Standards and Curriculum Update Sept. 5, 2014. Rural States Grant Funded by the Hemsley Foundation Intended to support smaller rural states in improving.

Standards and Curriculum Update

Sept. 5, 2014

Rural States Grant

• Funded by the Hemsley Foundation

• Intended to support smaller rural states in improving their implementation of the Common Core

• Awarded to Iowa in June 2013

The grant requires

• Host a Capacity Review – review the status of the Common Core implementation

• Work with the Education Delivery Institute to develop a new plan for Iowa Core implementation

• The Department build a coalition of support for the Common Core – the Iowa Core Commission

Capacity Review

• Held in September 2013• More than 180 people were

invited to participate in focus groups

Recommendations

• Harness the energy surrounding the new director and leadership team to reset expectations.

• Engage the work of Collaborating 4 Kids (C4K) to advance Iowa Core implementation; this work has great potential to be an energizing force.

• Activate your business community to promote your vision for Iowa Core.

Recommendations

• Clearly articulate how the state agency can lead while having respect for local autonomy.

• Coordinate the AEAs to ensure consistency of service across the state.

• Make sure initiatives are woven together in a coherent vision for student learning.

Stocktake Meeting

June 6, 2014

Objectives for Today

We are here is the spirit of ....

1.Understand that the Iowa Core plan is dependent upon system support from leadership

2.Understand challenges and work together to problem solve

3.Understand and agree on next steps to support the plan

9 ©2013 U.S. Education Delivery Institute

EDI’s work focuses on answering the following questions rigorously:

1 What is our system trying to do?

2 How are we planning to do it?

3 At any given moment, how will we know whether we are on track?

4 If not, what are we going to do about it?

Work with national experts

10 ©2013 U.S. Education Delivery Institute

▪Participated in capacity review which identified strengths and challenges of Iowa Core implementation

▪Identified major drivers to address identified challenges and support the Iowa Core implementation

▪Drafted a potential calendar of routines for monitoring progress, including quarterly updates to Leadership

▪Prepare for the routine updates

Setting the stage

Planning

Establishing routines to monitor progress

▪Designated leaders and planning teams for each driver▪Developed implementation plans for each of the drivers

The work to date

11 ©2013 U.S. Education Delivery Institute

For each driver plan, the Iowa Core team:

▪Defined each driver and identified its purpose

▪Articulated the key milestones for each driver

▪Mapped the “delivery chain” through which implementation reaches the field

▪Analyzed the chain and plan for potential risks and identified solutions

▪Identified metrics for measuring progress of implementation

The Plans

12 ©2013 U.S. Education Delivery Institute

▪ Regularly scheduled checkpoints to assess if implementation is on track

▪ Engine that drives implementation forward: Without routines, implementation will stall or eventually fall off the agenda

▪ A source of structure and discipline to create order in complex public sector systems

What are routines?

▪ Monitor performance: Understand if system is on track to deliver aspirations

▪ Diagnose problems: Surface issues that are inhibiting progress and analyze data to pinpoint causes

▪ Address problems: Provide a venue to discuss and decide how to overcome challenges

What purpose do routines serve?

The Routines

13 ©2013 U.S. Education Delivery Institute

In short…

A routine is an opportunity to have the right people in the room having the right conversation at the right time.

Tools for Assessing Progress

Likelihood of delivery

Quality of planning

Category Rating Rationale

Capacity

Evidence of progress

Implementation rating:

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Highly problematic – requires urgent and decisive actionProblematic – requires substantial attention, some aspects need urgent attention

Mixed – aspect(s) require substantial attention, some goodGood – requires refinement and systematic implementation

Key

Overview of Our Plan

This plan represents the Iowa Department of Education’s efforts to leverage a wide range of resources and integrate policies and practices to create a seamless leadership and support system in collaboration with our partners to successfully implement high quality, rigorous standards. The work will focus on ensuring that high quality, rigorous standards are being taught, assessed, and learned in every classroom with a focus on the Iowa Core. Although the vision for this work is long-term, this plan is a summary of the Department’s one- and three-year plan to accomplish this vision.

Our Aspirations

Our Drivers

Driver 1A: Standards with Professional Learning

Determine high quality, rigorous standards and build quality professional learning to move standards to instruction and disseminate that professional development broadly across the state (including both online and face-to-face delivery)

Driver 1B: Instructional Resources and Materials

Identify, compile and distribute instructional resources and materials aligned to the Standards

Driver 1C: Assessment

Build/select high quality assessments aligned to the Standards

Driver 1D: Linkages

Ensure appropriate linkages are made between the Iowa Core standards and other rigorous standards with Multi-tiered Systems of Support, Educator Quality, and School Improvement.

Driver: Standards with Professional LearningIdentify high quality standards; then move standards to instruction through widely-disseminated professional learning

Description: Support the development of a broad array of professional learning designed to meet the diverse needs of teachers, schools, and AEAs across the state. Content leadership teams will design and vet professional learning modules, available through both face-to-face and online delivery, to support the full implementation of the Iowa Core in mathematics, English/language arts, science, social studies, and 21st Century Skills. In addition, the Department will develop an online system for gathering feedback on professional learning delivered in each of the AEAs throughout the state.

Major Milestones: Standards w/Professional Learning

Date Milestone

End of 2013-14 Establish timeline for development and delivery of PD

Beginning of 2014-15

Set targets for numbers of teachers to be reached this year; use revised C-Plan to provide a method of collecting data on district action to support the Iowa Core

End of 2014-15 Feedback on Iowa Core professional learning held in each AEA is collected and analyzed

2015-16 Through C-Plan review and PD data collection, a statewide picture of the status of Iowa Core implementation emerges.

Delivery Chain: Standards

Likelihood of success

Yellow

Quality of planning

Category Rating Rationale

Plan’s success relies on AEA leadership’s collaboration; most will be willing but may have conflicts with other priorities or limited funding to allow them to contribute to the work as needed.

We will begin monitoring progress this year.

Capacity

Evidence of progress

Implementation rating:

Plan has clear connections to the driver outcomes, reflects our current reality, spells out milestones, and identifies a leader who is supported by pre-existing teams.

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Highly problematic – requires urgent and decisive action

Problematic – requires substantial attention, some aspects need urgent attention

Mixed – aspect(s) require substantial attention, some good

Good – requires refinement and systematic implementation

Key

Green

Yellow

Red

Standards w/Professional Learning Driver Status

Driver: Instructional Resources and MaterialsIdentify, compile, and distribute instructional resources and materials aligned to the standards

Description: To promote implementation of the standards, the Department of Education will partner with other stakeholder groups to provide access to instructional resources and materials aligned to the standards. This is done as a service to the field, not a set of mandates and requirements.

Date Milestone

Beginning of this School Year

● Deploy instructional resources and professional learning supports for K-12 ELA, Math

End of Next School Year Complete reviews and secure resources

2015-16 Deploy instructional resources and professional learning supports

Major Milestones: Instructional Materials

Delivery Chain for Instructional Resources and Materials

State AEA

Leadership

Bureau of Standards & Curriculum

District/ school administrators

District/ School

Others

Classroom teachers

Pre-service teachers

Students

AEA Consultants

IHEs

Urban 8 Providers

State organizations

IRRC and other orgs that reach

students

Set vision and expectations

Classroom

Likelihood of success

Yellow

Quality of planning

Category Rating Rationale

We are nearly ready to launch our new website with instructional resources and materials.

Work not started yet..

Capacity

Evidence of progress

Implementation rating:

All parts there, some better developed than others. Additional resources and vetting needed..

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Highly problematic – requires urgent and decisive action

Problematic – requires substantial attention, some aspects need urgent attention

Mixed – aspect(s) require substantial attention, some good

Good – requires refinement and systematic implementation

Key

Yellow

Yellow

Red

Instructional Resources and Materials Driver Status

Driver: Assessment

Description: A comprehensive assessment system requires a toolbox of assessments to

administer that meet a variety of purposes, The content of the assessments must be focused on a common set of standards. In Iowa the common set of standards across our comprehensive assessment system is the Iowa Core. The assessment types include summative assessments at the state, district, building, and classroom levels; universal screeners and progress monitoring assessments within the Multi-Tier System of Supports; district-wide common, interim, or benchmarking assessments to serve as predictors of student success; and classroom instructionally embedded formative assessment processes.

To develop and implement a balanced and comprehensive assessment system that meets the needs of all stakeholders (i.e. legislators, policymakers, community members, parents, students, schools, teachers)

Major Milestones: Assessment

By End of 2013 - 14 School Year

• identify and communicate appropriate questions to be answered by student learning data for each stakeholder group

• use or identify criteria for high quality assessment systems (e.g. CCSSO Tool)

By Beginning of 2014-15 School Year

• begin administration of new alternate AYP assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities (DLM)

• Identify criteria for developing/selecting a set of tools for LEAs to use in choosing district-wide and classroom assessments

Major Milestones: Assessment

By End of of 2014-15 School Year

• Assessment Task Force recommends State AYP Assessment to Legislature

• Provide formative assessment professional learning opportunities for K-12 teachers to support MTSS, K-3 Formative, balanced assessment system

• Provide professional learning for all new assessments (new AYP, ELPA21, Kindergarten Readiness)

Assessment: Delivery Chain

Delivery Chain: Assessment

Likelihood of success

Yellow

Quality of planning

Category Rating Rationale

We have identified individuals and stakeholders at every level critical to the success of the strategies and have administrative support, but those responsible for implementation are lacking the necessary time and resources to effectively implement the strategies. More FTEs are needed at both the state and AEA levels.

