Introduction
In June 2006, Superintendent Thomas Fowler-Finn and the Cambridge School Committee established four major goals for the Cambridge Public Schools. These four goals continue to guide the improvement efforts of the Cambridge Public Schools. They include:
- Goal 1: Raise achievement levels for all students and close the achievement gap.
- Goal 2: Establish a system for longitudinal assessment of student progress.
- Goal 3: Develop a strategic plan for education to guide decision making for the next 3 to 5 year period.
- Goal 4: Nurture and grow partnerships with area art, academic, science, and youth organizations.
To assist us in realizing these goals, the District Improvement Plan spells out specific strategies to be undertaken in action plans for each of the four goals. The action plans include measures of progress that will be used to ensure that progress is being made. The responsibilities of individual departments are also laid out in this document.
The District Improvement Plan is data-driven and results oriented. It identifies specific areas of weakness in student achievement and subgroups of students in need of further support in the areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics. The plan is informed by district data from MCAS and the CPS Benchmarks of Student Achievement K-12. The data included in this plan is from the 2005-2006 school year. The plan will be updated to reflect the data from the 2006-2007 school year in the Fall of 2007.
Professional development needed to support the implementation of the District Improvement Plan is included in the document. The CPS Professional Development Plan is based on the identified needs of the district and individual schools in English Language Arts and Mathematics. It offers researched-based strategies to increase teachers’ skills and improve outcomes for students.
In order to streamline mandated documentation, the Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE) recommends a consolidated district improvement planning format that includes the following:
- District Professional Development Plan
- District Curriculum Accommodation Plan
- Student Success Plan information
- New Teacher Induction Plan
These documents are included in the plan.
The District Improvement Plan outlines the focus and direction of work of the Cambridge Public Schools over the next year. It is our intent that this document:
- Highlight the areas of focus for the current school year
- Guide the actions of all staff for the school years 2006-2008
- Encourage collaboration among individual schools and departments
Our improvement efforts are summarized in the Statement of Goals endorsed by our Superintendent and School Committee:
The School Committee and Superintendent have jointly developed goals for the Cambridge Public Schools that are accompanied by measures of progress. The goals are intended to provide improvement targets and guidance for teaching/learning, student achievement, and school district operations. The goals are focused on the challenges of providing a creative and rewarding high quality education, increasing achievement for all students, closing the achievement gap, and surpassing state and federal requirements.
The goals will be carried out through a creative approach based upon:
- excellence in teaching
- high standards of performance for all staff and all students
- a diverse workforce fully engaged with students
- supportive and demanding professional development for all staff
- a culture of learning that requires of students full engagement, authentic assessment, citizenship development, active appreciation of the arts, and full participation in the CRLS community and the city.
Parents and community partnerships are vital to accomplishing these goals, and the Cambridge Public Schools are determined to reach out further than ever before, well beyond the doors of the school on behalf of a better education. It takes a committed staff and community to help students develop as thinkers, doers, appreciators, enjoyers, and contributing citizens of their school, community, and society.
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