NC Ready for Success Leadership Forum Central Region McKimmon Center, NC State University February 6, 2015

Welcome & Overview Sr. Program Manager – Maggie Chotas

NC Ready for Success Activities Imagining Conversations Vertical Alignment Teams Common Core Engagement Group Mini-Grants Math and ELA Summits State-wide Summit Leadership Forums

-- Jack Welch “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”

Cross-sector Interfaces College & Career Readiness K-12 Education Student Learning Community Colleges Teacher/Educator Preparation Four-year Institutions

Common Core Engagement Group The CCEG is made up of decision makers at each educational level. The group considered reports from various stakeholders in curriculum, instruction, and assessment and discussed methods of improving communication in those issues, such as through the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement.

Career & College Readiness Definition

Statewide and Regional Summits Beginning with Imagining Conversations on campuses across the state, NC Ready for Success has brought together stake holders in many ways. Math and English/Language Arts Summits explored content & curriculum. The Inaugural Statewide K-12 & Higher Education Summit presented a panel of education leaders, a presentation by former Governor of Georgia, the Honorable Sonny Perdue, and a variety of breakout sessions. Panelists, Statewide K-12 & Higher Ed Summit

Vertical Alignment Teams Teams consisted of educators at all sector levels on Math or English/Language Arts teams. Alignment conversations were held in each DPI PD Region in VATs hosted two statewide content specific summits. Each VAT created a recommendations list for policies that would enhance and sustain vertical alignment initiatives.

Cross-Sector Collaborations – The NC EMPT Example High School placement information & practice (30,631 participating students) Community College & University/College information on course requirements and placement policies Connects professional organizations, P- 20 groups, New Schools Project & Early Colleges, SREB, Math Science Ed Center directors

Sector Discussions As you listen to the speakers from your sector perspective, make note of your responses to these questions: What do you notice? What do you wonder?

Current issues & opportunities in K-12 Michael Hickman, NC DPI

NC Ready for Success Leadership Forum February 6, 2015 Michael Hickman Director, Office of Regional Support Services

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Race to the Top – Year 5 No-Cost Extension Professional Development TALAS RttT Evaluation Support for HB Implementati on

Prepared Graduates Increased Rigor More online and blended learning opportunities Increased STEM opportunities

Statewide platform 450 teachers sharing their best work 2 pathways: PD and Instructional Resources Advance RttT funded educational remodeling efforts across NC

Questions? Michael Hickman Director, Office of Regional Support Services (919)

Current issues & opportunities – Community College Deborah Grimes, Lenoir Community College

NC Ready for Success North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) Deborah Grimes, Ed.D. Lenoir Community College Vice President of Academic and Student Services

 NC Ready for Success has been instrumental in facilitating various cross-sector conversations, has been an advocate for education in the state, and has focused on the question of College and Career Readiness in North Carolina. Workforce Readiness Transitions NC Ready for Success

Adult Basic Education (ABE)  Retaining ABE students long enough to make progress for transition to another program (completing HSE)  Transitioning to any curriculum or continuing education program  Sometimes these students are those missed due to lack of early identification (possible learning disabilities)  Many students are ‘at’ or ‘near’ the poverty level  Barriers  Transportation (LCC provides some transportation – if students attend class 5 hours daily, we will give them a transit ticket to get home and one to return to class the next day)  Students come to school hungry  Students have difficulty with prioritizing wants and needs  Students often suffer from emotional instability  Students don’t always understand the importance of attendance in their success (Managed Enrollment with an attendance policy)  Students don’t always understand the need for an education Current Issues Community Colleges

Adult Secondary Education (ASE)  Usually not an issue with academics – coming into the program at a high school level  Recent high school drop-outs  Usually have a bad taste in their mouths for public schools/academics  Usually students want to get in and out as soon as possible  Students don’t realize the importance of continuing their education past the AHS/HSE diploma Current Issues Community Colleges

English as a Second Language (ESL)  Obvious: Language Barrier  English deficits many times cause issues with progress  Retention  Transient  Immigration issues  Sometimes here illegally  Often deported  Often leave to find work/paying jobs to support their families *(Effects performance measures) Current Issues Community Colleges

Intellectual Disabilities  Depending on intellectual functioning level, progression may be difficult  Lack of funding students in former Compensatory Education programs  Difficult measuring progress of students  Students who have difficulty taking the assessment  Lack of foundational academic skills  Unable to establish a baseline for measuring future progress *(Effects performance measures) Current Issues Community Colleges

Basic Skills Speakers Forum – meets monthly to establish “community” with our students  Dean of Student Services spoke to students about transitioning to curriculum programs  Counselor spoke to students about diversity (race, gender, cultural, values)  Assisting students to “connect”  Future leaders are scheduled to speak about curriculum and continuing education transitional programs in which they might be interested Opportunities Lenoir Community College

