Making Standards Relevant for Exceptional Students Stan W. Heffner Kathe Shelby Ohio Department of Education

Making Standards Relevant for

Exceptional Students

Stan W. HeffnerKathe Shelby

Ohio Department of Education

Topics

• Learning from Other Countries

• Standards Revision

• Developing Model Curricula

• Teaching 21st Century Skills

• A New Generation of Assessments

• Credit Flexibility

LEARNING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES

Purpose Of International Benchmarking

• “A highly skilled work force can raise economic growth by about two-thirds of a percentage point every year”

Eric Hanusek et al. Education And Economic Growth. Education News (Spring 2008)

• Each additional year of schooling in the adult population raises the economy’s output between 3 to 6 percent

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2006), Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators 2006. Paris, France. (p. 154)

• “Even our ‘best and brightest’ cannot compete with the best in the world.”

NGA, CCSSO, Achieve paper on state strategies for international benchmarking

Myths About International Benchmarking

• We try to educate more students than other countries

• Other countries only test their best students

• The US performs poorly because of: • Poverty and other family factors• Cultural factors• More diversity than other countries

• Other countries outspend us on education

• Our best and brightest compare favorably with those in other countries

International Benchmarking

• Use promising practices to create a world-class education system for Ohio

• Learn from the best in the world

International Benchmarking

• High performing countries

• Three lenses

Standards

Teacher Effects

Learning conditions

• What fits best for Ohio?

7

Ohio’s Process

Identifying Comparison Countries

Countries selected significantly and persistently outscore the US on PISA and TIMSS tests

Full NameSubjects Tested

Test Takers

PISAProgram for

International Student Assessment

Literacy, Math, Science

15-Year-Olds

TIMSSTrends in International

Mathematics and Science Study

Math, Science4th and 8th

Grades

United States

Significantly higher

Significantly lower

Statistical Significance

Jim Hall, Center for Public Education

We Have More Low-Performing Students

Source: PISA 2009

We Have Fewer High Performers

Source: PISA 2009

Our Best Students Lag Behind

The mean scores of the top 5% of students in each of the study countries (PISA 2006)

United States

Korea

Hong Kong

U.S. ranks 25th / 32 OECD countries

Intended in the State’s Content Standards

Top-achieving countries’ intended-topics profile

Dr. William Schmidt, of Michigan State University

Benchmarking to the Standards of High-Performing Countries

Display 24: Mathematics Topics I ntended at Each Grade in Ohio's Mathematics Standards

Grade Topic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Whole Number: Meaning l l l lWhole Number: Operations l l l l lMeasurement Units l l l l l l l lCommon Fractions l l l l l l lEquations & Formulas l l l l l l lData Representation & Analysis l l l l l l l l2-D Geometry: Basics l l l l l l2-D Geometry: Polygons & Circles l l l l l l l lMeasurement: Perimeter, Area & Volume l l l l l lRounding & Significant Figures l lEstimating Computations l l l l l lWhole Numbers: Properties of Operations l l l lEstimating Quantity & Size

Decimal Fractions l l l l l lRelation of Common & Decimal Fractions l l l lProperties of Common & Decimal Fractions lPercentages l l lProportionality Concepts l lProportionality Problems l l l2-D Geometry: Coordinate Geometry l l l lGeometry: Transformations l l l l l l lNegative Numbers, I ntegers, & Their Properties l l lNumber Theory l l lExponents, Roots & Radicals l l l lExponents & Orders of Magnitude l lMeasurement: Estimation & Errors l l l l l lConstructions Using Straightedge & Compass

3-D Geometry l l l l l l l lGeometry: Congruence & Similarity l l l l lRational Numbers & Their Properties l l lRelations & Functions l l l l l l l lSlope & Trigonometry l

I ntended in the State's Content Standards l

Top- achieving countries' intended- topics profile

More topics per grade

More grades to cover a topic

Inclusion in Other Countries

• Percentage of students served in specialized schools or classrooms:• Japan: 1%• Finland: 7%

• All other students receive instruction in the regular classroom with their peers

• Finland provides specialized instruction within the classroom under the supervision of the regular classroom teacher

Raising Competency

The level of thinking of the teacher is the greatest predictor of the level of thinking

of the students in the teacher’s classroom.

