school and community

School and Community Project

(NELP #6)

Description of the Assessment: This assessment is used to evaluate candidates’ knowledge of Educational Leadership based on the Florida Principal Leadership Standards, and the Nevada Administration Principal Certification requirements. This assessment evaluates candidates’ ability to evaluate existing improvement plans, develop an ethical enhancement plan to collaborate with faculty and community members, respond to diverse community needs, identify community resources that would address the school and community needs, and advocate for the school and community. The plan developed by the candidate aligns with the school’s capacity for building and sustaining positive school relationships with families and caregivers and cultivating productive school relationships with community partners. The plan is presented to the Mentor and University Supervisor. Candidates are expected to demonstrate satisfactory performance by receiving an “Acceptable” or “Exemplary” level.

Alignment of Assessment with Standards: This assessment is aligned to the following NELP Standards: 1.2, 2.2, 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3

Assessment Standards

This assignment will help candidates to demonstrate their ability to:

· Evaluate existing improvement processes (NELP 1.2)

· Develop an implementation plan to support the improvement process (NELP 1.2)

· Evaluate ethical dimensions of issues (NELP 2.2)

· Develop a communication plan to advocate for ethical decisions (NELP 2.2)

· Collaborate with and cultivate collaborative partnerships among staff and families in support of student learning and success (NELP 5.1)

· Foster two-way communication with families (NELP 5.1)

· Collaboratively engage with diverse community members, partners, and other constituencies around shared goals (NELP 5.2)

· Cultivate regular, two-way communication with community members, partners, and other constituencies (NELP 5.2)

· Identify and use diverse community resources to benefit school programs and student learning (NELP 5.2)

· Gather information about the policy and district context (NELP 5.3)

· Develop a plan for accessing resources that address school and community needs (NELP 5.3)

· Advocate for school and community needs (NELP 5.3)

Below are the directions provided to candidates related to this assessment:

In this assessment, you will explore and gather information about the school demographic and about district’s policies and context regarding the involvement of the community. Then, you will analyze existing improvement processes or plans and select an existing improvement process or plan that addresses school and community needs. You will evaluate this plan and share the evaluation of the plan. Finally, you will design and implement an enhanced improvement plan to support and strengthen the improvement plan you evaluated.

Part 1: Research. Use research strategies and technology tools to explore and gather information about the needs of the school and community, school demographic and about district’s policies and context regarding the involvement of the community to strengthen student learning and development (NELP 5.3). Gather information about families' cultural backgrounds, socio-cultural assets, and funds of knowledge within the school to strengthen student learning and support school improvement (NELP 5.1).

Part 2: Evaluation of existing improvement plan. Use research strategies to analyze existing improvement processes or plans. Select an existing improvement process or plan that addresses school and community needs. What problem does the plan address? What are the goals, objectives, and activities of the improvement plan? Are these components of the plan aligned? Propose supported strategies to improve alignment. Evaluate the plan’s community involvement and evaluate ethical dimension of the plan by analyzing: What stakeholders are included? Who is excluded? Do community members engaged in the plan represent all different demographic groups of students? Is the community involvement of the plan aligned with the districts’ policies? Explain your decisions for addressing the ethical dimensions of the plan. Analyze your decision using an established ethical leadership decision-making framework. Cite your source(s). (NELP 2.2)

Part 3: Communication. Develop a presentation that will be used as a communication plan to share the evaluation and to advocate for decisions that address the ethical dimensions of the plan. (NELP 2.2). Share the presentation with the members of the school advisory council or the school organization responsible for the selected improvement plan. (NELP 2.2).

Part 4: Design and Implementation of enhanced improvement plan.

1) Based on your evaluation of the existing plan, design an implementation plan to support and strengthen the improvement plan you evaluated (NELP 1.2). Your design and implementation plan should:

· State information about the school demographic and about district’s policies and context regarding the involvement of the community (NELP 5.3).

· Include clear goals,

· incorporate strategies to collaboratively engage with diverse community members that represent all different demographic groups in the school and community to work towards achieving the plan’s goals (NELP 5.2)

· explain strategies to cultivate new partnerships by involving family members, teachers/staff in collaborative work to meet the plan’s goals (NELP 5.1)

· include regular two-way communication strategies with families and other community members to keep them engaged with the plan (NELP 5.2) and to foster two-way communication with families (NELP 5.1)

· advocate for school and community needs during school advisory council meetings, school district board of directors’ meetings, community events, and other opportunities (NELP 5.3),

· incorporate strategies for accessing school, district, and community resources that address the school and community needs (NELP 5.3),

· identify and explain how the school will use diverse community resources to benefit school programs (NELP 5.2)

2) Share the plan with your Mentor and the school community and implement the plan. Include with the checklist artifacts that evidence implementation.

School and Community Project Checklist

Intern: _____________________________ School Name______________________________

Directions: Complete the charted information below and include the artifacts from the project as evidence.

