Title: CLS5-District Accreditation (SACS CASI)

Recommendation:
I recommend that the School Board approve the Council on Accreditation and School Improvement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS CASI) District Accreditation for a five-year period effective November 22, 2006  through June 30, 2011 and authorize the Superintendent or designee to sign all documents related to District Accreditation.

Description:

The Council on Accreditation and School Improvement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS CASI) initiated a District Accreditation protocol. The SACS CASI District Accreditation protocol is to:

• support the work of school districts committed to developing and implementing system-wide plans for improving student learning and aligning the district's plans with school plans,
• provide a research-based and data-driven framework for improving student learning and strengthening the effectiveness of
  schools and school districts, and
• support the work of school districts in providing the leadership and support required to engage in a system-wide process of continuous improvement.

District Accreditation is a voluntary process and has three major components:

• Meet standards: comply with and adhere to the ten Accreditation Standards for Quality Systems.  Each school is also expected to meet accreditation standards designed for schools.
• Engage in Continuous Improvement: communicate and implement a planning framework for district improvement that addresses four elements - Vision, Profile, Plan and Results, and 
• Demonstrate Quality Assurance: demonstrated through peer review and documentation of the results of the district's improvement efforts.

District Accreditation will allow each public school in Palm Beach County to receive accreditation.  The SACS District Accreditation is based on effective schools research and provides recognition for the district and its schools, students, teachers and community.

District Accreditation supports and enhances a common language of school improvement across the content areas and grade levels and will be a step in the revised Academic Business Plan.  This process will shift the responsibility for accreditation practices from the school level to the district level.

The District will complete a Guided Self-Study document that includes:

• an overview of preparation and organization to conduct a Self-Study. The Guided Self-Study is an opportunity for the stakeholders of a school district to interact and reflect on the district's current capacities and future pursuits.
• a narrative analysis of accreditation standards. The Self-Study should provide evidence verifying the district's compliance with the SACS Standards for Accreditation for Quality Systems. 
• a summary description of the school system and the improvement planning process. An effective continuous process of improvement, based on research and best practice, includes four major elements: Vision, Profile, Plan and Results.
• a summary of the district's Quality Assurance methods. The Self-Study will describe the methods currently in place to provide for quality assurance. This will include the district's professional evaluation systems, the formal analysis of student performance data, and the monitoring of the planning and implementation for the improvement process.

District Accreditation would require one review visit every five years. A SACS-trained team of approximately fifteen to twenty members would visit the district and randomly selected schools at each level.  Review visit expenses include hotel, travel and meals.

The benefits of District Accreditation include: focusing on the district as a whole, focusing on a systemic approach on the K-12 internal systems, reinforcing alignment, collaboration and consistency throughout the district, eliminating duplication efforts at the school level, and providing recommendations and commendations for the whole district including the schools.  In addition, the new SACS CASI standards do not contain human resource requirements. Personnel allocations are now set by the district.

The District currently expends $64,000 per year for the 93 schools which are already accredited.  The cost per year for all 165 schools to be individually accredited would be $161,400 per year, for a total cost of $807,000 over five  years.  In comparison, the cost of District Accreditation will be $132,000 for FY 2007, $137,600 for FY 2008, and $97,600 per year for FY 2009 through FY 2011, for a total cost of $562,400 for five years.  Accreditation of all schools as a District vs. individually would save the District $244,600 over five years.  While the cost for District Accreditation is more than the District currently expends, District Accreditation costs less than individual accreditation of all schools.

Financial Impact:
The financial impact to the operating budget is $68,000 for FY 2007, $73,600 for FY 2008 and $33,600 per year for FY 2009 - FY 2012.  The source of funds is the School Improvement department budget. 

For Additional Information, contact:

Ann Killets (akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us)

Marc Baron (baron@palmbeach.k12.fl.us)

Denise Doyle (doyle@palmbeach.k12.fl.us)

Attachments (list):
Accreditation and School Improvement.pdf
Benefits of Accreditation.pdf
District Data Panel.pdf
Accreditation Standards for Quality Systems.pdf
Q&ACLS5.doc