Student Growth Objectives for Career and technical education

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Student Growth Objectivesfor Career and technical education

Objectives for Today Part 1 • Clarify the general requirements for SGOs • Describe the components of the SGO process Part 2 • Provide examples of SGOs and analyze their components • Apply SGO concepts to create high quality SGOs

Why Student Growth Objectives (SGO)? “The fundamental obligation of education is to at least ensure that all students are making appropriate gains relative to the time they spend in classrooms.” (ASCD 2012) Studies have shown increased student performance when clear objectives are given.

SGOs and AchieveNJ

What Do Effective Teachers Do? • Teach a curriculum that is aligned to standards. • Determine the needs of students using several methods including a variety of assessments. • Differentiate instruction based on the needs of students. • Set goals for students appropriate to their grade, subject, and readiness level. • Use high quality assessments to measure student performance. • Work in collaborative groups to improve student achievement.

Steps of the SGO Process In setting SGOs, teachers should take the following steps: Step 1 Determine a quality assessment aligned to NJCCCS or CCSS Step 2 Determine students’ starting points. Step 3 Set ambitious & achievable SGO’s and gain approval. Step 4 Track progress, refine instruction. Step 5 Review results, score, consult with principal/supervisor.

What is a Student Growth Objective? • A long-term academic goal that teachers set for groups of students, that are: • Specific and measureable • Aligned to curriculum standards • Based on available prior student learning data • A measure of student learning between two points in time

Showing Student “Growth” Growth: an increase in learning between two points in time, such as that indicated by: • Acquisition of knowledge or skill from a particular starting point or readiness level. • Development of a portfolio indicating a change in skill or knowledge over a period of time. • Difference in learning on pre- and post-tests.

SGOs and SMART goals

Timeline Teachers Year long SGO process Accommodate for semester courses Consult with evaluator to set SGO Consult with evaluator to discuss SGO rating Verify assessment Track progress, refine instruction September By Nov. 15* By Feb. 15 By end of school year Determine students’ starting points Set SGO Adjustments made to SGOs with approval Review results and score *For 2013–14 only. In subsequent years, SGOs must be set by Oct. 15.

Assessment Formative and Summative Begin With the End in Mind Formative • What do the students already know? • What can the students already do? Summative (Aligned to the Standards) • What should students be able to do? • What should students know?

Assessment What do you want your students to KNOW? 9.4.12.A.(5).4 System management activities in natural habitats and the important relationship between natural resource preservation and human intervention. 9.4.12.A.(5).5 Control and management procedures and techniques that protect or maintain natural resources in a variety of settings. 9.4.12.A.(6).4 public policies and regulations impacting environmental services 9.4.12.A.(6).6 How to use surveying and drafting tools, equipment, machinery, and technology to accomplish planning and other tasks in this pathway

Assessment What do you want your students to DO? 9.4.12.A.(5).3 Apply scientific principles and processes to natural resource system problems and issues when planning natural resource management activities. 9.4.12.A.(6).6 Use surveying and drafting tools, equipment, machinery, and technology to accomplish planning and other tasks in this pathway 9.4.12.C.(5).4 Identify, describe, and develop system management activities in natural habitats to demonstrate recognition of the important relationship between natural resource preservation and human intervention.. 9.4.12.C.(6).5 Apply scientific principles to the study of environmental service systems in order to facilitate development of solutions to environmental issues, problems, and applications.

Assessment Types of Assessments (How will they show what they know) Options: • Select a third party assessment • Create a new assessment • Modify an existing assessment (Final Exam)

Assessment Types of Assessments

Assessment Depth of Knowledge

SGO’s – Requirements & Recommendations • CTE teachers are required to set 2 SGO’s developed in consultation with their Principal or Principal’s designee. • SGO’s should be appropriate, achievable & rigorous • A teachers final SGO rating is determined by the principal. • Final grading of student’s growth is recommended to be part of students Final Grade.

Distinguishing Between SGO Types GeneralTargeted • Captures a significant proportion of the students and key standards for agiven course or subject area • Focuses on a particular subgroup of students, and/orspecific content or skill

Rigorous? • Rule of Thumb: 100% attainment is probably not rigorous enough! 100% of the Culinary students will be able to demonstrate proficiency in knife skills with a score of 70% or better. or 85% of the Culinary students will score a 90% or better on a catering plan final project.

