1. Student Growth Developing Quality Growth Goals STEPS 3-4-5
This is the 3rd in a series of sessions on Student Growth.
You should have the handouts available: Student growth process handout; Think and Plan Tool with Guiding questions;; target-method match chart; LDC argumentation rubric
During this session the guiding questions resource for reflection. This resource will be one you should continue to revisit throughout the process for reflection. This document is also designed to guide discussion between teachers and their principal about goal-setting for student growth.
Teacher Professional Growth & Effectiveness System (TPGES) 4

2. The Kentucky Framework for Teaching, adapted from Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching (FfT) provides the context for a close look at the student growth process because evidence from the process applies in all 4 domains.
The performance levels in the FfT provide common language for teacher effectiveness that supervisors and teachers can use for discussion, evaluation and reflection.
Domain 1: Planning & Preparation
Domain 2: Classroom Environment
Domain 3: Instruction
Domain4: Professional Responsibilities

3. PGES Sources of Evidence
Teacher Professional Growth and Effectiveness System
Observation
Peer Observation
formative
Professional
Growth
Self-Reflection
Student Voice
Student Growth
These provide multiple sources of evidence to inform professional practice
The Teacher Professional Growth and Effectiveness System is designed to provide multiple sources of evidence to inform professional practice. The focus of this segment is student growth – specifically, student growth goals for the local contribution.
State Contribution:
Student Growth %
Local Contribution:
Student Growth Goals

4. I can determine goal attainment.
Targets
I can apply guiding questions to implement student growth goal-setting.
I can determine effective teaching & learning strategies to support students’ goal attainment.
I can implement strategies and monitor student progress toward goal attainment as a recursive process.
I can determine goal attainment.
The targets for this session are focused to help teachers apply guiding questions that will lead to implementation of goal setting for student growth. The questions will guide reflection on what is needed throughout the goal-setting process and cause teachers to think deeply about the choices and their impact on students.
This session, in particular, focuses on how teachers will implement strategies and monitor student progress toward goal attainment as a recursive process throughout the school year or course. 8

5. Student Growth Process
While this session will focus primarily on steps 3, 4, and 5 of the student growth process, let’s begin with a very brief review of what was covered in Student Growth I and II in this series.
It is important to note that teachers need to participate in all 3 segments in this series to get the full picture needed to implement this student growth effectively.
The Student Growth Step 1 session focuses on all the decisions involved in determining the needs of students BEFORE creating a specific learning goal. 9

6. Determine needs.
Review from SG 1
Identify the essential /enduring skills, concepts & processes for your content area for your content/grade-level standards.
Determine what mastery of those skills/learning, concepts & processes looks like.
Pinpoint critical areas of need.
1. Before beginning the process of gathering baseline data on students, it’s important to identify the essential, or enduring, skills, concepts, and processes for the specific content area.
For example as a 6th grade science teacher, one of the scientific and engineering practices in the Next Generation Science Standards is analyzing and interpreting data. This practice represents essential learning that will endure beyond a single test date, be of value in other disciplines, and is a necessary skill as students move not only throughout the course, but to the next grade.
2. In addition, teachers need to determine what mastery looks like. Knowing the standards well is critical (this includes how to find the standards and pull out the essential/enduring skills, concepts, and processes). Teachers can support each other by collaborating with peers/specialists (including networks, KDE consultants who are here to support and connect educators to resources.)
3. Pinpointing the area of need is the objective. Teachers will think about how to collect and analyze evidence/data to determine patterns, trends, and weaknesses. This might be formative processes, analysis of student work, anecdotal notes, discussion rubrics and the like. Part of gathering that evidence may include conversations with students’ previous year teachers, as well as conversations with teachers in the next grade level to determine what skill gaps the see for students the receive. Typically this might take the first 4-6 weeks of school.
This process will help teachers begin to identify the most critical areas of need. Next, ask – are these areas of need represent any of the those essential/enduring skills, concepts or processes?
NOTE: (Support for deciding on the most effective assessment methods that match standards-based targets can be found on p. 100 of the CASL book. Additionally, on p of the CASL book there is guidance and examples to support teachers and districts in the process of developing quality rubrics.)
BELOW are ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS – or if needed for additional clarification.
Another example: One aspect of the inquiry arc in the upcoming social studies standards is Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence. That is an enduring skill that can be a part of instruction across the year, will be valuable in other disciplines and is a necessary life skill.
A world language example: in a world language class students needs to acquire interpersonal communication competency. Throughout the year, students will have many opportunities to develop their interpersonal communication competency – as skill they will need to move to French III.
An ELA example: One strand of the ELA standards is focused on speaking and listening skills – skill instruction that can be spiraled throughout the year.

