Slides for the kick-off of Coherence Planning in Bolton

1. Planning for Strategic Coherence
Focus, Measure, & Connect
Bolton Public Schools
January 7th 2015
http://digitallearningforallnow.com
http://www.slideshare.net/jpcostasr
costa@educationconnection.org
Jonathan P. Costa

2. It
Really
Is
Pretty
Simple
What?
So
What?
Now
What?

3. What Will Success Look Like?
To justify the investment of time and
resources, when completed, the Bolton
Strategic Plan should:
1. Command respect and derive support
from a broad cross-section of the Bolton
Public School community.
2. Articulate 2-4 priority strategic goals that
will serve as key areas of developmental
focus over the next several years.
3. Provide suggested indicators of success,
strategies and action plans for
continuously improving performance
and/or building capacity in those areas of
focus.

4. Planning Assumptions
a) Starting from a position of strength – this is an
exercise of focus, alignment and integration
b) A systems orientation
c) Three principles of coherence

5. Goals for
Learning
Assessment
& Measurement
Professional
Learning
Professional
Evaluation
Curriculum &
Communication
Instructional
Practices
Resource
Deployment
Leadership
Focus

6.  Systemic
 Predictable
 Controllable
Common
Causes
 Random
 Unpredictable
 Beyond Control
Special
Causes
Common and Special Causes
One of Deming’s most significant insights.
Mission
Driven
Decision
Making
In-Context
Problem
Solving

7. 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

8. The Pareto
Leverage Principle
Vital
Few
Some things
are more
important
than others.
20/80

9. Data Based Decision Making
• Asking the questions, “How
do we know (Effect Data)
and “What are we doing
(Cause Data)?” and “How
are these things
connected?”
• How do we use cause and
effect data to guide
evaluation and support
decision making at every
level of the organization?

10. Coherence Pathways
G = Goals P = Practices M= Measures
Mission
Every child
successful in life,
learning and work.
Theory of Action
Focus
Measure
Connect

11. all the
stuff we
have to
do,
and all
the stuff
we
should
do.

12. The Evolution of Educational Reform (Have to Do)
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
Areas of Before 1986 NCLB 2001 PA12-116 2012

13. You probably recognize…
© Corwin Press - 2011
… that the culture
served by this model
of teaching and
learning is
already gone.

14. Our world has changed…
1. It is digital, flat, open
and pluralistic.
2.It is unpredictable and
volatile.
3.It is increasingly
unforgiving to those
who are unskilled.

15. Less
paper,
more
pixels.

16. In ONE
Generation…
From going out of
your way to
communicate - to
going out of your
way not to.

17. Newsela
Try doing
this
in real
time
with
analogue
materials.

18. Impact on
learning…
You must
(eventually) get
out of the
textbook
business.

19. Less about
what device
you have,
more
about what
you do with it.

20. Your
browser
is the
equalizer.

21. The
cloud
is a
liberator.

22. Less single
source,
more
crowd
source.

23. Shifting from Single Source to Crowd Source
Old School
“Read the part of
Chapter 6 on the
Boston Massacre and
be prepared to answer
questions.”
New School
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.

24. Less
just in case,
more
just in time.

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

26. The Process for Research and Data Collection
Compared to
Leading to

27. 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
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

28. Student
Goals
- Connecticut
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
Smarter
Balanced &
other valued
summative,
formative,
standardized and
non-
standardized
measures
Professional
Growth
Aligned with
high leverage
student goals
and
PL Standards
Professional
Measurement
45
40
Organizational
Plans
District or
building
level plans
or strategies
aligned with PL
Standards
Organizational
Measures
DPI
SPI
5
10
Other…
What Goes Where? GoalsMeasuresPractices

29. The Foundation
Mission Statement
Bolton’s schools are committed to providing an educational environment in which all students discover
and work toward achieving their maximum potential and where they develop the skills and motivation
to become lifelong learners.
Vision Statement
The Bolton School System believes in the development of capable, ethical, healthy, responsible and
intellectually reflective citizens.
We believe…
• That excellence in education is an indispensable investment in the future of the individual student,
our community and society.
• That the Bolton schools will demonstrate a commitment to excellence.
• That the development of each child as a unique, whole person (spirit, mind and body) is the shared
responsibility of the family, the school and the community.
• That it is important for students to recognize and value excellence in all things.
• In helping students set and meet high expectations for themselves.
• In encouraging our students to develop intellectual curiosity, creativity and persistence.
• That all students must acquire the knowledge, skills and values necessary for lifelong learning and
good citizenship.
• That excellent outcomes require the on-going commitment of time, talent, energy and resources.
• That open and on-going communication among all members of the community is essential in order
to fulfill the mission of the Bolton Public Schools.

