|
|
|
2003-04 Goal: Ensure Continued Improvement in Student Learning
Strategic Areas
Student Learning
Description: The major district goal is student learning with an emphasis on closing the achievement gap and ensuring learning for all students through high standards, integrated technology and the district-wide coherent curriculum.
Benchmark: Ensuring Learning for all Students
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Ensure that the Learning Leadership Team establishes a district focus on high expectations for all students.
- Learning Leadership Team focused efforts on Community Summit and Summit Response Team process.
- Student Services participated in campus-based CTG [Closing the Gap] initiatives.
Ensure that teachers master a variety of instructional strategies to address diverse learning needs of all students.
- Provided Cognitive Guided Instruction (CGI) training and materials for teachers in grades K-5.
- Provided training in dual language strategies for bilingual K-1 teachers.
- Trained campus literacy specialists, classroom teachers, special ed and ESL/bilingual teachers in instructional strategies, such as flexible grouping, multitasking, assessment-driven instruction, focused read alouds, shared reading, guided reading, independent work stations, process writing, balanced literacy plan, 6-trait writing analysis, comprehension strategies, and using hands-on manipulative.
- Provided SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) training for selected campuses.
- Provided strategic reading training for approximately 90 special education teachers K-12.
- Trained K-12 campus dyslexia teachers on instructional strategies from latest research in Overcoming Dyslexia.
- Identified and shared strategies by subject to address the needs identified on the TAKS test.
- Trained teachers in gifted strategies in mathematics, social studies and science (full day PD).
- Curriculum implementation training for core subject teachers of how and why certain strategies are incorporated into the curriculum.
- Provided every campus with the publication by Region 18 Education Service Center regarding instructional accommodations in meeting a variety of learning needs.
- Teacher in-service for physical education teachers and paraprofessionals including On Your Mark Spots at the elementary level (integration of physical education activities and TEKS).
- Fall 2003 vocal music in-service included sessions by Prof. Jing Lin-Tam on Asian choral music and performance practice.
- Provided ten hours of training, using materials for differentiated instruction, to secondary academic specialists (PASP).
- Approximately 200 teachers (all levels) attended the 30 hours Gifted/Talented academy in 2003-2004, 15 hours of which addressed differentiation.
- Training in differentiation at 21 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 high schools and 2 senior high schools.
- 42 staff members attended training in differentiation and curriculum-related training at SMU.
- 17 staff members attended a two-day gifted and talented state conference emphasizing differentiation and curriculum-related issues.
- Special Programs Center teachers implemented a variety of strategies to ensure student success on the summer-administered TAKS.
- Academic intervention plans reduced failure rate.
Ensure adequate resource allocation to all classrooms.
- The 2003-04 budget was amended throughout the 10-month fiscal year to ensure adequate resources were allocated to all classrooms. The original instructional budget relating directly to classrooms was $197.1 M. An additional amount of $2.6 M was added throughout the year to accommodate other requests; although end-of-year estimates reflect $988 K budgeted funds unspent.
Benchmark: Integrating Standards
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Continue to revise curriculum planners to correlate lessons with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and national standards.
- Completed elementary integrated and math curriculum in the elementary curriculum planner with all lessons correlated to the TEKS and national standards. Training provided for all elementary teachers.
- Reading/language arts curriculum planner data entry is in progress. All TEKS have been identified for weekly plans and will be coded as documents are entered in the planner. Completion expected 2004-2005.
- On-line secondary curriculum revisited, modified and aligned to address needs based on Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and national standards.
- PACE elementary curriculum has been rewritten to document links to the TEKS and with national best practices in gifted education as a guide.
Benchmark: Incorporating Innovative Practice
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Research and evaluate innovative practices focusing on closing the achievement gap.
- East Cluster Student Achievement Committee researched and identified other school districts across the state for campus visits and selected best practices to close the achievement gap. District site visits included Galena Park, Ft. Worth, Garland, Carrollton-Farmers Branch, Richardson, Birdville, Houston, Deer Park, and McAllen. A document was developed by the committee, which has been presented to the school board, principals, teachers and central office staff.
