Valley Junior High School

CLASSROOM IMPROVEMENT DIRECTOR
Anita Buckley-Commander, Ed.D., abuckley@alsde.edu
Phone: (334) 242-9743

The listing below clarifies the categories by which Classroom Improvement documents are organized. It also provides contact information for each category.

Courses of Study (COS)
Contact - Cynthia Brown, cbrown@alsde.edu

• Arts - Arts Education (Adopted 2006/Effective 2007-2008 School Year)
• English Language Arts including Reading - (Adopted 2007/Effective 2009-2010 School Year)
• Math - Mathematics (Adopted 2003/Effective 2004-2005 School Year)
• Science - Science (Adopted 2005/Effective 2006-2007 School Year)
• SocStu - Social Studies (Adopted 2004/Effective 2005-2006 School Year)
• Others - Courses of Study: Technology Education (Computer Applications), Driver and Traffic Safety Education, Languages Other Than English (Foreign Languages), Health Education, and Physical Education

COS - Assess Correl
Contact - Cynthia Brown, cbrown@alsde.edu

Assessment Correlation documents (English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies) that show connections between course of study content standards and standards and objectives of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam (AHSGE), National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and Stanford Achievement Test, Tenth Edition (SAT10).

Pathways K-6
Contact - contact, contact@alsde.edu

Pathways for Learning documents (information and activities that may be useful in providing instruction that addresses COS content standards that correlate to the standards and objectives on the AHSGE for K-6 reading comprehension, language, math, science, and social studies)

Pathways 7-12
Contact - contact, contact@alsde.edu

Pathways for Learning documents (information and activities that may be useful in providing instruction that addresses COS content standards that correlate to the standards and objectives on the AHSGE for language, reading comprehension, math, science, and social studies)

Alabama Leadership Academy
Contact – Angela Mangum, amangum@alsde.edu
Phone: (334) 353-9251

The purpose of the Alabama Leadership Academy (ALA) is to increase the achievement of all students by supporting the growth and development of principals as "leaders of learners". The goals of ALA are to develop a network that supports individual principals as they:

• Redefine their roles and responsibilities as leaders of schoolwide learning communities
• Change school culture so that high expectations for all learners is a visible and vital core value
• Mobilize their school communities to share leadership for continuous learning and improvement

Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI)
Contact - Steve Ricks, sricks@alsde.edu
Phone: (334) 353-9151

The purpose of the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) is to improve math and science teaching in Alabama so all students develop the knowledge and skills necessary for success in postsecondary studies and in the workforce. To accomplish this AMSTI provides teachers with ongoing, grade and subject level professional development and the equipment and materials needed to teach math and science using hands-on, activity-based instruction. Additional information about AMSTI can be found at http://www.amsti.org/.

Teacher Leader Alabama (TLA)
Contact – Chris Wilson, cwilson@alsde.edu
Phone: (334) 353-8646

The Teacher Leader Network was developed to provide opportunities for teachers, with guidance from their principals, to build leadership responsibilities, therefore building capacity in Alabama’s schools. In FY05 the TLN was piloted in 66 Alabama schools that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the spring 2004 state assessments as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). The program was a three-year pilot with Year One focusing on school improvement; Year Two focusing on action research; and Year Three focusing on coaching and mentoring. Lessons learned from the pilot will enable the TLN to be expanded to all schools statewide by FY07. The program now operates under the name Teacher Leader Alabama (TLA) through the Leadership Development Office.

Governor’s Congress on School Leadership
Contact - John Bell, jbell@alsde.edu
Phone: (334) 353-8924

The Governor’s Congress on School Leadership (GCSL), convened in the fall of 2004, focused on improving the quality of educational leaders in Alabama’s public schools. Approximately 200 educators and business leaders examined school leadership issues, resulting in the following recommendations to the Governor and the Alabama State Board of Education:

• Standards and Code of Ethics,
• University preparation program redesign,
• Certification of instructional leaders,
• Professional development to support instructional leaders, and
• Incentives to attract and retain quality principals in every school.

To learn more about the Governor's Congress on School Leadership, visit: http://www.ti.state.al.us/gc.

Governor’s Commission on Quality Teaching
Contact - Tony Thacker, tthacker@alsde.edu
Phone: (334) 353-8924

The Governor’s Commission on Quality Teaching (GCQT), comprised of instructional leaders and stakeholders, commenced work in January 2006. Their mission was to examine, recommend, and work to implement laws, policies, and practices affecting teachers and teaching effectiveness. The GCQT also promoted the aggressive recruitment, preparation, support, retention, and growth of quality teachers in order to raise student achievement in Alabama. For more information on the initial report of the Governor's Commission on Quality Teaching, visit: http://www.ti.state.al.us/qt.

