have a great deal of work ahead of us. There are a number of principals, as well as some teachers, who do not yet see the value of purposeful play. And this skepticism is only likely to intensify as we move alignment work further up the grade levels.

What strategies does the district use to facilitate effective transitions for students from middle grades to high school and from high school to postsecondary education? (Examples: coordination with institutions of higher education, employers, and other local partners, access to early college, high school or dual or concurrent enrollment opportunities, career counseling, etc.)

During the 2017-2018 school year, a team of secondary leaders from the District participated in a year-long professional development series on Freshman Success. The series was based on research from the University of Chicago related to the On-Track Indicator as a predictor of high school graduation. As a result of this professional development, administrators at the middle school and high school level have assessed existing systems to support success in grade 9 and developed new strategies to better support students.

For many years, the district has helped students prepare for the transition to high school by hosting family nights, open houses, and orientation events. Based on the collaboration that took place in 2017-2018, additional strategies to support students have been developed. In the fall of 2019, the District launched Upgrade, a half-day program designed to support the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) of 7th and 8th grade students who have demonstrated risk in academics and behavior. In addition, professional development for secondary administrators has focused on the transition to high school, and best practices in classroom instruction and guidance counseling to support success. Administrators were also organized into cross-district secondary learning teams that meet each month and conduct classroom walkthroughs in middle school and high schools. The teams have scheduled all visits in grades 8 and 9 to deepen understanding of the progression of learning and calibrate practices in teacher evaluation. These efforts are all designed to strengthen the number of students who complete grade 9 on track for high school graduation. 

All High Schools Students have to earn a .5 college and career credit throughout their high school careers in order to graduate.  Including within the requirements is a senior project dedicated to a Career Related Learning Experience, and Portfolio of Career work or Internships, a Resume and an Essay summarizing their work.  The work is documented within our Career Information System.  All of this work is generally done with the help of high school advisory classes.  All high schools also have a college and career center with a counselor or assistant attached for the sole purpose of setting up visits from colleges, and/or post secondary institutions.  All schools also host college and career planning nights and also career and job fairs.

All students have access to AP, IB and/or dual credit coursework at their high school.  We also have an Early College program for juniors and seniors that provides the opportunity for full time enrollment and course work at either PCC - Rock Creek or PCC Sylvania.

What policies and procedures are in place to ensure that activities carried out by the agency will not isolate or stigmatize homeless children and youths?

By policy, homeless students in the District have access to the education and other services needed to ensure that an opportunity is available to meet the same academic achievement standards to which all students are held. A liaison for students in homeless situations is designated to carry out these duties. District policy also requires that homeless students are not stigmatized or segregated on the basis of their status as homeless.

Homeless students are enrolled, either in the student’s school of origin or in the attendance area in which the homeless student is actually living, unless contrary to the request of the parent or unaccompanied student, and transportation is provided. Administrative regulations have been developed to remove barriers to access and participation by homeless students. Services for homeless students and families are provided by HELP Center staff who work with social workers and counselors across the District on identification, support and relationship building with families and children who are experiencing homelessness. There is a robust referral form that school staff fill-out and is seen only by HELP Center staff. At the high school level, additional support is provided to homeless students Attendance mentors and attendance mediation support for secondary students who are homeless and have chronic attendance issues are provided. HELP Center staff also provide professional development to school-level staff on ways to support homeless students. Topics of professional learning can range from instructional practices to support services.

How does the District support the academic needs of students who are not yet meeting or exceeding state and national standards as well as those who have exceeded state and national standards?

In addition to providing services to identified Talented and Gifted (TAG) students, the district offers the Summa program of highly gifted students in grades 6-8.  Summa provides a differentiated, challenging curriculum that meets the cognitive, emotional, and social needs , while being sensitive to their developmental level. To be eligible for the Summa program, a student must score at the 99th percentile (age-based) on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CoGAT) OR at the 99th percentile on the total Reading or total Math Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) AND at the 97th percentile or higher in a different areaReading, Math or the CogAT).

Grad Mentors provide personal, targeted support for students not passing 1-2 classes with less than 90% attendance and students not passing 3 or more classes with attendance of 90% or greater. Grad Mentor caseloads come from the district’s Early Warning System and are approximately 35-50 students. Grad Mentors support college and career planning for students on their caseload and help identify needed resources and connect students with appropriate support in collaboration with individual student counselors.

9th grade success teams meet two times per month and look at a variety of data to support students who are having a difficult transition to high school. Student Success Teams conduct two 60-minute meetings per month in order to manage/discuss team PDSA cycles for continued improvement, review data and discuss specific student observations, interventions and planning.

Passages is an alternative program designed to assist students who require more individualized support to complete high school and prepare for their next steps.  Passages programs include

●       Connect is a diploma completion program for credit-deficient 5th and 6th year seniors. Students are eligible who have 5.0 or fewer credits to complete.

●       Interval provides students ages 16-19 have the opportunity to take a "pause" in their education and focus on their ACE plan: Academic support, Colossal plan for high school completion and post-secondary options, and their Elephant in the room (non-academic barriers). Students spend an average of eight weeks in Interval before transitioning to the next step of their chosen educational path.

●        GED transition provides preparation and support for GED candidates

●       Oregon Youth Challenge Program (OYCP) transition. Passages teachers begin meeting with Beaverton School District cadets while living at The Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge Program (OYCP)​, helping facilitate their returning to the district, and supporting them until high school completion. For OYCP December graduates, Passages offers a full-day option to earn credits until the beginning of semester 2. For OYCP June graduates, Passages offers summer school. During the school year, OYCP Transition supports cadet graduates who are within 3 credits of graduating.