Michael Fullan

PDK Kappan, April, 2000

Who Is in Our Classrooms?

Teach

er

Gifted Student

80% of Students with Disabilities

REVISING OHIO’S STANDARDS

Improving School Systems

• Improving systems employ different interventions depending on where they are located on the continuum from poor to fair to good to great, however…

• Six interventions occur at all stages of improvement:• Revising curriculum and standards• Reviewing reward and remunerations structure• Building technical skills of teachers and principals• Assessing student learning• Utilizing student data to guide delivery• Establishing policy documents and lawsMourshed, M., Chijioke, C., & Barber, M. (2010). How the world's most improved school systems keep

getting better. McKinsey&Company.

Common Themes in Comparison Countries

Ohio generally aligns with other nations’ standards, but…

Other nations provide:• Greater focus, rigor,

coherence• Clearer learning

progression

Standards Revision Mandated by HB1

Not later than June 30, 2010…the state board of education shall adopt statewide academic standards with emphasis on coherence, focus, and rigor for each of grades kindergarten through twelve in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

ORC §3301.079(A)(1)

21

Stakeholder Engagement

Content specific focus groups involving 200 teachers

Meeting with 55 professional organizations

Over 800 individual responses to online survey

22

What Did We Hear?

Too many standards

Not easily managed

No time to teach in depth

Some need clarity

Technical corrections23

Stakeholder Needs—June 2009

24

Improvement needed or critical in all areas!

Two Development Tracks

Science

Social studies

Mathematics

English language arts

25

Ohio Revised Standards

Common Core Standards

Examples from the Common Core

Domain

Cluster

Standard Statement

Standard Statement

Topic

Strand

Science and Social Studies Format

27

Strands

Topics

Grade Description

s

Content Statements

Skills

Themes

Sample Syllabus28

Content Statements

Skills

Topics

Theme/ Course Descriptions

Ohio Science Standards

• Strands: Earth and space science Physical science Life science

• Skills: Science inquiry Applications

29

Ohio Social Studies Standards

• Strands: History Geography

• Skills: Historical

thinking Spatial thinking Civic

participation 30

Government Economics

Economic decision making

Financial literacy

Mathematics Common Core

Describes the work of mathematically proficient students:

• Descriptions of Mathematical PracticeExamples: reasoning, problem-

solving

• Standards Include: Concepts Skills

31

English Common Core

• English Language Arts Reading Writing

• Standards Include: Knowledge and skills leading to college and

career readiness Progressions of learning across the grades

• Literacy Standards History/Social Studies Science Technical Subjects

32

Speaking and Listening Language

33

Standards Implementation Timeline

2010 2011 2014

State Board Adopts Model Curriculum

March, 2011

State Board Adopts Standards

June, 2010

Transition Complete

June, 2014

2012 2013

Transition:•Teacher

development•Local curriculum

revision•Test development

2011 - 2014

Discussion Questions

• What opportunities do you see for the revised standards impacting the education of exceptional students?• Changes in classroom practices• Teacher professional development• Local curriculum revision• Race to the Top activities

• In your role, what can you do to seize upon these opportunities?

DESIGNING A MODEL CURRICULUM

Why a Model Curriculum?

…the state board shall adopt a model curriculum…The model curriculum shall be aligned with the standards, to ensure that the academic content and skills specified for each grade level are taught to students, and shall demonstrate vertical articulation and emphasize coherence, focus, and rigor.

ORC §3301.079(B)

36

One Piece of an Integrated Whole

Model Curricula:

March 2011

Aligned System of

Assessments: 2014

Revised Academic Content

Standards: June 2010

37

What is the Model Curriculum?