Academic Innovations Initiatives
Contact – Sara Wright, swright@alsde.edu
Phone: (334) 242-8082

Middle School
The Alabama Middle School Initiative (AMSI) is a school improvement reform model based on the Southern Regional Education Board’s (SREB) Making Middle Grades Work (MMGW). The purpose of the middle grades initiative is to develop, implement, evaluate, and refine a comprehensive, whole-school improvement effort that will help all middle grade students receive a high-quality, challenging, and appropriate education that prepares them for success in college-preparatory level courses in high school. Additional information about SREB and MMGW can be found at http://www.sreb.org/. For additional information about the AMSI contact Dorothy Dolasky at ddolasky@alsde.edu

High School
The goal of the Alabama High School Initiative is to provide opportunities for high schools to become actively engaged in preparing students for success in the 21st Century. Alabama has joined with other states, the National Governors Association (NGA), and Achieve, Inc. in the American Diploma Project (ADP) to assist high schools in meeting the challenges of students competing in a global economy driven by technological innovation. Additional information about ADP can be found at http://www.sreb.org/ and http://www.achieve.org/. For more information on the Alabama High School Initiative contact Martin Dukes at mdukes@alsde.edu.

In addition we are one of eight states funded by the NGA as part of the Honors State Grant Program to explore the expansion of Advanced Placement Courses as a means to raise standards for all students. For more information on Advanced Placement Courses contact Phyllis Rase at prase@alsde.edu.

Arts Education
The goal of the Alabama Arts Education Initiative is to assure that quality comprehensive arts education programs are established in schools throughout the state providing opportunities for students to learn in, about, and through the arts; enhance the quality of education and achieve academic excellence. Based on the goals of the Alabama Arts Education Plan: Linking the Arts to Student Achievement the initiative encourages instruction in all arts disciplines; integrated teaching of the arts across the disciplines; the development of collaborative partnerships among schools, arts organizations and the community; and intensive, sequential professional development for teachers and administrators. A comprehensive arts education program prepares students to think creatively, solve problems, work cooperatively, and develop skills critical for success in the 21st century. For more information on the Alabama Arts Education Initiative, contact Martha Lockett at mlockett@alsde.edu.

Instructional Review
The instructional review process, Alabama Essential Elements of School Performance Review, is a tier of support designed to build capacity in school systems. The goal of this evidence-based review process is to assist school systems in creating and sustaining the process for continuous school improvement through the use of a common core of research-based best practices. During the review, the key elements for school improvement are analyzed. Those elements include: instruction; curriculum; classroom assessment; professional development; school culture; student, family, and community support; leadership; organizational structure and resources; and comprehensive and effective planning. The end product of the process is a report of individualized findings that contains best practice recommendations to guide school improvement decisions. For more information on Instructional Reviews, contact Linda Church at lchurch@alsde.edu.

Advanced Placement Courses – A+ College Ready
Contact – Carol Crawford, ccrawford@alsde.edu
Phone: (205) 257-5348

A+ College Ready is a statewide Advanced Placement (AP) Training and Incentive Initiative designed to increase the number of students prepared to take rigorous college courses in math and science. This will be accomplished by increasing the enrollment and success of high school students in math, science, and English AP courses. Eight Jefferson County and four Montgomery County High Schools have been selected as pilot program schools for the 2008-2009 school year. The initiative will expand statewide over the next 5 years.

A+ College Ready, a division of the A+ Education Foundation, was created with as $13.2 million grant from the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), which is the largest private grant on record for public K-12 schools in Alabama. Key leadership involved in launching the initiative included the Governor, the State Superintendent of Education, the Alabama Power Foundation and the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Education Coalition. In Alabama, A+ College Ready's lead donors are the Alabama Power Foundation and Regions Financial Corporation.

Guidance and Counseling
Every school system and school in the state of Alabama must implement a comprehensive counseling and guidance program that ensures that each counselor develops and follows a planned calendar of activities for all students. Therefore, the Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance State Model for Alabama Public Schools (the State Plan), Bulletin 2003, No. 89, provides a framework for local school systems and schools to develop and implement school counseling and guidance programs to address students’ needs in the areas of academic, career, and personal/social development. The Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance State Model for Alabama Public Schools (the State Plan), is aligned with the American School Counselors Association National Model and the Alabama Professional Education Personnel Evaluation (PEPE) Program for Counselors. The implementation of a comprehensive school counseling and guidance program will ensure that all students gain the knowledge, attitude, and skills they need to be successful as productive citizens.

Textbook Adoption Process
The state textbook office administers the state textbook law, which provides for the review and adoption of textbooks at the state and local level. The law also provides regulations for individual school systems regarding the local adoption, purchase, use, and inventory of textbooks. Primary to the state process is working with the state textbook committee during the review of textbooks and presenting recommendations to the State Board of Education for adoption or rejection. The state textbook office also provides assistance to local school systems in complying with the provisions of the textbook law. For information about the Alabama State Textbook program such as state-adopted lists, rejected textbooks, local adoption forms, adoption schedules, new adoptions, publisher lists, local textbook supervisors, and other information, contact Karen Benefield at karenb@alsde.edu.

Other
For information on Awards and Scholarships contact Carolyn Townsend at ctownsend@alsde.edu or visit http://www.alex.state.al.us/leadership.