The Bulletin
Division of School & District Effectiveness
March 2015
"Improving on Your Previous Best"
Purpose
The SDE Bulletin: to provide regular, timely information to increase the shared understanding of our team of School Improvement professionals
Our Shared SDE Purpose: to increase collective leadership capacity to understand what effective schools and districts know and do, and to support the leaders to own their improvement process
Previous Editions of The Bulletin
August 2014- https://www.smore.com/700mx
September 2014- https://www.smore.com/huyyh
October 2014- https://www.smore.com/std20
November 2014- https://www.smore.com/09uva
December 2014/January 2015- https://www.smore.com/09uva
February- https://www.smore.com/hrzfv
This Month
Bari Geeslin has an opportunity to work in the central office in her hometown of Stewart County. She is real excited to be working in her home district, but sad to be leaving all of her colleagues at the GaDOE and RESAs. We will continue to see her as she is working in a district, and I am sure our paths will cross again. Good luck, Bari…you will be missed.
Another team member leaving is Bobby Smith. His last day with the GaDOE will be March 31st, and he will then be working with a group of RESAs. He (and Bari) have so much to offer…it’s great to see others will benefit from their expertise as much as we have. Good luck, Bobby!
Aligning Our Work
Many of you may be noticing (and even helping with) changes in the work of School & District Effectiveness that are underway or are to come. The intent of these changes is to align the work in our Division. Below are some of these changes:
Name changes in the Division and Job Titles and Documents- we are attempting to align our work with that of other Divisions, and to rename jobs and documents to reflect the work of the positions and the content of the documents. We are also trying to think of things from our users' perspectives, so the more we can clarify names and titles, the better our customers' experience of us will be.
Our website- you all contributed greatly to a redesigned website that is intended to give lots of great information in a format that leaders from schools and districts can easily access, and it's getting excellent reviews! This will become more and more of a tool that we use and that schools and districts use.
Revised Georgia School Performance Standards and District Performance Standards- Mike O'Neil led a team to make revisions to the School Standards, doing hard work on clarifying some language and revisiting the rubrics. The District Effectiveness Team is doing their first District Review (in Murray County), and after that pilot review process, they will make any needed revisions to the District Standards. So, look for these revised sets of Standards to be out and on our website soon.
Leadership Guide- Deborah McLendon has been leading a team to transform the former Implementation Guide into a Leadership Guide, focusing its contents on guidance and supports for leadership teams to implement needed changes. It, too, is getting excellent reviews! This Leadership Guide lives on our website, so we will be able to update it constantly.
Indistar- as we have been saying since the summer, Indistar is being changed in order to base the indicators and required documentation on the School Standards. We will have all the School Standards in Indistar; however, we are narrowing down the required Standards to about 12 "key" standards, very much like power standards. We also are trying to integrate the work of the GAPSS teams into Indistar so that we are asking schools for similar things as the GAPSS teams require and vice versa. Furthermore, we are plugging into Indistar all the District Standards, narrowing down the required Standards to about 8 "key" Standards, and asking for district documentation based on these Standards.
Division Goals- now that we have an established Division vision, mission, and purpose, we are closing in on setting a few goals for our Division. This will allow us all to be aiming in the same direction. More to come at our March SDE PL.
Professional Learning Rule- The changes to the Professional Learning rule 160-3-3-04 include revising definitions. Additional definitions were added including best practices, instructional coach, mentor, and professional learning plan. The requirements for the professional learning plan were changed from three years to read as a “multi-year plan." The new rule has three requirements: identified responsibility assigned for personnel to have on-going professional learning, identified best practices related to increased student learning must be used, and professional learning must have alignment with the professional standards commission rules. The LEA must submit their plan and the assurances signed by the superintendent included as part of the district's comprehensive improvement plan.
Zoho/U Drive Organization- we are starting the process of reorganizing the folders and files in the U Drive, and we plan to make that organization of folders and files similar to the organization in Zoho. More to come.
ESEA Flexibility Waiver- we will talk more at our March SDE PL about the direction it is going, but for now, know that the intent of our portion (Principle 2) of the revised Waiver is to get rid of a bifurcated accountability system (one for CCRPI and one for school designations) and to identify Priority and Focus schools based on components of CCRPI; to update the formulae used to exit Priority and Focus schools; to update the language regarding non-negotiables to reflect the Georgia School Performance Standards; to update the School and District Standards; and to increase the emphasis on work with districts (i.e., districts need to own their identified schools and to increase their own capacity to support their schools). There are other changes, but these are some of the bigger ones.
