Virginia Foundation for Educational Leadership Virginia Department of Education

Webinar Series2012

Welcome to

Webinar 1

Virginia Foundation of Educational Leadership (VFEL)

Webinar Faculty:

Dr. Roger E. Jones

Dr. Carol C. Robinson

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An Opportunity to explore Eight Elements of Successful High Schools

(http://www.centerii.org/handbook/Resources/Appendix_High_school_improvement.pdf)

Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction Assessment and Accountability Teacher Effectiveness and Professional Growth Student and Family Supports Stakeholder Engagement Leadership Development Organization and Structure Sustainability

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Do Not Overwhelm Your Staff

Help them see the “big picture” and interrelations of the elements

Every school has its own DNA Assess the elements in your school as

foundation for developing a plan

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Webinar 1 Agenda

1. Welcome and Introduction2. Research regarding Element 1: Rigorous

Curriculum and Instruction3. Reflection/Next Steps

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Let’s Get Started

The Eight Elements of High School Improvement Needs Assessment Indicators

The ABCs of School Dropout (Triage) Attendance Behavior Course Performance

Developing the School Improvement Plan

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Objectives Participants will be able to identify the defined

practices and their effectiveness relative to curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Participants will be able to identify steps they can take that will help close the achievement gap.

Participants will be able to describe the requirements of the Virginia College and Career Readiness Initiative.

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Rigorous Curriculum and Instruction – Element 1 Rigorous content and instruction are aligned to

local, state, and national standards. Research- and evidence-based instructional

strategies are incorporated across all content areas for all students.

College and career readiness skills are incorporated across all content areas.

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VFEL Report Findings(2011)

Importance of Vision

Realization that vision was not driving the schools in improvement.

A compelling vision was critically important. Extensive use of data Conversations with faculty about vision, its

meaning, and its implementation with a refocus on identifying what is important and keeping it important

Creating/maintaining belief that each child is important, and everyone is accountable for the success of all.

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Research-based Instructional Strategies

Research-based instructional strategies were emphasized in each division.

Training was provided to all teachers in the use of the strategies.

Principals monitored the use of research-based instructional strategies in the classroom through informal and formal classroom observations.

All schools had implemented a research-based reading program.

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Alignment of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (CIA) Prior to entering school improvement, there was

a lack of tight curriculum alignment. A major effort was made to ensure that the

written, taught, and tested curriculum were congruent.

Curriculum guides, curriculum maps, and pacing guides were developed or rewritten.

Formative assessment became a critical component of the instructional program.

Data was used to place students in remediation programs.

A process for monitoring CIA was put into place.

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Academic Rigor

How is Academic Rigor defined in your school?

How is it defined by your departments? How is it defined by your students? How is it defined by your parents? Are you REALLY CONFIDENT that Academic

Rigor exists in your school? A strategy to develop academic rigor

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Raising RIGOR without increasing READINESS and providing SUPPORT will not increase your graduation rate.

Describe the vertical instructional conversations that are occurring in your building

Department instructional

conversations

What conversations are occurring with the

elementary and middle schools to address this

issue?

What conversations are occurring with the

central office?

Academic Rigor

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Defined Practices Defined practices = the way we do things in

our school (school culture). Remember, every school has its own DNA.

What are the defined practices in your school relative to curriculum, instruction, and assessment and the effectiveness of the strategies?

Examples: research-based strategies such as similarities and differences; using quarterly benchmark data to modify instruction

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Based on a presentation from Pedro A. Noguera, Ph.D. (Graduate School of Education, New York

University) at the Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition,

June 27-29, 2011

The Role of Leadership in Closing the Achievement Gap and Improving the Graduation

Rate

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What we know about the achievement gap

It mirrors other disparities (health, income, employment)

Tends to follow consistent patterns with respect to the race and class of students

External conditions affect academic performance (e.g. health, housing stability, poverty)

Poor students generally are assigned to less qualified teachers

Academic patterns have often been in place for a long time and tend to be accepted as normal