7. Decide on sources of evidence.
Do the sources of evidence provide the data needed to accurately measure where students are in mastering the identified skills, concepts, and/or process for the identified area(s) of need?
Next, decide on sources of evidence. This is a critical consideration. After identifying an area (or areas) of need, choose the evidence sources for collecting baseline data for the student growth goal. Think about whether they evidence clearly demonstrates that students have learned the content and met the goal.
Teachers should ask themselves: Do the sources of evidence provide the data needed to accurately measure where students are in mastering grade-level skills, concepts and/or processes needed to master standards for the identified area(s) of need?
Think beyond one paper and pencil test when collecting evidence of students’ abilities.
Multiple sources of evidence provide a more accurate and inclusive picture of student needs.
Additionally, having multiple data sources will provide more reliable evidence of growth across the year or course.
Therefore, it is recommended that a teacher use at least three sources of evidence for contributing to baseline data. 11

8. Decide on sources of evidence.
Review from SG 1
Do the sources of evidence provide the data needed to accurately measure where students are in mastering the identified skills, concepts, and/or process for the identified area(s) of need?
Next, you will decide on sources of evidence. This is critical. After identifying a critical area (or areas) of need, choose the evidence sources for collecting baseline data for the student growth goal.
Teachers should ask themselves: Do the sources of evidence provide the data needed to accurately measure where students are in mastering grade-level skills,concepts and/or processes needed to master standards for the identified area(s) of need?
Think beyond one paper and pencil test as you collect evidence of students’ abilities. You will likely find that multiple sources provide a more accurate and inclusive picture of student needs. Additionally, having multiple data sources will provide more reliable evidence of growth across the year or course. Therefore, it is recommended that you have at least three sources of evidence for contributing to baseline data.
Think beyond paper and pencil tests.

9. Sources of evidence for student growth goal setting must be. . .
Rigorous and
Comparable across classrooms
Choosing the right data to establish the baseline is essential in the goal setting process, since it is these choices that provide the basis of the measure of student growth.
Sources of evidence must also be rigorous and comparable across classrooms.

10. It is the alignment to standards that make our measures both rigorous and comparable.
Note that it is the alignment to standards that make our measures both rigorous and comparable.
Evaluating students at the level of rigor expected of the standards in all our classrooms provides the comparability not only across our districts but across our state.
Districts will need to set in place guidance for schools on determining whether data collection meets this expectation for rigor and for comparability.

11. Step 2: Create goal
In step 2, teachers create specific learning goals based on pre-assessment. Let’s discuss this step very briefly just to provide the context for the next steps. 14

12. Components of a Quality Student Growth Goal
Meets SMART criteria
Includes growth statement/target
Includes proficiency statement/target
There are 3 important components to include in a quality student growth goal.
The goal meets the SMART criteria. (We’ll review these criteria on the next slide.)
The goal includes a growth statement/target that articulates the enduring skill, concept or process, as well as the expected growth for all students.
The goal includes a proficiency statement/target that indicates the percentage of student who will reach proficiency. 15

13. SMART Goal Process for Student Growth
Take a moment and read through each of the SMART criteria.
Specific -The goal addresses student needs within the content.
Measurable -An appropriate instrument or measure is selected to assess the goal.
Appropriate - The goal is clearly related to the role and responsibilities of the teacher.
Realistic - The goal is attainable.
Time-bound - The goal is contained to a single school year/course. 16

