Education Team Excellence Recognition Award Past Winners

2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

 

2011 Award Recipients

Distinction Level Award Recipient

          

Institution name: Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District, Honeoye Falls,  NY
Team name: HF-L Quality Education Design Team
Team type: Continuous Improvement Process Team

Facing a budget revenue shortfall of 14% in its second successive year of budget duress, the Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School District sought to make difficult budget cuts while maintaining its high-performing status and customer satisfaction through refinements in its long-standing program budget process. A new budget prioritization process and reporting approach were developed for internal stakeholder use. Diner discussions and a program budget website approach were developed for external stakeholder use. Implementation of these changes yielded improved budget vote results, increased parent satisfaction ratings, and the identification of new efficiencies leading to a ranking from a regional business journal of #1 in administrative efficiency. Join us for the story of how multiple quality tools supported this successful process improvement.
Honeoye Falls–Lima Central School District Presentation (PDF, 2.6 MB)

 

Distinction Level Award Recipient

Institution name: Pewaukee School District, Pewaukee, WI, USA
Team name: Asa Clark Middle School Improvement Team
Team Type: Improvement Team

The team from Asa Clark Middle School has been charged with the task of guiding our organization's first steps towards meeting the strategic goal of 100% of 8th grade students being proficient in "using electronic information and knowledge tools to interpret, analyze, compose and communicate" by June of 2014. Through the use of a PDSA model and a variety of quality assurance tools such as an affinity diagram, a decision making matrix, and a fishbone diagram, they have successfully implemented the first steps of this improvement process by creating a digital learning environment consisting of well trained teachers who authentically embed technology into their teaching and learning practices.
Asa Clark Middle School Improvement Team Presentation (PDF, 6.7 MB)

 

Distinction Level Award Recipient

Institution name: Ramaiah Institute of Management Studies, Bangalore, India
Team name: RIMS Excellence Team
Team type: Assurance of Learning Team

Grades are widely used to measure student performance. Unfortunately, grades do not reflect the extent to which learning goals have been achieved. Have the students learned what they were supposed to learn? This question cannot be answered through grades. Assurance of Learning (AOL) is an assessment mechanism that seeks to quantify the effectiveness of learning on a scale.

For example, if good communication skills are considered important as a learning goal, these could be classified under criteria, content, precision, presentation, language, and on a scale ranging from unacceptable, satisfactory, good, and excellent. Thus, if we find that the content is excellent while the language is just satisfactory, we get valuable insights into the areas that need to be focused upon. Further, a student who demonstrates an excellent level along all criteria is more likely to do better than one with good or satisfactory levels of proficiency.

Assurance of Learning (AOL) is the most critical objective of higher education today. The project goal is to enhance AOL. Tools used include brainstorming, benchmarking, SIPOC, cause and effect, Pareto, prioritization matrix, B/C analysis, spider diagram, correlation, multi-voting, and trend analysis. Results have exceeded expectations and net savings of over $200,000 a year have been achieved.
RIMS Presentation (PDF, 1.7 MB)

 

Team Finalist Recipient

         

Institution name: Westfield Washington Schools, Westfield, IN, USA
Team name: Summer R.O.C.K.S.
Team type: School Improvement Team

Summer retention of learning is a hot topic among the nation’s school districts, even recently appearing in editorial magazines such as TIME.  Westfield Washington Schools’ (WWS’) Summer R.O.C.K.S, (Reviewing,  Online, Content, [and]K-8, Standards), is a kindergarten through 8th grade summer outreach which provides “from-home” learning through a variety of challenging activities as students prepare for the next grade level with confidence.  Within the first six weeks of the 2011 summer, over 1,500 WWS students had participated and teachers had monitored over 7,600 student completed quizzes and/or summer work.

The nearly zero cost, data-driven, web-based experience promotes student retention of previously learned information and provides an introduction of next grade level concepts and skills.  Online information is controlled and created by teachers and allows for daily interaction between students and staff.  Course work is delivered through time tables which support a full summer of learning and through grade level specific links. 

