TSPR Elgin Independent School District

Chapter 1
DISTRICT ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

This chapter describes the organization and management of the Elgin Independent School District (EISD) in the following areas:

A. Management, Planning and Site-Based Decision Making

B. External and Internal Communication

C. Community and Parental Involvement

A. MANAGEMENT, PLANNING AND SITE-BASED DECISION MAKING
Planning and budgeting are critical to effective management. Planning enables a district to define goals and objectives, establish priorities, select appropriate implementation strategies and determine critical measures of performance in achieving goals and objectives.
The budget process should follow the plan's development and implementation by allocating resources necessary to reaching the performance targets established in the plan. When coordinated properly, the combination of planning and budgeting reduces confusion and conflict regarding how scarce resources are distributed.
School districts with effective planning systems divide the process into a series of key components that provide information used to develop the plan, update it or implement plan priorities. These key components include annual district priorities; campus improvement plans; a regular program evaluation cycle, work plans, ongoing evaluation of the personnel implementing the plan, budget tied to the priorities in the plan and a management information system.
Annual priorities are adopted by the board each year and indicate what the district will do in a given year to achieve the district's goals and objectives. The plan must set priorities and clearly measurable objectives, assign responsibility for implementation at both the district and campus level and define a mechanism by which the accomplishment of the priorities are measured.
The program cycle indicates what will happen in each teaching or support program, and whether new programs or modifications are necessary.
Work plans define the responsibilities for plan implementation and monitoring at all levels. They provide objective-specific tasks and identify which department and position are to be held accountable for completing each task.
The budget is tied to each priority so that adequate resources will be assigned to accomplish each one. Budget information is readily communicated to the public under the established priorities of the district, not the TEA's accounting system.
The personnel evaluation system measures how well district personnel performed in accomplishing objectives. An annual evaluation summary provides information for individual and system improvement.
The management information system reflects how well the total system has performed in satisfying the priorities of the plan.
In Texas, Section 11.252 of the Texas Education Code provides requirements for district-level planning and decision making. Each school district must have a district improvement plan(DIP) that is developed, evaluated and revised annually. The plan must include provisions for the following:

A comprehensive needs assessment addressing student performance on the Academic Excellence Indicators (AEI);
Measurable district performance objectives for all appropriate AEI for all student populations;
Strategies for improvement of student performance;
Resources needed to implement strategies;
Staff responsible for ensuring the accomplishment of each strategy;
Timelines for monitoring implementation; and
Criteria for determining whether the strategies are improving student performance.

The DIP must be developed by a districtwide committee comprised of board members, district staff, principals, teachers and citizens. Campus Improvement Plans (CIPs) are developed on each campus, are used to identify what each school will do in a given year to achieve district and school objectives.
Section 21 of the Texas Education Code describes certain requirements associated with implementing site-based decision making (SBDM) in Texas school districts. The major theme of SBDM is the empowerment of students, parents, teachers, principals and schools. The code describes requirements for annual district and campus improvement plans, composition of district and campus decision-making councils, election of representatives to each council, terms of office, meetings and general responsibilities.
EISD adopted a policy in November 1996 to create district and school-based collaborative decision-making committees in compliance with state law. These policies provide authorization, scope of responsibility, composition of committees, electoral processes for membership selection and approval processes.
In EISD, the districtwide committee is called the District Advisory Committee. The committee consists of representatives of campus-based professional staff, district-level professional staff, parents, representatives from the business community and non-parent community residents. Two-thirds of the district and campus professional staff are teachers. The remaining one-third is professional non-teaching district and campus-level staff.
In EISD, Campus Improvement Plans are developed by the SBDM on each campus. The campus committee consists of representatives of campus-based professional staff, district-level professional staff, parents, and community and business representatives.
FINDING
The challenge to EISD, as one board member stated, is "to stage change properly." More specifically, the EISD board and its superintendent have the responsibility to provide leadership for the Elgin community as it addresses the following issues: a growing student population; the need for new and/or renovated facilities; the need to strengthen the curriculum and program offerings to meet the needs of all students; the challenge to recruit, retain and reward quality teachers and staff members; and the need to involve the EISD staff, parents and residents in the district's decision-making process in ways that will build trust and confidence in the district's leadership.
These issues must be addressed with limited resources. Comments from focus group participants, EISD staff and community members, and information shared through meetings with community groups highlight these issues:

The district needs better communication and closer cooperation/involvement with the community;
The district needs parent participation on school premises;
The district needs to offer more programs and opportunities for the most advanced students, so they can excel;
The district needs both a low tax base and more money for its operations;
The most important need for the district is for an aligned K-12 curriculum;
The need to maintain and upgrade facilities and grounds;
The morale of teachers is very low, especially among experienced teachers;
The community is growing faster than the schools. Facility issues must be addressed;
The middle school will move into the old high school. Is the old high school too small;
Elgin ISD is not attracting the best teachers;
There is a high rate of teacher turnover;
There is a lack of opportunity for minority students;
The school board could be less political;
The business management of the schools needs improvement;
Over-crowded schools are a challenge;
More effective means of communication are needed;
The Chamber of Commerce and the service clubs are pushers improvement; and
The district needs to spend less money on sports and more on technology and science.

In September 1999, using a facilitator from the TASB, the EISD board and superintendent began a more formal approach to addressing these issues when the board approved eight strategic goals for the district. These goals represented the priorities identified by board members, EISD staff and responses to a questionnaire submitted by 5,000 families in the Elgin community.
From this process, the board and superintendent developed a vision statement, set of core values, a mission statement, eight goals and a series of expected student outcomes (Exhibit 1-3).

Exhibit 1-3
EISD Strategic Planning Process Results
September 1999

Plan Element Description

Vision

Our students... Are good neighbors who are actively involved in their community.
Have unlimited opportunities to explore career options, a vision for their future and the means to achieve their dreams.
Receive scholarships and assistance to achieve their dreams.
Have the skills to pursue higher education or become gainfully employed.
Are confident, successful and productive learners who take pride in themselves and their accomplishments and are well prepared to succeed in life.
Are sensitive to the needs of others, take pride in themselves, are kind and show mutual respect.

Our homes, classrooms and campuses... Work together to ensure that our children come to school ready to continue learning.
Provide caring people who meet the needs of each student.
Are safe places where people interact and question in an open and supportive environment of mutual respect.
Are equipped with state-of-the-art technology available to everyone.

Our supportive environment is such that... In the community of Elgin the children are our top priority.
The community and district work together harmoniously as equal partners to provide top quality education.
Outstanding facilities and resources are provided to support maximum student achievement.
Our community and district actively recruit and retain the best qualified people.

Values Elgin is a caring community.
Elgin is a hard-working community.
Greater freedom requires greater responsibility.
Elgin values learning.
Elgin promotes a safe community.
Developing good citizens contributes to a healthy community.

Mission The mission of Elgin ISD, as the coordinator and educational leader, is to work in concert with the community to provide a high-quality education for all children.

Goals Open, accurate and timely communication throughout the district and community.
An assessment system that provides timely and useful information on an ongoing basis.
A challenging and aligned curriculum.
One hundred percent graduation rate.
A supportive community fully involved in our schools.
A quality education that meets the needs of the individual students.
Facilities and resources that meet the needs of our district.
Parents who are informed and actively involved in the education of our children.

Expected student outcomes None of the students will drop out and all of our seniors will graduate.
Six months after graduation, our graduates will be gainfully employed (at greater than minimum wage) or enrolled in a college or trade school.
By eighth grade, students will demonstrate the ability to apply current technology on grade-level projects.
Our graduates are good problem solvers as indicated by applying a problem solving model to develop a personal vision and goals to achieve that vision beginning in the ninth grade, reviewed annually and finalized prior to graduation.
Beginning in the primary school, the students will use problem solving skills to generate solutions to interpersonal situations.
Upon graduation, students will have completed 50 hours of approved community service hours at least half of which will be as a member of a team.

Source: EISD superintendent.
Based on the eight strategic goals adopted by the board and identified in Exhibit 1-3, the district developed specific activities and strategies to respond to each goal and summarized them in the District Improvement Plan that was updated in March 2000. For each board goal, there is a set of specific activities and expected outcomes. A sample of the activities and outcomes is included in Exhibit 1-4.

Exhibit 1-4
EISD District Improvement Plan
March 2000

Goal Sample Activities Sample Outcomes

Improve student achievement as measured by the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) System Each campus will improve Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) performance for all students and each sub-group to achieve recognized status.
Increase participation of appropriate special needs students in TAAS testing.
Each campus will provide after- school individual or small-group tutoring to prepare students for TAAS.
Continue collaboration with Head Start to expand pre-K program.
Improved performance on TAAS. TAAS results, Spring 2000.
Decreased exemptions for special education students.
Improved performance on TAAS. TAAS results, Spring 2000.
Students better prepared for kindergarten program. Enrollment data for pre-K.

