Tennessee Curriculum Standards

“Change is the only constant.”-Ancient Proverb

Our Reality

NCLB Principal Performance Contracts Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

Value-added teacher reports

Schools in reconstitution Business Community

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March, 2007, Tennessee joined the American Diploma Project Network (ADP)

A Network of 33 states committed to :

Restoring value to the high school diploma

Increasing rigor of high school academic standards

Align standards with workforce and postsecondary demands

Tennessee and ADP

Immediately upon joining ADP, Tennessee began the work of revising core content standards in the areas of Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry.

These revisions required the K-8 curriculum to be revised to support the increased expectations and rigor of the ADP-aligned high school courses.

Overview of Standards Revision Process

Standards are revised to ensure alignment with ADP benchmarks, ACT benchmarks (including Explore), NCTM Focal Points and NAEP standards (June-Dec 2007).

ACT College Readiness Standards Alignment

EXPLORE – assessment and guidance program for use with eighth and ninth graders for school planning.

Reflects the same academic content areas as PLAN (10th) and the ACT Assessment. English Mathematics Reading Science Reasoning

ACT College Readiness Benchmark Scores

Through collaborative research with postsecondary institutions nationwide, ACT has established the following College Readiness Benchmark Scores:

A benchmark score is the minimum score needed on an ACT subject area test to indicate a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding credit-bearing college courses.

College Readiness Benchmark Score

English English Composition 18 Math Algebra 22 Reading Social Sciences 21 Science Biology 24

ACT SubjectArea Test

College Course(s)

Measuring College Readiness

Is there a gap between achievement on state assessments and NAEP?

8th Grade Achievement on State Assessment v. NAEP (2005)

87%87%

26%21%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

Reading Proficient Math Proficient

Tennessee

NAEP

Tennessee Timeline April 2007- K-12 standards revision work begins (math, English, science) Aug 2007- First reading at State Board K-8 Science Aug-Nov 2007- Post K-8 Science for Public Review Nov 2007 - First reading at State Board 9-12 Math, Science, ELA; Final reading K-8

Science Nov 2007-Jan 2008 – Post 9-12 Math, Science, ELA for Public Review Dec 2007-First reading K-8 Math and ELA Dec-Jan 2008- Post K-8 Math and ELA for Public Review Jan 2008 - Final reading at State Board 9-12 Math, Science, ELA; Final reading at

State Board K-8 Math and ELA

Jan-Aug 2008 - New publications, professional development on standards; (continuing throughout next 2 years)

Spring 2008 – Current standards w/current assessments (3-8); Continue Gateway Spring 2009 – Combination current assessments w/new field test of items from

standards revisions (3-8); Continue Gateway Fall 2009/Spring 2010 - Students take new End-of-Course/Elementary assessments Spring 2010 - *NGA grad rate reported

High School Graduation Requirements

Changes proposed to begin with the graduating class of 2013, this year’s 7th graders, include: transition from Gateway to EOC as percentage of

yearly grade increasing the credit requirements to 22 aligning the curriculum with ACHIEVE’s standards developing new assessments developing one diploma for all students

High School Graduation Requirements

Math - 4 Credits: (Students must take a math class each year)

• Algebra I 1 Credit• Geometry 1 Credit• Algebra II 1 Credit• Upper level Math 1 Credit

• Bridge Math--Students who have not earned a 19 on the mathematics component of the ACT by the beginning of the senior year are recommended to complete the Bridge Math

course. • Capstone--Students in the 19-22 range who will not be STEM majors in college. (Some

students in this range will choose to take the usual “STEM” math courses instead of the Capstone course, but it is not their best option!)

• Adv. Algebra and Trigonometry• STEM Math (Pre-Calculus, Calculus, or Statistics)

Standards Revisions in K-12 Math, Science, English/Language Arts:

Add rigor

Remove redundancies

Fill gaps (NAEP/ACT/College Board/Achieve)

Provide formative assessment points per subject per grade level

Move from knowledge and comprehension to higher levels of thinking in both instruction and assessment

Structure of the New Standards

Grade Level Expectations (GLE) K-8 Course Level Expectations (CLE) 9-12 Checks for Understanding () State Performance Indicators (SPI)

http://www.tennessee.gov/education/

The new state standards are divided into five strands:

1. Mathematical Processes

2. Number and Operations

3. Algebra

4. Geometry and Measurement

5. Data, Probability and Statistics

Numbering System

GLE 0106.1.1 Use mathematical language, symbols, and definitions while developing mathematical reasoning.

