Implementation of the Assurances - What It Takes!

Implementation of the Assurances - What It Takes! Presented by: Kristen Beckner Roxanne Higgins Marilyn Miles Connie Tate

Reading First A national initiative focused on ensuring that all students are reading at grade level by the end of third grade.

California Plan The Assurances: critical success factors for districts serious about improving student achievement. Designed to help LEAs apply the scientific research on how to teach all students to read proficiently.

Assurances Internal Infrastructure of California’s Reading First Plan

Assurances • District: Require, in Year 1, or the first year the teachers work at a Reading First school site, participation of all teachers (K-3 and K-12 special education) in State approved AB 466 program (with LEA responsible for 80 hours of practicum).

Assurances • Site: Require that all teachers (K-3 and offer to K-12 special education) participate in Year 1, or in the first year the teachers work at a Reading First school site, the State Board approved AB 466 program (with LEA responsible for 80 hours of practicum).

Assurances • District: Require, in Year 1, or the first year the principal works at the Reading First school site, participation of all principals (K-3 elementary schools) in State approved AB 75 - Module 1, California Principal Training Program.

Assurances • Site: Attend, in Year 1, or the first year the principal works at the Reading First school site, the AB 75 - Module 1, California Principal Training Program, based on the district’s State adopted reading/language arts instructional program.

Assurances • District: Require in Years 2 and 3, all teachers participate in comparable AB 466 professional development program for advancement of skills in use of adopted program and instructional strategies.

Assurances • Site: Require in Years 2 and 3, all teachers participate in comparable AB 466 professional development program for advancement of skills in use of adopted program and instructional strategies.

Issues • Multiple and competing, not focused on adopted program • Professional development opportunities available (some not focused on using adopted program) • Variability in quality of providers • Scheduling trainings during instructional day, after school, weekends, or non-contract time • Challenges based on teacher contract (required optimal training and associated costs) • Low completion rates of 80-hour follow-up

Solutions • Single-focused Initiative-Reading First • Cohesive and high quality professional development for teachers, coaches, and administrators • Contractual agreements for non-contract and district time professional development • Funding for volunteered participation and for required participation • Follow-up activities to include special coaching sessions, grade level meetings, scoring and analyzing 6-8 week skills assessments, district and site-based trainings

Assurances • District: Provide, with coordinated guidance from state and regional centers, means for instructional supports to improve use of adopted program. • Coaches • Content experts • Instructional specialists

Assurances • Site: Assure that coaches are adequately prepared to serve as peer coaches to teachers implementing the adopted reading/language arts program.

Issues • Access to information on how to improve instructional practice • Use of monitoring systems (assessments and reporting) to inform how to improve instruction and learning • Qualified training of coaches • School-site observation opportunities

Solutions • Attendance at LEA Sessions [provided by C-TAC and R-TAC] • 6-8 Week Skills Assessments and OARS • Attendance of Coaches and LEA’s Coach Coordinator at Coach Institutes [provided by C-TAC] • LEA site visit teams and R-TAC team (3 times per year)

Assurances • District: Adopted and fully implement the district’s State adopted K-3 instructional reading/language arts program for K-3 teachers and special education teachers; including the alternative Spanish version (if selected).

Assurances • Site: Insist on and ensure the full implementation of the adopted reading/language arts program K-3 teachers

Issues • Definition of FULLY IMPLEMENT: Teacher determined or LEA determined • Development of Placing Schedule • Holding on to past practices • Reality of Expectation for Full Implementation of Adopted Reading Language Arts Program

Solutions • Definition of FULLY IMPLEMENT: Teaching the program with fidelity • LEA and site monitoring adherence to district developed pacing schedule • On-going professional development on fidelity and purpose of pacing schedule for adopted program • Coaches reinforcement of full use of program and pacing schedule

Assurances • District: Assure the adopted reading/language arts program will be fully implemented and the daily instructional time will be protected from disruptions for minimum of 2.5 hours for Grades 1-3, and 1 hour for Kindergarten, through use of a pacing schedule.

Assurances • Site: Support full implementation of the district’s State adopted reading/language arts instructional program and protect the daily instructional time from disruptions for a minimum of 2.5 hours for Grades 1-3, 2.5 hours and 1 hour for Kindergarten, through the use of a pacing schedule.

Issues • Interruptions during Reading/Language Arts block • Pull-outs during Reading/Language Arts block • No classroom posting of minutes for Reading/Language Arts block

Solutions • District and site monitoring of instructional minutes • Pacing schedule adherence • Agreement on uninterrupted time in AM schedule • Communication between classroom teachers and other staff on protecting instructional minutes for every school day

Assurances • District: Use and support only supplemental materials, technology programs, or staff development programs that support the scientific research-based, adopted reading/language arts instructional program.

Assurances • Site: Ensure that any supplemental materials, technology programs, or staff development programs will be in alignment with the scientific research-based, adopted program.

Issues • Encroachment of extraneous supplemental materials and staff development programs • Assertions of inadequacy of newly adopted reading/language arts program in beginning years of a new adoption

Solutions • LEA and site guidelines and review process for use, any supplemental materials or professional development programs • District monitoring of selection of supplementals and professional development programs • Coaches involvement with review process for supplementals and professional development programs • Purpose of guidelines to maintain fidelity to adopted program and its embedded instructional practices

Assurances • District: Develop and implement assessment plan for all Reading First schools based on valid and reliable instructional assessments from the recommended list, which includes a frequently used program monitoring assessment based on the instructional program.

Assurances • Site: Guide the monitoring of student progress based on the instructional program assessment and others approved by the district; and use the results to make program decisions for the purpose of maximizing student achievement.

Issues • Lack of understanding of purpose and use of 6-8 Week Skills Assessments • Lack of an efficient and effective reporting system for use of 6-8 Week Skills Assessments • Lack of training on selection, administration, and use of diagnostic assessments

Solutions • On-going professional development (see www.calread.net, click Assessments to locate training materials • 6-8 Week Skills Assessments are used to guide instruction for ALL students • Coaches assistance in analyzing and interpreting data • Set schedule for reporting of assessment data

Assurances • District: Assure that all school sits will support regular, collaborative, grade-level teacher meetings to discuss use of the instructional program, student result on the selected assessments, and will receive additional training

Assurances • Site: Organize and support regular, collaborative, grade-level teacher meetings to discuss use of the instructional program and student results on the selected assessments, and to develop action plans for student interventions and/or additional teacher training.

Issues • Unfocused grade-level meetings • Lack of effective Action Plans • Frequency of grade-level meetings

Solutions • Consistent agenda template • Grade-level meetings facilitated by principal, coach, or grade-level lead • Purposeful use of data to determine appropriate instruction for ALL students

What It Takes! “Systemic change for teachers will take time, and will also require serious and sustained efforts by district and site administrators.” Assurances for the Sake of Our Students

Every Student, Every Classroom, Every Grade Level, Every Year Assurances for the sake of our students hold the tremendous promise for providing equal opportunities to succeed. Assurances for the Sake of Our Students

See Handout On: Key Action Elements Necessary for Improving Academic Achievement

Implementation of the Assurances - What It Takes!