TSPR Audit Protocols - Educational Service Delivery

Above all else, school districts must provide high quality educational services. Having adequate processes in place to identify student educational needs, providing for those needs, and measuring performance as a result of these programs represents the most vital mission for every school district. Educational service delivery includes the provision of programs for students with special needs as well as careful adherence to other state and federal mandates concerning curriculum. The Texas School Performance Review measures the effectiveness of educational service delivery through cost benefit analysis, comparing the resources placed into a program with the benefits to students.

I. The Instructional Delivery System

The instructional delivery system begins with the board and moves through the central office and campus staffing, not only including teachers but also support personnel such as counselors, librarians, nurses and technology specialists. Curriculum management systems include the instruction curriculum as well as curriculum guides and supporting lesson plans.
Data Needs

Academic Excellence Indicator System data by campus

Organizational charts for district central office curriculum and instructional staff
Full-time equivalent staffing by position for each campus
Copies of curriculum guides (made available for review)
Lists of all course offerings with indicators for those with updated curriculum guides
Board policies and procedures relating to instructional programs (made available for review)
Graphic description of feeder patterns and attendance zones
Campus staffing allocation and budgeting guidelines
Job descriptions for central office and campus-based staff including substitutes
Curriculum five-year review schedule
Copies of internal procedure or guides that address the administration, monitoring or evaluation of specific programs
District budget for instruction by program and by campus, both in total dollars and expressed per pupil
List of teachers and their certification

Possible People to Interview
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction or other central office leaders
Teachers and Campus-based support staff
Campus administrators and principals
Directors or coordinators responsible for curriculum management
I.A. Curriculum and Instruction
Activities to Perform

I.A.1 Examine curriculum guides (all or a sample) to determine when they were last updated, whether the curriculum is aligned with TEKS and TAAS, and whether curriculum scope and sequence is clear and appropriate.

I.A.2 Prepare a diagram or process flow chart showing the operational steps in the curriculum creation or update process.

Questions to Ask
Does the district have curriculum guides for all courses at all grade levels?
Is the curriculum aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge (TEKS) and Skills and the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS)?
Is curriculum aligned to adequately define the scope and sequence of courses to be taught so that all students are fully prepared to enter the next grade level?
Are resources from the state or regional education service centers used to develop district instructional guides?
Is the curriculum regularly evaluated and updated by staff members who use the guides and by administrators responsible for curriculum management?
Does the district have a procedure to ensure that guides are used in the instructional program? Is periodic monitoring accomplished through reviews of lesson plans, regular meeting with grade level teams, observation, etc.?
Has the district provided for a master schedule for updating all curriculum guides? Is the revision schedule appropriate and aligned to revisions of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)? Who is responsible for updating the schedule?
Are lesson plans regularly reviewed by team leaders, curriculum specialists, and/or building administrators? Are regular meetings held with grade level teams to discuss instructional program status?
Do building level administrators regularly observe teachers to monitor teaching of the approved curriculum? Are teachers given feedback regarding instructional progress? How is observation and monitoring of classroom instruction and student performance used to modify the curriculum or improve teaching techniques?
Does the district have procedures for creation or modification of curriculum? Is an advisory committee used to assist in this process?
Is the curriculum reviewed/revised as part of the annual planning and budgeting process? How are resource personnel such as the instructional staff used to provide input in their area of expertise?
I.B. Organization
Activities to Perform

I.B.1 Examine the organization of the district as it pertains to curriculum and instruction. Does the organizational structure offer adequate support to the campuses? Are the roles and responsibilities of administrative staff properly aligned? Is the span of control and reporting relationships of administrative support staff appropriate, effective, and efficient?

I.B.2 Prepare a chart showing the overall per-pupil funding and staffing levels of each campus according to position. How is staff allocated to the campuses? Principals? Assistant Principals? Counselors? Teachers? Librarians? Teacher Aids? Nurses? Are these staffing patterns in line with industry standards or state and national guidelines? Is the staffing equitable from campus to campus? Are inequities explained by the special needs of the student population at those campuses with higher allocations of resources?

I.B.3 Prepare a diagram of the feeder patterns and attendance zones for the district and note any changes that have taken place within the last 5-10 years.

I.B.4 Obtain a copy of secondary class schedules by campus, room number, time and teacher. Identify teacher planning periods and lunch coverages. Does the district schedule instructional staff to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness? Are teacher's schedules/assignments reviewed by principals and central administration to ensure maximum use of instructional personnel? Are staff with special assignments such as coaching or specialized classes assigned a full-time equivalent teaching load to the extent possible?

