ESU Standards
Evidence of Performance and Practice
Domain 1: Purpose and Leadership
1A • The ESU commits to a vision, purpose, and a core set of beliefs about providing programs and services that meets the expectations of the ESU and its member districts.
The ESU has established a clear vision, purpose, and set of beliefs that are grounded in the expectations of the agency and its member districts.
The current vision statement was drafted by a group of district stakeholder teams and was subsequently reviewed by agency staff and approved by the agency board. The four values were also identified at this time (2018).
Agency staff adopted a new logo and reviewed new website (2020).
Agency staff modified the description statements for the agency values (2021).
Table tents highlighting the ESU's Vision, Mission and Values are displayed during staff meetings and other stakeholder events (2022).
1B • The ESU engages in a continuous improvement process that improves professional practice, effectiveness, and results.
The ESU has a clear continuous improvement process focused on the goals of the agency and the needs of member districts.
The ESU Leadership Team and professional development team meet monthly to plan for professional learning for both agency and school district staff.
ESU staff meet three times a year (opening day, midyear meeting, closing day) to engage in professional learning and agency improvement activities. Additionally agency staff participate in professional learning provided through ESUPDO (core services staff) or that is sought out individually.
Agency staff have completed the CliftonStrengths assessment and engage in ongoing activities that promote leveraging their strengths as they work with colleagues and in support of school district staff (2021). New staff complete the CliftonStrengths assessment when hired (2022). Staff record individual videos sharing how they use their CliftonStrengths in their work, which are posted to the ESU website on The Clifton Corner (password: clifton).
1C • ESU leadership establishes a strategic plan, as well as processes, procedures and conditions to support agency effectiveness.
The ESU leadership has developed a strategic plan, reflective of its vision, purpose, and beliefs, directed through the administration of processes, procedures, and conditions.
A Strategic Plan was created to identify broad objectives that would lead to the fulfillment the agency's Vision and Mission Statements (2021).
Action Plans have been created to support fulfillment of the Strategic Plan (2021).
School district CIP goals and results of the ESU Data Dig , in addition to the agency's Vision and Mission, informed the Strategic Plan (2021).
Strategic Plan annual benchmarks have been identified through 2025 (2022).
The Leadership Team coordinates agency improvement and plans the agenda for three all-staff meetings per year.
Staff evaluations and professional development opportunities support agency goals and agency improvement.
1D • The ESU establishes conditions to support the development of individual and collective knowledge, skills and professionalism.
The ESU provides ongoing professional learning for agency staff that fosters professional growth, increased knowledge, and enhanced skills.
ESU staff participate in local and statewide training opportunities (e.g., ESUPDO) and college courses.
Superintendents meet quarterly and principals meet once a semester to network and learn/hear from NSCA and NDE specialists about trends, directions and opportunities.
The ESU hosts like-content sessions for educators, Professional Learning Academies (PLAs), in the areas of ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Elementary, CTE, Fine Arts, et al. in order for educators to network, collaborate, share expertise and resources, learn from content specialists at NDE, and update curriculum (2020).
MTSS quarterly Zoom meetings are hosted to promote awareness and support for a tiered approach to support students' academic, social emotional and behavioral needs (2021).
A series of Zoom sessions on Special Educator best practices was launched to support new special educators in the area (2022).
1E • The ESU provides professional growth opportunities for internal and district staff in leadership positions.
The ESU provides and supports ongoing professional learning that increases staff leadership capacity to improve results.
A PD Calendar is created to schedule and articulate professional development events for ESU and School District Staff. These events are then posted to the ESU website to coordinate event registration. A PD Google Site houses the professional development agendas for the events. ESU Staff meeting agendas are included on the ESU #17 Improvement Google Site.
Superintendents meet monthly and principals meet once a semester to network and learn/hear from NCSA and NDE specialists about trends, proposed legislation and statewide opportunities.
ESU Staff receive training and support regarding their CliftonStrengths results during staff meetings.
ESU Staff have opportunities to develop leadership capacity through participation in monthly and/or regular team meetings: leadership, negotiations, planning region team, professional development, special education, school psychologists.
1F • The ESU uses a comprehensive process for staff evaluation.
The ESU utilizes a staff evaluation process that is consistent and leads to professional growth and improved effectiveness of all staff.
All agency staff are evaluated by the ESU administrator. Nontenured certificated staff are evaluated annually. Formal evaluations are conducted every three years for tenured certificated staff and at-will staff.
