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Curriculum, Instruction and AssessmentLeadership System (CIA)


PEEKSKILL CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Leadership System (CIA)

Table of Contents

  1. Overview of the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Plan
  1. Purpose
  2. District Mission
  3. District Strategic Objectives
  4. Framework
  1. Roles and Responsibilities Regarding Curriculum Leadership and Implementation
  1. Board of Education
  2. Central Administration Leadership
  3. School Building Leadership
  4. District Administrators/Building Administrators
  5. District Teacher Leaders
  6. Classroom Teacher Leadership
  7. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Team (CORE Team)
  8. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment K-12 Content Teams
  9. The School Leadership Teams (SLT)
  1. Curriculum Development Process
  1. District Curriculum Mapping
  2. Curriculum Review Cycle
  3. Program Course Proposals
  4. Textbook Adoption
  1. Curriculum Delivery
  2. Guiding Principles
  3. Delivery of Instruction
  4. Instructional Professional Development

Table of Contents (continued)

  1. Student Assessment
  2. District Comprehensive Assessment Plan
  1. Appendices

Appendix A: Curriculum Planning and Review Cycle Matrix

Appendix B: Curriculum Course Proposal
Curriculum Course Proposal Rubric

Appendix C: Textbook Adoption Summary Form
Textbook Evaluation Tool
5 Year Textbook Adoption Plan

Appendix D: Recommendation to Abolish Course(s) Form

Appendix E: Curriculum/Course Writing Template (Atlas Rubicon/UbD)

Appendix F: Program Change Review Form

Peekskill City School District
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Leadership System (CIA)

  1. Overview of the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Plan

The Peekskill City School District’s Board of Education (the “Board”) is ultimately responsible approving curriculum for all content and program areas. The Board authorizes the Superintendent or his designee to implement all policies, practices, and procedures relative to developing, implementing, and assessing the degree to which the written curriculum is taught, learned, and assessed. An aligned CIA not only defines the learning goals coupled to the Common Core Standards, it also uses assessments to guide instructional practice.

The purpose of the Peekskill City School District CIA Plan is to coordinate improvement efforts in the development and implementation of the district’s curriculum. The plan outlines the expectations and procedures regarding the written curriculum (curriculum maps), the taught curriculum (resources, instruction and best practices), and the assessed curriculum (state and local assessments) in accordance with Board Policy.

Peekskill’s goals and initiativesemphasize the need for systems that are “clear and consistently applied across the organization that promote interdependence, efficiency, and trust”. This CIA Plan is one essential component within a system that will support and contribute to the District’s goals and mission.

The purpose of education is to impart the knowledge, concepts, processes, and expectations necessary for all students to be successful in society as guided by the national Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS). This includes college and career preparation necessary to develop higher-order thinking, creativity, innovation, and college and career readiness skills. The CIA Plan provides the internal curriculum alignment, congruency, quality assurances, professional development and instructional practices necessary for insuring continuous improvement toward meeting the district’s mission, values and beliefs.

School learning is a function of the degree to which the curriculum is written, taught, and assessed learning are aligned. There is a direct relationship between measuring student learning, and using strategic and appropriate instructional practices in measuring what the student in actually learning.Research supports that adherence to a tightly aligned curriculum will result in higher student achievement and that the linkages provide directed instructional focus. Curriculum principles are translated in documents, instructional practices, and student assessments through the development of an aligned written, taught, and assessed curriculum system. This comprehensive system provides for a strong directional focus for instruction to facilitate the design, delivery, and assessment of the curriculum. The CIA Plan provides the structure to insure quality control of the curriculum and instructional process.

  1. Purpose

In a CIA Plan, guidelines and procedures are developed to create the expectation and the context for a well-articulated and aligned curriculum. The guidelines and procedures outlined in the plan, as well as the curriculum content and assessments must be applied consistently and coherently across our system.