Element	Product/Evidence & Description	Date Completed
1.Research: school demographic data, district’s policies, and context on community involvement	Data: Policies: Context: Survey of School and Community Needs Reponses:
2. Evaluation of existing Improvement Plan	Plan’s problem, goals, objectives, activities: Ethical dimension: Community involvement (inclusions and exclusions, representation, alignment with policies) Explain your decisions for addressing the ethical dimensions of the plan. Analyze your decision using an established ethical leadership decision-making framework. Cite your source(s).
3.Communication	Presentation:
4.Design and Implementation of enhanced improvement plan.	Goals: Strategies to engage community: Strategies to cultivate new partnerships: Communication strategies to advocate for ethical decisions: 2-ways communication strategies w/families and community: Actions to advocate for school and community needs (where?): Strategies for accessing school, district, and community resources: Proposed use of diverse community resources:
Evidence of implementation	Artifacts that show candidates’ implementation of the plan

__________________________________ _______________________________ _______

School-Based Mentor’s Signature Intern Signature Date

Assessment Rubric: School and Community Project

Criteria	Exceeds	Meets	Approaching
NELP component 1.2 Evaluate existing improvement processes. Develop an implementation plan to support the improvement process.	Candidate evaluates existing improvement processes or plans by conducting a thorough critical analysis of an existing improvement process or plan. Evaluation identifies and describes the problem that the plan addresses, critically analyzes the alignment between its goals, objectives, and activities, proposes a variety of effective strategies to improve alignment, and supports strategies with theory. Candidate designs an enhanced improvement plan to support and strengthen the improvement plan evaluated. The enhanced improvement plan prioritizes, and addresses gaps identified in existing improvement plan and includes a variety of strategies to address alignment of plan’s elements, exclusions of community members, and alignment with district’s policies. Plan addresses in a variety of ways all characteristics listed in Part 4. A variety of types of artifacts demonstrate implementation of the enhanced improvement plan.	Candidate evaluates existing improvement processes or plans by conducting a brief analysis of an existing improvement process. Evaluation identifies the problem that the plan addresses. Evaluation analyzes the alignment between its goals, objectives, or activities. Candidate proposes strategy/s to improve alignment. Candidate designs an enhanced improvement plan to support and strengthen the improvement plan evaluated. The enhanced improvement plan addresses gap/s identified in existing improvement plan and includes a strategy to address alignment of plan’s elements, exclusions of community members, and alignment with district’s policies. Plan addresses all the characteristics listed in Part 4. Artifacts demonstrate implementation of the enhanced improvement plan.	Candidate fails to evaluate existing improvement processes or plans. An analysis of an existing improvement process or plan does not or incorrectly identify the problem that the plan addresses. Candidate fails to analyze alignment between goals, objectives, or activities. Candidate fails to propose a correct strategy to improve alignment. Candidate designs an incomplete enhanced improvement plan that does not clearly support or strengthen the improvement plan evaluated. The plan fails to address a gap identified in the existing improvement plan or fails to include a strategy to address alignment of plan’s elements, exclusions of community members, or alignment with district’s policies. Plan fails to address some of the characteristics listed in Part 4. Artifacts fail to demonstrate implementation of the enhanced improvement plan.
NELP component 2.2 Evaluate ethical dimension of issues. Develop a communication plan to advocate for ethical decisions	Candidate evaluates ethical dimension of existing plan by critically analyzing inclusions and exclusions of stakeholders in the plan and representation of all community demographic groups engaged in the plan. Evaluation is based on community and school demographic data and is supported with three or more sources. Candidate develops an effective multimedia communication plan to share the evaluation and to advocate for addressing ethical dimensions of the plan. Candidate shares presentation with Mentor, University Supervisor , and school organization responsible for the selected improvement plan. Artifacts (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that reflect effective communication using multimedia are included in checklist.	Candidate evaluates ethical dimension of existing plan by stating inclusions and exclusions of stakeholders in the plan and identifying representation of community demographic groups engaged in the plan. The evaluation is based on community and school demographic data. Candidate develops a communication plan to share the evaluation and to advocate for addressing ethical dimensions of the plan. Candidate shares presentation with Mentor and University Supervisor. Artifact/s (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that reflect communication are included in the checklist.	Candidate fails to evaluate ethical dimension of existing plan. Analysis of inclusions and exclusions of stakeholders in the plan and representation of all community demographic groups engaged in the plan is incomplete, incorrect, or missing. Evaluation is not based on data. Candidate develops an incomplete communication plan to share the evaluation or to advocate for addressing ethical dimensions of the plan. Candidate fails to share presentation with a school organization responsible for the selected improvement plan. No artifact to show the presentation is included in the checklist.
