Slides from the September 19 presentation at CAPSS

1. Finding Coherence
Focus, Measure, & Connect
Jonathan P. Costa, Sr.
September, 19th 2014
http://digitallearningforallnow.com
http://www.slideshare.net/jpcostasr
costa@educationconnection.org
Jonathan P. Costa

2. The Evolution of Educational Reform (Have to Do)
Areas of Before 1986 NCLB 2001 PA12-116 2012
Focus
Learning Goals
Assessment Protocols
Accountability
Teacher Prep
Curriculum
Testing Tools
Student Abilities
Instructional Focus
Inputs/Outputs
Universal Access
Locally Determined
Rank and Sort
No News is Good News
Get A Degree
Table of Contents
Pencil & Paper
Grouped & Labeled
Teacher Dependent
Ready for K - 59.9 to Leave
Universal Proficiency
State by State
Tests for ALL
Label Failing Schools
Certifications & BEST
State Standards &
Frameworks
Pencil & Paper With
Performance Tasks
Integrated (N=40)
Standards Aligned
Need for Pre-School
Skill Demonstrations
Universal Measures
46 State Consortia
(Math, LA, Science)
Smarter Balance
(IPI) for All
Ranking Every District, School
and Teacher
Certifications, TEAM,
and SEED
Multi-State
Unified Standards
Digital With
Performance Tasks
Integrated & Scrutinized
(N=20)
Common Core Aligned
And Digitally Supported
Pre-K and Full-K Standards
Demonstrations & Tests

3. Coherence Can be Found in the Convergence of These Forces

4. Three Principles of Coherence
Measure
what you
value
Value
what you
measure
Priority
Student
Learning
Priority
Adult
Learning
Priority
Systems
Learning
Student
Learning
Adult
Learning
Systems
Learning
Focus Data Connections

5. Coherence Pathways
Mission
To develop in all
children the
knowledge, skills,
attitudes and
values...
Theory of Action
Focus
Measure
Connect
G = Goals P = Practices M= Measures Jonathan P. Costa S= Students A = Adults O = District/Building

6. Coherence Pathways – 10,000 Foot View Leadership
Domain One
Student Learning
S-G Goals for Student Learning
• All goals for student
learning
A-G Goals for Professional Learning
• All goals for adult
learning
O-G Goals for Building and District
• All building or district
improvement goals
Focus
Measure
Connect
O-M
Building &
District
Measures
All the
ways we
measure
building
and
district
progress.
A-M
Professional
Measures
All the
ways we
measure
individual
adult
learning
and
practice.
S-M
Student
Measures
All the
ways we
measure
student
learning.
To prepare every
student for
learning, life, and
work in the 21st
O-P
Mission
century.
Building &
District Practices
All the
plans we
make for
buildings
and
district
progress
A-P
Professional
Learning
Practices
All the
ways
we lead
adults
to learn
S-P
Instructional
Practices
All the
ways we
lead
students
to
learning
Domain Two
Professional Learning
Domain Three
Organizational Learning
Goals
Mission
Leadership
Practices Focus Measures
G = Goals P = Practices M= Measures Jonathan P. Costa S= Students A = Adults O = District/Building

7. 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

8. Coherence Pathways – 5,000 Foot View Leadership
Domain One
Student Learning
S-G Goals for Student Learning
• Connecticut Core/21st
Century Skills &
Content
A-G Goals for Professional Learning
• Evaluation & support
goals, SLOs, focus
goals & other
O-G Goals for Building and District
• Improvement targets
related to DPI, SPI or
other goals
Focus
Measure
Connect
O-M
Building &
District
Measures
DPI
SPI
5
10
Other…
A-M
Professional
Measures
45
40
(5/10)
S-M
Student
Measures
Smarter
Balanced &
other valued
summative,
formative,
standardized
and non-standardized
measures
To prepare every
student for
learning, life, and
work in the 21st
O-P
Mission
century.
Building &
District Practices
District or
building
level
plans or
strategies
A-P
Professional
Learning
Practices
Job
focused
& aligned
with
45
5
40
10
S-P
Instructional
Practices
CC/21CS
goal
aligned
teaching
methods
&
strategies
Domain Two
Professional Learning
Domain Three
Organizational Learning
Goals
Mission
Leadership
Practices Focus Measures
G = Goals P = Practices M= Measures Jonathan P. Costa S= Students A = Adults O = District/Building

9. Teachers
As
Student
Coaches
Data
Supporting
Reflective
Practice
Data
Supporting
Reflective
Practice
Data
Supporting
Reflective
Practice
Administrators
As
Instructional
Coaches
District
Staff
As
Administrator
Coaches

10. Teachers
As
Student
Coaches
Data
Supporting
Reflective
Practice
Administrators
As
Instructional
Coaches
District
Staff
As
Administrator
Coaches