14. Goal Sample
For the school year, 100% of my students will make measurable progress in argumentative writing. Each student will improve by at least one performance level in three or more areas of the LDC argumentation rubric. Furthermore 80% of students will score a 3 or better overall.
First, let’s see how this goal meets the SMART criteria (the first component for a quality goal).
S – Is the goal specific? This goal is focused on argumentative writing – a specific area of need within in the content area. This could be a goal for an ELA teacher, a social studies teacher, a science teacher or a technical area teacher because it is based on specific literacy standards.
M – Is the goal measurable? The goal is measurable and the teacher is using an appropriate measure – in this case, the argumentative writing rubric - which is shared by teachers across state who are implementing Literacy Design Collaborative modules in their classrooms.
A – Is the goal appropriate? This goal is appropriate because it is based on specific literacy standards that are a part of the standards in several content areas. Principals can expect that an ELA teacher, a social studies teacher, a science teacher or a technical area teacher may have a literacy-based goal, if this is an area of need that becomes apparent during pre-assessments. It is appropriate in all cases.
R – Is the goal realistic? The goal is doable, but rigorous and stretches the outer bounds of what is attainable. It is realistic to expect that ALL students will improve by at least one performance level, as measured by the argumentative rubric. The rigor comes from alignment to the standards and the stretch aspect is in the expectation that 80% of the students will score a 3 or better overall.
T – Is the goal time-bound? This goal is bound by a defined timeline (the school year) that allows sufficient time for determining goal attainment
Second, let’s look at the other two goal components to see what they look like in this goal:
Includes growth statement/target – The growth statement that includes all students is in purple.
Includes proficiency statement/target – The proficiency statement is in green. 23

15. Step 3: Create & Implement Teaching & Learning Strategies
Now, let’s focus on the last three steps. After the goal is set, teachers decide how they will support students in attaining the goal.
Step 3, creating and implementing the teaching and learning strategies, requires careful planning and implementation of the learning strategies that will be used to help students attain the goal.
This critical planning step is at the heart of the growth process. 17

16. WHY?
Strategies are…
the how to link between goal context and goal attainment.
how learning and school improvement happen.
Dr. James Stronge
First, let’s think about WHY this strategy step is so important. Dr. James Stronge, who provided the guidance for KY’s work on student growth measure, indicates there are two important purposes accomplished by identifying and implementing carefully chosen instructional strategies:
Strategies are the critical HOW TO link between the goal context (when setting the goal) and goal attainment. This is why this step in the process is so vital.
Strategies are also HOW (the way) learning and school improvement happens. It is NOT enough to set a quality goal. It is the implementation of that instruction that leads to learning. 18

17. STEP 3:
Start by deciding on Instructional Strategies for Goal Attainment.
There are many instructional decisions that will impact goal attainment.
Deciding on the best instructional strategies for goal attainment requires thoughtful planning and adjustments based on daily evidence of student learning throughout the year. 19

18. Carefully chosen strategies are…
supported by research
developmentally appropriate
appropriate for the
subject matter
Dr. James Stronge
Dr. Stronge provides 3 fundamental criteria to apply when choosing instructional strategies:
Carefully chosen strategies are supported by research.
While education journals are not the only source of research-based strategies, they do provide on-going insights and evidence to inform teacher decisions about instructional strategies fundamental to all learning and specific to your content area.
2. Carefully chosen strategies are developmentally appropriate for the target students.
As teachers get to know their students and pre-assess in Step 1 of the goal-setting process, they will have evidence to determine where their students are developmentally as learners. It's important to use those insights when choosing instructional strategies for THOSE students. As the pictures under the second bullet on the screen illustrate, in art, for example, the strategies used to develop the fundamental skills of early learners, will be more refined when targeting the growth of a high school student whose skill are already developed well past the fundamentals.
3. Finally, carefully chosen strategies are appropriate for the subject matter.
There are some research-based instructional strategies that are foundational for all learners.
For example:
- engineering effective classroom discussion, questions and learning tasks
- providing feedback that moves learners forward
- activating students as owners of their own learning
- activating students as instructional resources of one another
It’s important to note here that these strategies align with Domain 3 – Instruction. Within that Domain, they align with 3B –Questioning and Discussion Techniques, 3C – Engaging Students in Learning, and 3D – Using Assessment in Instruction.
These apply to all content and all grade level, however, the instructional strategies that will be used by a history teacher to help his students delineate argument when students are listening to a speech or reading an article, will be different from the strategies used in the chemistry class when students are combining chemicals and drawing conclusions about the implications, because they will be selected to support students in the process of content-specific learning. 20