We are making these and other changes to align our work in preparation for a new round of Focus and Priority Schools coming soon.
from Professional Learning (Joann Hooper)
A systematic process….
Throughout this year, in our professional learning, we have talked about having a “systematic process in place to improve schools.” This week I attended a workshop and one of the speakers told a story about his son’s car. He told the story of buying the car and having to replace different parts of the car in order to get it to run. He described how he put the parts together to form a running car—a system. The separate parts of the car had value but not as much value as when they were put together in order for the car to run. In many of our schools they have parts of school improvement—but they have not put them together to have a system of continuous improvement. As we continue to work with our schools we should look for the opportunities to guide them in putting their “parts” together to form a system that will improve student learning.
February ILA:
Thank you for your participation in the February ILA. There have been many positive comments about the presentations and content of the day. The opportunity for districts and schools to join together in learning is very powerful. “Student achievement is higher in districts with a strong continuous improvement focus.” (Marshall et al. 2004, School Leadership and Management) Continue to assist your schools in using the Monitoring for Feedback form.
March 17-18
Our March professional learning will be packed with many opportunities. I am providing you a draft agenda for the days. Please come prepared to actively participate and to engage with others.
Day One:
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Hot Continental Breakfast
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
On the Horizon
Barbara Lunsford
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Georgia’s School Superintendent
Richard Woods
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Security, Privacy, and SLDS
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
School Performance Data Review Series
Nicholas Handville
2:30 PM – 2:40 PM
Transition
2:40 PM – 3:30 PM
Region Team Meetings
Lead School Effectiveness Specialists
3:30 PM
Grab-n-Go Break
Day 2
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Hot Continental Breakfast
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Opening
Joann Hooper and Christy Jones
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Indistar
Celeta Thomas
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Division News and Year-End
Paulette Richmond
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Break
10:45 AM – 11:15 AM
ESEA Waiver Review/ Feedback
Cowan Harter and ESEA Waiver Team
11:15 AM – 12:00
PM Georgia School Performance Standards Revision Review
Mike O’Neal
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Job-A-Likes
1:45 PM – 1:50 PM
Transition
1:50 PM – 3:00 PM
Reflection
Will Rumbaugh
3:00 PM
Grab-n-Go Break
March 19
One designated SES from each region and the RESA Core (or designee) will meet with Bobby Smith for a session on the CCRPI.
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
Light Continental Breakfast
8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
CCRPI Training
Bobby Smith
Lunch will not be provided.
Grand Salon A (Hotel)
Summer 2015
As mentioned in the webinar, we will not have ILA this summer. We will discuss the responsibilities of the School Effectiveness Specialist this summer during the March SI PL.
Strategy of the Month
This strategy has a video you can watch to see it being implemented.
Each month we’ll provide a PL strategy that could be used with adults or students. Our goal is to deepen learning and engage the learner.
Description: One participant attempts to use words to describe a concept covered during class to get a team to correctly name the concept.
Directions:
To help participants recall and revisit different key terms, content areas or pieces of technical information.
Time: 10 minutes
Audience: Any audience with a common language
Group Size: 10 or more participants
Materials:
· 5-10 slides. Each slide should have one concept or idea from the content covered. Black screens are added in between each concept slide. OR chart paper pack with the concept or idea each written on sheets.
· Dice: One die per group
· Candy/Prize (optional)
Process:
1. Separate the participants in the room into groups of 3-5 people. In a computer classroom, this is easily done by row.
2. Explain to the group that a volunteer will be attempting to get the remainder of the group to guess a word, phrase, or concept in a 15-30 second window. The volunteer will face the screen or chart paper. The class is facing opposite (to see this applied watch video at 1:29) If you are presenting with a projector from the front of the room, you can easily turn the projector to reflect on a back wall.
3. After 15-30 seconds passes, the slide automatically advances to a black screen. Or if you are using a chart paper pack you will need to manually advance the paper.
4. Teams that guessed the concept before it moved to the black screen roll their die and score the number of points they roll.
