Chapter Six >>>>> Overview of the Ed Graff Academic Program at the Minneapolis Public Schools

Chapter Six

Academic Program

An Overview of the Key Features of the Program of

Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff

 

In this chapter I present the essence of the Graff program focused on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL);  Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS);  Literacy;  and Equity.

Graff has served as MPS superintendent for three years and seven months.  He inherited Strategic Plan Acceleration 2020  but is now working with his staff on a new strategic plan.  He and Chief of Staff Suzanne Kelly are also working on a Minneapolis Public Schools Comprehensive District Design, to be implemented in phases that by 2022 features the goal of delivering a well-rounded education to all students, for whom multiple pathways to success will be provided. 

In the meantime, the Graff program has focused on four goals:  Social and Emotional Learning (SEL);  Multi-Tiered System Support (MTSS);  Literacy;  and Equity. 

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) focuses on respect for oneself and others as necessary preparation for receiving academic instruction.  Graff won an award from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, Emotional Learning (CASEL).  The CASEL approach emphasizes five areas for personal and social development:  self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, responsible decision-making, and relationship skills.

 

Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is projected to give individual students the array of services, including counseling and targeted academic intervention, that they need to be successful.  The program has only gained very partial implementation.

 

Literacy concerns the development of reading skills with the Benchmark curriculum that was adopted soon after Graff became superintendent in Minneapolis. 

 

Equity as perceived in the Graff administration follows the Equity and Diversity Impact Statement (EDIA) and the Educational Equity Framework.

 

………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Priorities of Ed Graff may also be found on the superintendent evaluation that Graff himself constructed for the pertinent committee and the whole board.  One can glean emphases relevant to academics by perusing this form: 

Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Evaluation Form

At the Wednesday, 12 September 2018, meeting of the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education committee for evaluation of the superintendent, Ed Graff made available to the committee the following form (this is my own typed rendering, so there are a few minor stylistic differences) as the template for evaluating Graff’s case for a new contract as the end (30 June 2019) of his first three-year tenure approached.  The form offers another look at the programmatic emphases of Graff for the academic and overall program of the Minneapolis Public Schools.

MPS

Evaluator  ___     Name     __        __     Signature     _          ____ Date      __

For new Superintendents, year 1 focuses on the development of an effective school system.  Year 1 may focus on a series of important projects, development of plans, and/or the dev elopement of necessary infrastructure for an effective and well-managed school system.  Year 2 will focus on implementation of developed systems and plans.  This an evaluation for year 2.

Below, the 2017-18 deliverables for the District’s strategic priorities and accountability are listed.  These deliverables were presented to the Board of Education in September 2017.

Deliverable 1:  Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Implementation

Not meeting expectations  =  Completion rate of below 60%

Developing  =  Completion rate of between 60 and 80%

Meeting expectations  =  Completion rate of 80% or above

Not meeting expectations              Developing                           Meeting Expectations

_____________________    ___________________               ________________________

Add Comments:

Implementation of MTSS

• Establish a MTSS working committee
• Create Year 1 of Implementations Toolkit
• Introductory PD for all school leaders about MTSS toolki
• Training staff and district leaders about starting MTSS implementation
• Create a reference guide
• Conduct a needs assessment to understand where schools were starting with MTSS
• Allocate 0.2 school psychologist staffing at 15 cohort sites
• Enter into formal partnership with Dr. Kim Gibbons
   

Deliverable 2:  Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Implementation

Not meeting expectations  =  Completion rate of below 60%

Developing  =  Completion rate of between 60 and 80%

Meeting expectations  =  Completion rate of 80% or above

Not meeting expectations              Developing                           Meeting Expectations

_____________________    ___________________               ________________________

Add Comments:

Implementation of MTSS

• Enter into formal partnership with CASEL
• Develop SEL professional development plan
• Select first MPS SEL Cohort Schools
• Public launch for CASEL Partnership and Cohort 1 Schools
• Develop communications plan
• Develop work plan for Family & Community Engagement
• Develop MPS SEL standards
• Conduct Cohort 1 Schools needs assessment
• Train MPS academic coaches on embedding SEL
• Finalize menu of Direct Instruction materials PreK-5
• Develop framework and trainings for Adult SEL and Equity
• Create family SEL Guide
• Integrate SEL into interview process
• Plan for middle school Direct instruction adoption in 2018-2019
• Implement fidelity checks for Direct Instruction at Cohort 1 Schools
• Set expectations for embedding SEL in school-wide plans for 2018-19
• Evaluate Year 1 Plan
   

Deliverable 3:  Equity Implementation

Not meeting expectations  =  Completion rate of below 60%

Developing  =  Completion rate of between 60 and 80%

Meeting expectations  =  Completion rate of 80% or above

Not meeting expectations              Developing                           Meeting Expectations

_____________________    ___________________               ________________________

 

Add Comments:

Implementation of Equity

• Culturally responsive lesson plan template and additional materials
• Equity-focused instructional coaching training framework identified
• Professional development plan for cabinet and district developed
• Equity embedded into school improvement plan
• Draft EDIA for Human Resources
• Family, Community and Student engagement reorganized
• Restorative practices implemented
• MTSS and SEL communicated
• Develop Framework for Parent Participatory Evaluation
• Draft EDIA for Athletics
• Equity considerations for budgeting completed by departments and schools
• Complete EDIA for Human Resources
• Equity embedded into department plans
• On-going professional development
• Recruit and trains parent evaluators for Parent Participatory Evaluation
• Revise Achievement and Integration budget with additional dollars allocated to MPS Strategic Priorities
• Draft plan to apply learnings for EDIA for Human Resources
• Developing HR hiring template
• Complete EDIA for Athletics
• Draft and Complete EDIA for Community Education 
• Plan for Instructional Leadership Team Institute with embedded MPS Strategic Priority Frameworks 
• Pilot Parent Participatory Evaluation
• On-going professional development
• On-going professional development
• Evaluate progress

 

Deliverable 4:  Literacy Implementation

Not meeting expectations  =  Completion rate of below 60%

Developing  =  Completion rate of between 60 and 80%

Meeting expectations  =  Completion rate of 80% or above

Not meeting expectations              Developing                           Meeting Expectations

_____________________    ___________________               ________________________

Add Comments:

Implementation of Literacy

• Language and Literacy Institutes for all teachers, principals, and support staff
• Implement Big Day for Pre-K materials
• Implement Benchmark Advance and Adelante materials
• Elementary English Learner teachers trained on aligning language acquisition practices with new literacy materials
• Focus on Reading Workshop and Guided Reading Implementation
• Review Quarter 1 data and implementation of Reading Workshop structures
• Targeted coaching to ensure quality implementation and instruction with Reading Workshop
• Elementary English Learner teachers trained on aligning language acquisition practices with new literacy materials
• Review Quarter 2 data and implementation of Reading Workshop structures
• Targeted coaching to ensure quality implementation and instruction with Reading Workshop
• Elementary English Learner teachers trained on aligning language acquisition practices with new literacy materials
• Targeted coaching of Close Reading materials in grades 2-5
• Review Quarter 3 data and implementation of Reading Workshop structures
• Targeted coaching to ensure quality implementation and instruction with Reading Workshop
• Targeted coaching of Close Reading materials in grades 2-5
   

Deliverable 5:  Accountability Implementation

Not meeting expectations  =  Completion rate of below 60%

Developing  =  Completion rate of between 60 and 80%

Meeting expectations  =  Completion rate of 80% or above

Not meeting expectations              Developing                           Meeting Expectations

_____________________    ___________________               ________________________

Add Comments:

• Align School improvement plans with priorities
• Create implementation plan around priorities
• Balanced budget without relying on fund balance
• Demonstrated budget accountability through public engagement
• Initiate comprehensive review process
• Professional development aligned

 

Ed Graff’s emphasis on Social and Emotional Learning, Multi-Tiered System of Support, Literacy, and Equity must be accompanied by enough programming to satisfy World’s Best Workforce (WBWF) legislative regulations, overseen by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).  Minneapolis Public Schools programs identified as meeting World’s Best Workforce strictures were forwarded to the Minnesota Department of Education in spring 2017.  Those programs, constituting part of the academic program of Ed Graff and other MPS decision-makers,  are as follows (cost of programs given in parentheses):

 

Check and Connect         ($350,000)

 

Ethnic Studies and          ($236,903)

Social Justice Fellows

 

Fast Track Scholars           ($13,000)

 

Grow Your Own               (-----------)

Teacher Residency

 

Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG)         

 

($200,000)

 

LearningWorks                   ($25,000)

 

MTSS/ Culturally         ($1,520,000)

Relevant Materials 

 

Office of Black Male Achievement          

 

($320,000)

 

Project Success                 ($110,000)

 

RIS                                     ($1,800,000)

 

(Racialy Integrated Schools)                  

Direct Support                 

 

Spring and Winter Academy                        

 

($60,000)

 

Urban Debate Academy                            

 

            ($119,000)

 

 

These WBWF programs are detailed in the next chapter.