Web-based tool, aligned to the

standards, that:• Presents information specific to the

content area by grade level, grade band and course

• Provides curricular and instructional guidance

• Includes instructional strategies and resources

• Informs assessment development38

Model Curriculum

Nationally and State

Developed

Teacher Teams

Content

Review

Committee

s

39

• Content Elaborations• Expectations for Learning

• Content Specific Sections

Common Core and State Standards

Model Curriculum

Instructional Strategies and Resources

Public Feedback

• All components of the model curriculum

• Online

• November 2010-January 2011

• Educators and non-educators across the state

40

Model Curriculum Components

• Content Elaboration Applies to all content areas.

In-depth information about “what” should be taught

• Expectations for Learning Recommendations for how students

may be assessed

Applies only to science and social studies

41

Model Curriculum Components

• Instructional Strategies and Resources Guidance and support for instructional,

curricular and assessment design

Applies to all content areas.

• Content Specific Sections Address elements specific to a subject area,

such as

Misconceptions (science and mathematics)

Enduring Understandings (English language arts and social studies)

42

Understanding Common Misconceptions

Model Curriculum Example

44

Inquiry-based

Twenty-first Century Skills

Global Connections

Model Curriculum Template

45

Instructional Strategies and Resources

Content Specific Sections

Expectations for Learning

Content Elaborations

Meeting the Needs of All Learners

The Role of Technology

Writing has moved from a paper-and-pen to a technologically-driven activity. Technologies are recognized as having the potential both to support writing and the teaching of writing and to provide new venues for writing itself.

(National Commission of Writing, 2003; National Writing Project, 2006; National Council of Teachers of English, 2004)

Technologies in Education

• Instructional Technologies• Used to increase student’s performance

through adding skills to the student’s own skill base

• Compensatory Technologies• Provide a means to complete a task such

that, without the technology, a student would not be able to complete the task at the expected level of performance

• Increase performance without necessarily increasing the skill base of the student

Technology for Differentiation: Writing

• Use planning and organization technology as an adjunct to, or in tandem with, process-based instruction in writing.

• Match students’ strengths and weaknesses with tools by their planning and organization features.

• Use electronic outlining tools and draft templates, that are genre-specific, contain embedded content prompts and procedure cues.

• Directly instruct the student in how to use the tool and how to apply the tool to their writing tasks.

Differentiating Instruction

You Tube Video Goes here (I hope)

Reading Writing

Special Education & Related Services

GeneralCurriculum

Expanded Curricula Knowledge and Skills

No Accommodations or Modifications

Accommodations Modifications

Alternate

Group Activity

• Identify what you need to see in the model curriculum to help you instruct exceptional children

• Share how you have used universal design in your classroom planning and instruction

• Discuss how you have successfully used technology to teach students with a range of skills and abilities

• 2010

• 2011

• State Board to

Adopt Model

Curriculum

• March 2011

• Review Committees

Meet• June-Septembe

r 2010 • Public

Input• Novem

ber 2010-January 2011

• Feedback Integrate

d• January

2011

• Final Draft Released

• February 2011

• Regional Teacher Teams Meet

• Summer 2010

• Standards Adopted

• June 2010

Model Curriculum Timeline

53

TEACHING 21ST CENTURY SKILLS

Why 21st Century Skills?

Our students will be competing in a new global economy

What Skills Are Required?

Five types of tasks:

Routine Manual

Non-Routine Manual

Routine Cognitive

Non-Routine Analytic

Non-Routine Interactive

Non-Routine Interactive

Non-Routine Analytic

Routine Cognitive

Routine Manual

Non-Routine Manual

What Skills Are Required?

