Presented to the Board of Education

April 24, 2007

M. Lynn Barkley – Asst. Supt. of Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Kelley Dickson, Parent

Kelley Barenbaum, Reading Specialist, WV*

Susan Hanson, Reading Specialist, PV*

Laura Kazmer, Reading Specialist, FS*

Judy Spector, Reading Specialist, MS*

Michael Barry, GMS, 8th

Nan Rockwell, GMS, 8th

Ruth Gheysen, FS, 6th

Shelley Rizzo, FS, 5th

Lee Maxwell, AV, 4th

Erica Jawnyj, AV, 3rd

Lindsey Petlak, PV, 2nd*

Angela Howard, MV, 1st*

Jacqueline Williams, MV, Kdg

Beatriz Johnson, PV, Bilingual

Tracy Tarasiuk, District Literacy Coach*

Rhonda Mathis, Asst. Principal, GMS*

Cathy Santelle, Assistant Principal, FS*

Amanda Schoenberg, Principal, PV

Laura Morgan, Principal, MV

Lynn Barkley, Assistant Superintendent

*Reading Endorsement

Macmillan Harcourt Scott Foresman Prentice Hall

Kindergarten Lawrence (AV) Emmons (PV) Williams (MV)

1st Possehl (PV)

Lowy (AV)

Howard (MV)*

Santo (AV)

Frederick (PV)*

Holland (AV)

2nd Petlak (PV) McCall (PV) Sauld (AV)

Wallin (WV)

3rd Churchill (WV) Ellison (WV)* Jawnyj (AV)

4th Dausch (AV)* Maxwell (AV) Schmidt (PV)

5th Rizzo (FS) Mosch (FS) Coate (FS)

6th Gheysen (FS) Lozowski (FS) Skamra (FS) King (FS)

Identify Needs

Reflect, Research, and Investigate Options

Develop a Plan with Goals and Accountability Options

Field Test

Collect Data and Feedback

Analyze Results

Make Recommendations

Take Action Steps and Implement Approved Changes

Continue to Monitor and Reflect

o Our curriculum should be reviewed and new student materials should be selected on a regular cycle. This allows for fiscally responsible purchases of new materials.

o 5 - 8 Language Arts was to be adopted 2003 - 3004.

o K - 4 Language Arts was to be adopted 2004 - 2005.

o The new Curriculum Coordinating Committee is developing a long range timeline to ensure our curriculum is adopted, reviewed and renewed in each curriculum area to ensure that quality programs are used in District 46.

Goal 4.1 - Establish a Curriculum Coordinating Committee

4.1.a. Advise Board of Education through the Superintendent in matters concerning curriculum, instruction and assessment

4.1.b. Develop mission statement, long range plan and policy document (governance)

In process

Goal 4.2 - Develop a detailed, sequential and uniformly implemented Language Arts curriculum, based on scientifically based research and aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards

4.2.a. Assessment of Pre-K - 8 curriculum, instructions and assessment practices for Language Arts (pre - K currently being audited, will wait for the audit

report from the state and begin planning for pre - K curriculum)

*Curriculum Mapping*

Goal 4.3 - Pilot Language Arts Curriculum (K - 8)

4.3.a. Each grade level K - 8 will pilot Language Arts Curriculum Currently piloting in all grades in all buildings

4.3.b. Professional staff development activities All pilot teachers have received 2 - 3 training sessions All teachers will receive initial training this summer and then

throughout the year as needed4.3.c .Language Arts Collaborative Maps

- in process

Goal 4.4 - When purchasing new Language Arts textbooks, make purchases from Illinois Textbook Loan program, making student needs the first priority

4.4.a. Refer to Illinois Textbook Loan list as a resource for pilot materials All materials piloted and reviewed are approved for

Illinois textbook loan money

Beginning in FALL 2005 the Language Arts Committee and School Improvement Teams:

Identified gaps and redundancies in current language arts curriculum (K - 8) using National Reading Panel guidelines (K - 3), Illinois Learning Standards, Illinois Assessment Frameworks (3 - 8) to identify current needs (Goal 4.2)

Analyzed district ISAT, NWEA, ECRA and Literacy Assessment test data (Goal 4.2.a.).