Online teaching and tutoring was incorporated district wide.
- Established Newcomers classrooms and curriculum for new-to-the-district, non-English speakers at Meadows and Forman Elementary Schools.
- Implemented dual language program for bilingual K-1 students at all bilingual elementary campuses.
- Developed and implemented Accelerated Instructional Math (AIM) for grades 3 and 4. Trained all teachers. Grades 5 – 8 materials are to be developed followed by teacher training.
- All students K-5 are administered district diagnostic assessments three times per year and results are entered in Edsoft. Information is shared with parents and used to focus general instruction and identify instructional needs for accelerated reading instruction (PAR).
- Literacy specialists on campuses assisted classroom teachers in monitoring progress and adjusting instructional methods on an on-going basis.
- On Your Mark Spots lessons were developed in physical education to reinforce language/vocabulary and mathematical concepts.
- Implemented a middle school concert and sight reading festival for all music programs designed to provide a more positive learning environment than current UIL contests.
- Developed PAR (Plano Accelerated Reading) instruction for grades 4 – 5 and trained all classroom teachers plus ESL/bilingual, special education teachers and literacy specialists. This completes the PAR program for K-5 which is evaluated through diagnostic profiles at each grade level.
- District coordinators attended Michael Wynn’s all-day workshop, “Closing the GAP for African-American Males.”
- Piloted Carnegie “Cognitive Tutor” (Algebra I) at Williams H.S.
- “SIOP” model chosen to instruct teachers on closing the gap for English Language Learners with training in progress.
- East Cluster ESL Team visited and evaluated several successful programs dealing with ESL students and graduation requirements. A plan of action is in development.
- Increased participation by low socio-economic students and under-represented populations via:
- The Discover program added a fulltime teacher at Barron Elementary.
- Discover curriculum was rewritten to enhance higher order thinking skills and increase students’ abstract reasoning abilities in preparation for high stakes testing.
- The nationally respected Naglieri non-verbal reasoning test, which has a high success rate with SES students, was incorporated K-12.
- The Phase 3 placement process was revised to formalize the importance of qualitative information in making placement decisions.
- A greater emphasis on science and interdisciplinary instruction has been placed in grades 2-4 PACE curriculum in order to appeal to a wider array of student abilities and interests, thus being more inclusive of the many different backgrounds of PACE students.
Benchmark: Integrating Technology
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Correlate new digital video libraries with lessons in the curriculum planners.
- Over 35,000 digital video clips and still images are available to students and teachers. Our curriculum design teams have integrated and directly linked these videos into the curriculum planners and our students and teachers utilize over 43,000 video streams per month.
- Correlated new digital video libraries with math, science, social studies, language arts and health curricula at the secondary level.
- Held vertical meeting with health teachers to review digital video libraries and correlate with curriculum.
Create resources for student and teacher use with newly adopted authoring software.
- The instructional technology department continues to work with curriculum coordinators and individual teachers in providing training opportunities for our software-based authoring applications. Initial resources have been completed to use as models for further development and correlation to curriculum activities.
Replace and upgrade equipment and software to ensure appropriate curriculum delivery.
- A total of 7,751 computers were replaced during August 2003 to July 2004. In addition, 707 printers, 442 VCRs, and 41 TVs were replaced. A total of 154 software titles were added and/or upgraded to support the curriculum.
Expand the Computers@Home program to all campuses.
- All campuses had the opportunity to participate in the Computers@Home program and 44 campuses became actively involved and 1,242 families received computers.
- Provided laptop computers to each Title I campus.
- Provided training to Title I and Even Start parents on computer skills and accessing resources via the internet.
Expand the myPISD.net program to all campuses.
- Students and their families in all campuses are eligible to subscribe to the myPISD.net remote access program. This past year, 271 students from 147 families subscribed. In addition, myPISD.net supports the remote access needs for over 3,200 PISD staff members.
Benchmark: Developing a Coherent Curriculum
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Continue to develop, improve and maintain a guaranteed and viable pre K-12 curriculum which is consistent from school to school and meets the needs of diverse learners.
