 Counselors: Cure for the Common Core Tools for Success: Common Core, College and Career Conference, March 13, 2014

MATHEMATICS Focus, coherence and clarity: emphasis on key topics at each grade level and coherent progression across grades Balance between procedural fluency and understanding of concepts and skills Promote rigor through mathematical proficiencies that foster reasoning and understanding across discipline ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS/LITERACY Balance of literature and informational texts (non fiction); focus on text complexity Emphasis on argument, informative/ explanatory writing, and research Literacy standards for history, science and technical subjects ANCHORED IN COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS 2 Key Advances of Common Core

Common Core State Standards Design  Focused, coherent, rigorous  Internationally benchmarked  Evidence and research based  Linked to College and Career readiness * * Ready for first-year, credit bearing, postsecondary coursework

Common Core State Standards Challenge How do we get from here......to here? All students leave high school college and career ready Common Core State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness...and what can Counselors do to help?

Common Core Standards : Backward Design Model  Started with the End Goal  Driving force: Low US college-going rates  Economic pressure  Race to the Top pushed states to make the choice

Common Core Standards Require Counselors to  Think across grade levels  Develop comprehensive programs  Provide academic supports to students  Create standards-based college and career focused lessons

Local Control Budget Overlaps CC  SB 1458 passed in Senator Steinberg  Test results will constitute no more than 60% of the value of a secondary school  Measures graduation rates and college-going rates  From API – EQI – Equity Quality Index

Counselors as Experts for the Cure  Curriculum  Assessment  College and Career Readiness  Data-Driven Practice

Counselors and Common Core Curriculum  Focus on academic preparation without remediation  Quality and level of high school coursework is a key level of curricular reform  Counselors experts in transcript evaluation – most important factor in college admission process

Counselors as Assessment Experts  Formative Assessments allow for Interventions and regular check-ups  Checks on student progress and design and provide intervention programs  Identify classes/courses/teache rs where students are not successful

Counselors in College and Career Readiness  be020/turbine/la-me- cal-freshmen-pictures /980  Prepare students for college and career  Identify interests linked to major selection  Schedule college prep coursework  Aspiration building, especially for first-generation students

Counselors in College and Career Readiness  Provide financial aid information  Promote Career Technical Education  Assist students through complex application process  Facilitate access to college

Counselors Demonstrate Data-Driven Practices  Analyze and Gather Data on:  UC/CSU A-G Completion  PSAT, SAT, AP, IB  ACT Exams

Counselors Demonstrate Data-Driven Practices  Analyze Data regarding:  Students not on track for college prep Math  Students repeating Math courses  Review School Policy regarding course selection, offerings, and sequencing

Counselors are Collaboration Experts  Work with administrators to ensure equity of school-wide policies  Schedule and Placement in rigorous classes  Remedial Support &Tutoring  Identify performance barriers

Key Shift – from High School Completion to College Graduation

To College and Career Ready!  “Closing the gap between high school completion requirements and college entrance expectations is arguably the single most important thing to fix, if we are to address our college completion problem.  I feel strongly that higher education must step forward and exercise leadership at this moment in time.  A lot is at stake for our nation and well-being of future generations.”  -Mike Kirst, President, California State Board of Education

Common Core and Higher Education  Create a seamless transition between sectors  Focus on skills students need to enter college  Major issue: Disconnect between K-12 and Higher Ed.  AP Program provides curricular coherence

Counselors as Leaders and Managers  Solution-focused, data driven  Counselor a champion and architect of the college-going culture  Communicate expectations and requirements  Provide strategies for working with students and their families

Our Membership has a Role to Play  Joint efforts = Strength  Identify common issues  Increased communication and cross-pollination  Focus on Data analysis and training

Counselor Accountability Tool Model Results/Outcome Statement: Baseline Data: Goal Statement: Impact of Levels of Interventions and School Counselor’s Role Individual Level Group Level Classroom Level Grade Level School-wide Level Family Level Community Level Year-end Data/PPT 5 5 Adapted from The College Board’s National Office of School Counselor Advocacy (2010)

Identify a Critical Data Point Number of Latino students enrolled in Algebra 1 Baseline Data: 1 1 Adapted from The College Board’s National Office of School Counselor Advocacy (2010)

Goal Statement Components  GOAL COMPONENTS 1. Increase/decrease 2. Group that is targeted 3. Target category (e.g. time/class) 4. Degree of change (# or %) 5. End date (month/year) Increase enrollment in the Latino students in Algebra I by 50% at the end of registration/ beginning next fall. Goal Statement: (5 parts): 2 2 Adapted from The College Board’s National Office of School Counselor Advocacy (2010)

3 3 Intervention TargetsWhat is in Place? What Could Be? Individual Group Classroom Grade Level School-Wide Family Community Provide Interventions to Ensure Impact

Analyze Intervention Results 4 4 Results/Outcome Statement: Adapted from The College Board’s National Office of School Counselor Advocacy (2010) Collected data indicates the goal of 50% was not met. However, several levels of intervention indicate movement toward 50%. Institutionalization of the successful levels will begin to foster systemic policies/practices. Revisiting the non-movement levels will occur within 30 days. Collected data indicates the goal of 50% was not met. However, several levels of intervention indicate movement toward 50%. Institutionalization of the successful levels will begin to foster systemic policies/practices. Revisiting the non-movement levels will occur within 30 days.

Sharing Outcomes is Key Year-end Strategic Tool Sharing 5 5 Adapted from The College Board’s National Office of School Counselor Advocacy (2010)

Identify Effectiveness and Impact Highlight what’s useful (and what’s not)

Develop an Action Plan for Change  Troubling Data/Baseline data/Special Issue  Link with Common Core and Local Accountability Plan– Principal’s Goals  Form a Team  Action steps – with a timeline  Results  Next steps  Result Shared with and Lessons Learned

First Steps in Developing the Plan Involve Administration Develop Collaborative Teams - Inside - Outside Deal with Resistance - Anticipate - Who would benefit

Assemble Your Team  Practitioners  Leaders  Faculty  Community members  Parents  School Board members

Maintain Your Momentum: Strategies Developing Strategies - Team meetings - Shared responsibilities - Goal setting Evaluating Progress - Use the data - Consider short and long-term approaches Celebrating and Sustaining - Presentations

Sustainability: Essential Questions - How can we collaborate with colleagues? - Do we have the Will to Change? - Who sets the Priorities? - Who Keeps us on Track? - When do we “check in”? - How do we communicate our success?

Be Bold in Sharing Your Work  Faculty Meetings  Administrator Meetings  School Board Meetings  PTSA Meetings  District Headquarters

Presentation Outline  Demographics background  Data overview  Troubling data  Align troubling data with Common Core and Local Accountability Plan  Intervention summary  Post-intervention results  Pre-Post comparison  Lessons learned and Next Steps

Keep in Mind for your Common Core Plan Every school has existing resources Build partnerships! You are not alone! Intentionally link to Common Core and LCFF Think BIG, but remember the details.