TSPR Brownsville Independent School District

Chapter 1
DISTRICT ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT

This chapter reviews the organization and management of the Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) in the following sections:

A. Governance

B. District Management

C. Planning and Evaluation

C. PLANNING AND EVALUATION
Planning is essential to effective school district management. Proper planning establishes a mission and identifies goals and objectives, sets priorities, identifies ways to complete the mission and determines performance measures and benchmarks to achieve goals and objectives. In its purest sense, planning anticipates the effect of decisions, indicates the possible financial consequences of alternatives, focuses on educational programs and methods of support and links student achievement to the cost of education.
Section 11.251 of the TEC requires boards of trustees of Texas school districts to ensure that district improvement plans and campus improvement plans are developed, reviewed and revised annually. The goals of the plans should be for the purpose of improving the performance of all students in the district.
FINDING
BISD has a well-designed process for developing its strategic or long-range improvement plan. The district appointed a Strategic Planning Team in 1992 composed of district personnel and business and community representatives. Each team member invited other constituents of the district to attend scheduled meetings in order to secure as much broad-based input into the process as possible. Action Team leaders and members were selected to review and make recommendations for the development of an action plan or plans in seven areas: community; curriculum; facilities; programs; staff development; staff recruitment and retention; and technology. In some areas, a single sub-committee developed more than one action plan. The action team working on "community," for example, developed five action plans: increase parental involvement, increase BISD employees' participation, increase private sector and community support, increase two-way communication between the district and its various constituencies and increase shared decision-making. Nine sub-committees were established for the curriculum area: advanced academics, career and technology, language arts, library services, mathematics, physical education and health, science, social studies and special education.
Each action plan contains objectives that are cross-referenced to state and local goals as well as goals developed by other entities such as the U.S. Office of Education and national associations. Each objective is delineated by a list of appropriate activities, person(s) responsible for each activity, resources needed, dates for initiation and completion of the activities, how the activities will be evaluated and other relevant information such as references or sources and the rate or schedule for implementation.
Updates are made to the Strategic Plan at varying times during the year. Central office instructional facilitators report twice annually on progress made in their areas of responsibility. The district's Records Management Officer compiles the information from those reports as well as data and information from other sources within the district. Brief statements for each of the action steps in the strategic plan are prepared and provided to the Strategic Plan Steering Committee for consideration. Upon its review and approval, an "implementation update" document is prepared and distributed to appropriate staff and strategic plan committee members. Selected statements from the Strategic Plan 1999-2003 dated October 1999 and implementation updates of October 2001 and March 2002 are provided in Exhibit 1-15.
Exhibit 1-15
October 1999 Strategic Plan Activity Statements and
October 2001 and March 2002 Implementation Update Statements

Strategy Statement: Curriculum. We will develop, implement, and evaluate curriculum and instructional strategies to perpetually challenge all students.

Specific Objective: Advanced Academics. Develop, implement, monitor and revise educational opportunities which demonstrate skills in self directed learning, thinking, research and communication that reflect individuality and creativity at an advanced level through innovative products and performances.

October 1999
Strategic Plan
Activity Statement October 2001
Implementation
Update Statement March 2002
Implementation
Update Statement

Nomination of all Kindergarten students for screening for the Gifted and Talented Academic (GALAXY) Program (1.1). Kindergarten teachers and elementary counselors began implementing during the spring 2001. Kindergarten teachers and elementary counselors began implementing during the spring 2001.

Develop, implement, and revise pre-AP/AP vertical teams, vertical team guides, and training to aid in implementation of advanced curriculum (1.12). We are revising guides this year. We are revising guides this year.

Increase the number of students pursuing the research/project options of the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP) by implementing internship programs at all high schools (1.17). Students are receiving DAP credit through advanced courses instead of internship programs. Students are receiving DAP credit through advanced courses instead of internship programs.