- All elementary curriculum guides are updated with current best practices and differentiated teaching strategies.
- Career Education continued to focus on lateral alignment of course curriculum 9-10, 11-12 and vertical alignment 9-12.
- Accomplished vertical and horizontal teaming with Title I and secondary academic specialists.
- Established a leadership team that includes K-12 P.E. and secondary health.
- Developed a timeline for vertical alignment in middle school and high school health.
- Developed a consistent curriculum for art which is designed to meet the needs of diverse learners.
- Expanded elementary music benchmark assessments to include all students in grades 1 – 5 to insure consistent instruction district wide.
- Provided Kodály training in conjunction with University of North Texas to support elementary music curriculum.
- Held vertical and horizontal team meetings in all fine arts subject areas.
- Aligned ESL language development instruction to the reading and language arts curriculum guide.
- Conducted curriculum development throughout the school year (including the month of June) in all secondary content areas. Special emphasis was placed on TAKS foundation courses: English I, English II, English III, world history, world geography, U.S. history, IPC, biology, chemistry, physics, Algebra I, geometry, precalculus.
- Developed math and science scope and sequence for secondary special education.
- Rewrote Discover curriculum and elementary and middle school PACE pull out curriculum to address consistency.
- Student Services Department used data regarding college and post-secondary planning to increase graduation completion rates.
- Students served by the Special Programs Center successfully resumed home campus study following their SPC placement.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Description: The district will continue to use a variety of data effectively to improve instructional practices and student learning. The district will use data to evaluate investment with student outcomes.
Benchmark: Using a Variety of Data Effectively
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Expand electronic classroom attendance to all elementary campuses.
- Our final 13 campuses, including Head Start and all three early childhood schools, began electronic attendance this fall. All Plano ISD schools now report their attendance electronically from each teacher’s classroom.
Continue to use assessment data collected over time for cohort groups and instructional programs to guide improvement efforts.
- Compared yearly scores on state and national tests to guide improvement efforts.
- Added filters to Edsoft to allow sorting of performance data by cohort group.
- Used Edsoft data to measure growth in language proficiency, RPTE (Reading Proficiency Test in English), Tejas Lee (Spanish Reading Proficiency Test), TPRI (Texas Primary Reading Inventory), and in district diagnostic tests for reading/language arts, math and science.
- Teachers used data gathered via Edsoft to guide instructional decisions in the classroom.
- Dyslexia database in Edsoft provided for campus data entry to monitor progress through the dyslexia program and reading progress following program exit.
- Piloted Fitnessgram for all elementary and secondary physical education classes.
- Reviewed and used Spring 2003 elementary music benchmark mastery to revise 4th grade curriculum and assessment and continued focus on individual student learning.
- Gathered data related to science TAKS success and course sequence.
- Math and language arts staff tracked student performance in grade level cohorts to determine longitudinal growth on key TEKS.
- Designed elementary PACE pull out rubrics to provide program evaluation within the structure of best practice standards.
- Provided all campuses with the following campus-specific data: percentage of students receiving special education services, representation of multi-ethnic groups in special education, and the number of students referred that did not qualify for special education services.
Benchmark: Using Information to Improve Instructional Practice
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Use results of external study to improve effectiveness/efficiency of Special Education services.
- Shared the results of the Stetson Special Education study with campus administrators, special education staff, School Board Trustees and parents.
- Formed a committee to develop a new staffing model for special education services.
- Developed a process to be used to determine staffing allocations for the 2005-2006 school year.
Determine which data are necessary to assist administration, principals and teachers to make informed instructional decisions.
- Utilized student performance data in planning summer programs.
- Provided summer school teachers access to student data for individual and group instructional planning.
- Discussed needs with various focus groups, i.e. literacy specialists, dyslexia teachers and principals, and analyzed which data were necessary to inform instructional decisions.
Benchmark: Using Data to Affect Student Performance
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Use Western States Benchmarking Consortium web tool to assist Site Based Improvement Committee/District Based Improvement Committee focus/work.
