1. This presentation may be used with school boards, community groups, as well as with staff and parents.

2. Introduce yourself.
We are embarking on a very important effort to improve learning for all students in Iowa.
This presentation provides information about what the WORK is and why it is the right work.
I will share information about why this is a critical TIME to begin this work and the major timelines for accomplishing our goals.
This is a very collaborative effort involving educators, community, students and families ….
The leaders here today (You) are the RIGHT PEOPLE to lead the work.

3. Purpose: Build the sense of urgency and remind the audience of the moral purpose.
Make this presentation personal by describing an Iowa student you care about – daughter, son, niece, nephew, granddaughter, grandson, etc.
The facilitator may choose to ask the participants to identify a student that is struggling, one with educational risk factors, or one that is not living up to their potential and could do more.
Add your own appropriate photo based on how you want them to frame the part that personalizes this work for them as a leader and participant in this session.
Facilitate the use of the picture:
Think about a child in your life or your school.
What do you want that child to experience in school?
What do you want that student to know when he or she graduates from high school?
What do you want that student to be able to do when he or she graduates from high school? 3

4. The Core Curriculum is…
A state-wide effort to improve teaching and learning to ensure that all Iowa students engage in a rigorous & relevant curriculum.
Describe what the Core Curriculum is by stating bullet in slide.
The outer ring depicts the comprehensive set of supports that are needed to put the Core into place.
The inner ring shows the major arenas of work.
The full graphic structures the focus on the following:
The knowledge, skills, and actions of leaders, teacher leaders and teachers
In the community
In the school
In the classroom
Tools and resources that support implementation within the system and more importantly in the classroom.
The knowledge, skills and actions focused on content, instruction, and assessment
Professional development that enhances the knowledge, skills, and actions leaders and teachers need to ensure that students engage with a rigorous and relevant curriculum.
The circle labeled CORE is the focus on the student and the student’s learning.

5. Supporting the Iowa Core Curriculum
Informed and engaged Communities
Integrated Schools and Support Agencies
Committed Leadership actions
The Community is fully informed and actively engaged in the process. Multiple partners including business and industry, families, and communities are interdependent.
Schools and supporting agencies function as an integrated system and provide a coordinated approach, consistent communication, and differentiated delivery. This part of the graphic shows how important all the various systems, processes and initiatives are in supporting the work of teaching and learning.
Committed Leadership actions are focused and provide the expertise, guidance, and resources needed to support teaching and learning.
In practice these three components interact with one another.

6. The Core Curriculum Provides…
Comprehensive picture of effective curriculum that addresses:
Content
Instruction
This slide shows the relationship of Content – Instruction- Assessment.
Stress how it is critical that these three functions are aligned and how the Core emphasizes:
What to teach (Content)
How to teach (Instruction)
How to determine whether students are learning essential concepts and skills that enable students to keep track of their own progress and enhances a teachers ability to provide high quality instruction. (Assessment)
The CORE circle on the diagram is the focus on the student and the student’s learning.
These six components (Leadership, Schools, Community, Content, Instruction, and Assessment) work together and define the Iowa Core Curriculum.
Assessment

7. Why is the Core important?
To set high expectations
for all students
for educators
To attend to the learning needs of students
To break through the achievement plateau
To address global and local challenges
We need high expectations for our students, our teachers and our leaders. It is clear that the main factor to improve student achievement is a quality teacher in every classroom, every day.
We must guarantee a collaborative and productive environment that is focused on building the knowledge and skills of students, teachers, and leaders – with the end result being improved student achievement.
We must ensure conditions within our schools and classrooms by which all students are challenged, motivated and engaged in learning to higher levels. Students entering our classrooms tomorrow will need to earn in a much different way.
There are too many students who just are not making it in a system that hasn’t figured out how to meet their needs.
Those who struggle
Those who are doing well but could be challenged to do more challenging work.
Differences in the achievement in groups of students are not tolerable in a state that prides itself in high student achievement.
Examples of challenges in a changing world:
Iowa’s fastest growing occupation is computer software engineering.
54% of occupations in Iowa require post secondary education.
Growing demands in the workforce for individuals with technology and other 21st century skills.
Growth in the Hispanic population by 153% over last ten years.
By 2010 we will have more jobs than employees.