19. With your table partners –
Let’s pause here so you can talk to each other. Think about the content you teach. Can you share some examples of some strategies you routinely use to support students as they learn your content?
With your table partners –
Share examples of some strategies you routinely use to support students as they learn your content? 35

20. ASK YOURSELF…
How do I identify the instructional strategies that will most effectively support students in attaining the student growth goal?
This next guiding question is about how to identify the instructional strategies that will most effectively support students in attaining the growth goal.
Let’s start our discussion by thinking about a sample goal. 21

21. Student Growth Unpacking a
First, we need to unpack the goal sample together and think about the instructional strategies that will most effectively support students in attaining the student growth goal.

22. Goal Sample
For the school year, 100% of my students will make measurable progress in argumentative writing. Each student will improve by at least one performance level in three or more areas of the LDC argumentation rubric. Furthermore 80% of
students will score a 3 or better overall.
Let’s think about the instructional strategies that might support the goal in this sample which applies in several content areas. It definitely applies to the literacy standards for which ELA, History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects share responsibility. This goal is an example from a teacher who also implements Literacy Design Collaborative or LDC. Even though the goal addresses argumentative writing, keep in mind that the argumentation topic will be relevant to the content area. There is no need for teachers to leave their content to teach reading or writing skills; instead, they should be imbedded in the content – helping students connect to, better understand and remember that content better.
As I unpack this goal, I am looking for the language that identifies the target skills. In this case, I want to think about what instructional strategies I will need to use to help my students grow using the skills associated with argumentative writing. The goal identifies the Argumentation Scoring Rubric as the tool that will measure and provide evidence of growth, so I will use that tool as a starting place. 23

23. That LDC Argumentation Rubric is divided into categories so, based on my pre-assessments, I will focus my instruction on those categories where my students demonstrated the greatest needs. Those include - Focus, Controlling Idea, Development and Organization. I also know from those pre-assessments that my students struggle with the concept of counter-argument, so I also want to include that skill in my instruction.
By identifying my topic targets, I have pinpointed WHAT instruction I want to deliver, but this still does not answer the question about HOW I will teach those skills.
That takes us to the next guiding question for Step 3. 24

24. Selecting Strategies for our Sample Goal
Engaging students in discussions, debates, and collaborative conversations
Teaching students how to use graphic organizers to delineate arguments, plan their own arguments and give peer feedback
Research shows that students make stronger communications connections when they talk about what they read BEFORE they begin writing. So, it is important to give students opportunities to talk in small groups, participate in debates, participates in Socratic seminars and in whole group discussions about the content they are reading. This approach that connects talking to thinking and writing allows students to organize the details they’ve learned in reading, and helps them articulate those ideas when they write. This is particularly important when students are learning how to develop counter-arguments.
Another tool that reinforces several skills is the use of a graphic organizer to help make the ideas and the organization of a piece they read visible. In this case, they need to see the arguments and the supporting evidence when they are delineating the arguments of the author.
Later, when they are planning their own writing, have them use that same organizer to help them organize their own arguments and the supporting evidence.
Again, after they draft their piece, engage them in providing descriptive feedback to their peers by, again, using that same organizer. By teaching them how to use that organizer to capture the arguments and the evidence the writer used, this practice will deepen their own understanding of the skills, develop critical thinking skills, and involve them in providing and using descriptive feedback. 25

25. NEXT, ASK YOURSELF…
What resources and supports do I need to implement these strategies with my students?
Still thinking about the target skills pinpointed for that argumentation goal, the next question a teacher needs to ask is, What resources and supports do I need to implement these strategies with my students? 26

