1. Connecticut Accountability for Learning Initiative District and School Capacity Building Leadership No Child Left Behind Partnerships & Professional Learning Communities Professional Development

2. The CSDE developed and implemented CALI to accelerate the learning of ALL students. The CSDE developed and implemented CALI to accelerate the learning of ALL students.

3. CALI is a model based on the research findings of Reeves, Marzano, Elmore, Simpson and others. Their work provides evidence that schools with student populations including high rates of poverty and high percentages of ethnic minorities can achieve high academic performance.

4. Common characteristics of high- achieving schools include: clear focus on achievement; clear focus on achievement; standards-based curriculum that emphasizes the core subject areas of reading, math and writing; standards-based curriculum that emphasizes the core subject areas of reading, math and writing; frequent assessment of student progress and multiple opportunities for student improvement; frequent assessment of student progress and multiple opportunities for student improvement; an emphasis on non-fiction writing; and an emphasis on non-fiction writing; and collaborative scoring of student work. collaborative scoring of student work.

5. CSDE, CALI and School Improvement: The goal of CALI is to develop and offer a model of state support to districts and schools to support the process of continuous school improvement and to accelerate the closing of Connecticut’s achievement gap.

6. CALI Professional Development includes: Data-Driven Decision Making Data-Driven Decision Making Data Teams Data Teams Making Standards Work Making Standards Work Effective Teaching Strategies Effective Teaching Strategies

7. Data-Driven Decision Making Student data are reviewed by district leaders, building leaders and teachers to determine strengths and areas in need of improvement. Student data are reviewed by district leaders, building leaders and teachers to determine strengths and areas in need of improvement.

8. Data Teams Data Teams occur on district, school, grade and/or content levels. Data Teams occur on district, school, grade and/or content levels. At the grade or content level, teachers collaboratively analyze data from common formative assessments, identify strengths and weaknesses in student learning and determine instructional strategies that will best address their students and learning objectives. At the grade or content level, teachers collaboratively analyze data from common formative assessments, identify strengths and weaknesses in student learning and determine instructional strategies that will best address their students and learning objectives.

9. Data Teams (cont.) Teachers reconvene to analyze the effectiveness of the instructional strategies selected and implemented at the previous data team meeting by examining common assessments. Teachers reconvene to analyze the effectiveness of the instructional strategies selected and implemented at the previous data team meeting by examining common assessments. School and District Data Teams are also used to develop and monitor improvement plans. School and District Data Teams are also used to develop and monitor improvement plans.

10. Making Standards Work Teachers and administrators collaboratively decide on Power Standards that endure, give students leverage in other areas and prepare them for the next grade. Teachers and administrators collaboratively decide on Power Standards that endure, give students leverage in other areas and prepare them for the next grade. Power Standards can be thought of as the posts in a fence. Other standards are still needed to keep the fence standing, but may not be as critical. Power Standards can be thought of as the posts in a fence. Other standards are still needed to keep the fence standing, but may not be as critical.

11. Making Standards Work, cont. Power Standards are “unwrapped” by teachers to deepen their understanding and to identify what students need to know and be able to do. Power Standards are “unwrapped” by teachers to deepen their understanding and to identify what students need to know and be able to do. Performance-based tasks are developed to enhance instruction and assess student learning. Performance-based tasks are developed to enhance instruction and assess student learning. Rubrics are also created by teachers to ensure that all teachers are using the same measure of proficiency. Rubrics are also created by teachers to ensure that all teachers are using the same measure of proficiency.

12. Effective Teaching Strategies Researcher Robert Marzano has completed a meta-analysis of 35 years of educational research. Researcher Robert Marzano has completed a meta-analysis of 35 years of educational research. Marzano, Pickering and Pollock have identified 9 research-based instructional strategies that have the greatest impact on student achievement. Marzano, Pickering and Pollock have identified 9 research-based instructional strategies that have the greatest impact on student achievement. The research of Douglas Reeves has resulted in the addition of a tenth strategy, non-fiction writing. The research of Douglas Reeves has resulted in the addition of a tenth strategy, non-fiction writing.

13. You can begin with any one of these powerful practices: Improved Student Learning & Professional Learning Communities

14. How Powerful Practices Work Together: »Teachers and administrators collaboratively analyze data from common assessments and identify strengths and weaknesses in student learning. »Identify Power Standards that address skills and content that endures, gives leverage to other disciplines and make students ready for the next grade level. »“Unwrap” those standards to identify concepts and skills students need to know and be able to do, determine Big Ideas and develop performance-based tasks and rubrics. » Select effective teaching strategies to achieve improvement.

15. How Powerful Practices Work Together (cont.): » Teach those “unwrapped” concepts and skills through performance assessment guided by Essential Questions. » Evaluate student work with rubrics to assess proficiency. » Give common assessments to see improvements within grade, department, school, and district. » Analyze data and repeat cycle.

16. For more information, please contact: Meghan Martins Meghan Martins School Improvement Consultant Connecticut State Department of Education (860) 713-6586 meghan.martins@ct.gov http://sdecali.net