The administrator is evaluated by the ESU Board annually.
Staff select professional goals annually and have opportunities for professional development to support their goals. At least one goal aligns with an ESU goal (2022).
The Certificated Evaluation Form addresses goal setting and seven performance criteria (foundational knowledge, planning and preparation, learning environment, instructional strategies, assessment, professionalism, and vision and collaboration) for employees on the salary schedule.
The At-Will Evaluation Form addresses goal setting and four performance criteria (integrity, impact, interaction, initiative) for staff in non-certificated positions.
1G • The ESU demonstrates actions that ensure the achievement of the ESUCC’s purpose.
The ESU demonstrates professional practices that fulfill the overall purpose of the ESU Coordinating Council.
ESU #17 uses the ESU Standards developed by the ESUCC to guide the agency improvement process, which was created as a result of the Five Bold Steps.
ESU #17 develops corrective action plans to address areas of needed improvement based on the ILCD review.
Agency staff participate in the Rule 84 Improvement Plan development process and in ESUPDO and ESUCC meetings and professional learning opportunities.
The agency administrator attends monthly ESUCC meetings and participates on the executive and educational resources committees.
ESU #17 was a pilot participant in the SIMPL bold step and conducts annual Data Digs to inform the agency service plan (initially 2017).
1H • The ESU Board, through board policies, understands and practices its defined roles and responsibilities to maintain an effective agency.
The ESU Board approves policies and performs professional practices that fulfill the duties and overall purpose of the ESU Board.
The ESU Board conducts regular monthly board meetings to fulfill its responsibility as a governing body. Policies are reviewed and updated as needed. Minutes of the board meetings are sent out to all staff and are posted to the agency website.
ESU staff members provide presentations at board meetings to share information about their roles and support that they provide. The minutes of monthly Board meetings are emailed to agency staff.
1I • ESU programming and services fulfill the requirements of Rule 84.
The ESU aligns agency programs and services to fulfill the responsibilities and requirements of Nebraska Rule 84.
All services provided by ESU #17 are included in the ESUCC Master Catalog of Services, and are organized according the services outlined in Rule 84, i.e., staff development, technology and instructional materials (2021).
SIMPL logs are submitted by staff providing those specific services. When multiple staff are involved in a specific service, e.g., Professional Learning Academies, one staff member is designated to complete that logging process.
All staff are appropriately certificated and endorsed in their respective service areas.
Domain 2: Programs and Services
2A • The ESU uses a data-driven process to systematically identify the needs of districts to develop an agency service plan.
The ESU engages in a continuous improvement process which utilizes data to systematically identify and prioritize the needs of member districts in the development of an agency service plan.
The ESU hosts an annual Data Dig with school district teams that involves a review and analysis of a wide array of school district data (demographic, behavior/developmental, academic and perceptual) in order to identify and school district priorities and correlating ESU support.
PBIS, MTSS and SAT processes utilize data collection and analysis.
MAP Growth and NSCAS assessment results are used to identify strategies in which the ESU can provide implementation support.
Letters of intent/request are sent out for contracted services.
Results of the 2022 Mental Health Institute Survey will be used at the 2023 Data Dig.
2B • The ESU ensures its services are developed and delivered, have clear and measurable outcomes, and are aligned with evidence-based practices.
The ESU develops and delivers services, supports, and programs aligned with evidence-based practices and have clear, measurable outcomes.
The ESU hosts like-content sessions for educators, Professional Learning Academies (PLAs), in the areas of ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Elementary, CTE, Fine Arts, et al. in order for educators to network, collaborate, share expertise and resources, learn from content specialists at NDE, and update curriculum.
MTSS quarterly meetings are hosted to promote awareness and support for a tiered approach to support students' academic, social emotional and behavioral needs.
Planning Region Team meetings address Routines-Based Intervention (RBI) and Routines-Based Early Intervention (RBEI), both which are evidenced based practices with measurable outcomes. "Getting Ready" is also an approach that is used to share strategies and tools with parents to improve the quality of home visits.
2C • The ESU has established a process to assess implementation of targeted programs and services.
The ESU employs a systematic process to assess implementation of targeted services, supports, and programs for the purpose of evaluating the agency’s overall impact.
Through SIMPL, the ESU is able to plan, monitor and evaluate the degree to which it satisfactorily addresses school district priorities.
