Post on 26-Jan-2022
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Professional Education Plan Committee Members
Mark Beeson Business Representative
Sharon Bennett Director of Special Education
Anne Carroll High School Mathematics Teacher
Margarita Garay Zarco Community Representative
Sue Giancola Parent
Christina Gorman Parent
Manual Ibarra Community Representative
Michael Kelly High School Mathematics Teacher
Jennifer Lewis Community Representative
Dan Maguire Supervisor of Technology
Susan Matthias Middle School Mathematics Teacher
Susan McArdle Elementary Principal
Kecia Nesmith Elementary ESL Teacher
Jan Orbon Middle School Language Arts/Reading Teacher
Jane Pedroso Curriculum Supervisor for Language Arts and Social Studies
Colleen Thurmond Elementary Title I Interventionist
Nancy Tischer Director of Human Resources
Barry Tomasetti Superintendent
Diana Wildermuth High School Guidance Counselor
Susan Yocum Elementary Teacher
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Professional Education EEP Early Education Primary (Gr. K-2) EEI Early Education Intermediate (Gr. 3-5)
ML Middle School (Gr. 6-8) HS High School (Gr. 9-12)
Characteristics
District’s Professional Education Characteristics EEP EEI ML HS
Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment.
X X X X
Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on effective practice research, with attention given to interventions for struggling students.
X X X X
Increases the educator's teaching skills based on effective practice research, with attention given to interventions for gifted students.
X X
Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision making.
X
Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners.
X X X X
District’s Professional Education Characteristics EEP EEI ML HS
Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other, as well as to Pennsylvania’s academic standards.
X X X X
Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, teaching materials and interventions for gifted students are aligned to each other, as well as to Pennsylvania's academic standards.
X X X X
Provides leaders with the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform decision making.
X X X X
Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning.
X X X X
Instructs the leader in managing resources for effective results.
X X X X
Provide brief explanation of your process for ensuring these selected characteristics.
The administrative team meets monthly for professional development on Teacher Effectiveness and the
District's Instructional Goals. The District also uses monthly curriculum meetings with the School Board to
review data collected on District level and state assessments, using a protocol for data analysis prior to
annual goal setting and benchmarking progress checks. Programming adjustments are discussed and
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decisions made. The administrative team and superintendent are involved in a process of continuous
improvement, looking at artful use of infrastructure involving budgeting, scheduling of staff, improved
programming and course sequencing, appropriate supports, and improvements leading to increased
student achievement. Consultants are brought in as needed from the Intermediate Unit and outside the
District.
Teachers are involved in contractually obligated Monday hours after school and with eight in-service days.
Each school has a student success team that meets to review data and devise action plans. Intervention
teams analyze student data, determine best practices in intervention, and regroup children according to
skill remediation or enrichment for support time. Teacher teams attend many outside trainings as teams
with full representation as opposed to just sending administrative representatives. Teachers complete
graduate level courses and have a high degree of post graduate experiences.
Curriculum supervisors, department chairs, team leaders, grade and subject area teams, and building
administrators meet regularly with committees, groups, or departments to align curricula and materials to
PA core standards, ensuring alignment and vertical articulation K-12. Time is allotted during the school
year for ongoing work. District office personnel attend monthly Intermediate Unit trainings.
Community relations are developed and supported through District-level parent liaisons, interpreters, local
non-profit and volunteer organizations, PTO's at each level, parents on District committees, and through
many events throughout the school year. English classes are offered at night within our School District, and
the District works closely with Migrant Education, university partners, and business partners who provide
volunteers. Teachers are provided information and access to the many community partners and programs
and taught about the purpose and how to best access the many supports.
Provide brief explanation for strategies not selected and how you plan to address their incorporation.
Professional development for administrators and staff in the area of gifted education will be addressed
through the new gifted education plan submitted to PDE in November 2014.
A new student information system is being implemented K-12. Training in the use of this system will be
provided to all staff and will emphasize data retrieval and analysis. Student data on state assessments,
electronic grade books, curriculum based assessments, attendance, and demographic information will be
integrated and readily accessible. In ongoing professional development plans, SLO training will continue
and be embedded in District- and school-level trainings, as led by the Professional Development
Committee, with an emphasis on how to establish data-driven Student Learning Objectives. There will also
be emphasis and professional development on how to best use data to inform instructional decisions in the
classroom. We recognize this area as a focal point for professional development within the District.