Improve achievement of all special needs students Implement strategies for increasing special needs student participation and success in all programs.
Implement Student Needs Team program on each campus.
Increase in academic performance of all special needs students.
Increased use of regular education options prior to Special Education referral; increased teacher collaboration in exploring options.

Reduce district dropout rate The Community Outreach Team will assist in dropout prevention by serving as student advocates at the campuses.
Phoenix Learning Center will continue to retrieve dropouts and allow students the opportunity to earn high school credit.
Implement Absent Student Assistance Program.
Dropout prevention. Outreach reports.
Increase graduation rate and achievement of post-high school goals for Special Education students.
Increased school attendance, leading to decreased dropout rate.

Implement a challenging and aligned curriculum Monitor implementation of curriculum and benchmarks with monitoring system.
Meeting time will be provided for grade level/department meetings or cross-campus planning.
Disseminate Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and test specifications to teachers of all content areas.
Improved student performance on benchmarks.
Curriculum articulation. Schedules of meetings.
Enhanced/focused lesson planning. Improved student performance.

Provide appropriate staff development Each campus SBDM committee will provide appropriate training opportunities for all staff.
Special education department will provide training for regular education and special education staff focusing on modifications, least restrictive environment, transition, related services and the pre-referral process.
Enhanced teacher performance.
Enhanced teacher performance and compliance with federal and state directives.

Increase parent involvement opportunities Schedule one waiver day for parent conferences.
Involve parents on all SBDM committees.
Each campus will use Community Outreach Team for necessary parent contacts.
Parental participation. Roster of parents participating in conferences.
Improved communication. Committee lists.
Improved communications. Outreach reports.

Source: EISD superintendent.
The document also identifies staff responsible for accomplishing each goal or portion of a goal, resource requirements and timelines.
COMMENDATION
EISD embraced a strategic planning process that provides direction and focus in achieving the district's mission of providing a high-quality education for all children.
FINDING
The primary mission of any school district, including EISD, is the education of students.
Since 1996-97, EISD's budget has grown 39 percent, from $13.4 million to $18.6 million in 1999-2000, while student enrollment during this same time period has risen by only 5 percent. The central administrative budget, which includes board travel, training and legal fees, salaries for the superintendent, human resource staff, textbook custodians, public relations, purchasing, financial management, and vehicles and repair costs for equipment used by central administration, has grown from $565,192 in 1996-97 to $684,122 in 1999-2000, an increase of 21 percent.
By contrast, the number of teachers has grown by just 5.5 percent, from 189.8 FTEs in 1996-97 to 200.2 in 1999-2000, directly proportional to student growth rates. The number of educational aides over the same period has declined from 33.9 to 22.4, a decrease of 34 percent. Meanwhile, the number of professional support staff, campus administrators, central administrators and auxiliary staff has grown from 123.6 in 1996-97 to 158.5 in 1999-2000, an increase of more than 28 percent (Exhibit 5-1).

Exhibit 1-5
EISD Staff Full-time Equivalents (FTEs)
1996-97 through 1999-2000

Staff
Category 1996-97
Actual 1997-98
Actual 1998-99
Actual 1999-2000
Budgeted Percent
Change

Teachers 189.8 191.4 197.9 200.2 5.5%

Professional Support 20.1 21.2 27.0 29.3 45.8%

Campus Administration 8.2 9.2 9.2 8.5 3.7%

Central Administration 3.8 5.7 4.0 5.9 55.3%

Educational Aides 33.9 39.6 41.7 22.4 -33.9%

Auxiliary staff 91.5 92.3 86.9 114.8 25.5%

Total staff 347.2 359.4 367.2 381.1 9.8%

Total students 2,559 2,606 2,638 2,688 (1) 5.0%

Source: AEIS 1996-97; PEIMS 1999-2000.
(1) End of first semester
Recommendation 1:
Reduce the number of non-teaching staff in EISD.
At a minimum, EISD should set a goal of reducing the number of auxiliary, administrative and non-instructional support staff by 5 percent. When instituting these reductions in force, the district should examine each position to determine the value being added to classroom instruction by the retention of that position.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINES

1. The superintendent notifies each department and division to prepare a plan for a reduction in force by a minimum of 5 percent. September 2000

2. Human Resources staff assists departments and divisions in preparing their plans to comply with all contract provisions and assist in an orderly transition, and institutes a process to assess the need to fill any new vacancies. October 2000

3. The superintendent compiles the plans and presents a new staffing plan to the board for final approval. November 2000

4. Staffing reductions are implemented in each department and division based upon the approved plan. December 2000

FISCAL IMPACT
Assuming that 5 percent of the auxiliary, administrative and non-instructional support staff are eliminated, total staffing would be reduced by 8 positions. Annual base salaries can range from $15,000 to $60,000, without benefits. Benefit rates also vary according to employment category from approximately 10 to 15 percent of total salary. Conservatively assuming an average salary for each position eliminated of $25,000 plus 12 percent benefits, annual savings of $224,000 ($25,000 x 9 positions x 12 percent benefits) are estimated. It is assumed that only one-half of those positions can be eliminated through attrition in the first year.

Recommendation 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05

Reduce the number of non-teaching staff in EISD. $112,000 $224,000 $224,000 $224,000 $224,000

FINDING
There is no link between the DIP and the district's budget. The board has not approved the DIP. Resources allocated for each activity are described in broad terms such as staff time, campus budget, shirts, building space and conference time. No specific dollar amounts are included.
Campus improvement plans also do not reflect specific resource requirements necessary to achieve goals. Again, only general terms are used, such as instructional funds, district funds, staff time, materials and campus budget. The lone exception was the campus plan of the primary school where specific costs and sources of funds were identified.
School districts, such as Spring ISD and Houston ISD, link the DIP to the budget in a format that is easier for residents to understand. Exhibit 1-6 shows the format Spring ISD uses for displaying district priorities and the budget allocated to each one.

Exhibit 1-6
Spring ISD General and Special Revenue Funds Budget by Priorities

Goal Budget Percent

1. Enhance the quality of teachers and support staff

Recruiting $482,913 0.47%

Salary and Benefits $59,026,039 57.58%

Teacher Incentives and Recognition $2,352,032 2.29%

Teacher Development and Improvement $1,578,837 1.54%

Total $63,439,821 61.89%

2. Strengthen student achievement and educational programs $12,502,709 12.20%

3. Increase the quality and quantity of parent involvement $1,086,683 1.06%

4. Provide strong fiscal management, protect the District's investment in facilities and equipment and meet instructional space needs $12,221,996 11.92%

5. Reduce the number of students at risk for dropping out of school $1,417,880 1.38%

6. Provide for safety of students and staff in the schools $969,734 0.95%

7. Increase the effectiveness of student discipline $2,104,071 2.05%

8. Eliminate substance abuse $800,104 0.78%

9. Improve the transition of students from elementary to middle school, from middle school to high school, and from high school to college and work $1,149,095 1.12%

10. Expand computer support applications for teachers and instructional services for students $1,517,800 1.48%

11. Expand school-business partnerships $31,000 0.03%

Total Five-Year Education Plan Priorities $97,240,893 94.86%

Other General Support [Transportation, tax office, school activity] $5,269,386 5.14%

Total General and Special Revenue Funds Budget $102,510,279 100.00%

Source: SISD Five-Year Education Plan Budget Priorities.
Recommendation 2:
Tie the allocation of resources to the District and Campus Improvement Plans.
Part of the performance evaluation of principals and teachers should be matching their resources to identified priorities of the district and the success each campus has using those resources to achieve the goals. The SBDM committees should be involved in determining how the resources are used to achieve district and campus priorities, however, a degree of flexibility must be left to the principal to meet unforeseen occurrences, such as the opportunity to get an outside speaker for teacher staff development).
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE

1. The executive director for Business and Financial Services and the executive director for Academic Services develop a process by which funds are allocated to the District Improvement Plan. September-October 2000

2. The executive directors review the process with the superintendent and develop a process by which each school can apply the same approach to its CIP. October-December 2000

3. The executive directors meet with each principal to discuss the approach and receive comments and modifications, and finalize the process and present it to the superintendent for approval. January-February 2001

4. The superintendent approves the process and recommends it for approval to the board. February 2001

5. The board approves the process and directs the superintendent to implement it. February 2001

6. The superintendent directs the executive directors to initiate the process. February 2001 and ongoing

FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation can be implemented with existing resources.
FINDING
EISD lacks a specific SBDM policy and guidelines that delegate decision-making responsibilities among the schools, administrators, teachers and school board. The current policy is broad and vague (Exhibit 1-7). No operating guidelines have been written or shared with EISD staff and district and campus committee members to define responsibilities.

