Describe the demographics of your educational setting and the existing situation in your setting in terms of the achievement gap.
o Assessment of Circumstances: Identify and define a problem related to an achievement gap. How was the problem determined? Who was involved in this process? Explain what data you gathered to determine this need and display this data in a chart or table.
o Purpose and Rationale: Explain the intervention strategy that you propose to use in the action plan and why you expect the change you are proposing to bring needed improvement. Cite scholarly resources that support your intervention strategy and also include them in a references section at the end of your paper.
o Vision: Develop a vision of learning for the action plan that includes a discussion about how you will incorporate collaboration in the vision development process; ensure the vision is characterized by respect for all stakeholders including families and community entities; articulate the vision that you established for a school for this action plan to the stakeholders and identify the stakeholders (staff, parents, students, and community members). Through what venues will the vision be articulated (symbols, ceremonies, stories, and other activities)? Describe what is involved in the implementation of the plan to support the plan’s vision. The should clearly articulate what action will be taken, how the action should be taken, when it should be taken, who is responsible for the action, and where this action should take place. The implementation process should provide a timeline and deadlines for identified benchmarks. It should also detail a comprehensive plan for communicating the vision to school stakeholders. Create a table to present this information described in the narrative. Describe how you will steward a vision for the action plan designed to decrease or eliminate the achievement gap. Tell what methods should be utilized with stakeholders, including the use of effective communication skills and data-based research strategies to monitor, evaluate, and revise the vision at periodic times. (ELCC 1.1).
o Goals: Develop an action plan that includes measurable goals and objectives in terms of expected results. Create measurable strategic and tactical goals and objectives for the action plan. Explain how pertinent stakeholders will work collaboratively to develop implementation plans to achieve those goals. Discuss how you will ensure the goals in the school improvement plan align to the district improvement plans. (ELCC 1.2).
o Self-Assessment: Consider your own specific role in the action plan being developed. How will you take a leadership role in this initiative? What steps will you need to take?
2. Action Plan Literature Review: Identify evidence-centered strategies and practices in the literature that can be used as solutions for both addressing the problem or issue and building organizational capacity that promote continuous and sustainable school improvement. Include specific strategies that can be used for fostering positive change throughout process (ELCC 1.3).
Organize it into sections that present themes or identify trends, including relevant human development and proven learning and motivational theories applicable to the identified problem. In addition, explain why the chosen intervention strategy was selected and support this selection with relevant information gleaned from the review of the literature. Include the decision-making process that should be used when implementing the chosen intervention by discussing who would be involved in the process and why, what would be considered, what decisions were made, and how you will assist school personnel in understanding the identified best practices for student learning.
Compare and critically evaluate the literature. Discuss findings and conclusions, and relate the findings to your specific problem and proposed intervention strategy.
3. Action Plan Steps Part 1:
o Describe the strategies that you will use to provide effective organizational development and management of resources (fiscal, human, and material) giving priority to student achievement and learning, safety, curriculum, and instruction.
o Describe how you will include the staff in the process including setting priorities using appropriate needs assessments, research based data, and group process skills to build consensus, communicate, and resolve conflicts in order to align resources to the vision for the action plan.
o Describe how you will manage in an effective, legal, and equitable manner the allocation and use of fiscal, human, and material resources and seeking new resources to support the action plan. Pertinent points that should be addressed relate to the following skills: problem-solving, strategic planning, technology application, and operational planning.
4. Action Plan Steps Part 2:
o Describe what strategies will be used to assess the impact of the action plan on the school’s culture and foster a positive school culture that centers on the diversity of the community.
o Discuss what activities you will facilitate to apply principles of effective instruction to improve instructional practices and curricular materials by monitoring instructional practices; making recommendations regarding the design, implementation, and evaluation of the curriculum; planning and using technology to enrich the curriculum and instruction; and providing staff the assistance needed for improvement.
o Discuss how you will monitor the components of the school improvement plan to ensure actualization of the identified goals. Discuss the evaluation process that will be utilized to assess the effectiveness of school improvement plan including the data that will be analyzed. Describe how progress toward achievement of school vision and goals will be shared with pertinent stakeholders, including the community. (ELCC 1.4).
Complete your Action Plan for Decreasing the Achievement Gap and submit it in the assignment area. Refer to the Action Plan for Decreasing the Achievement Gap Scoring Guide to understand how you will be graded on this assignment.