We collect and use evidence of progress as soon as it is available and implement feedback loops to make mid-course corrections, but are not purposefully using a variety of data in our decision making process. Too frequently we rely on piecemeal or hearsay information to make mid-course decisions. Sometimes “politics” rule..

Capacity

Evidence of progress

Implementation rating:

Our plan reflects current reality and clear milestones for both the Comprehensive Balanced Assessment System Advisory Committee and the Assessment Task Force. We have a strong team to monitor and drive its ongoing work..

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Highly problematic – requires urgent and decisive action

Problematic – requires substantial attention, some aspects need urgent attention

Mixed – aspect(s) require substantial attention, some good

Good – requires refinement and systematic implementation

Key

Green

Orange

Orange

Assessment Driver Status

Driver: Linkage To build linkages to support the implementation of the Iowa Core and other rigorous standards through creating a collaborative infrastructure for continuous improvement throughout Iowa’s educational system

Description:Through an environmental scan conducted through a collaborative inquiry process,

connections to the Iowa Core and rigorous standards in all other academic content areas will be identified. Then, using the collaborative inquiry process, individuals will identify appropriate actions to take to support the linkages.  Together we will create an action plan around how we will continue to meet collaboratively at Division meetings and to build a structure in which we can communicate between Division meetings.

Major Milestones: Linkages

Beginning of 2014-15

● Hold a retreat for the collaborative inquiry for the Division● Evaluation plan identifying metrics for monitoring implementation

is developed

End of 2014-15

● Evidence of productive collaboration is gathered and reviewed by the Division Planning Team and Division leadership

Delivery chain: Linkages

Likelihood of success

Orange

Quality of planning

Category Rating Rationale

The plan has started to identify the specific linkages and the individuals that are critical to help us with those connection, but we haven’t be able to define who will partner with each linkage. We are not sure we have enough people from our bureau to make all the needed linkages.

Since this is plan for us to push into the work that is lead by others we are struggling about how we might monitor and measure our progress with this drive. We have a plan that focuses on devising a set of collaborative inquiry questions that we will measure the use of the those questions...

Capacity

Evidence of progress

Implementation rating:

Driver has explicit connections to the priority for our bureau, goals from our division and the state board. Accountability measures aligned to these goals need to be determined. “Pushing In” across the department to make linkages is a very realistic plan.

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Highly problematic – requires urgent and decisive action

Problematic – requires substantial attention, some aspects need urgent attention

Mixed – aspect(s) require substantial attention, some good

Good – requires refinement and systematic implementation

Key

Yellow

Orange

Red

Linkages Driver Status

Priority 1: Standards Dashboard

Standards

Driver Quality of planning

Instructional materials

Assessment

Red

Orange

Yellow

Green

Highly problematic – requires urgent and decisive actionProblematic – requires substantial attention, some aspects need urgent attention

Mixed – aspect(s) require substantial attention, some goodGood – requires refinement and systematic implementation

Key

Green

Yellow

Green

Linkages Yellow

Capacity

Yellow

Yellow

Orange

Orange

Evidence of

progress

Red

Red

Orange

Red

Likelihood of

success

Yellow

Yellow

Yellow

Orange

Our Areas of Strength

● We have a strong, state-level plan in place that is simple, shareable, and anticipates and addresses challenges

● We believe in this work and our ability to move it forward● There is strong support for the Iowa Core● The work is more aligned than it has been previously and all

clearly defines cross-department connections to Elmore’s Instructional Core

● The plans and processes we have developed are not content specific, but are generic frameworks for how to approach our work

Our Challenges

● Lack of capacity to support within the SEA, AEA and LEA system

● Ability to collect evidence on the effectiveness of the implementation plan

● Ensuring ongoing and new funding● Inconsistent policies and practices

Turn to a partner and discuss

• What are the strengths of this plan?• What are the weaknesses? • Share out.

Challenge: Lack of Support and Capacity within the SEA, AEA and LEA System

Next steps:

1. Will work with School Improvement to develop a revised model of scaling and implementation that includes all grade levels of literacy, math, science and social studies

Challenge: Ability to collect evidence on the effectiveness of the implementation plan

Next steps:

1. Determine current data collected that can be used to measure implementation of our drivers

2. Determine additional data that needs to be collected

3. Use the assessment framework to evaluate the progress of our drivers

Challenge: Ensuring Ongoing and New Funding

Next steps:

1. Aligning budgeting processes to the drivers

2. Aligning future legislative agendas to funding needed for this plan.

3. Using current funding sources within schools to support implementation

Challenge: Potential misperceptions and unintended consequences of the Iowa Core Resources Project

Next steps:

1. Work with School Improvement to review current requirement within code and their implications for implementing the Iowa Core.

Challenge: Potential misperceptions and unintended consequences of the Iowa Core Resources Project

Next steps:

1. Consensus on what is the working definition is “instructional materials”

2. Define the DE’s long term commitment to determine other resources for the field

3. What should our communication to the field about the Iowa Resources Project?