Questions to Ask
How does communication flow from the central office to the campuses? Are there areas where communication is hampered? What formal and informal mechanisms exist to ensure good communication?
How is the board involved in the hiring, transferring or termination of campus based personnel? Central office personnel? Others? Does board involvement in personnel matters support or hinder educational service delivery?
Do board policies support the delivery of educational services? Are board policies in place to address each of the critical areas identified by the Texas Association of School Administrators Curriculum Audits program?
Are the responsibilities of campus-based personnel clearly defined? Is each category of employee performing their intended function?
Are feeder patterns appropriately aligned and defined? Do children from elementary schools consistently enter middle school well prepared? Do students from middle schools consistently enter high school well prepared? How do schools and teachers within a feeder pattern work together to ensure that all children are well prepared to enter the next educational level?
Do attendance zones appropriately allocate students to schools to reduce overcrowding, balance ethnic diversity, and contribute to appropriate feeder patterns? When was the last time that attendance zones were adjusted? What process is used to adjust attendance zones? Do attendance zone adjustments require approval of the Justice Department because of a desegregation order?
What form of support system is set up for instruction at campuses? Centrally? For instructional areas such as math, reading, science, etc? Does the district use a mentoring system for new teachers? Are there stipends paid to individual teachers for providing leadership in a given area? Is release time adequate for planning purposes? How is release time used and monitored?
How is staff allocated to schools? Does the district have a targeted student teacher and staff-student ratios for the district? For campuses? For each grade-level? Are these ratios based upon a district goal or strategy? Industry standards? Are staffing ratios equitable between campuses serving similar grade levels? Is there a direct correlation between higher than average staffing levels at specific campuses and higher than average numbers of special need students? Does the district offer classes based upon expressed interest or needs of students, parents, or businesses in the community?
Does the district have certified teachers for all courses and grade levels? When certified teachers are not available, how does the district fill the positions? Does the district have strategies in place to recruit and retain teachers in critical shortage areas? Does the district have a policy regarding the use of non-certified teachers? Procedures for granting a district specific certification? How many certified teachers are teaching outside the field for which they are certified?
Do board policies outline minimum requirements for long and short-term substitute teachers? What training is provided to substitutes? Are there certain classes where substitutes are given additional training such as alternative education and special education?
Does the district provide written notice to parents when long-term substitutes or non-certified teachers are in the classroom for longer than 30 days as stipulated in state law?
CROSSOVER WITH DISTRICT ORGANIZATION AND PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

II. Management and Oversight of Instructional Programs

Requirements for instructional programs are well defined and in most cases mandated by the state. However, the management and oversight role in implementing these programs and ensuring continual improvements in student performance and adherence to established standards is the responsibility of individual districts. Good management of instructional programs can:

Provide for systematic monitoring of instructional programs
Provide feedback on successful aspects of curriculum and instruction
Identify areas for program revision
Benefit overall student achievement

This module focuses on development of curricular programs, curriculum modification procedures, evaluation of test results, support services for instruction, use of technology, staff development and general management processes which are in place in the instruction area.
Data Needs:

List of campuses with names, addresses, telephone numbers and principal names
Campus Accreditation Reports from TEA
Campus and District Improvement Plans
Map of Attendance Zone Boundaries and/or information on any recent attendance zone changes (If under court ordered desegregation, please note.)
Any published reports on student performance, dropout rates, etc.
Policies and Procedures
Test Results/AEIS Reports/Exemption rates by program and grade
List of staff development programs
List of computers available at each campus and to each instructional program
Course schedules with enrollment by class, course, and school
Number of students exempted from TAAS this year and each year for five years

Possible People to Interview:
Superintendent
Assistant superintendent with assigned responsibility
Curriculum director
Curriculum specialist
Principals
Department heads
Teachers
Testing Coordinators
PEIMS Coordinator(s)
II.A. Campus-based budgeting and personnel decisions
Activity to Perform

II.A.1 Prepare a diagram of the campus-level budgeting process and identify components over which the campus administrators and site-based committees have some oversight or control.

