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YORK SOARS:
TENSQUARES RESPONSE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF
THE CITY OF YORK REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR
EXTERNAL PROVIDERS OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES


August 1, 2014





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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The TenSquare Group is very pleased to respond to the School District of the City of York (SDCY) Request
for Proposals for External Providers of Educational Services. TenSquare brings a proven record of
results and a wealth of expertise and experience in taking over and turning around the academic
performance of low performing schools. This proposal, which we are calling YORK SOARS, provides a
roadmap for implementing TenSquares successful, effective, sustainable takeover and turnaround
strategies at scale.

It is clear from the SDCY Recovery Plan that there are many and varied challenges which plague the
schools and the community in York. These challenges, broadly speaking, center on academics and
school culture, management and operations, including finances at the school and district levels. The net
effect of these challenges is a significant and ongoing budget deficit, declining enrollment and poor
academic results. The negative impact on the community is significant and lasting. Examining data from
various sources confirms that York suffers from higher crime rates than Pennsylvania (PA) or US
averages, unemployment is higher in York than in PA or the US, and median household income is much
lower than in PA or the US. While a great education cannot completely solve all these ills, the lack of a
great education can only make challenging circumstances even more difficult.

A whole generation of York students are at serious risk without significant intervention. Unequivocal
research points to the positive effects on crime rates, earning power and employment of a well-
educated citizenry. The TenSquare partnership is uniquely positioned to take on the significant,
entrenched and multi-faceted challenges facing SDCY and York. Specifically, TenSquare proposes to
phase in the proposed deep turnaround efforts over two years, by taking over William Penn High School
and the three most distressed K-8 schools (Goode, Ferguson and McKinley) in the 2015-16 school year.
In the 2016-17 school year, the remaining schools will be taken over (Davis, Devers, and Jackson).

In this phased approach, TenSquare will provide comprehensive turnaround services to the schools,
meaning the complete academic and operational management of the schools, including but not limited
to academics (Curriculum and Instruction, Professional Development, Culture), family and community
involvement, and management and operations (General Administrative Services, HR, recruitment,
hiring, retention, Budget/ Finances, transportation, facilities, food service).

TenSquare is a national education consulting firm operating in six states and the District of Columbia.
Our education practice focuses on school restructuring and improvement initiatives; strategic planning
and performance management with school boards; organizational assessment and high stakes charter
reviews/renewal; executive recruitment and general operational support. Our charter school real estate
practice includes facility acquisition, financing, development and management.



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TenSquares team has shown dramatic results in public charter schools for almost fifteen years.
TenSquare Managing Member, Josh Kern, co-founded and served as Executive Director of Thurgood
Marshall Academy Public Charter High School - located in the most under resourced neighborhoods in
Washington, DC - from 2000 until 2011. Katie Herman, TenSquare partner and head of the school
improvement practice, served as a senior leader of Thurgood Marshall Academy (TMA) from 2001
through 2008, and then served on the Board of Trustees until 2014. TMA is now among the highest
performing, open enrollment public high schools (district and charter) in the Washington, DC. TMA has
been highlighted as a model of excellence by the U.S. Department of Education and Harvards
Achievement Gap Institute (AGI), as well as featured on the CBS evening news and honored with a
National Excellence in Urban Education Award and a Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color
(COSEBOC) School Award. All TenSquare team members bring expertise from top tier schools and
networks from across the country.

The TenSquare Approach

TenSquare brings about transformative changes in school performance by partnering with school
stakeholders to prioritize the most important drivers of school change and then monitoring these
interventions for maximum impact. Such interventions may include leadership coaching and support,
professional development, implementation of highly effective programs, and data-driven teacher
mentoring. We bring unique expertise and perspective to our work with individual charter schools by
applying the following principles to each project:

We provide an independent, critical eye. When assessing options for a school, TenSquare takes on full
representation of the client to assess all options that will best fit the specific school. While we work
within the charter movement and collaborate with the authorizer, our recommendations are rooted in
the specific data of the school and our perspective is based on what will best benefit the schools
students.

We use lessons learned from our proven, on-the-ground success running schools. We understand the
intricacies of undergoing school improvement efforts. Good plans are never as easy to implement on the
ground, and we have over fifteen years of experience running schools, creating smart plans, and turning
these plans into concrete actions that yield results.

We prioritize our interventions within the accountability framework. Best practices are endless and when
schools try to implement everything at once they often fail to make concrete change. We use targeted
strategies proven to increase student proficiency on state exams, and we focus on all elements of the
accountability framework so that end year results demonstrate measureable increases in performance.

TenSquares Leadership Team

Joshua M. Kern, Managing Member of TenSquare and a Philadelphia native, was the Co-Founder,
President, & Chief Executive Officer of Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School (TMA) in


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the Anacostia neighborhood of DC. Josh oversaw Thurgood Marshall Academy's growth and
development from a start-up serving 80 9th graders at its inception to a full service accredited
institution serving close to 400 students in grades 9-12. Under Joshs leadership, Thurgood Marshall
Academy garnered national recognition for the excellence and sustainability of its programs. In late
2009, the school was selected by the U.S. Department of Education to be featured as part of the
Departments Doing What Works initiative. Thurgood Marshall Academy was the only charter school
and one of just six schools in the country chosen as a national model of excellence for its use of data to
improve student outcomes. Today, Thurgood Marshall Academy is the highest performing public charter
high school in DC.

Josh is a founding member of the DC Public Charter School Association, Vice Chair of the Board of
Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS), a member of the Board of Barrack Academy, and an
Advisory Board member of the National Public Charter School Resource Center. Josh graduated with
honors from Georgetown University Law Center in 2001 and holds a BA and MBA from Tulane
University.

Katie Herman, TenSquare Principal, runs the education practice and works with D.C charter school
boards and leaders on restructuring and school improvement efforts, strategic planning, charter
renewals, executive searches and general operational support. She led TenSquares first DC school take
over and turnaround project of a middle/high school in which the middle school increased its
Performance Management Framework (PMF) score in one year - from 14 to 38 and the high school
increased from 28 to 44. From 2001 through 2014, Katie served as Managing Director, Development
Director and Board Trustee of Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School (TMA), the
highest performing open-enrollment high school in the District. In between her time at TMA and joining
TenSquare, Katie led the development efforts of College Summit, a national college access organization.
As Vice President of Development, she built a national development team, oversaw a $9M annual goal,
and developed the infrastructure to support 11 regional operations. Katie has experience in education
research and evaluation from her work at Policy Studies Associates, and is a committed educator with
over twenty years of working with youth in the inner cities of Chicago, Providence and Washington, D.C.
She is a graduate of Brown University.

Ethan Mitnick, TenSquare School Improvement Team Lead, is a former school leader from New York
City. He has served as a founding elementary charter school principal, a turnaround high school
principal, a high school special education coordinator, and a middle school bilingual special education
teacher in the Bronx. Ethan leads school audits, directs leadership coaching and support, designs
instructional initiatives, and implements state-testing aligned intervention work with TenSquare clients.
His efforts led to significant increases in student achievement in both schools he led in New York and the
schools he has supported in Washington, D.C. In addition to his direct work with schools, he has
significant experience in designing and implementing high-impact, Common Core aligned professional


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development for teachers and leaders. Ethan has an Ed.D. in Administration of Special Education
programs from Teachers College at Columbia University and a BA from Dartmouth College. He is a New
York Teaching Fellows alumnus.
Doug Mesecar, York Senior Consultant, has served in senior operational and policy roles at the U.S.
Department of Education, leading education companies, and in Congress. He is a governor appointed
board member of the Opportunity Educational Institution for the state of Virginia. Currently, Doug is a
leading education strategy, operations, business development and policy consultant, focusing on the
charter and technology sectors, while also co-owning a Sylvan Learning Center in Northern Virginia.
Previously, Doug was Vice President for Contract Programs and SylvanSync at Sylvan Learning and was
Vice President of Math and Strategic Initiatives at Scholastic Education. Doug also served as Director of
Government Relations and Policy at Edison Schools. At the U.S. Department of Education, Doug served
in a number of senior roles: Deputy Chief of Staff of the Policy, Assistant Deputy Secretary of the Office
of Innovation and Improvement, and Acting Assistant Secretary of the Office of Planning, Evaluation and
Policy Development. In Congress, Doug was a senior professional staff member on the House Education
and Workforce Committee, where he worked on the reauthorizations of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (NCLB) and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, now known as the
Institute for Educational Sciences. Doug attended Hope College (MI) and the University of Denver (CO),
where he completed graduate work in education and earned his teacher license. He taught 5th grade in
the Jefferson County School system in Colorado.

Alexandra Pardo is the Executive Director of Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School in
Washington, DC. Under her leadership the school became the highest performing high school in the
District, boasting a 100% college acceptance rate for all of its graduates. Alexandra revamped the
schools curriculum and academic program emphasizing standards aligned instruction honing in on
effective data use and accountability. As a result, the schools state test scores improved by 30% in
reading and math in two years, student pass rates on Advanced Placement exams surpassed the city
averages and SAT scores increased over 150 points. . Alexandra has spoken nationally on secondary
school reform, and her work was featured in the book Driven by Data (Paul Bambrick-Santoyo). Under
Alexandras leadership, the school earned national awards including the National Excellence in
Education Award from the National Center for Urban Schools (2014) and the Excellent School Award
from the Coalition of Educating Boys of Color (2013). In 2013, Alexandra received the Distinguished
Educational Leadership Award from the Washington Post. Alexandra earned a Bachelors degree from
the George Washington University in International Affairs, a Masters of Teaching from American
University, a Masters of Science in School Administration from Trinity University and a Doctorate of
Education from the George Washington University. She is a Teach for America alumna.

TenSquare expects to achieve successful outcomes across a range of measures, including academic
results, school culture, enrollment growth, financial efficiency, community involvement and
engagement, and ultimately, revival of the greater York economy and cultural life.


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Specific academic goals are detailed further in the proposal, but areas of focused improvement at the
school level include reducing the dropout rate at William Penn High School while the number of on-time
graduates who are college or career ready will increase. Success will also be manifest in various test
scores growth and proficiency across a range of assessments, including the PSSA, SAT and ACT,
internal assessments measuring math and reading proficiency, as well as increasing the numbers of AP
course takers and their scores, all aligned with the SPP framework. The rates of suspension and
expulsion will decrease and the school will attract greater numbers of students over time. Students will
master a challenging curriculum, aligned to the Common Core, while learning how to work hard,
persevere, and be accountable. In addition, attendance will improve, and rates of suspension/expulsion
and/or other behavior indicators will improve. In every case, school scores on the School Performance
Profile will quickly and significantly improve (specifics of which are detailed later in this proposal).
In terms of the district, an obvious success measure is the effective transition of the district to the
TenSquare partnership, where the community positively engages and responds to the phased transition
by both enrolling their students in the takeover schools and supporting the schools through
engagement, volunteerism and positive PR. Further, the districts financial will improve significantly and
district service delivery across a range of functions will become more effective and cost-efficient, leading
toward long-term fiscal sustainability. Ultimately, success will be shown by accelerating academic
results, higher enrollment, improving district finances, a re-engaged community, increasing rates of
college bound or employed high schoolers, and a district that is ready to resume its rightful place as a
beacon of hope for students and families and no longer in need of a recovery plan.
TenSquare is enthusiastic about the potential of this opportunity to help SDCY and the York community
because of the deeply held values of the individuals involved to work with those most underserved and
least successful: it is both a matter of moral and ethical principles and the focus of our collective
professional experience. Clearly, the need in York is significant, and unlikely to improve without new
approaches and outside, independent voices and actions to push for change. It is a shame that so much
time and attention goes to large urban school districts in cities like New York and Washington; clearly
these districts serve high numbers of students, but there are more students enrolled collectively in
distressed districts across states like Pennsylvania and across the country who are equally deserving of
excellent schools. We are excited to bring our proven solutions to traditionally overlooked districts like
YCSD. As such, we believe deeply that our effort and its success t can be a model to many districts
across the country. This is an exciting, scalable opportunity. Importantly, we firmly believe that success
is possible there are strengths to build upon, assets to leverage and the conditions are right to take
aggressive and sustained action. The district is in need of accelerated, urgent reform, not incremental
change, and we are thrilled about the opportunity to lead YCSD to new heights.


