CORE BELIEF #1: We believe all students can perform at or above grade level.

Highly Effective

Effective

Developing

Needs Improvement

X
Commendations:

Recommendations:

Superintendents Feedback: District continues to improve overall

graduation rates, strong performance and improvement with subgroups.
College going culture continues to strengthen at high school level, namely
with strategic placement of students in AP, IB, AICE, dual enrollment, or
industry certification. Expansion of pre-early college programming and
PITSCO labs at middle school level improves feeder pattern strategy of
improving acceleration strategy. Although college readiness rates remain
at district high, renewed improvement should be demonstrated again this
year. Elementary acceleration programs needs to improve. Impressive
improvement noted for dual enrollment. District now ranked second
among Big 7 for acceleration performance. First time participation in
NAEP placed district on national stage for large urban school
performance, especially with subgroup performance. Standard materials,
process, and expectations set for Tier II and III reading and mathematics
intervention established districtwide for elementary schools. Systems and
processes can be improved at middle school level, namely in mathematics.
District achieved grade of B for the first time since 2010-11 and number
of F schools declined. Strategic plan targets met in reading and
mathematics; however, after baseline year now sent with new standards
and assessment, improvement needs to be demonstrated in reading and
mathematics proficiency on FSA and EOCs. Elementary and middle school
science performance continues to be stronger than previous years. Number
of D and F schools need to decline. District improved strategies to recruit
teachers, process needs to continue while improving direct support for
first-third year teachers to improve retention rates. District needs to
expand incentives and recruit effort in struggling schools outside of DTO.
Priority 1. Fosters the success of all students by establishing and implementing high quality and culturally,
responsive, professional development districtwide for teachers, principals, district leaders, and future school
based leaders
Priority 2. Ensures schools are continually staffed while retaining well-prepared and high quality teachers.
Priority 3. Strategically gathers, analyzes, presents, and problem solves by using a variety of student
achievement data to guide planning, decision making, and differentiation.

Indicators/Expectations: The Superintendent will:

Expand quality acceleration programs district-wide
o Introduced Early College programs through FSCJ with business partner internships through
Vistakon (Englewood) and Florida Blue/Citi (Jackson)
o Expanded Dual Enrollment offerings through Edward Waters College. Included nearly 90
sections with 2,000 students.
o Introduced IB Program at Merrill Road Elementary
o Implemented Pre-Early College Program at nine middle schools
o Implemented PITSCO STEM labs at nine middle schools and 11 elementary schools
o Introduced Advanced Placement Capstone program at First Coast, Atlantic Coast, and Baldwin
o Implemented Aviation Program at Ribault High School and Ribault Middle School
o Expanded Vystar partnership to First Coast
Develop and implement tiered intervention process (RTI) for reading and mathematics
o Developed defined Tier III intervention process for elementary mathematics through print
materials through iReady
o Expanded K-2 reading interventionists to DTO elementary schools and select non-DTO
elementary with lowest reading performance to strengthen Tier III intervention
o Placed 3-5 reading interventionists at elementary Title I schools and part time interventionists in
non-Title I schools to strengthen Tier III intervention
o Placed reading interventionists in secondary schools with lowest reading performance, including
DTO and non-DTO schools
o Secured Lakeshore manipulatives for K-2 reading intervention
o Expanded iReady and Achieve 3000 training to improve Tier II and III intervention
o Established district and state model for multisensory reading intervention through GRASP (Tier
II and III)
o Strengthened Tier II and III strategies for ESE students by aligning strategies and targets to IEP
and using inclusion teachers as interventionists
Use Performance Matters by teachers, principals and district staff to monitor student performance and
provide necessary support or accountability
o From January 2015 to January 2016 approximately 200 trainings in Performance Matters were
given to help various audiences create and administer assessments and utilize data for
student item analysis to assist with instruction and accountability.
Conducted school-site trainings on how teachers can pull student data to inform
instruction
Led District Specialists through steps on how to create assessments based on curriculum
guides
o Over 750 assessments have been created, uploaded, administered, and maintained in
Performance Matters
Allowed Academic Services to vet all district assessments that are housed within
Performance Matters
Data and Assessment team edited the tests based on recommendations by Academic
Services
Trained users on how to release tests to students for all district assessments
o Assisted approximately 40 users a day via email, phone, and face-to-face on various uses
in Performance Matters
Helped troubleshoot login issues with students and teachers
Advised Test Coordinators on various testing issues
Guided school leadership on the most efficient way of pulling data points for various
needs
2

