Challenges & Opportunities for the Local School System

Debra A. Maurizio

Principal

Clairton Middle / High School

CHALLENGES

Those four famous letters in Pennsylvania

______ ______ ______ ______

Pennsylvania State System of Assessment (a.k.a. PSSA)

Four tests / year Reading (grades 3-8 and 11) Math (grades 3-8 and 11) Writing (grades 5, 8, and 11) Science (grades 4, 8, and 11)

All done in April Multiple choice and open-ended items

CHALLENGES:

Those not so famous, but need to be famous three letters in Pennsylvania:

_____ ______ _____

Standards Aligned System (a.k.a. S.A.S.)

The Science SAS is designed for all students to receive a sound training in the fundamentals of Science following a coherent learning progression and connections to Mathematics, the natural language of science, and technology, the application of Science and Mathematics to problems of the human-made world.

Big Ideas, Concepts, Competencies, etc.

Go to www.pde.state.pa.us Click on Standards Aligned System on the

right Click on Science and Technology Grade spans:

K-2 3-4 5-7 8-12

CHALLENGES

Inclusion of children with special needs Are the activities able to be adapted to meet the

needs of all learners? Could the activities already be differentiated to

meet the needs of the students? What is the reading level of the materials

provided?

to

CHALLENGES

Professional development time for the staff Self-contained classrooms K-6? Money for substitutes Availability of substitutes Train in the summer?

Money? Will they go?

CHALLENGES

Teacher buy in Can I do this with “my” students? Is cooperative learning already occurring in the

classroom? More lecture-oriented at the secondary level? Does this fit with my district’s curriculum?

CHALLENGES

Where is the money going to come from? Pay for training the staff Pay for the materials Other priorities take precedence

OPPORTUNITIES

Local Intermediate Units Governor’s Institutes sponsored by

Pennsylvania Department of Education Staff members Local hospitals, businesses, etc. Partnerships with other organizations