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ACADEMIC PLAN OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PLAN OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PLAN OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PLAN OVERVIEW

Mission and Vision
TenSquare is a national education consulting firm operating in six states and the District of Columbia.
Our school consulting practice focuses on targeted, Common Core aligned instructional supports for
schools including coaching and training for leaders and teachers and customized academic initiative
planning and implementation based on client need. Our efforts are designed to help schools offer
authentic, high-quality instruction while also reaching critical performance targets. In additional to our
instructionally-focused work, we offer authorizer engagement strategy and support; strategic planning
and partnership facilitation; organizational assessment and charter renewal; executive recruitment and
general operational support. Through the implementation of an intensive, multi-year school turnaround
effort, TenSquare will build school-level academic, talent, and fiscal capacity for long-term sustainability
in the York City School District.
TenSquare believes that:
York schools should have high expectations for each and every student regardless of his or her
socioeconomic status, race, language or disability status, and the education students experience
should reflect these expectations;
The people closest to students should be the policy makers and the decision makers, including
teachers, administrators, parents, and students themselves; this calls for democratic forms of
school governance and facilitative leadership;
Schools should be small and personalized to build trust and relationships in the school
environment and create a culture of achievement;
The school culture should promote innovation, risk-taking, and continuous improvement;
Learning should be purposeful, authentic, challenging, and creative, and build students' capacity
to take responsibility for their own learning;
All teachers, leaders, and staff will engage in constant learning and growth through targeted and
meaningful professional development that is driven by the school accountability framework;
Standards-aligned, rigorous assessments are key to improving learning and teaching;
Families are critical partners in creating high performing York schools;
The people who are responsible for the learning and decision-making should be held responsible
and accountable for the impact of the school in the lives of learners and of the community.
Primary School Improvement Services
Strategic, performance and compliance advising for school boards

Academic and operational school audits


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Leadership coaching and performance management support

Accountability framework aligned school improvement supports, including:

o Priority/goal-setting support and leadership coaching for school leaders that is fully
aligned to the school accountability framework;
o Instructional coaching for teachers through observation, high-impact coaching and
continuous feedback;
o Focused professional development aligned to Common Core State Standards and
Assessments;
o Student-level data analysis to inform instruction, re-teaching, and intervention
programs
o Special population program design and implementation to ensure that all students both
receive supports based on their learning needs and can reach academic benchmarks
o Strategic and operational planning to create and sustain a culture of achievement
o Operational support for enrollment, attendance, behavior systems and all critical
accountability metrics
o The implementation of customized, intentional, and strategic initiatives based on data;
o Building great schools for all students and staff characterized by cultures of
achievement, strong relationships between staff and students, and celebration of
student learning.

Recruitment services for leaders and teachers, and general human resource support

TenSquare believes deeply that there will never be a one-model-fits-all approach to school take over
and turnaround work. For this reason, before engaging in school improvement efforts, TenSquare
performs deep and comprehensive operational and academic audits of all schools with which it
partners. Through the audit process and the analysis of collected data, TenSquare can gather first-hand
information about the schools strengths and areas for improvement. Only then does TenSquare craft a
school improvement plan designed to move the school forward with urgency. Implementation occurs
strategically over time to ensure that specific goals and benchmarks are met before taking logical next
steps in the turnaround process.
Take over and turnaround efforts are also fully aligned to critical high-stakes outcomes. Before drafting
out school goals and taking school improvement action, TenSquare carefully considers outcomes that
must be met to demonstrate success. TenSquare always keeps the accountability framework at the
forefront of all decision-making. In an educational environment like Pennsylvania, TenSquare would
craft its efforts around moving the indicators listed in the School Performance Profile to make sure the
school reaches critical benchmarks through the school improvement work. Once critical benchmarks


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are met, TenSquare turns its attention towards comprehensive school improvement at all levels of
school programming in order to ensure long-term success and sustainability.
Transformational Change Transformational Change Transformational Change Transformational Change
TenSquares team has shown dramatic results in public charter schools for almost fifteen years.
TenSquare Managing Member, Josh Kern, co-founded and served as Executive Director of Thurgood
Marshall Academy Public Charter High School (TMA) from 2000 until 2011. Katie Herman, TenSquare
partner and head of the school improvement practice, served as a senior leader of TMA from 2001
through 2008, and then served on the Board of Trustees until 2014. TMA is now among the highest
performing, open enrollment public high schools (district and charter) in the District of Columbia. TMA
has been highlighted as a model of excellence by the Department of Education Doing What Works
series, recognized as a school of excellence by Harvards Achievement Gap Institute (AGI), featured on
the CBS evening news, and honored with a National Excellence in Urban Education Award and a
Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color (COSEBOC) School Award. All TenSquare team members
bring expertise from top tier schools and networks from across the country.

Applying our experience running top performing schools, TenSquares team has had transformative
impact in low performing schools in the District. Specific examples of our success include:

Integrated Design & Electronics Academy PCS- IDEA Grades 7-12 through SY 13; Grades 9-12
presently

Partnership years:
February 2012 June 2012 (TenSquare audit, evaluation, strategic board counsel)
July 2012 June 2013 (Year 1 Full TenSquare restructuring effort)
July 2013- June 2014 (Year 2 of TenSquare restructuring effort)

Results:
In the first full year of the restructured school, 2012-2013, student proficiency on the state exam
increased 13.3% in high school ELA and 11.8% in high school math. Two years after restructuring, in the
2014 state results, high school math proficiency moved to 67.4% having started at 26.7 percent prior to
restructuring. The PMF total score increased 15.3 points on a 100-point scale. The middle school saw
even greater increases with ELA increasing 37 percentage points and math increasing 20.6 percentage
points. The middle school PMF score increased 23.9 points on the 100-point scale after the first year of
restructuring.

Imagine Hope Community PCS Lamond Campus Grades PreK-6

Partnership year:
November - December 2013 (TenSquare performance audit)


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January June 2014 (Year 1 of TenSquare restructuring effort, starting mid-year with existing staff and
teachers)

Results:
After leading an intensive school restructuring effort from December 2013 through June 2014, the
Imagine Hope Community PCS-Lamond campus showed the largest increase of any public charter school
on the 2014 state standardized assessment. Students showed double-digit growth in both math and
reading, up 19.6 and 15.4 percent, respectively.
William E. Doar Jr. PCS - Grades PreK Grade 8

Partnership years:
July 2011-June 2012 (TenSquare serves as strategic adviser to interim executive director)
July 2012-June 2013 (TenSquare recruits teachers and administrators)
October 2013 December 2013 (TenSquare conducts performance audit and advises Board)
January 2014 June 2014 (Year 1 of TenSquare restructuring effort, staring mid-year with existing staff
and teachers.)

Results:
After two years of supporting WEDJs board of trustees with strategic advising and sourcing, TenSquare
led an intensive school restructuring effort from January through June 2014. State proficiency increased
by almost 12% in math, and although the composite score in ELA dipped by 1.5%, proficiency increased
in four out of six of the tested grades.

Although it is critical for a school take over and turnaround package to be customized, TenSquare relies
heavily on a set of best practices that have been proven to show dramatic, authentic school
improvement in a short period of time. A number of key programs, principles, and structures guide
TenSquares school take over / turnaround efforts in the areas of Academics, School Culture, School
Operations, and Leadership.
Academics
Programs
Implementation of high quality ELA and Math anchor curricula with supplementary initiatives as
needed
Targeted, intensive PD for all teachers with a focus on ELA, Math, and data analysis in year one
Data cycle and interim assessments aligned to PSSA and Keystone Exams
Helping to design targeted intervention for below-grade level students that is built into the school day
and held after school
Observation and evaluation of all current teachers to determine teaching and learning effectiveness


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Principles
Teachers need high quality resources and comprehensive training to teach their students effectively.
Anchor curricula must be used responsively and must be supplemented.
Strategic intervention to address basic skills gaps and prepare students for high level critical thinking
Use of student performance data to drive instructional decision making
Maximized inclusion and individualized learning for students with IEPs, structured English transition
supports for ELL students, and opportunities for academic enrichment for gifted and talented
students.

Structures
The development of strong and high-functioning Professional Learning Communities at grade level
bands and/or subjects, as necessary
Two week pre-service PD institute before SY begins
6-8 full-day PD days during the SY aligned to the data cycle
Balanced Literacy approach for ELA instruction with a focus on small group instruction
Low stakes, frequent coaching for teachers
Scaffolded rigor approach for high school to adapt content for below grade level students
Maximizing instructional learning time within the school day
Systems for tracking and monitoring accountability and daily systems attendance, promotion,
behavior
Design and implementation of a staffing model that maximizes student achievement outcomes and
develops a culture of high expectations

School Culture
Programs
Full school implementation of a Culture of Achievement which recognizes not only safety and
compliance but celebrates learning and achievement
In-depth PD for teachers on effective management strategies
PBIS approach to recognize positive behaviors throughout the school building
Parent-friendly school conferences

Principles
All adults must adhere to core values and use common language in all communications with students
High expectations for all students with targeted supports in place for Tier 3 students


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School-wide systems and consistent classroom systems that include both incentives and
developmentally-appropriate consequence to govern behavior expectations
Clear and consistent behavior expectations that govern all spaces in the building
Parents are partners in reinforcing the schools high expectations
PTA works to support the schools most important priorities
Tracking and using behavior data to make decisions about interventions and school culture
programming
Developmentally-appropriate supports to ensure that students reflect upon and take ownership of
their behaviors
A restorative (not punitive) approach to addressing behaviors

Structures
PBIS pyramid of behavior supports for students
Developmentally appropriate incentives / logical and supportive consequences
Orientation for new students and families
Tiered system for progressive discipline
Clear policies and procedures to guide all aspects of school culture
Regular assemblies and meetings in place to build community among students and staff
Tracking system for behavior

School Operations
Programs
Focus on talent and recruitment of the best teachers and leaders
Use of effective SIS to gather and store information
Long-term, conservative budget planning to stabilize school finances
Quarterly school and district dashboard help to guide decision-making.