Fidelity checks are conducted for the Primary Service Provider model, as well as "Getting Ready" and Routines-Based Intervention (RBI).
2D • Learning opportunities are provided to ESU staff in order to develop and enhance the skills necessary for delivering the agency service plan.
The ESU has structures, resources, and expectations in place to deliver and support ongoing, job-embedded professional learning to increase staff leadership, collaboration, growth, organizational effectiveness and results.
Staff regularly attend ESUCC, ESUPDO and statewide affiliate meetings and training opportunities.
As an agency, ESU staff meet three times a year (August, December, May).
ESU teams meet on a monthly basis in job-alike or job-connected meetings for collaboration and planning.
A PD Calendar is developed/modified as needed for annual scheduling and planning of internal and external stakeholder opportunities.
Special Education staff have the opportunity to participate in RBI bootcamp, "Getting Ready" home visitor trainings, PSP meetings, and specific conferences.
Staff also participate in continuing education hours opportunities, both online and in-person.
2E • The ESU fosters an innovative and collaborative culture to optimize program and service delivery.
The ESU has structures, resources, and expectations in place that foster a culture of innovation and collaboration to increase organizational effectiveness, delivery of targeted services, and results for stakeholders.
Monthly Team Meetings: Leadership, Professional Development, School Psychologists/Mental Health Practitioner, Student Services provide opportunities for staff members to collaborate, plan and learn together.
The PD team has a Shared Drive to organize content for programming and a public facing PD Google Site to communicate and facilitate hosted events.
The ESU has established Shared Google Drives with each of its member school districts in order to provide collaborative support. Examples of collaborative work that the ESU has provided includes the development of Google Sites to support the Continuous Improvement Process, the annual Data Dig, articulation of Special Education Policies & Procedures and Curriculum development.
Domain 3: Stakeholder Relationships and Communication
3A • ESU staff provide internal and external stakeholders with opportunities to collaborate and inform the development of the agency’s purpose, programs and services.
The ESU has a clear process with ongoing collaboration of internal and external stakeholders to inform service delivery, support programs and reflect the agency’s purpose.
The ESU conducted a visioning session with school district stakeholders to create a vision statement (2018).
Internal staff teams meet monthly during the school year and all-staff meetings are conducted 3 times a year.
Information about ESU services and support is communicated to school district administrators through the annual Data Dig and through school district administrator meetings held throughout the year.
Professional Learning Academies (PLAs) meet twice each year to provide opportunities for job-alike staff to learn from and collaborate with staff from other school districts and from NDE specialists.
MTSS quarterly Zoom meetings are conducted to share best practices related to the MTSS elements.
ESU staff regularly attend many district-level meetings and In-services to provide information and support around educational topics:
Misty Wroblewski - MTSS, Instructional Strategies
Kelli Gibson - Curriculum, Instructional Strategies
Jeff McQuistan - CIP
Geraldine Erickson - IEP
Stephanie Fling - SEBL/Mental Health
ESU Values Surveys for school district and ESU personnel were administered in Fall 2021.
ESU Standard Surveys for school district teams and individual ESU staff members were administered Fall 2022.
3B • ESU staff communicate efficiently and effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
The ESU has an effective, system-wide plan for communicating its purpose, services, supports, and programs that reaches multiple stakeholders.
ESU #17 leverages multiple modes of communication to connect and inform internal and external stakeholders: ESU website, ESU Improvement Google Site, face-to-face meetings with staff, superintendents, principals, Zoom meetings when time and distance are factors, Google Chat, Google Calendars, email and cell phone texts.
A PD Google Site has been developed as a "home base" for professional development that is provided for internal and external stakeholders. This is used to facilitate sessions as well as to communicate and share information following the sessions.
Contact information is available through an internal Email Directory of ESU and school district staff. ESU staff contact information is provided on the ESU website. An ESU Staff Resources page on the website provides links to various operational forms and information for staff.
ESU staff provide reports at monthly Board Meetings. Minutes of Board Meetings are posted on the website and are emailed to ESU staff following each meeting.
The ESU has Facebook pages for the ESU and for the Planning Region Team.
Feedback is collected periodically to determine internal and external stakeholder satisfaction through perceptual surveys.
3C • The ESU provides an induction process to their service agency for new district leadership.
The service unit provides an induction program for district leadership to obtain the knowledge and skills to be effective.
Superintendents meet monthly and principals meets once each semester. "Superincipal" meetings are held in August and March, providing opportunities for collaborative conversations to occur (2021).