Exhibit 1-7
EISD Site-Based Decision-Making Policy

Section Description

District mission, goals, objectives and campus objectives The board shall approve and periodically review the district's mission and goals to improve student performance. The mission, goals and approved district and campus objectives shall be mutually supportive and shall support the state goals and objectives under Education Code, Chapter 4.

District improvement process The district's planning process to improve student performance includes the development of the district's educational goals, the legal requirements for the district and campus improvement plans, all pertinent federal planning requirements and administrative procedures. The board shall approve the process under which the educational goals are developed and shall ensure that input is gathered from the district-level committee.

Administrative procedures and reports The board shall ensure that administrative procedures meet legal requirements in planning, budgeting, curriculum, staffing patterns, staff development and school organization; adequately reflect the district's planning process; and include implementation guidelines, time frames and necessary resources. The superintendent shall report periodically to the board on the status of the planning process including a review of the related administrative procedures, any revisions to improve the process and progress on implementation of identified strategies.

Evaluation The board shall ensure that data is gathered and criteria are developed to undertake the required biennial evaluation to ensure that policies, procedures and staff activities related to planning and decision making are effectively structured to positively affect student performance.

Source: EISD Board Policy Manual.
Since the adoption of the SBDM policy in 1996, three superintendents have served on either a permanent or interim basis. Lacking a continuity in leadership, no district advisory committee (DAC) meetings were held during the six months prior to the current superintendent assuming his responsibilities.
The superintendent met with the 28-member district advisory committee in Spring 1999. During 1999-2000, the DAC met three times. The superintendent said the DAC is too large, and plans to reduce the size within the framework of TEA Code requirements. Instead, the superintendent has chosen to meet with groups or committees for specific purposes, such as:

Hiring committees for executive director, principal and assistant principal positions, as necessary;
Representatives of teacher groups monthly;
Middle and high school students monthly;
Paraprofessional salary study committee, as necessary, on recommendations for the budget;
Professional salary study committee, as necessary, on recommendations for the budget; and
Insurance committee, as necessary, to discuss changes in vendors and other coverage provisions.

When the DAC was asked to provide input, teachers and parents serving on the district advisory committee said they were frustrated with the board's lack of response or feedback. For example, in Spring 1999, the committee was asked to develop a proposed calendar for the 1999-2000 school year. With input from campus committees, the district committee developed and recommended a proposed calendar to the board. The board developed its own calendar, never acknowledged the work of the committee and never provided an explanation to the committees for its action on the calendar. Committee members understood the board's authority as the final decision maker; however, they are unwilling to accept no response or an absence of explanations when the committees have been acting in good faith and according to board policy.
In 1999-2000, no DAC meetings were held until April 2000, prior to an evaluation visit by the TEA of the Bastrop County Special Education Cooperative, of which EISD is a member. One principal called the function of the DAC during 1999-2000 as "bare bones." The DAC served only at the superintendent's request and met only to fulfill minimum requirements, such as approving a student code of conduct and revising the district improvement plan.
Principals chair the committees on each campus and guide and facilitate discussions. Only at the high school was the site-based committee viewed as effective by the principal and committee members. The key issue was scheduling. The DAC adopted a block schedule over the objection of the superintendent, implemented it for 1999-2000, and at the end of the year recommended a return to an accelerated block schedule.
At the other campuses, principals viewed the committees as either moderately effective or not effective at all. At the primary school, the committee recommended that when the new high school is occupied and the other schools shift facilities, the primary school remain for pre-Kindergarten through third grade. However, since the school is overcrowded with that many grades, the recommendation was not taken, and third grade will be shifted to the elementary school. This leaves the primary campus with no TAAS grade level for accountability.
At the elementary school, the committee was viewed as unsuccessful for several reasons. First, the committee met at 4:00 p.m., which meant there was a consistent lack of parent participation. Second, there was no leadership from the principal, and committee members indicated that nothing was accomplished. Third, teachers became disillusioned because they realized that the committee's role was only advisory.
At the middle school, the committee was viewed by the principal and other staff members as comprised of people who had an interest in one particular program and not in overall student achievement in the school. Little was accomplished, and some members of the committee indicated that dissension was so bad that members of the committee were actually verbally abused by other committee members and faculty for not supporting specific initiatives.
Some principals suggested that the committees should not be chaired by the principal. They felt that this interfered with open dialogue and, possibly intimidated some faculty members from fully expressing their viewpoints.
Teachers and parents suggested that minutes be taken and distributed following the meetings (either by putting copies in individual staff member boxes at the school or by mail to non-school committee members). They recommended that the minutes be distributed not only to committee members but to all staff members, and that decisions made by the committee be tracked with respect to implementation. They also suggested that a more formal communication process be developed and used by district- and campus-level committees.
Members of both the DAC and the campus committees said the decision-making process and committee roles and responsibilities need to be clarified for the committees to be useful. They also said that central staff worked with the committees in an authoritarian manner, reflecting a top-down management style that provided limited opportunity for input and legitimate involvement in matters that directly affect them.
Specific comments from committee members included:

The present, harsh dictates from the top school administration have caused the loss of many great teachers;
The superintendent has made many improvements since he has been on board; however, he is somewhat heavy-handed at time;
Lack of communication within the district;
The school board does not take seriously the recommendations of the site-based committees;
Teachers feel frustrated by a lack of input into policies; and
People want more staff and community input.

Shared responsibility and mutual respect are critical components to a healthy, productive and efficient organization. The district and campus committees provide such an option. These committees can have a powerful impact on school district climate and teacher and staff morale.
Some districts have addressed the problem of clarification of roles and responsibilities by creating a model that assigns responsibility at each level for providing input, offering recommendations, making decisions and giving approval. Exhibit 1-8 provides an example of the Spring Branch ISD SBDM model.

Exhibit 1-8
Partial Site-Based Decision-Making Model
Spring Branch Independent School District

Function School
Principal Central
Office Superintendent School
Board Campus
Advisory Teams

Goal setting: Develop campus improvement plan. D R R A I

Personnel: Make final recommendation for the selection of new personnel and assignment of new and current campus staff D R

Budget: Determine use of campus allocations for special populations programs. D I A I

Source: Spring Branch Independent School District Model for Increasing School Effectiveness
Through More Campus-based Decision-making.
I=Input: share/provide information/advise
D=Decide: make a choice/judgment
R=Recommend: to present as worthy of acceptance
A=Approve: give formal/official sanction
EISD needs to update its district-level and SBDM policy and guidelines that delegate decision-making responsibilities between and among the schools, administrators, teachers and the school board.
Recommendation 3:
Create a district-level, site-based decision-making model assigning specific responsibilities for decision making to the district advisory committee, the school staff, campus committees, administrators and the board.
Campus committees should evaluate rotating the chair of the committee among teacher and parent representatives and using the principal as a de facto member of the committee and a resource for information.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE

1. The superintendent meets with the senior staff to review EISD's philosophy, procedures and directives regarding SBDM; to review the current status of the SBDM process in the district; to identify occasions when breakdowns have occurred in the process; and to develop a proposed SBDM model for board consideration. September 2000

2. The board considers and approves a plan that clearly assigns specific responsibilities for decision making among schools, administrators and the board. October 2000

3. The superintendent distributes the model to the schools and the community and initiates the process. November 2000

4. The SBDM committee evaluates the model and confirms or modifies it annually thereafter. May 2001

FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation can be implemented with existing resources.