Principles
School operations supports the instructional program, allow instructional leaders to focus on teaching
and learning
School budget should be heavily allocated to staff and program
Design and implement smooth, efficient, and simple systems
Focus on key indicators such as attendance and enrollment
Measurable benchmarks for mission-specific goals and elements related to accountability




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Structures
Adherence to a school management timeline to ensure all deadlines are met
Human resources timelines and tools to ensure recruitment and retention of top-performing teachers
and leaders
An efficient and high-performing staffing structure for operations with clear roles and responsibilities
for all operations team members

Leadership
Programs
Direct, hands-on leadership coaching for school leaders
Leadership Institute to develop all school leaders
Direct support with prioritization and goal-setting

Principles
School leaders own and drive student achievement and put students first in their decision-making
Critical for leaders to invest their staff in school turnaround initiatives
Critical to develop teachers as leaders
Clear delineation of roles and responsibilities of school leadership; instructional leaders are focused
on teaching and learning, culture leaders are focused on behavior and school culture initiatives, and
operations leaders are focused on non-instructional school management

Structures
High-quality school goals aligned to a performance management system in place for leaders and non-
instructional staff
Weekly leadership team meetings and 1:1 check-ins with key staff members
Leadership retreats for school-level goal-setting

In addition to the drawing on the school leadership and instructional experience of the TenSquare team,
the programs, principles, and structures described above have been adapted by TenSquare and
implemented in all of TenSquares school take over and turnaround partner schools. They are pulled
from a variety of sources including but not limited to:


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Approaches to school leadership described by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo of Uncommon Schools in
Leveraging Leadership and Driven by Data
1
(instructional coaching, developing leaders focus on
teaching and learning, data days)
Operating principles from Thurgood Marshall Academy, the top-performing charter high school
in Washington, D.C., which was opened and managed by TenSquares founding members
(human resource timelines and tools, targeted intervention for below-grade level students)
Performance Management principles adapted from The Management Center
Jan Richardsons work with Guided Reading (The Next Step in Guided Reading)
Student Achievement Partners Common Core-aligned tools and resources
Classroom management and instructional strategies drawn from Doug Lemovs Teach Like a
Champion
Charlotte Danielsons Framework for Teaching teacher observation rubric and tools
Instructional strategies adapted from Robert Marzanos Classroom Instruction that Works
Operating principles from high-achieving New York City-based K-8 schools such as Explore
Schools and Harlem Success Academies
Resources from the Council for Exceptional Children
Differentiation strategies from Carol Tomlinson and co-teaching strategies from Marilyn Friend

1
Thurgood Marshall Public Charter School was used as a case study in DrivenbyData.


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GOALS AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT EXPECTATIONS

TenSquare is an outcomes-driven take over and turnaround provider. For this reason, setting
compelling goals in accordance with school accountability targets is a critical component of TenSquares
work. In TenSquares DC-based school take over and turnaround work, the accountability tool that is
the focus for goal-setting is the Performance Management Framework (PMF). In Pennsylvania, the high
level target for school improvement shifts to the SPP. SPP targets will guide the rest of the goal-setting
process in order to ensure that schools reach critical accountability targets.
SPP Targets first cohort of schools
Year 0
(SY 14-15)
Year 1
(SY 15-16)
Year 3
(SY 17-18)
Year 5
(SY 19-20)
5 Year
Expected SPP
Improvement
Goode (K-8) 56.4 63 75 92 29
Ferguson (K-8) 59.1 65 77 93 28
McKinley (K-8) 58.9 65 77 93 28
William Penn HS
(9-12)
58.6 63 76 93 30

Assumes 100% of the Closing Achievement Gap expectation
Assumes +10% increase of expected SPP in Year 1 as shown in the RFP

SPP Targets second cohort of schools
Year 0
(SY 14-15)
Year 1
(SY 15-16)
Year 3
(SY 17-18)
Year 5
(SY 19-20)
5 Year
Expected SPP
Improvement
Davis (K-8) 74.8 78.7 88 98 19.3
Devers (K-8) 68.6 73.1 83 96 22.9
Jackson (K-8) 65.4 70.3 81 95 24.7

Assumes 100% of the Closing Achievement Gap expectation
Assumes +10% increase of expected SPP in Year 1 as shown in the RFP



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TenSquares high-level, five year organizational goals for YORK SOARS will be to:
Reach or exceed SPP targets as listed in the table above; detailed modeling is underway to
develop specific goals by factor and indicator to reach the goals listed above
Create high-performing schools demonstrating positive cultures of achievement
Deeply involve parents, families, and communities in schools
Ensure long-term sustainable, turnaround that results in on-the-ground institutional change and
self-sufficiency

These high level goals will be measured by the detailed goals listed in the tables below.
Academic Goals Academic Goals Academic Goals Academic Goals
Year 1 (SY 15-16) Year 3 (SY 17-18) Year 5 (SY 19-20)
PSSA and Keystone
Exams Achievement
Goals
Increase sufficient to
meet or exceed SPP
goals listed above
Increase sufficient to
meet or exceed SPP
goals listed above
Increase sufficient to
meet or exceed SPP
goals listed above
Gateway Measures
(3
rd
grade Reading)
Increase of 10% from
baseline proficiency in
PSSA scores
Increase of 30% from
baseline proficiency in
PSSA scores
Increase of 45% from
baseline proficiency in
PSSA scores
Internal Assessments Increase of 10% from
baseline proficiency in
Reading and Math
assessments.
Increase of 25% from
baseline proficiency in
Reading and Math
assessments.
Increase of 40% from
baseline proficiency in
Reading and Math
assessments.
Leadership Growth Leaders average a score
of 2.5 (basic/proficient)
on leadership evaluation
tool by end of school
year.
Leaders average a score
of 3.0 (proficient) on
leadership evaluation
tool by end of school
year.
Leaders average a score
of 3.5 (proficient /
exemplary) on
leadership evaluation
tool by end of school
year.
Teacher Growth 40% of teachers reach
an average a score of
3.0 (proficient) or higher
on teacher evaluation
tool by end of school
year.
65% of teachers reach
an average a score of
3.0 (proficient) or higher
on teacher evaluation
tool by end of school
year.
85% of teachers reach
an average a score of
3.0 (proficient) or higher
on teacher evaluation
tool by end of school
year.
Sub-Group Increase of 5% from Increase of 15% from Increase of 25% from


16



Achievement Goals
(ELL and IEP)
baseline proficiency in
PSSA scores
baseline proficiency in
PSSA scores
baseline proficiency in
PSSA scores
Graduation Rate (4
year, 5 year) HS Only HS Only HS Only HS Only
Increase of 5% from
baseline.
Increase of 10% from
baseline.
Increase of 15% from
baseline.
Credit Accumulation
HS Only HS Only HS Only HS Only
Increase of 5% from
baseline of # of students
at grade level for credit
accumulation.
Increase of 10% from
baseline of # of students
at grade level for credit
accumulation.
Increase of 15% from
baseline of # of students
at grade level for credit
accumulation.
College Acceptance
Rate
HS Only HS Only HS Only HS Only
N/A: Gather baseline
data on college
applications.
Increase of 15% from
baseline of # of students
applying to 2 and 4 year
colleges.
Increase of 30% from
baseline of # of students
applying to 2 and 4 year
colleges.
College Persistence
Rate
HS Only HS Only HS Only HS Only
N/A: Gather baseline
data on college
persistence and create
effective tracking
system.
Increase of 5% from
baseline in number of
students staying in
college.
Increase of 15% from
baseline in number of
students staying in
college.
AP Class Success
HS Only HS Only HS Only HS Only
N/A: Gather baseline
data on AP performance
Average score of 1.75 on
each AP exam.
Average score of 2.5 on
each AP exam.
SAT / ACT Scores
HS Only HS Only HS Only HS Only
FOR SAT: Increase of 5%
in the number of
students scoring an 800
combined math/verbal
score
2

FOR SAT: Increase of
15% in the number of
students scoring an 800
combined math/verbal
score
FOR SAT: Increase of
25% in the number of
students scoring an 800
combined math/verbal
score
% of Students Taking
the SAT / ACT
HS Only HS Only HS Only HS Only
Increase of 5% from
baseline in number of
students testing
Increase of 20% from
baseline in number of
students testing
Increase of 40% from
baseline in number of
students testing


School Culture and Leading Indicator Goals School Culture and Leading Indicator Goals School Culture and Leading Indicator Goals School Culture and Leading Indicator Goals

2
Scoring a 400 per section (math/verbal) is a commonly accepted threshold to demonstrate college and career
readiness and eliminates the need for students to take remedial courses.


17



Year 1 (SY 15-16) Year 3 (SY 17-18) Year 5 (SY 19-20)
Attendance 90% average in-seat
daily attendance
92% average in-seat
daily attendance
94% average in-seat
daily attendance
Re-enrollment N/A. Establish a baseline
for re-enrollment.
At end of Year 3, 10%
more students re-enroll
in YORK SOARS schools
than baseline.
At end of Year 5, 20%
more students re-enroll
in YORK SOARS schools
than baseline.
Staff Retention At the end of Year 1,
75% of proficient
teachers stay at YORK
SOARS schools.
At the end of Year 3,
85% of proficient
teachers stay at YORK
SOARS schools.
At the end of Year 5,
90% of proficient
teachers stay at YORK
SOARS schools.
Parent Survey* Average of 70% agree or
strongly agree on survey
responses.
Average of 85% agree or
strongly agree on survey
responses.
Average of 90% agree or
strongly agree on survey
responses.
Staff Survey* Average of 70% agree or
strongly agree on survey
responses.
Average of 85% agree or
strongly agree on survey
responses.
Average of 90% agree or
strongly agree on survey
responses.
Student Survey* Average of 70% agree or
strongly agree on survey
responses.
Average of 85% agree or
strongly agree on survey
responses.
Average of 90% agree or
strongly agree on survey
responses.
Suspension N/A. Establish a baseline
for suspension.
Reduce the number of
suspensions from
baseline by 15%.
Reduce the number of
suspensions from
baseline by 25%.
School Culture
Rubric**
Schools average a score
of 2.5 (basic/proficient)
on school culture rubric
by end of school year.
Schools average a score
of 3.0 (proficient) on
school culture rubric by
end of school year.
Schools average a score
of 3.5 (proficient /
exemplary) on school
culture rubric by end of
school year.
*To be adapted from current surveys being used at YCSD
**To be created during the audit process from best practice models such as Leveraging Leaderships
school culture tools

Operational Goals


18



In addition to tracking the goals listed above that directly impact student achievement and school
quality, TenSquare will set additional goals for operational functions based on its in-depth audits. These
goals will address financial management, marketing, technology, staffing and human resources, and
other topics that are critical for building excellent systems.
Tracking and Measuring Goals
The goals listed above are all dependent on the data gathered in the comprehensive school audit and
will be set in accordance with audit findings. Once school improvement work begins, the goals listed
above will be set with school and district leaders directly and messages to the entire YORK SOARS school
community. These goals will set the foundation for both performance management of leaders as well as
performance benchmarks for teachers.
In order to monitor progress towards the goals listed above in a consistent and effective manner,
TenSquare will create a customized School Performance Dashboard (SPD) to report out on progress to
the board and other stakeholders on a quarterly basis. The SPD will capture all outcomes that tie
directly into school accountability on the SPP. A sample SPD that will be customized and expanded is
available in the Appendix. The SPD will also be used to guide both district-level and school-level
decision-making. A TenSquare data specialist working directly with school level team members will
collect the data from schools and it will be stored in a Microsoft Access Database. TenSquare will also
have direct access to YORK SOARS schools Student Information System in order to pull data directly.
Additional Assessments to Measure Progress
Although state assessments can help demonstrate trends and student achievement levels at a high level,
it is critical for every YORK SOARS school to have a specific set of targeted and effective internal
assessments to gauge student progress and student learning on an ongoing basis. The table below lists
additional internal assessments that TenSquare plans to introduce in YORK SOARS schools.
Assessment Grade Levels,
Frequency
Data Provided by Assessment
Fountas and Pinnell
Benchmark
K-8,
3-5 times a year
Individual student reading levels linked to a
comprehensive instructional approach for teaching
reading.
DIBELS K-3,
3 times a year with
progress monitoring
Early reading skills
Common Core
Aligned Curriculum
K-8, Student mastery of grade level Common Core


19



Based Interim
Assessments
(Vendors TBD)
3 times a year Content
Course Aligned
Interim Assessments
(Vendors TBD)
9-12,
4 times a year
(quarter-term, mid-
term 1 and 2, end-of-
term)
Student progress towards reaching course-specific
standards and objectives

SSIS (Social Skills
Improvement System)
K-12 as needed Social skills: intended to measure students social-
emotional needs

The internal assessments detailed in the table above will also be indexed on the SPD and shared on a
quarterly basis with the board. Teachers will receive targeted coaching through the data cycle to
analyze and interpret student performance on the internal assessments listed above. They will then
receive coaching and support on how to tailor and adjust their instruction based on student data in
order to close learning gaps.
In addition to the internal academic assessments mentioned above, TenSquare plans to offer additional
assessments on an as needed basis. For example, if several students demonstrate problem behaviors in
elementary classrooms, TenSquare might recommend the implementation of the SSIS (Social Skills
Improvement System) to all students in a target grades in order to flag and identify students in need of
additional supports. Students will also be encouraged to take additional assessments such as AP tests
when these courses are offered.



