Making curriculum resources and supplementary materials available for use by teachers

Curriculum resources and supplementary materials are available and being used.

Establishing specific learning objectives that align with state learning standards and address essential understandings, knowledge, and skills

Listing instructional strategies and designing learning activities that align with state learning standards and address essential understandings, knowledge, and skills

Developing daily lesson plans that fit logically within the unit and within the context of the overall curriculum

Using student performance data to develop daily lesson plans that reflect consideration of the learning strengths and needs of students

Teachers have reviewed student performance data and planned accordingly.

Evaluating the appropriateness of pacing and mapping regularly, and making appropriate adjustments

Analyzing the curriculum components across grade levels in like content areas to identify areas of strength and areas of weakness

Focusing instruction on specific learning objectives that promote the attainment of state learning standards and address essential understandings, knowledge, and skills

Using available curriculum resources and supplementary materials appropriately to promote attainment of state learning standards

Presenting accurate knowledge through meaningful contexts and connected disciplines

Employing instructional strategies that are research-based and proven effective

Staff has been involved in the review and implementation of research-based best practices.

Assigning projects and tasks that require students to integrate and apply their learning in meaningful contexts and to reflect on what they have learned

Providing students with learning experiences that engage them in active learning

Students are involved in learning experiences that include cooperative learning, technology, and group projects which engage them in active learning.

Differentiating instruction to meet the identified strengths and needs of individual students and groups of students

Providing all students access to available materials, resources, and services to support learning

Providing teachers with feedback on the alignment of instruction to state learning standards and essential understandings, knowledge, and skills

Monitoring teacher implementation of the curriculum throughout the year

Assessing student progress on a regular basis

Ensuring that assessments are aligned with state learning standards and essential understandings, knowledge, and skills

Providing opportunities for students to take tests that are similar in content and format to state assessments

Using a variety of classroom-based assessment methods and tools (student self-evaluation, performance checklists, rubrics, scales, projects, products, tests, quizzes) before, during, and after units of study to monitor student progress

Multiple assessment strategies are in place. However, the need for more student choice is evident.

Providing assessments that require students to use knowledge, comprehension, application and reasoning skills

Emphasis needs to be placed on the incorporation of higher level thinking skills into daily lesson plans and assessments.

Periodically reporting student progress toward mastery of learning objectives to students and parents in a way that is clear and understandable

Monitoring the results of classroom-based assessments to ensure attainment of the knowledge and skills required for success on state assessments

Designing an ongoing, school-based program of professional development that is based on the analyses of data and is aligned with the school’s goals for improving student achievement

Continued student success is a result of ongoing professional development.

Basing professional development programs and activities on research-based principles and practices

Professional development activities reflect knowledge and understanding of research-based practices.

Allocating resources to support the professional development program and ensure implementation of improvement initiatives

Focusing the core of staff learning on research-based content and instructional practices that have been proven effective in improving student achievement

Identifying essential learning outcomes from professional development activities that will be used to change practice

Including theory, demonstration, practice with feedback, and coaching in the school’s professional development programs and activities

Monitoring the degree to which new practices are implemented as prescribed

Determining the effect of changes in practice on student learning

Embedding professional growth and development into job performance expectations and the performance evaluation process

Analyzing data/evidence from a variety of relevant sources to identify goals for individual growth and development

Aligning plans for individual professional development with local improvement initiatives and with areas identified for individual growth

Connecting teachers’ learning outcomes from professional development activities directly to their work in classrooms

Connecting teachers to external resources such as conferences, workshops, and support networks that align with the needs of individual teachers, departments/grade levels, or local improvement initiatives

Providing opportunities for teachers to experiment, practice, and obtain feedback as they integrate newly learned skills into their repertoire of instructional practices

Regularly monitoring the progress of staff in achieving individual professional development goals

Evidence of the application of professional goals needs to be reflected in classroom observations.

Basing decisions related to the pacing of the curriculum on state test blueprints and on student performance data

Arranging classroom instructional time to allow for variety of instructional activities

An effective model of instruction is in place and evident throughout the building.

Organizing instruction and structuring lessons to maximize student time on task

Maintaining a high level of student engagement throughout the lesson

Continue to work toward a higher level of student engagement.

Using classroom instructional time to provide enrichment opportunities and support services to individuals and small groups based on students’ identified strengths and needs

The use of Smart Block and the implementation of Block Scheduling has allowed for individual and small group remediation and enrichment.

Establishing classroom routines that maximize the use of non-instructional time

Evidence of bell work and summarization activities are evident.

Establishing school-wide organizational practices that minimize unnecessary interruptions to instructional time

Regularly monitoring the use of instructional time in classrooms

1. Length of school year (180 days OR 990 hours grades 1-12; 540 hours kindergarten)
2. Length of school day (5 hours; 3 hours minimum for kindergarten only)
3. Number of hours of instruction in core areas (ES: 75% in 4 core areas; MS/HS: 140 clock hours OR 560 total in 4 core areas for grade 6)

Building schedules that are based on identified learning and instructional needs and support the implementation of improvement initiatives

Scheduling non-academic events to minimally impact instructional time

Allocating time in the schedule for teachers to collaborate with other teachers, parents and students

Establishing procedures and communicating expectations related to the allocation and use of time

Ensuring that the time allocated for specific activities is used to complete essential tasks according to established expectations

Utilizing a school schedule that is conducive to providing intervention and remediation strategies and programs within the school day

The use of Smart Block and the implementation of Block Scheduling has allowed for individual and small group remediation and enrichment.

Allocating resources to extend learning time beyond the regular school day

Regularly monitoring the implementation of schedules and making adjustments, as needed, to maximize efficient use of time

Using data/evidence from multiple sources to plan instruction that promotes that attainment of state standards and essential understandings, knowledge, and skills

Collecting, compiling, and analyzing data related to instructional practices to determine the degree of alignment with state learning standards and to identify professional development needs

Sharing responsibility for collecting and compiling data related to instructional programs and services

Sharing responsibility for analyzing data and making instructional decisions based on the results

Collecting and compiling individual student performance data to identify students’ strengths and needs, plans instruction, and monitor individual student progress over time

Teachers have reviewed student performance data and planned accordingly.

Using results of data analyses to design, monitor, and evaluate instructional programs, support services, and professional development activities

Training staff in the processes and procedures for collecting and analyzing classroom-based, local, and state assessment data to make instructional decisions

Compiling and using data/evidence from several sources to develop a profile of the school related to student performance

Analyzing data/evidence related to the perceived limitations of instructional practices and organizational conditions to identify goals and objectives for school improvement planning

Analyzing data over time to look for trends in student performance and to identify strengths and limitations of instructional programs and services

Disaggregating state and local student performance data by appropriate subgroups of students to identify needs and monitor student progress

Collecting and analyzing data/evidence on a regular, periodic basis to monitor plan implementation and to evaluate improvements over time

Making data relevant to the implementation of school improvement strategies and initiatives available and accessible to staff

Training staff in collecting and analyzing data to identify relevant goals and objectives for school improvement planning and to monitor the plan’s implementation and evaluate improvements over time