The WWS team will share techniques, resources, lessons learned, and trend data representing the successes of this fun, interactive experience which has had a profound effect on participants.  Additionally, teachers report recovering valuable instructional time in the fall with less need for re-teaching previously taught standards.
Westfield Washington Summer ROCKS Presentation (PDF, 1.4 MB)

 

12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Institution name: Westfield Washington Schools, Westfield, IN, USA
Team name: Common Instructional Checks Team
Team type: School Improvement Team

Westfield Washington Schools (WWS), a “Continuous Quality Growth” (CQG) district, strategically plans for non-interrupted, continuous growth for its students, its staff, and its programs.  A “teaching for the test” approach, widely cited in professional literature as ineffective learning, remained true in too many WWS classrooms.  Throughout the district’s five years of study of the Baldrige Performance Criteria for Excellence and application of the criteria for improving key processes, the need for a formative assessment model was identified.  Teacher leader collaboration resulted in the creation of WWS’ Common Instructional Checks (CICs), a model for frequent assessment which drives timely, meaningful adjustment to instruction and extinguishes the need for start-of-the-year review, protecting instructional time.

WWS’ kindergarten through 6th grade CIC process combines an adaptation of Lee Jenkins' assessment model (Permission to Forget) with WWS teacher identified grade level essential standards and creative approaches for data driven discussions that empower students to take charge of their own leaning.  Join us to discover strategies for individual student graphing of goals, for displaying classroom/grade level data, and for driving classroom discussion around immediate student feedback.  The WWS team will share sample measures, instruments, and guidelines as well as trend data showing successes of the approach.
Common Instructional Checks Westfield Presentation (PDF, 5.4 MB)

2010 Award Recipients

Distinction Level Award Recipient

Ramaiah Institute of Management Studies, Bangalore, India
Team Name: Team RIMS
Team Type: TQM Implementation
The project involved the application of TQM principles to quality in higher business education as measured by three critical dimensions—assurance of learning, research productivity, and placement quality. Tools used included benchmarking, ISHIKAWA diagram, Pareto analysis, affinity diagrams, control charts, and scatter diagrams (correlation). The team met the project objectives and realized a savings of 4 million rupees per year.
RIMS Presentation (PDF, 13.6 MB)
 

Team Finalist Recipient

Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, IL
Team Name: Service-learning Team
Team Type: Improvement Team
The Glenbrook South High School presentation is an examination of an exciting new foray into the world of service-learning recently embarked upon at the school. Two different populations were involved: the pilot group, consisting of freshman elective classes, and the secondary group, consisting of sophomore Honors English students. The projects administered in the pilot group were assessed and evaluated based on the best practices associated with service-learning curriculum. Improvements were then implemented in the English classes and evaluated post project.  Key components of service-learning, significant data collected, and inspiring anecdotes will be highlighted in the presentation.  You might even find yourself motivated to give service-learning a try at your school!

"Our participation in NQEC was a real learning experience! The whole process provided us with an interesting strategy for approaching problem-solving and assessing our outcomes. Our horizons were broadened at the conference, as we listened to other presentations and met others attendees with stories of their own. It was definitely memorable."
Glenbrook South High School Presentation (PDF, 13.9 MB)

 

2009 Winners

GOLD WINNER

Dale City Elementary, Woodbridge, VA
Team Name: Dale City Math Club Team   
Team Type: School Improvement
Dale City Elementary, a Title I school with a high mobility rate, was in danger of not meeting AYP in math. Using a PDSA model and tools such as a Pareto chart, affinity diagram and decision making matrix, the team implemented an innovative approach to fully engage students, particularly struggling students. As a result, math anxiety decreased, enthusiasm for learning greatly increased, and all sub-groups met the AYP requirement.

"The project truly helped us see the effectiveness of using an in depth PDSA to deeply understand the root cause of why our many of our students struggled with math."
2009 Gold Winner — Presentation (PDF, 875 KB)
 

SILVER WINNER

Victor Elementary School District, Victorville, CA
Team Name: Close the Gap Team   
Team Type: Improvement Team
The Close the Gap Team was developed in response to a CAPE feedback OFI (opportunity for improvement) that targeted the need to close the achievement gap between schools and not just between student subgroups within schools. Using the fishbone to discover the root cause and examining the district achievement data, the team selected a solution that resulted in significant student achievement gains.