Communicate successes and challenges regarding student achievement to the Board and
internal/external stakeholders
o Conducted State of the Schools address in March, 2015
o Presented an end of the year update on student achievement and targets in July, 2015 and a
midyear update in February, 2016
o Presented updated student data in Board Plans on QEA (November), Literacy (September), Math
(September), Science (September), Professional Development (October), ESE (September), and
Middle School Reform plans (March)
o Presented student achievement data (including NAEP, FCAT, FSA, and district assessments) at 8
school board meetings as part of the Superintendents report, which is 75% of school board
meetings during the evaluation period.
Select curriculum and assessments that are aligned to the new standards and assists teachers with
meeting expectations of grade level performance
o On average, both Achieve and iReady predicted FSA scores with approximately 80% accuracy
o Adopted elementary curriculum (Core Knowledge, Expeditionary Learning, Eureka). Each
highly aligned to the new standards
o Conducted Teacher Academy for all elementary teachers on new curriculum. Sessions also
provided for middle school reading and math teachers, and those with high school EOCs.
Develop and implement recruiting and retention strategies before the school year and during to place
high quality teachers in vacant positions
o Initiated early hiring at 25 events and sites for 2015-16 school year through open contracts. 246
open contracts offered, mainly targeting hard to staff areas, including:
Elementary 52%
ESE 15%
ELA/Reading 8%
Math 12%
Science 11%
o QEA incentives were utilized to recruit and retain the highest performing teachers in core subject
areas through $17,000 and $20,000 incentives. Nearly 200 high performing teachers have been
recruited or retained in DTO schools.
The concentration of teachers within DTO schools who are highest performing based on
VAM demonstrates an improvement in teacher quality at the identified schools.
Prior to the QEA investment, 8% of DTO schools had reading teachers in the top
quartile (based on VAM scores). This number has now increased to 17%. In
mathematics, this number has doubled since the implementation of the incentive
program from 15% to 31%.
o 85% of schools districtwide were fully staffed on the first day of school as compared to 58% the
year prior, and 100% of DTO schools were fully staffed on opening day as compared to 78% the
year prior.
o Reduced the number of teacher vacancies on first day of school to 86 from 118 the year before.
Recruit and retain the high performing school based administrators.
o Expanded Lastinger Center training for Instructional Coaching Certification to Assistant
Principals
o Introduced New Leaders partnership to strengthen principal pipeline for lower performing
schools
o Maintained partnership with the Summer Principal Academy at Columbia to enhance
pipeline of future administrators for struggling schools
o Implemented new course progressions with Jacksonville University and University of
North Florida for Educational Leadership degree
3

o Maintained district led principal and assistant principal preparation program

o Utilized QEA incentives to recruit and retain 16 high performing DTO principals
Examples of outside candidates recruited include Northwestern Middle, Jeff Davis,
and Stonewall Jackson
Performance Metric
Reading, math, science proficiency (FSA) yearly data comparison with Florida Big 7
o On the 2015 FSA, the district ranked 6/7 in Algebra, 5/7 in 5th grade Science, and tied for 4th in
8th Grade Science. Reading and math rankings not available yet for FSA.
Midyear Board updates on interim progress based on, (a) iReady reading (K-2) and math K-8; (c)
Achieve 3000 reading 3-10; FSA mid-year assessment in reading, math, and science; NAEP
o Met 9/11 (82%) strategic plan targets in Reading
o Met 7/9 (78%) strategic plan targets in Math
o Midyear Achieve and iReady proficiency data indicates the following as compared to last year
(indicated as percentage points)

Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
9th Grade
10th Grade

Math
+6
+3
+2
+4
+4
+3
0
0
+1
N/A
N/A

Reading
0
+3
-3
+10
+15
+8
+7
+1
0
-1
-4

Graduation rates
o The district earned its highest graduation rate in history increasing more than 2.6 percentage
points to 76.5%. Made strategic plan target.
o The gap between the district and the state narrowed from 7 percentage points to 1.2 percentage
point over three years
o District ranks number one among the big seven in African American Graduation Rate, was 5/7 in
2011-12
o District ranks number one among the big seven in English Language Learners Graduation Rate,
was 4/7 in 2011-12
o District ranks number four among the big seven in ESE Graduation Rate, was 7/7 in 2011-12
Acceleration participation and performance rates
o Tied for 2nd among the big seven in Acceleration Performance
o Increased accelerated performance from 76% to 77% and met strategic plan target
o Decreased in accelerated participation from 86% to 80%
College readiness rates in reading and math
o Decreased college readiness reading from 66% to 61% and college readiness math from 86% to
78%