- A committee of principals and central administrators has completed the design specifications for the SBIC/DBIC web tool. Programming of the final design has been suspended based on a revised SBIC process being considered for implementation this year. Programming will be re-initiated following the process update and will be completed during the 2004-05 school year for initial testing of the tool.
Use EdSoft instructional management system to gather and disseminate student performance data.
- District curriculum coordinators and directors analyzed data and synthesized information to discover trends and patterns in student performance data.
- Literacy Specialists trained to use Edsoft data to assist teachers in tracking progress and adjusting instruction accordingly.
- District vertical teams used Edsoft data to analyze programmatic and student strengths and needs across K-8, 6-10, and 9-12 vertical teams.
- Held discussions to improve the effectiveness of the Edsoft data management system.
- Used district, state and national assessments to track student progress and evaluate program performance.
- Made individual student profiles available to teachers and campus administrators.
- Used elementary music benchmark data submitted through Edsoft to provide district and campus mastery reports.
Benchmark: Relating Investments, Outcomes & Improvement Strategies
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Conduct a cost-benefit analysis of programs impacting student achievement.
- The STAR Elementary Schools - Mendenhall, Forman, Meadows, and Hickey – provided an extended day tutoring program for students who have failed TAKS or who have scored low on the pre-test. There has been a positive impact on student learning.
- The effectiveness of TEA dollars funded (1999-2004) for Accelerated Reading Instruction (PAR) and the Model Reading Intervention Grant for 3rd grade is evident from the success of our K-3 program as our third graders have performed on the TAKS at 2SEM (in 2002-2003) and 1SEM (in 2003-2004) standards and yielded a 99% + meeting the standard in both English and Spanish by the third administration in July while maintaining a 48% commended score both years. Unfortunately the TEA funds were substantially diminished last year as Accelerated Reading Instruction came to 4th grade. The same scenario is expected this year for 5th grade. Passing rates and commended levels at 4th and 5th are good, but not to the 3rd grade level.
Community Connectedness
Description: The district will involve the larger community in improving student learning by developing strong community support, helping the community to understand and use assessment results, providing community-based learning opportunities, and building community partnerships.
Benchmark: Developing a Strong Community
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Engage non-involved parents in their children’s educational program.
- Each Title I school held at least two family literacy programs.
- Provided Even Start program, served 45 families.
- Provided all Title I information in English and Spanish.
- Funded 5 parent liaisons with Title I and Title 5 funds.
- Focused campus efforts on parent involvement strategies.
- Allocated 1% of Title 1 funds for parental involvement, totaling over $24,000.
- Shared the results of the Reading and Language Arts diagnostic assessments K-5 with parents at each of the testing benchmark periods (district-wide).
- Campuses engaged in family literacy nights to extend understanding of how to support literacy development at home.
- Provided ESL and Headstart family literacy classes.
- PTA Parent Nights were held to educate parents about PISD and programs available to students.
- Department of Special Education Services conducted a survey in January 2004 concerning needs for parent training and involvement. Approximately 300 parents responded, requesting additional training and involvement with their child’s education.
- Two parents have worked with the PTA Board to develop a council seat to address the needs of parents who have children with special needs. SAGA (Special and Gifted Education) will be the name of this PTA council seat.
Maintain ongoing communication with parents and the greater community to ensure their understanding of the need to close the achievement gap.
- PISD hosted a community summit on Closing the Achievement Gap on March 23, 2004.
- Reviewed programs and support from Collin County Community College to the district.
- Maintained database of non profit agency services and support to students and families.
Documented Plano ISD community partnerships, internships, and service projects involving students.
Benchmark: Understanding and Using Assessment Results
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Focus Site Based Improvement Committees/District Based Improvement Committee on understanding and using data for continuous student improvement.
Held vertical team strategy meetings by cluster based on TAKS data.
Maintain and expand Site Based Improvement Committee facilitator training to ensure congruence between the Western States Benchmarking Consortium strategic areas and Site Based Improvement Committees plans.
- Site Based Improvement Committees/District Based Improvement Committee Facilitators focused on the WSBC strategic areas for setting and reaching goals to close the achievement gap for each identified group of students.
