Report of the External Review Team for Spokane Valley High School

2011 N. Hutchinson Rd

Spokane, WA 99212-2455

Larry Bush, Principal

Date: February 17, 2016 – February 18, 2016

AdvancED Accreditation Commission (Summary)

Accreditation Recommendation

Index of Education Quality

Overall and domain scores can range from 100 – 400

The External Review Team recommends to the AdvancED Accreditation Commission that the institution earn the distinction of accreditation for a five-year term. AdvancED will review the results of the External Review to make a final determination including the appropriate next steps for the institution in response to these findings.

The External Review is an integral component of AdvancED Performance Accreditation and provides the institution with a comprehensive evaluation guided by the results of diagnostic instruments, in-depth review of data and documentation, and the professional judgment of a team of qualified and highly trained evaluators. The results of this evaluation are represented in the Index of Education Quality (IEQ {TM}) and through critical observations, namely Powerful Practices, Opportunities for Improvement, and Improvement Priorities.

Accreditation is a voluntary method of quality assurance developed more than 100 years ago by American universities and secondary schools and designed primarily to distinguish schools adhering to a set of educational standards. Today the accreditation process is used at all levels of education and is recognized for its ability to effectively drive student performance and continuous improvement in education.

Opportunities for Improvement

Every institution can and must improve no matter what levels of performance it has achieved in its past. The External Review Team identified areas of improvement where the institution is meeting the expectations for accreditation but in the professional judgment of the Team these are Opportunities for Improvement that should be considered by the institution.

Improvement Priorities

The expectations for accreditation are clearly defined in a series of the rubric-based AdvancED Standards, indicators and evaluative criteria focused on the impact of teaching and learning on student performance, the capacity of the institution to be guided by effective leadership, and the allocation and use of resource to support student learning.

The Review

The External Review Team for Spokane Valley High School was made up of six members. Preparation for the review began several weeks before the visit. Team members completed their required External Team Member and elect ™ training. After an initial orientation session, the team listened to an extensive and detailed “story of the school”, which included presentations by the principal, the Teacher Leader, and the counselor. In the course of the review, team members held 42 stakeholders interviews and observed seven classroom sessions

In particular, the level of preparedness exhibited by the school was outstanding. The documents shared with the Review Team allowed the team members to thoroughly understand the school’s process and procedures. Staff members were accessible and repeatedly willing to engage in conversations with team members to describe programs and to process in a candid and transparent manner. The school exhibited an additional level of preparedness and commitment to continuous improvement by having a sufficient number of stakeholder representatives available for interviews.

Standard 3 – Teaching and Assessing for Learning

The school’s curriculum, instructional design, and assessment practices guide and ensure teacher effectiveness and student learning.

Standard 5 – Using Results for Continuous Improvement

The school implements a comprehensive assessment system that generates a range of data about student learning and school effectiveness and uses the results to guide continuous improvement.

Student Performance Diagnostic

The quality of assessments used to measure student learning, assurance that assessments are administered with procedural fidelity and appropriate accommodations, assessment results that reflect the quality of learning, and closing gaps in achievement among subpopulations of students are all important indicators for evaluating overall student performance.

Effective Learning Environments Observation Tool (eleo™)

The Observation Tool measures the extent to which learners are in an environment that is equitable, supportive, and well-managed. An environment where high expectations are the norm and active learning takes place. It measures whether learners’ progress is monitored and feedback is provided and the extent to which technology is leveraged for learning. Seven classroom observations took place during the review.

Findings

Improvement Priority

• Develop and implement a formalized process for grading and reporting that is clearly defined and consistent across courses.
• Expand the school’s engagement of families by increasing collaboration opportunities between the school and families.
• Articulate and document a formalized process for the new teacher mentoring, coaching and induction currently known to staff members.
• Provide teachers with additional strategies that allow students to engage in regular reflection of their learning.

Powerful Practice

Weekly and yearly collaborative structures create an interconnected and effective collaborative community focused on improving instructional practice and student learn that are valued by all staff members.

Standard 1 – Purpose and Direction

The school maintains and communicates a purpose and direction that commit to high expectations for learning as well as shared values and beliefs about teaching and learning

Standard 2 – Governance and Leadership

The school operates under governance and leadership that promote and support student performance and school effectiveness.

Findings

Powerful Practice

All stakeholders have a strong sense of ownership of both the vision and common beliefs of the school.

Standard 4 – Resources and Support Systems

The school has resources and provides services that support its purpose and direction to ensure success for all students.

Findings

Powerful Practice

Spokane Valley High School’s enterprising focus is powerfully modeled by the team’s enthusiastic solicitation of grants as an avenue for deepening student learning in a variety of disciplines.

Powerful Practice

The school’s deep commitment to relationships and community is exemplified in its facilitation of multiple support avenues for students