 Expanded Basic Skills Plus Pathways  NA I  Welding  HVAC  Horticulture This allows students to prepare and motivate them for future transition to programs. Also, beginning to coordinate and assign an advisor for support. Opportunities Lenoir Community College

Welding Technology

 Parallel programs for students with intellectual disabilities via self-supporting funds  Horticulture (Landscape Management I)  Goal is to provide transitional career and technical training opportunities for students  Working beside and with curriculum students  Live project opportunities  Real employment opportunities Opportunities Lenoir Community College

Horticulture Technology

Current issues & opportunities in four-year institutions Roger Sims, UNC GA

Shannon Gilkey, Senior Consultant, Higher Ed for Higher Standards To support the work of Higher Ed for Higher Standards, visit the webpage at Or send an to

Cross-Sector Discussions In your small groups, reflect on the challenges and opportunities raised by the speakers. Together, consider the following:  In what ways are successful cross-sector collaborations occurring?  What are the most significant opportunities for developing cross-sector collaborations?  What existing infrastructures exist for cross-sector collaboration? What new means for communication and collaboration should be on our horizon?  What challenge should be the first tackled by future cross-sector discussions?

Collecting our Thoughts …Further Issues & Actions

Lunch & Common Core Engagement Group Discussion

Common Core Engagement Group

NC Ready for Success Leadership Forum & Common Core Engagement Group February 6, 2015

Standards Review Process An ongoing responsibility to ensure that our standards are preparing our students to be College and Career Ready

Policy ID Number: GCS-F-012  The NC Standard Course of Study must consist of up-to-date, relevant standards and objectives, by grade level and course. These standards must be developed in consultation with teachers, administrators, parents, students, IHEs, and business/industry.  At least once every five years, each curriculum area in the Division of Instructional Services shall convene a review committee to determine if revisions are needed in a Standard Course of Study area.  By using data, research, and surveys, the committee recommends whether revision should take place. If the committee recommends substantive revision, the State Board of Education shall review the recommendations and implications for textbook selection and adoption and any necessary revisions on end-of-grade or end-of course testing.

North Carolina Standard Course of Study Math and English/Language Arts (Common Core ) + All other content areas (NC Essential Standards) = North Carolina Standard Course of Study 41

North Carolina Standard Course of Study Our SBE adopts standards. Standards: What we want students to know and be able to do at the end of a grade level or course and lead students to be College and Career Ready upon graduation. Individual local boards of education and classroom teachers determine the curriculum and instruction. Curriculum and Instruction: What and how we teach in order to accomplish the standards. 42

ELA Math CTE (specified courses) – Social Studies CTE (specified courses) – Science World Languages Health/PE Guidance CTE (specified courses) – Arts Education Dance Music Theatre Arts Visual Arts CTE (specified courses) – English Language Development Extended Content Standards CTE (specified courses) – Standards Review Schedule

SRC studies standards and the feedback and recommends any revisions If minor revisions SRC completes standards documents and presents revisions to SBE State Board of Education reviews recommendations and approves revisions or returns to committee for further work NCDPI conducts professional development for teachers and administrators as needed Standards implemented NCDPI convenes a Standards Review Committee (SRC) to study standards/analyze feedback to determine if revisions are needed (teachers/content specialists)

If the SRC review of the standards and their analysis of stakeholder feedback yields substantive revisions to the standards SRC develops drafts of proposed standards documents Drafts of revised standards are submitted for public review and feedback (Drafts are revised as many times as necessary) Test specifications created; test items developed/field test items; assessments created Standards and assessments implemented Final draft submitted to State Board of Education for discussion and SBE approves standards or returns to SRC for further work Instructional materials/supports identified/created; professional development conducted for teachers and administrators; parent/community communication

Survey feedback from non- educators Focus Groups Academic Standards Review Commission Survey feedback from educators So how does that look for ELA and Math Standards Review this year? NCDPI Standards Review Committee

Standards review of K-12 Math and ELA standards – Test specifications created; test items developed/field test items; assessments created Instructional materials/supports identified/created Professional development conducted – Implementation of standards and assessments Sample Standards Review Timeline The process timeline is adjusted depending on the degree of revision necessary.

NC Early Mathematics Placement Exam - Ellen Hilgoe, Associate Director

Smarter Balanced Update Jacqueline King, Ph.D. February 6, 2015

Key Elements of Smarter Balanced State Governed Quality & Alignment Educator Built & Tested Accessibility Information for Instruction College & Career Readiness

Smarter Balanced Membership, governing members 3 affiliate members Based at UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies 52

Roll-out of Assessment System in

Common Core Engagement Group Panel Discussion on Curriculum & Assessment

Final Thoughts & Looking Ahead Maintaining the Charge of the Common Core Engagement Group