NELP component 5.3 Gather information about the policy and district context. Advocate for school and community needs. Develop a plan for accessing resources that address school and community needs. Advocates for school and community needs.	Candidate designs a complete enhanced improvement plan to support and strengthen the improvement plan evaluated. The enhanced improvement plan has a variety of well-defined goals based on school and community needs, plan integrates and analyzes information about the school demographic and about district’s policies and context on the involvement of the community. Plan includes well supported strategies for accessing school, district, and community resources that address the school and community needs. Plan includes grounded strategies to advocate for school and community needs during SAC meetings, school district board meetings, community events, and other opportunities. Plan and artifacts (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that prove a variety of strategies implemented for advocacy are included in the checklist.	Candidate designs an enhanced improvement plan to support and strengthen the improvement plan evaluated. The enhanced improvement plan has a goal based on school and community needs, integrates information about the school demographic and about district’s policies and context on the involvement of the community. Plan incorporates strategies for accessing school, district, and community resources that address the school and community needs. Plan includes strategies to advocate for school and community needs during two of these meetings: SAC, board meetings, community events, others). Plan and artifact that proves advocacy are included in the checklist.	Candidate designs an incomplete enhanced improvement plan to support and strengthen the improvement plan evaluated. The plan’s goal is not based on school and community needs, or plan fails to integrate information about the school demographic, about district’s policies, or about context on the involvement of the community. Plan incorporates only one strategy for accessing school, district, or community resources. Strategy does not address the school and community needs. Plan or an artifact that proves advocacy is included in the checklist.
NELP component 5.1 Collaborate with and cultivate collaborative partnerships among staff and families in support of student learning and success. Foster two-way communication with families.	The enhanced improvement plan effectively incorporates well supported strategies to cultivate new partnerships among teachers/staff and families in collaborative work. All strategies work directly towards achieving the plan’s goals. A variety of artifacts (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that clearly prove effective implementation are included in the checklist. The enhanced improvement plan effectively fosters two-way communication between teachers/ staff and families by regularly using diverse types of tech tools and meeting formats to communicate. Artifacts (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that prove a variety of regularly used effective two-way communication strategies are included in the checklist.	The enhanced improvement plan incorporates strategies to cultivate new partnerships among teachers/staff and families in collaborative work. Strategies work towards achieving the plan’s goals. Artifact/s (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that prove effective implementation are included in the checklist. The enhanced improvement plan fosters two-way communication between teachers/ staff and families by using diverse types of tech tools or meeting formats to communicate. Artifact/s (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that prove two-way communication are included in the checklist.	The enhanced improvement plan fails to incorporate strategies to cultivate new partnerships among teachers/staff and families in collaborative work. Strategies do not seem to work towards achieving the plan’s goals. Artifact/s (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that prove effective implementation are missing or are irrelevant. The enhanced improvement plan fails to foster two-way communication between teachers/ staff and families. Artifact/s (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) do not prove two-way communication or are not included in the checklist.
NELP component 5.2 Collaboratively engage with diverse community members, partners, and other constituencies around shared goals. Identify and use diverse community resources to benefit school programs and student learning. Cultivate regular, two-way communication with community members, partners, and other constituencies.	The enhanced improvement plan effectively incorporates a variety of supported strategies to collaboratively engage with diverse community members that represent all demographic groups in the school and community. Strategies directly work towards achieving the plan’s goals. A variety of artifacts (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that clearly prove effective implementation are included in the checklist. The plan thoroughly identifies, explains, and supports how community resources are used to benefit school programs. A variety of artifacts (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that clearly prove effective implementation are included in the checklist. The enhanced improvement plan effectively incorporates and regularly implements two-way communication with community members, partners, and other constituencies. Diverse types of tech tools and meeting formats are used to communicate. Artifacts (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that prove a variety of regularly used effective two-way communication strategies are included in the checklist.	The enhanced improvement plan incorporates a supported strategy to collaboratively engage with diverse community members that represent all demographic groups in the school and community. Strategy works towards achieving the plan’s goals. Artifact/s (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that proves implementation are included in the checklist. The plan identifies and explains how community resources are used to benefit school programs. Artifact/s (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that proves implementation are included in the checklist. The enhanced improvement plan incorporates and implements two-way communication with community members, partners, or other constituencies. Tech tools or meeting formats are used to communicate. Artifact/s (meeting agenda, pictures, or video) that prove two-way communication strategies are included in the checklist.	The enhanced improvement plan fails to incorporate a strategy to collaboratively engage with diverse community members that represent all demographic groups in the school and community . An unrelated, irrelevant artifact that fails to prove implementation is included in the checklist. Or no artifact is included. An unrelated, irrelevant artifact that fails to prove implementation is included in the checklist. Or no artifact is included. The enhanced improvement plan fails to incorporate or to implement two-way communication with community members, partners, or other constituencies. A tech tool or meeting format is used to communicate. Irrelevant artifacts are included in the checklist, or artifacts are missing.