Arizona Department of Education School Improvement and Intervention

Curriculum is:Curriculum is not:

The written plan for what teachers will teach and what students will learn based on clearly defined standards. Specifically the curriculum:  makes the explicit instructional objectives for each subject area in each grade level and course.  can be effectively taught in the instructional time available. Marzano, R. (2003). What Works in Schools.

 Highest leverage factor for improving student achievement yet one of the most significant challenges facing schools  Guaranteed - Opportunity to Learn ◦ What are students expected to know? ◦ Is what students are expected to know taught? ◦ Is the curriculum accessible to all learners? ◦ To what extent?  Viable – Time ◦ How much instructional time is available? ◦ Is time allocated to ensure “big ideas” are well addressed? ◦ To what extent is time protected and utilized? Marzano, R. (2003). What Works in Schools.

 The degree to which the components of an education system, such as standards, curriculum, assessments and instruction, work together to achieve desired goals.  Guiding Question: ◦ Do standards and assessments address the same content taught in the classroom? Curriculum Instruction Assessment STANDARDS

 Ensuring that curricular objectives, instruction, and assessment (whether local or high-stakes) are matched across each grade level, throughout your system.

Develop common expectations for third grade reading or an Algebra 1 Course. What we teach? When we teach it? How we know if students are learning it?

Ensuring that curriculum objectives are specific and build one upon another, that prerequisites are mastered, gaps are eliminated, and there is an increasing sophistication and rigor in concepts, processes, and skills across the grades. Vertical alignment culminates in a common goal met for all students after successful completion of a program.

Align student expectations across grades Align assessments across grades Find and fill gaps Clarify and minimize overlaps Increase expectations with regard to rigor and sophistication year to year Build upon prerequisite skills Build common vocabulary

 Updated standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts adopted by Arizona State Board of Education Summer 2010  Full Implementation in (Kinder implementation in )  AIMS assessment in spring 2011 on the current standards (Reading 2003 and Mathematics 2008)  Common assessments  ELA Grades 6-12 includes Reading and Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects

AIMS will continue to assess the current Arizona Academic Standards through 2014  Blueprint will remain the same  Multiple choice (MC) questions will continue  Writing extended response will continue using holistic rubric  Field testing of new MC items will continue in 2011 and 2012 The Common Core Crosswalk with Arizona Academic Standards will assist in determining where classroom instruction will need to address both standards. Field testing for PARCC will be in and

 Length of the school day  Number of school days  School day schedule - amount of time allocated for instruction, intervention and non-academic activities  Increasing student engagement  Afterschool and summer programs  Protecting instructional time from interruption

 AZ Standards & Rubric

 2.1 Have we developed an explicit, written curriculum that is aligned with Arizona Academic Standards? ◦ Are the content areas of the scope and sequence aligned and coded using the Arizona Academic Standards at the concept and performance objective levels? (level 3) ◦ Are performance objectives in the scope and sequence broken down to include one clearly defined and measurable cognitive task each and a reporting system is in place? (level 3) ◦ Does your curriculum provide a written plan for what teachers will teach and what students will learn based on clearly defined standards?

◦ Does the scope and sequence demonstrate purposeful spiraling of content and skills throughout grade levels for content areas? (2.1 E. level 3) o Does your curriculum provide a horizontally & vertically aligned written plan for what teachers will teach and what students will learn based on clearly defined standards?  What evidence do you have? Curriculum Maps & Pacing Guides

Two sided document

 Complete individually then share with school group: 1. What is our level for 2.1 A – E ? ◦ Page 31 & page What evidence do we have for each rating? ◦ Data sources & evidence page 4 3. What are our action steps to improve?

 2.6 To support teachers’ instructional planning, does our curriculum align Arizona Academic Standards, instruction, practice, formative assessment, summative assessment, review/reteaching and appropriate interventions to promote student achievement?

◦ Does the curriculum provide explicit instructional activities that are aligned to instructional objectives and the Arizona Academic Standards? (2.6 A: level 3) ◦ Does the curriculum provide teachers with formative assessment to determine correct level of difficulty for individual or group instruction? (2.6 C: level 3)  What evidence do you have?

 Definition for Common Formative Assessment (CFA) – “An assessment typically created collaboratively by a team of teachers responsible for the same grade level or course. Common formative assessments are frequently administered throughout the year to identify (1) individual students who need additional time and support for learning, (2) the teaching strategies most effective in helping students acquire the intended knowledge and skills, (3) program concerns – areas in which students generally are having difficulty achieving the intended standard – and (4) improvement goals for individual teachers and the team.” – Learning by Doing, p 214  Evidence Example: ◦ CFA for R08-S3C2-03 Functional Text

 Use the data to inform instruction “I don’t know why my headache isn’t going away. I bought some pain reliever.” - Did you use it ?  Curriculum needs to support intervention ◦ materials / resources for each tier in the RTI system ◦ skills sequencing / pacing of re-teaching  Evidence Example ◦ Data Meeting minutes outline

 Pacing for PO’s  Common Formative Assessments (CFA)  Data Meetings (PLC)  Intervention  Benchmarks  Evidence Example: ◦ Instruction & Assessment Calendar

 Complete individually then share with school group: 1. Does our curriculum support a level 3 rating for A – D ? ◦ Page What are we missing? 3. What are our action steps to improve?

 Place a + next to the indicators you have evidence that your curriculum fully provides or supports  Place a - next to those indicators that need to be more fully addressed in your curriculum

 Section B Currently on page 5 “Use of guaranteed and viable curriculum that is aligned to the current Arizona Academic Standards.” “Policy and/or procedures to review and evaluate standards-based core/supplemental programs are in place.”

 Section B, 2.a, 2.b, 2.c, 2.f  “LEA has a written curriculum with essential standards that is aligned to Arizona Academic Standards for each grade level. LEA has a process for monitoring implementation at the school level. LEA provides teachers with a complete set of pacing guides.”  “Policies and procedures are in place to review and evaluate most or all curricular areas addressing alignment to standards and both core and supplemental and ensure instructional resources are current/up-to-date, and sufficient in quantity.”  “The LEA has a documented, clearly defined and communicated framework for a comprehensive and balanced assessment system including classroom (daily, weekly/monthly, unit), interim/benchmark (screening and quarterly), and statewide (annual) assessments being used and how the results help to make programmatic and instructional decisions.”  “A framework defining effective instruction (based on current and best practice), aligned with curriculum and assessment, is developed and communicated to all stakeholders.”

 Strategy 6: Use data to identify and implement an instructional program that is research- based and vertically aligned from one grade to the next as well as aligned with Arizona’s academic standards.  Strategy 7: Promote the continuous use of student data (such as formative, interim, and summative assessments) in order to inform and differentiate instruction to meet the academic needs of individual students.  Strategy 12: Implement a school wide “Response to Intervention” model.

 B Look at this indicator as part of comprehensive curriculum: “A comprehensive/balanced assessment system is in place including screening, formative, progress monitoring, and summative assessments”  C.2 Based on the conclusions and root causes in C1, identify the student, school and system strengths and needs.  C.4 Align the needs and barriers (C.2) and action steps (C.3) with the required strategies of the chosen intervention model.  E.3 Describe the LEA/ charter holder’s plan for monitoring progress of student achievement and the implementation of the chosen intervention model.  K Pre-implementation- Instructional Programs and Curriculum Alignment

 How can we assist?