Began articulation meetings with High School Language Arts departments to determine students needs for transitioning from GMS to GCHS/GNHS (Goal 4.3.c.)

Beginning in Spring 2006 the Language Arts Committee reviewed curricular options using the recommendations of the BOE. The following options were reviewed:

Houghton Mifflin, Harcourt, Open Court, Glencoe, Macmillan, SRA, Sopris West, Prentice Hall, Holt

The BIG Question????Adopt a K - 5 and 6 - 8 series, OR, adopt a K - 6 and 7 -8 series?????

Choose pilot materials that followed board parameters (Goal #4)

Select teachers from all grade levels and specialty areas to pilot materials (4.3.a.)

Develop a district textbook criteria survey to select pilot materials(4.3)

Additionally, use NCTE Literacy Matrix to survey pilot materials (4.3)

Teacher, Student and Parent Surveys (4.3)

Teachers at all grade levels, specialty areas and each building will test materials from fall 2006 - spring 2007 (4.3.a)

Parents received letter (Week of 10/16/07) and information at conferences that their child’s teacher was piloting new curriculum

Teachers were given textbook criteria prior to piloting

Board Communication (Bd. Presentations 9/18/06, 11/6/06, monthly superintendent reports

Teachers piloted materials from 4 different publishing companies. The survey covered 37 items. The items asked teachers to rate how well their pilot materials addressed reading instruction in the areas of Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency and Text Comprehension (NRP, 2001), as well as story selections, writing, spelling, and differentiation.

Macmillan was given the highest marks in 14 of the 37 survey items.

Macmillan was rated lowest in only one item. *

*Item #5-Listen and speak in a variety of situations. Though a reading series provides valuable reading materials, listening and speaking opportunities in a classroom are mostly provided by the teacher through integrated activities throughout the day.

•Does this series reach all levels of learners?

“I think the weekly assessments are wonderful. Every 3rd one is "leveled" and that has been really helpful (not as much wording). I have been giving them every Friday and then sending them home with the evaluation tool to the parents all filled out. I have had positive feedback on these rubrics, since the parents can see how their child is doing.” -CCSD Pilot Teacher

Was this series organized in a manner that is helpful for new and experienced teachers?

“Everything is at your finger tips. I couldn't believe it when

I saw all the flip charts already made and centers for

science/social studies, writing and working with words.” -CCSD 46 Pilot teacher

Items 30-34-This series provides appropriate materials for ELL students/students with IEP’s/Remedial Reading students/Title 1 students/gifted students/average students.

“Great home-school connection in both English and Spanish.

Correlated ELL/Bilingual program being tested and is successful.

Spelling, vocabulary,writing and skills are reflected and repeated throughout. Good variety for guided reading.” CCSD 46 Teachers.

The District 46 Language Arts Committee and Pilot Team recommends:

The adoption of Macmillan Treasures Reading Series for Grades K - 6.

To continue piloting 7 - 8 materials during the 2007 - 2008 school year.

Implement approved Macmillan curriculum in the 2007 - 2008 school year in grades K - 6.

Begin professional development opportunities in the summer of 2007.

Continue 7 - 8 grade pilot work during summer of 2007. Determine supplemental material needs in

vocabulary, grammar and spelling Finalize Novel Reading List Continue articulation with Grayslake High School

Collect ongoing data from NWEA, ISAT and local assessments to ensure that learning is maintained at a high level.

During summer 2007, CCC will prepare baseline data parameters for standardized assessments to be used in monitoring programs effectiveness.

Language Arts Committee will meet in January to determine mid - year needs.