5. Rotate the volunteer position to a new team member and repeat the steps.
6. Repeat the steps as many times as time allows or to revisit the concepts as the group needs.
Intended Audience: Students or Adults
Source: Bob Pike Group
from Technical Assistance & Support (Paulette Richmond)
Our new School and District Effectiveness website
We’re beginning to work on the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for our website. Consider questions you or schools/districts may ask related to the following:
- Priority schools
- Focus schools
- Alert schools
- Title I, Part A, 1003(a) School Improvement Funding
Please forward questions to prichmond@doe.k12.ga.us by March 9, 2015.
Save the date
March 6, 2015
IT Support/Updates webinar. The link to register is in a February 20 email from Cindy Popp.
Title I, Part A, 1003(a) School Improvement Funding
Questions to ask or consider as you work with schools/districts:
Is the school spending the SI 1003(a) funds in accordance with the justification of expenses submitted in October 2014?
Has the school revisited and updated the school improvement plan in 2015?
How will any changes to the SIP impact 1003(a) funds?
Is the school/district on track to spend all 1003(a) funds by September 30, 2015?
Cross-Functional Monitoring. In March 2015, the following districts that received Title I, Part A, 1003(a) School Improvement funds will be monitored:
Butts March 9
Quitman March 10
Dougherty March 19
Marietta City March 19
Randolph March 25
Jenkins March 26
Pike March 26
DeKalb March 30
Please note we’re only sharing information related to the districts that received SI 1003(a) funding. As you know, the Cross-Functional Monitoring process involves other monitoring outside of Title I, Part A, 1003(a) School Improvement funds.
Just for RESA School Improvement Specialists
In chapter 1 of a book we were given a couple years ago as a resource: DuFour, R., & Marzano, R. (2011). School Improvement Means People Improvement. In Leaders of Learning: How District, School, and Classroom Leaders Improve Student Achievement. Bloomington: Solution Tree Press, pages 22 – 23, the authors shared some questions we’ve all seen.
· What is it we want our students to know?
· How will we know if our students are learning?
· How will we respond when students do not learn?
· How will we enrich and extend the learning for students who are proficient?
So here are the questions for the month … How does your school respond when students do not learn? As schools/leadership teams review actions, strategies, interventions, tasks (STAPs) how and what do they monitor for impact on student learning?
I’m curious. Please forward responses to prichmond@doe.k12.ga.us by March 6, 2015
ANSWER FROM LAST MONTH’S TRIVIA:
RESPONSE TO TRIVIA#3: What were the two questions sent in the January 28, 2015 email that could be used to guide conversations with leadership teams (Hint: Crosswalk/Evidence document)?
1. How are you measuring the impact of your short term action plan/tasks on teaching and learning? Discuss evidence of progress.
2. How can the GA School Performance Standards (School Keys) assist us in defining and monitoring Indistar tasks that will support our goal to improve teaching and learning?
Our winners for last month’s trivia: Lanre Osindele and Adell Muench from Metro RESA. Thank you.
Due dates
Jot Form monthly report is March 15, 2015 (one cumulative report per RESA)
Focus Implementation Plans---Plan tasks for remaining indicators, March 21, 2015
from the Leads (Joel Standifer)
Wow………….. Two-thirds of the 2014-2015 school year has come and gone. The schools are busy trying to implement SIG grants and SIPs. They are benchmarking and exploring preparation guidelines for instructional needs to address milestones.
The regions are fiercely working to support each of our schools. Each region is trying to assist and support schools in refining how/what/when/why they are to use student progress data for progress monitoring. With all of this going on, each region is successfully assisting their schools in moving forward.
The ILA participation by school and district leaders on February 2nd and 3rd was a springboard in focusing on collaborative work between district support and school interventions. It has allowed the regions to emphasize and usher the schools and districts into realizing the importance of monitoring with feedback as they work collaboratively.
The Southeast Region provided Math, Literacy and Graduation Coaches' networks. Each of these networks was focused on supporting the schools in preparing their students to reach their potential.
The Metro Region #1 provided Atlanta Pubic Schools and Cobb County Schools with Professional Learning in CCRPI, Literacy/UDL , Math and Graduation Coaches' support. Charles Price is presenting CCRPI “102” to the Priority schools in APS.
The Southwest Region provided Math, Literacy and CCRPI networks. They are now looking forward to the leadership of Mr. Steve Olive in guiding them further in supporting their schools.
The Central Region provided Literacy and Math Networks to continue supporting coaches, department chairs and teacher leaders. Ms. Terri Gaspierik provided district CCRPI professional learning sessions as requested by the districts in the Central Region.