This plan is based on the premise that a defined curriculum system is necessary as an integral component of a continuous improvement plan. The critical characteristics of our curriculum instruction and assessment system include:

  • A direct link to the mission and strategic objectives of the district
  • Alignment to the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS)
  • Assessment driven instruction
  • Monitoring of student learning
  • A provision for systematic staff development
  • Professional collaboration

An articulated and aligned curriculum exists when teachers are instructing using the
written curriculum; when assessments are aligned to the written and taught curriculum; and the written curriculum is used to guide decisions about materials, tests, and professional development.

Written Curriculum – Defines the learning goals (aligned to the CCLS) that students are to achieve and teachers are to teach. The maps include assessments, suggested teaching methods, and instructional resources.

Taught Curriculum – The delivery of the written curriculum including the units of study, lesson plans, and/or suggested instructional approaches for teaching the written curriculum.

Tested Curriculum – The portion of the written and taught curriculum that is assessed, both formally and informally, to evaluate student progress toward mastery of the written curriculum.

  1. District Mission

Mission Statement

The mission of the Peekskill City School District is to:

Educate students in a caring, inspiring environment characterized by a spirit of excellence and high expectations;Prepare graduates to meet or exceed state standards;Graduate students who respect and appreciate cultural diversity;Prepare students to pursue adult lives as contributing citizens of our local and global community.

  1. District Objectives

Board Goals 2013/2014

  1. By the year 2020, graduation rates will increase to 100% and all students, (cohort 2014) will achieve grade level literacy by the end of grade 3.
  2. By the year 2015, develop and implement district protocols to insure continuity and accountability of district operations and procedures.
  3. By February, 2014, build a cost effective appropriations true and transparent 2014-2015 Educational Plan and Budget that factors financial forecasting measures, enrollment, class sizes, mandated programs, capital and repair needs, transportation and any other cost efficiencies.
  1. Framework
    District instructional personnel are responsible for providing leadership in conducting these initiatives and must work closely with all groups involved in the process. It is necessary to involve teachers and administrative staff for their expertise, their knowledge of student needs, and their ownership of these initiatives before implementation.
  1. Roles and Responsibilities Regarding Curriculum Leadership and Implementation
  1. Board of Education: It is the responsibility of the Board of Education to approve the objectives of the curriculum prior to its delivery in classrooms. In doing this, the Board is approving the “what” that is taught in all classrooms on the same grade level and/or within the same content area.

B. Central Administration Leadership: It is the responsibility of the central
administration to create the design of the curriculum so that it is articulated vertically and
horizontally, PreK-12, in classrooms and coordinated throughout the district at common
grade levels and/or within common content areas among all schools. Central
administration will facilitate the planning and professional learning activities so that all
staff is equally knowledgeable about the design and validation process used.

C.School Building Leadership: It is the responsibility of school principals and support
administrators to be part of an “instructional leadership team” in concert with teachers in the delivery of the curriculum at the school level. In fulfilling this process, principals are expected to monitor the delivery of the curriculum.

  1. District Administrators/ Building Administrators:

Roles and Responsiblities:

  • will become certified in the Danielson Frameworkthrough Teachscape to use Focus Walks/Walk-throughs for planning and monitoring progress toward the establishment of a standards-based school
  • will serve in appropriate positions on the CIAT (Curriculum Instruction and Assessment Team)
  • will serve as critical friends to teachers in support of consistent use of for example: F&P (Fountas & Pinnell) and TRICA(Teaching Reading in the Content Areas)
  • will serve as administrative and instructional leaders of teacher teams thatassess students’ home language and English language skills, determine placement, and provide individualized support to ELLs and their families, assure consistency and efficacy at all grade levels
  • will coach, mentor, and serve as critical friends to fellow Admistrators in support of: F&P, TRICA and ILPE (Intensive Language Program for ELLs)
  • will perform and complete other duties and responsibilities as specifically determined by the Superintendent of Schools
  1. District Teacher Leaders:

Literacy Teacher Leaders:(PreK-Grade 8)

