What is Forward? Forward K-5 Instructional System Consultative Services Progress Monitoring Integrated Curriculum and Assessment Professional Development and Field Support

i3 Investing in Innovation Federally-funded partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools (MD) Goals Broaden instruction to integrate content Exceed assessment expectations Save students and teachers valuable instructional time Align to Common Core State Standards

Characteristics of a Forward-thinking district A clear and shared focus High standards and expectations for all students Effective leadership High levels of collaboration and communication Focused professional development

Three year implementation plan Consultation Implementation Planning Ongoing Support and Progress Monitoring Partnership for Sustainability

Ensuring Equity Equity of Access The Thinking and Academic Success Skills provide students with the grit and perseverance necessary for success in the 21st century. Forward helps “level the playing field” for all types of learners. Pearson will work collaboratively with schools to review current practices, processes, and systems for the purpose of determining readiness and set priorities for implementation planning. Equity of Accomplishment Forward was designed as a capacity builder; teachers are encouraged to collaboratively plan for instruction. Result: Decreased variation and district- wide cohesiveness.

Implementation Planning Conference Multi-day, collaborative planning process with the district and schools to measure readiness to implement Forward. The process results in the creation of a recommended Scope of Work and establish priorities for implementation in year 1. District Meetings: Curriculum, technology and leadership School Visits: Visit each school to collaboratively conduct the Implementation Planning Assessment Each school receives an Implementation Planning Profile Identify general trends in School Dimensions are used to develop a set of priorities to guide the PD and implementation plan for the district School Dimensions Teaching and Learning Organizational Staffing Leadership Professional Development Technology

3 Year Implementation Goals Thinking and Academic Success Skills (TASS) Sample Learning Tasks (SLT) Collaborative Planning Success Skills Assessments (PBAs) Professional Development Technology Goals Leadership Reflective Practice Collaborative Planning Implementation Goals are identified in these categories:

Thinking and Academic Success Skills

Scope & Sequence

Integrated Curriculum Written for the Common Core English Language Arts Adheres to the Common Core State Standards approach to text complexity. Small-group reading includes carefully leveled selections that progress in terms of readability, topic complexity, and word count. Mathematics Helps teachers strongly focus on the CCSS for mathematics, deepening students’ conceptual understanding and procedural skills. Brings coherence to teaching math both within and across grade levels by connecting practice standards with content. Encourages students to think mathematically when solving problems, deep understandings and connections are made within mathematical relationships. Forward’s integrated curriculum and embedded professional development was designed specifically to support students and teachers as they transition to this more rigorous approach.

Integrated Curriculum Balanced Literacy Access to a diverse and cross-curricular collection of books that support and enrich the Forward integrated learning experience. During whole-group reading, students interact with challenging, high- quality literature and informational text across all subjects. Small group literacy resources and routines provide differentiated instruction for students at similar proficiency levels. Ties writing instruction to mentor texts that model good writing and expose students to a variety of genres and skills.

Integrated Curriculum Everything in one place Learning hub of assets enVisionMATH Reading Street ™ Good Habits Great Readers™ Interactive Science myWorld Social Studies A+RISE® Pearson Teacher Compass Technology integration Interactive Games Graphic Organizers and Strategies Library Teacher Resources Skills Posters

Special Student Populations Rigor and balance for all students Support for English Language Learners ELL Guide; provides goals and indicators for each of the four Parts of instruction. Key vocabulary by subject ELL strategies by subject Response to Intervention Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Access to Differentiated Instructional resources in each weekly planner Forward promotes school-wide participation in core instructional planning. Built-in materials for ELL and SPED support staff

Take assessment beyond the right answer PurposeAbility to track online Observational Success Skills Assessment Nurture and measure student development of the thinking and academic success skills; Engage students in classroom activities that are consistent with the CCSS. x Content-area Formative Assessment Measure student understanding of core subjects. x CourseworkIntegrated content, instructional resources and practice items. x Checks for Student Understanding Alternate, formative assessment; takes place after each Sample Learning Task x

Integrated Curriculum Unifying Question Supports skill integration Builds understanding across subjects

Integrated Curriculum Part Overview Provides access to content and assets for nine weeks of instruction.

Integrated Curriculum Integration Guide Drills-down to the week level, providing an overview of an integrated week of instruction.

