How Do We Identify Standards and Write Objectives? Module 2 How Do We Identify Standards and Write Objectives?

Learning Standards No Child Left Behind (2002) The No Child Left Behind law—the update of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965)—effectively scaled up the federal role in holding schools accountable for student outcomes. Introduced High-stakes Testing Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Every Student Proficient by 2014

Learning Standards Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) “The law will go into effect August 2016, and allows for an 18-month transition period. States will be required to draft new plans consistent with commonsense provisions principals would agree with, such as new accountability systems based on multiple measures that include factors other than test scores; conducting needs assessments for struggling schools and learning communities facing the greatest challenges in order to tailor support and intervention when needed; developing clear and concise plans for targeting federal funding in ways that meet the needs of students in the school; and implementing programs and monitoring their progress in collaboration with educators.”  

Learning Standards Learning standards are concise, written descriptions of what students are expected to know and be able to do at a specific stage of their education. Learning standards describe educational objectives—i.e., what students should have learned by the end of a course, grade level, or grade span—but they do not describe any particular teaching practice, curriculum, or assessment method (although this is a source of ongoing confusion and debate).

Learning Standards Some characteristics of Learning Standards Subject Specific Learning Progression Educational Goals (Long-term Goals) Common Content across states and systems

Learning Standards What are they good for? Consistency Pacing Accountability Coherence

Learning Standards Some Big Questions Should states or the federal government determine what students learn in public school? Or should local communities, parents, and students make these decisions? Are learning standards forcing schools and educators to use a mandated curriculum? Do learning standards address the most important and appropriate knowledge and skills?

Creating Objectives The key ideas behind writing objectives: The standards have already been written Teachers should adjust these standards to suit their purposes Verb (cognitive process) + Object (knowledge to be acquired) Example: SL 2.4 “Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.”

Adjusting Objectives Sometimes we have to break standards down into bite-sized chunks Example: SL 4.1 “Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.” How could we break this standard up?

Where Can I find the Standards? The Mississippi College and Career Readiness Standards English Language Arts (ELA) Math Social Studies Science Visual Arts Desoto County Schools also has a HUGE repository of curriculum planning materials.