Roles and Responsiblities:

  • will be trained in the Lesley University Literacy Collaborative, either in Early Literacy Training (preK-1) or Literacy Program (Grades 2-8)
  • will receive follow-up training in programs such as; Fountas and Pinnell
  • classrooms will be “Lab Sites”
  • will provide support for literacy planning for probationary teachers/Teachers on Improvement Plans (TIP)
  • will coach and mentor teachers, provide model lessons, lead professional development (PD) sessions and serve as critical friends to assigned teachers
  • will perform and complete other duties and responsibilities as specifically determined by thePrincipals and Assistant Superintendents for Elementary/Secondary Education

Content Teacher Leaders:(Gr.6-12)

Roles and Responsiblities:

  • will receive a minimum of 15 hours of in-district professional development in Teaching Reading in the Content Areas (TRICA), provided by expert consultants
  • classrooms will be “Lab Sites”
  • will provide support for planning for probationary teachers/Teachers on Improvement Plans (TIP)
  • will coach and mentor teachers, provide model lessons, lead professional development (PD) sessions and serve as critical friends to assigned teachers
  • will perform and complete other duties and responsibilities as specifically determined by the Principals and Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education

ELL Teacher Leaders:(PreK-12)

Roles and Responsiblities:

  • will participate in a team thatassesses students’ home language and English language skills.
  • will work with Literacy Leadersand families to determine appropriate placement, communicate with families, and collaborate to assure parent-school partnerships for student success.
  • will work individually with ELLs and their families to meet students’ particular needs. These needs may be affected by such factors as recent immigration; SIFE (Students with Interrupted Formal Education) status; levels of proficiency in Spanish; indigenous language as a first language and Spanish as a second-language; or needing further support as Former ELLs in developing Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
  • will perform and complete other duties and responsibilities as specifically determined by the Principals and Assistant Superintendents for Elementary/Secondary Education

Framework Leaders: (PreK- Grade 12)

Roles and Responsiblities:

  • Are model teachers in both the Literacy Initiative and ILPE (Intensive Language Program for ELLs)
  • will receive training in the Danielson Framework through Teachscape, beginning with initial training in Domains 2 (Classroom Environment) and 3 (Instruction).
  • willlead Focus Groups/Walkthroughs, based on Teachscape training.
  • will participate in district-wide reform by serving as sub-group leaders in the District’s Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Team (CIAT), designed to assure quality and consistency in content, pedagogy, and assessment across grades and subject areas.
  • will mentor and support Literacy Initiative, ILPE (Intensive Language Program for ELLs), and TRICA (Teaching Reading in the Content Area) Model for teachers and coordinate activities.
  • will perform and complete other duties and responsibilities as specifically determined by the Principals and Assistant Superintendents for Elementary/Secondary Education

Department Leaders: (Grades 6-12)

Roles and Responsiblities:

  • Administrators/Teachers in these roles serve as leaders in their content area departments and are responsible for matters of curriculum, instruction, professional development, and assessment for the school buildings and also at the district level.
  • will serve on the K-12 Content Area Teams in their subject area as described in Section H. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment PreK-12 Content Teams.
  • will participate in district-wide reform by serving as sub-group leaders in the District’s Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Team (CIAT), designed to assure quality and consistency in content, pedagogy, and assessment across grades and subject areas
  • will perform and complete other duties and responsibilities as specifically determined by the Principals and Assistant Superintendents for Elementary/Secondary Education
  1. Classroom Teacher Leadership:

Roles and Responsiblities:

The classroom teacher:

  • teachers are essential instructional and content leaders in our schools. It is the responsibility of the core teacher within the classroom to deliver the curriculum on a daily basis and to meet with grade level and vertical teams so that the delivery of the curriculum is both coordinated and articulated well. It is also the responsibility of the teacher to assess the degree to which the design and delivery of the curriculum is meeting the individual needs of students. When there is a discrepancy between the curriculum design and delivery and the results in terms of learning, it is the responsibility of the teacher to call that to the attention of the principal and/or the central administration. Changes in the curriculum design can then be considered.

G. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Team (CORE Team): The CORE Team’s primary responsibility is to monitor all curriculum, instruction, and assessment projects or initiatives to ensure that curricular or programmatic actions are taken with the district’s strategic objectives in mind. The CIA Plan is led by the Assistant Superintendents and facilitated by the Teacher Leaders. The CORE team considers recommendations from the Content Area Teams and makes final decisions about all matters of curriculum, instruction, and assessment based upon the district’s mission, vision, and values. Decisions from this team ultimately go to the Board of Education for final approval.

  1. Organization of the CORE Team
  2. CORE Team:
  3. Superintendent
  4. Assistant Superintendents for Elementary/Secondary Education
  5. Director of Teaching and Learning
  6. Teacher Leaders
  7. Director ofTechnology
  8. Principals
  9. Teachers
  1. Responsibilities of the CORE Team
  1. Oversee the CIA Plan
  2. Utilize the Curriculum Review Cycle to establish the priorities and long range goals of the district, including recommendations for curriculum projects.
  3. Review and recommend staff development needs.
  4. Review the results of curriculum projects written the previous year.
  5. Communicate all Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Team information consistently to appropriate parties.

H. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment PreK-12 Content Teams: The PreK-12 Content Area Teams’ primary responsibility is to monitor PreK-12 curriculum, instruction, and assessment projects or initiatives in particular content area such as ELA, Science, Social Studies, or Math to ensure that curricular or programmatic recommendations are taken with the district’s strategic objectives in mind. The PreK-12 Content Teams are facilitated by the District Curriculum Directors. The Content Teams develop recommendations and present those recommendations to the District Level CORE Team for review. Please see the roles and responsibilities listed below:

  1. Organization of the PreK-12 Content Area Teams
  2. Central Office Administrators
  3. School Level Administrators
  4. Department Leaders (6-12)
  5. Teachers
  6. ELL Teachers
  7. Special Ed Teachers
  1. Responsibilities of the PreK-12 Content Area Teams
  2. *Review curriculum areas through the Curriculum Review Cycle.
    Establish priorities for future study, revision, and implementation,
    including recommendations for curriculum projects relative to the level
    needs. (Elementary, Middle School, High School)
  3. Review/revise the philosophy and program goals.
  4. Assess, identify and/or reallocate resources as needed to support curriculum
    needs.
  5. Develop plans for new program implementation and pilot testing when
    appropriate.
  6. Conduct follow-up evaluations of implemented changes.
  7. Identify staff development needs associated with curriculum changes.
  8. Make provisions for articulation of programs between levels of instruction.
  9. Provide appropriate information to Board of Education members and the
    community about curriculum topics.

*A special note about technology – technology resources and instructional strategies will be interwoven within the curriculum at all levels.

I. The School Learning Teams (SLT): The School Learning Teamis a group of educators, representative of a variety of constituent groups in the school, who meet regularly and collaborate on school improvement goals. This group collects and analyzes the results of student data, determines gaps in student performance, and develops action steps and strategies designed to improve teaching and learning at the building level. Goals, strategies, and actions steps developed at the building level will be in alignment with the District priorities, initiatives, and strategic plan. Members of this team are responsible for communicating with their grade level/department colleagues as well as communicating any building needs or concerns to the Principal. The building Principal organizes and facilitates this group.

  1. Organization of the School Learning Team (SLT)

a)Principal

b)Assistant Principal

c)Teacher Leaders

d)Support staff representatives

  1. Responsibilities of the School Learning Team (SLT)
  2. In collaboration with the principal, operationalizes the district strategic plan
  3. In collaboration with the principal determines the school improvement goals facilitating the cycle of continuous improvement
  4. Proposes the plans to faculty
  5. Meets at least quarterly
  6. Communicates any building needs or concerns to the principal

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