Reflections From the SC District Showcase
June 5, 2024 | Columbia, SC | Convened by SC TEACHER
The 2024 SC District Showcase was a day of conversation, collaboration, and learning among education leaders in South Carolina. As SC TEACHER wraps up our pilot administration of the SC Teacher Working Conditions Survey, we plan for the showcase to become an annual event.
For those wanting to learn more about the showcase, reflect on the day’s takeaways, and/or move forward in acting on survey data, here’s a guide through the day’s events and resources.
ABOUT THE EVENT
This inaugural SC District Showcase centered around strategic planning with SC Teacher Working Conditions Survey (SCTWCS) data. School district and education organization leaders were invited to attend regardless of their previous engagement with survey findings.
Strategic Partners
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- Survey background and key findings from the SC TEACHER research team.
- Insights from a panel of state educators leading district teams in this work.
- Action plans and experiences of four Showcase Districts — early adopters using survey data to guide aspects of strategic planning throughout the last year.
- How to get started (or continue) utilizing survey findings for planning with SC TEACHER support.
- Resources for next steps.
WELCOMING ATTENDEES
Dr. Cindy Van Buren and Dr. P. Ann Byrd welcomed around 100 attendees to the showcase, including representatives from 21 districts and schools and 15 state education organizations.
From left to right, Dr. Cindy Van Buren, USC College of Education Assistant Dean for Professional Partnerships, and Dr. P. Ann Byrd, SC TEACHER Executive Director + Lead Strategist
UNPACKING DATA
Understanding how to interpret SCTWCS data is key to effective strategic planning. SC TEACHER researchers Dr. Angela Starrett and Dr. Brian Cartiff guided participants through the survey background, data interpretation, key findings, and the future of SC TEACHER’s data infrastructure.
“I have a better understanding of how the survey data will be collected and used in order to ensure teachers complete the survey.”
– Showcase participant
Looking for help utilizing SCTWCS data?SC TEACHER provides information sessions for districts participating in surveys (at no charge).
From left to right
- Dr. Claudia Avery
Deputy Superintendent of Academics — Fairfield County School District - Dr. Rob Burggraaf
Director of Instruction — Lexington School District Two - Mr. T.J. DeVine
Principal at J.C. Lynch Elementary School — Florence School District 3 - Dr. Carson Ware
Chief Human Resources Officer — School District of Newberry County - Dr. Franklin Foster
Senior Chief Human Resources Officer — Richland School District Two - Dr. P. Ann Byrd
Executive Director and Lead Strategist — SC TEACHER
“The power of having district leaders in the room is well worth the investment of time for an event like this one.”
– Showcase participant
Panelists shared successes, challenges, and considerations from their individual experiences working with district-specific survey data. Scroll to the next section for more on these districts’ experiences.
MORNING BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
LEARNING FROM SHOWCASE DISTRICTS
Attendees had a chance to attend two of four breakout sessions hosted by Showcase Districts, followed by Q&A with each team. Showcase Districts shared their approach to the data, their progress thus far, and plans for next steps forward.
Having at least a 50% SCTWCS response rate, each Showcase District has been highly engaged in SC TEACHER’s ACT on TWC sessions, times for strategic planning facilitated by Mira Education with individualized supports and resources.
“I was excited to see district teams actually using this data in actionable ways! It shows the value in making data-driven decisions.”
– Showcase participant
Expand for insights into Showcase Districts' strategic planning
Using toolkits to analyze district-specific data, Lexington Two’s team saw teachers’ highest concerns related to a lack of time. Once school guiding coalitions came to similar conclusions using school-level data, this became their priority of practice.
Data analysis
- Engaged teams of various roles and school level (e.g., district administrations, school administrators, teachers) for the full picture of responsibilities absorbing teachers’ time
- Used time tracking exercises (available soon in the time toolkit) to see what duties could be removed or reimagined
Steps forward
- Redesigned 2024–25 cohort model to give teachers time for their choice of professional development within the contract day and scheduled an extra classroom workday for teachers starting back in the fall
- Added “insufficient time to complete job tasks” option for teachers completing the district exit survey for further investigation and measuring impact
Ongoing impact on strategic planning
- Working to be more intentional when scheduling meetings that take up teachers’ time
- Making time to talk about time internally and at SC TEACHER’s ACT on TWC work sessions
- Investing in measures for gauging future impact, like internal exit surveys and the next iteration of SCTWCS
In addition to district-level strategies, the team from Richland School District Two supported principals in establishing and addressing individual priorities of practice from their school-specific data.