Questions to Ask
How are instructional supplies and materials (other than textbooks) allocated to campuses? Do campuses have an opportunity to give input about their needs? How does the district ensure the equitable distribution of resources per pupil, grade level and subject matter? Do the campuses maintain an inventory of instructional materials and supplies?
Do campuses have flexibility in the use of budgeted funds? How are campus employee salaries budgeted? Centrally? Or at the campus level? Do campus administrators have flexibility in the type of staff they hire? How are campus budgets monitored? How are campus administrators held accountable for their budgets? How are site-based decision-making committees used in the campus budget planning process?
CROSSOVER WITH FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND DISTRICT ORGANIZATION
Do campus administrators and principals have input into hiring decisions? Are peer employees such as teachers consulted about hiring decisions? Are campus administrators involved in recruitment activities? How are employment applications and resumes made available to campus administrators?
CROSSOVER WITH PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
Are library and/or media services sufficient to support the needs of the district? Is a standard formula used for the allocation of library materials and media equipment?
Are accreditation standards used to allocate library and/or audiovisual materials such as having 8-10 books per student in the library? Is a procedure in place for handling controversial printed materials? Internet-based materials?
II.B. Student Performance
Activity to Perform

II.B.1 Chart trends in student performance on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), SAT, and ACT as well as dropout and attendance data for the last five years, broken out by ethnicity, economic groups, and grade level including TAAS exemption rates by campus, grade, sub-population and economic group. Examine the gaps in performance at the various grade levels and test types (i.e., math, reading, writing) between minority and White students and determine if the trend is toward continual improvement at all levels.

Questions to Ask
Are student test results reviewed, analyzed and evaluated at the district level? At the campus level? At the classroom level? Are programs modified, staff development opportunities planned, or staff evaluated based upon the results of this analysis?
Is planning for support and/or remediation based on item analysis of TAAS data and other evaluative information? How are test results annually reported to the Board of Trustees, media and community?
How are students exempted from the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS)? Are the numbers of TAAS exemptions increasing? Are they increasing at certain campuses? Are exemptions increasing among certain programs such as special education or bilingual education? Are exemptions increasing among certain gender, ethnic or economic groups of students? Is there a correlation between rising TAAS scores and rising exemption rates? Does the district follow state laws regarding testing exemptions for special populations?
II.C. Instructional and Administrative Technology
Activities to Perform

II.C.1 Obtain a list of computers for all campuses and programs by campus, type and capacity of computer and location (whether classroom or lab-based). Establish a pupil to computer ratio by campus and program for all computers regarding of usability. Establish a pupil to computer ratio based upon computers that can support grade-appropriate programs and Internet access. Examine opinion survey results (as available) to determine the perceived effectiveness of technology in the district.

II.C.2 Diagram the PEIMS data collection and compilation process starting at the campus level through the final submission and re-verification process. Determine what quality assurance steps are in the system and where there are points of redundant manual or data entry and identify any areas of weakness.

Questions to Ask
Are there policies and procedures in place to ensure the accurate collection and reporting of PEIMS, TAAS, and dropout data? What data reporting problems has the district experienced in the last three years and how has the district dealt with those issues? What attendance and other campus-level administrative tasks are automated? What redundant data entry must be done either from manual forms to the computer or from one computerized system to another?
How is technology used in instructional programs? Does the district have a long-range plan for use of technology in the instructional program? Does the district have an approved policy for purchasing and using computers in the instructional program? Does the district have an annual budget allocation established for academic or instructional hardware and software acquisition? Is a policy or procedure in place for handling controversial printed and Internet-based materials?
How are teachers trained to use technology in the classroom? How are teachers encouraged to integrate technology into the curriculum? How many courses or grade levels has technology meaningfully integrated into the curriculum? What kind of support do teachers receive for the use of technology in the classroom? Hardware support? Curriculum and lesson planning support?
CROSSOVER WITH COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGY
II.D. Staff Development
Activity to Perform

II.D.1 Identify primary campus-level, centrally delivered, and externally offered staff development initiatives conducted in the last year and examine any feedback documentation from teachers or principals to rate the effectiveness of the programs.

Questions to Ask
Is staff development based on prioritized needs? Is there a relationship established between new textbook adoption and staff development needs? Are surveys of staff development needs conducted on a scheduled basis? Are staff development resources allocated based on prioritized needs? Is there a process for evaluation of the quality of staff development activities? Is staff development based on multi-year planning? Are teachers and building level administrators involved in planning staff development programs? Are teachers used as instructors for staff development programs? Are teachers offered opportunities to be trained to provide ongoing staff development in specific areas? Is a train-the-trainer approach used to bring information back to district personnel?
Are new teachers provided mentors to help them to be assimilated into a campus? Are new graduate teachers provided an intense mentorship program during their first year of teaching? Are there staff development opportunities available through shared service arrangements with local area colleges or universities?
Do provisions exist for a teacher recognition program based on instructional success? Does the board or community recognize outstanding teacher(s)? Are teachers evaluated objectively and do evaluations identify opportunities for improvement? Are teacher appraisals used to develop in-service/staff development programs and services and in the improvement of instructional delivery?
CROSSOVER WITH PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
II.E. Program Evaluation
Activity to Perform

II.E.1 Identify and thoroughly document any program evaluation systems used by the district.