"The Victor Elementary School District entered the Team Excellence competition to move one step farther on our quality journey as a district."
2009 Silver Winner — Presentation (PDF, 915 KB)
 

BRONZE WINNER

Rockwall ISD, Rockwall, TX
Team Name: Rockwall ISD Human Resources Department   
Team Type: Human Resources Leadership Team
Being one of only two public school districts in the State to pay 100% of the health insurance costs for 1,850+ teachers and support staff team members, the Human Resources Department at Rockwall ISD has now designed and developed a modern, state-of-the-art Health Center that rivals the environment and services available at typically only the most elite of private medical centers. Come hear the story behind this great journey as sparked through the vision of our Executive Director and learn how it is positively impacting the culture and learning opportunities of 21st century students.

"Thanks for providing us the opportunity to look introspectively as we seek to transform our operations and become the benchmark for which all others evaluate their own progress."
2009 Bronze Winner — Presentation (PDF, 2.37 MB)
 

All 2009 ETEA Winners
 

2008 Winners

GOLD WINNER

Alliance Business Academy, Bangalore, India
Team Name: Alliance   Team Type: TQM Implementation
The team took a holistic approach to quality involving infrastructure, intellectual capital, industry interface, placement performance, international linkages, and stakeholder satisfaction to realize the vision of the institution. The team used tools including cause-and-effect diagrams, histograms and Pareto charts. The results were based on outcomes rather than savings, and included 6th rank among private B-Schools, 1st in academic and placement performance among 63 colleges affiliated to Bangalore, and ahead of private schools in the USA on all parameters of NOEL-LEVITZ Student Satisfaction Inventory.
2008 Gold Winner - Presentation (PDF, 1 MB)
 

SILVER WINNER

Metro Technology Centers, Springfield, OK
Team Name: Metro Technology Centers' Financial Aid Action Team   Team Type: Action Team
The Financial Aid Department was not meeting customer/stakeholder expectations in processing financial aid applications resulting in a high level of customer dissatisfaction, complaints, and low ratings on customer satisfaction surveys. Using tools like PDSA continuous improvement model, fishbone diagrams, and process mapping, our five-year project results include cutting process time from over six weeks to one to three weeks; quadrupling the amount of federal funds dispersed, and eliminating complaints regarding the financial aid process time and customer service. We did all of this with the same number of staff members.
2008 Silver Winner - Presentation (PDF, 450 KB)
 

BRONZE WINNER

Hampton City Schools, Hampton, VA
Team Name: Student Achievement Focus Team (SAFT)   Team Type: Improvement Team
The Student Achievement Focus Team (SAFT) designed a data-driven solution model for improving student achievement through aligned and focused instruction. On-site instructional teams created uniquely designed instructional packets that helped eight schools reach full accreditation status after 15 months. This was the first time ALL 32 schools were fully accredited.
2008 Bronze Winner - Presentation (PDF, 433 KB)
 

2007 Winners

GOLD WINNER

CMU Math Placement Team
Central Michigan University, Dept. of Mathematics

Team Type: Six Sigma
The team set out to improve the mathematics placement process for freshmen. By applying DMAIC strategies, the percentage of freshman taking higher-level courses than the recommended went from 13.1% to 8.1% and from 33.3% to 28.4% for failure rate. Potential savings were at least $620,000 per year.
CMU Math Team Presentation (PDF, 1.16 MB)
 

SILVER WINNER

Team Lafayette
Rockwood School District, Lafayette High School

Team Type: Improvement
Team LHS designed interventions to positively affect students’ ACT scores. This test is crucial to college admission selection and scholarship consideration. After careful analysis of data, the Lafayette team determined the administrative, faculty, parent and student interventions most likely to attain the goal. From 1998 to 2006, the average ACT score increased from 23.1 to 24.6, the number of Advanced Placement tests administered increased from 508 to 982, and the number of Bright Flight Scholars increased from 30 to 92. The scholarship amount received by students increased from $300,000 to $920,000.
Team Lafayette Presentation (PDF, 245 KB)
 

BRONZE WINNER