26. Multiple Resources & Supports
Research–based Strategies:
Professional Publications & Webinars
Collaboration with Others
The resources I access will help me choose the most effective instructional strategies.
Based on Dr. Stronge’s criteria for effective strategies, I want to look for research-based instructional strategies to use. Professional journals, articles and other research-based publications are one source I can turn to in my search.
There are on-line collaboration sites associated with many content areas – facilitated by professional organizations like the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, etc. Social studies, math, science, art, music and other content-focused professional organizations provide similar professional learning, as well as opportunities to collaborate with peers. Those resources and support networks provide ways for teachers to have access to proven, research-based strategies.
Don’t neglect those resources in your building and district. Take advantage of the opportunity to collaborate with content area peers, the media center specialist or content specialists in your school and/or district.
Dr. Stronge also emphasized choosing and using strategies that are developmentally appropriate and relevant to the content being taught. In KY teachers have access to support resources through CIITS to help teachers identify the strategies needed. Let’s take a look at how to access and select those strategies for some of the target skills for argumentation that identified during students were pre-assessed.
>Online Resources &
Communications
>CIITS Resources 27

27. Within CIITS educators have access to some valuable resources to help with strategy-selection. When you login to CIITS, you will see the PD 360 icon in the lower left of the screen. Click on that icon to access the resources there.
The next screen you will see is the one pictured on the screen here. 28

28. To navigate the resources here and get to instructional strategies/models connected to the Danielson Framework for Teaching, first click on the FOCUS button, then look below that button and select the STATE option. You will note that KENTUCKY is listed when you select the STATE button. 29

29. 1 2 3
The first item in the list – designated by number 1 is Danielson Framework Alignment. When you click there, it will open the Domains – designated by # 2. When you select the Domain you are interested in, it will open the components in that domain – designated by # 3. You can go further by looking at the examples that are relevant to the level you teach (elementary/secondary) – designated by # 4. What you will find are videos of teachers that demonstrate the component you selected – and as a result a strategy associated with that component for the selected grade level. 4 30

30. If you move back to the icons, you can make selections tied to the common cores strategies that match your content by first clicking on the Common Core icon. 31

31. APPLIES IN MULTIPLE CONTENT AREAS
REFLECTION
Notice at the top of the screen that you can select your content area and grade level. Clicking on the small box to the left of the standard will start a video clip that models a lesson strategy associate with argumentative writing.
The purple arrow shows the specific standard and target skill. Because of the literacy standards for social studies, science and technical subjects, you will note that sample can provide help to more than just ELA teachers.
While we are looking at this screen, you will notice the icons to the right of the standard. Clicking on the light bulb option (indicated by the yellow arrow) will provide you some guiding questions and an opportunity to reflect on the lesson sample associated with this Argumentative Writing standard. Clicking on the icon (indicated by the green arrow) will provide you a transcript of the lesson you see in the video clip.
TRANSCRIPT 32

32. Application in multiple areas
This screen indicates another standard – and a video model of the strategy the teacher is using to help students learn the target skill. 33

33. Collaborative Conversations
with other teachers
 with your principal
Selecting effective instructional strategies is a key part of the student growth goal process. Collaborative conversations with peers, with instructional coaches, and ultimately, with your principal, build understanding and support as you make sound instructional strategy choices. In addition, those conversations can inform the decisions teachers make about the professional learning that will support their individual professional learning growth and development, as well as team and school improvement, and program implementation, which all link to increasing student achievement.
For more details about professional learning, you can access the Lync session title, “Understanding the Framework.”