Questions to Ask
Are decisions to bring in new programs or discontinue existing programs made based upon quantifiable data? When new programs are brought into the district are expected results defined? Are decisions regarding new program adoptions research-based? Are there policies or procedures in place for piloting instructional programs that are not research-based? Does the district evaluate the regular and special needs instructional programs on a regular basis? Is the program evaluation based upon measurable performance standards? When programs are not achieving the desired results, is there an orderly process for modification that involves teachers and administrators in the decision-making process? Are decisions to discontinue existing programs reached with input from teachers and administrators?
Are teacher evaluations reviewed and analyzed for identification of strengths and weaknesses? TAAS or other test scores analyzed both at a district and campus level to identify areas of instruction that need to be strengthened? Does the district review and analyze of comparative data between similar districts to develop an evaluation of the district? Are teachers and administrators involved in review of current effective schools research to identify areas for improvement and/or further study?
How does the district use current or longitudinal student performance to analyze academic success, assess curriculum, and assess the strengths and weaknesses of instruction?

III. Special Programs

All districts are faced with the challenge of providing programs for students with special needs. These programs allow a district to provide educational programs that are most beneficial for individual students in terms of instructional level, student interest, and/or identified need. Many of these programs may be combined with regular classroom programs (based on individual needs) which provide for a more complete education and integration with other students.
This module examines the elements of six programs:

Special Education
Bilingual Education
Gifted and Talented Programs
At Risk or Compensatory Education
Career and Technology
Athletics and Extracurricular Activities
ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION IS ADDRESSED IN SAFETY AND SECURITY

Included in the examination are assessment programs, program monitoring, cost analysis, interface with regular programs, parental/community involvement and program evaluation.
Data Needs:

Policies and procedures
Program evaluation reports
Curriculum guides
Campus and district improvement plans as they relate to special programs
Published information about the district’s Special Education, Career and Technology, Gifted Education, or other special programs
State and federal laws, rules and guidelines for special programs

Possible People to Interview:
Superintendent
Assistant superintendent with assigned responsibility
Program directors
Administrative staff with assigned responsibility
Principals
Teachers
III.A. General
Activities to Perform

III.A.1 CChart the number of students served in each special program by school, ethnicity, and economic disadvantaged status. If available, chart the number and demographics of students served over time and show percent change.

III.A.2 Chart the budgets and staffing of each special program. If available chart the budgets and staffing in each special program over time and show percent change as compared to percent change in student enrollment in each special program.

III.A.3 Examine special program strategic plans, District Improvement Plan and a sample of Campus Improvement Plans and list out all goals, objectives, and strategies for each special program.

Questions to Ask
Does each educational department have a mission statement or have an understanding about how their department fits into the overall district mission and goal? How does the department monitor and measure success? How does each department know they are meeting their customers needs? Who are their customers?
III.B. Special Education
Activities to be performed

III.B.1 Diagram the special education pre-referral, referral, testing and ARD processes and evaluate the district’s compliance with federal and state guidelines for timeliness and the effectiveness of the processes.

Questions to Ask
Does the district provide special education services to students - speech, physical, and occupational therapy - as needed or does the district participate in cooperatives or other shared services arrangement with other districts? Regional Day School for the Deaf? Blind? Other? What are the advantages are disadvantages to each approach?
Does the district use a pre-referral intervention process for identification of special needs students? Are teachers and other support staff trained to identify special needs students? What percent of referrals are valid? Invalid? Are campuses and teachers with high numbers of invalid referrals given additional training to prevent invalid referrals?
How are workloads for diagnosticians determined? Is all testing and review done in compliance with state and federal laws concerning special education?
Does the district participate fully in the School Health and Related Services (SHARS) and Medicaid Administrative Claiming (MAC) programs? How much has the district received in reimbursements over the last five years? What could be done to enhance claiming and increase Medicaid reimbursement revenues?
How does the district handle complaints pertaining to special education? Are special education-related lawsuits pending in the district? What are primary areas of complaint? How has the district adapted the program to prevent or reduce the risk of legal action?
Is the compatibility of curriculum between regular and special education programs monitored to ensure student progress and success?
Are community and social services programs used to supplement district programs?
Does the district have a special education advisory committee? Who is on the committee? What is the committee’s role and responsibility?
Are special education program offerings consistent with student needs? Are Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) reviewed annually? Are ARDs conducted as required by law? What provisions are in place for private placement when the district cannot meet the needs of a student? Are regular scheduled reviews performed on private placement programs?
How does the district ensure that students are served in the least restrictive environment? How many students in the district are served in regular classrooms? What accommodations are made for mainstreamed students? Does special and regular education staff jointly plan curriculum objectives? How does special education staff assist regular education with development of techniques and materials? Does regular and special education staff meet on a regular basis? Does regular and special education staff develop cooperative activities for specific students?
Has a cost analysis been performed on the special education program that identifies:

Cost per pupil for special education instruction?
Percent of district funds spent for special education?
Total special education program costs?
Percent of student enrollment served by the special education program?
Cost of assessment per special education pupil?
Per pupil cost of each type of special education program?
Cost per pupil for supportive services?
Special education transportation costs?

Does staff development include training of special education staff, regular education staff and gifted and talented staff with:

The regular education staff receiving training in special education?
Special education staff receiving training offered for regular education?
Regular staff receiving training in gifted and talented education?
The principal and other administrators receiving training in special education?
The regular and special education staff receiving training on innovative school programs identified in Texas schools?

III.C. Bilingual Education/ English as a Second Language (ESL)
Activities to be performed

III.C.1 Diagram the Bilingual Education/ English as a Second Language (ESL) identification, assessment, educational delivery and exit processes and evaluate the district’s compliance with federal and state guidelines for timeliness and the effectiveness of the processes.

Questions to Ask
Has the district defined a process for identifying bilingual students? Who is primarily responsible for identifying students? For assessing or evaluating students?
How do student assessment programs evaluate student needs for bilingual programs and services? How are community and home surveys completed to determine present and future student needs?
Are there specific criteria adopted for exiting bilingual programs? Are criteria consistently applied and do students regularly exit the programs in a timely manner? For students exiting from the bilingual program to regular curriculum, does the district review and monitor student’s progress with:

Student exit data reviewed and evaluated?
Bilingual program objectives developed to ensure student success in English speaking classes?

Does the district track bilingual student’s academic performance over time to assess the programs effectiveness?
How are parents involved with the bilingual programs? Is parent input solicited on the bilingual education program? Does the district have a bilingual advisory committee that includes parent representatives?
Are parents offered English as a Second Language (ESL) classes or other services to allow them to help in their child’s education? Does the district offer interpreters to non-English speaking parents to promote communication especially during parent conferences? Are printed communications with parents provided in their home language, when feasible?
Is cost analysis performed on the bilingual program that identifies:

Cost per pupil for bilingual instruction?
Cost of assessment per bilingual student?
Per pupil cost by program, for ESL? Bilingual? Tutorial programs?

Do the bilingual program instructional materials meet the district's needs with:

Costs for materials controlled through district purchasing procedures?
The district maintaining an inventory of bilingual material?

Has the district established a plan to employ trained bilingual teachers to meet program needs by cooperating with a university and other staff development programs to train bilingual teachers? Does the district have a formalized recruiting process to hire bilingual teachers? Do recruiting activities include out-of-country recruitment? Are stipends or other incentives paid to encourage teachers to seek certification?
Is there an ongoing staff development program for teachers in bilingual and regular classes impacted by bilingual students? Does the district provide staff development in bilingual education for administrators, counselors and teachers? Does staff attend staff development activities offered by professional associations, TEA and others?
III.D. Gifted and Talented Education
Activities to Perform

III.D.1 Examine any district or campus level documentation that compares the efforts of the district to the state’s Gifted and Talented Plan. In the absence of documentation, compare the state plan to the district’s efforts, to the extent possible.

Questions to Ask
Are gifted and talented programs offered at each grade level in the district? Why or why not? Do the district’s gifted and talented programs comply with the state plan for gifted and talented?
Does the district have an assessment process for identification of gifted and talented students? Are students in the program representative of the ethnic population in the district? Do the district’s criteria for student placement in the program support diversity?
Do the gifted and talented program instructional materials meet the district's needs with:

Instructional materials readily available to ensure success of the program?
Program staff available to present the purpose and planned use of special materials?
Costs for materials controlled through district purchasing procedures?
An inventory of instructional material maintained and periodically updated?
Surveys to gather feedback?