Analyze 1-3 trends on teacher vacancies and retention of high performing teachers (district-wide and
DTO schools)
o For the 15/16 school year, the number of teacher vacancies on the first day of school declined by
27% over the previous school year.
o A mid-November analysis of hard to staff ESE positions reflects a 32%decline in the number of
ESE vacancies as compared to the previous school year.
o 90% of the teachers incentivized and recruited to DTO schools remained in DTO schools.
o An analysis of the attrition trends in DTO for the 13/14 and 14/15 school years indicates that
67% of the DTO schools declined their attrition rate as compared to the prior year.
Continue to diminish the achievement gap
o State has not released this data at this time.
Improve the performance of low performing schools
o D and F schools reduced from 55 to 48 from 2013-14
o F schools reduced from 29 to 19 from 2013-14
o 51% of schools improved and/or maintained their grade of an A
o 42% of schools maintained their grade with a B, C or D
o 48% of schools increased their D or F
o 56% of schools improved their F to a D
o Only 23% of schools declined in their letter grade
Submission and board approval of Literacy, Math, Science, QEA, and Staffing Plans
o The Literacy, Math, and Science Plan were submitted to the Board in September and the QEA
Plan was submitted in November. The staffing plan was submitted in October 2014 and again in
March, 2016 per the oversight calendar.

CORE BELIEF #2: We believe that all schools have a culture that is safe, student centered, nurturing,
rigorous, and actively engaged.
Highly Effective

Effective

Developing

Needs Improvement

X
Commendations:

Recommendations:

Superintendents Feedback: Using the continuous improvement model, the

district continues to improve the Code of Conduct through stakeholder
feedback. Alternative school programming has improved, including
restorative justice practices. Support for new teachers in classroom
management can be improved. A clear plan of action has been developed
and implemented to reduce serious infractions and repeat disciplinary
infractions but continued refinement in these areas is needed for greater
impact and consistency. Although there are signs of improvement through
surveys, teacher and parent perception of discipline challenges needs to
improve. The district continues to expand and improve extra curriculum
and elective options for all students, and continues to enhance student and
employee voice through surveys and forums. Certainly increasing these
opportunities should be an ongoing priority.
Priority 1. Fosters the safety and success of all teachers, staff, and students
Priority 2. Expands quality opportunities for extra curriculum and electives for all students.
Priority 3. Provides voice to all students and school based personnel
Indicators/Expectations: The Superintendent will:
Facilitate the implementation of research-based best practices of classroom management, student
discipline, and school emergency management techniques to ensure an orderly and positive environment
conducive to teaching and learning.
o Revised the Student Code of Conduct a second consecutive year through Task Force to
strengthen consequences for fighting and multiple infractions
o Restructured alternative schools to differentiate placement based on violent offensives and age.
Enhanced wraparound services at both alternative schools.
o Developed school climate dashboards to allow for data based decision making when determining
student discipline
o Conducted summer institutes for teachers and administrators on positive behavior supports for
students
o Implemented HERO to implement software system to facilitate positive behavior support
programs in select schools
o Partnered with the Non-Violence Project to implement mentoring and support systems in middle
schools
o Introduced bully prevention Video contest to promote the district anti-bullying campaign
o Expanded emergency plan management to include district building training
6