Strategies Ensuring Fidelity
Use disaggregated student data to determine educators’ learning priorities. Develop professional development activities that support implementation of strategies
identified in your action plan.
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Identify clear expectations in terms of teacher practice for staff implementation. Create an implementation evaluation based upon specific expectations related to changes in
teacher practice, which is used to validate the overall effectiveness of the professional development initiative.
Use a systemic process to validate whether or not providers have the capacity to present
quality professional development.
Participate fully as administrators in all professional development sessions targeted for their faculties.
Include components that provide ongoing support to teachers regarding implementation of
every professional development activity.
Utilize an ongoing monitoring system in place (i.e. walkthroughs, classroom observations).
Evaluate professional education to show its impact on teaching practices and student learning.
Provide brief explanation of your process for ensuring these selected characteristics.
Monthly faculty meetings led by administrators and teacher leaders devoted primarily to staff development
Monthly administrative meetings focus on staff development
Monthly Professional Development Committee meetings reflect on needs and project on delivery options
for future professional development sessions to support current and new initiatives, including state
mandated requirements
Annual self-reflections by teachers as part of the Differentiated Supervision and Collaborative Assessment
Plan indicate ongoing growth and transfer of best practices to the classroom
Formal and informal classroom visitations allow administrators and District office personnel to observe
fidelity of implementation and provide opportunities to dialogue with practitioners about the shared vision
The District adheres to PDE's Teacher Effectiveness Program
The District regularly reviews the KCSD Instructional Goals that outline clear guidelines for instruction for
all staff
Provide brief explanation for strategies not selected and how you plan to address their incorporation.
Utilizing the new student information system, staff will be trained to navigate, retrieve, and analyze
multiple data sets. School based teams will identify student learning needs identified in the data, and
District administrators will look for patterns across the District to inform decisions and curricular
alignment work. Training in the new system will be combined with trainings offered within the District's
technology plan.
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State assessment data will be reviewed with the community and the School Board at the fall Curriculum
Committee meeting.
Induction Program
Inductees will know, understand, and implement instructional practices validated by the LEA as
known to improve student achievement.
Inductees will assign challenging work to diverse student populations.
Inductees will know the basic details and expectations related to LEA-wide initiatives, practices,
policies, and procedures.
Inductees will know the basic details and expectations related to school initiatives, practices, and
procedures.
Inductees will be able to access state curriculum frameworks and focus lesson design on leading
students to mastery of all state academic standards, assessment anchors, and eligible content
(where appropriate) identified in the LEA's curricula.
Inductees will know and apply LEA endorsed classroom management strategies.
Inductees will take advantage of opportunities to engage personally with other members of the
faculty in order to develop a sense of collegiality and camaraderie.
Provide brief explanation of your process for ensuring these selected characteristics.
The Kennett Consolidated School District Strategic Plan is the blueprint for the District into the 21st
century. District student outcomes/standards identify what students must know and be able to
demonstrate. The District curriculum and instructional programs are interrelated from grades K to 12, and
this process begins with the Induction Program for all teachers new to the District. The Program is divided
into two segments. The first is an orientation program designed to familiarize the new teacher with the
school facility and to District procedures and policies. The second is a program of planned activities,
experiences, and studies designed to increase the beginning teacher's knowledge and improve his/her
teaching skills.
Provide brief explanation for strategies not selected and how you plan to address their incorporation.
The members of the Strategic Planning Committee for the Induction Program recognized that the current
program did not formally address navigating the Standards Aligned System website and that inductees may
not know how to utilize school/LEA resources that are available to assist students in crisis. While we
believe these items are addressed by the building principals and mentors during their weekly/monthly
meetings, we have added navigating the SAS website as a mandatory objective to be done weekly by the
mentor with his/her mentee, and each building principal will address the services that are available to
assist students in crisis during their initial building orientation as well as at faculty meetings during the
school year. This will be reflected in the Induction Program booklet and will require the proper
acknowledgement by the mentor and principal that these items have been addressed.
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Needs of Inductees
Frequent observations of inductee instructional practice by a coach or mentor to identify needs.
Frequent observations of inductee instructional practice by supervisor to identify needs.
Regular meetings with mentors or coaches to reflect upon instructional practice to identify needs.
Student PSSA data.
Standardized student assessment data other than the PSSA.
Classroom assessment data (Formative & Summative).
Inductee survey (local, intermediate units, and national level).
Review of inductee lesson plans.
Review of written reports summarizing instructional activity.
Knowledge of successful research-based instructional models.
Information collected from previous induction programs (e.g., program evaluations and second-
year teacher interviews).
Provide brief explanation of your process for ensuring these selected characteristics.
The District Induction Plan is predicated upon several needs assessment data sources which include
evaluations by the administrator, mentor teacher, and the new teacher, as well as using PSSA data,
classroom assessment data, and weekly and monthly meetings with the new teachers and their mentors
and principals.
Provide brief explanation for strategies not selected and how you plan to address their incorporation.
The members of the Strategic Planning Committee for the Induction Program recognized that the current
program does not include the submission of an inductee portfolio. Beginning with the 2014-2015 school
year, the District will provide mentor teachers with the PDE-427 form in order to guide its mentees in the
development of a portfolio aligned with the four domains with at least one artifact from those listed.
Mentor Characteristics
Pool of possible mentors is comprised of teachers with outstanding work performance. Potential mentors have similar certifications and assignments.
Potential mentors must model continuous learning and reflection.
Potential mentors must have knowledge of LEA policies, procedures, and resources.
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Potential mentors must have demonstrated ability to work effectively with students and other adults.
Potential mentors must be willing to accept additional responsibility.
Mentors must complete mentor training or have previous related experience (e.g., purpose of
Induction Program and role of mentor, communication and listening skills, coaching and conferencing skills, problem-solving skills, and knowledge of adult learning and development).
Mentors and inductees must have compatible schedules so that they can meet regularly.
Provide brief explanation of your process for ensuring these selected characteristics.
All principals are to appoint mentor teachers in accordance with the District's mentor teacher job description which outlines the following qualifications: 1) An experienced, tenured teacher; 2) Pennsylvania Instructional I or II certification; 3) Previous and/or current involvement in curriculum development; and 4) Skilled in problem-solving techniques, instructional leadership, classroom management, and group dynamics. Every effort is made to pair mentors with mentees who share a common grade level, discipline, or planning time. Mentors are expected to establish a supportive relationship that will immerse and guide the new teacher into the school setting and the community. To ensure that mentors have a firm grasp of the art of mentoring another individual, the District provides a mentor training program that teaches the basic concepts and processes of mentoring, including coaching and conferencing skills, reflective dialogue, knowledge of the adult learner, and communication and listening skills.
Provide brief explanation for characteristics not selected and how you plan to address their incorporation.
This narrative is empty.
Induction Program Timeline
Topics Aug-Sep
Oct-Nov
Dec-Jan
Feb-Mar
Apr-May
Jun-Jul
Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators X
Assessments X X X X X X
Best Instructional Practices X X X X X X
Safe and Supportive Schools X X X X X X
Standards X X X X X X
Curriculum X X X X X X
Instruction X X X X X X
Accommodations and Adaptations for Diverse Learners X X X X X X
Data informed Decision Making X X X X X X
Materials and Resources for Instruction X X X X X X
If necessary, provide further explanation.
This narrative is empty. No further explanation needed.
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Monitoring Evaluating and Induction Program
Identify the procedures for monitoring and evaluating the Induction Program.
The Director of Human Resources submits periodic reports to the Superintendent and, as required, to the Pennsylvania Department of Education when requested. New teachers must maintain a log sheet of all activities completed by the new teacher; and this log sheet must be signed by the new teacher, the mentor teacher, the building principal, and the Induction Program presenter at the conclusion of each meeting to signify that the activities have been completed satisfactorily. At the end of the school year, the log sheet is submitted to the Director of Human Resources who shall review for completion and forward to the Superintendent for review and signature that the process has been completed. These completed log sheets are placed in the teacher's permanent personnel file along with a certificate of completion signed by the School Board President.
At the conclusion of the program, a roundtable discussion is held with the mentees to gather their feedback on the strengths of the current program as well as the areas that could be improved upon for the following year. The mentees also provide feedback on the workshops at the beginning of the year and the roundtable meetings held throughout the year to address their needs and professional development. This is an excellent source of information to keep the program relevant and ever-improving. The principals, mentors, and new teachers also complete an evaluation form rating the targeted goals of the program as well as answering open-ended questions, and this information is compiled into a year-end report to be used as a source of data and measurement.