Has the district provided for advanced placement or international baccalaureate courses when justified by student enrollment? What is participation rate? What is success rate? Does the district supplement costs for economically disadvantaged students?
Has a cost analysis been performed on the gifted and talented program that identifies:

Cost per student for instruction?
Cost of assessment per student?
Added cost per teacher assigned?
Per pupil cost by program?
Total program costs?
Percent of district enrollment served by the program?

Does the level of instructional staff in the gifted and talented program meet district needs? Does the district follow state guidelines for teacher training and certification?
What mechanisms does the district use for parent outreach? Do parents have input into the gifted and talented program through:

Parent participation in the program advisory committee?
Parent meetings held to discuss the program?
Incorporating parent issues and concerns into future planning sessions?

Are gifted and talented programs evaluated with:

An annual review and evaluation of programs?
Student progress assessed and analyzed?
Program revisions based upon evaluations?

III.E. At-Risk/Compensatory Education
Activities to Perform

III.E.1 Examine whether federal and state compensatory education regulations are being followed properly by examining both state and federal dollar expenditures for each type of compensatory education service. Chart the Regular education dollars and the Compensatory and Title I dollars allocated to each campus versus the percent of at-risk students identified at each campus to determine if money is being used to supplement regular education dollars.

III.E.2 Using sound sampling techniques, assess the performance of the programs funded with Compensatory or Title I dollars.

Questions to Ask
Are there definitive plans in place for the use of compensatory education funds? Does the district have campus-wide programs? How many? Where? How does this affect funding?
Does the district have a procedure for identifying "at risk" pupils and providing support? Is the process supported by board policy defining "at risk" pupils with criteria for promotion/retention of students?
Does the district review and evaluate student progress annually? Has the district defined criterion for success in the compensatory education programs?
What is the student retention rate by grade level? Does the district have policies, goals or other strategies outlined regarding student retention or social promotion? Are mentoring, after school, summer school or other programs in place to assist students that are behind grade level? How is the success of these programs in bringing students up to grade level evaluated?
What dropout prevention and dropout recovery programs does the district use? How are these programs evaluated? What mechanisms are in place to continually modify and upgrade these programs? How is the community involved in identifying and recovering dropouts?
What GED or other non-traditional programs are in place to educate pregnant teens and other students in need of special assistance? How are these programs funded? How are they evaluated? What process is in place to continually seek to improve the process?
How are leavers tracked, categorized and reported by the district? How are teachers and principals involved in the process? Once a determination has been made about a leaver, who verifies the accuracy of the information? Is the process documented? How is the board apprised of the results?
Do the compensatory education programs reflect the ethnic and economic diversity in the district?
Is cost analysis performed on the compensatory education program that identifies:

Cost per student for accelerated instruction?
Cost of assessment per accelerated student?
Added cost per teacher assigned?
Per pupil cost by program?
Total accelerated program costs?
Percent of district enrollment served by the program?

Does the level of instructional staff in the compensatory education program meet district needs?
Does the district have a procedure for providing resources to "at risk" pupils which has been developed and communicated to those responsible and/or affected?
III.F. Career and Technology
Activities to Perform

III.F.1 Prepare a table identifying any partnership arrangements or articulation agreements used by the district to provide or enhance career and technology course offerings in the district by partner or higher education institutions.
III.F.2 Prepare a list of all career and technology education courses offered in the district by campus, grade level and number of students participating, where appropriate.

Questions to Ask
Does the level of staffing support the delivery of services to students in Career and Technology education? Are classes scheduled and staffed appropriately?
At what grade level does Career and Technology education begin in the district? Do middle school students receive information regarding future career opportunities to assist them in high school planning activities?
Do Career and Technology courses offered by the district lead to jobs in the community? Does the district review course schedules periodically to remove or modify courses that are no longer addressing high need job areas? How do local businesses participate with the district in Career and Technology programs? Is the district providing local area businesses with the trained workforce they need and expect?
Does the district currently have a business advisory committee to advise the district on its Career and Technology Education programs? How do they operate? What is the committee’s role and responsibility? Does the district work closely with local or state workforce development offices?
Does the district currently cooperate with or have articulation agreements, interlocal contracts or other shared services arrangements with local area colleges or universities whereby students can obtain enhanced course offerings or other benefits including dual credit for college courses? Are there opportunities for cooperation that are not being explored?
Does the special education program include vocational training opportunities for special need pupils? Are vocational education classes available for "mainstreamed" students with curriculum modifications if necessary? Are vocational education teachers provided staff development in Special Education?
III.G. Athletics and Extracurricular Activities
Activities to Perform

III.G.1 Identify and prepare a file of all policies, procedures or strategic initiatives that address or are directly related to athletics and extracurricular activities.