The Leads would like to welcome Steve Olive as he transitions March 1, 2015, into the Lead position for the Southwest Region. We would like to assure Mr. Olive that we are here to assist him in any and every way.
The hardest part of any friendship is when it’s time to say goodbye. To Bari Geeslin, as much as we might like things to stay the same, change is an inevitable part of life. Wherever you go may your abilities bring you accolades and your skills bring productivity. As a Lead team, we will miss you very much but we are also wishing you the best in the future. We wish a heartfelt goodbye to you.
from District Effectiveness (Sam Taylor)
· The GAPSS Team is working with a small group to re-examine the School Keys, now School Standards, in light of our new Vision, Mission, and Division direction.
· In late February, the DE Team began its first district review in Murray County Schools. Superintendent Reed volunteered her district for the GaDOE inaugural review. The DE Team, along with other critical colleagues from RESA, GAPSS Team, and other GaDOE departments, are using this first review to test drive the review process.
· Leadership Guide (a.k.a., IR) Update: The Instruction strand, which is the longest strand with 9 standards, has now been posted. Work has begun on the development of the Leadership strand and Family and Community components, pending completion in late March/early April.
from SIG (Patty Rooks)
Cohort 3 (July 1, 2013-September 30, 2016)
Bibb County- Matilda Hartley Elementary School, Westside High School
Fulton County- Frank McClarin High School
Gwinnett County- Meadowcreek High School
Quitman County- Quitman County High School
Twiggs County- Twiggs County High School
Wilkinson County- Wilkinson County High School
Cohort 4 (July 1, 2014-September 30, 2017)
Atlanta Public Schools- Frederick Douglass High School
Bibb County- Southwest Magnet High School and Law Academy
Dougherty County- Dougherty Comprehensive High School, Monroe Comprehensive High School
Muscogee County- Fox Elementary School, Jordan Vocational High School, William H. Spencer High School
Fiscal Reminders
Purchase of Equipment, Supplies and Materials
Please be reminded that all equipment, supplies and materials to be purchased with this year’s SIG funds should now be purchased and in the schools. By the third LEA and SEA quarterly monitoring the drawdowns must reflect the purchase of all equipment, supplies and materials.
Drawdowns:
Please be reminded that the monthly deadline for drawdowns is the 20th of each month and drawdowns must occur monthly. The drawdown is to include all SIG expenditures from the previous month. Both the LEA and the SEA quarterly monitorings should reflect the level to which these expectations have been met. It is important to note that the timeliness of drawdowns is a critical factor when considering the recommendation for continued funding.
Expenditure of FY15 Funds
The expiration date for the FY15 funds for Cohort 3 and 4 schools is September 30, 2015. In order to ensure timely expenditure of this year’s funds, it is expected that 70% of the FY15 budget be liquidated by April 30th, and that by May 20th, 70% of the budget has been drawn down. For those SIG schools that fail to meet this deadline, a plan for expenditure for the remainder of the FY15 funds will be required. The plan will be due to Lyndsay Moses no later than June 1, 2015.
SIG Program/Budget Amendments
Changes to the SIG budget and/or program require an approved SIG program/budget amendment. Please note the final date for the submission of amendments for the FY15 budget is August 14, 2015.
Cross-Functional Monitoring:
With the exception of Gwinnett County and Muscogee County, all Cohort 3 and Cohort 4 SIG districts will receive a Cross-Functional monitoring this year, which will include fiscal monitoring for 1003(g) SIG. The dates for the Cross-Functional Monitoring are as follows:
Atlanta Public Schools – April 28-May 1, 2015
Bibb County – April 21-23, 2015
Dougherty County – March 19-20, 2015
Fulton County – May 12-15, 2015
Quitman County – March 10-11, 2015
Twiggs County – April 21-22, 2015
Wilkinson County – April 23-24, 2015
LEA Monitoring of SIG Schools
As you know, this year LEAs with SIG Cohort 3 and/or Cohort 4 schools are responsible for submitting four (4) LEA Monitoring Reports in Indistar for each of their SIG schools. The format and content of the monitoring report was revised to allow the SIG Coordinator, in collaboration with key leaders at the district level, to assess the level of progress of the LEA/school in implementing the SIG indicators.
The electronic LEA Monitoring Report forms are accessed through the District Dashboard and completed and submitted within Indistar. The Q4 LEA Monitoring Report is due April 30th.
