Implementing the Common Core ELA Standards Training
Project Overview
Background
Salisbury Township School District is a suburban school district located outside of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Part of the district’s mission is to challenge all students with a curriculum that stimulates personal growth and lifelong learning. In order to accomplish this mission, the district has created a goal to provide meaningful and relevant professional development to deepen knowledge and refine instructional practice by using the Understanding By Design curriculum framework in conjunction with the PA Department of Education’s Standard’s Aligned System.
Problem Identification
The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The standards provide clear educational goals for students in English language arts and mathematics, with the goal of ensuring high school graduates are prepared for college or the workforce. Forty-five states have adopted the Common Core State Standards and Pennsylvania is set to implement them in the coming year. State specific training is necessary since each of the 45 participating states will be able to determine exactly how they wish to apply the Common Core and make changes to their version of these standards. All Pennsylvania school districts will be required to align their curriculum to the common core and students will take an end of course exam to evaluate student progress. The state's new end-of-course Keystone Exams are already based off the Common Core, and the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment is set to test Common Core standards in coming years. Based on the goals, the opportunities of training include
Better understanding of the shift from current state standards to the Common Core
Better understanding of the shift from current state standards to the Common Core
- Better alignment of curricula with the Common Core
- Better implementation of the Common Core into instructional practice
- Better construction of authentic assessments aligned to the Common Core Standards
Aim
Promote the implementation of the Common Core in instructional practice through a better understanding of the shift from state standards and alignment of curricula.
Target Audience
- The Primary audience is composed of administrators and educators in the Salisbury Township School District. The secondary audience is instructional support personnel including, but not limited to, English as a Second Language (ESL) instructors, Reading Coaches, Instructional Coaches, Librarians and Guidance Counselors.
- Audience Characteristics:
- ~ Age: 22-67
- ~ Gender: 33% male, 67% women
- ~ Work Experience: 7months to 40+ years
- ~ All have experience with taking state mandated online professional development in the past year
Delivery Options
Instruction for this project will be delivered in an online format during the summer of 2014. It will be part of Salisbury School District’s Summer Academy for professional development. It will consist of three asynchronous modules for a total of six professional development hours during the summer with an additional six available after the participant has demonstrated how they have implemented the common core in their instructional practice throughout the first half of the school year The course will also have discussion boards and a repository of examples.
This option was chosen because it is often hard during the summer for school personnel to find a common time to meet for an extended period of time.
This option was chosen because it is often hard during the summer for school personnel to find a common time to meet for an extended period of time.