Goal	Sample Activities	Sample Outcomes
Improve student achievement as measured by the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) System	Each campus will improve Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) performance for all students and each sub-group to achieve recognized status. Increase participation of appropriate special needs students in TAAS testing. Each campus will provide after- school individual or small-group tutoring to prepare students for TAAS. Continue collaboration with Head Start to expand pre-K program.	Improved performance on TAAS. TAAS results, Spring 2000. Decreased exemptions for special education students. Improved performance on TAAS. TAAS results, Spring 2000. Students better prepared for kindergarten program. Enrollment data for pre-K.
Improve achievement of all special needs students	Implement strategies for increasing special needs student participation and success in all programs. Implement Student Needs Team program on each campus.	Increase in academic performance of all special needs students. Increased use of regular education options prior to Special Education referral; increased teacher collaboration in exploring options.
Reduce district dropout rate	The Community Outreach Team will assist in dropout prevention by serving as student advocates at the campuses. Phoenix Learning Center will continue to retrieve dropouts and allow students the opportunity to earn high school credit. Implement Absent Student Assistance Program.	Dropout prevention. Outreach reports. Increase graduation rate and achievement of post-high school goals for Special Education students. Increased school attendance, leading to decreased dropout rate.
Implement a challenging and aligned curriculum	Monitor implementation of curriculum and benchmarks with monitoring system. Meeting time will be provided for grade level/department meetings or cross-campus planning. Disseminate Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and test specifications to teachers of all content areas.	Improved student performance on benchmarks. Curriculum articulation. Schedules of meetings. Enhanced/focused lesson planning. Improved student performance.
Provide appropriate staff development	Each campus SBDM committee will provide appropriate training opportunities for all staff. Special education department will provide training for regular education and special education staff focusing on modifications, least restrictive environment, transition, related services and the pre-referral process.	Enhanced teacher performance. Enhanced teacher performance and compliance with federal and state directives.
Increase parent involvement opportunities	Schedule one waiver day for parent conferences. Involve parents on all SBDM committees. Each campus will use Community Outreach Team for necessary parent contacts.	Parental participation. Roster of parents participating in conferences. Improved communication. Committee lists. Improved communications. Outreach reports.

Plan Element	Description
Vision
Our students...	Are good neighbors who are actively involved in their community. Have unlimited opportunities to explore career options, a vision for their future and the means to achieve their dreams. Receive scholarships and assistance to achieve their dreams. Have the skills to pursue higher education or become gainfully employed. Are confident, successful and productive learners who take pride in themselves and their accomplishments and are well prepared to succeed in life. Are sensitive to the needs of others, take pride in themselves, are kind and show mutual respect.
Our homes, classrooms and campuses...	Work together to ensure that our children come to school ready to continue learning. Provide caring people who meet the needs of each student. Are safe places where people interact and question in an open and supportive environment of mutual respect. Are equipped with state-of-the-art technology available to everyone.
Our supportive environment is such that...	In the community of Elgin the children are our top priority. The community and district work together harmoniously as equal partners to provide top quality education. Outstanding facilities and resources are provided to support maximum student achievement. Our community and district actively recruit and retain the best qualified people.

Values	Elgin is a caring community. Elgin is a hard-working community. Greater freedom requires greater responsibility. Elgin values learning. Elgin promotes a safe community. Developing good citizens contributes to a healthy community.

Mission	The mission of Elgin ISD, as the coordinator and educational leader, is to work in concert with the community to provide a high-quality education for all children.

Goals	Open, accurate and timely communication throughout the district and community. An assessment system that provides timely and useful information on an ongoing basis. A challenging and aligned curriculum. One hundred percent graduation rate. A supportive community fully involved in our schools. A quality education that meets the needs of the individual students. Facilities and resources that meet the needs of our district. Parents who are informed and actively involved in the education of our children.

Expected student outcomes	None of the students will drop out and all of our seniors will graduate. Six months after graduation, our graduates will be gainfully employed (at greater than minimum wage) or enrolled in a college or trade school. By eighth grade, students will demonstrate the ability to apply current technology on grade-level projects. Our graduates are good problem solvers as indicated by applying a problem solving model to develop a personal vision and goals to achieve that vision beginning in the ninth grade, reviewed annually and finalized prior to graduation. Beginning in the primary school, the students will use problem solving skills to generate solutions to interpersonal situations. Upon graduation, students will have completed 50 hours of approved community service hours at least half of which will be as a member of a team.

Staff Category	1996-97 Actual	1997-98 Actual	1998-99 Actual	1999-2000 Budgeted	Percent Change
Teachers	189.8	191.4	197.9	200.2	5.5%
Professional Support	20.1	21.2	27.0	29.3	45.8%
Campus Administration	8.2	9.2	9.2	8.5	3.7%
Central Administration	3.8	5.7	4.0	5.9	55.3%
Educational Aides	33.9	39.6	41.7	22.4	-33.9%
Auxiliary staff	91.5	92.3	86.9	114.8	25.5%
Total staff	347.2	359.4	367.2	381.1	9.8%
Total students	2,559	2,606	2,638	2,688 (1)	5.0%