Limited skills or scope? 75% of students will complete an oil change on a vehicle in 30 minutes or less and score 70% accuracy on task. or 80% of the automotive students will attain an average score of 80% or better on a portfolio assessment that includes a written assessment and performance assessments on customer service, shop procedures, oil change, fluid assessment, brake assessment and documentation.

Example 1 A STEM program teacher focuses an SGO on the Design (problem-solving) process. The teacher develops a portfolio assessment that requires students to demonstrate the skills of critical thinking and documenting the problem-solving/design process. The teacher sets an SGO for the class based on pre-assessing students. Students build a portfolio throughout the year that will be graded by a rubric.

Example 2 An Agriculture teacher teaches one section of Principles of Agricultural Science-Animal, one section of Food Science and Safety, and two sections of Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. They set one SGO for Principles of Agriculture and one SGO for Introduction to Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (majority of students). The assessments are portfolio-based and include 9.4 standards

Example 3 A Culinary Arts Instructor pre-assesses their students with a culinary-related math test. The results were varied, but many of the students were unable to complete the test well. The Instructor sets one SGO to measure math skills in particular. The SGO will be tiered and address Common Core State Standards for math and NJCCCS 9.3 standards.

Example 4 A Child Care teacher pre-assesses their students and finds on the free response portion that many students were unable to write clearly or cite evidence to support their points of view. The teacher then sets one of their SGO’s to measure these particular skills. The SGO will address Common Core State Standards for ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects.

Tracking Progress • What are ways you can see if students are reaching their growth objectives? • How do you respond if students are not on track to meet the objective?

Set Growth ObjectivesScoring Rubric

Set Growth ObjectivesTiered SGO Scoring Guide

Set Growth ObjectivesSGO Scoring Guide

Possible Steps of the SGO process in Agriculture- • Look at the CASE program objectives, essential questions, Agriculture standards and the CCS and NJCCCS. • Use a check for understanding assessment provided by CASE or one of the other approved assessments. • Based on the previous findings create a SGO that is based on your students preparedness. • Work to help improve student achievement through integrated curriculum. • Keep a running log of performance, give summative check for understanding assessments, add to a portfolio, or provide other approved documentation.

FAQ’s Will DOE/OCTE be developing SGO’s or assessments that will be used in similar programs across the state? No, NJ has chosen to allow district flexibility in the SGO process and is encouraging districts to develop SGO’s and assessments of their own choice. How will instructors know extent of growth to expect? SGO’s should be designed from the teacher’s expertise with knowledge of the subject matter and students. The SGO process can be adjusted and modified by February 15th with approval.

FAQ’s Should SGO’s look different for students with learning disabilities? An SGO should be the same for a variety of learners. However, the SGO may be tiered (rather than simple) and can measure growth or mastery. How do teachers assigned more than 2 preps determine which class to set SGO’s for? Teachers set only 2 SGO’s that account for a majority of students. It is recommended to set SGO’s that cover students throughout the year (or one per semester if semester classes)

FAQ’s Can a CTE teacher develop an SGO that pertains to literacy? Yes, literacy should be addressed in CTE, therefore one of the SGO’s can address learning based on the CCSS for literacy in technical subjects and will most likely be evident in a portfolio type of assessment. Should SGO’s be set to assess content knowledge only, similar to an end-of-program assessment or final exam? No, SGO’s can be developed in a variety of ways and could include multiple elements of assessments. Some CTE programs would benefit the students to assess a particular process (Design process, trouble shooting, or customer service) or skills that demonstrate growth of learning.

FAQ’s Can a final exam, NOCTI or other end-of-program test be used? These are Not generally recommended to use for SGO’s as they do not generally measure what should be learned during the specified timeline. Teachers can create new assessments based on these exams but modified to assess only what the students should have learned during the timeframe. Also, these EOP test questions and results are generally not disaggregated enough to measure appropriate expectations for participators or concentrators & would typically need to be given too early for completers. The results are needed to be analyzed by the time for teacher conference with the administrator (early May?)

Final Thoughts on SGOs • Focus on what is most important/effective for students • Re-creating the wheel is NOT necessary! Revised assessments may be used • It should be good, but doesn’t have to be perfect! • Support each other and share!

Contact Sean McDonald, Manager NJDOE, Office of CTE (609) 943-4674 Sean.mcdonald@doe.state.nj.us

Fortunate are the flexible, they shall never be bent out of shape

Student Growth Objectives for Career and technical education