Questions to Ask
How are athletics and extracurricular activities linked to the overall academic programs of the district? Does the operation of the program reflect the overall vision for education for the district as established by the board?
How is the student performance of participants in extracurricular activities tracked and monitored? Is this information communicated to the board? community? How is compliance with "no pass, no play" administered in the district?
Are there policies and procedures in place regarding participation in athletic and extracurricular activities that ensure equal access to all students? How are these policies and procedures monitored to ensure consistent compliance?
What is the total budget for each of these programs? What are anticipated revenues from each program? How is staffing allocated to these programs? Is staffing consistent between campuses? Are programs offered equitably to all, including programs for males and females?
Do coaches teach academic classes? How many classes do coaches teach each day? Are all of these classes "for credit" classes? How does the ratio of coaches to students compare to peers and statewide averages?

IV. Student Services

Student services normally encompass counseling, health services and social services in most Texas districts. The services provided may include:

College and career counseling
Health education and health services
Substance abuse and psychological counseling
Social Services (i.e. Communities in Schools)
Graduate follow-up studies

Recently, these services have played a more important role in helping students cope with the complexities of today's world. The role of the educational community in providing needed assistance for career and individual needs will continue to grow in future years.
Data Needs:

Policies and procedures pertaining to these programs
Planning documents for each program
Internally generated reports
State and federal laws, rules and guidelines for student services and industry standards for each area
Recent follow-up studies or surveys of graduates

Possible People to Interview:
Superintendent
Assistant superintendent with assigned responsibility
Administrative staff with assigned responsibility
Counselors
Principals
Teachers
Community Service Organizations
IV.A. General
Activity to Perform

IV.A.1 Compile a list of all student services delivered by the district both externally and internally, the number of students served if less than the total student population, the annual and per pupil costs for delivery of each service. Determine if all key services are being delivered and whether there is overlap between programs. Communities in Schools might be one example.

Questions to Ask
Does the district have an approved annual plan for student services? Is the district's plan based upon an assessment of student needs? Does the district use an advisory committee to assist in the establishment of goals and priorities? Does the district's plan include the identification of, and coordination with, community agencies and programs? Are student services annually reviewed and evaluated?
Are job descriptions developed for all student services personnel?
CROSSOVER WITH PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
What kinds of communication of specific programs and services are used to alert parents and students to the availability of these services? Announcements? Bulletins to parents and students? Other? Who is responsible for developing and disseminating informative material for parent education on topics such as drug abuse, college admission, etc.?
Are student services provided as efficiently and effectively as possible? Is clerical support staff provided so that professional staff are relieved of clerical duties? Is current technology used for maintaining student records? Is staff using appropriate community agencies for referral? Are the annual costs for student services per student comparable with state averages? (State average can be obtained from the TEA).
Are student services designed to meet student and environmental needs? Are students provided an opportunity to relate courses, interests and achievements to career interests? Are parents provided an opportunity to become informed and involved in students' planning activities? Is substance abuse recognized as a potential problem and is covered within the curriculum and/or student services? Is health education provided as a preventive service? Where and how are health and guidance services identified and provided?
Are staff development programs offered to student services staff? How is the administrative and student services staff made aware of district policies, procedures and state law? Do student services staff have the opportunity to attend workshops, seminars and courses to refresh or up-grade skills? Does the district support training in the use of automated student systems? Do staff members have the opportunity to visit other exemplary school systems? Does student services staff provide in-service training to teachers and other instructional staff?
What policies does the district have in place to track students who have dropped out of school? Are dropouts contacted to discover why they left school? Are any efforts in place to contact dropouts and persuade them to return to school?
IV.B. Counseling and Guidance Services
Activity to Perform

IV.B.1 Prepare a chart showing the distribution of counselors by campus and determine whether counselors are allocated equitability to each campus and grade level according to some formula or guideline? Is a defined and adopted guidance program provided for all pupils?

