This document outlines plans to implement a network support structure for Baltimore City Public Schools to improve collaboration and accountability. The network structure involves grouping schools into networks supported by network teams. Each network team will have a leader plus members focused on achievement, business/operations, and student support. The network teams will work to streamline support, facilitate resource sharing, and provide guidance to improve student outcomes across schools. The network structure aims to strengthen connections between schools and central office functions through the network team model.

1. Implementation of a Network
Support Structure
CONTEXTUAL OVERVIEW:
REFOCUSING THE BALTIMORE CITY
PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPPORT
FRAMEWORK
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2. Underlying Principles of City Schools Reform
2
A Greater Urgency
Increased to Share Best-
Shifting Decision-
Accountability for
Making to the School
Schools & Central Practices Across
Level the City Schools &
Office
Central Office
Scorecard &
Fair Student Similar Network Support
Funding Accountability Structure
Tools
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

3. A New Theory of Action – “Schools at the Center”
3
CENTRAL OFFICE
NETWORK TEAMS
GUIDANCE
CITY SUPPORT
SCHOOLS
ACCOUNTABILITY
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

4. Moving From: City
School City
City School
School
Fragmented HR Budget Finance
City
Support & City School
Ac.
Communication School PD Attend.
Achieve.
Sc. Sch.
Office
with Limited Ele. Sch.
Title I
Collaboration City Office Etc…
City
School School
City City
School School
Moving To:
Network
Team Leader
City City City
Schools Schools Schools
City City City City
Schools Schools Schools Schools Achievement Network Student
Supports
City City City
Team
Schools Schools Schools
Network of 15 Schools Business &
Ops
Network Support:
Streamlined & Efficient, Problem-Solving Communication & Collaboration
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 4

5. Network Team Functional Specialties
5
All Team Members will serve as “generalists” but each will have a specific areas of expertise.
Student
Network Team Achievement Business/Ops
Support/SPED
Leader Member Member
Member
• Special ed. support
• Network Team coordination • Curriculum impl. &
Budget management
• SPED resource sharing
• support
• Bridge implementation • Budget support • Direct service provision
• Early childhood support
• Enrichment, CTE • Procurement support support
Athletics & Interscholastic
• ESOL & Native
• • Central liaison – • Vaughn G.
support American education
facilities, implementation &
• SST & student intervention • Enrichment
supports
transportation, food, IT, reporting support
• G&T/Ingenuity
• College readiness & HR, legal • Accommodations &
• Summer school
graduation support • Contract service support interventions support
Drug abuse & violence
programming
• • Title I financial support • Tracking comp. service
prevention support • Family & Community
• Teacher recruitment • Special ed. parent
• Homeless services Engagement policy impl.
Afterschool programming
and retention response & engagement
• • Title I programming
support • Support for • Familiarity with related
support
• Attendance support accountability tools services staff & doc.
Partnership support
• Professional Devel’p
• • IT training and • Encounter tracker
• Fostering safe & supportive • Library & media services
application support • Compliance issues
learning environments • Data use in
Dropout prevention
• IEP best practices
• programming
• Assistive tech. support
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

6. Central Staff Functional Specialties
6
Academic Office Teaching & Learning Accountability Office
• Curriculum compliance with State &
nat’l standards • Development & publishing of
• Network administration & oversight • Content area expertise & enrichment accountability tools
• Extended learning admin.: summer admin. • Statewide testing administration
school, afterschool, CAROI, etc. • Early learning
and data reporting
• Alternative governance strategy • Facilitating collaboration of best
• Citywide data analysis
administration practice school sites
• Interscholastic athletics • Qualitative review of schools
• Title I admin.
• CTE/WBL/JROTC admin. • Program evaluation
• Bridge administration
• ESOL admin. • Benchmark analysis
• Reading First admin.
Part., Comm., & C.E. Operating Office
• Media relations
• Channel 77 • Maintenance & operations
• District publications • Facility designs & construction
• Internal communications • Schools & facility planning
• Family engag. admin. • Health & safety
• Community engag. admin. • Transportation services
• Strategic communications • Food & nutrition services
• Partnership admin. • Internal and external mail
• Partner recruitment
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

