The Pre-Game Plan: How proactive communication leads to successful transitions

1. The Pre-Game Plan: How proactive communication leads to successful transitions Curtis Sonneman, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Angela Kirby-Wehr, PaTTAN Harrisburg (Pennsylvania Department of Education) Jennifer Facciolini, SAS, Institute

2. Transition Timeline • Began in 2008 (prior to Common Core) with Blue Ribbon Commission on Testing and Accountability and Framework For Change • Result was Accountability and Curriculum Reform Effort (ACRE) • Designed to determine and implement • New curriculum • New assessments aligned to new curriculum • New accountability model to replace ABC’s

3. ACRE Curriculum Reform

4. ACRE Assessment Reform • New summative assessments created aligned to curriculum (First administered 2012-13) • ELA Grades 3-8 EOG and English II EOC (Common Core) • Change from English I to English II • Includes constructed response in English II • Technology enhanced items in online format • Math Grades 3-8 EOG and Math I EOC (Common Core) • Include gridded response in grades 5-8 and Math I • Science Grades 5 & 8 EOG and Biology EOC (Essential Standards) • Includes technology enhanced items in online format

5. ACRE Accountability System Reform • Transition from ABC’s model used since mid-90’s • Updated to include additional measures at high school • The ACT • ACT WorkKeys • Cohort Graduation Rate • Higher level math success (Graduates pass Algebra II) • Referred to as Math Course Rigor • Incorporate EVAAS Value-Added Growth Model

6. Transitional Communication and Training • ACRE website (2008-2012) • READY webpage (2011-current) • ACRE Online module “The Call For Change” • Summer Institutes • Conducted by NCDPI staff from various divisions • Ongoing since 2011 • Regional trainings provided to district/charter leadership team (up to 18 members) including central office staff, school administrator or teachers • Webinars on implementation of curriculum and accountability model

7. North Carolina Summer Institutes Learning Path 2013 2011 2012 Summer Institutes Summer Institutes Summer Institutes IMPROVING PRACTICE WHAT HOW Focus: Planning how instruction needs to change Focus: Reflecting, adjusting and improving after year one of implementation Focus: Internalizing a new SCOS Essential Standards

8. Transitional Communication and Training • Creation of Regional Coordinators focused on implementation of new reforms • Work with other regional staff already in existence • Created and Lead Regional Roundtables • Focus on Professional Development • Professional Development throughout each year facilitated by NCDPI and regional Professional Development Staff • 8,000 educators face-to-face • More than 23, 000 virtually

9. Professional Development Cycle Additional Support Summer Institute Formative Support Formative Support July • Wikis • Chats • Forums • Blogs June Aug RESASession RESASession RESASession RESASession RESASession May Annual Professional Development Cycle Sept April Oct Formative Support Formative Support Nov Mar Visit WikiCentral athttp://wikicentral.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/NCDPI+WikiCentral+Page Feb Dec Jan Formative Support Formative Support

10. Race To The Top and ESEA Waiver • Awarded Race To The Top Grant and received ESEA waiver from NCLB sanctions • Allowed flexibility in implementation of new accountability model • Educator Effectiveness System • Included in both RTTT and ESEA waiver

11. Educator Effectiveness • Focused on preparing teachers for shift in common core and essential standards and the impact on assessment results from shift • Creation of additional assessments used to evaluate educator effectiveness in “Non-Tested Areas” • NC Final Exams • Analysis of Student Work • CTE Post-Assessments

12. Educator Effectiveness • Webinars with EVAAS team focused on how staff will continue to get value-added data with a change in standards • Understanding the EVAAS system of value-added growth • Conversion of assessment data to Normal Curve Equivalents (NCE’s) • Understanding the use of assessments in various growth models

13. Educator Effectiveness • Documentation created and posted on web and made available to State Board of Education • Teacher Evaluation System created to collect data on multiple standards including one based on growth measured by assessment (Standard 6) • During transition and initial roll out tried to emphasis growth knowing that proficiency would be an issue with the new standards.