In the event that an indicator is either not progressing at an expected rate or not evident, an interim or “follow-up” LEA monitoring of only those indicators is required and submitted in Indistar utilizing the appropriate LEA Monitoring Report “follow-up” form. If all indicators are either progressing at an expected rate or fully implemented, completion and submission of the “follow-up” Monitoring Report form is not required.
2014-2015 Reward Incentives Plan
As noted last month, the approved 2014-2015 Reward Incentives Plan is to be uploaded as a document in Indistar. (Please have the school create a folder in the “file cabinet” entitled Reward Incentives Plans, in which they can place their SEA approved Reward Incentives Plans each year of the grant.)
Please be reminded that the process by which the 2014-2015 Reward Incentives Plan was determined, as well as the notification of the GaDOE approved Plan to the school staff, should be documented by the schools within Indistar. This documentation should be reviewed during the second and third LEA and SEA quarterly monitoring.
Sustainability Training
Research indicates that approximately two-thirds of schools that begin reform initiatives do not sustain their reform efforts after the funding is eliminated. In order to support our SIG schools and districts, we have secured the services of Dr. Sheryl Turner (RMC) to provide sustainability training. This training will provide an in-depth understanding of sustainability, the characteristics of districts and schools that have been successful in sustaining programs/reform initiatives, and strategies for sustaining efforts. Participants will leave with practical tools to develop a comprehensive sustainability plan which includes the work of both the district and school.
The Sustainability training will consist of two 1½-day Institutes. A description of the Institutes is provided below:
Institute I
· Module 1: What is Sustainability?
This module introduces the participants to sustainability and research on characteristics of programs/reform initiatives that have been successfully sustained.
· Module 2: Are We Ready to Sustain?
Common barriers to sustainability, such as funding and leadership, are explored, as well as specific strategies participants can incorporate to overcome those barriers. Participants delve into ten critical elements that should be examined to continue to improve outcomes and sustain effective programs/initiatives.
Institute II
· Module 3: Preparing to Sustain
In this module, participants prepare for developing a sustainability plan by exploring systems level changes including the role of district, school, and classroom personnel. Other areas of preparation include strengthening communication with stakeholders, determining areas of control and influence, and examining effective policies and procedures that support continued success.
· Module 4: Developing Your Sustainability Plan
This module guides the participants through the development of a comprehensive sustainability plan. Participants complete self-assessments to determine priority areas for sustainability of the program/reform initiatives and develop goals, objectives, strategies, and action steps for a successful sustainability plan.
Given the nature of the training, we are planning for the training to be provided to each of the SIG Cohorts individually. Institute I will be provided to each Cohort the summer following Year 2 of the implementation of the grant, and Institute II will be provided during the winter of Year 3 of the grant. Participants will be designated LEA and school leaders. The training schedule for Cohort 3 and the tentative schedule for Cohort 4 are listed below:
Cohort 3 Sustainability Training Schedule:
· Institute I (1½ days) June 11-12, 2015
· Institute II (1½ days) February 4-5, 2016
Cohort 4 Sustainability Training Schedule:
· Institute I (1½ days) June/July, 2016
· Institute II (1½ days) January/February, 2017
Detailed communication to the Cohort 3 SIG LEAs/schools regarding the Sustainability training and required district and school participants will be forthcoming.
GaDOE Sustainability Facilitator Training
In order to provide support to the SIG LEAs/schools as they work through the process of developing their sustainability plan, selected School and District Effectiveness staff will receive facilitator training prior to the summer Institute. This training is scheduled for April 14th – 15th, 2015. Participants will include the Turnaround and Leadership School Effectiveness Specialists, Lead School Effectiveness Specialists, and District Effectiveness Specialists.
Critical Dates for 1003(g) SIG Schools
Ø March 20th--Monthly drawdown by LEA’s due for all SIG expenses (including salaries & benefits) encumbered to date
Ø April 14th-15th—GaDOE Sustainability Facilitator Training (designated GaDOE staff only)
Ø April 30th—Q4 LEA Monitoring Report submission due in Indistar
Ø April 30th—70% of FY15 Budget expended
Ø May 20th—70% of FY15 Budget drawn down
Ø June 1st—Submission of plan for expenditure for remaining FY15 funds for schools with a total drawdown less than 70% by May 20, 2015
Ø June 11th-12th—Cohort 3 Sustainability Training—Institute I
Ø August 14th—Deadline for final FY15 SIG Program/Budget Amendments
Indistar (Celeta Thomas)
Coaching FORWARD WITH INDISTAR
“RESULTS WON”T IMPROVE UNLESS PERFORMANCE IMPROVES”
Coaches Corner: Results won’t improve unless performance improves. Indistar helps a district or school team examine and plan the improvement of its performance. Therefore we must coach, inform and collaborate with our teams about the next steps to inform improvement.
