Johnston County Schools to be Recommended for Full District Accreditation SMITHFIELD-- A 15-member Quality Assurance Review Team, representing the Council on Accreditation and School Improvement of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, has recommended to the SACS CASI Board of Directors that the Johnston County Schools be awarded district accreditation as a quality school system, recognizing visionary leadership, internal and external commitment, and a tradition of high expectations for students as its strengths, among others. Limitations that the Team noted are the rapid growth, coupled with a tax base that restricts the district's capacity to develop a competitive salary supplement for teachers and administrators. Led by Thomas E. Jones, currently serving as the State Director for SACS Kentucky Council on Accreditation and School Improvement, the team arrived October 8 and stayed through Wednesday, October 11. During this time they visited 14 schools and interviewed the Superintendent and four members of the Board of Education. They also conducted 90 interviews (some of which were multiple conversations with the same representatives) with members of central staff; 61 building-level administrators; 83 teachers, counselors, and media specialists; and 82 parents and business partners. In addition to the district's strengths, the Team gave the district commendations, noted its limitations and challenges, and made recommendations for continuous improvement. The strengths, or conditions that exist which benefit the school district, included: 1) Strong visionary leadership at every level of the organization; 2) A commitment from the Board and community to build and maintain quality facilities and to employ exemplary staff; 3) A tradition of high expectations for students and staff; 4) Active involvement of parents and other stakeholders in schools and the district; 5) Building design and construction practices which have saved money and time; 6) A district culture that is highly proactive, analytical, and which gathers relevant data to guide decision making; "It's all about how more kids can learn and kids learn more," said Jones. The Team further recognized the following as accomplishments: * Broad community support for the school district as evidenced by passage of three bond referenda over 10 years; * Based on the state assessments in 2004-2005, eleven schools were recognized as Honor Schools of Excellence, two were recognized as Schools of Excellence, nine were recognized as Schools of Distinction, two were recognized as Schools of Progress, and six were identified as High Growth Schools; * The opening of four new schools and the renovation of 13 in the last four years. "If there was ever an example of building a plane while you're flying it, this is it," said Chairman Jones. In noting the commendations, the Team further highlighted the district's system perspective. "All the parts are connected. There's no such thing as isolation," he said. The commendations were as follows: ? The leadership has built understanding and commitment of stakeholders to the district's vision, mission, and beliefs as demonstrated by consistent improvement in student outcomes over time. ? A clear focus on providing quality instruction and continued improvement in student performance is apparent, articulated at all levels throughout the system, and supported by the targeted allocation of all resources. ? A tightly defined accountability system is in place to monitor and support school improvement. ? The creation of a cabinet level position focused on schools and district improvement demonstrates the district's high level of commitment to the continuous improvement process. ? The commitment to support schools by providing personnel and material resources necessary for improved teaching and learning is reflected in the renaming of the district office to Central Services. ? Teacher, assistant principal and principal leadership academies demonstrate a commitment to building leadership capacity within the system. ? A systems' perspective promotes a district-wide focus on student achievement as well as flexibility at each school to address learning needs of students. ? The availability and accessibility of the Superintendent and Central Services Staff to school leaders is exemplary. "We are stunned by the extent to which this district can have a Superintendent who spends as much time in the schools as Dr. Parker does," said Jones. Finally, the Team noted that the district's challenges are managing an increase of 1500 students annually while sustaining high levels of student achievement; recruiting and retaining talented, qualified, and committed professional staff; responding to the diverse needs of students throughout the district including increases in the number of Exceptional Children (EC) and English Language Learners (ELL); and, resisting temptation to be satisfied with the status quo. The team made five recommendations: that stakeholder survey questions ask more specific questions to determine levels of satisfaction, effectiveness of parent communication, organizational and instructional effectiveness as well as the capacity to disaggregate survey data; ensure that high school formative assessments are developed and consistently implemented to identify student learning needs and guide instruction; tighten linkages between student achievement data, Individual Growth Plans, professional development, and school improvement planning; use the SACS CASI Early Childhood Checklist for schools that include Pre-K classrooms or programs; and, develop and communicate with the Johnston County community the financial challenges and restraints of maintaining a quality district. "This district is exemplary," said Jones. He added that a written report of the findings and observations will be drafted and sent to the Superintendent within 30 days. "We are extremely pleased with the outcome of the Team's visit and will take steps to address its recommendations as we continue our work for the students of Johnston County," said Dr. Parker.