o Created cadre of district coaches to support teachers in classroom management through STRIVE
grant
o Expanded mental health training to include Ruby Paynes work on poverty
o Implemented behavior interventionists at select elementary schools
o Required each school to develop an emergency management and PBIS plan
Provide enrichment opportunities for students districtwide in the areas of arts, sports, music, clubs, and
electives
o Provided over 450 hours of Professional Development in the arts, an 80% increase since 2012-13
o Maintained funding for art, music and PE teachers in each elementary school as well as
expanding offerings in middle and high school, including the expansion of arts programs at
Gilbert (band), GRASP (band), Terry Parker (Chorus and Dance), Westview (band and chorus),
Ed White (chorus), YMLA/YWLA (band)
o Maintained STEAM cultural passport field trips to over 30,000 students per year
o Adopted new curriculum materials for art and music for the first time in a decade
o Developed a Visual and Performing Arts plan
o Instituted the Met HD Opera Live Program at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts allowing
3,000 students per year the opportunity to view the New York opera Live.
o Expanded MathCounts and Lego afterschool programs at 26 schools
o Implemented the Instruments of Change program districtwide to collect used music instruments
for students across the district
Promote student recognitions and accomplishments throughout the school year.
o Added student recognitions into Duval Daily
o Increased the number of students recognized at monthly board meetings
o Expanded 5th and 8th grade awards ceremonies
o Expanded Science Fair competition to all schools districtwide with two event ceremonies
Enhance feedback from school based personnel and students to strengthen morale
o Conducted Every Voice sessions with administrators and teachers to hear what is working,
what is not working, and to hear solutions to challenges
o Expanded teacher participation in adoption process for instructional materials
o Recognition of teachers during Discover Duval
o Implemented Chat with the Supt and faculty chats with region superintendents
o Developed district student leadership team
o Expanded Challenge Day
o Implemented Gallup and Culture Insight Survey for students and employees
Performance Metric
Gallup Survey for employees, students, and parents
o Gallup survey results for employees indicate an improvement of .10 with the Grand Mean
from last year to this year (3.73 to 3.83) with a higher survey response rate from 71% to
73%. Survey results include the following:
Gallup Employees District-Wide by Percentage

Engaged
Not Engaged
Actively Not Engaged

2013-2014
34%
50%
16%

2014-2015
39% (+5)
47% (-3)
14 % (-2)
7

Principals Districtwide
Engaged
Not Engaged
Actively Not Engaged
Teachers

Engaged
Not Engaged
Actively Not Engaged

2013-2014
38%
56%
6%

2014-2015
64% (+26)
31% (-25)
5%(-1)

2013-2014
30%
53%
17%

2014-2015
36% (+6)
49% (-4)
15% (-2)

o Parent climate survey data indicates:

87% of parents are satisfied with the district
An increase from 4.23 to 4.25 on the question My childs teachers hold high
expectations for my child

TNTP teacher survey

o Overall, Index and Domain scores in the district have improved since the last years
administration. This shows holistic progress in school instructional culture (see table below).

Insight Category Increases

Instructional Culture Index Score
Schools Meeting Top Quartile Criteria for DCPS
Overall Satisfaction with the Learning Environment
Overall Satisfaction with Professional Development
Overall Satisfaction with Evaluation
Overall Satisfaction with Peer Culture
Overall Satisfaction with Leadership
Overall Satisfaction with Observations

Spring 12-13
7.1
8.5
6.9
6.9
6.5
7.3
6.9
6.8

Winter 14-15
7.4
8.9
7.2
7.0
6.7
7.5
7.4
6.9

Winter 15-16 3 Year Change

7.9
+0.8
9.2
+.07
7.5
+0.6
7.4
+0.5
7.2
+0.7
7.9
+0.6
7.7
+0.8
7.3
+0.5

o Looking at the overall categorical increases on the Instructional Culture Index, a gain above .25 points
represents a significant improvement in the instructional culture and goes beyond the typical movement
we see in districts between survey administrations. The districts average exceeds the Insight median
score as we have an average growth of .50 points. Even more impressive are the 100 schools that
improved their scores by more than .25 points, which is an increase of 14 schools from last year. In
addition, there is a notable set of 51 schools that improved their overall Index by one full point or more,
which is an increase of 10 schools from last year.
o Since the Insight survey was first administered in March of 2014, there has been a steady trend of
gradual improvement of teacher perceptions in areas that the district has invested energy - instructional
vision, curriculum, leadership, and instructional support, which you can see in the table below. As you
know, the district has sustained a focus on improving instructional materials and support for leaders and
teachers, which is likely contributing to this improvement.
8

Insight Question (measured in percent agreement) Spring 12-13 Winter 14-15

My school has significantly revised or adopted
curriculum materials to align to the expectations
49%
60%
of the new Florida Standards.
The training I have received on the new Florida
35%
42%
Standards will help me improve my practice.
A leader at my school regularly helps me improve
46%
51%
my lesson plans.
Teachers at my school share a common vision of
60%
64%
what effective teaching looks like.
My school is committed to improving my
72%
75%
instructional practice.
Number of students participating in extra curriculum activities
o