8. The Core Curriculum provides…
Essential concepts and skills to make sure students reach Iowa’s Core Content Standards & Benchmarks.
These content standards are broad statements that identify the knowledge and skills that students should acquire and they remain constant throughout K-12. What varies as students progress through school is the difficulty of the content and the complexity of student work.
The benchmarks provide detail in identifying the knowledge and skills that students should acquire at the classroom level.
The Core Curriculum provides the comprehensiveness and details that will help educators identify the content, instruction, and assessment that will help students meet the standards and benchmarks.
If we are intentional about aligning curriculum, instruction, and assessment and improving instructional practices student achievement goals will be met. 8

9. Content Areas Literacy Mathematics Science Social Studies
Iowa Core Curriculum defines the most critical learning for all students.
Content Areas
Literacy
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
21st Century Skills
This slide identifies the content areas addressed by the Core Curriculum:
Literacy – Integration and practical application of reading, writing, speaking, viewing, and listening
Mathematics – Understanding and applying concepts, practices, and facts
Science – Investigating, designing experiments, questioning, exploring, and defending conclusions and engaging in inquiry
Social Studies – Acquisition and application of knowledge and skills associated with economic, political, civic, and social forces
21st Century – A demonstration and application of Employability skills, financial literacy, health literacy, and technology literacy

10. Ultimate outcomes: Students Educators Educational leaders
INSERT a picture of the student used initially in the presentation.
Each and every K-12 student will learn all the essential concepts and skill sets identified in the Iowa Core Curriculum for life in the 21st century.
Each K-12 educator will embed the essential concepts and skill sets in rigorous and relevant instruction informed by ongoing formative assessment.
Each and every educational leader will support and ensure an aligned system of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, focused on the ICC essential concepts and skill sets.
(These are the vision statements for the Iowa Core Curriculum.)
What are the educational outcomes for insert name of student? Ask them to go back to the student they were asked to identify at the beginning of the presentation.
Have a possible list of outcomes that may anticipate some of the things the participants will say or share with one another.

11. Leadership Responsibilities
Be an advocate within the system by supporting and sustaining the Iowa Core Curriculum for students, schools and community.
…What does this mean?
The list below states attributes of a quality leader. Use the points that you are comfortable with to describe or illustrate how leaders can advocate and sustain the Iowa Core Curriculum.
Collaborate with partners of the school
Lead and sustain professional development
Create a sense of urgency
Build commitment and public will within the school and the community
Establish a clear focus and plan of action
Monitor and evaluate
Engage in a relentless use of data
Communicate (again and again)
Provide resources
If time permits, ask participants to share with a partner what ideas they have about critical leadership actions.

12. Teacher Responsibilities
Be a life long learner
Reflect on instructional practices
Incorporate instructional practices that challenge students
Use data and information to inform practice
Communicate with parents and students
Collaborate with colleagues
Access and engage in professional development
Tie this to the Iowa Teaching Standards.
The examples in this list of responsibilities connects to various of the Iowa Teaching Standards. Ask the participants if they can identify connections to two or more of the teaching standards.
Have them share with one another or share out as time allows.
The Iowa Core Curriculum helps create and sustain a collaborative culture where teachers continually improve their practices.

13. The Supports for Success
Community – This section of the graphic highlights the partnership that business, industry and the community have with the school to provide input, support, and specific help for students to experience a rigorous and relevant curriculum to prepare them for 21s century. School Boards and families are also important partners in accomplishing the goals of the Core. Higher education also plays a major role in this work as it prepares teachers for their work with students.
Schools –There are processes, programs and systems that are currently available to operationalize the work of the core:
Instructional Decision Making (IDM),
Learning Supports,
Iowa Professional Development Model,
plus a variety of state and AEA initiatives that build capacity.
Every Student Counts,
Every Learner Inquires
Rigor and Relevance
AIW
Second Chance Reading
others.
Leadership actions promote a collaborative culture and work to enhance student learning throughout the system. Leadership works to tie these components together in a collective effort to improve student learning based on the Iowa Core Curriculum.

14. Core Curriculum Timeline
July 1, 2010 Implementation Plan for Grades 9-12
July 1, Full Implementation of the Plan for Grades 9-12
July 1, Implementation Plan for Grades K-8
Full Implementation of Plan for Grades K-8
Review the mandated dates in the legislation.
Refer to the Overview paper and other background documents for details about the legislation.

15. Leadership Capacity Building Continuous Improvement
Timeframe
& Beyond
Leadership Capacity Building
Planning
&
Implementation
Full Implementation
Continuous Improvement
Share the Timeframe Handout
This general framework suggest a way to think about how to approach and stage this work.
This year is about capacity building, learning about the core, creating interest, enthusiasm, and commitment. Some districts will want to get their Implementation plan started. Many districts will determine that having one plan for K-12 will help with continuity and getting a plan in place this spring will set the stage for future work.
Continue planning & collaboration and engage in processes and protocols to implement the Core.
embed the essential concepts & skills in their teaching.
A key point is that this is a process of improvement that is ongoing, and continues beyond the targeted date for full implementation.

16. What Can You Do? http://www.corecurriculum.iowa.gov/Home.aspx
Essential Skills and Concepts
Technical Assistance
FAQs
Judy Jeffrey’s Podcast
Use these websites to support your work as a leader.
These online resources on these sites can assist you in introducing the Core Curriculum to your teachers, community members, and board.

17. This the RIGHT work for Iowa’s students.
The RIGHT time is now.
The RIGHT people are the members of this audience and those you work with each day.
Thank you for your interest, your participation, and your leadership.