In order for all Clay County schools to become break-the-mold schools and for the district to restore it's "A" status, Common Planning Time is fundamental to the effort.  This is the practice of adults meeting together on a frequent and regular basis to review and craft plans to improve the academic engagement and achievement of the students they serve. 

Common Planning, when well implemented, provides structured time during the school day for teachers to share instructional challenges, and best practices, as well as participate in sustained development activities. 

The use of Common Planning Time to lift instruction is a major departure from traditional routines where teachers typically are assigned individual time during the school day to prepare for their classes, and therefore meet with the peers only infrequently in subject-area department or schoolwide faculty meetings. Although research continues to be critical of teacher isolation, and links collaboration among adults in schools with higher levels of teacher commitment, satisfaction, efficacy, and improved student outcomes, Common Planning time has remained a marginal practice. Common Planning time has the potential to advance three processes viewed as central to creating effective learning environments for students:

1. Personalization:  A personalized learning environment is characterized by strong, positive relationships between the adults and students. Adults understand and are responsive to the needs of individual students, and students experience tangible caring and support from adults who know them well and assume responsibility for their advancement. An example would be when groups of teachers teach the same students and identify early in the school year those students falling behind. The teachers can then use their Common Planning time to meet with the student to discuss strengths, identify challenge areas, develop an action plan, etc. 
2. Instructional Coordination/Integration: Without Common Planning Time, adults working in smaller learning communities and teacher teams have difficulty transforming school experiences, and face challenges in providing school-wide consistency and continuity. 
3. Peer Learning and Continous Improvement: Common Planning time has long been cited as a primary vehicle for teachers' ongoing professional development and for securing strong implementation of organizational, curricular, and instructional reforms (Desimone, 2002). Recent studies indicate that knowledgeable and skilled teachers increase the skill and knowledge of those with whom they interact (Jackson and Breugmann, 2009). 

Clay County School District has not fully reached the potential Common Planning time holds for becoming a collaborative, high-functioning, learning organization. Common Planning time is now labeled on the School Hours document utilized by all schools. 

1. Grade levels and departments within schools will set and monitor student engagement and achievement goals and practices.
2. Common Planning time will serve to assist teams of teachers implement the district's instructional frameworks, curriculum guides and new resources. 
3. Common Planning time will serve schools and grade-levels/content teams to identify and use interventions that touch all students (e.g., positive behavior and incentive systems, active instruction, college/career awareness). 

GOAL 1: INSTRUCTION: Ensure that every classroom provides a quality and rigorous instructional experience in order to elevate student outcomes, or …..To provide Clay County students with the highest quality teaching and learning processes available, or Improve Instructional Framework, Processes, and Structures that Enrich Student Achievement

That the Clay County School Board approve the Daily Hours as submitted.