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While all stakeholders should have access to appropriate and relevant data, it is particularly critical that our teachers and school leaders are using data to inform instructional practice. To encourage teachers to utilize student outcome data effectively, the district will ensure that the necessary data is collected, organized, and made readily available for analysis.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
School Level Cost Management
During the 2010-2011 budgeting process, the KCS will fully comply with the Principal Accountability Act which requires each principal to develop an annual operating budget of the costs to operate his or her own school. The Knox County Schools will build on the resource allocation methodology developed for the FY2010 budget to design a school level operating cost model to use during the annual budgeting process. In the near future, the school district will implement cost-center accounting to more efficiently determine and manage the operating costs of each school. The KCS will then be able to better evaluate the alignment of resources with instructional processes, and the efficiency of school operations based upon academic outcomes. This will allow the system to better identify and provide for the unique needs of each school.
Build an Education Management Information System
(Data Warehouse)
The Education Management Information System (EMIS) will provide principals, counselors, teachers, and central administrators with the information they need to support student academic achievement. It will have as its backbone a data warehouse populated with relevant data, including student assessments, attendance records, and teacher qualifications. This data will be stored in near real time for longitudinal analysis, planning, and school operations management. Overlaying the data warehouse will be decision support software that will allow users to query and analyze data stored in the warehouse. Additional reporting and dashboard type tools will be used to provide meaningful information based upon each user’s unique needs. The system will first be available for use by principals, counselors, and teachers during the 2009-2010 school year and the amount and types of data stored in the warehouse will increase throughout the academic year. Users will be provided the training, technology and support necessary to use this system and to transform the data into actionable knowledge.
Develop the Knowledge to Manage a Dynamic Student Population
The student population of any school district is not static. Students move in and out of the district, and in and out of individual school zones within the district. This creates challenges for projecting and managing enrollment.
To confront and overcome these challenges, the KCS will build the infrastructure for a student enrollment management function. By better managing enrollment, the district will have a more accurate understanding of the student population and therefore be able to serve students efficiently.
This function will address the following enrollment, attendance, and zoning issues:
• Management of growth, mobility, and student population
• Accommodate a growing ESL population
• Development and acquisition of tools to properly project student population
• Examine root causes of student absenteeism and strategies to increase attendance
• Determine the effects of student mobility and strategies to address them
• Identify and recommend micro-level changes to school attendance zones
Develop a Model for Evaluating Program Effectiveness
The Knox County Schools must continuously reflect upon best practices and evaluate the value current practices provide with respect to student learning. Specialized tools may be sought to evaluate various factors, including after-school programming and participation.
A comprehensive program evaluation process, calendar, methodological standard and resource plan will be developed and implemented to ensure the district is accountable to stakeholders, and making good resource decisions regarding educational return on investment (ROI).
Implementation of the Strategic Plan
Implementing this strategic plan will require the collaboration of all central office departments, school staff, and the community as a whole. A project manager will be assigned responsibility for each project, a timeline will be defined, and an initial work plan and budget developed. Progress of all projects will be measured consistently and publicly.
Goal 4: Infrastructure - Enabling Student Learning
Objective III:
Data Transformed into Actionable Knowledge
Data will not be used to punish, but rather Knox County Schools’ personnel will be expected to use data to inform decision-making, to analyze effectiveness, to reflect on educational progress, and to plan for the future. Possessing data is not the end goal, but an important first step toward using that data to generate knowledge, and ultimately, to facilitate appropriate and informed action.Data Transformed into Actionable Knowledge
While all stakeholders should have access to appropriate and relevant data, it is particularly critical that our teachers and school leaders are using data to inform instructional practice. To encourage teachers to utilize student outcome data effectively, the district will ensure that the necessary data is collected, organized, and made readily available for analysis.
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
School Level Cost Management
During the 2010-2011 budgeting process, the KCS will fully comply with the Principal Accountability Act which requires each principal to develop an annual operating budget of the costs to operate his or her own school. The Knox County Schools will build on the resource allocation methodology developed for the FY2010 budget to design a school level operating cost model to use during the annual budgeting process. In the near future, the school district will implement cost-center accounting to more efficiently determine and manage the operating costs of each school. The KCS will then be able to better evaluate the alignment of resources with instructional processes, and the efficiency of school operations based upon academic outcomes. This will allow the system to better identify and provide for the unique needs of each school.
Build an Education Management Information System
(Data Warehouse)
The Education Management Information System (EMIS) will provide principals, counselors, teachers, and central administrators with the information they need to support student academic achievement. It will have as its backbone a data warehouse populated with relevant data, including student assessments, attendance records, and teacher qualifications. This data will be stored in near real time for longitudinal analysis, planning, and school operations management. Overlaying the data warehouse will be decision support software that will allow users to query and analyze data stored in the warehouse. Additional reporting and dashboard type tools will be used to provide meaningful information based upon each user’s unique needs. The system will first be available for use by principals, counselors, and teachers during the 2009-2010 school year and the amount and types of data stored in the warehouse will increase throughout the academic year. Users will be provided the training, technology and support necessary to use this system and to transform the data into actionable knowledge.
Develop the Knowledge to Manage a Dynamic Student Population
The student population of any school district is not static. Students move in and out of the district, and in and out of individual school zones within the district. This creates challenges for projecting and managing enrollment.
To confront and overcome these challenges, the KCS will build the infrastructure for a student enrollment management function. By better managing enrollment, the district will have a more accurate understanding of the student population and therefore be able to serve students efficiently.
This function will address the following enrollment, attendance, and zoning issues:
• Management of growth, mobility, and student population
• Accommodate a growing ESL population
• Development and acquisition of tools to properly project student population
• Examine root causes of student absenteeism and strategies to increase attendance
• Determine the effects of student mobility and strategies to address them
• Identify and recommend micro-level changes to school attendance zones
Develop a Model for Evaluating Program Effectiveness
The Knox County Schools must continuously reflect upon best practices and evaluate the value current practices provide with respect to student learning. Specialized tools may be sought to evaluate various factors, including after-school programming and participation.
A comprehensive program evaluation process, calendar, methodological standard and resource plan will be developed and implemented to ensure the district is accountable to stakeholders, and making good resource decisions regarding educational return on investment (ROI).
Implementation of the Strategic Plan
Implementing this strategic plan will require the collaboration of all central office departments, school staff, and the community as a whole. A project manager will be assigned responsibility for each project, a timeline will be defined, and an initial work plan and budget developed. Progress of all projects will be measured consistently and publicly.