3 Year Change

69%

+20

51%

+16

56%

+10

71%

+11

80%

+8

A breakdown of the data indicates the following:

Winter 15-16

Participation rate during the 2014-2015 school year was 22.40%. This is an increase of 1.4
percentage points from the prior year
There was a 5 percentage point increase in the participation for African American students

Updates on student accomplishments, recipient of achievement academics, sports, citizenship through

Duval Digest, Podcasting, and the Student Network
o Student achievements and recognitions are highlighted in each issue of the Duval Digest as well
as the School News TV show
o Each school has a god news ambassador who shares school and student accomplishments that are
then posted on the website or advertised through Duval Daily
Submission and board approval of Discipline, Attendance, and Emergency Management Plans
o Plans submitted to and approved by Board in October 2014
Reduction in violence related Class II, III, and IV incidents
o Due to the change in the Code of Conduct from 2013-14 to 2014-15, Class Violations are
difficult to compare, however, please see comparisons below:
The number Class I violations increased by 7% from 30,753 in 2013-14 to 32,818 in
2014-15
The number Class II violations decreased by 18% from 59,927 in 2013-14 to 49,449 in
2014-15
The number Class III violations increased by 25% from 2,727 in 2013-14 to 3,668 in
2014-15
The number Class IV violations increased by 25% from 81 in 2013-14 to 101 in 2014-15
The number of overall violations decreased by 5% from 90,488 in 2013-14 to 86,036 in
2014-15

Reduction of students with repeat referrals and suspensions

o Below please find a chart indicating the reduction in repeat referrals and suspensions:
Duval County Public Schools

Total Student Population (public schools only)

Students with Referrals
% of All Students
Students with Multiple Referrals
% of All Students
% of Students with Referrals
Students with Repeat Referrals
% of All Students
% of Students with Referrals
Students with Suspensions
% of All Students
Students with ATOSS
Students with ISSP
Students with OSS
Students with Multiple Suspensions
% of All Students
% of Students with Suspensions
Students with multiple ATOSS
Students with multiple ISSP
Students with multiple OSS

10

1314
117,647
28,350
24%
16,268
14%
57%
10,093
9%
36%
20,505
17%
6,085
12,614
10,112
10,744
9%
52%
2,208
5,427
3,906

1415
116,779
26,921
23%
15,048
13%
56%
8,833
8%
33%
17,289
15%
1,238
13,737
7,033
8,483
7%
49%
373
6,165
2,388

CORE BELIEF #3: We believe that effective communication, engagement, and interpersonal
relationships are vital for external stakeholder engagement.
Highly Effective

Effective

Developing

Needs Improvement

X
Commendations:

Recommendations:

Superintendents Feedback: Engagement with external stakeholders

continues to be a strength. Engagement with internal stakeholders has
increased, namely through increased school visits and Chat with the
Supt and Every Voice sessions. Professional development participation
increased for the superintendent but additional opportunities is warranted.
District has established solid surveys to solicit feedback from stakeholders
and participated in numerous community meetings and forums.
Priority #1. Ensures that systems exist to provide welcoming and responsive customer service at schools and
district offices.
Priority #2. Fosters the success and accountability of teachers, staff, and students by modeling professional
standards, ethics, and engaging in continuous professional development.
Priority #3: Leverages external stakeholders as levers to expand district support and goodwill through parents,
business community, non-profit, and faith based community.
Indicators/Expectations: The Superintendent will:
Utilize formal and informal techniques to gather external perceptions and input as a part of the decision
making process. (Surveys)
o Expanded the Secret Shopper initiative from 40 visits last year to 320 this year in district
building as well as schools to gather information on customer satisfaction.
Consistently implement the Code of Ethics with employees
o Provided Code of Conduct Training to all employees as part of the opening of schools meeting as
well as throughout the year as new employees are hired.
Participate in professional development (non-speaking events)
o Accepted into the Broad Academy
o Attended sessions at Symposium on Dyslexia and the International Dyslexia Conference
o Participated in online training on ESE and ethics
o Participated in calls and visits with Executive Coach
o Participated in the Gates Network of Practice Symposium with Florida districts
Balance visibility throughout the school district and the community
o Increased school visits this year, including visiting over 100 schools to date this year.