What’s Happening Now: "Indistar Makeover “please view the demo site to see the new and improve look for Indistar for the 2015-2016 school year. The demo site is for "READ ONLY" purposes. Please do not add, delete or update anything on this site.
Go to Indistar.org
Type in Login: GAKEYS and PW: GAKEYS
Where a Are We Now ?
Where are we on meeting our goals?
Where are we on planning, creating and monitoring task?
Where are we now on implementing next steps from the monitoring report?
Does the coaching comments reflect guidance left from the STAP and/or monitoring report?
Examining the Critical Focus Areas :
March is almost here! For the month of March we should be examining and reviewing our standards of effective practices. Where are we now? Are we making progress? Are schools meeting any of their short term goals?
Linking the Learning: At our February Professional Learning Meeting we learned from Dr. Welch the effective stages of Developmental Sequence by Bruce Tuchman. Schools are at the Interim stage of work in Indistar. As of now, indicators should be planned and task should be created in the platform. Schools should be at the “Performing Stage "of Indistar.
Bruce Tuchman's Developmental Sequence Model: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing.
“Performing” Stage of Indistar- The team reaches the performing stage when hard work and evidence is leading to the achievement goals, smart goals and/ or learning targets. As a coach/leader for the month of March, you can concentrate on effective, impactful and efficient practices to help the Leadership Team move closer to meeting their goals. Once you identify the school’s strategy development level, then you can properly identify the strategies that will help move your teams from “Good to Great."
from the Literature
Priority Standards: The Power of Focus
By Peter DeWitt on February 24, 2015
So many standards, so little time...
How can classroom teachers be expected to teach, assess, re-teach, and reassess student understanding of each and every standard in a grade level or course within a limited number of school days each year--especially when there can be as many as 70, 80, and even 90 or more standards in any given content area?
Realistically, they can't--unless they practice the "inch deep, mile wide" coverage approach to standards whereby they teach it, the students likely don't get it, but it's time to move on because they have to cover every standard before the annual state test. Anyone who has ever taught students for any length of time knows this doesn't work, and yet the practice continues.
Why?
Because the expectation persists that all standards are of equal importance and teachers must ensure their students learn all of them each year--regardless of the extraordinary range of students' language levels and learning needs that only add to the instructional challenge teachers face.
In response to the immense testing pressures educators are under today, this "spray and pray" method of instruction may seem the only viable solution. But it inevitably results in students leaving one grade or course unprepared for the next. Teachers at the next level must then re-teach what students "should have learned" in the prior grade or course before they are able to begin teaching their own standards. This situation repeats itself year after year, ultimately snowballing to produce older students who are often several years behind in their learning.
There's a better way...
Apply a proven process that prioritizes certain standards over others without eliminating any of them. Then provide in-depth instruction coupled with focused assessment of those Priority Standards. By emphasizing depth over breadth, teachers can do a much better job of helping all students retain what they've been taught and move forward to the next grade or course better prepared to take on the standards at that next level.
Priority or Supporting?
Standards should either play a starring role or a supporting role in each grade level or course. Here's how to distinguish the two:
- Priority Standards are "a carefully selected subset of the total list of the grade-specific and course-specific standards within each content area that students must know and be able to do by the end of each school year in order to be prepared for the standards at the next grade level or course. Priority standards represent the assured student competencies that each teacher needs to help every student learn, and demonstrate proficiency in, by the end of the current grade or course" (Ainsworth, 2013, p. xv).
- Supporting Standards are "those standards that support, connect to, or enhance the Priority Standards. They are taught within the context of the Priority Standards, but do not receive the same degree of instruction and assessment emphasis as do the Priority Standards. The supporting standards often become the instructional scaffolds to help students understand and attain the more rigorous and comprehensive Priority Standards" (Ainsworth, 2013, p. xv).
Prioritizing certain standards over others does not mean eliminating those standards that do not make it into the starring roles. All standards must be taught and assessed, and re-taught and reassessed, to gain evidence of student competency of those learning outcomes. Prioritizing the standards has nothing whatsoever to do with "lowering the bar," and everything to do with focus. It is about "less" being more. The difference is in the degree of focus given to certain standards over others.