01 First Grade06 Mathematics.1 Process Standard.1 First GLE in the set

Grade Process Number & Operation

Algebra Data, Statistics, & Probability

Geometry & Measuremen

t

Total 2009-2010 SPIs

Current Curriculum

SPIs

3 8 14* 4* 3 7* 36 45

4 4 12* 3* 4 10* 33 40

5 4 9* 4* 3 6* 26 47

6 5 8* 9* 3 6 31 43

7 4 7* 9* 4 3* 27 47

8 3 4 7* 4* 5* 23 48

The asterisk indicates the major standards identified by the Curriculum Focal Points for that grade level.

State Performance Indicators (SPI) per grade level 2009-2010 as compared to current curriculum

What’s Happening With Science?

Research into Practice

Engage students in scientific inquiry. (ENGAGE) Build on prior knowledge. (EXPLORE) Develop knowledge, skills, and scientific attitudes.

(EXPLAIN) Assist with applying new information to different

situations. (EXTEND) Provide opportunities for problem solving. (EXTEND) Assess formatively and summatively. (EVALUATE)

Learning Cycle Model for Instruction (5E)

ACT College Readiness Standards Alignment with K-12 Standards

There is close alignment between the K-12 science standards and ACT College Readiness Standards for Science Reasoning

Integration of Data Scientific Investigation Evaluation of Models, Inferences, and

Experimental Results

NAEP Alignment

GLE (K-8) Additions:

Grade 4 Energy (aligns with NSES)

Grade 8 Matter Magnetic and Gravitational Forces

New TN Curriculum Framework: Additional Features Embedded Standards (include GLEs/CLEs, checks, SPIs)

Inquiry Engineering and Technology Mathematics (in most high school courses)

Descriptors have been shortened. E.g. The Earth and its Place in the Universe is now The Universe

High School Redesign (class of 2009-2010)- 3 science credits: Biology, Chemistry or Physics, additional lab science Content emphasis in grades 6-8 changed. (6th-ES, 7th-LS, 8th-PS)

Conceptual Physics added as a high school course option Physics First = High School Science Redesign

Life Science course eliminated

ACT College Readiness Standards Alignment with K-12 Standards

There is close alignment between the K-12 science standards and ACT College Readiness Standards for science content

Life Science/ Biology Earth & Space Science Physical Science/ Chemistry, Physics

General Organizational Format of the TN Science Curriculum Framework

CHECKS FOR UNDERSTANDING are suggestions for assessing student learning. Formative assessments are typically embedded within a lesson. Summative assessments provide information about whether a student has met a particular Grade or Course Level Expectation.

UNIQUE IDENTIFIERS are assigned to every GLE, CLE, Check for Understanding, and SPI to unsure specificity when referencing a section of the Framework.

STATE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS are the basis for student accountability and are used by the state to prepare standardized test items aligned with corresponding Grade or Course Level Expectations.

GUIDING QUESTIONS are clearly defined targets used to sharpen and inform instructional articulation across the K-12 science curriculum sequence. Every high school graduate should have an accurate understanding of the concepts embedded in every Guiding Question.

GRADE/ COURSE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS represent the fundamental goals for student learning and are used by teachers as the principal guide for instructional planning.

CONCEPTUAL STRANDS are the unifying, “big ideas of science” that all students should grasp after completing their K-12 science program.

STANDARDS are the major science content area topics addressed in a particular grade level or course.

Content DistributionGrade/ Content Area

Comparison of Old and New Science Standards

Comparison of Science Strands for Grades 4-8

African Proverb: The Race at Sunrise

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows that it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.

Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows that it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.

The moral: It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle. When the sun comes up, you had better be running.