CCSS Professional Development: A Closer Look at Middletown Public Schools

1. Middletown Public Schools A Closer Look at the CCSS (Common Core State Standards) Professional Development February 17, 2012

2. Agenda • Overview of the CCSS • Exploring the CCSS • Learning Progressions • Lunch • Debriefing • Middletown’s Transition Plan? • Grade Level Discussions • Final Remarks

3. Did You Know? source: alpineschools.org

5. Education in the 21st Century

6. SKILLS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY Think Critically, Analytically, and Innovatively Solve Problems Work Collaboratively in Teams Appreciate Diversity Possess Creativity & Ingenuity Willing to Go the Extra Mile

7. What are the CCSS? A shared set of clear educational standards that define what students shouldknow and be able to do at every level of schooling in LA and mathematics to ensure that students who graduate from high school are prepared to succeed in college andcareers in a shifting global economy and society. Source: CCSSI, 2010a.

9. Guiding Principles of DevelopmentClear-Consistent-Rigorous-Relevant Source: cctmath.org

11. WE ARE ALL TEACHERS OF READING, WRITING, SPEAKING AND LISTENING, AND LANGUAGE

12. The ELA standards insist that instruction in reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language be a shared responsibility within the school. This interdisciplinary approach to literacy is based on extensive research establishing the need for college-and career-ready students to be proficient in reading complex informational text independently in a variety of content areas.

14. Students must have knowledge of domain-specific vocabulary. • By senior year of high school, the ELA standards indicate that 70% of the sum of student reading across the grades should be informational text. • The ability to write logical arguments based on substantive claims, sound reasoning and relevant evidence is a cornerstone of the Writing standards.

15. Research-both short, focused projects and longer-term, in-depth, inquiry research- is emphasized throughout the standards. • The standards emphasize effective communication practices. • The standards require that students gain, evaluate, and present increasingly complex information, ideas, and evidence through listening and speaking as well as through media.

16. An important focus of the Speaking and Listening standards is academic discussion in one-on-one, small-group and whole-class settings. Formal presentations are one important way such talk occurs, but so is the more informal discussion that takes place as students collaborate to answer questions, build understanding and solve problems. • Media and technology are integrated throughout the standards.

17. Exploring the Standards "If you try to introduce people to a paradigm shift, they will hear what you have to say and then interpret your words in terms of their old paradigm. What does not fit, they will not hear. Therefore, a change in paradigm cannot be brought about by talking. People have to experience the change, or at a minimum see other people experiencing it, before they will begin to understand what you are saying." (Myron Tribus - 2001)

18. 2011 - 2015 • CMT and CAPT will remain in place for accountability purposes through 2013-2014. • Connecticut is applying for an NCLB waiver. • School year 2014-2015, SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) assessment system operational for students in Grades 3-8 and 11. Source: Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium

19. Next Generation Assessments • More rigorous tests measuring student progress toward “college and career readiness” • Havecommon, comparable scores across member states, and across consortia • Provideachievement and growth information to help make better educational decisions and professional development opportunities • Assess all students, except those with “significant cognitive disabilities” • Administeronline, with timely results • Usemultiplemeasures Source: Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 68 / Friday, April 9, 2010 pp. 18171-85

20. Reading • “Students can read closely and critically to comprehend a range of increasingly complex literary and informational texts.” Draft Assessment Claims for English Language Arts/Literacy Writing • “Students can produce effective writing for a range of purposes and audiences.” (a/o Round 2 – released 9/20/11) Speaking/Listening • “Students can employ effective speaking and listening skills for a range of purposes and audiences.” Research/Inquiry • “Students can engage appropriately in collaborative and independent inquiry to investigate/research topics, pose questions, and gather and present information.” Language Use • “Students can skillfully use and interpret written language across a range of literacy tasks.” Source: Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium

21. Summative Assessment (Computer Adaptive) • Assessesthefull range of Common Corein English language arts and mathematics for students in grades 3–8 and 11 (interim assessments can be used in grades 9 and 10) • Measurescurrent student achievement and growth across time, showing progress toward college and career readiness • Can be givenonce or twice a year (mandatory testing window within the last 12 weeks of the instructional year) • Includes a variety of question types: selected response, short constructed response, extended constructed response, technology enhanced, and performance tasks

22. Interim Assessment (Computer Adaptive) Assessment System Components • Optional comprehensive and content-cluster assessment to help identify specific needs of each student • Can be administered throughout the year • Provides clear examples of expected performance on Common Core standards • Includes a variety of question types: selected response, short constructed response, extended constructed response, technology enhanced, and performance tasks • Aligned to and reported on the same scale as the summative assessments • Fully accessible for instruction and professional development Source: Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium

23. How CAT Works (Binet’s Test) Source: Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium

24. Psychological Issues • CAT equalizes the psychological environment of the test across ability levels. • High-ability students will get about 50% • correct. • Low-ability students will get about 50% correct. Source: Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium

25. LEARNING PROGRESSIONS

26. Learning Progressions and Differentiation The concept of learning progressions offers one promising approach to developing the knowledge needed to define the “track” students may be on, or should be on. Learning progressions can inform teachers about what to expect from their students. They provide an empirical basis for choices about when to teach what to whom. Consortium for Policy Research in Education, 2011, p.12

27. The Learning Progressions within the ELA Common core standards provide an architectural framework that enables teachers to keep learning moving as students demonstrate increasing expertise in the four strands of significant literacy concepts and skills.

28. Knowing how the standards develop vertically from grade to grade and across strands enables teachers to know what to teach next or where to circle back to bring students forward.

29. Teachers can use concepts and skills along the Learning Progressions to support student acceleration throughthe learning progression to enhance, extend, and enrich learning for students who already demonstrate proficiency in the grade-specific standards.

30. The skilled practitioner usingformative assessment practicescan determine where and when learning breaks down for individual students, and design instructional adjustments that support getting students back on track for learning within and across grade-level spans.

31. Making the Shift • What’s New, What’s Old, What Can Go? • What is Most Important? • What is Doable?

32. Making the Shift - Suggestions • Responding to Complex Text Independently • Analyze two or more texts • Research Writing • Argument Writing • Collaborative Conversation • Oral and Media Presentations • Analysis of Content • Write Routinely

35. Connecticut Curriculum Design Unit Planning Organizer

36. Grade Level/Content Area Breakout Groups • Review the Language Arts Common Core State Standards and Appendix B and C for your grade level or content area. • Highlight the standards that you already address. • Circle the standards that are not covered in your current curriculum. • As a grade level or content area, what would be your plan for implementing some or all of these Language Arts standards during the 2012-2013 school year? Consider: What standards would have the greatest impact on instruction, what can be integrated with what you are already doing and what you may be able to eliminate from your current standards.

37. Middletown’s 20 Mile March • In 2006, 46.7% of 3rd grade students were at GOAL in reading… • In 2011, 54.4%of 3rd grade students were at GOAL in reading. 7.7 point increase of students achieving GOAL

38. Middletown’s 20 Mile March • In 2006, 55.8% of 4th grade students were at GOAL in reading… • In 2011, 60.1% of 4th grade students were at GOAL in reading. 4.3 point increase of students achieving GOAL

39. Middletown’s 20 Mile March • In 2006, 46.3% of 5th grade students were at GOAL in reading… • In 2011, 56.2% of 5th grade students were at GOAL in reading. 9.9 point increase of students achieving GOAL

40. Middletown’s 20 Mile March • In 2006, 48.5% of 6th grade students were at GOAL in reading… • In 2011, 65.5% of 6th grade students were at GOAL in reading. 17 point increase of students achieving GOAL

41. Middletown’s 20 Mile March • In 2006, 51.2% of 7th grade students were at GOAL in reading… • In 2011, 70.1% of 7th grade students were at GOAL in reading. 18.9 point increase of students achieving GOAL

42. Middletown’s 20 Mile March • In 2006, 43.2% of 8th grade students were at GOAL in reading… • In 2011, 70.7% of 8th grade students were at GOAL in reading. 27.5 point increase of students achieving GOAL

43. Middletown’s 20 Mile March • In 2006, 42% of Middletown’s Black population were PROFICIENT in reading… • In 2011, 61% of Middletown’s Black population were PROFICIENT in reading. 19 point increase of students achieving PROFICIENCY

44. Middletown’s 20 Mile March • In 2006, 15% of Middletown’s Special Education population were PROFICIENT in reading… • In 2011, 34% of Middletown’s Special Education population were PROFICIENT in reading. 19 point increase of students achieving PROFICIENCY

45. Middletown’s 20 Mile March • In 2006, 44% of Middletown’s students receiving free and reduced lunch were PROFICIENT in reading… • In 2011, 63% of Middletown’s students receiving free and reduced lunch were PROFICIENT in reading. 19 point increase of students achieving PROFICIENCY

46. Middletown’s 20 Mile March • In 2006, 46.7% of 3rd grade students were at GOAL in reading… • In 2011, this same cohort of students scored 70.7%at GOAL in reading in 8th grade. 24 point increase of students achieving GOAL!