Recording Process
Identify the recording process for inductee participation and program completion. (Check all that apply)
Mentor documents his/her inductee's involvement in the program.
A designated administrator receives, evaluates, and archives all mentor records.
School/LEA maintains accurate records of program completion and provide a certificate or
statement of completion to each inductee who has completed the program.
LEA administrator receives, tallies, and archives all LEA mentor records.
Completion is verified by the LEA Chief Administrator on the Application for Level 2 Certification.
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Needs Assessment
District Accomplishments
Accomplishment #1:
Kennett data and successes reflect a diverse student demographic of 36.74% economically disadvantaged, 12.96% English language learners, 46.6% minority, and 15.51% special education students.
SPP scores for Kennett schools range from 86.2% to 94.4%.
The District's graduation rate is 92.41%.
The District exceeded state performance on PSSA proficiency levels at all grade levels in the areas of
mathematics, science, reading, and writing in 2013.
The District met Annual Measureable Achievement Objectives (AMAO's) for the past 2 years.
All Kennett elementary schools exceeded the standard for growth on Pennsylvania Added
Assessment System measures (PVAAS) in reading, science, and writing.
A three-year trend indicates that over 90% of Kennett full-day kindergarten students exited
kindergarten ready for first grade as measured by DIBELS.
Overall high school reading for proficiency levels at 74% proficient or higher is significantly above
the state average.
Overall high school mathematics student performance exceeded the state proficiency threshold by
19 percentage points.
High school reading proficiency rate for Latino/Hispanic and Economically Disadvantaged
subgroups increased by 13 and 14 percentage points over a four-year period without a reduction in
overall proficiency levels.
White subgroup performance in high school reading scores remains consistently high at 89.2%
proficient or higher in 2013 and 98.8 in 2014 on Keystone Literature Exams.
Approximately 200 Kennett High School students take over 400 Advanced Placement (AP)
examinations annually.
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District Concerns
Concern #1:
The achievement gap between white students and Latino/Hispanic students exists in all subject
areas in all tested grades.
LEP students in the middle school scored below the proficient level in reading, ranging from 73% to
100% non-proficient in grades 6, 7, and 8
In mathematics at the high school, the overall proficiency was 73%, below the 78% threshold in
2012.
The IEP four-year graduation rate decreased by 3 percentage points between 2011 and 2012.
IEP student performance in mathematics, reading, and biology remains significantly below
projected state thresholds at the high school level.
Prioritized Systemic Challenges
Systemic Challenge #1 (System #3) Establish a District system that fully ensures staff members in every
school use standards aligned assessments to monitor student achievement and adjust instructional
practices.
Systemic Challenge #3 (System #6) Establish a District system that fully ensures specially designed
instruction is provided to meet the unique learning needs of children with disabilities at no cost to a parent.
Systemic Challenge #2 (System #7) Establish a District system that fully ensures students who are
academically at risk are identified early and are supported by a process that provides interventions based
upon student needs and includes procedures for monitoring effectiveness.
Systemic Challenge #4 (System #10) Establish a District system that fully ensures professional
development that is focused, comprehensive, and implemented with fidelity.
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District Level Plan
Action Plans
Goal #1: Effectively utilize a system to collect, analyze, and disseminate data efficiently for use by District
leaders, instructional teams, and classroom teachers to improve student achievement and instructional
programming.
Related Challenges:
Establish a District system that fully ensures professional development that is focused, comprehensive, and implemented with fidelity.
Establish a District system that fully ensures specially designed instruction is provided to meet the
unique learning needs of children with disabilities at no cost to a parent. Establish a District system that fully ensures staff members in every school use standards aligned
assessments to monitor student achievement and adjust instructional practices. Establish a District system that fully ensures students who are academically at risk are identified early
and are supported by a process that provides interventions based upon student needs and includes procedures for monitoring effectiveness.
Indicators of Effectiveness:
Type: Annual
Data Source: Study Island PA Core Benchmarks
Specific Targets: Percentage of students scoring Basic and Below on Study Island Reading and Mathematics in grades 3-8 will decrease by 10% each year from the PA Core baseline of 2014-2015. Grades 3-5 and 6-8 will be calculated as aggregate scores by grade band.
Type: Annual
Data Source: Keystone Algebra/Keystone Literature
Specific Targets: Passing rates for first time Algebra and Literature Keystone test takers will grow by 10% in 2015-2016 from the 2014-2015 baseline and in each successive year of the plan.
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Strategies:
Data Analysis
Description:
Research supports the premise that analysis, reporting, communicating, and use of multiple measures of data on student achievement by teachers and school systems promotes a cycle of continuous improvement and improved decision making. Experts in the field, such as Victoria Bernhardt, suggest that student achievement data is just one part of the equation and that other data sets, such as attendance and perceptual data, are also useful. The new data system at Kennett will help teachers and staff connect many kinds of data that will help identify trends, curricular areas of need, individual student or group needs, demographic data, attendance data, and a variety of other useful data that can help inform instruction and the educational process. The use of this data can greatly help us to identify students in need of intervention and also pockets of students who may be experiencing difficulty within our system. At Kennett, we have been working with separate systems. With an integrated data system, we will become much more efficient and able to mine data. Our prior system was cumbersome, and we used several systems that did not "talk to each other." With one integrated system that is user friendly, we expect teachers, groups, administrators, and a larger set of staff including counselors and guidance to be able to use the system effectively to make better decisions for students and for the educational system as a whole. We expect patterns and anomalies to be more readily visible.
SAS Alignment: Standards, Assessment, Curriculum Framework, Instruction, Materials & Resources
Common Assessments
Description:
Creating common assessments by same grade level or same course teachers helps establish common criteria for measuring student achievement. As a research-based practice, the use of common assessments that are aligned to standards will help Kennett teachers across schools ensure consistency over content and criteria. This strategy also encourages collaborative efforts between practitioners of the same subjects and levels. At present, many common assessments are in place but could be improved by using clear methodologies for best practice in test and item construction.
Before teachers can examine their current assessments, they will need some professional development by which to judge their current practices in assessment. Kennett teachers will learn criteria for the creation of valid and reliable assessments. Teachers will be trained on the design of multiple choice, open-ended, and application based assessment items. After professional development, assessments will be created and administered, and Kennett teachers will critically review assessments to revise and improve. Examination of student data on assessment results and item analysis will promote collaborative discussion about both assessment and instruction, thus leading to changes that positively impact teaching and student achievement.
SAS Alignment: Standards, Assessment, Instruction, Curriculum Framework
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Differentiated Instruction
Description:
Differentiated instruction is a strategy whereby teachers purposefully tailor instruction to meet the needs of individuals within their classrooms. Although the practice has not shown empirical evidence of large - scale success, studies note many qualitative reports on positive aspects closely tied to student achievement. Researchers in the field, such as Tomlinson, provide many practical strategies that help teachers differentiate for process, product, learning style, and individual student needs. Because Kennett has an existing achievement gap, it is partially through differentiated instruction that we will persist in narrowing the gap without lowering the high ceiling established by our high achieving students. We will learn more about and apply the strategy of differentiation specifically to better reach our second language learners who arrive in our system at various stages and grade levels. Native language literacy rates also vary widely within our District, making differentiated instruction critical to our success.
One of the first challenges we will address is the fact that each employee has a differing definition of differentiated instruction. We must establish a common working definition and framework to be able to begin the conversation and training in this area effectively. Differentiation for all learners is a long-term goal applied to all students. At KCSD, we will begin a multi-year strategy with differentiation specifically in the area of ELLs. We chose this area to begin as our second language population is significant and because our staff is requesting professional development in this area.
SAS Alignment: Standards, Assessment, Curriculum Framework, Instruction, Materials & Resources
Implementation Steps:
Assessment Steering Committee
Description:
Steering committee of K-12 teachers and administrators will research best practices in assessment and determine the best source of training for Kennett staff, whether it be Intermediate Unit staff or outside consultants.
Meeting minutes and selection of professional development provider will provide evidence of completion of this step.
Start Date: 9/10/2015 End Date: 1/29/2016
Assessment Training
Description:
K-12 teachers will be trained by an outside provider identified by the steering committee. A series of workshop sessions will be provided to Kennett teachers and administrators. A protocol that ensures alignment to standards will be used to guide teachers in the creation of quality assessments. Training
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modules on best practices in assessment include writing, multiple choice, open-ended, and application based items to inform both student achievement and guide future instruction and item analysis protocols.
