A Closer Look at the Written, Taught, and Tested Curriculum Closing the Achievement Gap in Social Studies Austin ISD Secondary New Teacher Academy August 13, 2008

Closing the Achievement Gap How do we do this? – Benchmark testing, Six/Nine Weeks testing, TAKS data analysis – Differentiation – IPGs and Conceptual Overviews – Support Staff and Materials – Teacher-led problem solving through Professional Learning Communities

Benchmark Testing  Social Studies Benchmark Windows: – November 17 – November 21, 2008 Middle of the Year [MOY] for Grades 4 and 5 and 6 th grade at elementary campuses – January 12 – February 6, 2009 Middle of the Year Grades 6-11 – April 27 – May 22, 2009 End of Year [EOY] for Grades, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 9 (World Geography) Why? To use data to determine areas of intervention and support for students.

TAKS Objectives  Objective 1:The student will demonstrate an understanding of issues and events in United States history.  Objective 2:The student will demonstrate an understanding of geographical influences on historical issues and events.  Objective 3:The student will demonstrate an understanding of economic and social influences on historical issues and events.  Objective 4:The student will demonstrate an understanding of political influences on historical issues and events.  Objective 5:The student will use critical thinking skills to analyze social studies information.

TAKS Data Analysis  Social Studies TAKS – May 1, 2009  Use of AIMS to analyze data  District Wide Analysis  School Wide Analysis – ongoing throughout the year  Subject and Individual Teacher Analysis  Review of Results: item by item  District Curriculum Specialists assist with analysis  2006 TAKS released tests and 2007 item analysis available at TEA website:

TAKS 2008 Social Studies Data: Where are the Achievement Gaps? ( Data comparisons from ) Grade Level All Students African- Americans HispanicWhiteEcon. Disadv. LEP Special Education Grade 8 85% +4 76% +5 78% +5 97% 0 76% +6 55% % +4 Grade 10 85% +2 74% +1 79% +5 95% 0 75% +5 52% % -12 Grade 11 93% +2 89% +7 90% +4 99% 0 87% +3 66% % -9

New Social Studies TAKS Accountability  TAKS assesses the statewide curriculum that is composed of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS.  In 2007 and 2008, 65% of all students and all student groups had to meet the minimum standard on TAKS.  B eginning in 2009, 70% OF ALL STUDENTS AND ALL STUDENT GROUPS MUST MEET THE MINIMUM STANDARD! 70%

Differentiation  Special Education Students – The Power of Two Training – Co-Teaching – Inclusion Models  Bilingual/ESL – Sheltered Instruction Models (S.I.O.P.) – Incorporate English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS)  Gifted and Talented Training – Pre-AP and AP Institutes  Economically disadvantaged students  Ethnicity

The Curriculum  The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) are the State standards  The Austin ISD Matrix organizes the TEKS across grade levels: – Cluster Matrices: (PreK – 6, 5-9, 8-12) – Grade Level Matrices  The State Board of Education will begin refinements to the Social Studies TEKS in

Strands in the Matrices  Eight strands based on the TEKS strands: – 100s: History – 200s: Geography – 300s: Economics – 400s: Government – 500s: Citizenship – 600s: Culture – 700s: Science, Technology, & Society – 800s: Social Studies Skills The Curriculum

IPGs  IPGs (Instructional Planning Guides) Provide: – Pacing – Resources For example: Discovery Education Streaming Videos: History Alive! Curriculum Activities – Ideas for activities and assessment – Suggestions for Differentiation – IPGs for each content area are found on the Social Studies website: The Curriculum

Conceptual Overviews  Provide “The Big Ideas” for the subject matter  Pose questions for the students to consider while studying the unit  Provide a focus for the instruction  Challenge the students to make connections between what they are studying and the real world The Curriculum

Closing the Achievement Gap: Relevance, Rigor, Relationships, and Results  Provide Relevance in the classroom.  Make Relationships and connections between what is being studied and the real world.  Insist on Rigor in order to move the students’ thinking forward.  Achieve greater Results in student achievement.

Secondary Social Studies Support Materials and Training  IPGs, and Conceptual Overviews  MPGs (Magnet Planning Guides), and  APGs (Advanced Placement Guides)  Working in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)  “History Alive!, “Geography Alive!”, and “Government Alive!” [TCI]  Disciplinary Literacy [DL] Training (Akins, Anderson, Austin, Bowie, Crockett, I.H.S., McCallum) and, in , will be piloted at several middle school campuses  First Things First [FTF] (LBJ, Reagan, Travis)  AP and Pre-AP Training  Social Studies Curriculum Website at  Curriculum team can assist with customized campus professional development – Contact Us!

Calendar of Social Studies-related Events 2008 Presidential Election Resources Lesson Planning Resources IPGs & other District Curriculum materials Differentiation & Other Instructional Strategies Current State & National News in Education Content-specific Current Events New Items Department Chair Information Textbook Publishers Contact Info. Textbook Publishers Web Resources Grade-level Supplementary Curriculum resources Student Contests / Scholarship entry applications Teacher Awards applications Spotlight on Teachers Information regarding local Museums / Field Trips Events News & Contact Info. for Professional Organizations Austin ISD Social Studies Curriculum Staff Contact Info.

Instructional Technology Dave Sanders, Austin ISD Director of Instructional Technology Arturo Guajardo, Austin ISD Instructional Technology Facilitator

NTA Social Studies Presenters High School:  Andrea Ramirez, Bowie High School  Ian Grayson, International High School (ESL)  James Fulbright, Crockett High School (Special Education) Middle School:  Adam Miller, Covington Middle School  Clane Hayward, Burnet Middle School (ESL)  Megan Mabry, Dobie Middle School (Special Education)

Austin ISD Social Studies Curriculum Department Social Studies Curriculum Department – Joe Ramirez – Social Studies Supervisor – Terry Loessin – High School Specialist – Celeste Smith – High School Specialist – Janie Maldonado – Middle School Specialist – Jessica Jolliffe – Middle School Specialist – Susan Everett – Elementary School Specialist – Janie McClam – Elementary Specialist – Lisa Ellis – Secretary – Arika Ramirez-Cuevas – Secretary

Looking forward... How does the integration of best teaching practices promote active successful student participation and learner-centered instruction that are key components of the Professional Development and Appraisal System?  Tomorrow’s Agenda  Let’s complete the evaluation!