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What we know about student achievement

All students learn but not at the same pace Students who are behind must work harder,

longer and under better conditions Re-think remediation programs

Students who are behind must be taught by competent teachers

Closing the achievement gap requires increased access to rigorous courses and increased academic support for students

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Critical Pieces

Identifying and using research-based instructional strategies

Engaging students in the content and lesson

Effective use of formative assessment Understanding the interrelationship of

instructional elements

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Teaching Framework

The Interconnection and Intentionality of Teaching: Creating Conversations about Teaching and Learning

Using the Teaching Framework document (available on the web

site)

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The Virginia College and Career Readiness Initiative

Ensure that college and career-ready learning standards in reading, writing and mathematics are taught in every Virginia high school classroom

Strengthen students’ preparation for college and the work force before leaving high school

www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/college_career_readiness/index.shtml

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Source: USDOE, NCES, Vocational Education in the United States: Toward the Year 2000, in Issue Brief: Students Who Prepare for College and Vocation

*Grade 8-grade 12 test score gains based on 8th grade achievement.

Low Quartile Students Gain More From College Prep Courses*

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Challenging Curriculum Results in Lower Failure Rates, Even for Lowest Achievers

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Quartile I (Lowest) Quartile 2

Perc

ent E

arn

ing "D

" or "F

"

College Prep Low Level

Source: SREB, “Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link”. Unpublished Draft, 2002.

Ninth-grade English performance, by high/low level course, and eighth-grade reading achievement quartiles

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Virginia College and Career Ready – Math Performance Expectations

Problem solving, decision making, integration

Understanding and applying functions Procedure and calculation Verification and proof www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/

college_career_readiness/expectations/perf_expectations_math.pdf

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Virginia College and Career Ready – English Performance Expectations

Reading Writing Communicating www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/

college_career_readiness/expectations/perf_expectations_english.pdf

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College and Career Ready

College and Career-Ready Standards in Reading and Math

Joint Agreement (Council of Higher Education and Community Colleges) on Performance Expectations Students Must Reach

Capstone Courses in English and Math for Students On Track to Graduate But Who Are Not Fully Prepared for College

Summary

Schools that have achieved increases in student achievement are committed to their vision, the utilization of research-based instructional strategies, increasing academic rigor, and have a defined process for monitoring curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

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Summary

Leadership is the key to closing the achievement gap and increasing graduation rates.

The Virginia College and Career Readiness Initiative ensures that college and career-ready learning standards in reading, writing and mathematics are taught in every Virginia high school classroom.

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Next Step Questions Is my school’s vision:

compelling? clearly articulated? the guiding force in school improvement work?

How is academic rigor defined and implemented? How are research-based strategies incorporated across

all content areas for all students? How do we ensure that content, instruction, and

assessment are aligned? What do teachers know about student engagement and

formative assessment? What is my staff’s collective level of understanding of

college and career readiness?30

Next Steps Have an instructional conversation with each department

around academic rigor, focusing on the following:

1. Does everyone connected to the school KNOW and LIVE your vision?

2. Does the department’s definition of academic rigor align with the school’s vision?

3. Does the curriculum align with the intended academic rigor of the SOLs?

4. Does current instructional practice align with academic rigor? What changes will need to occur in order to ensure academic rigor?

5. Do common assessments and teacher-developed assessments contain the rigor intended by the standards?

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Resources for Element 1The Virginia Model: Profiles and Common Themes.

http://www.edleader.org/Va_Model_Booklet_fini_05%2010%202011.pdf

www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/college_career_readiness/expectations/perf_expectations

www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/college_career_readiness/index.shtml

USDOE, NCES, Vocational Education in the United States: Toward the Year 2000, an Issue Brief: Students Who Prepare for College and Vocation

SREB, “Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link”. Unpublished Draft, 2002.

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The ultimate goal in school improvement is for the

people attached to the school to drive its continuous

improvement for the sake of their own children and

students.Dr. Sam Redding

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