7. Central Staff Functional Specialties
7
Special Education Office Finance Student Support Office
• Student placement
• Operations & non-public placement
supervision • Budget management • Suspension services
• Grant funds compliance
• Payroll management • Pupil services admin.
• Specialized programs admin.
• Third party billing
• Attendance admin.
• Related services admin. • Accounting functions
• Procurement management • Counseling services & regulatory
• SPED monitoring & compliance interpretation
admin. including regulatory
interpretation and guidance • Youth development admin.
Information Technology
• Student records
• Oversight & management of due
process, policies, and procedures • Mental health/nurses
• Technology management
regarding parent/surrogate
• Technical support in conjunction
information • Homeless support service
with Ops
• IT network security • Home & Hospital
• Court communications
• Call center oversight
• School systems & application • Safe Schools admin.
• SPED data monitoring & compliance
management
(pending placement in • Alt. Options Program admin.
• Teacher support systems
accountability office)
management
• School police oversight
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

8. The Network Support Structure Rationale
8
Collaboration
among schools & A Single Network A Single Network
networks.
City City City City
City City
Identifying & Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools
problem-solving City City City
issues within Schools 15 Schools City
Schools
Schools 15 Schools Schools
network schools & City City City City
throughout the City. City City Schools
Schools Schools Schools Schools
Schools
Sharing
resources among Vertical &
the networks –
sharing best- Horizontal
practices Integration
throughout the City.
Developing
leaders in Network Network
networks & across Team Leader Team Leader
schools to leverage
excellence Citywide. Achieve- Network Student
Achieve- Network Student ment Supports
ment
Team Supports Team
Targeting central Business &
functions needing Business &
Ops
Ops
leadership &/or
policy reform.
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

9. Networks Improve Accountability
9
Network of Network
Schools Team
Network of
Network of
Schools Network Network Central
Schools
Network of
Team Team Office
Schools Network
Team
360 Evaluation: Framework Focused on
Achievement at All Levels
School leadership teams Central Office directors
Network Teams serve as
review specific Network conduit between schools review Team Members’
Team Members’ & Central Office to performance yearly and
performance yearly & provide perspective on Networks’ ability to
provide critical central staffs’ ability to improve school
assessment of Network focus work on school achievement based on
effectiveness. achievement. new accountability tools.
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

10. Between Schools & Networks
10
Network of
15 Schools Network Team
Formal Collaboration:
• Check-ins and more intensive support meetings as
necessary.
• Networks help schools interpret relevant school
Informal Collaboration:
data and design strategies to support strengths
and avoid burdens.
• Network Teams design and support capacity • Phone calls on an as-needed basis between
building for principals and leadership teams schools and Network Team Members.
• Network Members help to implement • Team members support schools in goal
recommended curriculum & culture programs in setting, accountability tool training, and data
Network schools. driven instructional activities
• Schools contact Network Members for concerns or • Networks coordinate collaboration between
assistance accelerating achievement. Network schools.
• Network Members oversee resolution of issues
schools report directly or through Ops Command
• Teams review Command Center calls weekly for
Network schools.
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

11. Between Networks & Central
11
Network Central
Director Office
Net. Support Line
Performance Office
Network Teams Content &
Compliance
Operations
Formal Collaboration:
• Weekly review of Network Support Line calls for
service from schools. Network Teams will monitor Informal Collaboration:
the resolution of issues schools report to command
center. • Network Members serve as generalists to
• Network Director communicates with Central staff resolve issues that Network Schools have with
to ensure that Network Teams are able to serve central operations.
Network Schools effectively and efficiently. • Network Teams ensure that schools provide
• Central staff provides schedule of needs to Network
necessary data to central staff to ensure timely
Teams to disseminate to schools.
• Network Support Line provides timely reports to
& effective completion of central
Network Teams for respective Network Schools. responsibilities.
• Central reports performance data to & from Schools
through Network Teams.
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

12. Between Networks
12
Network
Executive Director
Network Team 1 Network Team 2
Formal Collaboration:
Formal weekly meeting between Network Exec Director
Informal Collaboration:
and Network Teams to assess:
o Citywide trends & needs,
o Relative performance of Network Teams, • Network Executive Director suggests potential
o Similar issues across Networks, collaboration amongst different Network
o Comparison & collaboration on needs & Teams’ Members.
strengths across Networks, • Sharing of resources between Network Teams.
o Suggested actions. • Implementation of best-practices across the
Network Exec Director communicates with Network City.
Team Leaders frequently to set performance goals • Development of leadership pipeline in schools
and monitor progress towards these goals. and across Network Teams for professional
Network Exec Director facilitates schools’ and Network advancement.
Teams’ needs from Central.
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