Benchmark: Providing Community-Based Learning Opportunities
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Support the effort to increase/expand Computers@Home project.
- The Communications and Technology departments have collaborated on a number of online and paper informational pieces for schools to use in making students and families aware of the Computers@Home opportunity.
- A report was given to principals during the June 2004 workshops highlighting each schools’ involvement with the Computers@Home program. Suggestions were given on how to increase the number of families participating during the 2004-05 school year.
Continue marketing of myPISD.net.
- Media coverage of the myPISD.net project has been coordinated by the Communications and Technology departments. In addition, the myPISD.net project was awarded the InfoWorld 100 Most Innovative Technology Project recognition for 2003.
Benchmark: Building Community Partnerships
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Conduct a community forum on closing the achievement gap.
- PISD hosted a Community Forum on Closing the Achievement Gap on March 23, 2004.
Recruit and train mentors for Together Each Achieves More Success (TEAMS) program.
- Coordinators were recruited and trained from 38 campuses to implement the TEAMS program in the spring of 2003/04. Over 1,200 volunteers were mentors under the TEAMS program.
Develop support materials for TEAMS mentors.
- Support materials for TEAMS were developed in 2003 and were updated as necessary. The materials were distributed at the training sessions and were provided to campuses as needed to accommodate the attrition of volunteers.
Recognize district people and programs that help to close the achievement gap.
- Area news media reported on test scores such as TAKS, SAT, ACT, etc. and student academic accomplishments.
- Plano ISD employees were recognized for years of service and their contributions to the district at the annual Service Pin/Retirement/Superintendent's Service Award event.
- Plano ISD honored teachers for their daily classroom work at the annual Teacher of the Year Gala.
- School Board and Administration honored students for accomplishments in the Trustee Awards of Excellence Program. Coaches, sponsors, and teachers were also recognized.
- Published numerous articles and photos in district newsletters (print and electronic) and the district website promoting the following:
- “Plano ISD Summit: Closing the Achievement Gap” community forum held in the spring of 2004.
- Curricular programs that promote increased learning among all students, including regular education, multilingual education and special education…and publicity about families impacted by the Even Start literacy program, parenting programs and Head Start program.
- Computers@Home project, which provides free computers, software and training to students who are economically disadvantaged.
- MyPISD.net – Innovative service, which enables Plano ISD students and their families to connect to the school district's internal network for access to each student's personal file directory and several global resources.
- Plano ISD 2004 Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year who both instruct special populations: ESL and English remedial classes, respectively.
- Superintendent’s Service Award winner who assists with instructing special needs students at a district elementary school.
- Added Spanish sign-up to district and school eNews listserv. Several subscriptions in Spanish have been received. District eNews subscriptions climbed from 5,000 to 10,000 in 2003-04.
- Advisory Committee Appreciation Breakfast took place on May 18 at the Southfork Hotel. Community volunteers are recognized at this event that serve on:
- Bond Facilities and Technology Task Force
- Career Development
- District Based Improvement Committee (DBIC)
- Health Advisory Committee
- Library Information Resources
- Multi-Ethnic Committee
- Plano ISD Education Foundation
- Special Academics Committee
- Student Advisory Committee
- Technology Steering Committee
- Presidents and Principals Luncheon was held May 3, 2004 at the Collin County Community College. The Plano ISD Council of PTAs and all school PTA presidents were invited to this luncheon in their honor. Their school principals were also invited to attend.
- Mentor Celebration was held January 27, 2004 at Plano Centre. This recognition event honors volunteers who mentor students. The students are honored as well.
- PTA Life Membership Banquet was held February 26, 2004 at Southfork Ranch. PTA volunteers, Plano ISD staff and community members who serve our students and staff are honored with the Texas Life Membership award.
- Service and Retirement Recognition event was held April 13, 2004 at Southfork Ranch. The Superintendent’s Service Award was given at this time and employees who retired were also honored.
- The Trustee Awards of Excellence event was held June 3, 2004 at Plano Centre to recognize outstanding student achievement.
- The Martin Luther King celebration was held January 19, 2004 at Plano Centre. Plano ISD spearheaded a large community wide committee to plan and execute a program of celebration for the Plano greater community. This program included participation by community leaders, students and staff.
- Produced more opportunities for wider representation of district support personnel as well as teachers in videos.
- Videos that feature not only the efforts of teachers, but also bus drivers, food services workers, reading program coordinators, special education aides, and other support personnel will introduce these areas and employees to the public. These videos are aired over the district’s cable channel for public viewing.
Capacity Development
Description: Quality learning in Plano ISD classrooms is directly related to expanding organizational effectiveness, promoting innovation and improving professional and organizational development.
Benchmark: Expanding Organizational Effectiveness
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Focus on leadership development for principals and team leaders.
- PISD designed a program for new principals and new administrators focused on leadership skills and development. The program began this school year.
Improve the understanding of diversity in student learning and in organizational effectiveness.
- The Multi-Ethnic Committee, created by the Board of Trustees in 1998, continues to review and make recommendations to the Board on district programs and issues affecting students and staff related to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or disability. In addition, the committee completed its annual review of the district’s affirmative action plan and continues to support staff initiatives to increase minority representation within the employee population to more closely reflect the diversity of the student body.
- The mission of PISD’s Diversity Steering Committee, established in November 2001, is to design and implement a long-range district-wide diversity plan. The steering committee includes representatives from a broad base of district constituents to capture the wide variety of perspectives, which make up Plano ISD and its community. Phase One of the Diversity Plan addressed administrators, faculty and staff. Each campus and central department has been challenged to complete at least two diversity experiences over the two-year period ending at the completion of the 2004-05 school year. Phase Two of the Diversity Plan will address students.
- Beginning with the 2004-05 school year, the district converted one of the professional positions in Human Resources into the newly created position of director of diversity programs. Rob Stewart was appointed to fill this position. In the upcoming school year, Mr. Stewart will work closely with the Diversity Steering Committee to implement district-wide initiatives in regard to staff training, teacher mentoring, and strategic recruiting.
- A committee has reviewed the district’s PK-12 curriculum to determine how diversity is addressed throughout the curriculum.
Address compensation, benefits and work environment issues to make Plano ISD an employer of choice in the education community.
- Analysis of the District’s compensation and benefits package determined that Plano ISD was comparable to the market in most categories. Pay increases for 2004-2005 were intentionally set at or slightly above most comparison districts.
- Implemented new pay structure as recommended in 2002-2003 pay plan audit.
Benchmark: Promoting Innovation
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Continue collaboration with Western States Benchmarking Consortium on development of literacy paper and best practices.
- Focused Site Based Improvement Committees/District Based Improvement Committee on understanding and using data for continuous student improvement.
- Maintained and re-structured Site Based Improvement Committee facilitator training to ensure congruence between the Western States Benchmarking Consortium strategic areas and Site Based Improvement Committees plans.
Use technology in all areas of the organization to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
- Specific applications such as ePay, eNews, Benefits Enrollment, Compensation & Benefits Assistant, Online Applicant and Parent Viewer demonstrated the continued emphasis on the use of technology services to improve effectiveness, efficiency and customer service.
- Our broad-based district technology steering committee met monthly to provide recommendations for technology initiatives that impact all programs and departments within Plano ISD.
- The Technology Steering Committee recommendations for the 2004 bond were supported by the Bond Task Force and will provide necessary funding to enable initiatives in both the curricular and auxiliary services areas to occur as planned through the needs identification process.
Pursue creative options to encourage students in Plano ISD to become future educators.
- Designed grant program for Plano ISD students desiring to become Plano ISD teachers. Ongoing work in 2004-2005
Benchmark: Improving Professional/Organizational Development
Evidence/Attainment/Results of 2003-04 Major Initiatives:
Target professional development to close the achievement gap.
Focus on assisting principals and teachers to make meaning of data to impact/improve instruction.
Provide professional development for all teachers in differentiation of instructional strategies.
Provide job specific professional development opportunities.
Responses listed below are inter-related to one or more of the above initiatives:
- Maintained database of professional development by department.