34. Step 4: Monitor student progress
As we move to step 4 in the student growth process, I want to point out that steps 3 and 4 are recursive processes.
As you monitor student progress through ongoing formative assessment, you will also continue to revisit and reflect upon your strategy choices and revise as needed based on what you learn as you formatively assess. 36

35. Plan for Progress Monitoring
How and when will I monitor progress towards the SGG throughout the year/course?
What formative assessment processes will I use for progress monitoring?
Progress monitoring is an on-going process. By using formative processes to monitor students’ progress throughout the year, teachers can readily and almost daily see where students are in meeting the goal. Teachers need to think, not only about how and when they will monitor student growth, but also what formative processes they will use to determine where students still need to grow. 37

36. Assess How? Formatively!
Products
Observation
Multiple Choice items
Performances
Short answer prompts
There are many possibilities for assessing students. Teachers may use a variety of forms as formative assessment. This may be a few multiple choice items, short answer questions, or even a quick performance. But it also important to think beyond paper and pencil assessments. For example, teachers can also assess students through observation as they carry out classroom tasks or during a discussion. Teachers can assess the products students are asked to create during instruction, looking for evidence based on your pre-established criteria, that students are meeting learning targets leading to mastery of the enduring skill or concept reflected in the goal.
The teacher will need to decide the best way to determine student progress in meeting the goal, just as he or she would use formative assessment processes to identify student progress in meeting learning targets throughout the school year/course.
Note that progress monitoring includes both quantitative and qualitative data. Your formative assessment processes should not wear out your students, but should be a natural part of instructional practice. If students complain of too much testing, you might need to reflect on how you are monitoring students. When we are doing it right, the lines between instruction and assessment blur in our classrooms. (Leahy, Lyon, Thompson, Wiliam in Classroom Assessment: Minute by Minute, Day by Day)
Formative assessments give you important information for deciding what is next in your instruction.
Anecdotal notes
Discussion, Debates 38

37. As you think about how you will assess students, I want to bring your attention to this resource. This resource is from Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, by Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis and Chappuis. This text was studied by the teacher-leaders from every district participating in the KY Leadership Networks.
The chart provides guidance in matching the learning target being assessed with the best suited source of evidence for that learning. Lets’ take a moment and look at this chart. The words down the left side of the chart identify the different kinds of learning targets, while across the top you’ll notice the various methods for assessment. The important question teachers need to ask is: Will students need to demonstrate knowledge, reasoning, a skill, or create a product? Once you identify the kind of target you should use with any given standard, the chart can be used as a guide to make the best choice for assessing the standard.
It is important to note that student growth goals need to address enduring/essential skills, so the targets for them will most likely not be a Knowledge target, but will fall under Reasoning, Skill or Product.
For instance, if the standard is about development of a skill, then the best way for students to demonstrate mastery of that skill is a performance event. Likewise, if a standard asks students to reason, there are two strong matches: a written response or personal communication either can be used to assess students mastery of that standard.
You can see in the chart that some methods are better matches than others. Again, if you are familiar with the CASL resource, you may have seen this chart before. If not, be sure to take some time after this session to get acquainted with this chart. Seek out the teacher-leaders in your district who participated in the Leadership Network. They can be a helpful resources in this work.
ASK: How can this chart be used to decide formative assessments?
Discussion if needed:
Thinking back to the learning targets and how they are designed to lead students to mastery of the standards, I can use this chart to see how to best assess where students are in mastering those targets. Written responses may be on a computer, as a hand-written exit slip or they could be in a journal. I can observe students, or participate in dialogue with them, as they discuss classroom topics or perform tasks. Computer clicker systems are another way to engage students in quick assessment that provides immediate feedback to students and teachers.

38. Goal sample from any Content Area
For the school year, 100% of my students will make measurable progress in argumentative writing. Each student will improve by at least one performance level in three or more areas of the LDC writing rubric. Furthermore, 80% of students will score a 3 or better overall.
Let’s think of progress monitoring in context of our sample goal.
Since progress on this goal will be monitored using the LDC writing rubric, let’s look at the rubric to see how this might look. 40