20





CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

The key components of TenSquares curriculum and instructional program design are as follows:
A resource-rich and best-practices aligned curriculum
District-wide PD for teachers and leaders using a PLC model
Targeted intervention for students in need of support
Instructional coaching for teachers
In-depth leadership coaching for school leaders

A Resource-Rich and Best-Practices Aligned Curriculum
In its work with take over and turnaround schools to date, TenSquare has often found these schools
characterized by a significant lack of high-quality instructional resources for teachers; new and
struggling teachers are often forced to create their own materials to guide entire years worth of
teaching and learning for their students. Rather than focused on delivery of instruction and observing
students response to instruction, teachers are scouring the Internet for unproven lesson plans and
worksheets. For this reason, TenSquare believes it is critical to provide all teachers with proven, high-
quality anchor curriculum resources to guide their instruction. Teacher development can then shift from
creating resources to delivery of instruction, a far more impactful focus for student achievement.
In prior work, TenSquare has supported the implementation of literacy curricula such as Journeys from
Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt (K-6) and math programs such as EnVision Math from Scott Foresman (K-6).
Both of these programs address students basic skills needs (phonics, numeracy) as well as
comprehensively addressing high-level critical thinking skills grounded in the Common Core standards
and instructional shifts. TenSquare schools have also implemented Prentice Halls Readers Journey (6-8)
and Glencoes Middle School Math. TenSquare has used a variety of high-quality texts and programs for
high school and plans to evaluate high school curriculum currently in place in YCSD on a course-by-
course basis to determine effectiveness and alignment to Keystone Exams.
Once instructional curricula have been selected based on audit data and school needs, TenSquare also
provides in-depth training on these programs and support for teachers to bring the curriculum to life.
Anchor curricula are implemented within a framework in order to give teachers and leaders clear
expectations about how to utilize instructional time and prioritize different components of instruction.
A sample framework for English Language Arts is shown below. This framework is designed to be
customized by grade level band. For example, with regard to Word Work, K-1 classes would focus on
phonics while middle school grades would focus more on academic vocabulary.


21



TenSquare ELA Framework
Guiding Statement: By using a developmentally-appropriate balanced literacy model, YORK
SOARS teachers will offer all students comprehensive, best-practices aligned ELA instruction that
incorporates Common Core ELA shifts and addresses the learning needs of all students.
Components
1. Small Group Reading that incorporates Common Core ELA shifts through questioning
and critical thinking exercises. Materials: anchor curriculum readers and/or guided
reading library
a. Guided Reading
b. Literature Circles
c. Book Clubs
2. Independent Reading, Materials: classroom libraries
a. Grade level goals
b. Intellectual accountability strategies
c. Independent centers in for K-4 as independent reading stamina builds
3. Teacher-Driven Full Class Lessons that incorporate Common Core ELA shifts through
questioning and critical thinking exercises. Materials: Anchor curriculum central texts
and curriculum lessons with teacher adaptation based on student needs
a. Strategy lessons that are text-based
b. Read-alouds (novels, poems, picture books, big books, anchor texts from
programs)
c. Close reading
d. Weekly time allocated to focus on the modeling and practice of critical thinking
about text
4. Word Work that incorporates the Common Core focus on Academic Vocabulary
a. Vocabulary (taught explicitly through anchor curricula)
b. Word Sorts
c. Spelling
d. Phonics (K-3 or intervention focus)
5. Writers Workshop
a. Writing process: pre-writing, writing, drafting
b. Targeted instruction on persuasive, argumentative, and expository writing
6. Assessment
a. Anchor curriculum-based
b. Internal assessments of students reading level/lexile level to measure progress
c. Writing assessments scored with rubrics
7. Intervention for below grade-level students in need of support
a. Targeted reading/math intervention as needed
b. After-school tutoring program
c. Intervention offered as part of school-day schedule



22



Implementation of these anchor curricula within a framework provide the basic foundation and
materials that K-8 teachers need to be successful in the classroom. They can be costly in year one of
implementation, but are inexpensively refilled in the following years of implementation. Though such
programs are critical in turnaround schools, TenSquare is also well aware that additional, supplementary
resources play a major role in addressing all of students learning needs. For this reason, TenSquare has
worked with schools to identify, order, and implement materials such as classroom libraries and guided
reading libraries so that students and teachers have more access to high-quality reading materials for
targeted and individualized instruction. It has also assisted with the identification and implementation
of intervention programs such as Read 180, Fundations phonics, and Accelerated Reader/Math.
For secondary school curricula, during the audit process TenSquare would review programs currently
implemented in classrooms and then lead high school teachers through a comprehensive backwards-
design instructional planning process in order to ensure that units, lessons, and daily objectives are fully
aligned not to Keystone exam standards and the Common Core. TenSquare will also closely evaluate
course sequencing at the high school level for ELL students, particularly those who are newly identified,
to ensure they are on appropriate trajectories for success.
District-wide PD for Teachers and Leaders
Comprehensive, ongoing teacher training is crucial in order to develop turnaround teachers as true
agents of change. TenSquare embraces a Professional Learning Communities model (PLCs) in order to
ensure teachers are working as teams in the process of instructional planning and responding to student
performance data. Across the four K-8 schools and within content areas of the high school, teachers
would work in teams to collaborate deeply during this process.
A critical component of district-wide PD is the implementation of common interim assessments
(interims) across schools that are aligned to PSSA and Keystone Exams. Teachers teaching the same
grade level would implement the same interims at regular intervals so that leaders have comparable
formative data to guide instructional decision-making in advance of the PSAA and Keystone Exams. The
PD calendar would be closely linked to the administration of interim exams so that TenSquare coaches
and school leaders could offer targeted PD on the data cycle including analysis and interpretation of
results and accountable re-teaching planning to close learning gaps. Data-cycle based PD would occur in
response to diagnostic data at the beginning of the year and three or four more times during the course
of the school year before the high-stakes state exams.
The table below lays out Year 1 professional development foci for YORK SOARS schools.
Type of PD, Time
Offered
Purpose of PD
Pre-PD, April- To set the groundwork for the intensive turnaround work to begin in fall,
2015, TenSquare offers initial trainings to teachers on basic best


23



June, 2015 instructional practices for ELA (independent reading, guided reading)
Summer Planning
Institutes, July,
July 2015
TenSquare offers targeted PD to secondary teachers on planning their
courses using a Understanding by Design instructional planning process.
Identification and creation of interim exams for all grades K-12.
August 2015 Two week in-depth pre-service institute for all teachers with intensive PD
on anchor curriculum and resources, school culture, best practices for ELA
and Math
September 2015-
June 2015
Year-long PD offered weekly and on seven YORK SOARS data days. PD
foci for Year 1 include intensive work on the data cycle aligned to interim
assessment administration, a deep focus on teaching reading and math,
and the effective implementation of any new curricula.

At the beginning of each school year, TenSquare will work closely with school leaders to map out PD
offerings aligned to school priorities. For example, for year ones focus on reading, PD will be offered on
key components of TenSquares ELA framework including independent reading, guided reading, and
building students reading critical thinking skills. Both TenSquare and trained school leaders will work
closely with teachers to ensure that the elements of this PD are actually implemented in classrooms to
gauge effectiveness. Although PD priorities and session topics will be mapped out in advance,
TenSquare takes a responsive approach to implementation. Based on effectiveness, sessions may be
tweaked, adjusted, or moved around in sequence in order to ensure that PD has a maximal effect on
teaching and learning.
Targeted Intervention for Students in Need of Support
With its high percentage of students with IEP and ELL students, York is in serious need of effective
intervention for students with diverse learning needs. TenSquare will partner closely with school and
district leaders to support not only English Language Learners and students with IEPs but also students
who are below grade level but may not have a classification or diagnosis. To lay the groundwork for
supporting struggling students, during the audit process TenSquare will closely review the process for
the identification of students with IEPs and ELLs currently in place and make recommendations
for any changes to ensure the accuracy and urgency of identification.
In the process of designing comprehensive and compliant academic intervention programming,
TenSquare expects to create customized approaches for each school drawing on an array of best
practices used in other schools. TenSquares primary approach is to design structures that support
intervention such as:
Data-driven after-school tutoring programs run by teachers
Small-group Math and ELA intervention blocks built into school-day schedule


24



Student Support Team (SST) process through which a team of educators meet to brainstorm
and accountably implement targeted interventions for individual students. This process is a
precursor for Special Education testing.
Full-year 90 minute Math and English instructional blocks for high school freshmen and
sophomores to assist with the transition to Algebra and high-school level reading and writing
Scheduling in HS that allows for maximization of individualized student learning based on
students incoming levels
Targeted additional workshop classes for middle and high school students struggling significantly
with reading and math
Full year, 90 minute AP classes

In addition to these structures, TenSquare has used an array of tiered interventions and supports for
students in needing of learning supports (SNLs) that include but are not limited to those listed in the
table below.
Type of Intervention Type of Intervention Type of Intervention Type of Intervention Tier, Tier, Tier, Tier,
Type Type Type Type
Purpose of Intervention Purpose of Intervention Purpose of Intervention Purpose of Intervention
Read 180 Tier 1 or 2 (whole-class or
small group)
Improve students independent reading skills
Co-Teaching in Core
Subjects
Tier 1 or 2 (whole-class or
small group)
Ensure effective inclusion by offering additional
supports for students with disabilities
Fundations and Wilson
Phonics
Tier 1 or 2 (whole-class or
small group)
Targeted phonics remediation for students who
need development in this area
Accelerated Reader and
Accelerated Math
Tier 1 or 2 (whole-class or
small group)
Improve students independent reading/math
skills
Curriculum-Based
Remedial Activities
Tier 1, 2, or 3 (whole-
class, small group or
individual)
Offer differentiated support for students
materials that are fully aligned with anchor
curriculum
Guided Reading Tier 1, 2, or 3 (whole-
class, small group or
individual)
Small-group reading approach that is customized
to students reading levels and allows for leveled
instruction
Targeted Pull-Out
support for ELA and
Math
Tier 2 or 3 (small group or
individual)
Provide academic support outside of the
classroom to develop individual skills
Targeted Push-In support Tier 2 or 3 (small group or Ensure effective inclusion by offering additional


