BELLINGHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT 501

2004P

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR STUDENT LEARNING

A.   Strategic Planning

1. The Site Council in each building will develop a long-range (3 - 5 year) strategic plan, including measurable student performance goals and learning environment goals (e.g. safety, diversity, social skills, parent involvement, facilities, etc.).
2. The building will use input from the school community, student performance assessment data and school climate measures to identify school needs and set appropriate school goals.
3. The strategic plan will be reviewed by the District administration and presented to the Board for initial approval.
4. Progress toward identified goals will be measured and reported to the parents and the community on at least an annual basis. Progress reports and adjustments to the plan are submitted to and approved by the school supervisor annually. School progress is reported to the Board at a school visit on a three-year cycle.

B.   Reading and Math Accountability

Annually, each school and the District will establish reading and mathematics goals that demonstrate student improvement in performance, as measured by state- or district- required assessments. Each high school and the District will also establish an annual graduation rate goal.

1. The baseline of achievement for the District and schools on the reading and mathematics assessments is the 2003 student performance on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). The 2004 District and school graduation rate goals shall not be less than seventy-three percent (73%) or the District and high school 2003 on-time graduation rate. The District and high school graduation rate goal(s) for the classes of 2005 through 2013 shall be at a minimum the 2002 statewide on-time graduation rate or the District's and high school's prior year target level plus one percentage point
2. The school and District must improve reading and mathematics performance for students in each of the following categories:

   •  All students;

   •  Students of each major racial and ethnic group;

   •  Economically disadvantaged students;

   •  Students with disabilities; and

   •  Students with limited English proficiency.

3. The school and District will demonstrate satisfactory progress toward the academic performance goals by meeting the target or by showing improvements using the alternative "Safe Harbor" calculation. "Safe Harbor" is a ten percent (10%) reduction in the prior year's percentage of students not meeting standard.
4. The District and each school will set an annual performance goal in reading and math for students in each sub-group no later than September 30 of each year. Each high school and the District will set an annual on-time graduation rate goal in the same manner. At a Board meeting in October a report on improvement goals for the prior year, student performance in meeting goals, and goals/strategies for the new year from buildings and the District will be presented.
5. Schools that do not make satisfactory progress on improving student performance during a multi-year period of time will be required to identify specific improvement steps proposed and necessary District and state support needed to accomplish improvement.
6. Title I schools that do not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) will be subject to corrective actions based on state and federal laws or regulations.
7. The District will provide an annual news release on progress toward meeting District and building goals. Each school will also provide an annual written report. Parents will be regularly informed of individual student progress.

Approved:

Dale E. Kinsley                                                                        December 18, 2003

Superintendent of Schools

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