39. In this case, the teacher might break down the rubric into the components to see where students are in mastering those. As students complete research and/or take notes on what they read, teachers can review those products to see if students are accurately presenting details relevant to the task. As students draft writing pieces, teachers can see if students are developing ideas that support their argument.
Qualitatively, as students participate in debates and classroom discussion, or share their ideas, teachers can observe students’ understanding of appropriate evidence to support claims as well as addressing counterclaims. Quick-written responses can allow teachers to check where students are in their content understanding. Again, using a variety of formative assessment practices effectively results in the desirable blur between instruction and assessment.
It is how we use this information that makes it formative. We need to adjust instruction based on the feedback we get from the formative assessment.
Using a rubric makes it easier for teachers to provide feedback to students. Breaking down the rubric and focusing on parts during instruction and feedback helps students focus on specific aspects of the learning and not get overwhelmed with the rubric as a whole. Later, after students have had time to digest all components of the rubric, the whole rubric can easily be used by both teacher and students. 41

40. which formative assessment is the best match for that target?
Think of a skill or concept your students will learn soon after school starts.
Share with your group –
what is that skill?
which formative assessment is the best match for that target?
Let’s pause again here to think and talk about this chart together. Think about a skill or concept you know your students will need to learn soon after school starts. Share with the group what that skill is and which formative assessment would be the best match for that target. 35

41. How will I involve students in progress monitoring?
Engage Students
How will I involve students in progress monitoring?
Monitoring progress should not be left only to teachers. We know that by engaging students in self-assessment we greatly increase their achievement results. 42

42. From Classroom Assessment for Learning: doing it Right – Using it Well
Stiggins, Arter and Chappuis offer many ideas for guiding students in reflecting on their own learning. This example from Classroom Assessment for Student Learning begins with breaking down the learning into student friendly learning targets or objectives. If these are also reflected on any assessments, students can reflect on their own understanding of each target. This can occur as students simply reflect on their own understanding of targets before instruction or an assessment, again after instruction or an assessment. Some teachers may choose to have students do this reflection during an assessment as they note if they think they fully understand the target as they complete any given assessment item.
Note that feedback to students needs to be specific, clear and manageable. Studies by Black & William show that “the largest gains, measured by pre-and post test scores, were achieved by a self-monitoring group” (p ). In other words, when we involve students in reflecting in a way that provides specific feedback, we can expect impact on student learning.
Let’s pause for discussion here: What other ways can we ask students to reflect on their learning that provides specific, clear, manageable feedback?
From Classroom Assessment for Learning: doing it Right – Using it Well 43

43. Another way to involve students is to engage them in goal-setting too
Another way to involve students is to engage them in goal-setting too. Research shows that student engagement in their learning and setting and monitoring their own goals were the “top two influences of success” (Wang, Haertel, Walbert, 1993, pg. 67 More Than a Smart Goal).
So, share the goal with students and the rationale for setting the goal. Guide students in developing their own related goals – and ask them to include their own rationale. This is a good opportunity for differentiated support as you help students set their own growth targets. Student can track their own growth regularly. What’s on the screen is just one way to design a goal-setting frame for students. A teacher might even develop a format with his/her students. 44

44. How will feedback occur regularly to move students forward in their learning?
No matter how learning is formatively assessed, it is important to provide feedback to students. This is an step that is often skipped, possibly due to time constraints or because teachers simply didn’t think about its importance.
Teachers are not the only ones who should be providing feedback. Research shows that impact on student learning is greater when students become resources for each other. By teaching students how to provide accurate and descriptive feedback, students become resources for each other; they deepen their own understanding; and become owners of their own learning. 45

45. Reflecting on Progress: A Formal Look
How are students doing in meeting the goal? Are they progressing enough to meet the goal by the end of the course/year?
How are the instructional strategies working? Do I need to adjust my instructional strategies?
Reflection is a major part of the monitoring progress. This is a formal look at the progress, though it is important to remember that “looks” should be happening all the time.
About half way through the year or course, the teacher needs to collect more tangible data for the mid-course data collection to learn how students are doing in meeting the goal. This is also where teachers will dedicate time to reflect on instructional strategies. Are the strategies really giving the expected? Do you need to make adjustments? Even though this is an on-going practice, mid-course is where teachers will actually take some time out to reflect on whether progress toward achieving the goal is adequate. Additionally, this is also a time to have a conversation with the principal about the student growth processes and where students are in attaining the goal.
Analyze the data collected up to this point. Gather information from various formative resources. A teacher can also give a mid-term assessment aligned with the goal to gather data. This may even be a part of another assessment.
What does the data reveal? Do strategies need to be adjusted?
Before we move to the final step in the goal-setting process, let’s stop for a reminder that Steps 3 and 4 are recursive. As teachers formatively assess student progress in meeting the goal, they continue to adjust instruction. 46

46. Step 5: Determining Goal Attainment
Step 5: The final part of the process is determining whether students have improved and whether the teacher has met the learning goal that he/she established. Did the students achieve the goal? Where are students at the end of the year/term/course?

