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Nati

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Instructional Gap Analysis StrategyAligning instruction w/ standards and

assessments

The Education Trust, IncSeptember 2006

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A non-profit advocacy groupbased in Washington DC that works with educators, policy makers, parents and community to close the achievement gap

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Core Beliefs

Schools can reduce the debilitating effects of poverty and racism on student achievement.

When teachers “instruct” students learn. Good instruction takes ongoing work on the

work. Parent and community involvement is a

necessary but not sufficient component of education reform.

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Poor Health Economically

Disadvantaged Parents Don’t Care Rough Neighborhoods

Low Expectations Low-level Assignments Ineffective

Instructional Methods Inequitable

Distribution of Resources

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Cycle of Low AchievementLow Expectations

Low Level Assignments/Instruction

Poor Test Results

Less Challenging Courses

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As Grade Level Increases, the Assignments Given to Students Fall Further and Further Behind Grade Level Standards

0.02

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1.94

2.883.62

4.344.97

5.786.37

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32

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K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Gra

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Average Grade Level of Assignment Grade Level Standard

Source: John Holton, South Carolina Department of Education, analysis of assignments from 362 Elementary and Middle Schools in SC.

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7.828.5

9.56 9.789

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7

8

9

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Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12

Gra

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Average Grade Level of Assignment Grade Level Standard

Source: John Holton, South Carolina Department of Education, analysis of English Language Art Assignments in14 High Schools in South Carolina

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As Grade Level Increases, The Percent of Assignments Aligned to Standards Decreases

97 9589 87

70 66

55 56 57

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K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

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Source: John Holton, South Carolina Department of Education, analysis of assignments from 362 Elementary and Middle Schools in SC.

In high-poverty schools, kids get A’s on a lot of

misaligned assignments.

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“A” Students in High Poverty Schools Score at About the Same Level as “C” Students in Affluent Schools

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A B C DGrades

Seventh Grade Math

Low-poverty schools High-poverty schools

Source: Prospects (Abt Associates, 1993), in “Prospects: Final Report on Student Outcomes”, PES, DOE, 1997.

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Source: South Carolina State Department of Education Office of Research Education Research Report; South Carolina Standards-based Education Design Team - Mohr, Holton, & Keim

Comparison of Letter Grades and Test Scores in English Language Arts

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Advanced orMostly A's

Proficient orMostly Bs

Basic or MostlyCs

Below Basic orDs and Fs

Grades SC State PACT 2000

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Students can do no better

than the assignments

they are given

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Instructional Gap Analysis Exercise

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Standards in Practice™What is it?

A process to identify and close the gap between what students learn and what they need to learn to attain proficiency;

Provides a structured conversation to develop and implement instructional strategies to ensure rigorous academic work for all students

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Standards in Practice™ is NOT

Another PROGRAM to be added to your already full plate.

Another meeting – the process is to enhance effectiveness/focus of existing planning meetings.

Focused only on student work, but on teacher work.

Dependent upon expensive materials or consultants.

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Participant Roles at a Standards in Practice™ Team Meeting

Facilitator/Lead TeacherKeeps team on step, focuses discussion

RecorderRecords major points of discussion using SIP record form

Teacher introducing the lessonProvides a BRIEF introduction to the lesson in Step 1

CoachEnsures discussions are around grade appropriate content and effective instruction

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Standards in Practice™ Organization

All activities at the school site, in school using classroom work.

Teams can be grade level, vertical, interdisciplinary, subject matter--include teachers, administrators, higher ed faculty, parents

Meetings are once a week, ideally during the school day

Meeting “agenda” is the 6 steps of the model

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1. We discuss the purpose of the assignment;2. We analyze the demands of the task;3. We identify the standards that apply to the

assignment;4. We generate a task-specific rubric using the

standards and the assignment;5. We score the student work, using the task-

specific rubric;6. Redesign assignment-plan instructional

strategies.

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Standards in Practice™6 Step Model

STEP 1: What is the academic purpose of this assignment ? The team examines the task to ask about content and context: what learning was expected from this task?

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Standards in Practice™6 Step Model

STEP 2: The team asks: what does someone need to know and be able to do to complete the task successfully?

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Standards in Practice™6 Step Model

STEP 3: The team identifies the standards that apply to this assignment

General Standards in Practice Rule

Each assignment must address at least: One content standard—literature, math,

social studies, science, art, music, world language, etc. (reading and writing are NOT content standards)

One writing standard Note: If the assignment is misaligned,

SKIP to step 6/redesign.

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Standards in Practice™6 Step Model

STEP 4: The team generates a task-specific rubric for this assignment from the standards and the assignment

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Highly Proficient

Proficient

Novice

Basic

Standards Based System

Norm Referenced System

Losers Average Winners

Norm Reference vs. Standards-based system

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Task Specific vs General Rubrics

Task specific assess the quality of a response to the assignment being reviewed.

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Task specific rubric

4. A qualitative description of the student work on the assignment being reviewed that is exemplaryNO RETEACHING NECESSARY

3. A qualitative description of student work on the assignment being reviewed that meets the standard(s)NO RETEACHING NECESSARY

2. A qualitative description of student work on the assignment that almost meets the standard(s)student is in his/her zone of proximal development and is “using but confusing” concepts—SOME RETEACHING NECESSARY

1. A qualitative description of student work on the assignment that does not meet the standard(s)SIGNIFICANT RETEACHING NECESSARY

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Standards in Practice™6 Step Model

STEP 5: The team diagnoses the student work, using the task-specific rubric/scoring guide.

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Standards in Practice™6 Step Model

STEP 6: The team analyzes the student work to plan instructional strategies for improving students’ performance. Questions, such as these, are asked:

What changes need to be made to the assignment to make it more rigorous?

What instructional strategies do we need to teach the assignments?

What other action needs to occur at the classroom, school and district level?

What additional support do teachers/principals need?

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Grade 10 Writing Assignment

A frequent theme in literature is the conflict between the individual and society. From literature you have read, select a character who struggled with society. In a well-developed composition, identify the character and explain why this character’s conflict with society is important.

The Education Trustwww.edtrust.org(202) 293-1217