Harris Road Middle School has led the district in student growth for the past three years with average growth index scores in the top ten middle schools in the state – three years in double digits! Harris Road Middle is also a top performer in student proficiency, proving (repeatedly) that it is possible to achieve high growth with high achieving students. The secrets to success lie in the processes used by the teachers (planning, PLCs, curriculum, etc.) that ensure high levels of teaching and learning happen in every classroom. This session will share the "secret sauce" that continues to prove successful for our school.

2. Tripp Aldredge, Principal – Harris Road Middle School
The Secret to
Student
Growth/
Teacher
Effectiveness

3. Harris
Road
Middle
School

4. :
Orininal
Revised*
Orinal
Revised*
N/A N/A N/A
25 48 66 100 NotMet -3.39 46 D 29 50 77 93 Exceeded 4.13 55 C 31 46 63 100 Exceeded 2.31 2.93 52 D
29 37 62 94 NotMet -2.32 45 D 22 35 54 89 NotMet -5.21 38 F 26 33 58 87 Met -0.76 -0.73 43 D
44 55 76 100 Exceeded 3.54 62 C 41 52 72 100 Exceeded 3.28 59 C 39 48 69 100 Met 1.09 1.49 55 C
68 74 87 100 Exceeded 12.92 79 B 69 76 95 100 Exceeded 12.75 81 B 71 78 94 99 Exceeded 8.29 10.01 82 83 B
62 70 82 99 Exceeded 4.67 74 B 57 71 82 100 Exceeded 4.93 72 B 64 68 87 98 Exceeded 2.89 3.17 74 B
81 93 98 92 Met 0.97 87 A 87 96 99 93 Exceeded 2.11 91 A+ 90 96 98 93 NotMet -3.41 -3.74 87 A+NG
49 64 84 100 Exceeded 4.11 68 C 51 62 86 97 Exceeded 4.23 68 C 49 61 79 100 Met 0.77 0.97 64 C
44 57 76 100 Exceeded 4.47 62 C 44 55 73 100 Exceeded 3.88 61 C 44 49 72 95 Met -1.74 -1.53 56 C
GrowthIndex
EVAASGrowth
MathI
Science
Reading
Science
Reading
Math
SPG
SPGScore
SPG
SPGScore
GrowthIndex
EVAASGrowth
SPG
Score
Revised Preliminary 3 Yrear Growth and School Performance Grades 8/19/2016
Middle Schools
2014 2015
Growth
Index
SPG
EVAASGrowth
MathI
Science
Reading
Math
Math
MathI
2016
SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

5. THE JOURNEY BEGAN…
They said, “It’s a good school – just
don’t mess it up!”
Documentation of the work of PLCs
was in a crate under my desk.
EVAAS data came back showing six
“red” teachers after my first year.

6. “The work of schools is in the classroom.
Instructional practice is highly variable from
classroom to classroom. It matters, in the US,
about 5-6 times as much, which teacher you
get, as opposed to which school you go to,
in terms of your learning as a student.
[Teacher assignment] really determines the
learning opportunities that students have.
That’s why we want to focus on getting
practice to be consistent in the quality and
the effort required of students.”
Richard Elmore, Harvard University
April 21, 2010 interview with Bonnie Boothroy, SAI

7. ALIGNMENT:
“…the extent to which and how
well all policy elements (e.g.
content, instruction, assessment)
work together to guide
instruction and ultimately,
facilitate and enhance student
learning” (Webb, 1997).

8. TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL ALIGNMENT:
“Total Instructional Alignment is
making sure that what we teach,
how we teach, and what we
assess are congruent.” (Lisa Carter, 2007).

9. Alignment of the System
Alignment of Standards,
Curriculum, and Assessment
Alignment of
Instructional Practice
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL ALIGNMENT STEPS:

10. Alignment of the System
• Involves changing the way we currently think to
better align the system to the student.
Alignment of the standards, curriculum, and
assessment
• Involves aligning curriculum to existing standards
and understanding how to accurately assess
student learning
Alignment of instructional practices in the
classroom
• Involves teachers delivering instruction in a way
that includes standards, curriculum, and
assessment in daily lessons
TOTAL INSTRUCTIONAL ALIGNMENT STEPS:

11. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM:
• Mission/Vision/Values
• Effective School Leadership
• Learning Leaders
• Importance of Collaborative Teams
• Aligned Instructional Leadership Team
• Reworking the Grading System

12. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM
MISSION
Embrace Diversity
Engage Students
Encourage Leadership
Empower the Community
Success Depends on Everyone!

13. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM
MISSION
Embrace Diversity
Engage Students
Encourage Leadership
Empower the Community
Success Depends on Everyone!
VALUES
HRMS Values
Hold High Expectations
Respect the Individual
Motivate Each Other
Support the School

14. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM
MISSION
Embrace Diversity
Engage Students
Encourage Leadership
Empower the Community
Success Depends on Everyone!
VALUES
HRMS Values
Hold High Expectations
Respect the Individual
Motivate Each Other
Support the School
VISION
To create a caring, safe
environment where students
are empowered to grow as
individuals and develop into
life-long learners.

15. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM
EFFECTIVE LEADERS:
• understand which school changes are most likely
to improve student achievement
• understand what changes imply for staff, students,
and parents
• understand how to alter and fine tune their
leadership practices accordingly
• are directly involved in the design and
implementation of curriculum, instruction, and
assessment

16. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM
EFFECTIVE LEADERS:
• understand which school changes are most likely
to improve student achievement
• understand what changes imply for staff, students,
and parents
• understand how to alter and fine tune their
leadership practices accordingly
• are directly involved in the design and
implementation of curriculum, instruction, and
assessment
Research indicates that as leadership
improves, so does student achievement.
Walters, Marzano, McNulty, 2004

17. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM
"Schools do not need
instructional leaders –
they need learning leaders
who focus on evidence
of learning.”
Dufour & Marzano, 2009

18. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM
THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATIVE TEAMS:
• Research shows that higher levels of student achievement
occur in settings that utilize collaborative teams.
DuFour, 2011
• Students learn best when teachers work collaboratively to
gather evidence of student learning through assessments,
and use this information to discuss, evaluate, plan, and
improve their instructional practices.
DuFour, 2011
• Effective leaders must monitor the ongoing work of these
teams by asking for submissions from their collaborations.
The leaders must then examine the content, draw
conclusions, and work with teachers to align standards,
curriculum, and instruction.
DuFour & Marzano, 2009

19. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM
ALIGNED INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM:
• Principals cannot lead schools to make breakthrough
achievement gains on their own: the support of an aligned
instructional leadership team is crucial.
• Depending on the strengths and the job design of the
individuals in the school, the aligned instructional leadership
team may include teacher leaders, instructional coaches,
and assistant principals.
• Leadership team members are responsible for implementing
school-wide initiatives for instruction, and they also model
cultural norms.
Fenton, 2016

20. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM
"Time devoted to building the
capacity of teachers to work
in teams is far better spent
than time devoted to
observing individual teachers."
Dufour & Marzano, 2009

21. ALIGNING THE SYSTEM
THE GRADING REFORM
"Inaccurate and unfair grading systems are not creative, but
rather a violation of the boundaries of effective grading policies.”
Research Indicates:
• Improving grading policies enhances work on curriculum,
instruction, assessment, and leadership.
• Effective grading policies reduce discipline problems, increase
college credits, improve teacher moral, lead to higher number
of students enrolled, and reduce number of unexcused
absences.
STOP USING GRADING AS A PUNISHMENT!
Reeves, 2011

22. ALIGNING STANDARDS,
CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:
• Understanding Standards – UbD
• NC Standard Course of Study
• Curriculum Design
• Backward Design – UbD
• Web-Based
• Assessments
• Informal and Formal
• Formative & Summative

23. Instruction Curriculum
Evaluation
Carter, 2007
Misaligned Instructional Program

24. Instruction
Curriculum
Evaluation
Aligned Instructional Program
Carter, 2007

25. “Make sure all of our ammunition is hitting the target.”
Aligned Instructional Program

26. ALIGNING STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:
According to Robert Marzano (2001),
"Standards hold the greatest hope for improving student achievement."
However, modifications are needed:
• A monitoring system that tracks student progress on specific
standards and spans over the course of numerous grade
levels should be implemented. Plotting the progress allows us
to see more reliable patterns and is more valid than a single
test score.
• Both internal and external feedback balance each other and
lesson the need for high-stakes testing.
• Decisions about what students should learn and are held
accountable for should be made at the local level.
a Conversation with Robert Marzano, 2001

27. ALIGNING STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:
Guaranteed, Viable, and Coherent Curriculum
• Standards are not curriculum
• In North Carolina, it is the responsibility of the LEA to provide
a curriculum.
• If the LEA has not provided a quality curriculum, that
responsibility falls on the school.
• Cabarrus County began the process of writing curriculum in
2012, using teacher leaders in each subject. The process is
revisited each summer.
• The CCS Curriculum is housed in a web-based format
accessible to district educators.

