This document discusses best practices for continuous improvement in curriculum, instruction, and assessment to improve student achievement. It advocates for a continuous improvement model with standards-based curriculum and assessments that are frequently used to analyze qualitative and quantitative data. Key elements for success include clear learning standards, regular data meetings, rigorous instructional design and feedback, and professional development focused on improving teaching. The ultimate goal is improving student outcomes, as research shows students learn more when placed with high-performing teachers who receive ongoing feedback and work within a guaranteed, standards-based curriculum.

2. Grade level

3. Department

4. Professional learning community

5. Entire schoolto improve student achievement And create a commitment to ongoing improvement?

6. Continuous improvement model I A is C

7. Curriculum Best Practice Documents: Standards Based Alignment (not Standards-Referenced) Assessed (Formative, Interim, Summative) Assessments are all used In Action: Clear Performance Standards Frequently Assessed and Used Regular required school based Data Meetings Data analysis: Qualitative and Quantitative Protocols for LASW Protocols for Lesson Study (UbD) C

8. Instruction Best Practice Standards based unit/lesson design (UbD) Posted measurable lesson objective Posted Agenda leading to homework Student-student communication (Social Construction of Knowledge) Ongoing Assessment: Dip-sticking, questioning, benchmarking, etc. Feedback loop: clear, focused on goal, one or two suggestions Rubrics/Exemplars HOTS (Bloom’s taxonomy) 3-part lesson: Brain-based teaching: Time to process I

9. Data analysis Qualitative Data Teacher Evaluations Learning Walks, “Rounds,” Walkthroughs Teacher Assignments Teacher Syllabi Protocols: LASW, LATW, Tuning, etc. Are courses challenging? Is the work challenging? Attitude Surveys Parent feedback Quantitative Data MCAS Local Assessments Do they predict MCAS results? Local Interim Exams—quick feedback for teachers Local Benchmark Tests—quick turnaround? Good feedback? Teacher tests—Are they challenging? (Rigormeter?) A

10. What is the IMPACT on STUDENTS? I A IS C

11. It’s all about the classroom When children, beginning in third grade were placed with three high performing teachers in a row they scored, on average at the 96th percentile in Tennessee’s statewide mathematics assessment at the end of fifth grade. When children with comparable achievement histories starting in third grade were placed with three low performing teachers in a row their average score on the same mathematics assessment was at the 44th percentile.

12. BUT Teachers working alone, with little or no feedback on their instruction, will notbe able to improve significantly – no matter how much professional development they receive.

13. A “guaranteed and viable” Curriculum makes all the difference. Meta analysis Bob Marzano (2003), an educational researcher and popular presenter, focuses on this concept as one of five school-level factors (the one with the greatest impact), in his book on What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action

14. Tools c I C, I CIA -IS

15. What Works at the SCHOOL level?

16. What Works for Instruction (The TEACHER)? Discipline Routines Classroom climate UbD Goal setting Measuring progress

18. Political

19. Human Resources

20. Structural

23. From Taking Charge of Change by Shirley M. Hord, William L. Rutherford, Leslie Huling-Austin, and Gene E. Hall, 1987. Published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (703) 549-9110

24. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR IMPROVING CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, and ASSESSMENT An urgency and understanding of the problem presented through data A shared vision of good teaching which includes rigor, relevance, and respect Adult meetings that focus on instruction and model good teaching Clear standards, assessments, and consistent understanding of quality student work Supervision that is frequent, rigorous, and focused on instruction PD that is primarily on-site, intensive, collaborative, and job-embedded Diagnostic data that is used frequently by teams to assess learning and teaching

25. PROTOCOLSHelp to Break Down Barriers Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Everyday practice Student work (LASW) Calibration of expectations (LASW using rubrics) Professional Practice Teacher work Syllabi Assignments, Projects Departmental impact School Practices 4 frames: Politics/Symbols/Management/HR “doing school” values

26. Difficult Conversations versusThe Culture of Nice Protocols from Essential Schools (Overview of ES Protocols) Instructional Rounds (Harvard Research Article) Looking at Teacher Work ( HS Syllabus Quality) Calibrating Assessment (MCAS rubrics) Looking at Teacher Work (Feedback to Students) Looking at Student Work (6-TraitRubrics) Looking at Student Work (Math ORQ) Looking at Student Work (ELA ORQ) Looking at College Expectations (Writing)