Data analysis
- Guided and checked in regularly with principals creating strategic planning teams and steps forward
- Established insufficient time and/or student behavior as priorities of practices at all school levels and the district level
Steps forward
- Identified district approaches to concerns around student behavior and teacher time (e.g., guest teacher outsourcing)
- Identified school efforts addressing concerns around student behavior and teacher time (e.g., modified/limited meetings)
Ongoing impact on strategic planning
- Addressing teacher working conditions with school-level teams that meet regularly
- Empowering teachers to be involved and have a say in planning efforts
With insufficient time as the district-wide priority of practice, the School District of Newberry County’s team worked with principals to establish building-level teams and goals.
Data analysis
- Defined insufficient time as teachers’ lacking time to complete job-related work during contract hours and to take care of their classrooms (cited as largest areas for improvement on 2023 SCTWCS data)
- Worked with principals and building-level teams to outline strategies and action plans
Steps forward
- Established time for principals to meet regularly, sharing and discussing progress
- Created online workspace for school teams to collaborate across individual goals and ideas
Ongoing impact on strategic planning
- Streamlining and reducing meeting and paperwork demands where possible
- Advocating for a professional development schedule that doesn’t monopolize teachers’ planning time
For the Fairfield County School District team, SCTWCS data revealed teacher concerns around student health and safety, as well as an opportunity to better prepare educators through awareness of existing resources positioned to help meet student needs.
Data analysis
- Aligned approach to SCTWCS data with initiatives around their multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS)
- Triangulated data across sources (SCTWCS, South Carolina Department of Education, district created)
Steps forward
- Tapped Fairfield Middle School to pilot strategies with student healthy and safety as the priority of practice
- Held awareness sessions around existing school resources with new teachers and lead social worker
Ongoing impact on strategic planning
- Involving more school leaders to identify building-level focus areas through school-level toolkits
- Including teacher working conditions as a routine agenda item in principal’s meetings
HOUSED WITHIN THE USC COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
During lunch, Dr. Thomas E. Hodges stopped by to share brief remarks. As Dean of USC’s College of Education and SC TEACHER’s Founding Director, Dr. Hodges shared insights into how SC TEACHER efforts to connect education leaders and policymakers with data from teacher experiences fit into the college’s mission of community impact.
“My hope is that SC TEACHER helps fuel and accelerate the work taking place in the USC College of Education.”
– Dr. Thomas E. Hodges
AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
WORKING WITH SURVEY DATA
Afternoon breakout sessions gave participant teams time to work more hands on with SCTWCS data. To support varying needs, attendees were encouraged to pick a session that matched their current engagement level with survey findings.
- Understanding SC Teacher Working Conditions Survey Data (Newly Engaged)
- Making Data Actionable (Moderately Engaged)
- Strategic Planning With Survey Data (Highly Engaged)
Each session offered thought partnership and resources teams can use to act on SCTWCS findings, like school/district toolkits and hands-on assistance accessing, understanding, or applying data (at no cost to districts).
Looking for further support accessing and better understanding your SCTWCS data dashboard?
Thank you to everyone who attended the inaugural SC District Showcase! Your thoughtful collaboration fuels our collective work—addressing teacher working conditions and education outcomes in South Carolina.
We greatly enjoyed hearing about participants’ favorite parts of the day.
- Learning from and working with school district teams
- Familiarization with district-specific SCTWCS data dashboards
- Better understanding real applications for data in strategic planning
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NEXT STEPS
We know some of you left the showcase thinking, “I’ve got data. What now?” Helping districts turn data into action is one of SC TEACHER’s priorities of practice. Check out these resources.
- Use toolkits to build a district- or school-level team for tackling strategic planning with SCTWCS data. Toolkits feature preplanned activities, discussion topics, and guidance interpreting data.
- Explore the first piece in our District Support Series, focused on specifics around district planning with survey data.
- Attend free ACT on TWC sessions (action and collaboration tables on teacher working conditions) for districts with at least a 50% SCTWCS response rate. Expert facilitators meet regularly with district teams for guidance choosing a priority of practice and moving the needle forward with actionable next steps. Connect with us to sign up for a session.
Don’t see what you need?
SC TEACHER continues to refine our resources and supports based on the needs of educators in SC.