28. ALIGNING STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:
Guaranteed, Viable, and Coherent Curriculum
• Standards are not curriculum
• In North Carolina, it is the responsibility of the LEA to provide
a curriculum.
• If the LEA has not provided a quality curriculum, that
responsibility falls on the school.
• Cabarrus County began the process of writing curriculum in
2012, using teacher leaders in each subject. The process is
revisited each summer.
• The CCS Curriculum is housed in a web-based format
accessible to district educators.

29. ALIGNING STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:
1. The standards are not a curriculum and do not
dictate how a teacher should teach.
2. "Unpacking" the standards helps break down large
learner goals into more workable objectives.
3. Curriculum should be mapped backward from
desired performance.
4. Numerous assessments should evaluate progress
towards learning objectives and goals.
Wiggins & McTighe, 2012

30. ALIGNING STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:
1. The standards are not a curriculum and do not
dictate how a teacher should teach.
2. "Unpacking" the standards helps break down large
learner goals into more workable objectives.
3. Curriculum should be mapped backward from
desired performance.
4. Numerous assessments should evaluate progress
towards learning objectives and goals.
Wiggins & McTighe, 2012
CCS uses Understanding by Design (UbD) to plan curriculum.

31. ALIGNING STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:
Understanding by Design
Stage 1: Desired Results
• A Transfer Goal
• A “Meaning”
• An Essential Question
• Knowledge & Skills

32. "Any system that organizes statements of
what students are expected to know and
be able to do enhances student learning
because it provides clarity to students
and teachers alike. Educators should feel
free to create their own systems or adapt
those that others have proposed."
Marzano, 2013
ALIGNING STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:

33. ALIGNING STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:
Understanding by Design
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
• Classroom Assessments should utilize both
formative and summative assessments, provide
insight on where a student is in his/her learning
continuously, clarify each student's need for
scaffolding, and track progress in order to know
what happens next in learning.
Stiggins & DuFour, 2009

34. ALIGNING STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:
Understanding by Design
Stage 3: Learning Plan
Teaching should:
• reflect the instructional approaches most
appropriate to the goals (not what is easiest or most
comfortable for the teacher).
• employ resources most appropriate to the goals
(not simply march through a textbook or commercial
program).
• be responsive to differences in learners’ readiness,
interests, and preferred ways of learning.

35. ALIGNING STANDARDS, CURRICULUM, & ASSESSMENTS:
Understanding by Design
Stage 3: Learning Plan
Teaching should:
• reflect the instructional approaches most
appropriate to the goals (not what is easiest or most
comfortable for the teacher).
• employ resources most appropriate to the goals
(not simply march through a textbook or commercial
program).
• be responsive to differences in learners’ readiness,
interests, and preferred ways of learning.

36. CABARRUS COUNTY SCHOOLS’ JOURNEY
Our Vision:
Every teacher highly effective…
Every student cognitively engaged…
Our Mission:
The Curriculum and Instruction leadership team will empower and equip educators to
effectively engage and challenge all students by providing effective professional
development, coaching support, and modeling.
In 2010, Cabarrus County Schools developed a visionary plan to continue the
2010"Professional"Learning"Communities"
Dufours’"Framework"
Every"content"every"week"
Common"Formative"
Assessments"
"
2012"Guaranteed"Curriculum"
Understanding"by"Design"
Classroom"Walkthroughs"
Student"Engagement"
Rigor"
Workshop"Model"
Standards"Based"
Instruction"
2014"Personalization"
Blended"Learning"
Digital"Content"
Mastery"Learning"
Adaptive"Technology"
ALIGNING INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE

37. QUESTIONS?