Preparing Students for the Global Economy

California PLTW Leadership Meeting February 21-22, 2013

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• What is “Program Quality”• Why “Certification”• How does Certification work today• What changes are being discussed for PLTW

Certification in the near future - and why

CERTIFICATION AND PROGRAM QUALITY AT THE SCHOOL

LEVEL

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• Imaginative and independent thinking• Work in small teams• Creative problem solving• Hands-on curriculum structures teach

skills useful in careers and college• Highly trained and motivated teachers• Actively participative partnerships with

industry, the community, government• Recruits kids into STEM career tracks• Motivational to college• Improved test results

PROGRAM QUALITY What characterizes PLTW Programs?

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• PLTW courses taught by qualified, engaged, and inspiring teachers

• PLTW program adequately supported in fact by school administration and district

• Each course has sufficient equipment, software, and space so each student can participate as intended by the course designers

• Class size permits effective teaching, team formation, and individual student participation

• Each course is being conducted substantially in accordance with the intent of the designers

PROGRAM QUALITY

Some measures of Program Quality:

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PLTW classes as conducted prepare students for careers - real jobs in the real world

• PLTW students and parents have a vision for their overall program and how the PLTW curricula fit in

• School administration and counseling staff have a vision for the program as a whole - future plans, sustainability

• PLTW program is integrated / coordinated with main stream academic programs, extra-curricular programs, community activities

• Partnership team is in place, is familiar with the PLTW courses and provides support

PROGRAM QUALITY

Some measures of Program Quality:

What is School Certification

Process through which PLTW and the school

confirm that the PTLW program is in substantial conformity with the District Agreement and Program Requirements

assess the quality of the program in absolute and relative terms

Why School Certification?the PLTW perspective

• Determine if program has has been implemented as intended

• Identify corrective measures, provide feedback to school and to PLTW national

• Collect feedback about curriculum effectiveness for PLTW curriculum designers

• Collect feedback about program administrative and operational performance

• Identify outstanding performance elements which can be used elsewhere

• Provide an objective measure of program outcomes - impact on students, impact on production of students undertaking STEM college and career tracks

Why School Certification?the School Perspective

• Required by the District Agreement• Recognition as a school that has achieved excellence

- for students, teachers, parents, community, partnership team, district, State

• Provides opportunities for students to receive college credit for PLTW courses

• Provides opportunities for teachers to become PLTW Master Teachers

• National Listing of Certified Schools• Certified schools are examples to schools

considering PLTW• Assists in fund raising and recruitment of students

and industry and community partners

School Certification- the process• Available after a PLTW school has established an operating

PLTW program and is offering the required curriculum elements

• Provisional or Full Certifications

• Two stage process

Self-assessmentOn-site review

School Certification- the process• PLTW Certification Team• School Team - site leader, administration (principal),

counseling staff, teachers, partnership team, parents, students

• Agenda for the day class room visitations meeting with principal meetings with counselors, teachers, students, parents,

partnership team members• Observations of class equipment, class room demeanor,

notebooks, portfolios, software files, assessment reports• Process outlined on PLTW web site

School Certification- the process

• Tentative evaluation on the day of the site visit• Feedback to School Team • Report to National Office• Full or Provisional recommendation• National sends results to school, with

certification and banner• School added to national roster• 5 year renewal

What changes to Certification are being considered and why

• Is the process currently meeting its mission of ensuring program quality, providing recognition to stakeholders, providing means for continuous improvement for participating schools?

• Can the process be made more streamlined and automated?• Does the process offer real “value” to the kids and the

schools• Can the process be adjusted to reflect variability between

schools and districts and to reflect changing conditions

What changes to Certification are being considered and why

• Potential New Levels of “Certification”• On-track: Years 1-3 for new programs• Fully compliant: meets all minimum

program requirements, expected by end of year 4

• Banner Certification: Standout schools• Exemplary or Model Schools• Provisional

What changes to Certification are being considered and whyMake the process simplified and more automated•Quality measures automatically collected from reports filed electronically by schools

– Rosters– Assessment test results– V irtual site visits

•“Live” site visit may not be required•Quality team may be asked to visit for to provide assistance

What Changes to Certification are Being Considered and Why

NOTHING HAS CHANGED YET

WE WOULD LIKE YOUR INPUT ON HOW YOU THINK THE PROCESS CANBE IMPROVED

WHAT “VALUE” WOULD YOU PLACE ONA REVISED CERTIFICATION PROCESS

TEACHER CREDENTIALLING

PLTW California State Meeting February 21-22, 2013

What You Need to Understand….

•It’s confusing

•It’s a mess

•It’s treated differently in different counties

•We’re working on it

http://www.ctc.ca.gov/STEM-CTE/files/STEM-CTE-individuals.pdf

Or go to the CTC site and search “engineering”

Here’s the Link for More Information…

And Here’s it Says…

• Math or Science Single Subject Teaching Credentials are essential for teaching those academic subjects. In addition to your teacher preparation program, you’ll need to demonstrate your knowledge of the subject. Sometimes your degree in the subject will suffice. If not, you can take a few more courses or pass California’s subject exam.

• Designated Subjects Career Technical Education Credentials are often the best match for teaching courses such as Engineering and Design Drafting or Information Technology. You’ll need to show that you have work experience in the specific trade, career technical or vocational field, and then complete your teacher preparation program while you teach.

Here’s the Part that Doesn’t Seem to Work…

NOTE: For the subject areas of engineering and technology, there is teacher assignment flexibility depending on the specific content of the course. For example, a high school engineering course may be more focused on drafting and design or it may be more physics based. A technology course may focus on computer technology or on mathematics-based computer programming. The education agency responsible for hiring will determine when a Single Subject Credential is appropriate or if a Designated Subjects Career Technical Education Credential is a better fit.

You might want to talk with local employers before deciding which type of credential you decide to earn.

Here’s the Final Comment on Designated Subject CTE Credentials…

“Designated Subjects Career Technical Education Credentials Credential candidates receive an initial credential based on a high school diploma and three years of work experience in their subject field. After an orientation, candidates may teach while they take specialized courses in CTE teaching methods.”

Here’s the Only Thing That’s Completely Clear…

No CTE Credential = No Perkins Funding