Mentors for new teachers are invited to attend the New Teacher Academy (NTA) with new teachers from their district.
3D • The ESU is an active partner in activities and initiatives of the ESUCC, and formally engages with and collaborates with the Nebraska Department of Education.
There is active participation across the agency in ESUCC initiatives, as well as engagement and collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Education.
ESU #17 staff are active participants in ESUPDO and Affiliate meetings and professional development.
ESU #17 staff are involved in statewide cadres and are active participants in initiative planning and NDE rollouts, e.g., Rule 84 semi-annual meetings, NSCAS/NWEA, NTPPS, CNA 2.0, BlendEd, Mental Health Institute.
ESU Staff also partner with statewide facilitators in special projects including ILCD, NeMTSS, Math Acceleration, TNTP, Learning Acceleration Design Team and Modules, Canvas, HQIM, EOP, SRS and PD library.
NDE staff and regional support staff are guest presenters at ESU #17 Professional Learning Academies (PLAs) and MTSS capacity building and quarterly MTSS Zoom meetings (initially 2019).
Additional professional development opportunities are provided through collaboration with other ESUs who comprise the Northeast Nebraska Network Consortium (NNNC), including the Summer Tech Institute, the Counselor Optimal Learning Day (COLD) Conference in January and the Mental Health Institute that was hosted in June.
ESU #17 hosted a 2-day work session for all districts on the articulation of Special Education Policies & Procedures that are required to be reported in March 2023 (2022).
Domain 4: Resource Capacity
4A • The ESU utilizes strategic planning to align human, material, and fiscal resources to meet the short and long term goals of the agency.
The ESU has a comprehensive strategic plan that maintains expectations along with short and long term goals to align human, material, and fiscal resources to the goals of the agency.
One of the primary outcomes of the annual Data Dig is to identify school district priorities and align agency staffing to support those priorities. Examples of alignment include the addition of instructional coaches (2018), an increased focus on curriculum (2019) and the addition of a mental health practitioner (2022).
Student case numbers (special education ) from school districts determine staffing positions and numbers/assignments.
The Strategic Plan outlines short and long term benchmarks toward attaining the current improvement goals (2022).
4B • The ESU allocates human, material, and fiscal resources to optimize agency efficiency and effectiveness.
The ESU demonstrates efficient and effective resource management by ensuring human, material, and fiscal resources are allocated equitably.
The Annual Report and ESU Budget summarize the revenues and expenses of the agency (2021).
The roles of staff at the ESU tend to expand over time, which provides for efficient and effective use of human resources. Staff are willing and flexible to help meet the needs of each school district.
Information and discussions regarding ESU staffing needs are discussed at superintendent meetings .
4C • The ESU recruits, employs and retains highly qualified staff.
The ESU provides recruitment, employment, and retention processes for highly qualified personnel supporting the vision, purpose, and direction of the agency.
Openings for positions are posted on the ESU website and are communicated via email and the ESU Facebook page. An Application for Employment link is included on the ESU website.
A newly-developed interview question/rubric allows assists in the selection of qualified personnel for openings at the ESU (2022).
Certificated staff designate a negotiations team annually to reach an approved compensation agreement. The administrator meets with at-will staff individually to negotiate annual agreements (2022).
A high percentage of staff have appropriate certification for the positions they hold and, once hired, have opportunities to grow professionally. Statewide organizations also provide additional opportunities for collaboration and access to resources.
Turnover rates at the ESU are low. Most recent openings have been due to retirement.
4D • The ESU provides induction, mentoring, professional learning opportunities for staff to grow and improve.
The ESU provides an induction program for all agency staff to obtain the knowledge and skills to be effective through ongoing professional learning opportunities.
The New Employee Checklist provides administrative staff with a list of items to address with new employees once they report.
ESU staff developed job descriptions (2017) to clarify roles and responsibilities.
The ESU designates job-alike mentors for new staff. One of our SLPs provides mentoring through the Clinical Fellowship Year program.
All staff are included in monthly job-alike meetings for internal collaboration and learning, with the PD Google Site serving as a home base (2021).
Staff Forms are provided on the website, and include agency information/resources, reporting, and school district calendars.
All staff participate in agency improvement through attendance at 3 ESU all-staff meetings and interim activities connected to agency improvement, which helps to promote staff awareness and understanding of the evolving work of the ESU.