Evidence of completion will be attendance sign-in sheets, surveys, and questions generated by participants from the sessions that will guide future trainings.
Start Date: 2/1/2016 End Date: 12/29/2017
Align Assessments and Administer
Description:
Teacher teams will examine current assessments for alignment to standards and anchors. Using best practice learned in recent workshops and in the context of data analysis, teachers will improve multiple choice, open-ended, and application based items.
New assessments will be administered to common grade level, subject, or course on a schedule collaboratively designed by teachers.
Evidence will be assessment documents tied to standards and anchors, a schedule for administration of assessments, and meeting agendas.
Start Date: 1/2/2018 End Date: 6/15/2018
Evaluate and Revise
Description:
Once assessments are administered to groups of students, teams of same course, grade, or subject teachers will analyze the data from student assessments and evaluate both student learning and individual test items through item analysis and group discussions using a data analysis protocol. Revisions will be made if needed to improve tests and items. At this stage, since differentiation implementation action steps are also happening, discussions will also center around instructional adjustments informed by the analysis of the new assessments as pertaining to second language learners.
Evidence will be revised assessment documents and team agendas and minutes reflecting discussions on assessment evaluation and revision
Start Date: 3/1/2018 End Date: 6/15/2018
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Student Information System Training
Description:
Outside vendor consultant from new student information system will train staff to navigate the new system. Before staff can utilize the system to do its own data mining, the staff members will need familiarity and practice with the system itself. Building level experts will be trained to support the rollout at each building.
Evidence includes attendance sign in sheets from training sessions.
Start Date: 2/1/2016 End Date: 9/30/2016
Utilize Data Analysis System
Description:
Teachers and staff will use the new student information system for instructional purposes such as planning instruction, preparing for parent conferences, obtaining information on attendance, examining student progress across subject areas, viewing multiple assessment data across subjects and years, and for improvement of the decision making process based on available data. The objective is for users to gain functional use of the system solving problems and accessing information and data for authentic purposes in the educational setting.
A research based protocol for looking at data will be used to assist staff in the process of data mining.
Evidence includes use of data in team meetings, parent conferences, faculty meetings, administrative meetings, and staff trainings. Data obtained from the system will be used to inform IEP and ELL goals.
Usage can be validated by logs that show the system is being used by multiple levels of staff to include guidance, administration, teachers, attendance clerks, administrators, and other users.
Start Date: 8/26/2016 End Date: 6/29/2018
Use Data to Drive Decisions
Description:
Adjust instructional practices at the classroom level based on data - evidence of adjustments made for students in lesson plans
Improve schedules for ELL's to maximize language and literacy development - evidence in efficient
student schedules
Improve schedules for IEP students to maximize achievement through best practices - evidence of efficient LS student schedules reflecting least restrictive environment
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Adjust program offerings based on data - evidence of programming adjustments
Identify students in need of intervention based on data - evidence based on lists of students
Identify interventions that are effective based on data - evidence based on analysis of improvement rates and changes in intervention practices
Improve schedules to facilitate seamless instruction for ELL and IEP students - evidence in building
schedules with Response to Intervention time at efficient times - evidence in building schedules
Maximize use of instructional assistants to facilitate achievement - evidence in building schedules aligned with assistant support schedules
Start Date: 6/30/2017 End Date: 6/29/2018
Differentiated Instruction Steering Committee
Description:
A steering committee will be created to research and define a working definition for KCSD of differentiated instruction. At present, there is no common definition that is understood by all within the District. A common definition needs to be established and communicated before the District can move forward effectively.
Evidence of completion will be identification of steering committee members and records of
meetings. The committee will produce a written working definition for differentiated Instruction.
Start Date: 8/28/2015 End Date: 1/29/2016
Differentiation for ELLs
Description:
Once a common working definition of differentiated instruction has been established and communicated by the steering committee, a series of workshops will take place regarding differentiation for ELLs. Teachers will learn about the difference between Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and the Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency Skills (CALPS) necessary to academic achievement. Teachers in all subject areas and grade levels will learn strategies to assist them in differentiated planning and delivery of instruction for ELLs. All staff who work with ELLs will receive a series of trainings.
Evidence of completion includes attendance logs for professional development sessions, plans for differentiation in lesson plans, meeting agenda items regarding differentiation for ELLs, and use of skills and strategies presented in workshops.
Start Date: 1/5/2015 End Date: 1/29/2016