The New Colorado Academic Standards Important Design Features o Written with “the end in mind” by defining a prepared graduate (P-16 principles) o Articulated by grade levels, not grade bands (High school Science & Social Studies by standard) o Integrated 21st Century and Postsecondary Workforce Readiness Skills (PWR)

The New Colorado Academic Standards Important Design Features o Written to be fewer, clearer, and higher o Concepts, not facts, written for mastery (Districts must identify introduction and maintenance of concepts) o Common Core Standards for Math and Language Arts

21st Century Skills Defined Colorado 21st Century Skills o Critical Thinking and Reasoning o Information Literacy o Collaboration o Self-Direction o Invention These skills are defined within each content area

New Standards & Assessments New Colorado Academic Standards outline the new state assessment No subsequent Assessment Frameworks document No “dueling” documents that create confusion More clarity on what will be assessed – not as ambiguous (State & District) Framework for new state assessments Intentional integration of personal financial literacy (PFL) Grade Level Expectations clearly articulated PreK-8 and Grades 9-12

Benchmarking for Rigor Singapore National Curriculum Massachusetts Curriculum Framework Virginia Standards of Learning Finland – National Core Curriculum WestEd Colorado Model Content Standards Review Building Blocks to the Colorado K-12 Content Standards

What Did You Hear? With an elbow partner, o What stood out from the key design features of the new Colorado Academic Standards for your content area? o What excites new about these new standards and makes you want to learn more? o What is one question you have at this time?

Learning the New Language Template for new Colorado Academic Standards will be consistent through all 13 content areas Learn the New Structure o Prepared Graduate Competencies o Standards o PreK-8 & High School Grade Level Expectations o Evidence Outcomes geared toward mastery

Learning the New Language Prepared Graduate Competencies o This is “the end in mind” with respect to students entering the “13th grade” o What broad concepts should students understand after leaving our PreK-12 system? Standards o These are “buckets” organizing big ideas by content area o Consistent PreK-12 per content area

Learning the New Language Grade Level Expectations o PreK-8 & High School o These represent distinct concepts and skills a student should know, developmentally appropriate for each grade level

Learning the New Language Evidence Outcomes o for students to make meaning of the knowledge and prove how they know it o intended to engage the student and help them find relevance in the study (21st Century Skills) o framework for new state assessments

Learning the New Language Prepared Graduate Competencies Standards PreK – 8 Grade Level Expectations Evidence Outcomes High School Expectations Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills & Readiness Competencies 21st Century Skills & Readiness Competencies

The Standards Template Standard Prepared Graduate Competencies (that apply) Grade Level Expectation Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skills & Readiness Competencies

Dig into the Standards Take a look at the standards o What do you notice? o What is new to you? o What is different to you? o What questions do you have? Record answers to these questions on your 4-corner handout.

Top 5 Priorities Identified During the CADI Roll Out 1.Develop and Implement a systemic organization which clearly identifies the structures and processes for our work. Hold us accountable for RESULTS. 2.Synthesize a viable Standards-Based curriculum. Develop accountability procedures for every teacher, principal, administrator and instructional classified staff member, which are frequent, documented, and assessed by STUDENT RESULTS. 3.Provide Professional Development that brings clarity to staff; provides follow-up to monitor and support staff growth in skill implementation, and which is assessed for effectiveness by STUDENT RESULTS. 4.Assure that building administrators and instructional staff become highly skilled in use of data to adjust their practices. Evaluate success by STUDENT RESULTS. 5.Embed collaboration across the district as our critical tool for doing business, and renewing our cycles of forward motion.

Visionary Thinking #1 Way to Raise Student Achievement: Develop and implement with fidelity and accountability a guaranteed and viable curriculum that is standards-based. ~Robert Marzano A Vision for St. Vrain: “A place where your education does not depend on your zip code or the master schedule.” ~Don Haddad, Superintendent

Organizational Effectiveness “Move from being a district of schools to a school district. Analyze the impact of having multiple sites, each making decisions independent of each other versus the coordination of common goals and efforts.” This will support –Closing achievement gaps –Improving graduation rates –Readiness for the next level of schooling

Resources Unit Plans Year-At-A-Glance Curriculum Maps

Unit Plans A series of learning experiences based on Evidence Outcomes and related 21st Century Skills for a topical, skills-based, or thematic focus

Unit Plans Unit Plans are intentionally aligned to the new Colorado Academic Standards Elements –Appropriate standards/content –Ordering of units –Timing of units (estimated) –Vocabulary –Assessment resources –Instructional materials

Common Core endnotes will appear here at the end of the document

Year-At-A-Glance Vertically and Horizontally Aligned Evidence Outcomes by Trimester/Semester

Curriculum Maps Scope, sequence, and pacing of curricular units for each content area and grade level

CAS & CSAP Transition Spring 2011CSAP as usual (“old standards”) Spring 2012CSAP transition test begins using new Colorado Academic Standards (CAS) using current test items which align to the new standards Spring 2013CSAP transition test plus pilot of the new test Spring 2014New Colorado assessment (plus personal financial literacy and social studies)

Worst Fears, Best Hopes Scenario: Imagine a situation in which every teacher, administrator, student, and parent had access to a guaranteed curriculum that gives clear guidance regarding the content to be addressed in specific courses or at specific grade levels. How would this change your classroom environment? Please complete the following worksheet expressing both your best hopes and worst fears. Worst FearsBest Hopes

Round-Robin Reflection At your table share out in round-robin fashion your ideas and activities for the new standards/curriculum project

Questions for Staff What is a guaranteed and viable curriculum? How will it help your teaching and our student achievement? Where can you find copies of the new Colorado Academic Standards? How will this change your current practice?