11

Performance Metric
Submission /Update of Board approved Marketing/Communications Plan
o The Marketing Plan was submitted and approved by the Board in November 2015.
Submission/Update of Board approved Community, Family, and Parent Engagement Plan
o The FACE Plan was submitted and approved by the Board in February 2015.
Parent Academy participation and feedback
o In 2014-15, 5,451 parents participated in Parent Academy events. This compares to 2,615 the
year prior and indicates a 108% increase.
o Parent Academy feedback indicates the following:
99% of parents were highly satisfied with course content
99% of parents indicated that the courses increased their skills as a parent
98% of parents felt the course was a good use of their time
99% of parents would highly recommend the parent academy to other parents
98% of parents plan to participate in another parent academy class
Discover Duval participation and feedback
o In 2014-15, 218 individuals participated in Discover Duval events with an average of 25
participants per visit. This compares to 198 the year prior and indicates a 10% increase.
o Feedback indicates the following results in regard to satisfaction when comparing 2013-14 to
2014-15
Punctuality improved from 92% to 95%
Quality of the Tour maintained a 92% satisfaction rate
Information provided increased from 91% to 92%
Opportunity to ask questions improved from 90% to 93%
Opportunity for future engagement with schools improved from 80% to 86%
Positive change about perception of quality of public education improved from 93% to
95%
Conduct informational Community Meetings on selected topics as a means to engage stakeholders
o Community Meetings held at schools on the following topics:
Initiated Chat with the Supt sessions (10 in total) to engage stakeholders throughout the
community
Proposed boundary change community meetings and working group sessions
Proposed Uniform Policy school level meetings
Hosted 4 meetings at First Coast high School to engage stakeholders on needed changes
at the school
Hosted a meeting at Terry Parker to engage the community on concerns of violence
Conduct the annual State of the Schools meeting
o The superintendent hosted a State of the Schools Meeting on March 10, 2015. The next State of
Schools Meeting will take place before school year begins in August.

12

External Surveys to greater community (UNF-JPEF study)

o Survey data from the UNF-JPEF survey indicates the following:
Participants ranking the Superintendent as very effective or effective in improving
education in Jacksonville increased by 3 percentage points from 51.5% to 54.5%.
The percent of participants indicating that materials and information available to them on
issues are clear, complete, and understandable increased by 10.1 percentage points from
46.7% to 56.8%
The percent of participants raking their overall perception of public education as better
compared to last year increased by 2.1 percentage points form 17.5% to 19.6%.
The percent of participants indicating that the district has been successful at recruiting,
retaining and developing great teachers and leaders increased by 7.7 percentage points
from 16.0 to 23.7%.
Website, podcast, and social media hits
o Below is a chart indicating the increase in social media hits as well as a midyear update on the
targets

Initiative

Increase website users at www.duvalschools.org

2014

2,700,000

2015

6,749,350

Increase the number of Page Views at

www.duvalschools.org

28,200,000

52,637,621

Increase the percent of new visitors to

www.duvalschools.org

27%

30.3%

Increase the length of the average web session duration

at www.duvalschools.org

Increase the number of Social Media Connections

Increase the number of Broadcast Programming minutes

watched/listened
Increase the number of Broadcast Programming
viewers/listeners

3:48

14,974

138,000
43,000

3:25

17,826

1,197,979
81,312

Number of volunteers, mentors, community partners

o The district currently has 35,923 volunteers, mentors, and community partners. This compares
to 28,551 the year prior and indicates a 26% increase.
100% active school based PTAs
o In 2014-15, 130 schools (over 90%) have active PTAs. This is an increase of 11 schools from
the year prior.
Kiosk feedback at district and school level
o To date, 403 customers have participated in the survey and have rated our district departments
4.59 on a 5 point scale for overall quality of customer service.
Number of volunteers and business partners
o In 2015-15 the district had 1,461 volunteers and business partners. This compares to 1,906 the
year prior and indicates a 23% decrease. The cause of the decrease is rooted in the shift to the
online registration system, not a decline in support.
13

CORE BELIEF #4: We believe that mutual collaboration between the school board and superintendent
is vital in order to formulate and implement the school districts mission, vision, and goals to promote
academic success.