Integrated Curriculum Weekly Planners Flexible planning, based on students’ needs or abilities

Professional Development and Support Days; 20 days/school Professional Development 4 days prior to the start of the year; 2 days throughout school-year. Targeted to audience: Whole School Leaders Lead Teachers Teachers Professional Support 14 days throughout the school-year. Targeted to principals and teachers, providing job-embedded coaching and mentoring focused on: Teacher team and leadership support and guidance Curricular problem solving and support Instructional support Implementation observation and reporting Sample Scope of Work

Role of the Pearson Field Specialist Provide support in an ongoing and collaborative basis to help get implementation practices underway and provide feedback on progress Nurture the development of cohesiveness among all schools implementing Forward Support school meet implementation goals During the course of a day, the Field Specialist will work with school leaders and teachers. Every time a Field Specialists visits a school, they can do the following: With TeachersWith Leaders  Co-plan lessons with teacher teams or with individual teachers  Model lessons or expectations of how to facilitate  Observe instruction  Co-facilitate teacher meetings and PD Strategize (problem solve implementation issues) Co-plan meetings to be facilitated with staff to support implementation Co-facilitate meetings with staff Model leadership team meetings

How is the content within Forward organized? Forward provides a week-by-week pacing strategy; Every grade consists of four Parts, each encompassing nine weeks of instruction, and the curriculum is organized by content area and grade level, including desired outcomes, standards, and indicators/objectives. How is Forward different from the curriculum currently being taught in schools? Forward offers an integrated curriculum, which means that it takes advantage of natural connections among content areas. For example when students in grade 1 study weather, they will simultaneously focus on data collection and measurement in math. This integration allows teachers to use real life examples to teach math and use accurate math concepts to teach science. In addition, Forward emphasizes the development of critical and creative thinking and academic success skills throughout instruction. These skills have been shown to help students develop into independent, successful learners. Can teachers use content from another program in addition to Forward? Teachers may elect to incorporate their own content in conjunction with the curriculum topics presented in Forward, and since every Sample Learning Task within Forward has a closure portion that links back to these skills, we recommend that any non-Forward assets also tie back. For this reason, teachers have access to the Forward Flex Guide, which provides guidance on: How to locate Curriculum Concepts and Topics How to read a Sample Learning Task (SLT) How to incorporate custom content resources (such as your favorite book) How to tie custom assets to the thinking and academic success skills FAQ

How does Forward support English-language learners and students with special needs? Forward promotes school-wide participation in core instructional planning. The program provides access to built-in materials for ELL and SPED support staff, such as an ELL Guide to support English language Learners with goals and indicators for each of the four Parts of instruction, key vocabulary by subject, and ELL strategies by subject. In addition to this guide, Forward also includes point-of-use ELL notes from the market-leading Pearson A+RISE® system. Differentiated instructional resources are also available in each weekly planner. What are the benefits of Forward’s Success Skills Assessments? Success Skills Assessments are embedded into the Forward integrated curriculum and engage students in classroom activities that are consistent with the Common Core State Standards. These assessments document what students know and can do based on activities they engage in on a daily basis in the Classroom; They evaluate critical thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and collaboration — skills which standardized tests generally avoid; They are a means for improving instruction, allowing teachers to plan curriculum based on their knowledge of each student; They provide valuable, in-depth information for parents, administrators, and other policy makers. Is it true that Forward does not come with a textbook? Forward provides a wealth of quality resources that will help teachers deliver the fully digital content to students. Teachers can print out materials as necessary. Schools can also purchase a handpicked library of trade books--quality volumes meant to be used in the class to reinforce learning, and leveled readers that can be used for the purpose of small group literacy instruction. In addition, teachers are the best judges of students and their subject matter. Familiar books and other resources can easily be incorporated into the Forward curriculum, via the Forward Flex Guide. Teachers are free to use materials that they have found to be effective through their past experiences. FAQ

Has Forward been field-tested? Forward has been piloted in Kindergarten and first grade classrooms and the program is currently available for purchase across all grades for use during the school year. Is Forward appropriate for use in a 1:1 classroom? Students can access content online and view animations on their computer. However, because Forward was designed to function as a teaching and planning tool, it works best in classrooms equipped with a teacher readily accessible computer with internet access and either a projector or interactive whiteboard. Is it true that Forward has the potential to save a school or district money over time? Forward involves a similar financial commitment to purchasing all curriculum needed for an elementary school. However, unlike traditional curriculum, a partnership with Pearson to implement Forward also includes extensive professional development, assessments and job-embedded coaching to support successful implementation. Who is Forward’s primary sales force? Forward is sold through School Achievement Services (SAS). However, Basal Account Executives are eligible for dual sales credit. How can I learn more about Forward? Visit: PlaybookPlaybook Please download the full FAQ on Playbook. FAQ