30. District Goals
1. All students will demonstrate performance standards in critical thinking and
reasoning and meet rigorous core academic content* standards by accessing,
interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating ideas and information, drawing evidence-
based conclusions, synthesizing new learning with prior knowledge and reflecting
critically on learning.
2. All students will demonstrate performance standards in collaboration and
communication and meet rigorous core academic content* standards by participating
effectively in a variety of experiences, actively listening and responding to the ideas
of others, sharing responsibility for outcomes, articulating ideas clearly in a multiple
formats and using technology tools to enhance communication.
3. All students will demonstrate performance standards in problem solving and
innovation and meet rigorous core academic content* standards by identifying
problems, analyzing data, asking questions, utilizing a variety of resources, thinking
flexibly, making connections and seeking practical, innovative, and entrepreneurial
solutions.
4. All students will demonstrate performance standards in self-direction and
resourcefulness and meet rigorous core academic content* standards by exploring
interests, taking initiative, setting learning goals, demonstrating persistent effort,
adapting to change with resiliency and exhibiting ethical leadership and responsible
citizenship.

31. 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)

32. Four Research Groups
1. Goals for Learning – how do our curricular and
instructional support materials align with our
District Goals for Learning?
2. Teaching and Learning Systems– how do our
teaching practices, improvement mechanisms
and evaluation systems align with our goals for
learning?
3. Assessment/Accountability practices – how do
our assessment and measurement systems align
with our goals for learning, teaching practices,
and the demands of data driven instruction?
4. Systems Alignment, Coherence, and External
Factors - how do all other supporting systems
align with these priorities and what, if any
external factors should we be aware of moving
forward?

33. Each Group -
1. Agree on the scope and
meaning of the “what we
want” content.
2. Create a research/data
gathering strategy to
determine “what we are
doing.”
3. Identify and report on the
gap between #1 and #2.

34. What We Want Summary
1. Goals for Learning – a clear sense of the most important
district goals for learning and evidence that they are
known and understood throughout the district.
2. Teaching and Learning Systems– an understanding of
the most effective instructional practices that help to
support the district’s most important goals for learning.
3. Assessment/Accountability practices – reliable data at
each level of the organization that informs practices on
the district mission and goals for learning.
4. Systems Alignment, Coherence, and External Factors –
solid alignment of all supporting systems (remember
the stacked pies) with these priorities and plans for
dealing with any disruptive external factors that could
impact district success.

35. Using Google Docs…
If you are having issues with Googledocs…
Send me an email to request access if you can’t get
in. costa@educationconnection.org
1. Because it is a Google product, it likes Chrome
better than other browsers. It is historically a
challenge to work on it through iPads.
2. Remember – at least in the four sub group documents,
you can edit – if you delete it, it goes away for
everyone. So – plan your changes accordingly.
3. These are designed to be collaborative tools – use
them for that!

36. Planning Resources
Common Core State Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/
Connecticut SEED (Educator Evaluation)
http://www.connecticutseed.org
NEASC Standards
http://cpss.neasc.org/selfstudy_onsite_visit/selfstudy_materials_for_2012_schools/
Public Act 12-116
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/act/pa/pdf/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.pdf
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/smarter-balanced-assessments/
To view these slides and access these links:
www.slideshare.net/jpcostasr
Look for – “Bolton planning materials intro share”

37. Contact Information
Jonathan P. Costa, Sr.
Director, School/Program Services
EDUCATION CONNECTION
costa@educationconnection.org
860-567-0863
To view slides:
www.slideshare.net/jpcostasr
Look for – “Bolton planning materials intro share”
Book Web Page:
www.digitallearningforallnow.com