Content slides for the BOCES Coherence session on 6/29/15

1. Strategic Coherence Planning
Focus & Connect
Jonathan P. Costa, Sr.
June 29th, 2015
http://digitallearningforallnow.com
http://www.slideshare.net/jpcostasr
jpcostasr@gmail.com
Jonathan P. Costa

2. We are trying to create a
shift in thinking…
Analog history
Defense of the past
Improving everything
Uncoupled autonomy
Measure what you have to
Compliance accountable
Just work harder
Digital foundations
Preparation for the future
Make high leverage choices
Connected systems
Measure what is valued
Mission accountable
Aligned coherent action
CCR1

3. Our Mission
To prepare
EVERY student
for learning, life,
and work
beyond school.

4. What do students need to be prepared
to succeed in a world that…
…is digital, flat, open and
pluralistic.
…is unpredictable and
volatile.
…is increasingly
unforgiving to those who
are unskilled.

5. The Pareto
Leverage Principle
Vital
Few

6. Focus Relentlessly on Those Things That Matter Most

7. Commit To High Leverage Choices
Mission
Leadership
Focus
Goals
MeasuresPractices

8. The What: High Leverage Goals for Student Learning
Critical & Creative
Problem Solving
Common Core Venn Diagram – 21st Century Skills Crosswalk - Four Highest Leverage Student Skills
Analyze &
Construct
Arguments Based
on Evidence
Meaningful &
Purposeful
Communication
Digital Literacy
& Information
Fluency

9. Finding Focus – Learning Targets and
Success Criteria for Four High-Leverage, Higher-Order Thinking Skills
Jonathan P. Costa
Meaningful and Purposeful Communication and Collaboration Age Appropriate Critical & Creative Problem-Solving
• Learners develop written, oral, graphic and/or electronic media communications that
convey information/opinion/ response/reaction for a variety of contexts and audiences.
• Learners choose a communication format, including the application of digital tools to
create/support it, that is appropriate, efficient and effective for the purpose and
audience.
• Learners clearly and logically communicate content that is well organized so that
listeners/readers/viewers can follow line of reasoning.
• Learners clearly and logically communicate content that is well organized so that
listeners/readers/viewers can follow line of reasoning.
• Learners respond to audience comments, reactions and suggestions.
• Learners actively engage in communication and there is strong evidence of the
effectiveness of the communication in achieving its purpose.
• Learners engage throughout the process, demonstrate respect, interact positively with
others, and react appropriately to varying situations.
• Learners use critical, deductive processes to create coherent representations of
problems and identify the most important issues that need to be addressed for the
problem solving process to be successful.
• Learners formulate and ask questions to clarify information to improve responses and
approaches.
• Learners identify creative, potential solutions and then apply criteria or decision
making to narrow the choices to viable potential solutions.
• Learners plan and implement their solutions, monitoring and adjusting the process as
necessary.
• Learners reflect critically on learning experiences and problem solving processes.
• Learners demonstrate resilience and persevere in the process of solving or attempting
to solve difficult problems
Analyzing and Constructing Arguments Based on Evidence Obtaining Digital Literacy & Information Fluency
• Learners distinguish between fact and opinion and identify when the use of each is
appropriate.
• Learners identify an argument’s progression and instances where logic is faulty or
parts are unconnected.
• Learners listen, view or read arguments and render opinions supported by
information, other opinions and/or experiences.
• Learners construct arguments for specific purposes incorporating data, definitions,
and established results.
• Learners present and share arguments using appropriate methods for audience and
purpose.
• Learners question each other’s assumptions and premises and use these interactions to
strengthen their own arguments.
• Learners incorporate a variety of resources, including digital resources, to support
communication, solve problems, and engage in inquiry as pathways to support the
construction of new learning.
• Learners use appropriate search and access strategies are used to acquire information
from a variety of sources to provide a foundation for addressing problems using
inquiry based strategies.
• Learners evaluate, organize, and synthesize information when constructing responses
and can provide a supporting rationale for their actions.
• Learners use digital resources and tools to extend learning beyond the course content
and support their own personalized learning experiences.
• Learners use digital tools and information resources that demonstrate the appropriate
application of the ethical and legal guidelines that define digital citizenship

10. Finding Focus – History Teacher Example
Aligning Goals for Learning – Constructing Arguments
District Level
(focus on all)
• Construct and defend arguments based
on evidence.
Building/Discipline
(focus on group)
• Construct and defend
historical arguments based on
evidence.
Course/Level
(focus on the class)
• Create and present a critical
stance argument based on
evidence from specific
historical events.
Jonathan P. Costa

11. Coherence
Begins With
Student
Learning
Focus
1. Universal High Leverage Skill Goal
(everyone)
• District level targets
2. Building, Department or Course Goals
(most)
• Building level targets
3. Class Goals
(some)
• Classroom level targets
Jonathan P. Costa
Finding Focus
Aligning Multiple Goals for Learning

12. Until everyone can
have the same
thing, no one can
have anything.
Equitably deficient.

14. Disruptive
Questions
What would an “open
phone test” look like?
What happens when
everyone can get
anything from
anywhere?

15. The More You DO,
The More You Learn
Passive
Superficial
Active Involvement
Engaged & Empowered
*Adapted from National Training Laboratories, Bethel, Maine

16. Shifting from Single Source to Crowd Source
Single Source
Read the part of Chapter
6 that describes the
Boston Massacre and be
prepared to answer the
end of section review
questions.
Crowd Source
1. Team One find 5 historical
narratives by different authors
2. Team Two find 5 primary source
documents from the trial
3. Team Three find 5 British history
references and opinions
4. Team Four find 5
contemporaneous editorials.
- Be prepared to share your work and
write a summary of the event that
combines data from all four teams.

17. Coherence Is Supported
by Assessment
Value
Reliability

18. 1. Philosophy – the role that assessment plays in your system – differences of
formative and summative – thinking about the differences between growth
and accountability and how to balance them in practice.
2. Technical Capacity
• Constructing effective rubrics – measuring what you value
• Designing rubric aligned tasks – connecting it to practice
• Scoring protocols – build capacity to judge student work
• Data collection and analysis tools – how to use the results
3. Systems effectiveness
• Organization of the weight of your assessments – inventory
4. Practice
Building Assessment Capacity

19. Explicitly Connect Foundational Systems
Mission
Leadership
Focus
Goals
MeasuresPractices

20. Coherence Pathways
G = Goals P = Practices M= Measures Jonathan P. Costa S= Students A = Adults O = District/Building
Leadership
Focus
Engagement
Ownership
Rigor
Alignment
Mission
To prepare every
student for
learning, life, and
work in the 21st
century.

21. Student Data
Driving
Instructional
Practices &
Decision
Making
Instruction
Driving
Improved
Measures
Professional
Practice
Driving
Improved
Measures
Systems
Driving
Improved
Measures
Adult Data
Driving
Professional
Learning &
Decision
Making
Organizational
Data
Driving
Systems
Decision
Making

22. Student
Goals
- Common
Core/21st
Century Skills
& Content
Professional
Goals
Evaluation & support
goals, SLOs, focus
goals & other
Organizational
Goals
Improvement targets
related to DPI,
SPI or other goals
Instructional
Strategies
CC/21CS goal
aligned
teaching
methods
& strategies
Assessing
Learning
PARCC &
other valued
summative,
formative,
standardized and
non-
standardized
measures
Professional
Growth
Aligned with
high leverage
student goals
and
PL Standards
Professional
Measurement
60
40
Organizational
Plans
District or
building
level plans
or strategies
aligned with PL
Standards
Organizational
Measures
District and
Building level
data
Other…
What Goes Where? GoalsMeasuresPractices

23. Align Your Systems With Your Goals for Learning
Type of
Assessment
Required
Subject Area
Responsibilities
Everyone’s
Responsibility
Content
(Declarative)
Facts
Content Skills
(Procedural)
Discrete Skills
4 High Leverage Goals
(Contextual)
CCSS/Digital Learning
Type of
Knowledge
Desired
Type of
Instruction
Required
Lecture, video,
films, assigned
readings and
memory activities.
Classroom or textbook
problems, experiments,
discussions, practice and
repetition.
Complex projects,
real time explorations,
authentic and relevant
skill applications.
Amount of
Time
Required
Discrete units,
spiraled and
predictable.
Ongoing, systemic and
without a finite
or predictable end.
Discrete units,
spiraled and
predictable.
Recall & recognition
based quizzes, tests,
and activities. Multiple
choice, matching, etc.
(SAT/AP/Exams)
Checklists,
analytic rubrics,
or other agreed upon
skill standards
(AP/SB/CAPT/Exams)
Holistic and,
analytic rubrics,
or other agreed upon
standards of rigor
(Portfolios, Exhibitions, SB)

24. Balance of Practice
• It is a matter of demonstrated reality
that if these level and domain
connections are missing or weak then
district or building level improvement
time, energy, and capital is being
wasted.
• In the end, this process is about
focusing and connecting practice so
that all of your hard work results in
improved outcomes for students in the
areas you feel matter most.

25. Three Pathways to Coherence
• Key elements are all present.
• All existing improvement elements can be identified and
or categorized so connections are evident to all.
• Only minor adjustments required to improve connections.
Re-align
• Some key elements are present but connections between
them are weak, missing or lack focus
• Adjustments and reframing of key goals, measures and
domain connections are required for coherence
Re-frame
• Key elements are missing or lack focus
• Comprehensive analysis and re-design of goals, measures
and practices are required or desired across domains to
create coherence.
Re-design

26. Essential Questions for Ensuring Alignment within the Coherence Framework
Goals Measures of Success Practices/Strategies Leadership/Focus
What are the most important
high leverage skills (Learning
Targets) students need to
achieve success in life learning
and work beyond school?
How will we measure the
growth of student progress
toward mastery of these skills
/learning targets (Success
Criteria and performance
scales)
What are the most critical
teaching behaviors and practices
that I need to apply to support
the growth of these
skills/learning targets for my
students?
Are there success conditions I
need to be aware of as an
instructional leader that will
help ensure success, focus and
coherence at the student
learning level?
What are the growth targets for
my students for our high
leverage skills (Learning Targets)
and what is my professional
practice focus/goal related to
mastering high leverage teaching
behaviors?
What are the growth target
measurements and professional
practice target measurements I
will use to gauge my success in
reaching my goals?
What professional learning
strategies would be most helpful
to build my own capacity to
meet my students goals and my
professional practice indicators?
How am I changing conditions as
an instructional leader to ensure
success, focus and coherence at
the most appropriate
professional practice level?
As a district, what are we doing
to focus the entire learning
community on the importance
and necessity of our most
important high leverage skills
(Learning Targets)?
What are our most important
critical student success indicators
and how do we report them at
the building and district level to
all our stakeholders.
What professional learning plans
and strategies will create the
best opportunity for building the
professional capacity we need to
help our students meet our
Learning Targets school/district?
How am I changing conditions as
a building district leader to
ensure success, focus and
coherence at the building and
district level?
1. Student Level
(focus on the student)
2. Professional Level
(focus on the adult)
3. Building/District
Level
(focus on the whole)

27. Ensuring Planning Alignment within the Coherence Framework
Goals Measures of Success Practices/Strategies Leadership/Focus
What are the most important high
leverage skills I am going to focus on?
What are our success criteria for high
leverage skills and what assessments
we will use to determine how well our
students are performing?
How will I use the results of these
assessments to adjust my own teaching
to increase engagement and student
success?
Are there success conditions within my
own classroom that I need to change to
support this work?
What are the growth targets for my
students for our high leverage skills and
what is my professional practice
focus/goal related to mastering high
leverage teaching behaviors?
What are the growth target
measurements and professional practice
target measurements I will use to gauge
my success in reaching my goals?
What professional learning strategies
would be most helpful to build my own
capacity to build student success as
indicated by my student’s results?
How am I supporting professional
practice and contributing to success
conditions to support student
acquisition of our high leverage skills?
As a district, what are we doing to focus
the entire learning community on the
importance and necessity of our most
important high leverage skills?
What are our most important critical
student success indicators and how do
we report them at the building and
district level to all our stakeholders.
What professional learning plans and
strategies will create the best
opportunity for building the professional
capacity to support student success as
indicated by our building/district level
data?
How am I changing conditions as a
building district leader to ensure
success, focus and coherence for
student success at the building and
district level?
1. Student Level
Plans
(focus on the student)
2. Professional Level
Plans
(focus on the adult)
3. Building/District
Level Plans
(focus on the whole)

28. Ensuring Planning Alignment within the Coherence Framework (Multiple Goal Version)
Goals Measures of Success Practices/Strategies Leadership/Focus
District Level District Level District Level Classroom Level
Building Level (Optional) Building Level (Optional) Building Level (Optional)
Classroom Level (Optional) Classroom Level (Optional) Classroom Level (Optional)
District Level District Level District Level Professional Level
Building Level (Optional) Building Level (Optional) Building Level (Optional)
Classroom Level (Optional) Classroom Level (Optional) Classroom Level (Optional)
District Level District Level District Level Building/District Level
Building Level (Optional) Building Level (Optional) Building Level (Optional)
1. Student Level
Plans
(focus on the
student in the
classroom)
2. Professional
Level Plans
(focus on the adult
in the building)
3.
Building/District
Level Plans
(focus on the
whole)

29. Remember, if it says “Goal,” it should be about
what the student is learning….(Learning Target)
1. Student Goals
(focus on the student)
• Every student will create and present a proficient
critical stance argument based on evidence from
specific historical events from American History.
2. Adult/Classroom Goals
(focus on the group)
• All of my developing students will
proficiently construct and defend grade
level historical arguments based on
evidence.
3. Building/District Goals
(focus on the whole)
• All students will
construct and
defend arguments
based on evidence.
Jonathan P. Costa

30. 1. The district has identified, defined and committed to supporting a focused
vision of a successful graduate (including a set of appropriate student
learning goals) that will ensure student success in life, learning and work
beyond school.
2. The district has committed to supporting instructional and adult learning
strategies that ensure rigorous, digitally supported pedagogical
experiences aligned with the district’s student goals.
3. The district uses and reports on appropriate measures of student and adult
success that are aligned with its student learning goals.
4. The district aligns its organizational systems to support the acquisition of
its student learning goals.
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Costa - Strategic Coherence Planning Focus - Connect

31. Strategic Coherence Planning Process
Commit to
Principles
of Coherence
Planning
- Focus
- Measure
- Connect
- Foundational
Planning
Assumptions
Data Scan
Internal and
External
Performance and
alignment of
foundational and
supporting systems
of student
learning.
Aligning
Actions With
Strategic
Focus
- Strategies
- Actions
- Outcomes
- Timelines
- Responsibilities
- Innovation
Configuration
Mapping
Results
Analysis
Identifying
patterns and
priorities
Defining the gap
between desired
and current
state.
Focus
Setting
Mission
Beliefs
Priority
Strategic Goals
Indicators of
Success