1.	The superintendent notifies each department and division to prepare a plan for a reduction in force by a minimum of 5 percent.	September 2000
2.	Human Resources staff assists departments and divisions in preparing their plans to comply with all contract provisions and assist in an orderly transition, and institutes a process to assess the need to fill any new vacancies.	October 2000
3.	The superintendent compiles the plans and presents a new staffing plan to the board for final approval.	November 2000
4.	Staffing reductions are implemented in each department and division based upon the approved plan.	December 2000

Goal		Budget	Percent
1.	Enhance the quality of teachers and support staff
	Recruiting	$482,913	0.47%
	Salary and Benefits	$59,026,039	57.58%
	Teacher Incentives and Recognition	$2,352,032	2.29%
	Teacher Development and Improvement	$1,578,837	1.54%
	Total	$63,439,821	61.89%
2.	Strengthen student achievement and educational programs	$12,502,709	12.20%
3.	Increase the quality and quantity of parent involvement	$1,086,683	1.06%
4.	Provide strong fiscal management, protect the District's investment in facilities and equipment and meet instructional space needs	$12,221,996	11.92%
5.	Reduce the number of students at risk for dropping out of school	$1,417,880	1.38%
6.	Provide for safety of students and staff in the schools	$969,734	0.95%
7.	Increase the effectiveness of student discipline	$2,104,071	2.05%
8.	Eliminate substance abuse	$800,104	0.78%
9.	Improve the transition of students from elementary to middle school, from middle school to high school, and from high school to college and work	$1,149,095	1.12%
10.	Expand computer support applications for teachers and instructional services for students	$1,517,800	1.48%
11.	Expand school-business partnerships	$31,000	0.03%
	Total Five-Year Education Plan Priorities	$97,240,893	94.86%
	Other General Support [Transportation, tax office, school activity]	$5,269,386	5.14%
	Total General and Special Revenue Funds Budget	$102,510,279	100.00%

1.	The executive director for Business and Financial Services and the executive director for Academic Services develop a process by which funds are allocated to the District Improvement Plan.	September-October 2000
2.	The executive directors review the process with the superintendent and develop a process by which each school can apply the same approach to its CIP.	October-December 2000
3.	The executive directors meet with each principal to discuss the approach and receive comments and modifications, and finalize the process and present it to the superintendent for approval.	January-February 2001
4.	The superintendent approves the process and recommends it for approval to the board.	February 2001
5.	The board approves the process and directs the superintendent to implement it.	February 2001
6.	The superintendent directs the executive directors to initiate the process.	February 2001 and ongoing

Section	Description
District mission, goals, objectives and campus objectives	The board shall approve and periodically review the district's mission and goals to improve student performance. The mission, goals and approved district and campus objectives shall be mutually supportive and shall support the state goals and objectives under Education Code, Chapter 4.
District improvement process	The district's planning process to improve student performance includes the development of the district's educational goals, the legal requirements for the district and campus improvement plans, all pertinent federal planning requirements and administrative procedures. The board shall approve the process under which the educational goals are developed and shall ensure that input is gathered from the district-level committee.
Administrative procedures and reports	The board shall ensure that administrative procedures meet legal requirements in planning, budgeting, curriculum, staffing patterns, staff development and school organization; adequately reflect the district's planning process; and include implementation guidelines, time frames and necessary resources. The superintendent shall report periodically to the board on the status of the planning process including a review of the related administrative procedures, any revisions to improve the process and progress on implementation of identified strategies.
Evaluation	The board shall ensure that data is gathered and criteria are developed to undertake the required biennial evaluation to ensure that policies, procedures and staff activities related to planning and decision making are effectively structured to positively affect student performance.

Function	School Principal	Central Office	Superintendent	School Board	Campus Advisory Teams
Goal setting: Develop campus improvement plan.	D	R	R	A	I
Personnel: Make final recommendation for the selection of new personnel and assignment of new and current campus staff	D	R
Budget: Determine use of campus allocations for special populations programs.	D	I	A		I

1.	The superintendent meets with the senior staff to review EISD's philosophy, procedures and directives regarding SBDM; to review the current status of the SBDM process in the district; to identify occasions when breakdowns have occurred in the process; and to develop a proposed SBDM model for board consideration.	September 2000
2.	The board considers and approves a plan that clearly assigns specific responsibilities for decision making among schools, administrators and the board.	October 2000
3.	The superintendent distributes the model to the schools and the community and initiates the process.	November 2000
4.	The SBDM committee evaluates the model and confirms or modifies it annually thereafter.	May 2001