Questions to Ask
What are the defined roles and responsibilities of counselors in this district? Are these defined roles and responsibilities being consistently used by all counselors in the district? How much time are counselors spending in direct contact with students? On other administrative activities?
Are there locally adopted policies and procedures supporting counseling and other student services? Does the district perform a regular review of the level and cost of these services and exploration of alternatives for delivery? Does the district seek external funding to augment or pilot student services programs?
Has the board of trustees adopted a policy on guidance services? Student/staff ratio? Guidance in educational, career and personal planning? Establishing an advisory committee? Does the district have an appeal process?
How are students counseled regarding future career opportunities? Who conducts the counseling services? Is counseling adequate? At what grade level does counseling begin?
IV.C. Social Services
Activity to Perform

IV.C.1 Identify any social services available to students and parents in the community, outside agencies or community organizations actively working with the district to provide services, and any costs incurred by the district or revenues provided to the district to provide services to students or parents.

Questions to Ask
How are social services coordinated within the district? Are there opportunities for the district to provide additional services to students and families of students through better coordination? When a teacher or other staff member determines that a student or family of a student is in need of social services, what system is in place for referral? How are suspected child abuse cases handled? Is there a written policy regarding child abuse referrals?
IV.D. Health Services
Activity to Perform

IV.D.1 Prepare a chart showing the health-related services provided at each campus or location, including the number and type of personnel, the budget, and any revenue sources that are obtained to offset the services rendered.

Questions to Ask
Does the district employ or contract for school nurses? If so, how are school nurses allocated to campuses? Who maintains student health records in the district? How does the district ensure that all students are current on their immunizations? What policies and procedures are in place in ensure that student medications are dispensed appropriately? How does the district handle bio-hazardous waste? Does the district provide vision, hearing or spinal screenings at appropriate intervals? Who maintains medical release forms and other insurance related forms in case of a medical emergency? How are the medical needs of special needs students handled?
Does the district participate in any cooperative or contract health services such as school-based or school-linked clinics? What are the costs and benefits of participation in such programs?
What procedures exist to safeguard the health records of students and protect student identity? Are there stated policies regarding the release of records?
IV.E. Graduate Follow-ups
Activity to Perform

IV.E.1 Obtain copies of any graduate follow-up done by the district or external entities.

Questions to Ask
Does the district conduct graduate follow-up surveys? Does the district use the information provided by SOICC to determine how graduates are doing after high school? Does the district request evaluations of graduates from post-secondary institutions? Does the district ask employers to evaluate the preparedness of former students? Does the district conduct a follow-up survey of graduates? Is an annual report given to the board on the follow-up surveys including recommendations for correcting or improving areas of weakness?

I.A.1	Examine curriculum guides (all or a sample) to determine when they were last updated, whether the curriculum is aligned with TEKS and TAAS, and whether curriculum scope and sequence is clear and appropriate.
I.A.2	Prepare a diagram or process flow chart showing the operational steps in the curriculum creation or update process.

I.B.1	Examine the organization of the district as it pertains to curriculum and instruction. Does the organizational structure offer adequate support to the campuses? Are the roles and responsibilities of administrative staff properly aligned? Is the span of control and reporting relationships of administrative support staff appropriate, effective, and efficient?
I.B.2	Prepare a chart showing the overall per-pupil funding and staffing levels of each campus according to position. How is staff allocated to the campuses? Principals? Assistant Principals? Counselors? Teachers? Librarians? Teacher Aids? Nurses? Are these staffing patterns in line with industry standards or state and national guidelines? Is the staffing equitable from campus to campus? Are inequities explained by the special needs of the student population at those campuses with higher allocations of resources?
I.B.3	Prepare a diagram of the feeder patterns and attendance zones for the district and note any changes that have taken place within the last 5-10 years.
I.B.4	Obtain a copy of secondary class schedules by campus, room number, time and teacher. Identify teacher planning periods and lunch coverages. Does the district schedule instructional staff to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness? Are teacher's schedules/assignments reviewed by principals and central administration to ensure maximum use of instructional personnel? Are staff with special assignments such as coaching or specialized classes assigned a full-time equivalent teaching load to the extent possible?

III.A.1	CChart the number of students served in each special program by school, ethnicity, and economic disadvantaged status. If available, chart the number and demographics of students served over time and show percent change.
III.A.2	Chart the budgets and staffing of each special program. If available chart the budgets and staffing in each special program over time and show percent change as compared to percent change in student enrollment in each special program.
III.A.3	Examine special program strategic plans, District Improvement Plan and a sample of Campus Improvement Plans and list out all goals, objectives, and strategies for each special program.

III.F.1	Prepare a table identifying any partnership arrangements or articulation agreements used by the district to provide or enhance career and technology course offerings in the district by partner or higher education institutions.
III.F.2	Prepare a list of all career and technology education courses offered in the district by campus, grade level and number of students participating, where appropriate.