The skills that are easiest to teach and test are also the ones that are easiest

to:

automatedigitize and outsource

What skills are most important for job success? when hiring a high school graduate? Work Ethic 80%

Collaboration 75%

Good Communication 70%

Social Responsibility 63%

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

58%

Source: Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2006). “Workforce Survey: Are They Really Ready to Work.”

Skills Needed for the 21st Century

Of recently-hired high school students, what were their deficiencies?

Written Communication 81%

Leadership 73%

Work Ethic 70%

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

70%

Self-Direction 58%



What skills and content areas will grow in importance in the next five years?

Critical Thinking 78%

Information Technology 77%

Health & Wellness 76%

Collaboration 74%

Innovation 74%

Personal Financial Responsibility 72%



Source: PISA 2000, 2003, 2006

30th

25th

20th

15th

10th

5th

1st

2000 2003

OECDRanking

MathScience ReadingProblem Solving

24th

18th

24th

14th

18th

15th 15th

29th

35th2006 2000 2003 2000 2003 2006

35th

2003

Why 21st Century Skills?

Source: The Christian Science Monitor (2009).

Finding a Common Vocabulary

20th Century Education Model

21st Century Skills

Ohio’s Education Reform§3301.079(A)(1)b

§3301.079(A)(1)c

§3301.079 (A)(1)d

§3313.60(9)

§3301.0712 (3-4)

21st Century Skills

Interdisciplinary Themes

Global Awareness

Financial and Entrepreneurial Literacy

Civic Literacy

Health Literacy

Learning and Innovation Skills

• Critical Thinking

• Communication

• Research

• Problem Solving/Desig

n

• Collaboration

• Meta-cognition

• Creativity

• Innovation

Information, Media and Technology Skills

• Information Literacy

• Media Literacy

• Information, Communications and Technology Literacy

Life and Career Skills

• Leadership & Responsibility

• Productivity & Accountability

• Flexibility & Adaptability

• Initiative & Self-Direction

• Social & Cross-Cultural Skills

21st Century Skills

Theme Framework

Partnership for 21st Century

SkillsHB1

Computer Literacy X X

Health/Wellness Literacy X X

Financial Literacy/ Entrepreneurship X X

World Language X

Fine Arts X

Global Awareness X X

Civic Literacy X

Ohio’s Reform Model

Standards Format Highlights Skills

The Physical SettingThe Living

Environment

ThemesEarth and

Space Science

Physical Science

Life Science

Science Inquiry and Application

sObservatio

nsof The

Environment

This theme focuses on helping students develop the skills for systematic discovery to understand the science of the physical world around them in greater depth by using scientific inquiry.

P

Observations of physical properties of both living and nonliving things in local surroundings. This includes water, the sun, rocks and soil, human-made materials, and living organisms. This is to encourage students to examine their environment, its similarities and its differences.

During the years of PreK to 4th grade, all students must develop the ability to:

• observe and ask questions about the natural environment, • plan and conduct simple investigations,• employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend the senses,• use appropriate mathematics with data to construct reasonable explanations,• communicate about observations, investigations and explanations,• review and ask questions about the observations and explanations of others.

Observations of Earth & Sky

Observations of nonliving

things

Observation of living things

K

Living and nonliving things have specific physical properties. These physical properties can change. Physical properties can be used to sort and classify living and nonliving things. The physical properties of air and water are presented as they apply to weather. Liquids and solids are introduced as preparation for learning about states of matter.

Daily and seasonal changes

Physical properties of

everyday materials

Observations of living things vs. nonliving

things

1

Energy comes from many sources and is needed for living and nonliving things to function. The sun is a primary energy source. Energy can also be obtained from food, batteries, electricity, fossil fuels, flowing water, wind, etc.

Sun, energy, and weather

Sources of energy

Basic needs of living things

Skills

Skills Relate to Content

Interconnections within SystemsThis theme focuses on helping students recognize the components of various systems and then investigate dynamic and sustainable relationships within systems using scientific inquiry.