Highly Effective

Effective

Developing

Needs Improvement

X
Commendations:

Recommendations:

Superintendents Feedback: Relationship between individual board

members and superintendent needs to continue to be a focus area.
Commitment to additional board development sessions with the Board and
superintendent is essential. Communication with the board regarding
school level concerns and possible media coverage has improved.
Collaboration focused on updating board policy is noteworthy. Although
there has been more examples of having senior staff engage with the Board
and community, more opportunities in the future should be expected.
Adherence to timelines and follow up is consistent. Proactively
communicating short-term and long-term challenges to the board and
providing solid and logical recommendations is a strength.
Priority #1. Develops cooperation and teamwork while functioning as a team,
including the school board and senior staff, and works towards solutions which
benefit students.
Priority #2. Problem solves to make good, logical decisions and recommendations.
Priority #3. Proactively communicates short-term and long-term district challenges to the board directly or
through senior staff.
Indicators/Expectations: The Superintendent will:
Actively participate in governance and board development sessions with the board
o Participated in over 15 governance and board development sessions during the school year.
Engage senior staff opportunities to present and interact with the Board
o Cabinet and Senior Staff presented the department report (QEA, Literacy, Math, Science,
Marketing, Operations, Wellness) at all board meetings
o Cabinet members presented the marketing, staffing, and emergency management plans during
workshops
o Cabinet members meet directly with board members upon request
o Region superintendents and Chief of Staff brief board members on school level incidents and
parent concerns

14

Delegate authority and responsibility to other employees as needs, and when, opportunities arise
o Cabinet Members and region superintendents participated in and led the working group meetings
on the proposed boundary changes
o Cabinet members have represented the superintendent at community meetings and speaking
events throughout the year (i.e. Board Member Fischer Town Hall Meetings, Terry Parker on
gang violence, First Coast on school and community concerns)
o Cabinet members and region superintendents led the school based meetings on the proposed
uniform policy
o Cabinet Members led and represented the superintendent in board policy review meetings
o Cabinet and senior staff represented the district in additional media engagement
Recommend additions or modifications to Board Policies
o Superintendent and staff have made 95 changes in partnership with the Board to revise and
update board policies
Implement board policies with fidelity and inform all stakeholders of changes
o Public Hearings on all possible board policy changes. Unaware of any board policies that were
not implemented with fidelity.
Timely and accurately submit board agenda items and related material
o All committee, workshop, and official board agendas and materials have been shared with the
board by the defined timeline
Conduct one on ones with board members as a means of communication and to enhance collegiality and
collaboration
o Over 40 one on ones have taken place during the evaluation period, excluding extensive phone
calls.
Timely respond to board member concerns and questions
o Follow up responses to board member questions at workshops and committee meetings are
comprehensively sent in a timely manner via email following the meetings
o Board Member Requests and Board Constituent Requests are responded to in a timely manner
and quarterly reports are provided to demonstrate the number of requests as well as response
time. During the evaluation period there were 55 BMRs, 437 BCRs, and 1,292 CRs responded
to.
Inform the Board in a timely manner on needs and issues confronting students and employees
o Process of informing board members of school level incidents has been improved through the
superintendent or Chief of Staff. Immediate notification to board member (and Chair if
applicable) of any school related emergencies or media sensitive issue occurs.
Performance Metric
BMR/BCR/CR completion reports
o BMR/CR/CSR completion reports are provided to the Board on a quarterly basis per Board
Policy. There reports are provided in January, April, July, and October of each year.
Superintendents Midyear review
o There was no written midyear review conducted during the prior evaluation year.
Board Oversight Calendar
o All requirements have been provided timely.

15

CORE BELIEF 5: We believe that district resources must be used effectively, efficiently, and with
accountability to ensure student success.
Highly Effective

Effective

Developing

Needs Improvement

X
Commendations:

Recommendations:

Superintendents Feedback: Budget is balanced on time and maximized. It

is transparently developed in partnership with the Board and auditor.
Systems have been enhanced and implemented to reduce audit findings.
Long-term planning has emerged but can become more consistent.
Technology resources and support has been greatly improved, expanded,
and enhanced. Grants have been increased to fill gaps and address priority
areas.
Priority 1. Manages district resources throughout the fiscal year
Priority 2. Plans financially for the short-term and long-term
Priority 3. Proactively communicates financial challenges to the board and community
Priority 4. Aligns resources with the Strategic Plan and is willing to make logical and difficult decisions in
order to balance the budget
Priority 5. Develops and implements plans to prevent repeat audit findings
Priority 6. Secures outside funding sources to benefit students despite scarce resources in alignment with the
Strategic Plan
Priority 7. Develops a short-term and long-term technology plan for the district
Indicators/Expectations: The Superintendent will:
Maintain board defined reserve and fund balance
o Maintained defined 5% reserve and fund balance.
Make financial recommendations aligned to performance metrics
o Increased funding for Literacy including additional reading interventionists and coaches for
schools with a high percentage of students below grade level (larger schools)
o Expanded DTO support to struggling schools on the west side and Arlington areas (i.e. reduced
principal to principal supervisor ratio and increased district coach support in reading, math, and
science)
o Increased funding for D and F schools through interventionists, hourly funding for tutoring, and
additional school improvement positions
o Utilized grants (NVP, PITSCO) to address middle school reform focus
o Strengthened alterative school services to improve consequences and support for negative
student behavior
o Increased funding for out of adoption materials

16

Develop and implement project management systems to prevent repeat audit findings
o Created district first Audit Plan
o An action plan was developed for each of the audit findings from the last districts audit by the
Auditor Generals Office for Financial and Operational audit as well as the FTE Audit. Those
plans are reviewed and updated on a quarterly basis to ensure plans are being implemented and
monitored. In addition, webinars were created in the areas that FTE exceptions most commonly
occur and will be assigned to employees on an as-needed basis.
Develop strategies to project and forecast student enrollment (FTE)
o Developed school based budgets based on actual student enrollment in January to hold schools
harmless for loss.
o Projected charter enrollment accurately (approximately 13,000) in order to provide Board with a
balanced budget that would not underestimate the number of students enrolling in charter
schools.
Anticipate financial losses to charter and McKay enrollment
o Developed a balanced budget that anticipated and properly predicted loss of revenue due to
increased charter and McKay enrollment
Develop and implement plans to increase grant funding
o Continue to pursue the grant opportunities that fit with our overall strategic plan, areas of
financial need, and priorities
o Contract with professional grant writers to assist in grant writing efforts
o Published grants in the Duval Daily, placed on the district grants website, and posted in the
Weekly Briefings to maximize visibility and opportunity
o Provide Professional development in grant writing on a quarterly basis for school-based staff
who wish to increase their proficiency at grant writing and who are seeking funds for a particular
school-based purpose.
Engage the board through workshops to problem solve on short-term and long-term financials
o Engaged the Board in 8 budget meetings during the 2015-16 budget process
o Discuss budget concerns as conversations arise (ex. The need for a long term solution for nurses
when presenting the Wellness and the need for more technology support at schools as part of the
Technology Plan)
Engage the Board Auditor in the review of financial summaries, audits, and budget preparation
o District staff meets with the Board Auditor frequently throughout the budget preparation process
to ensure that all information presented is accurate
Performance Metric
Monthly financial and fund balance report
o Report provided to the Board through an agenda item each month as well as fund balance report
on the 20th of each month
Grants secured and total funding amount
o Through the end of January 2016, we have submitted 45 grants, and have received award
notification letters totaling $9 million not including QEA during the evaluation period.
Annual audit report and available internal audit reports
o Provided annually per Board Policy
Strategic abandonment and multi -year budget plan
o Budget plans developed with long-term trends
o Elimination of programs and initiatives such as:
Innovations for Learning
District Specialists
District Administrators
17

Bond ratings
o The district has maintained its Aa3 bond rating through Moodys, AA- through S&P, and AAthrough Fitch.
Submission and approval of Financial, Technology, and Audit Plans
o Submitted as required per oversight calendar
Technology Plan Progress Report
o Regular technology reports are shared with the board
Survey data regarding effectiveness and efficiency of technology by district staff
o N/A
Reduction in repeat audit findings
o For the last two years we have received no findings. For the 2014-15 fiscal year we received two
management letter comments and those were reduced to zero comments for the 2015-16 fiscal
year.
Reduction in Heat Ticket response time
o From 2013-14 to 2014-15, the response time to close a ticket decreased from 30 days to 15 days
including an increase in devices from 45,000 to 74,000.
Increase in previous charter/private enrollment
o Charter enrollment was projected at nearly 13,000 for 2015-16 and is currently only 12,000.
This is likely due to strategic use of special transfers, which has increased by 28% from 7,488 to
9,552.
Decrease in number of schools below 85% utilized
o Decreased the number of schools below 85% utilized from 80 in 2014-15 to 78 in 2015-16

18