January 11, 2017[]
Dear PPS Team:
As we begin a new year, I wanted to continue my commitment of sharing important information with you. I consider communication to be a critical element of building a strong District team. As you know, we are in the process of creating the District’s 5-Year Strategic Plan. I want to thank those of you that participated in my Look, Listen & Learn tour, took the online prioritization survey, or contributed to the development of the Five-Year Strategic Plan Framework by attending a strategic planning forum. Through these efforts, we engaged over 3,500 stakeholders.
We are now using the information gathered to develop the strategic initiatives that will be the foundation for the District’s strategic plan. An important piece of this work is occurring through “Theme Teams” that are organized around the four strategic themes outlined in the framework. Each team is comprised of no more than 12 staff members across Central Office departments and Principals selected by members of my Executive Cabinet. As part of this process, teams will vet ideas with target stakeholder focus groups. The team’s recommendations will be approved by Cabinet in late January and then presented to the Board at the Education Committee Meeting on February 7. I encourage you to watch the meeting online or attend in person.
Another important part of creating a strong and actionable strategic plan is starting with a clear understanding of our current state. As part of my 90-day transition plan, I commissioned the Council of Great City Schools (CGSC) to conduct an independent third-party analysis of five key areas. As we work to transform Pittsburgh Public Schools, it is critical that we understand the instructional systems and non-instructional functions that may be hindering us from reaching our goals for students. Our work is not to place blame. It is to use these findings to create positive change and create a student-centered culture built on continuous improvement.
Last evening, Michael Casserly, Executive Director, CGSC, presented some key findings and recommendations to the Board. A few of the key finding and recommendation are below:
- Organizational structure does not support schools, enhance staff work or assist effective collaboration across staffing units. Key recommendation includes consolidating research, evaluation and data analysis functions under a new research office.
- Instructional systems are weak and disjointed with little in place to build the District’s capacity to improve student achievement. Key recommendation includes fully aligning curriculum, assessment system, professional development, and RISE with PA Core Standards.
- Financial and operations functions could be more effectively organized and strategically managed. Key recommendations include reorganizing the finance, operations, and business services functions and hiring a budget director to focus on long-term strategic financial and operational planning.
- Overall lack of data systems, organizational capacity and program evaluations prevent teachers and principals from having the information they need to improve practice. Key recommendations include enacting a data governance committee to draft policy and procedures around data collection. In addition, develop a District-wide balanced scorecard system to assess overall school system progress with results transparent to the public.
- No system-wide strategy in place to address school climate and student discipline. Disciplinary actions fall disproportionately on students of color. Key recommendations include expanding restorative justice practices and implementing a District-wide program that provides protocols for minimizing lost instructional time.
While much of this information may be a little hard to hear, this report should not be looked at as a negative. The CGSC findings and recommendations offer a blueprint of where we are and what we must do to move the District forward. The full report is also publicly available on the District’s website.
File:CGCS Pittsburgh Report --Very Final.pdf
Many of the recommendations shared yesterday are items also reflected in my 90 Day Transition Plan Report and action steps we have begun to take including:
- Opening of the Chief of Data, Research, Assessment, and Accountability position
- Updating the PreK-5 ELA curriculum to align to PA Core Standards
- Effort to increase technology in all PreK- 8 classrooms and job-embedded professional development
- More inclusive cabinet to foster system-wide collaboration
Pittsburgh Public Schools is full of competent, dedicated staff who are passionate about student success. It is important that we provide staff professional development, at all levels, to ensure we begin to work smarter and more effectively. This comprehensive review, looking across all areas of the organization, provides the foundational support we need to Transform the Pittsburgh Public Schools. By working together, I am confident we can get PPS moving in a direction that will result in positive outcomes for all students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Anthony Hamlet
Superintendent, Pittsburgh Public Schools 341 South Bellefield Avenue. Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-529-3600 (W) | 412-622-3604 (F) | superintendentoffice@pghboe.net
Parent Hotline: 412-529-HELP | zz-parenthotline@pghboe.net