Objective Selection Criteria: A Must!
Without a definite process to prioritize standards, teachers will often "pick and choose" those standards to emphasize based on what they like to teach, what they have curriculum materials for, what they think students need to know and be able to do the following year, and/or those standards most likely to appear on the state test. But without using specific criteria for prioritization, everyone will most likely select different standards from their colleagues and then wonder why students come to them each year with such an inconsistent understanding of prior-grade standards.
The prioritization process relies upon effective collaboration between and among teachers across the K-12 spectrum. Sitting together in grade-alike teams, teachers identify through in-depth discussion those standards that meet the following specific selection criteria:
- Endurance (lasting beyond one grade or course; concepts and skills needed in life). Will proficiency of this standard provide students with the knowledge and skills that will be of value beyond the present? For example, proficiency in reading informational texts and being able to write effectively for a variety of purposes will endure throughout a student's academic career and work life.
- Leverage (crossover application within the content area and to other content areas; i.e., interdisciplinary connections). For example, proficiency in creating and interpreting graphs, diagrams, and charts and then being able to make accurate inferences from them will help students in math, science, social studies, language arts, and other areas. The ability to write an analytical summary or a persuasive essay will similarly help students in any academic discipline.
- Readiness for the next level of learning (prerequisite concepts and skills students need to enter a new grade level or course of study). Will proficiency of this standard provide students with the essential knowledge and skills that are necessary for future success?
- External Exams--the concepts and skills that students are most likely to encounter on annual standardized tests, college entrance exams, and occupational competency exams students will need to prepare for. (Ainsworth, 2013, pp. 25-27)
When considering whether to select one particular standard over another, I always recommend that teachers discuss and decide which one is the more comprehensive or rigorous--not the more foundational. I then hear teachers saying to one another, "If students could do this more challenging one, then they would certainly be able to do this other one." One helpful way to identify the supporting standards is to decide which ones could fall under the more rigorous or comprehensive priorities.
How to Prioritize the Standards K-12
- After the members of each grade-level team identify their initial set of Priority Standards, they record their selections on a piece of large chart paper and post it in a K-12 sequence on the wall of the meeting room.
- All K-12 teachers then look across the charts beginning with kindergarten and ending with high school to determine the vertical pathway of those priorities from one grade to the next. Each team shares out its selections and the large group provides feedback.
- The teacher teams are continually looking at the charted selections of the grades below and the grades above the one in current focus, commenting, suggesting changes, or asking for further clarification whenever needed.
- Professional educators may not always agree with one another, but they "agree to disagree," resolving any differences of opinion to keep the process moving successfully forward.
- Reflecting on the process at the end of the day, teachers will often say aloud, "The power of this collaborative process has to be experienced to be believed!"
The voluminous numbers of standards do not need to remain a daunting challenge for today's busy educators. By "working smarter, not harder," teams can collaboratively select those Priority Standards to emphasize the most and then focus their curriculum, instruction, and assessments to help all students achieve them.
Upcoming Meetings & Events
Instructional Technology Webinar
Friday, Mar 6, 2015, 09:00 AM
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SDE Professional Learning
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2015, 08:00 AM
The Macon Centreplex Coliseum and Convention Center, Coliseum Drive, Macon, GA, United States
SDE Professional Learning
Wednesday, Mar 18, 2015, 08:00 AM
The Macon Centreplex Coliseum and Convention Center, Coliseum Drive, Macon, GA, United States
SILT (School Improvement Leadership Team)
Wednesday, Mar 25, 2015, 09:30 AM
205 Jesse Hill Junior Drive Southeast, Atlanta, GA, United States
Content Job-Alike Meetings
Thursday, Mar 26, 2015, 12:00 AM
TBD
Atlanta Team Meetings
Thursday, Mar 26, 2015, 09:00 AM
205 Jesse Hill Junior Drive Southeast, Atlanta, GA, United States
Your School & District Effectiveness Leadership Team
Leads:
Paula Cleckler
Melba Fugitt
Steve Olive (Interim)
Joel Standifer
Lyn Wenzel
Patty Rooks
RESA Director Representative:
Carolyn Williams/Rachel Spates/Peggy Stovall
Program Managers:
Joann Hooper
Paulette Richmond
Sam Taylor
Director:
Will Rumbaugh