New learning model aims to create a safe, supportive and collaborative culture in Iowa City schools

IOWA CITY — A new school improvement plan is expected to help the Iowa City Community School District reach its goal of achieving equitable outcomes for all students by first creating a safe, supportive and collaborative culture.

The school improvement plan — called Marzano High Reliability Schools — is a long-term strategic planning guide for schools and districts to help improve student achievement. It is also used in the Cedar Rapids Community School District.

“It allows us to make decisions that best meet the needs of all our students,” Iowa City’s executive director of elementary schools, Eliza Proctor, said at a school board meeting last week. “It gives us a common language to name what we’re doing, assess our current reality, align our initiatives and determine where to go next.”

Implementing the five-level plan will be a five- to six-year process. The first level — creating a safe, supportive and collaborative culture — will be the focus of the 2022-23 school year.

“We need to go slow in this work and be meticulous about how we roll it out, so we can ensure success,” Proctor said.

Each of the five levels includes leading indicators that show what a school should work on to achieve a high reliability level. Much of this work will be done in professional learning for educators, Proctor said.

Level one leading indicators include:

These leading indicators will be assessed through surveys of staff, students and community members, Proctor said.

Data including office referrals, suspension and seclusion and restraint will be part of monitoring the “health” of a school building by “showing students, staff and parents this is a safe environment,” Deputy Superintendent Amy Kortemeyer said.

Level two of the program is “effective teaching in every classroom.” Educators work toward this goal by communicating a clear instructional vision, professional growth plans, being evaluated based on student achievement data, and having opportunities to collaborate.

Level three is “guaranteed and viable curriculum.” This is accomplished by implementing curriculum that can be addressed within the school year; students having the opportunity to learn the standards; measurable goals to improve student achievement; and data used to monitor progress.

The last two levels are “standards-referenced reporting” and “competency-based education.”

Carmen Gwenigale, Iowa City director of curriculum, assessment and instruction, said that while work at the building level will be focused on level one, instructional coaches are being trained in level two to be prepared to support teachers in that level next year.

The high reliability schools framework fits well with the district’s strategic and equity, diversity and inclusion plans, Kortemeyer said. Goals in the district’s strategic plan include annually improving educational experiences for all children through culturally inclusive and responsive school environments and classroom instruction.

Culturally responsive teaching is using teaching skills at teaching in a cross-cultural or multicultural setting to encourage each student to relate course content to their cultural context.

Goals in the district’s diversity, equity and inclusion plan include reducing opportunity gaps for students by improving access and delivery of core instruction, reducing disproportion in discipline and increasing engagement of parents, students and community members.

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