DINI AUDITDINI AUDITfor ELAfor ELA

Findings and Findings and

Action PlanAction Plan

Why the audit?Why the audit?

This state-mandated audit was This state-mandated audit was conducted because our district conducted because our district was not making adequate yearly was not making adequate yearly progress in the area of progress in the area of English/Language Arts.English/Language Arts.

Reading Skills Reading Skills

The following skills should be explicitly The following skills should be explicitly taught by all teachers:taught by all teachers:

Background KnowledgeBackground Knowledge and and

Vocabulary DevelopmentVocabulary Development FluencyFluency ComprehensionComprehension and and ResponseResponse Motivation to ReadMotivation to Read

Background Knowledge and Background Knowledge and Vocabulary Development: FindingsVocabulary Development: Findings The State says:The State says:

“No evidence was found for this performance indicator in the written curriculum; performance indicator 10-2.1 is not addressed.”

Fluency: FindingsFluency: Findings

The State says:The State says:

““No evidence was found for this performance indicator in the written curriculum; performance indicator 10-3.1 is not addressed.”

Comprehension and Response: Comprehension and Response: FindingsFindings

The State says:The State says:

“No evidence was found for these performance indicators in the written curriculum; performance indicators 10-4.1, 10-4.2, 10-4.3, 10-4.4, 10-4.5, 10-4.6, and 10-4.7 are not addressed.”

Motivation to Read: FindingsMotivation to Read: Findings

The State says:The State says:

““No evidence was found for this performance indicator in the written curriculum; performance indicator 10-5.1 is not addressed.”

Writing SkillsWriting Skills

The following skills should be The following skills should be explicitly taught by explicitly taught by allall teachers: teachers:

1.Understand the purpose for writing

2. Identify the intended audience

3.Use tone and language appropriate to the audience and purpose.

Writing Skills ContinuedWriting Skills Continued

4. Use the writing process 5. Observe the rules of punctuation,

capitalization, and spelling 6. Use an organizational format that

provides direction, coherence, and/or unity

Writing Skills: FindingsWriting Skills: Findings

Evidence is missing for the all of the writing skills performance indicators previously listed.

Listening and Speaking: FindingsListening and Speaking: Findings

There are five literacy competencies There are five literacy competencies for listening and nine for speaking.for listening and nine for speaking.

Listening: Listening: missing 5 out of 5missing 5 out of 5

Speaking: Speaking: missing 9 out of 9missing 9 out of 9

Findings from teacher interviewsFindings from teacher interviews

One issue is that the district One issue is that the district coordinator is responsible for all coordinator is responsible for all grade levels, K–12. As a respondent grade levels, K–12. As a respondent said, “We need an elementary, said, “We need an elementary, middle, and high school level person. middle, and high school level person. The curriculum is too different.”The curriculum is too different.”

Findings from teacher interviewsFindings from teacher interviews

The key problem cited by The key problem cited by respondents was that within any one respondents was that within any one classroom, student reading levels classroom, student reading levels vary. As a high school teacher said, vary. As a high school teacher said, “It’s hard because I have one student “It’s hard because I have one student who is reading at a 12th-grade level who is reading at a 12th-grade level and another who doesn’t know the and another who doesn’t know the alphabet…. alphabet….

What does this mean for you?What does this mean for you?

Though this has been labeled an Though this has been labeled an English audit, it is the English audit, it is the responsibility of ALL teachers to responsibility of ALL teachers to help our students develop the help our students develop the literacy skills necessary to be literacy skills necessary to be successful in all content areas. successful in all content areas.

Action Plan GoalsAction Plan Goals

Goal 1 – Curriculum: By 2009-2010, the district Goal 1 – Curriculum: By 2009-2010, the district will implement a consistent K-12 ELA will implement a consistent K-12 ELA Core Core CurriculumCurriculum across all grade levels across all grade levels

Goal 2 – Goal 2 – Special EducationSpecial Education: Beginning in 2009-: Beginning in 2009-2010, Schenectady City School District will 2010, Schenectady City School District will increase the percentage of students with increase the percentage of students with disabilities achieving proficiency on state ELA disabilities achieving proficiency on state ELA assessments by assessments by 5% annually5% annually. .

Action Plan GoalsAction Plan Goals

Goal 3 – Instruction: The district will identify, Goal 3 – Instruction: The district will identify, implement, monitor, and evaluate the use of a implement, monitor, and evaluate the use of a core set of research-based instructional core set of research-based instructional strategies for strategies for literacy across content areasliteracy across content areas by by the end of 2009-2010.the end of 2009-2010.

Goal 4 – Professional Development: By 2010, Goal 4 – Professional Development: By 2010, all all staffstaff will have actively participated in ongoing will have actively participated in ongoing literacy-focused professional development and literacy-focused professional development and will have put into practice will have put into practice research –based research –based instructional strategiesinstructional strategies that are monitored and that are monitored and evaluated for effectiveness.evaluated for effectiveness.

Literacy Across the Content AreasLiteracy Across the Content Areas

To help us achieve Goal 3, To help us achieve Goal 3, all teachersall teachers in in the district will participate in literacy across the district will participate in literacy across the content areas professional the content areas professional development.development.

Additionally, Additionally, all teachersall teachers will explicitly teach will explicitly teach their students literacy strategies that are their students literacy strategies that are directly connected to their content area.directly connected to their content area.

Professional Development Professional Development

October 31October 31 November 6November 6 February 14February 14

March 3March 3