Memorandum of Understanding

DPS/DCTA Beacon Schools

August 26, 2006

• Purpose:  The Denver Public Schools and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association jointly recognize that all families demand rigorous and compelling academic choices for their students. To this end, DPS and DCTA will encourage teachers and principals to collaborate in the development and implementation of Beacon Schools.  In Beacon Schools, teachers and principals will work closely together to establish coherent and consistent instructional practice that leads to high academic performance for all students. Beacon Schools will be committed to promoting school innovation and reform.  Together we envision a day when all schools in Denver are Beacon Schools – schools that shine a light on the academic aspirations of the citizens of Denver, especially our students. In this first year, we have a target of twenty schools.
• Guiding Principles:  All Beacon Schools will be grounded on a clear, coherent plan employing consistent instructional practice.  Beacon School Plans will be based on the following guiding principles:
  1. Leadership teams will work collaboratively with instructional staff to focus on teaching and learning to set academic goals, develop and implement the academic program, measure progress toward goals, and be held fairly and honestly accountable for the success of their school.
  2. A coherent academic program focused on teaching and learning will align all resources – such as professional development, school schedules, academic materials, community engagement efforts, etc. – toward reaching the plan’s basic goals and will lead to consistent academic practice among all instructional staff. Beacpn School Plans will meet or exceed the expectations of the Denver Plan and will be based on proven best practice research.
  3. All school staff, including principals and teachers will be required to make a concerted choice to work in a Beacon School and to fulfill the mission as outlined in the school’s academic plan.  Staff will be held accountable for/responsible for the successful implementation of the plan in accordance with the DPS/DCTA Agreement, as well as state and federal statute and policy.
  4. Beacon School academic programs will be durable and sustainable.  Therefore, Beacon School Plans must consider the overall balance of academic choices in the neighborhood, the appropriate and academically effective use of the school’s physical structure and grounds, projected demographic changes and their effects on enrollment, demonstrated evidence of teacher and community commitment, and establish a reasonable fiscal balance so the instructional team and the community can count on the school for years to come.
  5. Beacon Schools will demonstrate the capacity to market their academic program to attract and retain students and families to their school.
  6. Beacon Schools will implement instructional practice informed by data from multiple sources, both qualitative and quantitative. Plans will incorporate benchmarks for measuring progress.
  7. School leaders and instructional staff will be committed to rigorous program evaluation to ensure meaningful and engaged reflection on an ongoing basis.  The plan is a living document.
  8. DPS and DCTA will support Beacon Schools in their continuing effort to meet their academic goals and will provide ongoing technical assistance and instructional supports to schools aligned with the Denver Plan. They will support the flexibility and ingenuity necessary to enact the academic program, and will honestly and fairly hold all Beacon Schools accountable for progress toward their academic goals.
  9. Schools may also apply for additional financial support through the school innovation grant process.  However, Beacon School proposals should be sustainable with current student funding.
• Selection Process:  Beacon Schools will be selected through a uniform process that will include submission of a letter of intent, technical assistance from the district, and final review by an advisory committee , which will include members of the Association.  In order to facilitate parent choice and effective school operation, the process will be completed prior to the parent choice process and the budget and staffing cycle.
  1. Timeline (2006-2007 School Year

     September	District issues request for proposal (RFP) for Beacon Schools
     	Beacon Leadership Teams submit their letter of intent with an initial proposal for preliminary review by the Beacon School Technical Review Committee (BSTRC).
     	BSTRC conducts an initial review and recommends proposals to continue through the Beacon School process.  Teams continuing the process will be provided technical assistance from district staff.
     October	Beacon Leadership Teams submit final proposals to the Beacon School Advisory Committee.  The advisory committee will submit recommendations to the Superintendent.
     November	The superintendent will present recommendations to the Board of Education for their review and approval.  The Board acts to approve 2007 Beacon Schools.
     December	Beacon Leadership Teams begin staffing process, budget development, parent and student recruitment, etc.

  2. Beacon School Technical Review Committee : The Beacon School Technical Review Committee (BSTRC) will be composed of the Director of Planning and Innovation, a representative from the School of Choice Office, a representative from the Office of Budget and Finance, a representative from the Department of Facilities Management, an Instructional Superintendent, and two teachers appointed by the DCTA president.
  3. Beacon School Advisory Committee Membership: The Beacon School Advisory Committee will be comprised of three teachers, the DCTA President, two current principals, one instructional superintendent, the Chief Academic Officer or his/her designee, the Director of Research and Planning, the Senior Academic Policy Advisor.
  4. Characteristics of Beacon School Plans
     1. A leadership team composed of any combination of teachers, principals, assistant principals and other instructional staff members may develop Beacon School Plans.
     2. Beacon School Plans may address any of the following circumstances:
        1. The leadership team seeks to establish a high performing school in the facility where they currently work.
        2. The leadership team seeks to establish a high performing school in a facility that is already available or will be made available by the district.
     3. Beacon School Plans will be for a minimum of three years.  It will include broad, measurable three-year goals, as well as measurable annual objectives and measurable benchmarks of progress towards those goals.
     4. Annually, all decisions about Beacon School Plans will be final before the beginning of the choice, budget and teacher staffing cycles.
     5. The Beacon School Leadership team will select and retain faculty members who commit to faithfully implement the proposed instructional plan.
        1. The leadership team that is established at a Beacon School will serve as the Personnel Committee until such time that an official Personnel Committee can be elected.
        2. Teacher job postings at Beacon Schools will provide enough information so teachers applying can make an educated choice when they select the assignment. 
        3. Administrators and teachers applying for assignments at Beacon Schools will be familiar with the plan when they apply and demonstrate their commitment by signing a job description.
        4. Teachers who choose not to support the plan will be able to act through the teacher transfer process to choose another assignment.  Since all Beacon Schools will be identified in January teachers who choose to select another assignment will be afforded access to the full transfer process. In addition, those teachers will be granted interviews at their top three choices for assignment prior to the first round of the transfer cycle.   Should a teacher remain unassigned at the end of the transfer cycle, the district will make every effort to place the teacher based on expertise and experience as well as status as a highly qualified teacher.
     6. School faculties and Beacon Leadership Teams will routinely assess progress toward the goals and objectives of the school plan based on multiple measures beyond CSAP scores. There will be formal annual review of all Beacon School Plans conducted collaboratively between the Beacon School Leadership Team, the instructional superintendent and the Beacon School Committee.
     7. Beacon School Plans are living documents and will be modified based on the ongoing performance of the school with the collaboration of the leadership team and the faculty.

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