Specific Objective: Career and Technology. All BISD students will develop career concentration majors aligned with Career and Technology coherent sequences which lead to high skills careers and/or occupational focuses.

October 1999
Strategic Plan
Activity Statement October 2001
Implementation
Update Statement March 2002
Implementation
Update Statement

Restructure Career Guidance and Counseling Services to include 6th-12th grades (2.3). All Career Placement Officers are operating at 100% of implementation plan. Full development at the middle schools has not been completed.

Develop, implement and access competency based instruction tasks, activities and assessment to meet TEKS objectives that are validated by business and industry (2.6). Approximately 60% of the teachers have made a complete validated objective. Approximately 60% of the teachers have made a complete validated objective.

Incorporate BISD core competencies into each grade level/subject area curriculum and instruction (3.2). No statement. No statement.

Implement a plan to communicate curriculum objectives, instructional strategies, and student progress to parents and community (3.3). No statement. No statement.

Evaluate the district's instructional programs (3.5). Annual program evaluations are on schedule. 2000-2001 evaluations were reported to the board on 10/01/01. Annual program evaluations are on schedule. 2000-0-2001 evaluations were reported to the board on 10/01/01.

Source: BISD Strategic Plan 1999-2003; BISD Strategic Plan Update, October 2001; BISD Strategic Plan Update, March 2002.
Efforts have begun for revisions to the document for the five-year period beginning in 2004-05 and ending in 2008-09.
COMMENDATION
BISD has a well-designed process for strategic plan development that includes appropriate community and staff representatives, and has developed effective procedures for monitoring progress in attaining plan objectives.

October 1999 Strategic Plan Activity Statement	October 2001 Implementation Update Statement	March 2002 Implementation Update Statement
Strategy Statement: Curriculum. We will develop, implement, and evaluate curriculum and instructional strategies to perpetually challenge all students.
Specific Objective: Advanced Academics. Develop, implement, monitor and revise educational opportunities which demonstrate skills in self directed learning, thinking, research and communication that reflect individuality and creativity at an advanced level through innovative products and performances.
Nomination of all Kindergarten students for screening for the Gifted and Talented Academic (GALAXY) Program (1.1).	Kindergarten teachers and elementary counselors began implementing during the spring 2001.	Kindergarten teachers and elementary counselors began implementing during the spring 2001.
Develop, implement, and revise pre-AP/AP vertical teams, vertical team guides, and training to aid in implementation of advanced curriculum (1.12).	We are revising guides this year.	We are revising guides this year.
Increase the number of students pursuing the research/project options of the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP) by implementing internship programs at all high schools (1.17).	Students are receiving DAP credit through advanced courses instead of internship programs.	Students are receiving DAP credit through advanced courses instead of internship programs.
Specific Objective: Career and Technology. All BISD students will develop career concentration majors aligned with Career and Technology coherent sequences which lead to high skills careers and/or occupational focuses.
October 1999 Strategic Plan Activity Statement	October 2001 Implementation Update Statement	March 2002 Implementation Update Statement
Restructure Career Guidance and Counseling Services to include 6th-12th grades (2.3).	All Career Placement Officers are operating at 100% of implementation plan.	Full development at the middle schools has not been completed.
Develop, implement and access competency based instruction tasks, activities and assessment to meet TEKS objectives that are validated by business and industry (2.6).	Approximately 60% of the teachers have made a complete validated objective.	Approximately 60% of the teachers have made a complete validated objective.
Incorporate BISD core competencies into each grade level/subject area curriculum and instruction (3.2).	No statement.	No statement.
Implement a plan to communicate curriculum objectives, instructional strategies, and student progress to parents and community (3.3).	No statement.	No statement.
Evaluate the district's instructional programs (3.5).	Annual program evaluations are on schedule. 2000-2001 evaluations were reported to the board on 10/01/01.	Annual program evaluations are on schedule. 2000-0-2001 evaluations were reported to the board on 10/01/01.