Arizona Department of
Education
Strategic Plan
FY 2014-2015

(Rev 082014)

FY 2014—2015 Strategic Plan

ADE Vision
A great place to work that delivers “Knock Your Socks Off” service1

ADE Mission
To serve Arizona’s education community, ensuring every student has access to an
excellent education

Values









1

Integrity: honesty, transparency, highly ethical behavior
Respect: be courteous and considerate, value others
Help each other succeed: collaborate, support others, inspire
accomplishment
Dedication to excellence: high standards, high expectations, great results
Efficiency: minimize waste of time, effort and resources
Continuous improvement: always learn, always innovate, always improve
Customer focused: understand needs, deliver quality service, exceed
expectations
Effective communication: share information, actively listen, ensure
understanding

Performance Associates, Inc; Delivering Knock Your Socks Off Service, (New York: AMACON, 2007)

082014

2

FY 2014—2015 Strategic Plan

Our Future Expectations
The Arizona Department of Education supports an adequately funded, world-class education system
that embraces and supports students of all abilities and backgrounds to become Arizona’s college and
career-ready graduates who:


Demonstrate strong literacy and numeracy skills—it is not good enough in this day and age to be
proficient using current performance standards and expectations; our graduates must
demonstrate higher comprehension and application of skills.



Speak multiple languages—a graduate ready to compete in the new world economy must
demonstrate communications skills in multiple ways.



Exhibit artistic skills—a well-balanced education includes exposure to and appreciation of the
arts, enhancing the ability to connect with science and technology.



Understand the need for, and exhibit, a healthy lifestyle—ensure every student is exposed to
daily physical activity and opportunities to learn life-long health enhancing behaviors, and given
knowledge for establishing and maintaining a healthy life style to ensure sound body and mind.



Utilize technology appropriately—the world of technology is changing rapidly; every graduate
must be exposed to current technologies and know how to apply technology throughout life.



Articulate career skills for their future—the most successful students have a clear direction for
post-secondary education and careers; we must help provide opportunities and encouragement
for all students to develop and implement strategies for their future success.



Achieve National Assessment of Educational Progress (“NAEP”) test scores that rank Arizona
among the top ten states in gains on NAEP tests over the next five years—it is not enough to
graduate and to thrive in world markets; our students must be among the most knowledgeable,
analytical and critical thinkers in the world.



Are civic-minded—ready to participate and lead in a democratic society.



Demonstrate high competence—able to succeed in the workforce and/or post-secondary
education without the need for remediation.

To help schools achieve these types of graduates, we commit ourselves to:
I.

Supporting schools to ensure higher student achievement through innovations in technology,
accountability systems, incentive systems and supportive services;

II.

Providing efficient & effective services that alleviate administrative burdens and costs;

III.

Listening to educators, parents and students to meet their needs through the delivery of
outstanding services; and

IV.

Making ADE a place where its staff is empowered to help schools and their students achieve
their highest potential.

082014

3

FY 2014—2015 Strategic Plan

ADE Goals and 2014-2015 Objectives
Goal #1: Improve Student Achievement and Opportunities for Success PostGraduation:
Objectives:
a. By May 31, 2015, complete implementation of a new assessment under Arizona College and
Career Ready Standards (AZCCRS), and begin evaluating student achievement results so a report
on results under the new assessment can be issued in FY 2016.
b. Within 60 days of the State Board of Education selecting the new assessment, develop and
initiate implementation of, with State Board concurrence, a transition plan for state
accountability which addresses A-F, Move on When Reading, Teacher/Principal Evaluations and
other transition issues.
c. Establish a baseline for inclusion of College and Career Ready Index (CCRI) into the
Accountability formula by April 30, 2015.
d. Increase the graduation rate from 75% in 2014 to at least 77% for all high schools for the FY 15
school year.
e. Increase the graduation rate from 45% to at least 48% for all Priority and Focus high schools for
the FY 15 school year.
f. With a focus on low performing LEAs, by June 30, 2015, 98 traditional districts with K-3
programs (50% of the total number), and 112 charter organizations with K-3 programs (25% of
the total number) will participate in ADE in-services designed to increase teacher content
knowledge necessary to meet the requirements of Move on When Reading (MOWR).
g. By November 30, 2014, finalize and implement all revisions to documents, procedures, and
timelines that guide the review and approval of Educator Preparation Programs (EPP).
h. By September 30, 2014, develop and implement a plan to increase the number of LEAs (from 5
LEAs to 20 LEAs) that will commit to using the ADE Teacher Evaluation Model during the 20152016 school year.
i. By June 30, 2015, revise the three components of the ADE Teacher Evaluation model (surveys,
observation protocol, and student academic progress) to ensure the evaluation instrument is
aligned with state and federal requirements as well as current research and best practices.
j. Using baseline CTE placement data, increase the number of attainable CTE industry recognized
credentials from 55 to 70 by June 30, 2015.
k. Increase State Board approved CTE programs that have integrated math, science, economics or
English language arts credits to at least 12 by May 31, 2015.
l. Provide dashboards of student data to teachers and administrators in at least 400 LEAs and
charters by January 31, 2015.
m. By January 31, 2015, refine and implement measureable, innovative/evidence-based
improvement strategies that will lead to growth rates for Priority, Focus and Pre-Intervention
schools equal or greater than a match set of schools in the state for future school years.
n. By June 30, 2015, gather baseline survey data indicating the percent of teachers who report
they are confident in their ability to implement the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards
(AZCCRS).