Science Inquiry and ApplicationDuring the years of grades 5-8 all students must use the following scientific processes to construct their knowledge and understanding in all science content areas: Identify questions that can be answered through scientific

investigations; Design and conduct a scientific investigation; Use appropriate mathematics, tools and techniques to gather data

and information; Analyze and interpret data; Develop descriptions, models, explanations and predictions; Think critically and logically to connect evidence and explanations; Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predications;

and Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.

StrandsStrand Connections: Cycles on Earth, such as those occurring in ecosystems, in the solar system, and in the movement of light and sound result in describable patterns. Speed is a measurement of movement that is related to force and weight. The transfer of energy drives changes in systems, including ecosystems and physical systems.

SBOE Draft Document April 2010 Page 13 of 25

Discussion Question

From the 21st Century Skills handout, your group is to:• Select one set of skilIs• Brainstorm ways that they can be integrated into the teaching of content

A NEW GENERATION OF ASSESSMENTS

Developing New Assessments

OGT Passage

College Ready

76

Ready for College and Career?

OGT

CCR

Why Students Drop Out

• A gradual process of disengagement

• 47% of dropouts report that classes were not interesting

• 81% lack opportunities for “real world learning,” and see little connection between school and getting a good job

Exceptional students are not immune from dropping out!

Ohio College Students Needing Remediation

79

Source: Ohio Board of Regents

ELA College and Career Readiness

ACT, “A First Look at the Common Core and College and Career Readiness,” 2010, http://act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/FirstLook.pdf.

Math College and Career Readiness

ACT, “A First Look at the Common Core and College and Career Readiness,” 2010, http://act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/FirstLook.pdf.

Ohio Core Requirements

English Language Arts: 4 units

Math: 4 units

Science: 3 units

Social Studies: 3 units

Physical Education: ½ unit

Health: ½ unit

Electives: 5 units

Fine Arts: 2 ½ units

82

For the class of 2014:

New Assessment System

• OGT will be replaced by a three part system:

• Nationally standardized assessment

• Series of end-of-course exams

• Senior project

• Students will earn a composite score

High School

Summative Assessment =

Interim

Performance Based

Summative

Sum

84

Sum of the Assessments

Common Assessment Elements

Both Achieve & SMARTER Balanced consortia have:

• On-line testing

• Interim and summative components

• Item Types• Multiple choice• Extended response• Technology-enhanced• Performance assessments

• High school tests: End-of-course vs. End-of-year

• Rapid reporting system to inform instruction

• Teachers involved in developing and scoring tests

85

Accurately Assessing All Learners

Alternative Assessment based on Modified Achievement Standards (AA-

MAS)Three-state consortium effort based on these premises:

• Cognitive deficits impact the ability to access and perform assessment tasks

• Ideal modifications remove barriers without simplifying content

• Appropriately modified assessments accurately and fairly measure proficiency of students with disabilities who have persistently performed poorly

Stoica, W. I. (2010). A multistate approach to development of AA-MAS: Removing disability-imposed barriers to student performance. How can alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards improve student learning and outcomes (p. 7). Denver: American Education Research Association.


AA-MAS project findings:• Identification of specific learning barrier

patterns• Patterns exist among low-achieving

students with and without disabilities• Specific approaches were analyzed for their

impact on students with and without disabilities

Findings from other state consortia suggest that students who perform poorly may not have had the opportunity to learn grade level contentAmerican Education Research Association. (2010). How can alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards improve student learning and outcomes. Denver: AERA.


Findings from the AA-MAS consortium will inform:

• Further research under a federal grant

• The work of the Achieve and the SMARTER Balanced consortia

SMARTER Balanced Chart

www.k12.wa.us /smarter

Achieve Partnership Chart

www.fl doe .o rg /parcc

Comparison

2 ELA tasks and 1 math task

Given in last 12 weeks of year

Measure the ability to integrate knowledge and skills

Computer-delivered, during final 12 weeks of the school year

Scored within 2 weeks

Summary and images attributable to Assessment and Performance Management at Educational Testing Services.