13. Network Support Model Structure
13
A Single Network One Network Director will oversee 14 Network
Teams, each with 4 Team Members. Each Network
will support 15 schools, grouped by such factors as
City City
Schools
City Scorecard peer grouping, Network Team capacity &
Schools Schools
City
skill-set, demographic factors, historical
City
Schools 15 Schools Schools achievement, grade level, & geography.
City City
Schools City
Schools Schools
Network Support Structure
Functional Role
Leader of a team of generalists focused on problem solving, with a
Network
focus on achievement target and goal setting, capacity building, and
Leader
capacity building on inquiry based use of data
Network
Team Leader
Achievement Coaching and Support (focus on new accountability Achievement
metrics, tools (formative data, data management, inquiry process) Coach
Achievement Network Student
Supports
Team Business Services and Support (Empowerment creates many Business
opportunities for principals to make resource allocation decisions Services/
Business & and support in this venue is critical) Support
Ops
Student Services Support (Accountability metrics create significant
Student
incentives to serve all students and resource allocation and support
Support Lead
is critical to achieve that goal)
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

14. Emerging Network Team Case Study – Academic
Support
14
Network Leader
Business & Ops City School in
Network
Team A Network A
Student Support
Services/SPED
Achievement
Academic Support Scenario Recommended Action
School A contacts Achievement Team Member (“ATM”) and requests support. ATM
• School A is interested in additional
collaborates with other ATMs and GT specialist in Teaching & Learning office and reports
materials for GT students.
back to School A & follows through the implementation process.
• School A needs additional
School A contacts any TM and requests support. Network TMs collaborate on (a) suggested
clarification on data element from
solution, (b) best way to respond, and (c) workflow monitoring of follow-up.
the Scorecard.
School A writes referral and sends to Network Team A. NT reviews data about school to
• Student throws a chair at teacher in
determine whether isolated incident or common issue. If the latter, NT suggests climate or
School A.
afterschool programming that School A could benefit from employing.
School A contacts Network Team A and makes one TM aware of the problem. Network
• Teacher in School A needs LCD Team assesses whether projector is available in another network school or another
projector for a unit. network, facilitates resource borrow, follows-up to ensure that projector is returned after
unit.
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

15. Emerging Network Team Case Study – Operational
Support
15
Network Leader Business & Ops
Network City School in
Network Support
Team A Network A
Line
Student Support
Services/SPED Achievement
Operations Support Scenario Recommended Action
Teacher or principal contacts Network Team Member OR Command Center. If Command
Center, Network Team learns of request by instant email. At NetChex meeting, Network
• School A teacher has payroll issue. Team A reviews Command Center requests and ensures that requests are managed
efficiently & effectively. Business & Ops Team Member interfaces with Human Resources
at Central and problem-solves. Reports solution to other Team Members.
School A reports problem through a Network Team Member OR calls Network Support
• School A has data entry problem in Line (enabling tracking of workflow). Email generated to ITD and Network A Team
Bridge program. School B (outside Leader. Business & Ops Team Member A reports issue at weekly Network check-in
of School A’s network) has similar meeting. Team Member B reports similar issue sent to him by Network School B. Network
issue. Leaders work with ITD to develop more efficient policy and functionality to improve online
web program. Team monitors and reports solution at next check-in
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

16. Emerging Network Team Case Study – SPED Support
16
Central Office of Special Ed. Network Leader Business & Ops
IEP
Inclusive Practice
Implementation City
Group
Group Network School:
Team A
Assessment Network A
Transition Group
Group
Student Support
Achievement
Services/SPED
Operations Support Scenario Recommended Action
School A contacts Student Support Network Team Member to make issue known to
Network Team A. Team Member contacts Inclusive Practice Group, which specializes in
• Interruption in related services for
these issues. Team Member and Group Members determine whether site visit is necessary
student attending School A.
& plan course of action. SS Team Member visits school to report on result and monitors all
follow-thru related to the request.
• Teacher at School A would like School A contacts SS Network Team Member. Team member meets with IEP
intervention suggestions for her Implementation Group at central. Members develop strategy for school/teacher based on
SPED students in her Language Arts school data. Group and SS Team Member make site visit to help implement interventions.
class. SS Team Member monitors the intervention and assesses its usefulness.
School A contacts SS Network Team Member. Team member meets with IEP
• Parent at School A does not believe
Implementation Group, and Transition Group to review student’s file and IEP coding.
that his/her child is being served
Members develop plan of action, and SS Team Member oversees implementation and
effectively by the School A’s
monitors plans usefulness. SS Network A Team Member reports strategy at next weekly
inclusion services.
check-in
BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS