1. A Model for Building and Using Professional Learning Communities
District Assessment Coordinator Meeting June 20th, :00 pm – 4:00 pm
A Model for
Building and Using
Professional Learning Communities
Bill Conrad, Ed.D. – Assessment Coordinator
(Office)
(Cell) 1

2. Meeting Agenda
Introduce a model of grade and department professional learning communities.
Discuss the feasibility of using this model as a base for professional development for school and district leaders in the fall
Share a variety of resources and tools that support the model
Review samples of Math Short Cycle Assessments for grades 3-6
Discuss how the Short Cycle Assessments could be integrated into the PLC Model
Develop a summer planning schedule for assessment and accountability professional development in the fall
Plan next steps

3. The Need
Aligned standards, curriculum, instructional strategies, assessments, and professional development that support teachers in helping all students achieve academically at high performance levels

4. The Assessment Continuum Wiki
The Assessment Continuum Wiki is a powerful online resource that can help us work collaboratively to build and use high quality assessment and accountability systems within our districts.
Let’s spend a few minutes exploring the Wiki.

6. Use formative classroom assessments to monitor ongoing progress
The Professional Learning Community Process
Plan
What is it we want ALL students to know?
Select power standards
Use curriculum maps
Learn about research-based instructional strategies (such as Marzano)
Teach
Apply research-based instructional strategies to known needs and abilities of students
Use strategies and approaches agreed upon with colleagues
Collaborate in grade level/
department teams
Share lesson plans and best practices across key participants
Reflect
How will we respond when students experience difficulty in learning?
How will we respond when students already know it?
Create intervention/ acceleration programs and monitor student progress
Differentiate and personalize classroom instruction, using research-based instructional strategies
Assess
How will we know if students
have learned it?
Use formative classroom assessments to monitor ongoing progress
Use district benchmark assessments to track progress toward standards
Analyze data to hone in on student needs
Read red text – pertinent to this presentation
New Haven Unified School District
April 2007

7. A PLC Model can help with Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development

11. 6th Grade Math Power Standard (6 Questions on the 6th Grade Math CST)
2.0 Students calculate and solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division:
2.3 Solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems, including those arising in concrete situations that use positive and negative integers and combinations of these operations.

12. 6th Grade Math Power Standard
Deconstruction of the Standard in the Context of the Lesson
Content:
Powers of 10
Multiplying positive integers and decimals
Converting units of measurement
Cost calculations involving decimals
Embedded Skills:
Dividing whole numbers by 10.
Calculation of energy costs
Thinking Skills:
Application of the math standard to a real world problem

13. 6th Grade Instructional Activity
Incandescent versus Compact Fluorescent

14. Sample Short Cycle Assessments

15. Sample Short Cycle Assessment Item

16. Sample Short Cycle Assessment Item Performance Description
Rubric
5. This item assesses the student’s ability to multiply decimals and use mathematical reasoning to show solution. (ER – application)
Question 5 Answer: $47, Extended Response
Points
Performance Description 4
Shows correct solution. Clear understanding in explanation of multiplication of decimals. 3
Shows correct solution with minor omissions in explanation 2
Shows correct solution. Many errors in calculation and no explanation 1
Incorrect solution with little explanation
Does not attempt

17. Adapt the Short Cycle Assessment Item with Standard and Lesson
Mr. Jones wants to know what his Energy Cost Savings will be if he converts his twenty ceiling Fluorescent Lights to Compact Fluorescent Lights. What additional information will Mr. Jones need in order to determine the savings?
______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

18. Sample Short Cycle Assessment Item Performance Description
Modified Rubric
Information Needed to Solve the Problem:
Hours of expected use for the Fluorescent Lights
Number of Watts for a Fluorescent Light
Number of Watts for a Compact Fluorescent Light
Cost per Kilowatt Hour
Points
Performance Description 4
Student provides all of the 4 key components 3
Student provides 3 of the components 2
Student provides 2 of the components 1
Student provides 1 of the components
Student provides none of the components

19. Lesson Implementation Monitoring Tool

20. Lesson Assessment Tool

21. Potential Summer GOALS
Build tools and resources that will support implementing Fall PLC Professional Development opportunities in each of our school districts for one or more of the following content area:
Math
ELA/ELD
Science
K-2 Math
K-2 ELA/ELD

23. Additional Potential Summer GOALS
Complete the online Wiki Web Pages for each District for the following key areass:
Accountability/Data Inquiry
Assessment Systems
Data Decision Support Systems
Professional Development
Achievement Gap
Develop a research-based background paper about K-2 Early Childhood Assessments for ELA and Mathematics

24. Draft District Assessment Coordinator Schedule for 08-09

25. A Model for Building and Using Professional Learning Communities
District Assessment Coordinator Meeting June 20th, :00 pm – 4:00 pm
A Model for
Building and Using
Professional Learning Communities
Bill Conrad, Ed.D. – Assessment Coordinator
(Office)
(Cell) 25