Iowa Core

Iowa Core Alignment of Instructional Content to the Iowa Core

Sue Updegraff Keystone AEA

TARGET:  Complete INITIAL alignment of local content with CORE Essential Concepts and Skills

 July 1, 2012, grades 9-12  2013-14, grades K-8 (from p. 4 of Self-Study and Implementation Handbook) 2

4 Alignment Sessions 1. Needs Assessment 2. Planning 3. Implementation

4. Evaluation 3

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) or

Collaborative Learning Communities (CLCs) are the structure to get the work done. 4

Why study Alignment? Iowa Core, April 2008 Outcome 4 Alignment of Content, Instruction, Assessment 5

Outcome 4 Use data to increase the degree of alignment of each and every student’s enacted curriculum to Iowa Core 6

First Focus Using summative selfreports to examine alignment of the enacted curriculum to the intended Iowa Core 7

Alignment will continue over a number of years and include:

 Assessment

 Instructional Practices  Instructional Resources  Continuous Evaluation 8

Research As alignment between what is taught and what is assessed increases, so, too, do student outcomes for ALL students (Gamoran and Cohen) 9

School Improvement  K-12 curriculum must be aligned and must match state expectations. (Learning Points Associates, 2006)

 Explicit focused efforts should be made to ensure alignment of written, taught, tested curricula. (Wallberg, 2007)

 Successful students have experienced curriculum aligned with standards and assessments.

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School Improvement  Lesson planning and session delivery are the two places where nonalignment takes place. (Lezotte & McKee, 2002)

 Successful school districts align curriculum and instruction between grades. (Zavadsky, 2006)

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In district team, discuss potential implications of this Outcome for:

 Practices of teachers  Professional development

 District and school priorities

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UNIVERSAL CONSTRUCTS Are these student learning goals?  Complex Communication

 Creativity  Productivity and Accountability

 Flexibility and Adaptability  Collaboration

 Critical Thinking 13

What is alignment? Intended Enacted Assessed

content instruction assessment

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Two State mandates about WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD LEARN

1. Iowa Core Content Standards and Benchmarks – broad

2. Iowa Core (includes Common Core) – more detail

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The Relationship How the Cores Compare Iowa Core Content Standards and Benchmarks

Iowa Core Curriculum

Primary Focus

Broad, general statements to assess student accomplishments.

More in-depth. Details along with Essential Concepts and Skills. Sets higher learning expectations for all students.

Origination Source

Iowa Testing Service

Collaborative Writing teams assembled by the DE

Content Addressed

Literacy, Math, Science

Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies, 21st Century Skills

Grade Levels

3-12

K-12

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The Relationship  High School Math Example Common Core Standard Use the rules of probability to compute probabilities of compound events in a uniform probability model.

Iowa Core Content Standard: Students can understand and apply a variety of math concepts. Benchmark: Students can understand and apply concepts in probability and statistics.

Iowa Core Understand and apply the basic ideas of probability. Essential Concept/Skill: Understands and applies basic ideas of probability.

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Alignment Definition The extent to which and how well all policy elements (content, instruction, assessment) work together to guide instruction and student learning. 18

Alignment is an ongoing process The purpose is to determine the extent to which content, instruction, and assessment are in agreement and facilitate student learning 19

Alignment provides:  Clear message of goals/outcomes  Consistency

 Data about progress  Data for improvement

 Fair assessment practices 20

Rationale for Alignment 1. Determine WHAT to teach, teach it, assess it

2. If #1 is not done, we are unfair to students

3. Alignment reduces confusion, improves opportunity to learn, improves outcomes for each and every student 21

Group Discussion Where is your district on the following?

1.Status of local curriculum 2.Understanding and relationship of:  intended  enacted  assessed 22

Principles for Alignment Work 1. Once alignment is prioritized, process of developing and implementing practices can begin

2. Focus on deep content knowledge

3. Ongoing training and support for alignment increases quality of work

4. Gradually introducing successively more complex alignment over time will increase skill development

5. Understanding of measurement and data collection for alignment promotes continuous improvement

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What is the work?  Alignment of enacted to intended  Topical first; later by complexity and emphasis

 Using alignment data for decisionmaking

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Foundational Curriculum Terms Using the Foundational Curriculum Terms, create a framework on Post-It paper (i.e., how the terms work together or are logically organized for your district) 25

 Explain your framework to others present

 In district group, discuss similarities/differences

 Make any adjustments 26

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