1-3 tasks that assess a few “keystone” standards / topics

Given at three points during the school year, near the end of quarters

Results within 2 weeks to inform instruction and intervention

AchieveSMARTER Balanced

Comparison

40-65 questions

Taken on computer, with mixed item types; scored entirely by computer for fast results

Scores from focused assessments and end-of-year test will be combined for annual accountability score.

Summary and images attributable to Assessment and Performance Management at Educational Testing Services.

Includes 40-65 questions per content area

A computer adaptive assessment given during final weeks of the school year

Multiple item types, scored by computer

Re-take option, as locally determined

SMARTER Balanced Achieve

Performance-Based Assessments

• Portfolios

• Written compositions

• Open-ended problems

• Works of art

• Apprenticeships

• Internships

• Musical performances

• Speeches

• Analysis and interpretation of reading

• Research projects

Task Examples


• Performance Outcomes:The academic knowledge, behaviors, and skills that students are expected to learn and demonstrate in a performance task

• Common Scoring Rubrics:A set of evaluation criteria nonspecific to a unit of study that are aligned to performance outcomes used to designate appropriate performance targets

Components


Tasks are scored on a common, generalized rubric

A single rubric can be applied to all tasks within a single content area

Descriptions serve as anchors

Scoring

English Language Arts: Inquiry and Communication

Scoring Dimension Performance Level

1 2 3 4

1. Analysis and Interpretation

2. Perspective

3. Power of Language

4. Structure, Organization, and Language Conventions

5. Reflection during the Process of Textual Production

6. Reflection after the Process of Textual Production

“C

olleg

e/C

are

er

Read

y”

“C

olleg

e-L

evel”

English Language Arts: Inquiry and Communication

Scoring Dimension

Level 1 Level 2Level 3

“College/Career Ready”

Level 4“College-Level”

Reflection during the Process of Textual Production

Little improvement in the work over time, and little engagement in a process of planning, drafting, reviewing, revising, and editing the text

No use of feedback from teachers and peers to develop the work

Narrow or surface level improvements resulting from a process of planning, drafting, reviewing, revising, and editing the text

Little use of feedback and critique from teachers and peers to develop the work

Substantive improvement from the process of planning, drafting, reviewing, revising, and editing the text

Incorporation of feedback and critique from teachers and peers, resulting in refined ideas and improved communication of those ideas

Thoughtful and critical improvement from the process of planning, drafting, reviewing, revising, and editing the text

Integration of

feedback and critique from teachers and peers, resulting in improved, expanded, or refined ideas, and a polished communication of those ideas

Category Five: Process and Reflection


Scorer Training

Teachers trained to score student work

Range-finding conducted

Tasks revised based on results

Assessments

• Field testing: 2012-2013

• Standard setting:2013-2014

• New tests begin2014-2015

99

Preparation for New Standards

100

2010-2011

• Introduce new standards

• Participate in creating model curricula

2011-2012

• Build awareness of new standards

• Introduce model curricula

• Conduct crosswalk activities

• Initiate formative instruction PD

2012-2013

• Introduce performance tasks and scoring rubrics

• Continue formative instruction PD

• Practice online formative assessments

• Introduce instructional improvement system

2013-2014

• Integrate standards and curricula into district curricula and teachers’ course planning

• Integrate performance tasks in course activities

• Prepare for online testing

• Complete formative instruction PD

Tasks for Districts

Implementation Timeline

101

2010

2011 2014

State Board Adopts Model Curriculum

March, 2011

State Board Adopts Standards

June, 2010

Transition Complete

June, 2014

2012 2013

•Transition:•Teacher development

•Local curriculum revision

•Test development

2011 - 2014

Questions ?

Documents

Making Standards Relevant for Exceptional Students Stan W. Heffner Kathe Shelby Ohio Department of Education