11. Coherence
Begins With
Student
Learning
Focus
Decision Making Considerations
Predicting Improvement
Makes
connections
between
student goals
and measures.
Makes
connections
between student
goals, measures,
and instructional
practices.
Evidence of some
connections
between student
level activities
and adult level
activities of
similar purpose.
Strong
connections
among and
between all of
the domains
and all of the
levels.
Jonathan P. Costa

12. 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

13. My Coherence Pathways Leadership
S-G Goals for Student Learning A-G Goals for Professional Learning O-G Goals for Building and District
Focus
Measure
Connect
O-M
Building & District
Measures
A-M
Professional Measures
S-M
Student Measures
Mission
To prepare every
student for
learning, life, and
work in the 21st
century.
O-P
Building & District
Practices
S-P
Instructional Practices
A-P Professional
Learning Practices
Goals
Practices Measures
G = Goals P = Practices M= Measures Jonathan P. Costa S= Students A = Adults O = District/Building

14. Five Essential Connections for Coherence
1. Goals for Learning
Focus
2. Student Measures
Measure
3. Instructional Practices
Connect
4. Professional Components
(F, M, C)
5. Organizational Components
(F, M, C)
What are your most important,
high leverage goals for learning?
How will you know if you are
improving?
What instructional improvements
will have the greatest impact on
our performance?
How will our professional
components connect with and
reflect these priorities?
How will our organizational
components reflect and support
these priorities?
Priority Improvement Goals from
Common Core/21st Century
Aligned Assessment Data to Measure
Growth over Time
Aligned instructional Improvement
Grounded in TVAL Rubric
Aligned Goals and Data Tied to Student
Measures and Reflected in DPI/SPI
Aligned District and Building Plans That
Facilitate Alignment of Resources
Goals
Measures
Practices
Goals
Measures
Practices

15. 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
CC/21st Cent. Skills
(Contextual)
Applied Understandings
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)

16. Coherence Begins With Student Learning Focus
CC ELA
CC Math 21st CS
Jonathan P. Costa
E1/M3/21 - Demonstrate independent comprehension in reading
complex texts/viewing media.
E2/21 - Build a strong base of knowledge through content rich texts or
other appropriate sources of information.
E3/E6/M5/21 – Use digital tools to obtain, evaluate, synthesize, and
report findings/information clearly and effectively in response to a
variety of tasks and purposes.
M3/E4 - Construct and engage in viable arguments based on evidence
and critique reasoning of others.
E1/E3/E5/21 - Read, write, produce and speak grounded in evidence for
a variety of purposes and audiences.
M1/M2/M8/21 - Make sense of problems and persevere in solving
them.
E7/21 - Come to understand other perspectives & cultures through
reading, listening, and collaborations
M7/21 - Demonstrate innovation, flexibility and adaptability in thinking
patterns, work habits, and working/learning conditions.
M4/E7/21 - Value and demonstrate personal responsibility, character,
cultural understanding, and ethical behavior.

17. Coherence
Begins With
Student
Learning
Focus
Discrepancy Gap Analysis Matrix
Universal Skills – Leverage Points
Universal Skill Set Importance &
Impact
Your Own
Practice
Total Score
Ranking
E1/21 - Demonstrate independence in reading complex texts or viewing
media and writing, speaking or producing content about them. 7 5 12
E2/21 - Build a strong base of knowledge through content rich texts or
other appropriate sources of information. 6 4 10
E3/21 – Use digital tools to obtain, evaluate, synthesize, and report
findings/information clearly and effectively in response to a variety of tasks
and purposes. 5 6 11
M3/E4 - Construct and engage in viable arguments based on evidence and
critique reasoning of others. 8 9 16
E5/21 - Read, write, produce and speak grounded in evidence for a variety
of purposes and audiences. 9 8 17
M1/M2/M8/21 - Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them 4 3 7
E6/21 - Come to understand other perspectives & cultures through reading,
listening, and collaborations 2 2 4
21 - Demonstrate innovation, flexibility and adaptability in thinking
patterns, work habits, and working/learning conditions. 3 7 10
E7/21 - Value and demonstrate personal responsibility, character, cultural
understanding, and ethical behavior 1 1 2
Common Core Portrait Statements / EDUCATION CONNECTION - Costa – 21st Century Skills Crosswalk Jonathan P. Costa

18. Coherence Is Supported
by Assessment
Jonathan P. Costa
Value
Reliability

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

20. Coherence
Begins With
Student
Learning
Focus
1. Universal Skills
SLO
(everyone)
• District
level
targets
2. Building,
Department or
Course SLO
(most)
IAGDs are
always at the
classroom level.
• Building
level
targets
3. Personal SLO
(some)
• Classroom
level
targets
Jonathan P. Costa
Finding Focus
Aligning Goals for Learning

21. Coherence
Begins With
Student
Learning
Focus
Finding Focus
Aligning Goals for Learning
1. Universal Goals
(engage everyone)
• Construct and defend
arguments based on
evidence.
2. Content Area or
Grade Level Goals
(engage the
group)
• Construct and defend
historical arguments based
on evidence.
3. Personal Goals
(engage the
person)
• Create and present
a critical stance
based on evidence
from specific
historical events.
Jonathan P. Costa