- Provided professional development opportunity – 3 hours on using assessment data for planning programs and instruction.
- Provided professional development opportunities focusing on closing the achievement gap.
- Administrators remained abreast of current research and shared information with teachers, principals and staff.
- Career Education included on-going curriculum development and enhancement in all Career Ed courses.
- Reviewed existing Title 1 materials/guides to make sure they correlated with TEKS and supported the curriculum.
- Revised and implemented elementary art curriculum training for the 2003-2004 school year.
- Conducted in-service with middle school and high school P.E. teachers regarding curriculum revisions.
- Provided 3 days of program specific professional development for all levels of fine art curriculum.
- Provided professional development opportunities focused on closing the achievement gap and differentiated instruction.
- Provided research articles to teachers, principals and staff.
- Provided a five-course on-line Paraprofessional Institute to help paraprofessionals meet No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements.
- Developed a partnership with Collin County Community College to provide a course of study for paraprofessionals wishing to obtain college hours.
- Budgeted 5% of Title 1 funds (per law) to fund NCLB highly qualified requirement activities - $124,515.00.
- Career Education in coordination with the Plano Chamber of Commerce conducted a Business in Education Exchange. Teachers visited various workplaces to gather information regarding industry needs to share with their students.
- Gifted education delivered extensive training in instructional differentiation. While G/T students were the guiding purpose for the training and funds came from that budget, all trainings included intentional application skills for ‘all’ students.
- Approximately 200 teachers (all levels) attended the 30 hour G/T academy in 2003-2004, 15 hours of which addressed differentiation
- Delivered training in differentiation at:
- 21 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 high schools, 2 senior high schools
- Gifted education sent 42 staff members to one day trainings in differentiation and curriculum-related training at SMU.
- Gifted education sent 17 staff members to the annual two-day gifted and talented state conference emphasizing differentiation and curriculum-related issues.
- Provided campuses with the following campus-specific data: percentage of students receiving special education services, representation of multi-ethnic groups in special education, and the number of students referred that did not qualify for special education services, resulting in unnecessary evaluations (cost in time and money). Discussions were held with principals regarding the instructional implications of the data.
- Special education services provided many different options during professional development days in August 2004 to address a variety of needs related to job assignment. One of the sessions for both elementary and secondary teachers focused on multi-level instructions.
- Held vertical team strategy meetings by cluster based on TAKS data
- Used an outside consultant for training on differentiation for 6th grade social studies.
- Devoted a portion of the August in-service time to TAKS evaluation and strategies by subject.
- Delivered a day of training on gifted strategies in mathematics, social studies and science.
- Discussed with teachers how and why strategies are incorporated into the curriculum.
- Provided teacher training in differentiating instruction and closing the achievement gap: SIOP, Newcomers, Observational Protocols, New ESL/Bilingual teacher orientation.
- Assisted Newcomer principals/teachers to utilize data to improve instruction.
- Professional Development days focused on the reading and language arts program K-2 and 3-5 training all literacy specialists as trainers to deliver the training on their campus to all grade level teachers and support staff. Program components include scaffolded delivery model using release of responsibility through modeled, shared, guided and independent reading and writing instruction supported by accelerated reading instruction (PAR) targeted to instructional needs identified through diagnostic assessment benchmarking and ongoing performance analysis that guides instructional decision-making. Training on multitasking, flexible grouping, targeted workstations, and instructional delivery models were illustrated through a district video produced by the Reading and Language Arts Department using PISD master teaches as the models. Literacy specialists delivered this training and supported this implementation of the Balanced Literacy Plan throughout the school year, through “Just in Time” professional meetings, trainings, and conferences with teachers.
- Literacy specialists received one full day of training each month and delivered the training to the appropriate teachers on their campuses. Training included curriculum and instruction, assessment, data analysis, monitoring student progress, and current research information.
- Trained teachers in Strategic Reading for special education.
- Provided dyslexia training for teachers.
- ENCORE, a web-based software program, was purchased and training provided to approximately 700 professional staff during the August professional development days.
|
|