In 2019-20, the district will pilot UpGrade; a half day high school preparation program for pre-identified 7th and 8th grade students identified through our Early Warning System. The three highest need middle schools in BSD were chosen as the 2019-2020 pilot schools. The program will include:

●       Specific curriculum designed to address opportunity gaps in reading, writing and math

●       Social Emotional Learning Component (CASEL alignment with district strategies)

●       Drug and Alcohol cessation

●       Passages (BSD reengagement program) Interval Component

●       High school planning (exploration of BSD Option high school and neighborhood school)

●       Post high school career and college planning

Early College High School (ECHS) is an opportunity for students to blend high school and college in a coherent, personalized and rigorous education program at Portland Community College. Designed as an option for the last two years of high school, students generally attend PCC full time for six terms. Tuition is paid for by the Beaverton School District. It is possible for a student to earn a high school diploma, a Transfer Degree, an Associate's Degree or up to two years of college credit in their career pathway.​ The mission of Early College High School is to provide all students, particularly those who are under-represented, the opportunity to complete a high school diploma, earn college credit, and develop both a vision and a specific plan to create the life they want to live.

 The Elementary Intervention Teacher supports college- and career-readiness for all students by providing targeted individual and group instruction for students performing below grade level and/or not meeting standards. In addition to teaching students, this position leads professional development for classroom teachers and supports the integration of educator effectiveness, learning teams and a standards-based learning system.

How does the District support the academic needs of historically underserved students who are not yet meeting or exceeding state and national standards as well as those who have exceeded state and national standards?

The AVID College Readiness System is currently implemented in every BSD secondary school (middle, option and high schools). AVID is a schoolwide approach to curriculum and rigor, a targeted approach supporting students who identify as first generation, underrepresented on college campuses, qualify as low income or have special circumstances and ongoing professional learning for educators. AVID's mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. For more information, please visit https://www.avid.org/

The Newcomer Program is a self-contained program designed to support students enrolled in Beaverton School District schools in grades 2nd -12th, who are recent arrivers in the US.  The profile of the Newcomer candidate is that of a student in grades 2nd – 12th who has some interrupted formal education and/or trauma. The student is Limited English Proficient, receiving a ELPA Screener score of 1- Emerging and a Relative Proficiency Index of 0. Newcomer programs are housed at three locations (elementary, middle, and high) and are staffed by an English Language Development teacher, one or more instructional assistance.  Support to students and their families is provided by a social worker and a bilingual facilitator.

The Beaverton School District has completed a 3-year review of the secondary resource room model. Guidelines for the delivery of Specially Designed Instruction in the resource room has been developed and will be implemented for the 2019-20 school year. 2019-20 Discretionary & Non-Discretionary Resource Room agreements.docx

Community School is an alternative school option for students in grades 9-12.  Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, Community School implemented a communication and leadership skills development program called Discovery for all students. This program empowers Community School students to further develop as creative, resilient, and future-oriented leaders. Discovery is an intensive six week program that meets every day, all day, for one hexter (six week grading period)  and is a prerequisite for all other classes at Merlo Station. All students must complete this program in order to move into a five class schedule.  We work in small groups to learn about and practice Effective Group Skills, Anger Management Strategies, Communication Skills, Assertiveness Tools, Problem Solving, and Conflict Resolution. We will continue to practice these skills every day.

To pass Discovery, students must demonstrate they are partnering with staff by earning 70% or higher on each weekly test. Other requirements include role play, an autobiography, art project, process points, assignments and notebook checks. After completing Discovery, students will join a Focus community, access high school courses, and plan for their future beyond Merlo.  As a Targeted Improvement School, Community School receives additional state funding to improve the achievement of historically underserved students in mathematics.  These funds are used to provide additional staffing so that students have more access to quality instruction that supports their individual needs as math learners.

“Strong school library program” means a planned effort to ensure the instruction of students, school staff, and the broader learning community in library skills, information literacy, and educational technology; such a program promotes a rich array of literacy experiences supporting life-long reading; facilitates collaboration in lesson planning and instruction; ensures equitable access to library resources and licensed school librarians; and develops and manages current, plentiful, and diverse library collections of print and electronic resources that support classroom curricula and student interests.

What steps have been taken to ensure all students have access to strong library program?

Future Ready Library Plan:

In 2015, the District launched a plan to provide all students and staff in each school with equitable access to a comprehensive library program. As part of our "Future Ready" (technology integration) effort, we developed a new position (Library and Instructional Technology Teacher or LITT) to reintroduce a licensed teacher to fulfill school-based library services at each school. The LITT position allows schools to provide equitable access to a comprehensive library program: provide instruction in information literacy and research proficiencies, promote integration of digital learning resources, advance reading engagement, and create collaborative learning opportunities with teachers.

Due to budget constraints the District library plan has slowed/been inhibited. The District did not fully implement the plan to add the Library and Instructional Technology Teacher (LITT) position to all schools outlined in 2016 to meet the goals set. During the 2018-19 year, each secondary school except one had a full-time LITT. The planned expansion of the position to the elementary level has been inhibited due to budget reductions within the District and the secondary LITT positions may be reduced to half-time in 2019-20. Once funding is stabilized, the vision remains to provide a full-time LITT position in every school.

The District has three District Librarians who select library materials for schools, using input from school library staff. The District Librarians also curate a collection of online library resources, including a robust collection of e-books and digital audiobooks and research databases. Library materials funding is currently site-based and varies from school to school. To improve access to high-quality and diverse library materials for students, Library Services is working toward creating district budgeting guidelines for principals.

The district vision of future ready libraries is available at: http://bit.ly/librariesbsd