22. Focused Learning Practice

23. Five Essential Connections
High Leverage Student Learning Goals (Focus)
Aligned Assessments of Learning (Measure)
Aligned Instructional Improvements (Connect)
Aligned Professional Components (F, M, C)
Aligned Organizational Components (F, M, C)

24. Coherence Pathways – Danbury Leadership
S-G Goals for Student Learning
• Critical stance
• Problem solving
A-G Goals for Professional Learning
• Administrator goals - SLO
(45%) and leadership focus
goals (40%)
• Teacher goals – SLO (45%)
and instructional focus goals.
O-G Goals for Building and District
• Board Goals
• Superintendent’s Goals
• District Goals (Strategic Plan)
• Building/Program Goals
(Building based improvement
plan)
Focus
Measure
Connect
O-M
Building & District
Measures
- Data points that
are derived from
the Student
Measures and
Professional
Measures and are
reflective of
success in mastery
of the four key
skill areas.
A-M
Professional Measures
-Administrator
measures - SLO
(45%) and
leadership focus
measures (40%)
Teacher
measures – SLO
(45%) and
instructional focus
measures.
S-M
Student Measures
- Existing CMT/CAPT data
related to the two key
skills
- Potential/eventual
Smarter Balanced
assessment items
that are aligned with
identified behaviors.
- Local assessments
that are aligned with
each of the two key
skills and the
identified behaviors
that demonstrate
successful mastery
Mission
To prepare every
student for
learning, life, and
work in the 21st
century.
O-P
Building & District
Practices
- BOE Strategic Plan -
with master district
strategies to help build
capacity around
instruction and
assessment in the four
key skill areas.
- Building based
improvement plans,
aligned where
appropriate with district
plan, with building
based strategies to build
capacity and around
instruction and
assessment in the four
skill areas.
A-P Professional
Learning Practices
- Professional
learning resources
are delivered at the
point of contact and
need to build
proficiency in the
instructional
practices most
required for success.
- These professional
learning resource
pools are connected
to the (S-P) and
captured by the
plans in the (O-P)
S-P
Instructional Practices
Practices Measures
Instructional
practices are
identified based on
their ability to
support the
development of
proficiency required
for success in the
two key skill areas.
Goals
G = Goals P = Practices M= Measures Jonathan P. Costa S= Students A = Adults O = District/Building

25. Any Public Schools Coherence Planning
Phase One Tasks
Required Step Outcome Resource/Resp. Date Due
Priority observable, measureable
behaviors set.
Professional staff finalize observable behaviors in the priority skill
areas. These will set the foundation for assessment and data
reporting.
Existing assessment inventory and data
collection
Professional staff inventory current standardized and non-standardized
assessments aligned with priority skill areas.
External assessment alignment
Professional staff identify potential future Smarter Balance
assessments aligned with priority skill areas so that internal
assessment practices will compliment and not duplicate future
work.
Professional development alignment
Professional staff identify existing high leverage professional
practice instructional and leadership strategies aligned with priority
skill areas.
Review existing future plans
All current plans for improvement at all levels are reviewed and
adjusted to reflect the focus on high leverage skills and move the
district in the direction of coherence.
Technical Assistance and monitoring plan
External consultant commits to ongoing facilitation, technical
support and fidelity monitoring of Coherence Plan implementation
Communicate the plan
Superintendent and Board communicate plans and rationale to all
impacted constituents

26. Year One Coherence Planning: Phase II Tasks
Required Step Outcome Resource/Resp. Date Due
SLO Alignment All professional staff have at least one SLO based on student performance (non-standardized)
in one of the two priority skill areas
40% Alignment All professional staff have a professional practice goal (aligned with 40%) that
can be associated with the priority skill area
Professional growth Professional learning plans are aligned with and support teacher professional
practice and SLO goals in the priority skill area.
Coherence Checkpoint #1
Central office and/or others convene by the end of November with consultant to
review district SLO and professional growth goals and monitor assessment
plans.
Assessment creation and implementation
Professional staff continue to identify need and create and refine assessment
practices around the priority skill and identify areas in the upcoming Smarter
Balanced assessments – including new interim assessments – that will be used
to inform priority skill performance.
Assessment Plan created and implemented
A plan to generate baseline student data and student work samples in the two
priority skill areas at elementary, middle and high school performance levels is
created and implementation begins.
Coherence Checkpoint #2 Central office and/or others convene by the end of February with consultant to
review and monitor assessment plans and implementation progress.
Baseline data collected Baseline standardized and non-standardized data created through the
implementation of the assessment plan is collected.
Baseline data analyzed
Baseline standardized data associated with priority skills are mapped and
analyzed with strength and weakness recommendations reported to Central
Office, planning team, and Board of Education.
Coherence Checkpoint #3
Central office and/or others convene by the end of June with consultant to
 review district SLO and professional growth goal results
 review the baseline student performance data
 adjust Year Two Tasks as needed based on reported results and Year
One Reflections