14. North Carolina Educator Evaluation ProcessTeachers • We have a total of 6 standards in our teacher evaluation system. All standards, 1-6, are of equal value. Our goal is to use this system to: • Identify our strongest teachers and explore their methodologies, and • Support teachers who need to increase their effectiveness 4 1 2 3 5 6 Contribute to Academic Success Facilitate Learning Establish Environment Reflect on Practice Demonstrate Leadership KnowContent

15. Educator Effectiveness • Webinars posted to NCDPI Educator Effectiveness webpage and sent to leadership organizations like North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) • Encouraged teachers to review EVAAS reports and focus on student growth in coming years • Implemented EVAAS Roster Verification System to allow stakeholders to validate students included in individual educator growth measures

16. Educator Effectiveness in Pennsylvania Focus on Teaching Specific Data and Student-Teacher Data LinkagesAngela Kirby-WehrDirector-PaTTAN Harrisburgwww.pattan.net

17. Designed to reform the way we evaluate school professionals • Identify and support the critical components of training and professional growth Educator Effectiveness

19. ROLE OF STATE DATA WAREHOUSE • Realigned PIMS to EE Data Needs • Student-Teacher Data Linkages • Students • Staff • Courses • % Instructional Responsibility • PVAAS Account Creation • PDE PIMS Help Desk • PIMS PVAAS Reports • To illustrate to Supt/Assist Supt what data for Student-Teacher Data Linkages will go from PIMS to PVAAS Rosters – by state assessment

20. ROLLOUT • Communication from PDE Deputy Secretary • As soon as regulations were final • SY13-14 Implementation Guide for LEAs • How-to Steps • Summer 2013 Statewide Webinars • For District/School Admins • For Tech Staff/PIMS Admins • For SIS Vendors

21. ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT • 3 Statewide Account Management webinars • 6 Account Management mini-webex recordings • Excel files to LEAs with all active PVAAS user accounts

22. STATEWIDE TRAININGS • 16 three-hour statewide trainings for admins • Webinars/Archived • Face to Face Sessions • Videoconferences • Session Content • Roster Verification Defined • Roles/Responsibilities • Timelines • How-to Use the Online System

23. PVAAS WEBSITE as HUB to ACCESS RESOURCES • All Key Resources • Links to Professional Development • PPTs with Training Notes • Archived Webinars • Online Modules

24. ANYTIME, ANYWHERE LEARNING FOR TEACHERS AND ADMINS:RV Virtual Learning Module • Sections for Teachers • Sections for School Admins • Sections for District Admins

25. REACHING OUT DIRECTLY TO DISTRICTS • 1:1 calls to LEAs and/or IU Sessions by PVAAS Statewide Team • 25 largest LEAs • Called/Presented to all 499 School Districts

26. REACHING OUT TO PA’s LARGEST LEA: SD OF PHILADELPHIA • Onsite meetings with Deputy of Teacher Effectiveness and PIMS/Data Staff • Weekly Planning Calls • Feedback on SDP Communications, Training, Implementation Documents • Conference calls with SAS EVAAS and SDP Data Team • Conferenced into session with Regional Assistant Superintendents

27. DURING RV

28. MATERIALS • RV Checklists • Teachers • School Admins • District Admins • RV FAQs • Sample Scenarios for Instructional Responsibility

29. HOW TO GET SUPPORT • Modified e-mail signature, with information on how to get support

30. ONGOING SUPPORT • 12 LIVE Virtual Help Desk Q&A Sessions during RV weeks • SAS EVAAS Help Desk • PVAAS Statewide Team for PDE Help Desk

31. BUILT IN SYSTEM SUPPORT • “Smart” RV Help Menu System – Role and Context Specific

32. INTERNAL CAPACITY FOR SUPPORT • Team Training • Demo Site for Reference During Support • Template Replies for all common Help Desk replies • For SAS EVAAS and PVAAS Statewide Team • 150+ responses • Significant resource to handle HIGH Volume of support

33. SUPPORTS SPECIFIC TO SD OF PHILADELPHIA • Weekly conference call through all weeks of RV • 2 live full day/open/online Q&A sessions with SAS EVAAS and PVAAS Statewide Team • 1 Live session with PVAAS team for district-wide teacher support day in May • Added a new protocol to “push” Phila support desk tickets to high priority

34. PVAAS STATEWIDE TEAM FOR PDE PVAAS Hotline: (717) 606-1911 Team E-mail: pdepvaas@iu13.org Fax: (717) 606-1662 Kristen Lewald, Ed.D. PVAAS Statewide Director for PDE kristen_lewald@iu13.org (717) 201-4602 Jennifer Ross, M.A. PVAAS Statewide Core Team Member jennifer_ross@iu13.org (717) 201-2372 Joan Perekupka PVAAS Statewide Core Team Member joan_perekupka@iu13.org (717) 344-8951 Jennifer Kurtz PVAAS Support Associate jennifer_kurtz@iu13.org (717) 606-1825