47. Post-Data Proficiency Growth
Teacher collect data along the way through pre-data collection, mid-course data collection and with formative assessments. Now it is time to collect the post-data using the same sources of evidence used in the beginning of the year/course. This is Assessment of Learning to determine: How did the students perform in meeting both parts of the goal?
The post-data will be compared to the pre-assessment data to determine if both parts of the goal (growth target and proficiency target) were attained.

48. Goal Sample
For the school year, 100% of my students will make measurable progress in argumentative writing. Each student will improve by at least one performance level in three or more areas of the LDC writing rubric. Furthermore 80% of students will score a 3 or better overall.
Includes growth statement/target – The growth statement that includes all students is in purple.
Includes proficiency statement/target – The proficiency statement is in green.
Looking once again at our Goal sample, the teacher (using the evidence from the pre-mid-post data collection) will determine the degree to which students met the growth target. Here, the teacher would decide (using the data) if every student grew by one performance level in three or more areas of the LDC writing rubric.
For the proficiency part of the goal, the teacher (using the evidence) would decide if 80% of the students scored a 3 (meets expectations on the rubric) or better overall. 49

49. Notice on the LDC rubric there are 7 scoring elements
Notice on the LDC rubric there are 7 scoring elements. The growth part of the student growth goal requires that students increase in one performance level in at least three of the areas. Notice the range of performance levels and the descriptors in each of the areas. A teacher would use those descriptors in order to determine growth in argumentative writing throughout the year. Also notice the “Meets Expectations” performance level. This is the proficiency level that is the other requirement of the goal. 80% of students would need to reach this performance level for the teacher to meet the proficiency part of the goal. 50

50. Students
Once the teachers have the results, they will consider what the results reveal about their students. What conclusions can they draw from looking at the student performance results?
Which students met the goal? Which ones didn’t? Why did this happen?
What does the end of year/course data reveal about students’ abilities? Thinking back to the Writing goal and the LDC rubric, abilities may include organization , idea development, or conventions.
What does the data reveal about valid student growth over the course/year?

51. Teacher Practice
Another area for reflection should center on the teacher practices. What does the data show about the instructional strategies the teacher chose? How can these results inform practice?
It is here that collaboration plays a key role in the reflective process.

52. Collaborative Conversations
--with the principal
--with other teachers
If student growth goals have been reached, the conversation teachers will have with other teachers and ultimately, with the principal, focuses on how to sustain the improvement over time. If results have not been achieved or progress is less than desired, the conversation will focus on why the goal was not met and what next steps a teacher can take towards goal attainment for the next school year/course.

53. Professional Learning
Results from student goal setting can be one data source to inform the teachers’ professional growth planning. This is data-driven decision making.

54. “Just in Time” Professional Learning
Using professional development resources found in CIITS we can move from identifying areas for growth to developing a professional learning plan
Note for presenter: Click on the PD 360 box—it is hyperlinked to CIITS. From there, you can log into PD360.
PD 360 55

55. I can determine goal attainment.
Targets
I can apply guiding questions to implement student growth goal- setting.
I can determine effective teaching & learning strategies to support students’ goal attainment.
I can implement strategies and monitor student progress toward goal attainment as a recursive process.
I can determine goal attainment.
Let’s revisit the targets. The targets for this session are focused to help you understand how to apply guiding questions that will lead you to develop quality student growth goals. The questions allow you to reflect on what is needed throughout the goal-setting process and cause you to think deeply about the choices you make and their impact on students. 57

56. QUESTIONS 58