082014

4

FY 2014—2015 Strategic Plan
o. By June 30, 2015, gather baseline survey data indicating the percent of administrators who
report they are confident in their ability to implement the Arizona College and Career Ready
Standards (AZCCRS).
p. By June 30, 2015, all ADE program areas responsible for providing technical assistance or
professional development will use the new ADE AELAS Professional Learning & Collaboration
online tools (Blackboard Learn, Blackboard Collaborate, True North Logic Professional Learning
Management System) to provide at least 25% of their service and support to the field.
q. By March 31, 2015, the agency will establish appropriate definition(s) (uniform or several
program-specific) of poverty that will be used by the agency in its operational and support
services to LEAs, including in the areas of funding, accountability, reporting and other services,
while ensuring all implications were fully evaluated, unintended consequences were resolved,
and majority of stakeholders support the result.

Goal #2: Reduce Waste and Enhance Efficiency and Effectiveness of Both ADE and
Schools:
Objectives:
a. Ensure at least 95% of reimbursement requests from schools are processed within 5 working
days, by October 1, 2014.
b. Evaluate ALEAT, design changes or a replacement that will more effectively meet the needs of
schools and ADE and implement by June 30, 2015.
c. By April 1, 2015, implement a complete Online AZ Certification Information System (OACIS) that
includes internal, educator, district, and public portals.
d. Complete the transition of all grants into the new automated grants management system by
December 31, 2014.
e. Reduce costs to both ADE and LEAs by decreasing the number of ADE data requests from 204
per year to no more than 150 by June 30, 2015.
f. Implement agreed-upon, new School Finance Payment System pieces by June 30, 2015.
g. Complete at least 85% of the new Student Data Collection (ED-FI) by June 30, 2015.
h. Pilot the new State Opt-In Student Information System in at least 6 LEAs in FY 15 school year.
i. By February 28, 2015, in collaboration with advocates, school officials, parents and ADE staff,
present to the State Board proposed changes for adoption where feasible that will strengthen
the effectiveness of the program for students with disabilities, while also reducing unnecessary
burdens and costs on all stakeholders.
j. By June 30, 2015, complete the pilot of 50 LEAS from the “Single Point of Contact” targeted list
that encompasses all grant monies from ADE, and results in reports on overall management and
internal control deficiencies that can be corrected, with outcomes of higher customer
satisfaction, and reduced time and expense for customers and ADE.
k. By June 30, 2015, all ADE program areas with content on the ADE website will upload initial
content from their respective ADE websites for inclusion within the new ADE Content
Management System (CMS).

082014

5

FY 2014—2015 Strategic Plan
Goal #3: Provide Outstanding Services that will Promote Great Schools,
Excellent Teachers, and Successful Students
Objectives:
a. By December 1, 2014, implement an agency-wide communications plan covering all agency
initiatives (implementation to include development of a communications plan template, and
training of division leadership) in order to increase internal and external customer satisfaction
rating on ADE-provided communication by 3%.
b. At least 40 % of programs will raise satisfaction levels by 5 percentage points or more over their
FY 2013-2014 NTB performance level.
c. At least 15 programs will have reached KYSO service levels (45% or more NTB) by June 15, 2015.
d. By November 30, 2014, conduct and report on a statewide random, statistically valid survey of
parents and teachers satisfaction with their schools and evaluate methodology alternatives for
conducting a student survey, with the student survey to be conducted as soon as practical if a
suitable, cost effective method is identified.

Goal #4: Build a Great Place to Work:
Objectives:
a. Increase the NTB rating of ADE as an outstanding place to work from 31.1% to at least 35% by
March 1, 2015.

082014

6