25



for ELA and Math individual) supports for students with disabilities
Leveled Literacy
Intervention (LLI)
Tier 2 or 3 (small group or
individual)
Small-group literacy intervention program
customized to students reading levels and allows
for leveled instruction
Academic Skills Classes
and Support
Tier 2 or 3 (small group or
individual)
Assist with critical organizational skills to build
success in general education environment

During the audit phase of school improvement, TenSquare will identify which of the intervention
approaches listed above (or others) are most appropriate for individual schools while ensuring
compliance requirements for SNLs are met (IEP and ELL services). As a general operating principle,
TenSquare advocates for as inclusive an approach as possible for all SNLs. In addition to the
implementation of programmatic components, TenSquare coaches will ensure that teachers are trained
on effective strategies for inclusion and differentiation.
Additional possibilities for remediation include planning and implementing summer preparation
institutes for students who are not meeting grade level expectations. These programs help to limit
summer learning loss. A 9
th
grade Summer Bridge program is of particular value for students entering
high school so they can become accustomed to the social and academic expectations of a high school
environment.
To extend learning for gifted and talented students, TenSquare is also prepared to incorporate effective
approaches and strategies into school programming. For students at the elementary and middle school
level, many of the strategies listed above such as guided reading and independent reading provide built
in ways for teachers to extend learning for higher-performing students. During a fourth grade guided
reading block, for example, a teacher may offer two lessons to below grade level groups while the above
grade level group engages in a book club discussion independently using a 5
th
or 6
th
grade level text.
Based on audit findings, TenSquare will also explore possibilities such as establishing a magnet program
for middle school age students on one of the campuses, creating after-school academic enrichment
programming for K-8 students, and giving middle school students the opportunity to take high school
credit-bearing classes.
For high school students, through a strategic and multi-year process TenSquare plans to support the
implementation effective AP classes in all four content areas (Mathematics, English Language and
Literature, Life and Physical Science, Social Sciences and History) and work to increase the number of
students taking AP classes. This will position Yorks high school not only for providing its students with a
rigorous academic program but also to gain maximum points on the SPP. In addition to AP classes and
based on audit findings, TenSquare will explore program options for gifted and talented high school age


26



students including but not limited to programs offering dual enrollment at local colleges and universities
and after-school programs and clubs that offer academic enrichment opportunities.
Instructional Coa Instructional Coa Instructional Coa Instructional Coaching for Teachers ching for Teachers ching for Teachers ching for Teachers
No factor in a school building is more critical for student achievement than the presence of excellent
teachers. For this reason, a major component of TenSquares instructional support is frequent, low-
stakes instructional coaching for teachers. This coaching, modeled after Paul Bambrick-Santoyos
Leveraging Leadership model, allows teachers to receive succinct, targeted feedback on their instruction
from experts paired with specific strategies for improvement. Coaching is designed to be non-evaluative
to encourage teachers to take risks and engage in authentic learning during the coaching process. A
typical coaching cycle occurs once a week for a period of 6-8 weeks. TenSquare targets coaching
supports to teachers in high-stakes grades during the beginning of its partnership with a school to
ensure improvement can occur the most quickly in these classrooms.
In addition to providing direct instructional coaching, TenSquare will train academic leaders on the
coaching model in order to build their capacity. Coaching is only one piece of the process of feedback
for teachers, which would also include formal and informal observations using the widely accepted
Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching rubric so that teachers can also receive in-depth and
comprehensive feedback on their instruction.
In-depth Leadership Coaching for School Leaders
Great schools and great teachers are led by great leaders. TenSquare offers direct and hands-on
support to school leaders in its partner school to assist them with both high-level work such as goal-
setting and strategic planning but also with very specific on-the-ground needs and challenges that they
might come across. Through this interaction, leaders receive direct coaching from experienced leaders
of high-performing schools. TenSquare works with leaders to set school individual professional and
leadership goals that are linked to school goals and then holds leaders accountable for reaching these
goals through a process of performance management that includes regular review of goals, mid-year
check-ins, and an end-of-the-year evaluation.
In TenSquares model, school leaders are instructional leaders, not paper-pushing administrators. At
least two-thirds of school leaders time should be spent in classrooms, meeting with teachers, planning
with teachers, and planning and holding top-notch PD for teachers. Of course, this means that school
culture issues and operational tasks must be well-delegated and running smoothly so they do not
consume the instructional leaders time and attention. For this reason, TenSquare offers leadership
support to operational leaders and school culture leaders to ensure their effectiveness fully supports the
instructional program.



27



Student Advancement Policies
Little if any research-based evidence supports that retaining a student in grade will enhance her long-
term educational growth. In fact, students who drop out are five times more likely to have been
retained than those who graduate (National Center for Education Statistics, 2006).
3
For this reason,
except in extreme cases, TenSquare will not retain students in grade. Early in the YORK SOARS work,
TenSquare will explore the possibility of retention for kindergarten and first grade students who are
missing significant basic academic skills if the school receives support from parents and also shares
information about the possibility of this decision several months before the end of the school year. For
high school, decisions about promotion will be based on credit accumulation.
All YORK SOARS high school students will be expected to meet Pennsylvania State requirements for
graduation in order to receive their diplomas. Because many of these students may enter high school
with significant academic needs, TenSquares approach will be a multiple exit point graduation model.
Although all students will be expected to graduate in four years, if individual students miss several
credits, TenSquare will train school based staff to adjust graduation criteria to 5 year targets. In
addition, TenSquare will partner with schools to create additional classes after school and during the
summer to earn back missed credits. This program will include an extended school day recovery option
for classes with high fail rates such as Algebra 1 in order to ensure students stay on track for credit
accumulation.
TenSquare will perform a deep audit of the effectiveness of dual-enrollment classes currently offered to
high school students to ensure these classes set students up for success by counting for college credit
and exempting students from remedial college classes. In addition, TenSquare will closely review
vocational and career-specific programs and trainings that are currently in place to ensure that students
who gain certificates in career-specific fields also receive high-quality academic preparation from the
school system.
Over a three-year time period, TenSquare will work closely with high school leaders to push higher
numbers of students towards the attainment of the Scholar Diploma described in the YCSD high school
course catalog. The Scholar Diploma requires students to take 4 additional classes above and beyond
the Standard Diploma including one additional Social Studies class, one additional Science class and two
World Languages credits. This diploma reflects more rigorous outcomes than the Standard Diploma and
promotes a higher degree of college and career readiness.



3
National Center for Education Statistics. (2006). Theconditionofeducation:Graderetention [Online article].
Washington, DC: Author. Available: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2006/section3/indicator25.asp


28



Scholar Diploma credit accumulation requirements are listed below.
English 4
Math 4
Science 3
Social Studies 4 (including World and US History)
World Languages 2
Health/PE 1
Wellness 1
Electives 5
Total Course Credits 25
Graduation Project/
Performance Assessments 1
Total: 26



29




SUPPORT FOR LEARNING

Planning Year Activities
In order to set YORK SOARS up for success in its first year of implementation, a number of key actions
will need to occur including but not limited to:
Comprehensive multi-day audits of all schools involved as well as a district-level audit. These
audits will gather data from an array of sources including classroom observations, teacher and
leader interviews, reviews of financial documents, reviews of operational systems, reviews of
curriculum and instructional resources, review of school grade configurations and program
design, reviews of critical documents such as handbooks and salary scales, reviews of human
resources policies, and school culture observations. Ideally all of these audits should occur
before February 1, 2015 (see below for additional detail).
Observation and evaluation of all staff (leaders, teachers, operations staff) in participating YORK
SOARS schools to determine effectiveness
The launch of a comprehensive recruitment and hiring campaign to hire the best possible
teachers and leaders to begin in January, 2015
Initial PD for teachers to set the foundations for best practices in year one of YORK SOARS
Once leaders are hired, TenSquare will launch the YORK SOARS Leadership Institute in order to
being the strategic planning process for SY 15-16. This launch should occur before May 15,
2014. This institute will continue for half-days on a bi-weekly basis to create a cohort of school
leaders who will experience deep and transformational PD on instructional leadership.
Creating and finalizing policies that will be included in the final agreement with the district
including goals and targets for Year 1 of partnership based on school audits

Comprehensive Audit
TenSquare will conduct an audit of each school in the 2014-15 school year, including a review of school
documents, interviews with key school leaders, interviews with the instructional team, and observations
in classrooms and common areas. Key findings will be prepared to inform a larger school improvement
plan. The audit will address:

1. Efficiency of Staffing Structure & Processes, including:
a. Organizational chart and key instructional positions, responsibilities, qualifications.
b. Staffing plans and criteria for positions.
c. Recruitment systems and schedule.
2. Quality of Instructional & Academic Programs, including:


30



a. Master Schedule for strategic alignment and appropriate intervention time
b. Testing grade course schedule/sequence.
c. Conduct snapshot classroom observations to comment on rigor and consistency of
instructional strategies, engagement of students, visual presentations, instructional
rigor, and incorporation of test critical components.
d. General instructional program, school-wide strategies.
e. Professional development program and offerings to teachers.
f. Use of data-driven instruction.
g. Curriculum pacing guides for alignment with common core.
h. Out-of-school opportunities for remediation and test preparation.
i. School culture as it relates to academic achievement and accountability.

School Organization and Culture

Leaders Set the Tone for School Culture
As described above, TenSquare places an intensive focus on school leaders to set the tone in their school
buildings regarding a performance-driven culture. To ensure leaders are learning together, sharing
challenges, and collaborating to solve problems, TenSquare will implement both a leadership institute
program (at least one half-day per month) to develop the cadre of school leaders in YORK SOARS schools
as well as oversight and support of weekly leadership team meetings at each school. Through both the
leadership institute and the weekly leadership team meetings, TenSquare will coach and develop
leaders to identify focused priorities and create clear agendas, to become excellent managers of people
and instructional coaches, to problem-solve challenging issues at their schools, and to put students first
in every decision they make.
This investment and support of school leadership, stemming from a high-level school goal-setting
process, will support the development of a performance-driven, positive, urgent adult culture in every
YORK SOARS school in which adults take full ownership over student learning in new and dynamic ways.
Leaders, with TenSquare support, will engage in the following activities to drive school excellence:
Developing a professional, positive, student centered adult culture through the presentation,
modeling, and monitoring of Core Values for all adults in the building
Engaging in the most powerful kinds of instructional oversight that drive student learning.
Rather than spending hours each week giving last-minute feedback on lesson plans, leaders will
be present to give feedback in PLCs during the planning process. They will take ownership of
specific grade levels data cycles and dig in to the data with teachers, support them with their
analysis and re-teach planning, and then hold them accountable for both re-teaching and re-


31



assessment through observation and follow-up. This activity will ensure instructional
intentionality and deliberate planning to close learning gaps.
Being present frequently in classrooms and the delivering regular feedback to teachers through
coaching, formal, and informal observation. Frequent feedback to teachers is the most
powerful action to ensure instruction is organized, engaging, intentional, and rigorous in all
classrooms.
Engaging in a clear performance management process for all non-teaching staff
Using the School Performance Dashboard and academic performance data to make decisions
about school priorities
Effectively delegating and monitoring operations and culture according to a school management
calendar
Building strong relationships with parents, families, and community members through regular
communications, meetings, presentations, and celebrations
With support, mapping out and implementing a targeted PD plan focused on the school most
important priorities (more information on PD in Curriculum and Instructional Design section
above)
Engaging in strategic actions to build a robust leadership pipeline over time. Such actions may
include the implementation of best practices for retention and recruitment of high performing
staff, building the capacity of teacher leaders and grade level leaders who will gain experience
leading PLCs, and engaging in an effective cycle of performance management to develop
secondary leaders in the process of reaching their performance goals.

Culture of Achievement for All
Transcending a traditional school culture of compliance and safety, TenSquares current partner schools
implement a Culture of Achievement approach to ensure that school is a joyful place to be and in which
students and teachers emphasize and celebrate students learning in multiple ways. Some sample
indicators that characterize a Culture of Achievement include:
Regular (weekly or bi-weekly) gathering to recognize and celebrate student school core values,
academic achievement, and school spirit which include team-building traditions, chants/songs,
and images (mascots)
Adults using common positive language and effective, subtle behavior management strategies
to hold students accountable for their behaviors in a respectful, educational way
College and career ready culture: homeroom classes that are named after colleges, the sight of
college banners in the hallways of the school, and a focus on career readiness and learning
about an array of different career pathways for post-secondary success


32



Full-school celebrations of learning such as signs on classroom doors telling what books teachers
are currently reading, Book Character Day, visits from favorite authors, math fluency
competitions
Academically and social-emotionally focused Morning Meetings in K-4
th
grade classrooms
Adults using specific authentic praise to build students intrinsic motivation
Cross-age tutoring programs that allow older students to act as academic role models for
younger students
A rich and dynamic set of offerings for after-school and out-of school programming for students,
especially at middle and high school levels, including a well-developed athletic program,
interest-specific and academically-focused clubs/enrichment activities, and after-school
academic support
A maximally inclusive model for students with IEPs and ELL students to ensure participation in
the array of culture-based programming offered at each school
An intentional orientation program for students and families to familiarize them with policies
and procedures at the school and get their buy-in and support (applies to students and families
who enroll mid-year)
Adults welcoming students and families at the school door every morning as students make
their way to class

Safety, Order, and Discipline
TenSquares current partner elementary and middle schools have low rates of suspension and expulsion,
averaging 3 or fewer expulsions per year and less than 8 out-of-school suspensions per month. Its
partner high schools have shown significant decreases in suspension and expulsion rates over time.
To set the foundations for a full-school Culture of Achievement, TenSquare will support school leaders
with the implementation of a consistent, clear school-wide Positive Behavior Support System (PBIS).
PBIS involves leveled behavior supports Tier 1 supports for the entire school population, Tier 2 supports
for 10-20% of the student population, and Tier 3 supports for 5% or less of less of the student
population.
School-wide PBS systems will be reinforced with consistent management systems in individual
classrooms. All classrooms will contain intentional, developmentally appropriate management systems
designed to recognize positive behaviors and offer logical consequences to correct negative behaviors.
At the early elementary level (K-3), TenSquare will work with leaders to design and implement a
responsive color-chart management system. For grades 4-8, an individual and group incentive system
(Scholar Dollars or a clipboard monitoring system, for example) will be implemented based on audit
data. For high school, a discipline system based on merits and demerits will be put into place in order to
help manage, track, reward, and issue logical consequences to students. At all grade levels, academic
grades will not be linked to behavior, but student adherence to school expectations will be assessed.


33



Based on past experience, TenSquare expects significant push back from students during the initial
implementation of clear behavior systems. Selections from discipline policies for elementary, middle,
and high school students are available in the Appendix. These policies would be adapted for YORK
SOARS schools based on school-specific needs.
Parental and student investment in school discipline policies is critical for the success of the policies. For
this reason, TenSquare will ask that students and families of students at all age groups sign to
acknowledge that have received and understand the policies in the handbook. A sample Code of
Conduct student contract for high schools students is attached in Appendix.
TenSquare believes in very high behavior expectations as well as a sweating the small stuff when it
comes to student discipline policies; however, TenSquare also recognizes, particularly in take over and
turnaround environments, that a zero tolerance approach often fails to meet the social-emotional
needs of the students who need support the most. Every school tends to have a group of students
(usually 2-4% of the population) who need advanced levels of behavior support to be successful and to
contribute positively to the learning environment. For this reason, TenSquare will partners with
teachers and leaders to design individual supports for students with significant behavior needs through
the Student Support Team (SST) process.
Regarding discipline for students with IEPs, TenSquare advocates for holding these students to the same
high level of behavior expectations as a primary approach. For students classified as having an
Emotional Disability (ED), it is critical to ensure that a Functional Behavior Analysis (FBA) and a
Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) have been created and implemented for each of these students first.
Based on these accountable documents, teachers, school leaders, families, and Special Education service
providers will need to closely collaborate in order to create individualized systems and expectations to
guide behavior support for the student that will most likely require modifications to school-wide
expectations. If a student with an IEP reaches 10 days or more of suspension, TenSquare will work with
leaders to ensure state and federal requirements for manifestation determination are met.
TenSquare will support school leaders to address truancy, a major issue in underperforming schools,
with a targeted approach. It will begin by reviewing truancy data during the audit process to identify
trends and then supporting leaders to implement structures to decrease offenses. Simply assigning
consequences often fails to curb truancy offenses; it is often necessary to take a closer look at the truant
students individual situation. The school-based team in partnership with the student and the family
should work to identify the root causes of truancy. The team can then create individualized incentives
and interventions for a student that address these root causes and continue to monitor the students
attendance closely.
Structure of the School Day and Year
Rather than adding significant amounts of instructional time to the student school year, TenSquare
believes that in order to use the instructional time available more effectively, school calendars should


34



contain more time for teachers and leader to engage in meaningful PD and collaborative planning. For
this reason, the number of school days for students will remain similar (180-182 days per year). The
number of work days for teachers, however, is considerably higher and includes ten additional days in
August for Pre-Service and at least seven PD days built in throughout the school year. General design
principles for grade-level bands are listed in the table below.
Elementary, K-5
Day runs from 8:20-3:45
Teacher hours are 8:00-4:00, includes 45 minute lunch and 45
minutes of common planning time per day
At least 150 minutes/day for literacy which includes independent
reading, small group instruction, and writing instruction
At least 75 minutes/day for math
45 minutes per day for small group intervention
On Wednesdays, teachers will stay until 5:00 PM for staff meetings
and/or professional development
Middle, 6-8
Day runs from 8:00-3:30
Daily 90 minute blocks for ELA and Math
45 minute electives (Science, Social Studies, Art, Music)
45 minutes per day for small group intervention
On Wednesdays, teachers will stay until 5:00 PM for staff meetings
and/or professional development
High School, 9-12
Day runs from 8:30-3:30
Students will attend four 90 minute periods per day (classes are
typically one semester long)
Freshmen and sophomores will take English and Math for 90
minutes a day for two semesters.
AP classes will last for two semesters
45 minutes per day for small group intervention
On Wednesdays, teachers will stay until 5:00 PM for staff meetings
and/or professional development

School Year Calendar
Please see the Appendix for a draft school year calendar.




35



Information & Communication Technology

We recognize the ever-increasing impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) on
teaching and learning. ICT is not a specific content area integrated into all units. It is an integral
teaching tool and cultural component that will be appropriately integrated into students experiences.
Therefore, technology will be appropriately integrated into all aspects of a childs schooling.

While all staff will be trained to use technologies provided and use of the technologies to enhance and
support learning and teaching, many students will bring previous experience and knowledge that can be
drawn upon to enhance the learning of others, including that of the teacher. ICT provides opportunities
for the enhancement of learning, and may significantly support students in their inquiries, and in
developing their conceptual understanding. Technology is a tool for learning, albeit with its own set of
skills, as opposed to an additional subject area. ICT skills should be developed and learned in order to
support the needs of individual learners in their inquiries.

The use of ICT will include the following:
Document the learning, making it available to all parties
Provide opportunities for rapid feedback and reflection
Provide opportunities to enhance authentic learning
Provide access to a broad range of sources of information
Provide students with a range of tools to store, organize and present their learning
Facilitate communication with a wide-ranging audience



36



FAMILY AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
TenSquare is actively soliciting feedback and support from the York community. This will be an ongoing
process throughout the proposal phase. The input and support of the community is essential to the
success of this proposal and the schools in this district. Through both formal and informal means,
TenSquare will seek input and advice and incorporate the feedback where possible and appropriate.
Below is the first of many letters of support we are gathering and plan to have for the in-person
interview on August 13
th
.



37




Engaging Families and the Community
Marketing and recruiting efforts for school will begin in earnest upon selection of our proposal in the
2014-15 school year. Our recruiting efforts will be focused in two primary areas.

1. We will focus on grassroots community outreach efforts. This will enable us to make
connections with community leaders and community organizations that are active in York,
specifically in the neighborhoods from which we will recruit our students.
2. We will create and distribute a number of different promotional materials and use various forms
of advertising and mass media to reach a greater concentration of our target communities.

As a result of launching our marketing and recruiting well in advance of the school opening, we expect
to have ample time to utilize various methods to generate strong community interest and support for
the schools. We also anticipate that this extended marketing campaign will enable us to establish a
solid core of committed parents early in the recruiting process and ultimately to meet our target
enrollment numbers.

Upon approval of this proposal, we would begin community outreach efforts. We will begin to reach out
to community organizations and leaders to develop partnerships, garner support for our school, and
raise general awareness of the new schools efforts underway in the community.

We will conduct intense media and marketing efforts through advertising, flyers, brochures in addition
to inserting notices in general publications as well as those publications aimed at various ethnic and
minority populations. We also plan on holding a variety of Parent Information Sessions as a part of our
marketing efforts which we hope will culminate in a successful open enrollment process.

We believe this recruiting strategy will give a greater number of parents the opportunity to learn about
the new efforts and direction at the schools, and ultimately, many will enroll their children. In the event
that we do not reach our enrollment goals, we will develop a contingency budgeting plan that will allow
us to maintain the quality of our program.

Parent/Guardian Engagement Plan
Our Engagement Mission:
In order to increase and maintain open communication with our valued stakeholders, we will actively
solicit and welcome parental and staff input in the business decisions


38



The school welcomes the involvement of parents and staff and believes that an effective school/parent
partnership focused on students educational success and the sustainability of the schools must exist,
which involves the schools administration, staff and parents/guardians.

Accordingly, the school will annually implement a Parent Engagement Plan that will encourage and
foster a partnership between families, the staff, and the schools for increased school community
involvement in the activities of the school. The plan includes, but may not be limited to:

Parent Advisory Council (PAC): The goal of the PAC is to ensure that parents maintain an
organized voice with direct access to school leadership; that parents can provide advice and
consult on decisions affecting the school; and that parent needs, concerns and issues are
communicated to, addressed by, and resolved when appropriate. As a key function, the PAC will
assist with the dissemination of information to parents. The PAC will differ from the PTO with a
focus on advising the school on matters at the macro level and contributing input in strategic
planning. The PAC will meet quarterly at minimum with special sessions as needed. Both the
PAC and the PTO will provide status reports at regular school meetings.
Parent Leadership Academy (PLA): The school will provide parent engagement professional
development and leadership development training focused on charter school governance,
structure, operations, regulations/laws, budget development, and strategic planning to parent
classroom representatives/PTO liaisons and parent volunteers. This training will also include the
techniques, strategies, protocols, and materials to implement best practices for promoting open
communication between the parents and the school.
PLA Action Teams (Advocacy Teams): Parents who participate in Parent Leadership Academy
are encouraged to serve on Action Teams of parent-educators, and internal school community
partners who work together to involve all families in the school in productive ways and facilitate
accurate information to our school community. Sample topics for Action Teams may include
School-wide Discipline, Transportation, Neighborhood/Businesses Outreach, School Safety,
Library/Media Resource Enhancement, Staff Support and Parent Engagement.
School Newsletter: The school will disseminate regularly scheduled communication to parents
and solicit parent feedback. The school will also share the actions/progress and successes of the
PAC, PLA Action Teams, PTO and school administration.
Annual Budget Review & School Status Meeting: Parents are invited to attend the Annual
Meeting to learn about the schools goals and strategic plan. Families will have opportunities to
review and provide feedback in the following areas: School Status and Growth Plan; Current
School Assessment Data; Overall School Budget; and Overview of the annual Parent Engagement
Plan.
Parent-Board Conference Family Night: We will invite parents to come and meet and greet with
school leadership, PTO Officers, and Parent Advisory Council and PLA Action Team members.


39



Staff Input: We will invite input from school staff of all levels and capacities to ensure they
maintain an organized voice; that staff can provide advice and consult on decisions before the
school; and that staff needs, concerns and issues are communicated to, addressed by, and
resolved when appropriate.
Parent Engagement Report Card: The school will conduct an annual evaluation of our
engagement effectiveness. Included in this area may be surveying parents as to their ideas and
needs related to parent engagement, their input on the ways that the school may better
communicate with parents about information and increasing parents opportunities to be
involved in school decisions.

The school will communicate with all parents via the school website, parent letters and flyers in weekly
take-home folders and emails.
York Community Connections
Ethan Mitnick, a key leader for TenSquare and a critical part of this proposal, is originally from Reading,
Pennsylvania. His family is originally from the York-Harrisburg area. Ethan has spent the last 12 years
working in the field of education in rural New Hampshire, New York City, and Washington, DC. During
this time, he has worked as a Special Education and a charter school principal in high-poverty areas.
Community Resources and Partners
TenSquare is strongly committed to leveraging community resources. Our partners' early days of
founding Thurgood Marshall Academy, in the Anacostia neighborhood of Ward 8 Washington, DC, could
not have happened without the wealth of partnerships created with local community groups. York
organizations, resources and partnerships will be determined, developed and agreed to upon approval
of this proposal.



40




BUSINESS PLAN
TenSquares Leadership Team
Joshua M. Kern, Managing Member of TenSquare, was the Co-Founder, President, & Chief Executive
Officer of Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School (TMA) in the Anacostia neighborhood
of DC. Josh oversaw Thurgood Marshall Academy's growth and development from a start-up serving 80
9th graders at its inception to a full service accredited institution serving close to 400 students in grades
9-12. Under Joshs leadership, Thurgood Marshall Academy garnered national recognition for the
excellence and sustainability of its programs. In late 2009, the school was selected by the U.S.
Department of Education to be featured as part of the Departments Doing What Works
initiative. Thurgood Marshall Academy was the only charter school and one of just six schools in the
country chosen as a national model of excellence for its use of data to improve student outcomes.
Today, Thurgood Marshall Academy is the highest performing public charter high school in DC.
Josh is a founding member of the DC Public Charter School Association, Vice Chair of the Board of
Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS), a member of the Board of Barrack Academy, and an
Advisory Board member of the National Public Charter School Resource Center. Josh graduated with
honors from Georgetown University Law Center in 2001 and holds a BA and MBA from Tulane
University.
Katie Herman, TenSquare Principal, runs the education practice and works with D.C charter school
boards and leaders on restructuring and school improvement efforts, strategic planning, charter
renewals, executive searches and general operational support. She led TenSquares first DC school take
over and turnaround project of a middle/high school in which the middle school increased its
Performance Management Framework (PMF) score in one year - from 14 to 38 and the high school
increased from 28 to 44. From 2001 through 2014, Katie served as Managing Director, Development
Director and Board Trustee of Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School (TMA), the
highest performing open-enrollment high school in the District. In between her time at TMA and joining
TenSquare, Katie led the development efforts of College Summit, a national college access organization.
As Vice President of Development, she built a national development team, oversaw a $9M annual goal,
and developed the infrastructure to support 11 regional operations. Katie has experience in education
research and evaluation from her work at Policy Studies Associates, and is a committed educator with
over twenty years of working with youth in the inner cities of Chicago, Providence and Washington, D.C.
She is a graduate of Brown University.
Ethan Mitnick, TenSquare School Improvement Team Lead, is a former school leader from New York
City. He has served as a founding elementary charter school principal, a turnaround high school
principal, a high school special education coordinator, and a middle school bilingual special education


41



teacher in the Bronx. Ethan leads school audits, directs leadership coaching and support, designs
instructional initiatives, and implements state-testing aligned intervention work with TenSquare clients.
His efforts led to significant increases in student achievement in both schools he led in New York and the
schools he has supported in Washington, D.C. In addition to his direct work with schools, he has
significant experience in designing and implementing high-impact, Common Core aligned professional
development for teachers and leaders. Ethan has an Ed.D. in Administration of Special Education
programs from Teachers College at Columbia University and a BA from Dartmouth College. He is a New
York Teaching Fellows alumnus.
Doug Mesecar, York Senior Consultant, has served in senior operational and policy roles at the U.S.
Department of Education, leading education companies, and in Congress. He is a governor appointed
board member of the Opportunity Educational Institution for the state of Virginia. Currently, Doug is a
leading education strategy, operations, business development and policy consultant, focusing on the
charter and technology sectors, while also co-owning a Sylvan Learning Center in Northern Virginia.
Previously, Doug was Vice President for Contract Programs and SylvanSync at Sylvan Learning and was
Vice President of Math and Strategic Initiatives at Scholastic Education. Doug also served as Director of
Government Relations and Policy at Edison Schools. At the U.S. Department of Education, Doug served
in a number of senior roles: Deputy Chief of Staff of the Policy, Assistant Deputy Secretary of the Office
of Innovation and Improvement, and Acting Assistant Secretary of the Office of Planning, Evaluation and
Policy Development. In Congress, Doug was a senior professional staff member on the House Education
and Workforce Committee, where he worked on the reauthorizations of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (NCLB) and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, now known as the
Institute for Educational Sciences. Doug attended Hope College (MI) and the University of Denver (CO),
where he completed graduate work in education and earned his teacher license. He taught 5th grade in
the Jefferson County School system in Colorado.

Alexandra Pardo is the Executive Director of Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School in
Washington, DC. Under her leadership the school became the highest performing high school in the
District boasting a 100% college acceptance rate for all of its graduates. Alexandra revamped the
schools curriculum and academic program emphasizing standards aligned instruction honing in on
effective data use and accountability. As a result, the schools state test scores improved by 30% in
reading and math in two years, student pass rates on Advanced Placement exams surpassed the city
averages and SAT scores increased over 150 points. . The school was recognized by the Department of
Education in its Doing What Works series based on Alexandras use of data. Alexandra has spoken
nationally on secondary school reform, and her work was featured in the book Driven by Data (Paul
Bambrick-Santoyo). Under Alexandras leadership the school earned national awards including the
National Excellence in Education Award from the National Center for Urban Schools (2014) and the
Excellent School Award from the Coalition of Educating Boys of Color (2013). In 2013, Alexandra
received the Distinguished Educational Leadership Award from the Washington Post. Alexandra earned
a Bachelors degree from the George Washington University in International Affairs, a Masters of


42



Teaching from American University, a Masters of Science in School Administration from Trinity
University and a Doctorate of Education from the George Washington University. She is a Teach for
America alumna. TenSquare expects to achieve successful outcomes across a range of measures,
including academic results, school culture, enrollment growth, financial efficiency, community
involvement and engagement, and ultimately, revival of the greater York economy and cultural life.

Janalee Jordan-Meldrum, Senior Consultant, serves as a strategic advisor and consultant to national,
state, and local education agencies. She has helped lead and conduct several large-scale school
improvement efforts in both the charter and traditional public school sectors. Her past clients include:
America Achieves; Communities in Schools; the Kansas State Department of Education; the National
Association of Charter School Authorizers; DC Public Schools; and a number of public charter schools.
Prior to becoming a consultant, Janalee served as Senior Program Officer for K-12 and Community
Programs at the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Educational Foundation. There, she
developed a leadership institute for women principals and superintendents, led a fellowship program
and training institute for teachers, provided grants and technical assistance to community-based
organizations, and coordinated a multi-year community-school coalition project. She obtained her
Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from Arizona State University.
Andrew Touchette, Instructional Coach and School Improvement On-Site Leader, is an experienced
school leader who served as an Academic Dean and founding principal of two Tier I middle/high schools.
Prior to his work as a school administrator, Andrew taught high school social studies and English.
Andrew holds a Masters degree in Secondary Education from New York University and a BA in History
from Fordham University.
Rebekah Jacobs, Instructional Coach, is a veteran teacher of English and Social Studies and a literacy
specialist. She is a Teach for America alumna with a Masters in Education of Language and Literacy from
Harvard University, a Masters of Arts Education and Language Arts from Loyola Marymount, and a BA in
English from The University of Texas at Austin.
Jessica Sher, Project Manager, has a decade of experience with youth development, fundraising, and
capacity-building in the educational sector. She was the Director of Development and Strategic
Partnerships for Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School (TMA) for nearly four years and
oversaw all Out of School Time programs at the school for the prior three years. Before returning to
graduate school, she spent two years with FEGS, managing a dropout prevention program in four high
schools in the Bronx, NY. Jessica supported several other schools through charter renewal and executive
recruiting, and is very familiar with the DC funding environment. Jessica earned a Masters of Social Work
from the University of Michigan and a BS in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University.
Nancy Meakem was the Director of Evaluation in the Charter Schools Office of the NYC Department of
Education under Joel Klein. A former high school teacher, she is a graduate of Harvard University and
holds a Masters from New York University.


43



Administrative Structure
The planned administrative structure will be a dynamic organization that is focused on providing
resources and expertise to and within the schools. A draft organizational chart is included in the
Appendix. Teachers, student and families will be able to provide input into decision making through the
different school boards, the input of those boards to the Chief Turnaround Officer, as well as through
regular staff meetings, community forums and a constant presence of the leaders in the schools and
communities. In addition, TenSquare is considering whether to assemble an Advisory Board composed
of parents and teachers and other community stakeholders.

Performance History
Integrated Design & Electronics Academy PCS- IDEA Grades 7-12 through SY 13; Grades 9-12
presently

Partnership years:
February 2012 June 2012 (TenSquare audit, evaluation, strategic board counsel)
July 2012 June 2013 (Year 1 Full TenSquare restructuring effort)
July 2013- June 2014 (Year 2 of TenSquare restructuring effort)

TenSquare role:
- Lead school take over and turnaround partner, reporting to Board of Trustees Restructuring
Committee
- Evaluated teachers and staff and designed revised org chart accordingly
- Recruited, screened, and placed new school leaders
- Recruited, screened, placed new teaching staff
- Revised HR systems and operations
- Designed new master schedule, teacher staff plan, course sequence, curriculum
- Coached leadership team on high-impact instructional strategies for raising achievement
- Performed regular teacher observations and led targeted instructional interventions with ELA
and math instructors
- Managed all elements of performance on Performance Management Framework (PMF)

Results:
In the first full year of the restructured school, 2012-2013, student proficiency on the state exam
increased 13.3% in high school ELA and 11.8% in high school math. Two years after restructuring, in the
2014 state results, high school math proficiency moved to 67.4% having started at 26.7 percent prior to
restructuring. The PMF total score increased 15.3 points on a 100-point scale. The middle school saw
even greater increases with ELA increasing 37 percentage points and math increasing 20.6 percentage


44



points. The middle school PMF score increased 23.9 points on the 100-point scale after the first year of
restructuring.

IDEA Public Charter School DC CAS ResultsHigh School



IDEA Public Charter School DC CAS ResultsMiddle School



Imagine Hope Community PCS Lamond Campus Grades PreK-6

Partnership year:
November - December 2013 (TenSquare performance audit)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
ELA Math
IDEA Public Charter School
DC CAS Results (High School)
2011-12
Pre-TenSquare
2012-13
Post-TenSquare
2013-14
Post-TenSquare
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
ELA Math
IDEA Public Charter School
DC CAS Results (Middle School)
2011-12
Pre-TenSquare
2012-13
Post-TenSquare


45



January June 2014 (Year 1 of TenSquare restructuring effort, starting mid-year with existing staff and
teachers)

TenSquare role:
- Strategic advising on DC accountability framework with Imagine National team
- Led school improvement initiative in SY 14 that included:
o Leadership coaching
o Performance management
o Program re-design
o High-impact instructional coaching for teachers
o Data-driven instructional planning
o Professional development
o Grades 3-6 intervention plans
o Small group instruction design and implementation
o Support and recognition program for teachers and students that recognizes and rewards
key behaviors that support academic achievement
o Whole school attendance initiatives data dashboard, incentives
o Re-enrollment campaign
o Support for teacher evaluation and implementation of hiring best practices

Results:
After leading an intensive school restructuring effort from December 2013 through June 2014, the
Imagine Hope Community PCS-Lamond campus showed the largest increase of any public charter school
on the 2014 state standardized assessment. Students showed double-digit growth in both math and
reading, up 19.6 and 15.4 percent, respectively.
Imagine Hope Community PCS DC CAS Results


0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
ELA Math
Imagine Hope-Lamond PCS
DC CAS Results
2012-13
Pre-TenSquare
2013-14
Post-TenSquare


46




William E. Doar Jr. PCS - Grades PreK Grade 8

Partnership years:
July 2011-June 2012 (TenSquare serves as strategic adviser to interim executive director)
July 2012-June 2013 (TenSquare recruits teachers and administrators)
October 2013 December 2013 (TenSquare conducts performance audit and advises Board)
January 2014 June 2014 (Year 1 of TenSquare restructuring effort, staring mid-year with existing staff
and teachers.)

TenSquare role:
- Served as strategic advisor to Executive Director in SY 12
- Recruited new teachers and administrators for SY 13 and SY 14
- Led school improvement initiative in SY 14 that included:
o Leadership coaching
o Performance management
o Program re-design
o High-impact instructional coaching for teachers
o Data-driven instructional planning
o Professional development
o Grades 3-6 intervention plans
o Small group instruction design and implementation
o Support and recognition program for teachers and students that recognizes and rewards
key behaviors that support academic achievement
o Whole school attendance initiatives data dashboard, incentives
o Re-enrollment campaign
o Support for teacher evaluation and implementation of hiring best practices

Results:
After two years of supporting WEDJs board of trustees with strategic advising and sourcing, TenSquare
led an intensive school restructuring effort from January through June 2014. State proficiency increased
by almost 12% in math, and although the composite score in ELA dipped by 1.5%, proficiency increased
in four out of six of the tested grades.









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William E. Doar Jr Public Charter School DC CAS Results




Financial Plan

See Appendices for proposed budgets for each school and consolidated in a high level budget summary.
TenSquare will provide financial statements under separate cover when selected as a finalist under this
proposal. Fundraising will only be used to fund non-core projects or enhancements to the program. The
turnaround work will operate primarily on the identified SDCY per pupil funds.

TenSquare will contract with an independent certified public accountant (CPA) to provide support in
analyzing, reconciling and adjusting account balances, and to ensure the records are maintained in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The CPA also may assist in developing
the charter of accounts and implementation of an accounting software system.

TenSquare plans to partner with RAFFA to ensure proper and appropriate financial management,
accountability and cash flow management (which is detailed in the attached proposed budgets).
TenSquare will may also partner with RAFFA for additional support, such as HR and other back office
consulting services. RAFFA is the 15th largest accounting firm in the Washington, D.C. region and
performs high-quality audits for hundreds of nonprofits annually and provides accounting support to
help organizations effectively and efficiently manage their most critical financial processes. Raffas
human resources (HR) professionals provide organizations the knowledge and support to handle the
multitude of HR tasks necessary to remain compliant and to maintain a strong workforce. TenSquare
will appropriately segregate this project for other contracts and revenue and will conduct annual audits
by retaining qualified auditors to conduct the audit, such as SB and Company.

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
ELA Math
WEDJ Public Charter School
DC CAS Results
2012-13
Pre-TenSquare
2013-14
Post-TenSquare


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In addition, for each school, the Board of Directors (BOD) of the charter school will create a finance
committee that will include as members at least the BOD chairman and treasurer. The finance
committee will be responsible for the financial operations of the charter school and for reporting to the
Board on the financial operations and condition of the charter school. The duties of the finance
committee will include preparing an annual budget, ensuring adherence to the budget, preparing
monthly financial reports for the board, preparing the IRS form 990, etc. The Finance committee will
recommend financial controls to be instituted by the Board such as pre-authorized expenditure limits by
staff, requirements for dual check signing and issuance and use of credit cards.

TenSquare plans to seek the type of insurance and coverage that would be appropriate for public
schools of these sizes in SDCY. The following is a typical insurance model that will likely be pursued:

General Liability
o 1MM
o 3MM Aggregate
Auto Liability
o 1MM
Umbrella
o 15MM
Workers Compensation
o Statutory State Mandated Limits are in effect
School Leaders Errors & Omissions
o 3MM

TenSquare will seek policies with the coverage above to meet its needs in SDCY so that it is on par with
the coverage provided by and to current SDCY schools. As part of its due diligence, TenSquare will
investigate opportunities to obtain insurance through multiple sources and will consider the quality of
insurers and cost coverage. Final arrangements would be agreed upon as part of the negotiation of the
acceptance of the proposal by SDCY.

Human Resources

Descriptions of selected key leadership roles are provided in the Appendix. They are samples from
previous searches and will be customized for York. The names and qualifications of leaders have been
previously provided. To the extent a job description is unique to York and/or not yet developed, if
TenSquare is selected as a finalist, any such missing descriptions shall be finalized.
Overview of Recruitment Practices
TenSquare draws on its extensive network of local and national education relationships to recruit top
quality candidates for charter schools. We are the only consulting firm that focuses exclusively on local


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charter school placements. As such, we have existing pools from which to draw, having conducted many
searches over the past few years.
Our recruitment services consist of personnel sourcing, screening, and placement. We craft ads, place
them, screen resumes, conduct Google screening searches, hold phone screening interviews, participate
in in-person interview/demo lessons, and conduct reference calls. The school is responsible for
conducting its own background checks.
TenSquare recruiting includes:
1. Needs Assessment
Goal: Understand position details, organizational culture, and process preferences
Meet with key staff to understand the ideal candidate profiles and review specific job
responsibilities, required experiences, skills, and education
Understand compensation and benefits
Draft and finalize position descriptions
2. Advertising, Outreach, and Sourcing
Goal: Create a customized sourcing plan to achieve a pool of qualified candidates
Advertise through relevant job websites, publications, and listservs
Use social media (LinkedIn, Facebook)
Conduct targeted, personal outreach to TenSquares cultivated network of charter
schools, nonprofit educational organizations, and experienced professionals
Identify candidates in TenSquares candidate database
Conduct research on charter peers and proactively reach out to potential candidates
who may not be involved in a job search
3. Screening, Interviewing, Reference Checks
Goal: Use a streamlined and comprehensive process to place top-quality candidates
Collect and manage all applicant submissions
Screen resumes based on pre-determined criteria including competency, content
knowledge, and mission fit
Conduct Google background reviews
Conduct phone interviews with promising candidates
Present qualified candidates for in-person interviews


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Design and facilitate in-person interviews
Conduct internet searches and employer reference checks
For each administrator position we will:
Post advertisements with at least 10 sources
Screen and review at least 10 resumes
Conduct at least 5 phone screenings
Conduct at least 2 in-person interviews (if local)
Conduct at least 2 employer reference checks
Provide regular updates with recommendations and background materials on candidates.

The following graphic provides a nice illustration of the cycle TenSquare follows in managing the critical
talent pipeline:






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Hiring Criteria
TenSquare will ensure all staff hired meet or exceed applicable governmental requirements. In the
Appendix is a sample rubric used to evaluate principal or executive director candidates. A similar rubric
will be used for other hires, from teacher to custodian. In addition, TenSquare will closely analyze and
seek to align with the Pennsylvania Department of Education Educator Effectiveness evaluation system.
School Staffing
The TenSquare school audit is critical to further refine/define the staffing needs. All existing staff would
be re-interviewed. Enrollment totals and patterns would dictate the specific allocation of teachers by
school and grade. Detailed staffing plans for teachers, teacher aides, specials teachers, librarians,
counselors, substitutes, and non-instructional staff (front desk, custodians, nurses) would be developed
in the November to March timeframe. Generally, TenSquare implements the following staffing
guidelines:
Each school leadership team is composed of:
o Principal
o Assistant Principal
o Dean of Students
o Director of Operations

The Principal is key leader, and the three other distinct roles cover the critical components of a
successful school: academics, culture, operations. Generally, we have found that schools need
one additional operations team member per 100 students enrolled)

Class sizes if funding allows, all class sizes would be lowered by 2-3 students per class in every
instance, but generally, we aim for the following class sizes:
o Up to 24 to 1 in elementary and middle school classes
o Up to 26 to 1 in high school; up to 22 to 1 in 9
th
grade ELA and Math

Teacher Assignment
o K-2 will have the same teacher throughout day
o 3-8 will be departmentalized for ELA and Math and other subjects with a homeroom
teacher.
o Co-teaching (special education inclusion) will be conducted where most needed
and based on availability of funding

Enrichment/specials
o K-5 will have one special per day for 60 minutes. Middle school will have Science, Social
Studies, and one additional special class per day such as Art or Music.


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o Special Education and ELL- these staffing patterns would be discerned based on audit
data. In general, TenSquare tries to hire one special education teacher per 20 students
with IEPs. The Assistant Principal would handle and oversee ELL and special education
services with the support of a Students Services Coordinator. We would hire ELL
teachers based on the numbers of ELL students identified and course offering needs.

Employment policies are included in the Appendix and will be customized for York. All practices will
follow industry best practices.

Board Recruitment

TenSquare will work with local community organizations, businesses and partners, as well as with
Charter Board Partners to identify potential board members for each campus.

Charter Board Partners promotes and supports strong charter school governance so that every charter
school has the board it needs to improve student achievement. Founded in 2010 in Washington, DC,
Charter Board Partners has quickly become the preeminent source on public charter school governance
and has developed a successful model for helping charter schools build strong boards.


CONCLUSION

York is undertaking perhaps the most critically important effort to revitalize its schools and community it
has ever undertaken. There could be nothing more important to the families in the community, the
local economy and most importantly, the lives of the children who are born and raised in York. It is for
this reason that TenSquare exists to address the problems plaguing education in under resourced
schools and communities so all children have a real chance at achieving lifelong success. TenSquare is
uniquely qualified to take over and turnaround the schools in York. Our track record of success with
schools in similar situations is unparalleled in what is perhaps the most difficult work that can be done in
education. We are excited to provide this RFP for consideration and review,b and look forward to
discussing it further.